Designed by Apple in California, Part II

We headed off to the Apple store at 6:30 am, and arrived there a few minutes before 7, for the 8 am launch. We were technically first in line, but gave our places to the three gentlemen who claimed to have been waiting before us, and had just nipped out for a cigarette when we arrived to claim top spot. It didn't matter anyway - being 4th and 5th hardly made any difference to us. A manager and an assistant were there with a few shiny devices for us to play with, though after playing with them, we didn't want to give them back.

The hype built till 8am, as we conversed and cracked jokes with the fellow members of our tribe - or that's what it felt like. The windows were shrouded, hinting at the store layout changes that were definitely taking place behind them, although given the minimalist design of the Apple stores, there would hardly be that much to do. The line was at least 70 members strong by the time we got in, which would definitely have been more if the launch day was a Saturday, but I'm not complaining.

We bought the iPad and a case in record time, activated it at the dedicated activation point, and set off home. Since which, we have barely left it alone. The item has all the hallmarks of an Apple device, being sleek, polished, and giving a great user experience. The touch-keyboard is awesome, and I type on it with nearly as much speed as I would on my laptop. I'm typing this right now on my iPad. The case is extremely well designed as well, and although I thought it an unnecessary and maybe even frivolous purchase, I no longer do so. I've barely touched my laptop since we bought this, which is most unusual, and can see one of these devices cutting down my laptop usage by at least half. Theoretically, it could be much more, but there are some things for which I still intend to use my laptop for. It feels like the future, and I'm sure that in 10 years, a very large amount of people will be using them as their main computers. I still find it remarkable that compared to this, my laptop, which I considered to be an example of excellent technical design, looks old and jaded.

Both my brother and I are aware that it is too easy to be drawn into using the iPad as a machine for consumption. That it's ecosystem - the ebooks, app, and iTunes music and movie stores all encourage this is no surprise, given the amount of revenue that Apple has made, and will expect to make, from them. We've agreed that the iPad can be used for consuming (parenthetically, YouTube is great on this), but we intend mainly for it to be a device of production, and will mainly download and use apps to that effect.

And is it possible to use one for such purposes? I believe so. I think it totally possible to be able to do a LOT more with this than was possible with my laptop, and now totally expect my productivity to skyrocket. When I don't have to fight my brother for it, of course.

For a Friend.

A friend recently had a grandfather pass away. We are from Allah, and to Him we return. Please recite a Fatiha for the deceased

I laid a wreath on your grave today
blinking back visions blurred by tears
Oh, the things I want now to say
As I remember your love through years

Countless prayers now leave my lips
praying for the blessing of your soul
And in those prayers leaving my lips
part by part, I begin to feel whole

It's not my place to question why
and demand that you got more years
but in the memory of your smile and sigh
I return the smile, and blink back tears

The Disciplines of the Prayer

It is said in a Hadith that the prayers are the most important of a person's good deeds. If the prayers are accepted, then all the other good deeds of a person will be accepted, and if they are rejected, then likewise all the other good deeds of a person will be rejected as well. The last is a particularly jarring thought - imagine all the good deeds going to waste just because they prayers were rejected. Of course, if one's prayers were not good enough to be accepted in the first place, then one has to wonder why one bothered with all the ancillary stuff, knowing the primary importance of prayers in the first place.

Anyway, those are just the opening thoughts. I finally have a copy of the book Adabus Salat by Imam Khomeini. I know the book is available to read online, but for some reason I just can't read books staring a computer screen just like I would be able to for articles and the like. So I ordered it, and it finally arrived today. Considering that I ordered it at the end of January, that would put the service times of the providers to approximately 4 months. So these guys are definitely not amazon - although to be fair, they did make me aware that they were having supplier issues, and so that my order would be delayed. Anyway - I'm not complaining - I have waited ages, but even if i had to wait a few months more, it would not matter. The book is worth it, and then some.

I've read the opening chapters, and decided that from now on, till I am done (and I might NEVER be done), this is the only book that I read. Everything else is going, either back to the bookshelf, or the library. Every other line, it seems, contains some insight, some new way of thinking and approaching your prayers, and my only question is why I haven't read the book before. And with the three holy months fast approaching, there is probably no better time than now to perfect praying.

I'm really excited about this - more than I have been in a long time.

On Producing v Consuming

By way of introduction, you probably know that I read the blogs of others. I have a whole linked list down the side, which lets me see when they have a new post up, and will often be the first to read/comment on them. There are 4 more blogs which I visit regularly, on an almost daily basis. They are:

- Daring Fireball, by John Gruber. Here I get insightful commentary into what is going on in the tech world, with a Mac-centric focus. Reasoned, articulate, and remarkably prescient.
- Seth's Blog, by Seth Godin. A focus on marketing, self development, and the new way of doing things heralded by the digital age. All posts have something to take away from, and there are some gems in there that occasionally change the way you think.
- Arseblog. The only Arsenal blog I read, and for good reason. Well informed and well formed opinions on pretty much anything Arsenal-related. I've yet to come across an opinion of his which I've disagreed with.
- Life Outside The Box, by Tynan. An unconventional blog for an unconventional person. Will always challenge your preconceptions. I don't agree with a large amount of what he believes in, but every now and then, like Seth, there are some gems in there that will change the way you think.

Which brings me to the topic of this post.

Tynan's post on producing resonated with me. I admit to being a consumer more than a producer - I like to read a lot, and watch a lot of movies. I don't watch that much TV, admittedly, which brings the balance slightly in my favour, but that is offset by the amount of web-surfing I do. Also known as procrastinating.

Since reading it, I've upped the focus on the amount of producing I do, as opposed to consuming. It's not where I want it to be, but it's a start. The focus mainly has been on writing articles, so that the work I do can have some impact, hopefully for good, on those outside my immediate circle. i highly doubt they will change the life of anyone who reads them, but at the very least I hope to increase the knowledge that people have, so that they may make an informed decision later on, should they ever have to. It's not just articles, though - some of the fiction I've been stuck on for ages is finally moving again, though not by much.

It is weird though. I already know the importance of doing versus non-doing. Or being proactive versus being passive. So why the new motivation? I guess its probably down to the way in which the retelling allows you to see a different facet to the part you already know. Or perhaps telling it with more rhetoric is more inspirational - showing that humans sometimes need an emotional impetus in addition to intellectual logic/knowledge in order to move forward.

I don't know. Maybe there's another post in that. But not now - I have to get back to a half finished article AND a half finished piece of fiction.

Writing is fun again :D.

Football, again.

Today was gloriously hot. and finally we arranged to play football again. And this time was sooo much better. Better passing, better touches, and a goal from me. Next time, I want two goals. Totally exhausted though, and I know I will feel the burn tomorrow.

A funny thing happened when I went back to my changing rooms though - I opened the locker where I had my stuff, only to find it totally empty. After going to reception and being told to try the lockers either side, I found my stuff in the locker next to mine. Turns out I had put all my stuff in one locker, shut the door, and then locked the locker next to the one having my stuff. So I locked an empty locker, and then left all my stuff in an unlocked one right next to it for an hour. Yes, I can be that absentminded.

I guess it was lucky that none of my stuff was missing, but i felt really foolish when I told the girl at reception that I'd left my stuff unattended for an hour, and my earlier worry about having lost everything from my locked, yet empty locker was only a false alarm.

Still, its a funny story, na?

Reboot

Take a long look at the picture below. (Click on it to see it better)


Pay special attention to the numbers on the bottom. Yes, they are correct. (Quick math: 28 days 22 hours is the same as 28*24+22 = 694 hours - mind-boggling)... Yes, I have the largest library out of everyone I know. Not included are lectures from the last month of Ramadhan, or from this Muharram - they would add to the numbers by a couple of days at the very least.

For a while now, everything I have read, or heard, that relates to Islam in some way has felt like I'm hearing it anew, yet knowing that I have known this before. It's as if I learnt it, yet forgot it, so coming across it again heralds a feeling of discovery, yet uneasy familiarity.

I think I need to relearn everything over again, so perhaps its just as well that I have this huge library. I need to listen, and more importantly, implement the great messages of these lectures. It was a single lecture that sparked a huge shift in my attitudes, knowledge, and mannerisms, so maybe lectures again can revive all three.

inshaAllah.

100 Haikus

It's quite a milestone. I had no idea when starting out that I'd end up writing so many. But again, it is deceptively large, given that haikus are small to begin with, and posting them in batches of 10 helps as well. In the end, writing them did begin to feel a bit laboured, so I don't think I'll be writing some for a while.

Here are the original 100, linked to in the order in which they were posted.

10 Haikus
10 More Haikus
10 Haikus III
10 Haikus IV
10 Haikus V
10 Haikus VI
10 Haikus VII
10 Haikus VIII
10 Haikus IX
10 Haikus X

I've also selected my favourites from the original 100. I wanted to post 5 only, but getting them down to 10 was hard enough, so I left it at 10. I still wish I could have included more, but in the end, I think the principle of less is more will hold true. Of course, others people are totally allowed to pick as faves others than these. These are presented in the order in which they were chronologically posted.

I play with numbers
its too easy, better than words.
only one right answer

I walked alone,
then I was with someone, now
I'm alone again.

Come, sit, rest, and speak
Time gives us stories to share
what have you to tell?

You reflect yourself
as within, then so without
never long hidden.

I flipped a coin there,
waiting not for head or tail,
turning as it fell

watch the fingers fly
and out of many efforts
A gem is revealed

On my smallest shelf
they sit and stand side by side
books yet to be read

In the darkest night
I seek to do what is right
hide all before light

minutes and hours,
artificial constructs, fake,
nothing captures time

A million sparkles
As the sun sets on ripples
each reflecting it.

10 Haikus X

The previous 10

--------

The quietest day
or so it actually feels
because they are gone

play the loner role
and know something is missing
yet not knowing what

The jagged edges
pinnacle of the high mount
almost cutting sky

oh you pretty one
soaring and diving above
will no one catch you?

I opened a door
and went through it, yet ended
back at the same door

In search of guidance
I, who was and will be lost
but will i find it?

relaxed attitude
don't know what I really want
or when I want it

gold and silver coins
worth lots, but not sure if they
can match words not said

come here, dear hurt one
don't know how I can help you
but I'll do my best

tired, legs aching
running too much, not enough
was wonderful though.

------

Usual disclaimer applies.

Football.

Oh, wow.

I have aches all over, and feel extremely tired. But I feel happy. For the first time in ages, I've played football on an astroturf. Did I put in the best performance on the field, scoring tons, and setting up tons more? In a word - no. In two words - still no. In three words - you get the picture.

I was exhausted within 10 mins. But I can be glad of of a few things - neat touches, good, precise passes, occasional dribbles, etc. I missed the three chances I had on goal, but otherwise, I'm happy with the my playing today. Just need to work on my fitness more. A whole lot more.

If enough people at work are enthusiastic, this could become a regular thing.

I sure hope so.