‘Capsicum’,on good writing, passing time, my magazine and making it during the night time

Hi everyone,

I hope all of you have been in the best of health and have been living your life to the fullest.If you have not been, well, then maybe it’s time to start, because that is what I intend to do…hopefully.

Any way let’s talk about what has been going on with me. My publisher friends have been down right ignoring me, regarding my two books. I have been requesting and submitting these two stories to them for the whole half year that has past, and the situation has been nothing a deep stab to the chest and hurtful shame. I finally understand how difficult and emotionally scaring the whole thing is for writers who have been dealing with rejection or harsh criticism, not to suggest I haven’t had those times, but it really is a sad eye opener when you have to defend or fight for your creative property. I would go as far as saying it’s like defending your baby. I’m not really sure what I can do about having my work ignored, it is discouraging and I have cried a bit over it. But I hope it just happens quickly, because I really really want ‘Ramiz’, and ‘Nothing Happened‘ to be published this year. It is something that I’ve wanted to quite some time and the desperation just grows bigger and the agitation follows.

Apart from this tragedy, I would be doing a lot more blogging, vlogging, stuffing on YouTube. So do follow me there, my account name is Ranjha’s Girl. I will talking about books and general stuff about me, and eventually I would like to put up videos about food and culture.

And the last update is a surprise and sort of a big deal for me. I will soon have my own magazine, which I own and control. Ta dah!

The magazine thing happened pretty abruptly, I just said I want a magazine, and in barely a little time I got my friend to get the website done and I payed the fee for it and I guess I am my own boss now. I hope. I’ll let you guys in on the name of the magazine soon, but for now I want to talk about why exactly I felt the need for one and the importance of having your own things.

The reason I wanted the magazine is because I felt like my work for other magazines was not being posted quickly or on time. Which was bad because the good majority of my work was interviews, and I always felt bad when people asked about their interviews, but it wasn’t up yet, because a lot of time and asking went into it, so my own magazine won’t give me lame excuses. Also a problem with me working is that, I was not social enough with the other writers in general, so I did not learn many new things or socialize on a level that would satisfy me, thus with my own magazine I would have no option but to talk to people, network and brainstorm. I would initially be uploading content on my own before I let other people in, just so I get comfortable.

I believe that the magazine will allow to curate and create good and unique content, and really push me into the business and field and maybe push me in with some passion and credibility. Because its sounds really different when you say magazine instead of blog, not to say blogs aren’t amazing, but people do have their prejudices.

And lastly it is important to have something is your own  where you can be yourself to the fullest, and not compromise your narrative or articles for the sake of likes or quick fame. This principle might not take you far in life, but it will help you sleep and and give you self respect. So yes, have power, and give other people a space where their work is welcome and respected.

I am oddly excited and I hope you guys and girls stick around for the whole thing, because deep down I believe I can truly impact the culture and change peoples lives in a great away.

That’s all for now I suppose, and thank you for reading this and I really look forward to getting all this work done and being happy.

Stay blessed.

Softer rains

 

Verse 1

Maybe the rain will come back in the morning,

                                         Maybe the night will go with flashes, hail, thunder and lightning,

                            Dropping hard against the window,

                            Falling flat in shame with nowhere to go,

                           Splashes hit my face, and the clock picks up the pace- I’ve nothing to do

                        But sleep… Sleep and forget it all…sleep and forget it all ;

                   Why does the sky have to howl and cry?

                   Why can’t the fall break the string or the lie?

                                              ( Chorus)

  This is nothing compared for what’s to come,

The rain will pour on until the last drop in not done,

No one for a tear to stop a storm,

The sun only shines with love once in a blue moon,

Light that doesn’t reach far into the darkness of your room,

May the sun shine still someday on your face,

And dry any trail of…trail of… rain;

Verse 2

What good is life? If it fills nothing but the void,

And what good is love if it leaves you toyed, and a bit annoyed,

What will the day keep to itself, when the moon shuts out all memory that matters,

If the the next brings the same hurt as the days before… then what good is any better;

If we had more time, more love, more sunshine, more of everything,

Maybe we could actually sing;

  ( Chorus)

  This is nothing compared for what’s to come,

The rain will pour on until the last drop in not done,

No one for a tear to stop a storm,

The sun only shines with love once in a blue moon,

Light that doesn’t reach far into the darkness of your room,

May the sun shine still someday on your face,

And dry any trail of…trail of… rain;

Verse 3

 Falling down.

Falling  forever

Falling flat

Falling forever

Jump in the fire and come different forever;

  ( Chorus)

  This is nothing compared for what’s to come,

The rain will pour on until the last drop in not done,

No one for a tear to stop a storm,

The sun only shines with love once in a blue moon,

Light that doesn’t reach far into the darkness of your room,

May the sun shine still someday on your face,

And dry any trail of…trail of… rain;

An Introduction to Baithak

So last Friday I had the amazing chance to attend a small meeting, which was organized by the ‘Peace building department, Church of Pakistan’ and ‘Diocese of Raiwind’. It was meeting for religious leaders and representatives to come and sit down in a small friendly circle, see a slide show of what the Peace department did the whole year to help society to more peaceful and appreciate the country’s religious diversity, and also so they could share their ideas and experiences into the circle.

The event was overall, something very inspiring and eye-opening for me, since it truly got to the heart of the matter of the religious problems of our country and the people there were all good friends, who wanted nothing more but to achieve peace for everyone, in the land that they love.

The little cozy meeting was arranged by three people Zarish, a girl who enjoys doing social work and two boys who work mostly in inter faith peace building, Raheel Sharoon and Namon Sajjad Raza.

The meeting officially started rather late, because it was important to wait for everyone to be present so everyone could introduce themselves and speak to each other openly. But for the while the group had to wait, we talked about something all Pakistanis love, cricket.

As soon as everyone was there both of the boys gave a presentation about the what activities and peace building initiatives they took throughout last year.They expressed their desire to learn more how diverse Pakistan is, religiously. And that this meeting was to promote love and to learn from the work and experiences of others, in the same field.

They also said it was important that such meetings should happen more often, in order to come with ways to prevent social disasters, which come of terror and turn into disorder and terrorism. They even mentioned a few which happened in the last two years.

 

Now moving on the presentation, the boys talked about they felt that generally there was lack of leadership during the times of worry and panic, and that most of the incidents came from years and years of mismanagement and lack of attention and care. And their main goal was to come up with ways to bridge that gap between people.

It’s safe to say that the whole group was full of people who made great contributions to achieve inter faith peace in Pakistan; there were people who went out to fix books that had hateful and derogatory language in them, and others who held meetings and workshops of peace for people. The head of the Pakistani minorities was present , the head of the Lahore Christian association was there and several Imams were present as well, and they were all already familiar with eat other.

So basically it was a well-experienced group of people, who in many ways had dedicated their lives to helping people love others and to love themselves. And all of them shared their battles and stories and analysis of the situation we are in, as a country.

Anyway, let’s talk about what the interfaith department had been up to for the last year.

What they did was recruit people, makes them agents of change through training and went on by providing workshops and training sessions in different communities. And their main targets were marginalized communities, women and young people.

They took young people and children to different areas of worship for the first time, so they could see how people of other faiths connect with God and eachother. They talked to several religious leaders about climate change and its harmful effects on the world , and that turned out very successful since the Fathers and Imams they spoke to make it a part of  their Sermons and  Khitaabs.

They worked to help the transgender community and hosted a little event for them as well, where they could talk about their life and struggles.

Then were also several prize distribution events, and events which focused on celebrating diversity and respecting God’s creation. They even held special dinners and sessions for drug addicts, poor people and homeless people, and when the dinner was done with one thing they heard, that really made them happy, was when a man told them

“You did not feed us, you gave us respect”

So overall they had a year packed with hard work and spiritually rewarding work to be true, and if social work was not enough, they even gave a contribution to the classical arts as well, by giving theater training and conducted several plays.

Not to forget sports, they held interfaith cricket matches as well, but made sure to mix the teams up first, and proceed to teach the kids about the importance of equality and love.

The whole presentation was a good warm up for the talks that followed, and they were a moving reminder as well, because most of the guests were a part of the initiatives that they had taken.

Raheel did raise important points that, a message can only goes as far as its audience. He noticed that big fancy events, mostly rich educated people come, who already are aware of the importance of internal unity but the people who perhaps need more training and help are those who end up at large ‘Jalooses’, which rarely discuss interfaith unity. Which is true, a large amount of our people, never go through life, having some variety of thought presented to them, and there are barriers around them which keep information and diversity of thoughts and understanding away from them.

Either way the circle, or ‘Baithak’ was then open for talks and everyone gave their theories and plans and made goals about what they could do to change the state that we are in.

There are of course several factors that lead  to internal unrest, but it is important to appreciate and salute the honest work of our youth who aid society without any ulterior motive. They did what they did, because they were tired of the aftermath of years and years of never acknowledging a problem, and perhaps that is where they are most noble.

Instead of waiting for things much worse and build greater tension, they decided to join hands and do what they could to prevent social disasters, they decided to  do extra things which people don’t see the point in until they are done.

They did not care about the haters and did what they thought was the right thing to do.

And most importantly, they loved their people, the people of their country and they proved it .

 

Things change ( song)

​How things change 

They change just like 

How things change 

Like a flash of lighting 

Like nothing planned 

How things change 

Just when I was glad 

They wither 

They fade 

They decay 

They leave you nothing to say 

When you were just best friends yesterday 

How things change 

Without a warning 

Without a note 

Without a hunch 

While you go meet out for lunch 

I thought the winter would bring snow , shade and white grace 

But oh how things change 

The winter brought yellow smoke and all eyes are filled with tears 

And the very fresh air , is replaced 

Oh how terribly 

Do things change; 

Surviving Compton : I know why the caged bird sings ( Review)

​On the 15th of October , Lifetime television,  broadcasted a new biopic about Rnb diva , and soul singer Michel’le. 

Michel’le rose to fame in the early 90s and was instant hit on the radio at the young age of sixteen. She was and still is a puzzle to many due the difference between her high pitched speaking and her deep and dramatic singing voice . Her talent was discovered early in her life and it brought her into a new movement of sound, which would shake the history of music, and bring her into contact with the men  who started it and abused her. 

Before going into review about ‘Surviving Compton’ , lets talk about ‘Straight Outta Compton’ . The  latter movie was released ealier in 2015, and showcasd the struggle that artists like  Ice Tea, Easy E and Dr Dre had to deal with. It was a box office hit and was a very good film overall.

But one complaint that many people had was that none of the N.W.A female artists were in the film . One of them was Michel’le, and she was their first female artist. And she was a big part of the whole movement to , which makes it strange that she wasn’t in ‘Straight Outta Compton’ . But it was that very absence of representation that lead to the inception of ‘Surviving Compton’. 

And so far after a week of its release, the public is calling it the best biopic Lifetime ever put out. 

It is an emotional journey for the protagonist, Michel’le who starts of by telling the audience about her childhood and what society was like then. 

Then it goes on to show us how she was discovered and her relationship first with Dr Dre, the N.W.A and Suge.The domestic violence and abuse she suffered and her growth and strength as a woman who lived through all of it. 

This may have been about Michel’le and her career but it easily and perfectly depicts how many young artists are used by the industry. It shows the difference between what the tv shows,music videos and interviews show us and the disaster behind the scenes. Michel’le was basically being beat around and barely two people ever stood up for her. 

There is a long list of artists who had the simple dream of singing and doing what they love but ended up feeling like nothing was in their control and having had to lie to protect that illusion. 

The movie has a good pace , and there is a nice balance between dramatically charged scenes  and sweet scenes. And there are plenty of high end dramatic moments which show the dark side of fame. Not to forget gang violence which was prevalent at the time. 

The nature of the relationship between Michel’le,Dr Dre and Suge also mirrors perfectly how domestic violence is for many victims. It starts of with a sense of belonging and protection, but it suddenly turns into domination and abuse. It also goes into the psychology of such relationships, since many people wonder why women stay in them for so long. They see being beat up as a sign of love and somehow justify the beatings , until they reach rock bottom and see the truth themselves.  
At most points in the film  you just feel sorry for her and wonder when are things going to get better. 

Michel’le  basically goes from the fire and into the frying pan and I doubt people are going to be looking to buy beats by Dre anymore. 
I think one the best things about the film is it’s honesty and actually involving the person it is about. Lifetime has basically not been very respectable with the legacy of some artists, especially with that Aliyah:Princess of Pop biopic.And also with the Withney Houston biopic for which they could not get permission to use her songs, also the family wasn’t happy with the outcome. But ‘Surviving Compton ‘ is an excellent film , because Michel’le herself is there and the actress that plays her is amazing and like Michel’le is black. And the story is wholesome it shows her career , life ,struggle, rise,fall and redemption and  features her music and voice.
Maybe Hollywood should take notice and of this and not whitewash or blackface every woman of colour they find. 

If there are any flaws with the film , it may be that this version of events was not as funded or visually aesthetic as ‘Straight Outta Compton’ or as politically charged , but it is emotionally compelling and entertaining. 

We don’t get to dwell that into the lives of the artists of the movement but we see many including Tupac who was a good friend of Michel’le.  

Lastly what was very interesting was how the real Michel’le is there narrating the story and popping up from time to time ,breaking the fourth wall . It’s something relatively new to see and it not sit well with many viewers – but the narrations do seem a little forced and heavily scritpted with one liners. But these little set backs don’t take much from the film.
My favorite scene was in the very beginning when Michel’le sings in the studio and stuns everyone with her voice.
And a little speech by Michel’le about how,  

  

” women been singing their pain for as long as theres been music. Womens voices let the world know exactly what hurt them and why, but in rap the women stop singing . And without the voices to echo their  truths women were just bitches to be slapped or just whores to be passed around.  

Rap was about rage not beauty.  Rap hated most women because it had to hurt somebody and it did ” 

Surviving Compton : I know why the caged bird sings ( Review)

​On the 15th of October , Lifetime television,  broadcasted a new biopic about Rnb diva , and soul singer Michel’le. 

Michel’le rose to fame in the early 90s and was instant hit on the radio at the young age of sixteen. She was and still is a puzzle to many due the difference between her high pitched speaking and her deep and dramatic singing voice . Her talent was discovered early in her life and it brought her into a new movement of sound, which would shake the history of music, and bring her into contact with the men  who started it and abused her. 

Before going into review about ‘Surviving Compton’ , lets talk about ‘Straight Outta Compton’ . The  latter movie was released ealier in 2015, and showcasd the struggle that artists like  Ice Tea, Easy E and Dr Dre had to deal with. It was a box office hit and was a very good film overall.

But one complaint that many people had was that none of the N.W.A female artists were in the film . One of them was Michel’le, and she was their first female artist. And she was a big part of the whole movement to , which makes it strange that she wasn’t in ‘Straight Outta Compton’ . But it was that very absence of representation that lead to the inception of ‘Surviving Compton’. 

And so far after a week of its release, the public is calling it the best biopic Lifetime ever put out. 

It is an emotional journey for the protagonist, Michel’le who starts of by telling the audience about her childhood and what society was like then. 

Then it goes on to show us how she was discovered and her relationship first with Dr Dre, the N.W.A and Suge.The domestic violence and abuse she suffered and her growth and strength as a woman who lived through all of it. 

This may have been about Michel’le and her career but it easily and perfectly depicts how many young artists are used by the industry. It shows the difference between what the tv shows,music videos and interviews show us and the disaster behind the scenes. Michel’le was basically being beat around and barely two people ever stood up for her. 

There is a long list of artists who had the simple dream of singing and doing what they love but ended up feeling like nothing was in their control and having had to lie to protect that illusion. 

The movie has a good pace , and there is a nice balance between dramatically charged scenes  and sweet scenes. And there are plenty of high end dramatic moments which show the dark side of fame. Not to forget gang violence which was prevalent at the time. 

The nature of the relationship between Michel’le,Dr Dre and Suge also mirrors perfectly how domestic violence is for many victims. It starts of with a sense of belonging and protection, but it suddenly turns into domination and abuse. It also goes into the psychology of such relationships, since many people wonder why women stay in them for so long. They see being beat up as a sign of love and somehow justify the beatings , until they reach rock bottom and see the truth themselves.  
At most points in the film  you just feel sorry for her and wonder when are things going to get better. 

Michel’le  basically goes from the fire and into the frying pan and I doubt people are going to be looking to buy beats by Dre anymore. 
I think one the best things about the film is it’s honesty and actually involving the person it is about. Lifetime has basically not been very respectable with the legacy of some artists, especially with that Aliyah:Princess of Pop biopic.And also with the Withney Houston biopic for which they could not get permission to use her songs, also the family wasn’t happy with the outcome. But ‘Surviving Compton ‘ is an excellent film , because Michel’le herself is there and the actress that plays her is amazing and like Michel’le is black. And the story is wholesome it shows her career , life ,struggle, rise,fall and redemption and  features her music and voice.
Maybe Hollywood should take notice and of this and not whitewash or blackface every woman of colour they find. 

If there are any flaws with the film , it may be that this version of events was not as funded or visually aesthetic as ‘Straight Outta Compton’ or as politically charged , but it is emotionally compelling and entertaining. 

We don’t get to dwell that into the lives of the artists of the movement but we see many including Tupac who was a good friend of Michel’le.  

Lastly what was very interesting was how the real Michel’le is there narrating the story and popping up from time to time ,breaking the fourth wall . It’s something relatively new to see and it not sit well with many viewers – but the narrations do seem a little forced and heavily scritpted with one liners. But these little set backs don’t take much from the film.
My favorite scene was in the very beginning when Michel’le sings in the studio and stuns everyone with her voice.
And a little speech by Michel’le about how,  

  

” women been singing their pain for as long as theres been music. Womens voices let the world know exactly what hurt them and why, but in rap the women stop singing . And without the voices to echo their  truths women were just bitches to be slapped or just whores to be passed around.  

Rap was about rage not beauty.  Rap hated most women because it had to hurt somebody and it did ” 

Call Me Crazy ( Song )

Maybe you could come home,  for the weekend , 

Drive through the snow,wind and rain, 

Come back to the place and time when we were  eachother friends; 

Nothing has changed but nothing is the  same , 

I’m a little mess of curly hair,bronze eyes and faded cheeks , 

Since I watched you walk down into the streets ,

Down and far away into the streets , 

                     (CHORUS) 

Call me crazy … but I think of you every time I close my eyes 

Call me crazy … but I’ve been waiting  for you my whole life ,

So  you can call me weak , lonely or that I have my head in the clouds – crazy and loved … so call me crazy ,
Your face won’t let me sleep –

Yet all I have is you in my dreams,  sweet dreams , dear dreams – and a nightmare truth that they’re  not true –

Flames and pouring rain … tear my soul from loving you 

But you …. But you … 

            ( Chorus )

Call me crazy … but I think of you every time I close my eyes 

Call me crazy … but I’ve been waiting  for you my whole life ,

So  you can call me weak , lonely or that I have my head in the clouds – crazy and loved … so call me crazy ,

           ( Bridge ) 

Will  it bring you back  to the road marked , one plus one equals two ,

Like wheh you held my hand up to the sky and whispered this is me  and you – 

This is me and you  – 
                 ( Chorus ) 

Call me crazy … but I think of you every time I close my eyes 

Call me crazy … but I’ve been waiting  for you my whole life ,

So  you can call me weak , lonely or that I have my head in the clouds – crazy and loved … so call me crazy ,

Waiting To Fight ( Song )

There  isn’t much , that can be helped –

About us, 

There isn’t much that we have to hold on to, in this house , just the two of us –

I haven’t picked up the broken toys of sharp glass of the floor- 

The smell of the loss makes the cold rain  pour ,

                (  chorus ) 

You’re one bad word away from leaving me alone, 

One small spark away from  a flame ,

Is this what we do now that we’re grown – sold to the highest  bidder with the blindfolds on smiling wide;

Waiting to fight 

Waiting  to fight 
Told off , by a rumor,  bought of by a little skin  – smiling wide 

Waiting to fight ,

What do we have to say ? 

When we’re defeated and on the ground – Dust  on your face – out of place ; 

Out of a chance,  to make it alright, 

Funny how we built  this kingdom,  jusy to break it down

Watch it burn feeding the fire ;

So now that the battle is done,  have we won?  

      ( Chorus ) 

You’re one bad word away from leaving me alone, 

One small spark away from  a flame ,

Is this what we do now that we’re grown – sold to the highest  bidder with the blindfolds on smiling wide;

Waiting to fight 

Waiting  to fight 

        ( Bridge )

Let’s  not go there 

Let’s not throw salt on fresh wounds 

Lets not forget our roots 

Don’t forget where we came from 

Where we rose from 

Where we lost and where we won !

              ( Chorus ) 

You’re one bad word away from leaving me alone, 

One small spark away from  a flame ,

Is this what we do now that we’re grown – sold to the highest  bidder with the blindfolds on smiling wide;

Waiting to fight 

Waiting  to fight 

     

Quotes by Andy Warhol that should be on a T-shirt

 

Andy Warhol with a fancy camera

Andy Warhol was, and is perhaps the most famous artist of the Pop art movement . Who is remembered not only for his art but for his personality and style which many have said were his greatest work of art .

He was an enigmatic man, who rose from poverty with hard work and resilience, made his dream come true somewhere between the studios and underground tunnels of the big apple .

A self-made man who turned himself into a brand ,became a critic of pop culture , made films, worked  on all sorts of material and wrote several books . And like all men who have led a full double life , full of sadness and wealth, transformation and tragedy , he had a lot of fascinating things to say .

I personally consider him the top diva of his time , who had this philosophy about the materialistic world , people , art and culture . Ideas  that make you think twice, but many times he had a humorous side to himself and gave us iconic and sassy lines that should be on a T-shirt .Because that seems to be so popular at the moment.

• “I never fall apart, because I never fall together.” 

Imagine walking through the streets with something unique as this clever paradox instead of some capital city name or a year , like 1867. Go with this statement instead and prove that you are an artist .

 

• “I think having land and not ruining it is the most beautiful art that anybody could ever want.” 

This could be your activism T-shirt , for whenever you want to stand up for the environment and make a statement .

 

“Being born is like being kidnapped. And then sold into slavery.” 

The perfect shirt for your first day of school, work , or a first date . If nothing else at least you’ll be able to make a t-shirt reference while discussing your existential crisis .

 

“I like boring things.” 

Simple and chic . Maybe you could wear this to a family reunion to let them know how much you care and how much fun they are.

 

 

I’ve never met a person I couldn’t call a beauty.

 

Here would be something that should be written everywhere so people could cherish themselves for their uniqueness and feel good about themselves. You could be out with this on and maybe , just maybe , brighten up someone’s day.

 

 

 

Why do people think artists are special? It’s just another job.

 

I am pretty sure all artists,writers,singers,dancers basically anyone on the dark-side would want to have this shirt forever. They would probably carry this shirt around even when not wearing it . And if you are from a conservative background , and are studying the arts – you can wear this and at least make your relatives feel like you have a job.

 

 

Sex is nostalgia for sex.

You don’t get more simple and swift about human nature than this . Well , unless you’re Oscar Wilde.

 

“In 15 minutes, everybody will be famous.” 

So everyone knows that once Andy Warhol coined the term fifteen minutes of fame, but what it left out is that almost ten years after he  said so he said this in an interview .This would  be on every fans buying list.

 

“I wake up every morning. I open my eyes and think: here we go again.” 

I am guessing this would be the top choice for a Monday  at work.

 

 

“Two people kissing always look like fish.”

 

This is as blunt and honest as any shirt could be , be sure to wear this around annoying couples or on weddings. It kind of sounds like something out of a modern romantic comedy , or a YA novel. You know the really cheesy ones that have these ordinary characters doing nothing special , feeling nothing special . But you just have to take everything they say as special .

The only one truly special in Andy Warhol. End of story.

Music Does

​

Music does 

Feelings fade away 

Laughter dies out 

Like candles  do 

What did you say ? 

White noise all around 

In quite towns inside big cities 

Living on an island 

Next to the sea 

The big bold bearing sea 

Nothing is as heavy as a secret that is  not mine 

But where do secrets 

After escaping the belly of a goldfish 

Leaving the city of gold

Going to the sky and staying in the clouds wasting the days and nights 

Because a train was passing by 

Why didn’t I try ? 

To get the word out or fix it

Can it be saved 

If prayer works and they say it does 

May God protect us 

And wash away the pain we built