Dil Dil Pakistan Global Effect

A Video created by my cousin Sheheryar Ahmad (@sheriahmad90). It's a mashup of different people singing Dil Dil Pakistan at different times in different places. A really amazing video and he also makes a shy appearance.

FUN FACT: Dil Dil Pakistan, according to a recent magazine article, is Pakistan's national song.

Pictures from Tanzania

A dear friend of mine, Maria, living in Tanzania sent me these beautiful pictures about the country. She is a photographer and a fellow poet. The United Republic of Tanzania is a beautiful country in East Africa, bordered by the Indian Ocean on the East.

Can you believe that there are such beautiful places in the world? Click on the Pictures to enlarge them.

--- Myra

Books: A part of who I am.

Every single book that I ever read made a part of who I am. My personality, views and expressions are all that I have read and seen in life. That's why every book is important and why good ones even more so.

 - Myra Ahmad

I was just reading somebody's blog on which they talked about how reading had affected them. As a bookworm, I can relate to it. Reading books has changed the way I see life. And I am thankful for it.

My mother and grandparents (maternal and paternal) are major bookworms. We spend days reading. That's where my interest in reading trickles down from. But unlike them, my interest is solely novels.

My mother introduced me to reading. As a child, she bought me children's books with stories in them and I loved it. The first "thick" book that she bought me was the Audio Treasury Volume One. I must be in Prep or Grade I then. It had short stories in it. Even the book looked valuable. I have it still.

I have treasured that book so much. It got the place of honour on my bookshelf. Before my younger sister and some nasty kids (seperately) got their hands on it. It's still on my bookshelf, though. I'll show it to you when you come over Anoushia.

I remember that the first "thick" novel that I ever read was "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone". A friend had lent it to me. I was in 3rd grade then, I think. I was so hooked to it, I read it for 3 days straight. That was my record and I am proud of it! At the end of the book, I remember being afraid of Voldemort. I couldn't sleep that night. Then I reminded myself of Harry and how brave he was. (Of course, he was older than me but that shouldn't count). That gave me the strength.

I still have some of my very first books. All of them are in good condition, except some. One day I didn't know and some very very nasty kids came to our home, and took scissors from God-knows-where and found my precious books ... That day I cried. On the spot. My sister was so touched when she saw me, she went and told the kids' father and mother all about what they had done. She asked to give those brutish kids a spanking. They agreed, if my sister would hit the kids hard. Oh, if my parents hadn't interfered that day, those kids would have had the lesson of their life...

Sniff.

Mental note: I must not get emotional. I must not get emotional.

Sigh.

It seems a bit strange but I read "adult" fiction before I read "Young Adult". Though, not the bad adult fiction.

I read my first "Adult" novel in grade sixth. My teacher made me. Because I had read all the books in the library for kids. It was called "Pride and Prejudice". At the time when I didn't even understand what "prejudice" meant, it was a big step. I did eventually search what it meant, in a dictionary but I still didn't understand the concept. (For the record, looking up words in a dictionary is against my dignity. It means I don't know what something means.)

I like to mention here that I don't belong to the TV culture family. My family doesn't watch any 'dramas' or 'soaps' (why is it called that?). So I didn't belong to the group of people that I see many youngsters belonging to, discussing who's match is for whom, and who looks 'cute' with whom and all that nonsense. I would rather play Prince of Persia, Street Rage, The King of Fighters, Mortal Kambat, TMNT and other cool games on the computer with my uncle.

So, reading "Pride and Prejudice" was a drag. I didn't like it a bit. I had no clue what was happening, and why the writer wouldn't stop. It was an overly embarrassing experience. I refused flat to write a review on it. I told my library teacher I would sooner write a book, than the review. And that's been the case.

Last year I had to read "PnP" again, along with other Jane Austen work. Needless to say, my opinion doesn't change, only I have no sympathy for the character's heart-breaks.

Back to good things.

I love Children's Classics. They are the best out there. I love "The Secret Garden" and "Heidi". I owe my interest in novels to Enid Blyton. She made my world.

I talked about them sometimes back.

I have been rambling on. I have read detective fiction. Agatha Christie is my favourite. I read fantasy. Rowling and Tolkein get hats off.

I have even (accidently) read books that perhaps I was not ready to read yet. There have been a few books that I haven't finished (a rare thing), and some that I would never read again. One has been locked away. I can't give it away, I'd be ashamed to do that. That book deserves to be burned.

Growing up with these books and more, there were times when I was overwhelmed, deeply depressed, overjoyed, hopeful, and sometimes, I was just forced to stop and think. Some of these were disturbing.

They taught me what greed, maliciousness, jealousy, crudeness, murder, prejudice and coldness were.

But more important, they taught me what righteousness, kindness, bravery, honor, loyalty, friendship, dignity and nobility is.

They taught me the difference between right and wrong.

They taught me what my ideals should be, what I have to stand up for, how I should lead my life.

These books made me appreciate life, the better things in it, the people in it that makes it so beautiful.

Kudos to the books that changed us and will continue to change us.

--- Myra

Photo Credits:
"books" by vintageanchor.tumblr.com
"Pride and Prejudice" by g-pop.net
"Hope" by Jacatra.com
"Harry Potter" by ovrelia.blogspot.com

The First Page of My First Diary

I started 'writing diary' when I was in grade 3rd. I recieved a diary for my birthday. It was beautiful and it was the first one I had that had a combination lock. Of course, I loved it. I used to record my activities on it daily, and let me say this for myself, it was a wonderful idea. Of course, my mother put the idea in my head, and of course "Mother knows best". :)

Here is the front page of my diary. The writing is my mother's. And I think so is the drawing.

--- Myra

P.S. I refuse to call it a journal. That would be more fitting if it had a leather cover and rough pages, which it does NOT.

Some of My Favourite Books

I am a bookworm. Here is a simple statement, and I feel a certain pride in saying it. In my opinion,, books are the best things in the world. You can't deny that. You can get all the information from movies, documentaries and websites, but you cannot replace books.

Here is a list of my all-time favourite books that I sincerely hope that you would read someday (Hurray if ou already read some of them)

Heidi

Heidi is among the first Children's Classics that I ever read and it was love at first reading. Even years later, I borrowed it from my college's library and read it in one day. It's beautiful. The characters of Grandfather, Heidi, Peter and that girl in the wheel chair, they are just amazing. My favourite character, however, remains the doctor and Heidi.

The story revolves around an orphan Heidi, whose aunt leaves her with a non-meeting, gruffy eye-browed grandfather when the aunt gets a job in the city. Grandfather lives on the mountains, and here Heidi, a little kid, grows up among fresh wind and flowers, befriends the shepherd boy, Peter, and his goats. It is a simple but beautiful story about young Heidi who finds a special place in the hearts of all whom she meets.

Peabo Bryson & Regina Belle - A Whole New World

When my brain starts to think....

There is one fact that I don't deny: My brain is most productive during exams. During that golden time, ask me to write as many poems, stories, draw pictures, mend handicrafts, make paper models, creatively waste time on the internet or my netbook, and I am ready to do it. But there is, after all, a limit to my genius. Ask me to study, and ... well, that's the limit of my mental capability.

These days I am suffering from a disease called exams. It is a chronic disease and it comes every year around winter (when I would rather be in bed, and not outside) and spring (when I would rather be outside, and not in bed). This year it is hitting a little too close to my heart, because I, the weary warrior, am not quite recovered from previous wounds.