You know what rocks about writing free lance and earning peanuts for the articles you are then forced to edit, re-edit and cut down (damn, unappreciative creativity stunters!) even when you were originally given a large word limit?

Walking up to the ticket desk at the Barbican and saying "I'm press". That rocks! Especially when you're then pointed in the direction of the press desk, where you will be collecting your free, pre-booked tickets :) Heh Heh heh...But remember:

1. Shakila is never on time.
2. DON'T RUN IN YOUR KNEE HIGH NEW ROCKS!
3. Never take your 17 year old sis to see Kronos Quartet, and expect her to behave herself or refrain from making very politically incorrect remarks, and loud enough for you to wish you were invisible.
4. Never try to be in two places at once.
5. A Kronos and Asha Bhosle concert, Bollywood as it was, is by far more enjoyable than any private view full of Shakila's idea of 'buzzing beenies!', especially when said beenies are pissed.
6. (In fact, I rather enjoyed it (The concert.).)
7. (...augh, hate being arround people who've been drinking. Human beings get so stupid when they're in that state, it's insufferable (and if you think making small talk with people with whom you have nothing in common is bad enough, try doing it when the barricades of self control and self awareness have fallen, and you're standing there trying to console a complete stranger when she's ranting at you about how difficult it is to be a phtographer in a male dominated system (I really felt sorry for her, not only coz she's been having a hard time, but God, the state she was in! (It's not that she was doing anything really embarrassing, but you can see it: that numb resigned look, the loss of human grace, an absence of dignity...and it's times like this i really appreciate why alcohol's haram (So why do we do it? To fill the emptiness? For lack of something to cling on to? -sorry, it's just that I'm having a hard time grasping how ending up like some of the people last night is fun (from what angle like? (Am I not seeing something? (Have I boxed myself in too many brackets? (Aaaah snuggly bug...this is comfortable- feels like receding into your self on a train of thought.).).).).).).).).)
8. Right, out we get (9 of them!) ..where was I? -ah yes:
9. Posting yourself by the toilets to say "Heyyy, you gotta pee too eh? ;) " to the said pissed beenies in the toilet que, is a hilarious chat up tactic, but is not to be put into practice under any circumstance. (This is feeling a bit shallow after my parenthesis thing.)
10. Heh heh, it's a funny thought though...Shakila you crazy cookie!
11. And finally, Never eat anything after midnight, no matter how many meals you've skipped and how starving you are.

So far Ramadhan hasn't had a very good start at all, but I swear I felt something the first two days, and I aint giving up yet. We're still at the beginning. I'm getting this article out the way and pulling myself together. Lets hope we stay together for the duration of the month...and, perhaps if we're lucky, the duration of what follows.

My next door neighbour died two days ago. He was really nice. Now his wife's all alone, and she's an old lady and i don't think they had kids. I'm ashamed of myself when I see how strong she is. Allah (swt) rest his soul inshallah.

Right, I'm off to find myself some more brackets.

'...And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah, then He is sufficient for him.' (At-Talaaq)