Million Miles

My ventilator. Read, comment and judge me not.

Monday, December 26, 2005

So Lahore is under a massive flu spell. Everywhere I go I see people sniffing their noses off; a crumpled up tissue paper in one hand, watery eyes and sneezing like there's no tomorrow. But nothing beats the cool nasal tinge to the voice. Thats the best part of flu. You get to sound 'cool'! Anyway, I've had my rightful share and don't wish to be flued twice in winters.

Alhamdolilah the exams have finally dropped out of the scene and now I can relax and think clearly. Not that I was studying like crazy before but still now there's no sword of an upcoming exam looming over my head. I gave my last exam for sociology and was reuqired to prepare for only one topic 'family'. While studying it, something continually kept on striking me; how much energy and time do we waste on trivalities. For example numerous sociologists and especially the feminists have spent their lives examining the diverse families found in different societies, explaining their functions, causes of existence, practicality, benefits etc. These people have laboured for years and painstakingly magnified the minutest details of matrimonial relationships to prove their point. While there's nothing wrong with it, I just find it too worthless a task to spend time on. Because we're not to sure as to what we're supposed to do, we keep on indulging ourselves into details that are not even important. Like what's the point of trying to prove one form of family superior than the other?

Anyway, yesterday was Christmas for the merry Christians and Quaid-e-Azam's birth anniversay. I didn't get to see any celebrations because I have not been in touch with newspapers but thats alright. Tomorrow we're invited at a friend's place for a fake dholki, I hope we're able to make it as original as possible. Then the day after is the school bonfire. Mayya, you're invited to join in, if you don't have any weddings to attend. School will reopen on 15 th January and that gives me 15 days of pure holiday. I think instead of making plans of my own, I should just help my mum around the house. As prudish as this sounds, I know sooner or later I will have to turn myself into the stereotypical domesticated eastern lady. Not that I have a problem with it, I just hate the way its overly-emphasised in our society. Its no big deal learning how to make chapatis, or to learn cooking/baking etc. I know these are boring tasks but its always a plus point to be able to run a house, in terms of food supply. I think I've made a whopping mistake by nottaking Arts and subjects related to cooking/baking. And I don't think I harbour a hatred for these subjects as intense as my cousin. I just felt these subjects were too...feminine for me. But now that I take everything into account, I see that I would have done good had I been an Arts student. But its almost the end now, I should gather whatever little skills I have unnaturally created in myself and move on. If anyone will ever need a secretary, please hire me. Because with my glamours future prospects I don't see myself earning grands! Earning not to support but earning for fun, that is.

posted by Niqabi at 5:00 AM

8 Comments:

mayya said...

salaamz lil one :)
Thanks for inviting :) but believe it or not, all the years I was there I didn't attend a SINGLE bonfire ever heh and that school is KNOWN for its bonfires! Either I didn't want to go or something or the other used to come up. Only one guy could be sponsored by one girl and things used to be crazy with girls wanting to invite more than one guy

If you go there let me know if uzma kardar dances with sir nadeem or not :p

Not knowing how to cook is such a major handicap and then they're soo many yummm things to learn! spaghetti with meatballs, gulab jamuns, chinese, ahhhhh now cooking is one project I need to get down to as well! :p inshAllah!
don't worry about your future at all, choose the line you want to take and let Allah make everything fall into place :)

ahhh I swear sociology/anthropology ugh ugh :s its weird crapness, the way these people go and observe different third world tribes and write about them from a biased superior perspective :s but I guess somewhere there may be some gain in knowledge and some finding that benefits someone or the other

heh sowwie that was a long "comment" but then I could relate to everything you wrote :)

ohh and get well soon :)

10:19 AM

Reza said...

Salams Niqabi :D. Glad your done with your exams and all and have social engagements coming up :D. Must be fun getting to just unwind after the storm eh?

On the point of cooking lol. I will be honest with you and give my take on it being a guy. My mom and myself want a girl who can cook or at least someone who WANTS to and wants to learn to if nothing else. I've been eating subway and stuff ever since i came to the US and honestly i just want some home cooking :|. So yea I guess its not really something sterotypical. Its something that is desired by many. But then again these days a lot of guys want modern wives and all who they can show off to their pals and that is, frankly, disgusting to me :). Im more eastern minded with some centrist tinges .. Not too conservative and not too liberal. My mom infact never took arts courses.. shes a doc but she was cooking at the age of 10 lol. Just an example that you dont need arts courses to be good at what you do. If you have the will :).

You have fun now you hear? :) And enjoy the unwinding. inshAllah everything will fall into place.

3:03 PM

Reza said...

Suleman: Yea I think you should :).

8:37 PM

Anonymous said...

Unlike the common myth goes flu (the virus)spreads by contamination through touching things not through air.
So immaculate care in cleaning common tihings and if u have flu not using them if possible is the best way of not being a unwanted vector in the spread of virus.

11:04 PM

Reza said...

You can read the feed from Anyones's blog by adding an atom.xml at the end like this would be Niqabi's

http://www.niqabified.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Take care of yourself Niqabi and get well soon :).

12:45 PM

Aya said...

Aoa
Hope you are feeling better...
Thankyou for your words of encouragement...couldn't have come at a better time...:)
Thought i'd let you know...took the exam today and alhamdulillah,it went fine...

p.s...i hope its not too much to ask...but if you can,do remember me in your prayers...

11:24 PM

Niqabi said...

Wasalaams Mayya:)
I've never been to any of their bonfires either. And fortunetly, I didn't go this time. I just don't like all the stuff they call 'fun'. Anyway, I'll ask around and let you know about the kardar-nadeem stint, insha'Allah :p
Yeah I agree there is some tad bit gain of knowledge as well. To be brutally honest, I just felt like whining about sociology because it was my last exam and I needed some sort of venting to keep me sane.
I LOVE long comments so write your life away! Jazakallah for all your caring comments:)

Wasalaams Reza :D Yeah, its like heaven! It really is. Normal life is a treat, a true blessing. And that is not exaggeration! I don't understand the concept of 'modern wives'. I mean what they call modern is someone from a well-reputed, preferably co-ed instituion, speaking americanised English even with grandparents, sportin the latest 'in' clothes, a complete illiterate at domestic work and someone who can 'hang out' with their male friends. I find it to be very....sluttish. I'm neither conservative nor liberal, I'm just going to follow Islam and they can call me an extremist, i wouldn't care. Although Islam is all about striking a balance and justice. Anyway, lets learn some cooking shooking, if nothing it adds to your credentials-whatever is meant by that word, lol! Take care, jazakallah for comment. Insha'Allah I WILL have fun

Suleman: I agree with you...you're missing something here. You see, just like these people have made it their 'mission' and 'job' to fight against oppression and to improve the 'quality of life in duniya', similarly we need to set our 'missions' and 'goals' as well, which are all directed towards improving the quality of our life in Akhiret. Please note, that I'm not against worldy comforts. But I'm only saying that we need to give a higher priority to our deen first and then our duniya will fall into place itself.
You should learn cooking or get married to a chef.

Moiz: Jazakallah for sharing the knowledge. I've always been confused about this.

Rai: I don't know how to enable it but you can read Reza's comment below.

Maria minus the Q: I can't cook myself a decent meal as yet, but I'm tryin to get there. I don't actually like making salan and gosht and all that. I'd much rather learn pasta and casserole and pizza etc. Its more fun and more...edible! Atleast your mum's on your sister's side. Here, both the grandmother and the mother are against. lol, a sad affair I guess.
When my mum got married she couldn't cook either but from her experience she concluded that girls SHOULD know how to cook before marriage and save herself the embarassment. Not everyone is lucky to have a good mother-in-law who teaches gently. So well...we're bearin the brunt:(:P
jazakallah for the comment

Beautiful Stranger: Wow...I'm a quarter pathan as well! Although I don't know a word of pushto and neither do I look like one! :( I just know 'pukh pukh' because thats what the orega pathan shop-keepers keep saying 'baji yeh kapra lain, app per bara pukh pukh lagey ga'. So i guess it means 'pretty' or 'good' or maybe its just a slang. I like baking too but only when I'm hungry for something sweet. Otheriwise, I'd rather make an omellete then bake a cake. lol@adding more baking powder! I do that too! lol Jazakallah for the comment, keep smiling :)

Wasalaams Aya:) Alhamdolilah I am. No probs and wow I'm so glad t'know that! Nah, its nothing at all, Insha'Allah will make dua, worry not and study :)

12:55 PM

Reza said...

LOL YOU learn cooking :) and let me know how its progressing and I understand and agree with your sluttish wife analogy. Pray I dont get a wife like that will you? :) Happy new Years Niqabi :P. Have fun now :). Stay safe.

5:50 PM