tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53797382011-12-02T16:20:30.258+05:00sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.comBlogger11621100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-26524130777457051652008-12-23T00:00:00.001+05:002008-12-23T00:01:39.138+05:00

After over five years with Blogger - this blog is moving house to Wordpress: http://sabaimtiaz.wordpress.com

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-67522694909295128792008-12-16T00:33:00.003+05:002008-12-16T00:55:54.788+05:00

I was just wondering what could round up the year this has been and then an Iraqi journalist trumps it all by hurling shoes at George Bush.Hats off to you, Muntader al-Zaidi. I hope they free you from detention soon.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-65944039096642038242008-12-13T11:40:00.003+05:002008-12-13T11:48:42.510+05:00

Americans mistook Lotas as weapons By Abdul Sattar KhanThe News LAHORE: An annual convention of the recently banned Jamaat-ul-Dawah created ripples in the American security circles a few years back when, while monitoring through satellite, they mistook thousands of Lotas at the Pattoki convention site as potential weapons.Perhaps not aware of the fact that the Muslims use

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-63608817744243500652008-12-11T11:15:00.003+05:002008-12-11T11:29:06.379+05:00

Post-Eid vacation blues suck. Majorly. In Jordan it was easier to get back to normal because there were never this many days off for Eid - and it generally doesn't feel like Eid when there isn't any family/Eidi/rivers of blood to navigate on Eid al Adha. (Oh Dickens, how I think of you every Eid)But this break - combined with the weekend - has truly been ridiculous.I have watched two seasons of

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-69173130585820760482008-12-11T08:37:00.001+05:002008-12-11T08:39:40.988+05:00

Overheard on the news, during a report on the Lahore Zoo.Visitor: Ticket dus rupay hona chahiye, hum jaanwar dekhne aate hain, le jaane nahee.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-81735742059443568052008-12-10T02:39:00.003+05:002008-12-10T02:41:10.074+05:00

Is it just me, or was Chuck Bass channeling Heath Ledger playing The Joker (in The Dark Knight) in this week's season finale of Gossip Girl?I just had to get this out of my system. Phew.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-21524293544949443992008-12-08T02:17:00.002+05:002008-12-08T02:34:23.573+05:00

We are in a decline. We might recover financially in two three years and may even in a dream scenario become something akin to a modern nation – far-fetched as all this may sound, but the very core, the very essence that defines a nation, that special quality inspired by just a few good men and women that makes ordinary countries become extraordinary – that is long gone. Where we lost it and when

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-48714700604663690362008-11-15T21:38:00.000+05:002008-11-15T21:39:40.192+05:00

And Everything Was Alright: "Bear's Morning Ritual" Trailer from Placeholder Films on Vimeo.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-61417223464706689802008-11-05T09:39:00.003+05:002008-11-05T09:45:56.103+05:00

Barack Obama has been elected as the 44th President of the United States of America. What a fantastic moment to show the efforts of grassroot change - fundamental change in the way people have looked, worldwide, at the issues that affect the US and their role in world affairs. Can't be coherent - waiting for Obama's victory speech live from Chicago.. :)

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-86148914837485419102008-11-01T21:35:00.002+05:002008-11-01T23:23:27.612+05:00

aWhen one is confronted with the ghosts of their past; there are two things to do - look on them fondly or wonder where time flew by. But very rarely, you look at the past, present and future with fondness, and realize that something you knew all along is materializing itself in ways you never thought possible.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-77122261926295379632008-10-29T00:36:00.002+06:002008-10-29T00:38:54.891+06:00

In the morning,When you wake upDaytime fades upAnd your make up runs,Just hold onIt sounds tacky,but I'm hopefulThere's a reasonThat the world turns round,Through silent sound- Dark on Fire: Turin Brakes

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-8926490108832247202008-10-21T12:14:00.003+06:002008-10-21T12:20:31.406+06:00

The family's internet messaging sagas continue. After Dad asked me the question I'd been dreading for a year, "what is Facebook?" (which was followed by a conversation where I told him I would only explain it if he wouldn't join, and his comparing it to some age-old networking thingy) I thought we couldn't get any more net-dysfunctional.We obviously can - as evidenced by the Gtalk conversation

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-8634132519295239112008-10-15T00:50:00.002+06:002008-10-15T01:33:26.928+06:00

I have had the most miserable time shopping today. 4 upscale stores. Price tags that were so ludicrous I was wondering whether my brand new glasses had given up on me and I was just misreading four-digit-numbers for t shirts. And why the hell is everything made for a size 0 teenager addicted to those horrid stretchy shirts?If I am shown yet another t-shirtdress with a belt, I might just throw it

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-21198538444962409062008-10-14T01:26:00.004+06:002008-10-14T01:34:55.672+06:00

Watching the sixth episode of Entourage's fifth season has reinforced my belief that this is probably the most acting-intense season for Adrian Grenier aka Vincent Chase. After four seasons of sitting pretty as armchair candy, its great to see him actually act. Entourage may be the fluffiest show out there, but combine the guilty pleasure of watching it to the engaging storyline..

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-17100729013150511082008-10-13T01:44:00.005+06:002008-10-13T01:59:40.621+06:00

So I just watched the season premiere of the revamped 90210 series. I had this strange curiosity to watch it -- when I was growing up, 90210 was possibly the coolest, hippest show out there (and this is an era when Michael Jackson was a hit, as was Khaled's Didi) and my mom thought it was too much for a child below the age of 10 to watch. It is probably that curiosity factor that has ensured that

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-51334709103388548392008-10-12T18:13:00.006+06:002008-10-12T19:23:15.318+06:00

Have actually come through on my moving-back-home-claim by spending almost every evening this week at Espresso.Love the new Strings video. There's nothing like a video that makes you go 'awww.'Addictions of the week:MGMT's Oracular Spectacular. Fantastic music.TV shows (at last count: Grey's Anatomy, Gossip Girl, Entourage, Lipstick Jungle, Ugly Betty and Desperate Housewives).Mr DarcySubscribing

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-89720291704541277592008-10-03T10:50:00.001+06:002008-10-03T10:56:50.480+06:00

"Because life isn't fair." — John McCain on Fox and Friends after being asked why the crashing economy has boosted Obama's poll numbers. [Fox News]- From Daily Intel

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-71752691393776294662008-10-02T00:17:00.003+06:002008-10-02T00:57:21.558+06:00

Eid break! 5 days of downloading the latest episodes of all current TV show addictions and reading until my brain turns to mush. Finished Murakami's Kafka on the Shore (brilliant. Thanks to Alex for introducing me to him through The Wind-Up Bird Chronicles) and am now reading Stanley Wolpert's Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan (very well-researched, but then I've only read about 200 pages). Music finds of

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-20879401591860378212008-09-27T20:50:00.003+06:002008-09-27T21:05:59.292+06:00

My take on the Zardari-Palin saga.INSTEP flashback OK, so Zardari told Palin she's gorgeous What's the fuss about anyway? Saba Imtiaz Unless one lives under a rock, it's been hard to miss the news of President Asif Ali Zardari calling Sarah Palin 'gorgeous'. From newspapers to TV channels to Facebook statuses, everyone appears to

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-43425820887819586252008-09-25T18:07:00.005+06:002008-09-25T18:43:31.472+06:00

And with the amount of news I've been following recently - I knew this would definitely be the talk of the fashionista world. As style.com puts it, the "killer heels are being touted as the new handbag" and Hilary Alexander delivers a scathing piece on the shoe debacle. Coutorture has a great roundup here.Even though the shoes look fabulous as a separate image..ouch.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-53693231939147718192008-09-09T22:09:00.002+06:002008-09-09T22:15:27.107+06:00

Having iftar with Huda's family and eating more food than I had in a month in one evening. Topped off by turkish coffee and strawberry cheesecake. And realizing that in a different country, you make your own family.Going to Jafra / Balad al Rasheed for post-iftar arguilehTrying to get a table at Hashem and hearing the 'falafel shabab!' yells and soundsCooking my own sehri and iftar. Eating iftar

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-25354255063669372012008-09-03T18:24:00.002+06:002008-09-03T18:27:16.180+06:00

Everyday when I go to work, I pass a wall where someone's written 'Save Pakistan' (I think its part of the graffiti on the opposite wall by Jamatis asking for help to prevent secularism, but lets ignore that) Everyday, that sign makes me smile because it feels like we still have a country to save.I'm not so sure anymore.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-56481543342203584812008-08-31T16:47:00.002+06:002008-08-31T16:54:17.165+06:00

Summer grapes of wrathMasood HasanColumnists or hacks as I prefer to call this band of pen pushers and keyboard punchers are no great sages who can miraculously transcend the confusion and chaos of daily life and pronounce awe inspiring judgments and conclusions that makes everyone else suddenly see the light – an unfortunate turn of phrase seeing that we have none most of the time. They are

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-75069366972033163402008-08-30T01:13:00.002+06:002008-08-30T01:22:04.632+06:00

The more things change, the more they bloody well remain the same. I am constantly, constantly discovering how idealistic I really am, in so many ways. And yet, hell, is truly other people. It is that constant sick cycle carousel of hoping people have changed, when in reality, its only my perspective. It makes me want to believe in Ayn Rand, and that scares me.For once, I too, would like to be on

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-27122357605381243642008-08-25T01:01:00.001+06:002008-08-25T01:02:52.691+06:00

There's nothing to describe that feeling - when you listen to a song from the early 90s that you did air guitar to as a child and dreamed of emulating the emotions within the lyrics - and realize with a shock that while you have it all, you have nothing.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-57880441390485764012008-08-22T10:38:00.003+06:002008-08-22T10:40:46.108+06:00

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-17271344879365264222008-08-20T10:43:00.003+06:002008-08-20T10:59:01.892+06:00

Musharraf is gone (yes, finally, thank the heavens, et al).While his resignation speech should go down in history as being utterly hilarious (not as great as the emergency declaration one by far though), incredibly long winded (how much money did the country lose while the nation endured his drivel for an hour to have him get to the point?) and also marks a landmark 8 million or something text

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-4280865568926037202008-08-14T23:17:00.002+06:002008-08-14T23:18:59.124+06:00

I have been writing about Independence Day-related stuff for a few days and watched bits of celebratory shows (and Mush's speech, only because of the rumor that he'd announce his resignation.) I have also had to duck inside my house to avoid the massive amount of aerial firing at midnight, call a friend to find out if he was anywhere in the vicinity of the bomb blast in Lahore last night and sit

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-69555154200024798592008-07-26T00:43:00.003+06:002008-07-26T01:37:53.713+06:00

I started work this week - after a month of vegging out inf ront of the television reacquainting myself with Bollywood and randomness in the city, a number of job interviews and trying to figure out a career path - I am finally doing what I love - i.e. writing. Its a strange transition to be doing this full time instead of the freelancing I've done off and on for the past couple of years, but I

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-3281355865498464852008-07-21T10:29:00.002+06:002008-07-21T10:32:29.819+06:00

Whoever's idea it was to have Nancy Ajram's El Dunya Helwa sung, over the same music, in Urdu for the Coke ad...well lets just say I hope I never know who it is.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-69687145715274443662008-07-19T13:12:00.005+06:002008-07-19T13:27:16.176+06:00

So - in more family related news. I've been de facto maid around the house since I arrived - I suppose my persona of a self proclaimed domestic goddess has not vanished away yet into the land where all alter egos go. H has been my employer of sorts - to the point where I have started calling myself H's unpaid Filipino maid. (you gotta live in the Middle East to get that reference)And to top it

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-49262672124871617152008-07-12T03:39:00.002+06:002008-07-12T03:50:37.616+06:00

The 10 craziest keywords that have directed people to this blog. Honestly..Saba Imtiaz. People seem to keep searching for my name. Honestly, who are you? Why do you want to find out more about me? I Google myself occasionally for a laugh, but this many hits?!Saba blog Pakistan. Why haven't you asked me YOURSELF!?A Case of Exploding Mangoes Ebook. Dude, I love Ebooks as much as any other broke

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-1674803813520660342008-07-09T22:04:00.003+06:002008-07-09T22:14:29.838+06:00

..in English newspapers these daysIn no apparent order..MiscreantCondemnWrit of the stateForeign handIntelligenceFlaySuicide bomberControversyThreatenDevalued

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-21880873686202632922008-07-04T20:32:00.004+06:002008-07-04T23:06:57.692+06:00

The top ten things I miss about Amman (in no order of preference. except Hashem)Hashem.Having karkadeh and shisha at Balad al Rasheed. Free coffee refills at Books@ is a close second..Lebanese pastries at 1 AM..or any other time when I was too lazy/tired to cookDarat al Funun - the sheer beauty of the building, the amazing art exhibits, drinking tea next to the fountain, the films, the view..

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-53911069741931759942008-06-22T03:01:00.003+06:002008-06-22T03:26:53.960+06:00

Still awake at 3:00 AM. I don't know if this is insomnia, the unadjusted sleep cycle or the general routine I associate with home - sleeping all morning and staying awake all night. Staying awake isn't as poetic as it used to be. I should sleep now, since in 8 hours the electricity will go off, which is when I usually wake up, disoriented and wondering where I am. Its strange to find Frosties in

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-81161117029544617182008-06-20T17:53:00.003+06:002008-06-20T17:54:47.142+06:00

Home. Food. Music. Singing. Being understood. Electricity breakdowns. Sleeping the morning away. Familiarity.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-29398465151384032492008-06-14T20:01:00.002+06:002008-06-14T20:03:24.120+06:00

Scratch that. Incompetence is never excusable, but when its in your own zone, its easier to deal with because you know how, and are not stuck in the never ending drama of nuances, diplomacy and fake politeness.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-40408274319402669522008-06-12T04:39:00.003+06:002008-06-12T04:45:39.661+06:00

Why do I have to leave now when I am finally, finally comfortable with the person I have become here, when I feel like a local and am super efficient work-wise - it doesn't seem to make sense that in a few days (fingers crossed) I will have no use for all of this, none at all.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-66906945281590078892008-06-07T19:09:00.002+06:002008-06-07T19:46:06.103+06:00

Oh dear God. After days like today, I should just keep a big stash of the happy pills nearby.I'm taking care of Nadim's cat, Shamsy, for the weekend. Shamsy is an adorable cat - he's actually affectionate and sleeps next to me (which I think is rather strange, having Smoky, who only follows you around if you have chocolate or a new box of Meow/Whiskas biscuits) and is generally rather

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-24269988260579461612008-06-06T04:02:00.003+06:002008-06-06T04:14:02.981+06:00

I am wrapping up a year of my life. A year in a completely new environment - new people, language, customs, traditions, food, lifestyle.. I can't find the strength to look back, and I can't muster the optimism to look forward because the future is one big black hole of unknown. All I can do right now..is keep breathing.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-9136809435466148522008-06-01T20:19:00.002+06:002008-06-01T20:21:44.301+06:00

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-32602548476280627182008-05-28T17:32:00.004+05:002008-05-28T17:34:53.787+05:00

ARGH! I hate Amman on summer days like today. Not only is it insanely hot, but there are no taxis and the few ones that are miraculously empty, and deign to stop after flagging them endlessly will refuse to take you somewhere they don't want to go. I'd better be out of here before the Gulfie onslaught..Sigh. I feel better.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-29534993986349036092008-05-26T13:53:00.002+05:002008-05-26T13:58:03.635+05:00

Ida Maria - Keep me warm(its the song that plays at the end of the Grey's Anatomy season 4 finale)Pour myself a cup of coffee full of sober nights,Cos nicotine and coffee are my friends in this fightAnd you, you keep me warmYou, you keep me warmAll your cigarettes and cup of coffeeIt keeps me warmBelieve me I can play games cos I know all the rules,Believe me I can pretend cos I've studied the

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-11281382760023248982008-05-26T02:28:00.004+05:002008-05-26T03:29:09.951+05:00

Every time someone asks me what my opinion on the current state of politics in Pakistan is, I always grasp for straws and eventually throw my hands up in the air saying - I have no idea. Considering my main sources of news are Pakistani news websites and blogs, it is hard to form an opinion without living and breathing the problems our country faces. But despite the fact that I live in Jordan, do

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-12911887993355467952008-05-22T14:21:00.006+05:002008-05-22T14:47:36.713+05:00

Back from another extremely randomly planned trip to Damascus (God bless the very helpful woman/my new best friend at the Syrian Embassy and JETT's 7 AM bus service) and a friend who I brainwashed (and with good reason!) about the gorgeousness that is Damascus. I honestly couldn't believe I was headed to Syria again until the sign started looming up on the border. And for the record, its faster

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-22428555852103467212008-05-12T12:59:00.003+05:002008-05-12T13:14:00.682+05:00

A year ago, I sat, with a suitcase brimming with clothes all over the floor, preparing to leave Karachi, listening to gunshots from the not so very nearby Shahrah e Faisal, watching Karachi being set ablaze, being made hostage, being subject to the same kind of violence I witnessed when I first moved there.A year later, I sit, in a different city, dreaming of the day I will pack up my suitcase

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-68218465157372908992008-05-06T23:18:00.005+05:002008-05-06T23:30:21.426+05:00

I saw this documentary at Darat al Funun today - and I am rattled to my very core, but even that phrase doesn't put my feelings into words accurately. From the website - About the film In 1923 Vladimir Jabotinsky, leading intellectual of the Zionist movement and father of the right wing of that movement, wrote: "Zionist colonization must either

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-54303352386631536382008-05-05T19:55:00.003+05:002008-05-05T20:10:40.282+05:00

Suleiman Mirza and Madhu Singh on Britain's Got Talent. Thankyou, SepiaMutiny, for making my bored evening turn into pure fun.Classic. And thoroughly entertaining. And my new happy song of the day!

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-7573962750497213412008-05-04T16:24:00.002+05:002008-05-04T16:36:18.950+05:00

All right, one out of every two Pakistanis is going hungry and what do we do. We go out and buy killing machines. Imagine, over the past five years our decision-makers have bought killing machines worth $4.55 billion from the US alone. All right, Pakistan is now officially more water-stressed than is Ethiopia. What have we done about it? Well, we have bought 500 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, 1,450

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-74709217677377224352008-04-29T14:15:00.004+05:002008-04-29T14:48:33.883+05:00

I love random kindness in the Middle East. Maybe its because of the lifestyle I have gotten used to - but people are great with giving me directions or just being incredibly helpful - down to the old grizzly man who was walking down the pavement, stopped when I asked him for directions to Bab Touma, walked me to the bus stop, waited until he found the right minibus and directed the driver to drop

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-65580302355444216122008-04-28T03:01:00.004+05:002008-04-28T03:19:42.405+05:00

Wandering down through Bab Touma was fun. I love Christian neighborhoods, and the churches, and the women crossing themselves in front of it. Bab Touma leads to a series of lanes for handicrafts, it sucks that this is tourist season because the prices were multiplied ridiculously. 800 SYP for a string of wooden mirrors? I know one day this is going to come back and haunt me but still. I still

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-35626436928193755432008-04-28T02:47:00.004+05:002008-04-28T03:00:39.041+05:00

April 26, 2008 Mid afternoon - flopped into a chair in the courtyard at Al Rabie HotelIn a fit of exhausted panic, I felt like leaving Damascus and going back to Amman this afternoon because I was so tired of walking. That didn't really pan out so now I'm sitting here, relaxing under the shade of the vines, and I can bum around the hotel and leave early tomorrow morningReflections for today?I

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-60287817984085899172008-04-27T21:20:00.005+05:002008-04-27T21:33:17.898+05:00

Jabal Qusion was beautiful. Even if I was having severe vertigo while being there, it was absolutely breathtaking. I asked a Syrian woman sitting next to me if the far off mountains were Lebanon - she looked at me with surprise and said, 'no, its Syria..its vast'. Apparently living in Jordan has made me lose my sense of distance. It was so worth arguing with the taxi driver over the fare and his

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-49068525019857414892008-04-27T20:33:00.003+05:002008-04-28T02:43:58.042+05:00

April 25, 2008Damascus - driving to the Old CityRandom thoughts - scribbled when in a taxi in the late eveningThere are pigeons everywhere!The Syrian President, Bashar al Assad, is probably as prominent in pictures here as the Royal Family is in Jordan. However, its pretty much the same picture of him everywhere which makes it slightly monotonous. Oddly enough, signs bearing the late President

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-50891813053663101132008-04-27T19:19:00.005+05:002008-04-28T02:45:01.909+05:00

Al Rabie Hotel, DamascusApril 25, 20081:00 PMThe minute I arrived in Damascus I felt I was back in Lahore. Which is weird because Lahore and Damascus are clearly two worlds apart - but perhaps it is the feeling I associated with both cities, being absolutely away from everything and just taking in the sights and sounds of where I am now. The tree lined neighborhood of Souk Sarouja, which is where

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-69287178729798775692008-04-22T03:09:00.002+05:002008-04-22T03:11:44.309+05:00

Absolutely spot on!Land of the Cunning PlanShakir Husain for The News"My fascination with Blackadder stems from how accurately it reflects the political scene in Pakistan throughout the series, and we can actually use it at as a teaching aide at a number of public service academies ranging from the Civil Services Academy, the Staff College (for civil servants) in Lahore, and the Staff College (

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-13010262292447844862008-04-20T15:10:00.004+05:002008-04-20T17:07:17.581+05:00

On another visit to Abdoun today, I was reminded yet again of how much Abdoun reminds me of the divide in Karachi - the one we call 'the other side of the Clifton bridge'. Karachi is a city of 12 million people (I'm fairly sure this number is inaccurate) - and despite having lived there for over ten years now, I've never seen the city in its entirety. But back to the divide - the clear difference

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-67147052553582142982008-04-20T13:20:00.003+05:002008-04-20T13:29:25.286+05:00

Everyone finds it very surprising that I communicate with my Dad mostly through Gtalk. We've had many a hilarious conversation that I've posted up here. Since he's been in the hospital / recovering from surgery for the past few months, I've missed the randomness alot..and then yesterday:Dad: As regards Smokie, she has already driven me up the ceiling with her meows - there are 3 billas outside

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-76744038104016957792008-04-20T04:39:00.002+05:002008-04-20T04:46:38.277+05:00

There's an article in The Guardian about Israel's 60th anniversary - while it makes for an interesting read to look at the Zionist pride and principles behind its creation, some of the quotes that caught my eye were:Meanwhile, if Jesus Christ were alive today among his earliest miracles would be to survive his own baptism, because of the profligate use of the River Jordan's waters for irrigation

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-5731487165041436282008-04-16T00:18:00.004+05:002008-04-16T00:35:46.497+05:00

What is it about good news that it fails to make as much of an impact on me as bad news? The events of the past few weeks have left me feeling - for the first time - like an absolute outsider. Whether this is delayed culture shock, or my inability to focus on the positives than the negatives, or a combination of both - I don't know. What I do know is that I spent the weekend working feverishly,

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-42713269903612288982008-04-15T20:35:00.003+05:002008-04-15T20:42:01.116+05:00

While traveling to the Dead Sea yesterday, I realized that while traveling through Jordan, you can see various roadsigns pointing towards the routes for Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria, with the cities marked, -- there are absolutely no signs for Israel or Palestine. The only signs that do indicate of the neighbour are for the King Hussien Bridge. I was asking a friend today and he pointed out that

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-6202653004250754152008-04-08T01:56:00.002+05:002008-04-08T02:00:36.696+05:00

Am I really living in a mad, mad world where, despite wishing every second that I was curled up in a ball under the comforter, I have been working all day since the moment the alarm rang, marking 9 years to the exact hour my mother died?And now, it is 11:59 PM, and I wish I could erase and rewind.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-67767506066277651422008-04-07T02:35:00.005+05:002008-04-07T03:01:42.993+05:00

Yesterday evening I went to the screening for Recycle - a film by a Jordanian filmmaker, Mahmoud Massad, that showed and won at Sundance this year. Recycle follows the life of Abu Ammar, a former mujahideen fighter, who is a resident of Zarqa - which has become a town known primarily for the fact that this is where Abu Musab al Zarqawi was born & lived till he was 20. This propelled the town into

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-52990064948094859812008-04-06T05:20:00.004+05:002008-04-06T05:44:27.324+05:00

I picked up Charlie Wilson's War a few days ago at the DVD store, as a result of the buy 5 - get 1 free offer they have, and having watched pretty much all the other good new releases.Watching this movie again reminded me of the refugee comparisons that I've felt repeatedly since I moved to Jordan, and reading A Thousand Splendid Suns.I didn't think the acting shone through in the movie - its

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-1128422804108232442008-04-04T21:04:00.007+05:002008-04-04T21:12:15.348+05:00

An Egyptian Sufi group performing at the King Hussein Gardens today..

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-24710498893790110092008-04-01T14:23:00.002+05:002008-04-01T14:27:22.383+05:00

Not as great as the previous Google Romance & Gmail Paper ones though..I know people who actually fell for the Google Romance one. Wake yourself up with our new Google Wake Up Kit!Do you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning? We do, too. In fact this problem became so serious at times that it sometimes resulted in lacklustre attendance at team meetings. To help solve the problem we've

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-49560789709060185552008-03-22T18:45:00.002+05:002008-03-22T20:20:29.472+05:00

With the advent of spring, I see the flocks of tourists are back, at some places, outnumbering locals. Hashem is as welcoming as over, the falafel as crispy, the servers remember me, my friends, who I brought to Hashem daily in one week in December.The tourists who gingerly enter Hashem amuse me the most, as the servers yell out 'WELCOME, WELCOME' and sometimes, to convince tourists who have no

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-51879770427134277522008-03-19T21:15:00.006+05:002008-03-19T21:23:47.359+05:00

At the end of a day spent traveling through half the city, frantically trying to finish everything, and drinking endless cups of tea, I like to look at my empty email inbox. Through the day, I answer each email methodically and archive it, leaving it blank and peaceful by the evening.Until the next round begins.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-11196142005523807712008-03-18T02:41:00.008+05:002008-03-18T02:50:24.873+05:00

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-87786306171727579332008-03-16T17:25:00.001+05:002008-03-16T17:26:49.783+05:00

My favourite, though it is a daily close fight between hot contestants, is one where government spokespersons speak with a solemn and straight face that the deposed chief justice is free to come and go as he pleases. They also inform us that there is absolutely no restriction on who can visit him provided any one wants to visit him. Meanwhile, it is heartening to know that this week the CJ's

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-60522076909160276642008-03-16T01:46:00.004+05:002008-03-16T03:09:38.530+05:00

I saw this movie tonight at The Francophonie Film Festival* being held in Amman. With some of the best animation work I've seen in ages, the movie had that surreal, soul-deep feeling I only associate with Amelie, for example. I'm not going to review it -- there are some great ones on IMDB.I really want to see it again -- wonder where I can get my hands on a copy of it..Excited about checking out

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-79633047959500049502008-03-07T19:32:00.001+05:002008-03-07T19:34:20.075+05:00

Its finally, a beautiful day in Amman today - the sun is shining gloriously, I have great coffee, soul soothing music, a chicklit book, a mausummery lawn shirt and my favorite bracelet..Today, as my kitchen filled with the smells of spices blending together for that taste of home cooked comfort food that we usually take for granted, I wondered how much of my weekend routine i have inherited from

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-48418311281870921402008-03-06T23:27:00.007+05:002008-03-06T23:38:26.437+05:00

Don't know why I'm still afraidIf you weren't real I would make you upnowI wish that I could follow throughI know that your love is trueand deepas the seabut right noweverything you want is wrong,and right nowall your dreams are waking up,and right nowI wish I could follow youto the shoresof freedom,where no one lives.Remember when we first metand everything was still a betin love's gameyou would

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-57305821967201763122008-03-02T23:03:00.002+05:002008-03-02T23:17:10.008+05:00

Is it just me or is it slightly disorienting to see pictures of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iraq?I grew up with stories of the Iran-Iraq war, and CNN bringing the Gulf War into our living rooms in the 90s. I live in a country now where there are thousands of Iraqis who have fled their country to rebuild their lives afresh. Regardless of how many times, due to my passport, I am told that I require

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-91916659954613770782008-02-28T19:29:00.005+05:002008-02-29T04:25:49.135+05:00

Title of the post - attributed to the very brilliant Hugh Laurie aka Dr. HouseI hate the flu. I hate the weather. At home, this weather (sunny mornings, breezy cloudy afternoons, cold nights) would be a blessing. Thats because it would happen once in a blue moon, and would be the cause of many a random plan and many a bag of pakoras and kachoris eaten to herald the weather. Hai kachoris..In this

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-66614318766672283532008-02-23T21:58:00.003+05:002008-02-23T22:10:47.643+05:00

Some of my favorite comments from the dictator's article in The Washington Post (and seriously, shouldn't the byline have read "The writer is the illegally elected self proclaimed CEO president of Pakistan.")"If you believe Musharraf, I have a bridge in Brooklyn I'd like to sell you""In other words- "Keep sending the money, my offshore bank account needs another 100 million before I flee the

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-19026088082657350172008-02-10T23:01:00.001+05:002008-02-10T23:12:26.620+05:00

This beautiful red shawl that H gifted to me. Its gorgeous - I think shawls are the most elegant accessory one can adorn. Its brightness brings a smile to my face, and reminds me of happier times, past and yet to come.Whats interesting is that I was once recognized as being from the subcontinent on account of the pink paisley printed shawl I'd wrapped myself in. Sigh, paisley prints..The

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-42206774961581484622008-02-09T23:10:00.001+05:002008-02-09T23:45:21.880+05:00

After eons, I have managed to buy and read a book within the space of a few days (sigh, the days of feverishly reading with the luxury of absolutely nothing to do). I have wanted to read the book for ages, but I either never had the time or the money.I read The Kite Runner on the plane to Jordan, sobbing my way through the end, much to my chagrin as I was ecstatic at the thought of being in

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-87990693158292873292008-02-09T05:49:00.000+05:002008-02-09T05:54:12.946+05:00

There’s something about journeys, about airports and departure lounges and long visa queues that fills me with both excitement and crushing depression at the same time. I remember long trips home from my early childhood, of my always calm mother, I sometimes wonder at how she managed to travel with boisterous twins without having a hair out of place. I miss my mother, I miss her more desperately

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-12796027836287753042008-02-07T20:02:00.000+05:002008-02-07T20:05:06.993+05:00

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-18931016049372231302008-01-30T20:17:00.000+05:002008-01-30T20:44:14.628+05:00

So its snowing. Before you ask me how it snows in the Middle East, I don't know. I come from the sunny Emirates. My five year old persona took over last night when it started and I hopped around madly going 'yay, snow' and giving incessant weather updates to friends in sunnier climes.I woke up this morning to find the patio covered in a blanket of snow -- and now other than the fact that its

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-31291857802559164932008-01-29T01:23:00.000+05:002008-01-29T01:35:24.099+05:00

Come on, come on Put your hands into the fire Explain, explain As I turn and meet the power This time, This time Turning white and senses dire Pull up, pull up From one extreme to another From the summer to the spring

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-69270384565422240992008-01-08T19:32:00.000+05:002008-01-08T19:35:04.673+05:00

My horoscope for today.You are probably concerned with serious matters today, which can lure you past the lighter issues that typically interest you. Maybe you missed something or maybe you just got it wrong and now get a second chance. Reconsider what in your life is most valuable to you. Be practical, for you could be required to live with your current choices for a while.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-81634832836839810842007-12-30T13:10:00.000+05:002007-12-30T15:27:43.383+05:00

I feel like the shock of my mother dying, and the constant state of disbelief has come back.Jiye Bhutto.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-14687452212108975752007-12-20T00:48:00.000+05:002007-12-20T00:50:40.833+05:00

What a fucking bad year for the country - the country has Martial Law imposed, a judicial crisis of unprecedented forms happens, Gulgee is murdered - among other horrendous things.Any hope for 2008, anyone?

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-76250578724751683082007-12-04T13:56:00.000+05:002007-12-04T14:36:04.846+05:00

Monday morning chat with Dad. I thought I was about to collapse due to lack of sleep..his day was..well..Dad: Am thinking of proposing to the new Govt that they should cancel Monday from the calendar It is plain tortureme: but abba, it doesnt make sense cos i start my week on sunday and sunday sucks tooDad: Huma wasn't feeling well pre dawn. I woke up with a headache with a splitting headache

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-64679596065558389532007-12-01T05:29:00.001+05:002007-12-01T05:35:05.199+05:00

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-83621675740949550572007-11-28T20:34:00.001+05:002007-11-28T20:34:25.012+05:00

To the one who I always end up calling when everything seems to be crashing down, thankyou.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-3956246271298371862007-11-13T03:51:00.000+05:002007-11-13T03:52:33.883+05:00

the more things change, they more they seem to bloody well remain the same.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-12056528597736916012007-11-10T18:18:00.000+05:002007-11-10T18:22:04.849+05:00

I received a package from home today, containing bedsheets that I’d asked my Aunt to get made, my old clothes, packets of Slims and boxes of Shaan Masala. When the Post Office called me in the morning informing me the parcel had arrived, I jumped out of bed with a feeling of excitement that I hadn’t felt for a long time. When they showed me the parcel, I almost burst out into tears at

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-4172752829716832992007-11-09T18:02:00.000+05:002007-11-09T18:18:49.987+05:00

In a course I took at university about 2 years ago, we had an assignment to research the Constitution of Pakistan for a description of the rights we have as citizens. I remember when I stood up and rattled them off, there were looks of disbelief all around - because the composition of class, mostly from the middle and upper middle class sections of Karachi, had heard these for the first

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-27688180355837006512007-11-05T18:14:00.000+05:002007-11-05T18:15:34.164+05:00

I don’t remember the last time I spent this much time poring over news websites from home or actually watching TV channels streaming online. Most days, I am proud to be from Pakistan – since that shapes so much of my identity living abroad – but I am embarrassed to have a moron of a military dictator as the recognized leader of the country.While my nonchalant father (nonchalancy comes after

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-51000335816965662392007-10-31T17:54:00.001+05:002007-10-31T18:08:33.471+05:00

My Dad often logs in to the internet using the PC at home, so my sister's Gtalk logs in automatically as well. So I message my sister online today... Saba: H or dad? Reply: smoky miaow Saba: meow meowcat, why you not run anymore?do that lazy father and lazy sister not pull your tail? Reply: because i am lazyhahaha Saba: meow cat, will

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-86513893388420566812007-10-31T02:48:00.000+05:002007-10-31T03:06:39.781+05:00

Going to the lowest point on Earth: Highly recommended for depressed people - because buoyancy is a gift everyone should get to experience and remember how true happiness felt like.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-58475494986695553762007-10-28T03:53:00.000+05:002007-10-28T04:13:29.059+05:00

I've opened and reopened this page more times than I'd like to remember over the past 2 days.The insane desire to say something - aloud, to record it for posterity - has taken over.I feel as if I am in a permanent state of anti-climax.

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-8653557145279579122007-10-26T03:20:00.000+05:002007-10-26T02:22:25.055+05:00

I wish I could draw a line through all of nineteen ninety-nine All except that moment in the spring When I had everything I had everything It’s funny how a year can make so much of only one mistake All I wanted was the life I planned But now I understand Now I understand I wish I had never known a heart that beats just like my own How can one so close become so far away In just a day In

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-41572720261971174882007-10-23T20:07:00.000+05:002007-10-23T20:08:58.198+05:00

Excerpts from this book - that has shaped my thoughts in shadows for the past few days..Was this not similar to our revolution, which had come in the name of our collective past and had wrecked our lives in the name of a dream?---- As I stood there alone on the hospital grounds, with people rushing around me, I had a strange experience: I felt as if my heart had been torn from my body and had

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-63679295518825405612007-10-21T18:14:00.001+05:002007-10-21T18:19:27.561+05:00

Countdown Jordan: 5 months, 6 days, 5 hoursCountdown Pakistan: 8 months

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-24688636732103314112007-10-12T02:35:00.000+05:002007-10-12T02:50:17.672+05:00

Tis Eid in Jordan on the 12th and this is probably the strangest Chand Raat ever - for the first time in about 7 years I don't have mehndi on my hands, and no Eid outfits, and no Eid events to attend (superexcited about that, actually)While this has been a strange Ramadan too, owing to the fact that I made quite a good effort to fast this year, and missed home desperately when I had to wake up to

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5379738.post-12270749971374293762007-10-06T00:37:00.000+05:002007-10-06T00:55:29.544+05:00

Every Ramadan, a melancholy feeling of what I have lost comes over me.I find it hard to concentrate, to think about getting over - finally getting over this, to breathe.I woke up today with a feeling that reminded me of the days after my mother died. Short of breath, headachy, tense, and wanting to get out of bed and face the world, but also to lie under the covers and pretend that this is all a

sabahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02498701911868751558noreply@blogger.com1