The Pakistani Spectator

Please also send us a brief bio of yourself, and your blog url. Please send the answers at your earliest convenience.

When I was born, my parents went to the nearest Desi store and ordered somewhere around 200 boxes of mithaai. The mithaai, of course, had to be couriered from Chicago - Michigan’s population was barren of Desi-ness. By the time it reached my hometown, it had gotten kharab. And that’s it! That’s how my birth was celebrated - with bad mithaai.

Every time I mess up and my parents get mad at me, I tell them that they served bad mithaai at my birth.

Here are the questions:

Could you tell us what made you decide to blog, and what was the inspiration behind it?

I’m not going to say that I woke up one day and had a divine revelation - God’s way of wanting me to start an online journal. Psh no my life ain’t that interesting. I so wish it was. I used to read Cloud Khizzy’s blog in my free time and I’d love it. That’s when I decided that I too could do something like that.

Initially I started blogging with a friend. It was meant to be about Pakistani music - our little way of promoting it. Slowly however, things in my life started to get messed up and writing seemed to be the only way to let out my frustration. In that frenzy, I changed around 4 different blogs and then finally decided on this.

What do you think sets Your blog apart from other blogs?

My blog… hmm! My blog is so damn awesome. You’re not going to ever stop reading it just because I’m super awesome. Okay I kid!

My life is probably similar to every other ABCD’s life - ABCD being American Born Confused Desi… and since my blog is all about my personal life, I don’t think it’s any different.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

I don’t think so. Writing comes from the heart - and so it comes in breaks. Sometimes I rewrite a post 7 different times and still don’t publish it (exactly how I’d like to take out the previous question because I’m not too satisfied with my answer.) I only publish the post when I’m confident about it… and when it’s well censored, lol.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

My interaction with most bloggers is limited to the comment box. However, I communicate via email with people who comment on my blog regularly and whose blogs I follow religiously. I think I’m kind of addicted to my blogger friends.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

Brought me success? What success? I’ll achieve success the day my mother tells me that I’ve fulfilled her dream - and that day has not come yet.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

Er, is this a trick question? Happiest and gloomiest in the same sentence? Sigh! I don’t think I’ve witnessed them yet.

Urdu Blogs have got huge potential, when do you think they will really take on the online horizon in Pakistan?

Frankly speaking, I don’t think Urdu blogs will ever make it as big as English blogs (Pakistani blogs in English that is). Instead of English being there as a second language for people living in Pakistan, I think it has become a symbol of “OMG! Like.. Like.. Like dude like OMG!”

I would love for there to be a Learn Urdu in 1 Year blog. I’d be the first and most regular reader :D.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Maldives
Pakistan
Switzerland.

What is your favorite book and why?

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - For he is so awesome.

What is your favorite meal, dress, and sport?

Yikes! 3 questions in 1.

I can eat anything and everything that’s edible. I’m a big food lover.. And when I say big, I mean like BIGGGG! Unlike most Desi girls, I’m a meat lover. My food is incomplete without all of that scrumptious meat.

I’m most comfortable in my pjs and hoodies. Be it 95 degrees outside, you’ll see me in cotton pjs with a hoodie.

About sports.. Well I’m a paani kee jaanwar as my Mom puts it. I love anything that has to do with water sports. I’ve often been told that when my mom was expecting me, she was asked to take a lot of hot baths and that’s where my liking for water has come from. I don’t think that’s true but I’ll still settle with the idea.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Their clothes. I think the way one carries him/her self matters A LOT! Guys with a good dress sense turn me on - and in some cases, a pink shirt is acceptable too. You just have to know how to carry it.

Whose Future is more bright in Pakistan; English blogs or Urdu Blogs?

English as far as I know.

How Pakistani bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

I think of blogging as a fun past time so benefiting from that financially has never come to me. However I do think that if one really wants to, they can use google ad sense. If anyone who is reading this uses google ad sense, please let me know how much you make from it.

Do you think Pakistani bloggers tend to remain somewhat self-centered and really don’t go out of their shells? Is it the oriental style of blogging, or they are still unsure about it?

I wont lie. I’m very self-centered, and my blog is ALL about me. I kid not. Even when I post something about music, I see a personal gain in it. In most cases, I only promote bands I like a lot or know personally. I defame bands I hate…

However, I know a lot of Pakistani bloggers who are doing a great job at analyzing music, media, fashion, and politics at the same time. Saying that all Pakistani bloggers tend to remain somewhat self-centered is a generalization.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

Haha this reminds me of somebody who used to read my blog back when I was a daily blogger. She would tell me that I have a lot of time on my hands - but frankly, it only takes me 15 minutes to write a post. If it takes longer than that, I save it for next time. Bloggers are the busiest of all people, lol. They have to think of ways to entertain their readers, sigh. A huge responsibility it is I tell you.

What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?

I think it’s at its peak. Can’t get any better =)

Who are your top five favourite bloggers in Pakistan?

Haha do you really want my blogger-friends to kill me? I don’t read any five specific blogs - I have subscribed to 10-something feeds. I will say that my all-time favorite blog is http://supersizeme.wordpress.com/

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger in Pakistani blogosphere?

A number of times. Does that make no one unique? (pun intended)

What is the future of blogging in Pakistan?

It’s as bright as the sun.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

You know sometimes it’s kind of scary. I’m blogging anonymously but at times I come across readers who I think know me very well - and that kind of creeps me out. Blogging hasn’t really affected my professional life (do I have any?) but yeah, I’ve somehow managed to combine my personal and blogging life and turn it into a presonloblog life.

What are your future plans?

Probably be a little more graphic.. And gross out my readers, lol.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

Please brush your teeth every day.. and take showers regularly. Thanks

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