Random Thoughts #1

I have decided to start a series which will not have any title. Just random thoughts and nothing else. No goals. No achievements. No more pulling of hairs about what to write on this topic. 

What is happiness. I am speaking in philosophical terms. Not about one of those DIY guides on how to be happy. Is happiness really even achievable. If you had asked this question from Allama Iqbal. I'm sure he would have said no. According to him happiness is in the eternal life with the Creator.

Is happiness a state or an end. I mean somewhere it is written that ...

I read science. Only sometimes

From time to time I read something on science and technology over the internet. Mostly I read about advancements in the field of Quantum Computation which is my favourite topic if I ever get into computer science. I don't really see that happening. Just like people didn't see the gravitational waves from the very very very old black holes ever being found. Because they believed black holes didn't exist. You know why they are old and new at the same time. So coming back to not seeing myself in the field of CS ever. The thing is we have one life and there is already too much on an average person's plate. The things that are to be done. Or atleast most people do. What ? I don't even understand what I'm saying.

I think gravitational waves was more interesting that getting into this personal stuff. The reason I started writing this post was to publish a link to an article I read today on New Yorker which keeps bugging me that i am about to reach my limit of free articles for the month. But don't stop until you exhaust them. The article was a quick journey through the discovery of Gravitational waves from the deep space. I'm not sure that's the right word for it. It is a journey of believe. People put so much at stake just because they believe in something. Belief is a powerful thing. Just like Mahira  Khan said in the guest speech at Agha Khan University. Wait from where did she come here. Wait. Okay lets not wait anymore.
So here's the link

https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/gravitational-waves-exist-heres-how-scientists-finally-found-them

Wow. I cant make it a link on this app for blogger. Old copy paste will work. One more thing I really feel sorry for the people mentioned in the article who analyze a discovery of gravitational waves in the facility for six months only to find in the end they were a 'fake' planted by a check team. They were also going to publish a research paper and whatnot. Sad and cruel. These things happen whenever something big is underway. Something big. How can you call this something big. What's the use of all these discoveries. It's good to ask questions

NEA Big Read: Meet Ray Bradbury

I am reading 451 these days and this book is like a prophecy. Full of surprises. So I was just roaming around in goodreads and I found a link to this wonderful video. No need to elaborate how I found it.



I have never heard love of books and libraries told in such a beautiful and innocent form. Also a addition is how he found a writer in himself. From where he got ideas for his books. And how he wrote those fantastic books. In short this video is a gem for a person who loves books. Aspiring writers can learn a lot too.

Twin Peaks, Oddballs and me

The article is written at different timings so dont expect parts to be related. They are just random thoughts.

Sometime while watching the TV series I realized that my favourite genre of TV series or movies is mystery. Who would be better at mystery than detective type dark mystery thrillers. Back then my favourite TV season had been True Detective. Season 1 is a masterpiece with a splendid character Rustin Cole. Also it was an entry for Alexandra Dadario who has caught sight of many since then.

Then somewhere while watching TV series The Killing I knew it wasn't the same anymore. I had to find something new. So I googled and found a TV series named Twin Peaks with pretty good ratings. I feel lucky that I found it. And also nostalgic now that I have finished the whole series including the Season 3.

Then there is the theme song 'Falling' by Julee Cruise. In an interview David Lynch, the director of the series and who also acted in the series as well, mentioned that theme should move with the picture. I have never seen such a combination of theme with the screen. It is nearly perfect. As nothing is perfect.

My last weekend was mostly dedicated to watching Twin Peaks. Came out in 1990, I am watching it after 29 years but I feel a something about it. Normally I also find a resonance in movies and tv series from 90s the reason for which isn't clear to me except that maybe because I was born in 90s. It was the decade of my generation. But there is something special and unique about this series.

Twin Peaks is a combination of different, slow, mysterious and oddballs. Set into a very beautiful location and telling a tale which never ends, the season has something special attached to it. At some points while watching I think it 

Review: پیر کامل

پیر کامل by Umera Ahmed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

No doubt the reviews about this book are highly exaggerated portraying this book like some kind of a classical masterpiece which is beyond any ratings. However, the book is very well written and provides a sound understanding of some religious and philosophical concepts. The beauty of this book lies in answering the basic questions of life that are What is our purpose of living or What is important in life and what is not? Explained in very simple and fictitious form.

The way Salar passes through various stages of life is a mirror to every human beings transformation and lost chances of transformation throughout of his life. In the beginning he is shown to be pursuing a hedonistic lifestyle and slowly comes to realize that life is larger than this. This concept has never been more important than today. So much abundance and advancement in pleasure seeking methods that it is very hard to get out of the "gutter". But once in a blue moon every one is given a chance to wake up to reality and then a choice is to be made.

One thing which is often ignored about this book is its religious/sectarian aspect. I mean whoever told me about this never mentioned this except one person who just mentioned it in a cursory way. I found this to be very strange that author is clearly portraying one group of people as non-Muslims as somehow promoting some hidden agenda. Although I am doubtful about the agenda thing. I think no Muslim is in position to judge and declare anyone that he is out of faith or whatever. It is my own opinion but I am ignorant man. I might be wrong. Leave it to Ulemas to decide but it was the silence on this very important part of the book seemed strange to me.

Apart from the philosophical and religious part, it is a beautiful love story. During the whole book I was in a suspense when they will be together and what will be the topic of conversation. How it will proceed. At times I thought lets just go to last pages and read it but I remained patient. And it served me well as it was an amazing story leading up to a great ending. 

In the end as always I am grateful to author for writing such a book. I learned some very important concepts especially with respect to religion which I could never learn from scholars. This happens in real life too. You get unexpected things at unexpected places.
Highly recommended.

View all my reviews

Nature of problems

"She had a lot of problems" Jacoby the psychiatrist said. Special Agent Cooper is intrigued and asks keeping in context his investigation, "Were the problems with Laura were of sexual nature?". Psychiatrist gives a smile and answers, "The problems with whole of our society are of sexual nature". I couldn't agree more.

The TV season came out back in 1990 with all its strangeness and beautiful characters. Yes I'm writing about Twin Peaks. At first a simple detective mystery thriller slowly turning into a dark and occult season. Black Lodge. White Lodge. Who can forget those names and many more. 

Coming back to the subject. Whenever you are watching something, there is some line spoken by the characters which hits you like a thud. The lines quoted in the first paragraph gave me the same feeling. Isn't our society facing a crisis of sexual problems.

WHY DONT WE 'JUST DO IT'!

Lecture is on situation in Karachi. A panel of five people trying hard to understand Karachi and its situation and at the same time helping an audience of twenty or more to understand the same. Confusion is quite visible mainly due to the topic. I mean who has ever understood Karachi and its "situation". Only two people in the hall are important. One is Sabeen Mahmud in the panel and the other is a student sitting in the audience. Victim and the killer.

From what I see, Sabeen has spent many years of her life 

'YOU CAN SEE THE SOUND'

Sometime during the reign of Ayub Khan, Nehru visited Pakistan. During this visit, keeping in mind the intellectual level and achievements of Nehru, Ayub asked him what qualities do you expect in a Pakistani leader. Nehru wasn't expecting such a question. He was known to start looking the ceiling whenever he was bored. But on this question he started looking down and kept on thinking for some time. Then he answered ....

He said that a Pakistani leader must completely memorize and understand ALLAMA IQBAL. Ayub khan didn't expect such answer as well. Fighting for the British before independence and after for seat he never thought of reading and understanding Iqbal. About Nehru, it is related that he used to visit Iqbal and while visiting he used to sit on the floor vis-a-vis Iqbal sitting on a chair.

Iqbal for most Pakistanis is now just a national poet and nothing more. I'm not an exception. But from time to time I feel this longing to quit everything and start my journey towards Iqbal yet I lack courage for such move. So I collect bits and pieces from here and there to increase my understanding. A condition of awe takes over me when i read and try to understand Iqbal. He feels like a person of higher and another realm. He calls himself 'A Desperate Soul'....

Recently I came upon a very beautiful video of 'Javed Nama' Manajat of Iqbal. I can keep on listening and listening this immortal poem. I am beginning to understand why Nehru said what he said about Iqbal mentioned above. Here is a link to the video

                                                       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcSAC-2FQ8k

                                                                                

Please share your thoughts about Iqbal or the link

My new "About Me" on Goodreads

Now goodreads has complained that I have crossed 2000 words. Why such a restriction at such platform. 

"What started as a craving for knowledge to understand things larger than life has turned into a deep relationship with books. Somewhere along came an account at Goodreads as well.  Books and me are now undisputed partners for life. They feed me with something unique. 

 Sometimes wandering in my musings I ask myself why I read books. What is my purpose for reading books. What do I intend to achieve. Guess I'm  trying to reach light at the end of tunnel. Don't know what I will find there or whether I will ever get there. But the journey for sure is delightful and full of discoveries. Reading books is like a touch of immortality and having a conversation with some very interesting people even those who left us ages ago. Nothing has such power. And is there a reason required for human beings to gain knowledge.
Gaining knowledge is our nature. Ignorance doesn't suit us though present age has adopted most things which doesn't suit us. So this is me a sort of complicated person. Some people even had the audacity to say that to my face. Mostly just gave up on me.
     So now you must know what i like more a room full of books or people. Definitely books. Books have transformed me without any doubt. They have liberated me. Its sad I cant read all of them. I am limited.
I love learning new things. Can be anything. Everything is interesting and inspires you in its own way.
I am amazed at the paradoxical nature of this world. Absurdity all around and still people in want of it more and more. Levels vary though from place to place. Reading has made me realize that I am not alone with this mindset.
Above paragraph does not ignore the beauty this world posesses. I would love to travel and see all of it myself. Yet I lack the courage for such a brave undertaking. Books have helped me in this regard as well.
History, philosophy and literature must be studied by everyone. Yet it won't be. Not with the blast of this present information age. You want liberation, these subjects can help. History makes you realize how unimportant you are and yet how important you and your actions can be.
I also maintain a blog which mostly remains dry. Sometimes I scribble few things on a diary kept at my desk but I lack discipline for such a thing which really makes the difference."

Here is a link to my profile: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/45550260-m-shahzad-bajwa