Ik Shikra Yaar

Jagjit Singh R.I.P.

 

I have long loved the ghazals sung by the venerable Jagjit Singh.  I've never missed an opportunity to see him when he was in town.  I had been looking forward to hearing him in concert again.  Today, while listening to Maye Ni Maye, Main Ek Shikra Yaar Banaya, to assuage my own sadness, I came across a comment: "RIP, Jagjit Singh ji" below the video.  I quickly searched Google News and found the reports of the Maestro's death.  Here's a piece written by Neha Thirani for the New York Times:

Delhi “turned some of us lonelier by the day. We fell in love, suffered in love, lost our near and dear ones, made careers, or what is perceived to be a career. Our hair went gray. Emotions lost their edge.
But on some balmy night, when there was no one else to go to, we would seek refuge in Jagjit Singh’s voice. Long ago, he sang these lines of Ghalib’s: “Maut se pehle aadmi, gam se nijaat paaye kyun…” (Before death, why does man want relief from sorrow). Sitting in a metro train, when I learnt about his death, I hoped that in death my friend would be rid of life’s sorrows.”
-- NY TIMES

Do you like it or LOVE it?

"So are our smartphones addictive, medically speaking? Some psychologists suggest that using our iPhones and BlackBerrys may tap into the same associative learning pathways in the brain that make other compulsive behaviors — like gambling — so addictive. As with addiction to drugs or cigarettes or food, the chemical driver of this process is the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine."

Source:NY Times.com

Alligators and Polo Players

"It turns out that wearing designer labels is an effective social strategy. It makes people think you have high status, and probably gives you access to better jobs and more money."

read the original article here, or the quick and free version quoted above.

Tarah's Status II

Tarah is at home tonight and her symptoms have lessened for the time being. All tests performed over the last 3 days came back negative. She will have a follow up appointment at Sick Kids with a Gastro in a week or two for an endo- and colono-scope. Hopefully, her symptoms will Be minimal while we push for an earlier date for the follow up. Thank you all for your concern and offers of help!! We're better now and will remain vigilant!

Tarah's status

Thanks for all your good wishes, guys! Many of you have asked for details....following are my messages with a nurse/friend of mine...a little too much info but im too lazy to type it all cleaned up.....

3 hours agoZahir Zap Paryani
Hey
you were asking for an update....they did some nuclear imaging thing today....blood work came back negative for infections....stool samples (still no news). Nothing showed on x-ray or imaging. Tarah continues to eat well, voiding bladder fine, but having intermittent stomach pains followed by bowel movement minus stool....mostly blood....about half a table spoon to one tablespn. no fever or nausea. hemoglobin a little low but not a concern. Next step might be a scope...although the gastro was thinking of sending her home with an antibiotic for two weeks and see if things improve. I tried to dissuade her of this since we have been dealing with this in a milder form (on and off) for 6-9 mths. WTF?

3 hours agoZahir Zap Paryani
i want them to do the scope and have an actual look...i know its invasive but....so far nothing is showing! don't want to go home and come back two days later, wondering and second guessing ourselves on whether we are over reacting.

Via Ramona Taylor

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."

- Frederick Keonig

My Goodbye Lunch

 Marcee, Rox and Denise

Krista

Matt and Michelle after one too many

Derrick and Matt mugging for the camera.

Matt and Michelle

Matt and Michelle after a cup of coffee.

Michelle, Cindy and Melani

 Michelle pointing out the obvious, Cindy trying to keep her under control and Melani.

Melani and Heather.

Denise and Jaydan.

Gord

Horsing around with Pam.

Jack and Krista.

Jen and Kelly.

Kelly being not very managerial :)

For My Wife

Come to Me


Come to me
I know we are out of sync
I know they will call it dying
but come to me anyway
I have tried to hate you with the strength
of many animals and I cannot hate you
so come to me burning
and I also will burn
come to me with ancient music and I will be a snake
writhing with my many wrists
each one more undulant than your long hair
o I still have nights and nights of you
all queued up in the thirst of a single slave
to work out
come to me with snow and I will promise
to be red in it
come to me unique and I will match you
stare for stare
come to me in greek in spanish in french in hebrew
and I will sing that I found you
because I overthrew reason
because I live in the wreck of my senses
by wish and magic
like a roc in the ruins of its egg
come to me dancing
that dark bacchanal of your kiss
so wet on my lips for days I will not want
drugs or water
just your own sea broken like a sheet of lightning
on your thigh so sensual
come to me because we will arrive
anyway at each other
because it has been many lives
and each time we touch
great forces
are again able to move
come to me cruel and lovely
because I am abandon
because I am silver
because a million years
you have suffered
and know at last how to be free


-- Robert Priest

apane hi kuun ke dariya mein nahaane nikale

And you call yourself a Muslim? 

From Reuters: July 18 - The Pakistan Taliban releases a video, posted on Liveleak.com, showing masked militants...shooting more than a dozen Pakistani security personnel in firing-squad style in the northwest part of the country last month. WARNING GRAPHIC IMAGES.

By what stretch of whose imagination could this be considered" in the service of God?"  Surely, God is sitting shamefaced, with his head in his hands, for these supposed followers of His will.  Silly men with toys can be dangrous sometimes.

It seems that some people will happily step out to bathe in a sea of their own brother's blood.

 

A New Beginning?

Okay, people! I have decided to return to blogging. I have been struggling and ignoring the blog for quite some time now. I'm going to start safely tell you that I am moving workplaces from Durham Mental Health Services to Surrey Place Centre in Toronto. So, all you lurkers and what-nots, come and find me...I dare you!

Surrey Place is a new beginning of sorts: Six years ago I left the Griffin Centre's Crisis Network for Durham and was already familiar with Surrey Place and some of the staff working there at the time. At Griffin I was doing crisis case management with developmentally delayed and dual-diagnosed clients. Surrey Place (SP) will give me an opportunity to exercise some of those same skills again.

The bonus is I will be better paid (important, though no one seems to talk about this elephant in the room) and there are some familiar faces (even friends) at SP and the other agencies in the developmental services sector. It is a homecoming of sorts for me.

I'm very excited for the (soon to come) arrival but am also saddened by the (almost) departure. Today, I reconnected a client to a therapist he had walked away from nine months ago. Among other things discussed, his therapist discussed the importance of saying goodbye appropriately; about how I have been with this client through many hoops and over many hurdles. There have been a ton of changes and some definite successes. And it was sad to have to say goodbye to him, there is so much still to be done and it's all very much, given time, achievable and do-able. Letting go is not easy for me.

Nevertheless, the moment arrives. We shake hands, a few words exchanged. He says, "You're the best worker in the whole world!" And I say, "You've done a lot of great work and I'm sure that you will get lots done (with your new worker)." Words seem to let people down and lingering, waiting for the right phrase/sentiment to come, seems so awkward. So we shake hands, I give him a hug and say, "Be well." And drive away feeling the pain of loss, try to re-focus on the present moment and put up my work shield.

Now we're both grown up a little.

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Loving You Is Killing Me - Aloe Blacc

LOVE THIS! Thanks, Lisa!

D. H. Lawrence Says

"A woman unsatisfied must have luxuries. But a woman who loves a man would sleep on a board."


"A woman has to live her life, or live to repent not having lived it."


"The world is supposed to be full of possibilities, but they narrow down to pretty few in most personal experience. There’s lots of good fish in the sea...maybe...but the vast masses seem to be mackerel or herring, and if you’re not mackerel or herring yourself you are likely to find very few good fish in the sea."

"One must learn to love, and go through a good deal of suffering to get to it, and the journey is always towards the other soul."

Filipino Names

Fun article on the Filipino penchant for wacky nicknames:

"On my first day in Manila, I walked down to the local cafe and was served by a smiling young girl who wore a name badge entitled BumBum."