Its Ramadan Kareem

The month of blessings and beauty is here. That one month where we get to polish ourselves and wash away our sins. That one month where blessings are countless. That one month where we are forced to review our actions and better them. Ramadan is here. Ramadan Mubarak !

I always hope that when Ramadan finishes, I would be the same person I was in Ramadan. I love the routine of it. Getting up for Sahoor at 3:30 in the morning. Barely eating something in my case. Then after praying Fajr, sleeping peacefully till you can which is till Duhr. And then sleeping again. Getting up again at Asr and that is when the day starts. My mom has given the responsibility of everything to me. So I am pretty much done. But Ramadan leaves you with sore legs, peace, serenity and a satisfaction.

 My dad always says that we are not just prohibiting ourselves from eating or drinking. Its a bigger picture. We need to stay from lying, back biting, cheating and anything else that makes you less of a person. Ramadan prepares you to live your life in a better way the rest of eleven months as well. I hope that this month be as blessed and beautiful for everyone as it is for me.

...SAP...

I Miss Her

My moms not home. She has been gone since last Friday. And she left me in charge. Not the, "look after your siblings and order food kind of in charge" but the "cook your own food and do all the chores and make sure the house does not burn down" in charge. I did not find it that hard. And I was so looking forward to one week without any parental supervision to kick start my vacations. Unfortunately, that did not happen. 

A while back my gum started throbbing and I got up to go and show it to my mom and ask her what is wrong with it. Only to realise that she is not home. Now, I am sitting with my head in my arms, like a little baby, missing my mom. I just want to go, lay my head on her lap and stay there for ever. But she is not here. And that sucks. I miss her cheery voice and the smile that greets my crappy mood every morning. I want to hear her say the same thing to like ten persons simultaneously.

I have this sinking feeling in my stomach and all I can think of is that my mom only went for a week. She will be back tomorrow. What about the people whose moms leave them forever ? What do they do ? Who do they go to when they cannot figure out their life, when they are in pain and only their moms can understand them, when they want to be pampered. How do they get over the fact that they will never see her again ? Never see her smile, never hear her scold them, never eat the food she cooks, never wear the clothes she folds for them.

"Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. " -Pooh

Just the fact that my mom is there for me is my best comfort. She is my rock. And I miss her. I miss her like you miss sunshine in the winters or you miss pizza after your favourite pizza place shuts down. I miss her.

...SAP...

News That Made My Future

I got into LSBF. I got into LSBF. I GOT INTO LSBF. OMG ! I freaking got into LSBF. I, Sumaica Asad Piracha got into London School Of Business and Finance. Yes, I got into this prestigious school. Right now I am going crazy because I have no idea how to express my happiness. I got the news yesterday but somehow everything went crazy. I practically got killed by a stupid crazy taxi driver and everyone was leaving for Pakistan and stuff. So I didn't really get to celebrate my admission.

I do not even know what to say. Its something I have always wanted. I never thought that I would get such an honour. I am so thankful and humbled that I got in. Everything happened so fast and so smoothly. I applied, got a call, gave the interview, studied for the aptitude test, gave that and voila, I got a call. Everything happened within two weeks without a hitch. Alhumdulillah !

I just wish that my Nano was alive. He would have been the happiest man alive. This news would have made his day. He was always so proud of us and our achievements. And if there is one person I miss the most today, its definitely him. He would have given a huge party, bragged about my admission to all of his golf buddies and would have asked me to come to Pakistan immediately so he could truly celebrate this.

My mommy literally cried. And my friends, well I could feel the happiness in their voices. I am so glad that I fought for what I wanted and believed in and now I have it. I remember, every year I used to go to Makkah and I had a list of things that I prayed for. Becoming a Chartered Accountant was on top of it. And once I thought to myself that you know what, maybe Allah does not love me like he loves others. But yesterday I got to know that He loves every single one of us. We just do not know that. I am that lucky girl in this world who has always gotten whatever she wished for. And I am so grateful for everything.

...SAP...

Last Day Of School

June 25, 2013

Today was the last day of school. Well, my last day in school. And I kept thinking to myself about the place that has given mw so much. I have mixed feelings about leaving school. I mean I never wanted to come here and yet here I am, six years later ready to leave forever. It means the end of school, which is like the end of my childhood. 15 years of school just came to an end forever.

The past six years have been both good and bad. But I feel like I saw how the other side works in the world. I was always so contented in my own life, I never knew that people with such thinking even existed. 

Every corner of this school has some memory associated with it. Like the alley which connects Girls Wing to the Library. Back in 7th grade, that was our hangout place. We all used to be there together every morning and we used to look at the moon infront of us while the sun looked upon us. We used to wonder what we will be in 12th grade. Back then life seemed like a piece of cake but we learnt that even cakes can be burnt. 

Friendships changed and so did our hangout place. It became the ground near Arts and Culture Department which witnessed us walking in the mornings, gossiping and talking about the best books to the best band. 

I am glad that I am leaving. Because in the past two years, I came across people who were so cheap that I am amazed how can they manage such cheapness ? I met hypocrites, double faced b****es, people with such a high cheapness factor, bullies, people who harassed my friends, people who made us think that life has a whole other side, people who judged us without knowing us. And now when we will meet amazing people, we will be thankful for them. Because I know how it feels like to be surrounded by so much weirdness that you think to yourself, how the hell did I end up here ? Despite all that, I would never want to change anything because I learnt that this world has every kind of people in it.

But then I am reminded of the beautiful people I met. People who never judged me or my actions, people who believed in me, stood by me in everything, were genuinely happy for me, know me inside out, people that made me believe in the beauty of life again, people that are so amazing that I have no words for them. They all gave a whole other meaning to friendship. They all were a ray of sunshine in that depressing environment. They are the kind of people who would make plans about food and books first, if there is school the next day. 

I met both good and bad people, lived an awesome life, made memories and now its time to say goodbye. And honestly, I am saying goodbye with a smile on my face. Everything has to come to an end, whether good or bad. And this school was the best and worst in everything.

P.S. Goodbye P.E.C. I will miss my school life and you as well. But not the people you bear. Thank you ! For being such an awesome part of my life.

...SAP...

I dream - Poem

I dream

Of flying high

Of running fast

Of who I am

I dream

Of doing it

Of getting it

Of achieving it

I dream

Of soaring like an eagle

Of singing like a nightingale

Of fluttering like a butterfly

I dream

Of roaming the streets of London

Of climbing the Eiffel Tower

Of boating in the Venice

I dream

Of having riches of a king

Of having contentment of a beggar

Of having patience of a saint

I dream

Of being kind

Of being generous

Of being honest

I dream

Of beauty

Of integrity

Of hope

...SAP...

Author Review: Sidney Sheldon

Date of birth : February 11, 1917.
Date of death: January 30. 2007

Nationality: American

Sidney Sheldon is my moms favourite writer and she was the one who introduced me to him. Master of the Game was the first book of his that I read, given to me by a friend. I love the way he turns a simple, normal story into an  adventure but keeping it very real and true to life. His books always have a very strong story line and it is hard to find loopholes. His books are on my to make a collection list.

When I started reading Sheldon books, I realised that people have a very bad image of his books in their minds. They have this idea that his books are filled with explicit content. His books have been called 'trashy' and 'melodramatic'. I was accused of reading his books due to this reason. What people fail to notice is the fact that every author has nude scenes in their books. One example is Nora Roberts. She gets a free pass because of writing romance.

Honestly, I love the fact that he has written about women and from every angle. Even today women are underestimated everywhere in everything. He portrays his women as beautiful protagonists who are storng and charming. Moreover, they use their femininity as their weapon.

He is the seventh best fiction selling author of all time, selling over 600 million copies. He also holds the record of being the most translated author, his books being translated into 51 languages.

His Words:

"I try to write my books so the reader can't put them down," he explained in a 1982 interview. "I try to construct them so when the reader gets to the end of it, he or she has to read just one more chapter. It's the technique of the old Saturday afternoon serial: leave the guy hanging on the edge of the cliff at the end of the chapter."

"I like to write about women who are talented and capable, but most important, retain their femininity. Women have tremendous power — their femininity, because men can't do without it."

 "I love writing books. Movies are a collaborative medium, and everyone is second-guessing you. When you do a novel you're on your own. It's a freedom that doesn't exist in any other medium."

" If I write about a place, I have been there. If I write about a meal in Indonesia, I have eaten there in that restaurant. I don’t think you can fool the reader’.

Author of books:

The Naked Face (1970, novel)
The Other Side of Midnight (1974, novel)
A Stranger in the Mirror (1975, novel)
Bloodline (1977, novel)
Rage of Angels (1980, novel)
Master of the Game (1982, novel)
If Tomorrow Comes (1985, novel)
Windmills of the Gods (1987, novel)
The Sands of Time (1988, novel)
Memories of Midnight (1990, novel)
The Doomsday Conspiracy (1991, novel)
Nothing Lasts Forever (1994, novel)
Morning, Noon & Night (1995, novel)
The Best Laid Plans (1997, novel)
Tell Me Your Dreams (1998, novel)
The Sky is Falling (2000, novel)
The Other Side of Me (2005, memoir)

...SAP...

100 Book Challenge 2012

Last year things were a little hard and somehow I could not finish this challenge. My focus was somewhere else, in other things. But I did manage to read a quiet a few amazing books.

January:
1.Kiss The Girls. -James Patterson
2.The Double Eagle. -James Twining
3.The Alexander Cipher. -Will Adams
4.The Doomsday Conspiracy. -Sidney Sheldon
5.The Stars Shine Down. -Sidney Sheldon
6.Master Of The Game. -Sidney Sheldon
7.The Naked Face. -Sidney Sheldon
8.Sea Swept. -Nora Roberts
9. Chocolate Girls. -Annie Murray

February:
10.Slave. -Mende Nazir
11.Saher Aik Isteara Hain. -Umera Ahmed (Urdu Novel)
12. Rapture In Death. -J.D.Robb
13.Ceremony In Death. -J.D.Robb
14.The Worlds Greatest Secrets. -Allen Hall
15.SVU, He Is Watching You -Francis Pascal
16.The Worlds Greatest Crooks And Con men.
17.The Mcgregor Grooms. -Nora Roberts

March:
18.Chicken Soup For Teenage Soul.
19.Towards Zero. -Agatha Christie
20.Along Came A Spider. -James Patterson
21.The Devil Wears Prada. -Lauren Wiseberger
22.I Am Nujood, Age 10 And Divorced. -Nujood Ali/Delphine Minor

April:
23.In Her Shoes. -Jennifer Weiner
24.Refugee Boy. -Benjamin
25.Aik Daag E Nadamat. -Umera Ahmed (Urdu Novel)
26.Zindagi Gulzar Hain. -Umera Ahmed (Urdu Novel)

May:
27.The Thief Lord.
28.Bloodline. -Sidney Sheldon (Reread)
29.Bloodlines. -Rachelle Meade
30.Gossip Girl. -Cecil Van Zeigasar
31.Guilty Wives. -James Patterson

June:
32.My Feudal Lord. -Tahmeena Durrani
33.Digital Fortress. -Dan Brown
34.Picture Perfect. -Jodi Picoult
35.House Rules. -Jodi Picoult
36.The Golden Lily. -Rachelle Mead
37.7th Heaven. -James Patterson
38.Tell Me Your Dreams. -Sidney Sheldon

July:
39.Hunger Games. -Suzanne Collins
40.Catching Fire. -Suzanne Collins
41.Mockingjay. -Suzanne Collins
42.Rising Tides. -Nora Roberts
43.Inner Harbour. -Nora Roberts

August:
44. Bag of Bones. -Stephen King
45. Tess Of The D'urbevilles. -Thomas Hardy
46. Celebrity In Death. -J.D.Robb aka Nora Roberts
47. The Winner. -David Baldacci
48. South Town. -Rick Riordan
49.Lost In Time. Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods 6)

September:
50. Tales Of Shakespeare
51. Amar Bail. -Umera Ahmed (Re-read)
52. F Is For Fugitive. -Sue Grafton
53. Chicken Soup For Teenage Soul 3.
54. Three Times A Lady. -Sarah Webb (re-read)

October:
55. It Had To Be You. -Sarah Webb
56. Total Control. -David Baldacci

November:
57. Sassy Cinderella and The Valiant Vigilante. -Sharon Dunn
58. Brida. -Paulo Coelho
59. Kiss Kiss. -Roald Dahl
60. Casual Vacancy. -J.K.Rowling
61. The Adventures Of Goodnight and Loving. -Leslie Thomas

December:
62. And Thereby Hangs A Tail. -Jeffrey Archer
63. King Solomons Mines. -
64. The Fourth Estate. -Jeffrey Archer

...SAP...