Nothing to win and, nothing left to lose...

Pressing on...

2006-04-23T12:49:00.000-04:00

I've finally done it. I've switched over to Wordpress. Blogger was fine and all, but I think Wordpress is a bit more dynamic. I'm still in the process of importing my Haloscan comments (a pain in the @$$). Anyhow, please update your links accordingly: :-) .

www.fiahmad.com/wordpress/

. PS. My personal website address has also been updated:

www.fiahmad.com

A new lease on life...

2006-04-21T11:08:00.000-04:00

So Adnan and I signed our 2-year lease for the new apartment yesterday. We're still staying at Waterside Plaza, but we're moving from building 40 to building 20. I would've loved to stay at our current place, but Waterside is increasing the rent by 10%. Our new apartment will have room for a third roomate (whom we're still looking for), so we'll each be paying a less than what we are now. Plus, my new bedroom will be bigger and have a nicer view (the same uptown view from our living room). This includes the East River, Queensborough Bridge/Roosevelt Island, the United Nations, Trump World tower, etc. I'll also be able to see Waterside's plaza, so it'll be pretty nice. In Yankee news, according to Forbes, the value of the New York Yankees now tops $1 billion! They top the Forbes list of Most Valuable Baseball Franchises.

The Yankees' value increased 8 percent to $1.026 billion, the magazine estimated in its May 8 issue, which was released Thursday... ...The Boston Red Sox were pegged with the second-highest value at $617 million, followed by the New York Mets ($604 million), Los Angeles Dodgers ($482 million), Chicago Cubs ($448 million) and Washington Nationals ($440 million). Tampa Bay was last among the 30 teams at $209 million. FoxNews

Steinbrenner is being penalized for success. Having paid $10 million in 1973 for a lousy team, he has leveraged the Yankee brand by creating a regional sports network, raking in $62 million last year, $16 million more than the crosstown Mets took home in cable revenue. The Yanks also got $49 million from sponsors. Despite the stiff league taxes, Steinbrenner's gushing revenues make his team worth $1 billion by our estimate. Steinbrenner and his family own 80% of the franchise. Forbes

No doubt the greatest team in baseball history.

"Remember Sammy Jankis..."

2006-04-12T04:18:00.000-04:00

Just got back from the NYU Med library. These lonely, late-night walks back to my apartment are a good time to reflect on what's been happening so far, and what to look forward to in the future. Unfortunately, life has been hell so far...ever since Spring Break ended...and there's not much to look forward to. This Friday we'll have our first Systemic Pathology midterm. This class is the widowmaker; most would agree it's the hardest course in dental school (Pharmacology being the second). It's not even the fact that there's so much material to memorize (like Pharm), but what makes it harder is that you have to integrate all that knowledge and understand how the body's different systems interact with eachother. Exam questions are clinically based, so we have to take what we can from the scenerio and come up with possible etiologies/effects of the disease. But to even get to that point you have to memorize so much. In the movie, Memento, the protagonist suffered from short-term memory loss so he tattooed notes on his body to jog his memory. What a brilliant idea. If I could just tattoo my study notes onto my body, I could remember important facts everytime I'm in front of a mirror, or in the shower, or wherever. Good idea, however unrealistic...Islamically that is. Sigh, duas much appreciated. Inshallah it'll all pay off in the longrun. And the wheel just keeps on turning: (list does not include June...also a Hell month)

04.14 System Pathology Exam I
04.18 GDS CR I Practical
05.05 System Pathology Exam II
05.10 GDS CR II Practical
05.17 Intro to Patient Care Exam
05.22 GDS Restorative Dentistry Practical
05.23 Pharmacology Exam II
05.26 System Pathology Exam III
05.30 HP III Exam, CR I

Simpsons Teaser...

2006-04-04T20:41:00.000-04:00

The Simpsons Movie is scheduled to hit theaters in Summer 2007. (Click the image for the teaser.) Apparently, the movie is progressing along very quickly. In September, IGN reported that "the movie is still just in the writing stages." In A March interview with Mancow Radio, Harry Shearer (voice of Ned Flanders, Rev. Lovejoy, Waylon Smithers, et. al.) said that they're already recording dialogue. According to Ain't it Cool News:

He [Shearer] then was asked if the movie would be more edgy to which he said that it pushed the boundaries, but it wasn't going to be an R rated movie. Asked if there was swearing in the movie, he said a little more than normal, but not the characters he voices, since he voices Rev. Lovejoy and Ned Flanders.

As expected, there are a lot of rumors spreading around (probably by the typical "Comic Book Guy" types) about the movie's plot. According to one AICN source: (WARNING! Potential Plot Spoiler!):

In the movie Homer causes an accident at the nuclear power plant - which causes the town’s drinking water to be spoilt. Therefore, Erin Brockovich is guest starring - playing herself. After the incident, Homer gets fired from the plant, and majority of Springfield's citizens move away. There is not going to be a dome built over the town. But, in one scene, when people are trying to figure out what to do at the city hall meeting - Professor Frink suggests a “giant dome” should be built around the town. The dome rumors could've started from that. There will also be cameos by Albert Brooks' previous characters, but I don't know who they are, and I don't know whether he's going to play any bigger part.

Summer 2006...

2006-03-26T17:51:00.000-05:00

This is going to be a great summer, moviewise.

Insomnia...

2006-03-15T04:21:00.000-05:00

It's close to 4:30 am...I woke up around 45 minutes ago and couldn't fall back asleep. My sleep cycle has been messed up as far back as I can remember, and I can never seem to get it back on track. Nights are reserved for studying, sleep is only allowed when you have breaks in between classes...that is, when you can make it to class. I've tried to get it back on schedule...though I find that Nyquil isn't a good solution. But in the end, exams (I have ALOT coming up...please pray for me) and whatnot always throw it off. Yesterday I got to sleep around 6:30 am...luckily for me it was a late day, so I woke up ~ 1:30. This is not good. I really need to remedy this damn problem.

"When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep. And you're never really awake." - Fight Club

I feel like Edward Norton in Fight Club. No matter what I do, even if I go to bed at a reasonable time, I just can't get to sleep. I just lay there staring up at the ceiling. It takes the average person 7 minutes to fall asleep once they lay down; I can lay there for an hour and a half or more and not feel the slightest bit sleepy. Maybe I need to start my own fight club. Anyhow I'm gonna try to get a couple hours in right now. This morning we'll be performing anaesthetic injections on eachother (for the first time) so I definitely need to be rested for that.

"Tum nahin samjo gi..."

2006-03-10T19:11:00.000-05:00

Anyone who thinks they know what true love is but has never seen this film doesn't know what they're talking about.

What's in YOUR word cloud?

2006-03-07T15:14:00.000-05:00

I came across this site, SnapShirt, that creates a "word cloud" of the most commonly used words in your blog. It's pretty cool, it scans your blog and finds the words you used most often. It arranges them in alphabetical order, and depicts "more frequently used words in progressively larger fonts." Their aim is to basically get you to buy merchandise (shirts, mousepads, mugs) with your word cloud on it...but it's cool just to try it out. Post a link to your word clouds...I'm curious to see what the hell everyone else writes about. :-) Here's my word cloud:

Word clouds from famous authors:

(Left: Alice in Wonderland, Right: A Christmas Carol)

Real life Simpsons intro...

2006-03-06T20:49:00.000-05:00

My boy Osman (Sheikh Biryani) posted this on Islamica. Lol freaking awesome...

The Simpsons: Real Life Intro!

'Rocky Balboa'...

2006-03-04T21:07:00.000-05:00

So the Italian Stallion is back for another sequel. I had heard about this movie for some time now, and to tell the truth, my expectations aren't really that high. Anyone who knows me well can tell you I was a huge fan of not just Rocky, but Sylvester Stallone in general back in the day. I loved pretty much all his films. As far as entertainment, the first 4 Rockys were excellent. But as far as film "quality" goes, I think they could've ended it after Rocky II. I'm not even gonna talk about Rocky V; I think everyone'll agree that one sucked...big time. I have no clue what this new one, Rocky Balboa, is about. What I do know is that Sylvester Stallone is 60 years old now and it seems that he'll be fighting in this one too. Which is another reason why my expectations aren't that high. Seriously, once stallions get past their prime, you shoot em and make em into glue. End of story. I'm really hoping it won't be bad though, like I hope they actually sat down and put some thought and effort into this one. But you never know, maybe it'll be a great finish to the current pentalogy? :-P

Official Teaser: Rocky Balboa

Immersed in Shade...

2006-02-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

Ladies and gentlemen, I finally got it. The book. I ordered it from an independant seller through Amazon. Amazing photos. Just wanted to share my joy. That is all. :o)

Hear ye, hear ye...

2006-02-15T15:02:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to announce that alhamdulillah my brother and sister-in-law had their first son a week ago. His name is Saifudeen Ali Ahmad.

Saifudeen Ali Ahmad

Desperately seeking Shade...

2006-02-09T17:48:00.000-05:00

This is really aggravating. I ordered Peter Sanders' In the Shade of the Tree : A Photographic Odyssey Through the Muslim World back in early November, and Amazon.com has yet to ship it to me. Fair enough, it's been out of print for some time, but I think 3 months is way more than enough. I even sent an angry e-mail to Amazon's customer service dept. They sent me a very apologetic reply:

Sometimes unexpected fluctuations in supply can add time to our original availability estimate. We have learned that "In the Shade of the Tree : A Photographic Odyssey Through the Muslim World" is now back-ordered, and our supplier has not been able to let us know exactly when they expect to have more in stock. I'm sorry that you were not notified sooner of this change in availability. To help compensate you for this unexpected change, I have upgraded the shipping method for this order to express shipping at no additional charge. The estimated delivery date displayed in Your Account for this shipment is now February 8, 2006.

They also generously gave me a $5.00 gift certificate. Now they send me an e-mail saying that there's another delay. I should just cancel the order altogether...but I really want that book. I guess enough is enough...I'll just cancel the order and order it from Islamic Bookstore, which is what I should've done in the the first place. I'll end up paying $8.00 more, but it's well worth it. EDIT: I just realized that it's out of stock at Islamic Bookstore too. As well as: Astrolabe, Simply Islam, Online Islamic Store, Sound Vision, and Islamic Bookseller. I called Alhambra Productions; the guy there was new and wasn't sure if they had it...he told me that the regular clerk should contact me this week. I also called Halalco; they actually did have 1 copy left. The problem is, the book jacket has a cut along the front cover. He said he'd give me a discount, but I think I'd rather have an unblemished copy. I just can't believe it's been out of print. These photos mught just be the most beautiful collection of images of the Muslim world that I've ever seen. Read the preface (by Hamza Yusuf):

In the Shade of the Tree is the result of many years of painstaking observation of shade. The word "photographer" literally means "one who writes with light." The photographer of this volume has been "capturing shade" for decades. Shade is a sign of God. The Quran says, Have you not considered your Lord how He extends the shade and had He willed He would have made it still. Then We made the sun its guide. Shade is an admixture of light and darkness. The cosmos is in fact shade and Peter Sanders has spent a lifetime reflecting on it. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then these pictures are a testimony to the beauty in Sanders' eye. He uses an odd yet wondrous mechanical device that captures for one brief moment a glimpse of beauty. The pictures in this book, while only brief moments of shade written in light captured by his discerning eye, will linger on in your memory long after you have closed the book.

Hear ye, hear ye...

2006-01-20T11:33:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to announce that subhanallah my eldest sister had her third son this past Wednesday. His name is Haroon Azeem Arain. For the record, I'm not referring to my sister-in-law's son, who also should be due pretty soon inshallah. By the by, we still haven't decided on a name.

Haroon Azeem Arain

My other nephews, Shariq and Haaris.

Three brothers. :-)

It's the next best thing to be...

2006-01-14T18:31:00.000-05:00

Free as a Bird. One of the greatest Beatles songs. And probably their greatest video. It was originally composed by Lennon in 1977, but never finished. Paul, George (late), and Ringo reunited in 1995 to finalize and complete the song for part I of the Beatles Anthology. The video has a myriad of subtle references to the Beatles great history.

Eid Mubarak!

2006-01-11T04:35:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to wish Eid Mubarak to all my Muslim brothers and sisters. I hope inshallah Allah (swt) blesses all of you with success and happiness in this life and the akhirah. Ameen.

I think, therefore I Rooq...

2006-01-06T04:27:00.000-05:00

Let's see how well you know me. Take my online quiz and we'll see who my real friends are.

What's in a name?

2005-12-05T04:14:00.000-05:00

So inshallah in a few months my brother and sister-in-law will be ushering into this world a baby boy. I talked to him on the phone the other day, and he said that since my sisters already helped name my nieces, he asked me to name this one. I was honored, but it's such an awesome responsibility at the same time. After having had three daughters, inshallah he will be my brother's first son...which makes naming him all the harder. My nieces names are Hanaa, Naseeha, and Aaliyah. I want him to have a more unique name...something you don't see among today's kids...but nothing too out there. I was thinking 'Ismail', son of Ibrahim (Abraham) and prophet of Islam. Ismail, which also happens to be my middle name, was the name of my grandfather as well. I'm also considering 'Saifullah' (sword of Allah), which happens to be my brother's middle name. Beautiful name. And if not 'Saifullah," then 'Saif' alone would also be a good candidate. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. And if you guys can, state the reasons...if any...for why you chose that name as well. Once I (and my brother) have decided on a name, I'll let you guys know. Thanks guys. :-)

'One' isn't the lonliest number...

2005-11-25T02:44:00.000-05:00

I'm not much of a Thanksgiving fan. I mean, I have nothing against the holiday or anything...I just don't feel the need that I "have to" spend it with a bunch of people. A friend of mine asked me to come over to his apartment for Thanksgiving dinner, but I wanted to spend this night alone. I showered and dressed, and left my apartment about 8'ish or so. I went to a diner for dinner. It's nice to go out and have a quiet dinner by yourself every once in a while. I stayed there for a while...just thinking about things in general...then around 9:30 or so I left for the theater. I caught the 10:30 showing of Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire. The film was really good...I'm not a huge fan of the series like most people, but the films are always entertaining. I left the theater around 1:30 and went to Dunkin Donuts for some coffee. Afterwards I pretty much just walked around the city a bit...alone with my thoughts. And my iPod, of course. I was speaking to a friend of mine over the phone and he said it was pretty "sad" that I would go out and see a movie by myself. I know he was half-kidding, but even still...I wonder why people out there are so averse to the idea of spending a night out alone by themselves. We spend all our days interacting with people, whether it be in class, at work, at home, whatever. How often do you spend some actual "quality" time by yourself? And sitting in your room either on the internet, or studying, or playing video games does not qualify as quality time. Is it a defense mechanism? Do people feel the need to socialize everytime they go out just so other people won't ridicule them? If so, I think that's pretty sad. It shows low self-esteem. Why the need to shield yourself with other people all the time? Don't get me wrong...I'm no hermit or anything. Far from it. I just enjoy a nice night out by myself every once in a while. You think about things much more clearly when you're alone.

Eid with Conan...

2005-11-03T22:39:00.000-05:00

Oh man what a great day. First off, I gotta say "Eid Mubarak" to all my Muslim brothers and sisters :-). I had actually planned on celebrating Eid tomorrow, but last night ISNA had confirmed it was today. Didn't really do anything special for Eid; I couldn't celebrate with the family so I just hit up main campus for Eid prayer and that was pretty much it. Around 4:00 I met up with Taneem, Samio, and Ibrahim at NBC Studios to watch a live taping of Late Night with Conan O'Brien. I gotta give it up to Taneem for scoring the tickets; the guy requested them over the summer and just got them in October.

The show was excellent. Before we entered they gave us these nicely embroidered "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" t-shirts. :-) The actual set seemed about 1/5th the scale it is on TV. I think they're all like that though; I remember thinking the same thing when I went to see The Daily Show. The warm-up comedian was hilarious...but the highlight was of course, Conan. The guy has an innate ability to make you laugh, and when he cracks a lame joke, you laugh even more when he makes fun of himself for it. I have to say though, the guest list was pretty mediocre. I guess Conan rarely gets the biggest stars, but I was still less than impressed. The first guy was an actor, Jake Gyllenhaal, who's been in some movies (i.e. Donnie Darko) but is pretty much still just an up-and-coming star. He was there to promote two upcoming films: Jarhead and Brokeback Mountain. The second guest was apparently some famous rock/folk musician, Neil Young, who was there as part of a full week stint on the show. He sang a song (which was pretty boring), chatted with Conan a bit, and ended off the show with another tune. Like I said, the guests weren't all that spectacular...I was hoping for something along the lines of an Angelina Jolie...but overall the show was great, and Conan was hilarious. Even when a guest doesn't seem all that interesting or doesn't know quite what to say, Conan has a great impromptu way of livening up the interview.

After the show we decided to hit up 53rd and 6th for some chicken and rice. It's really pathetic how somehow, no matter what our plans are, in the end we always wind up at that place. We actually got there before the gyro guys did so we decided to walk around and look for other places to eat. We roamed around all of Times Square, couldn't agree on a single place, and ended up right back at 53rd and 6th. So pathetic. But I gotta say, I really love hanging out with these guys. I've said this before, but they make me laugh so hard my face begins to hurt. Unfortunately these jokes can be quite low brow and I'm not able to quote any of them...but whenever the four of us get together, it's best to avoid us at all costs. :-P Special shout out to Taneem, Ibrahim and Samio: I love you bastards.

Halloween Parade...

2005-11-01T23:28:00.000-05:00

Last night, Halloween, Sarfraaz and I went to the Village's infamous Halloween parade. Greenwich Village hosts the largest Halloween parade in the nation. Last year Dr. More told us it's definitely worth checking out, and since we don't have exams anytime soon I figured it was a good time to go. This parade is insane. No joke...insane. We got there around 7:45 or so and it was packed to the brim...almost as bad as Times Square on New Year's Eve.

It took us about an hour to squeeze through the crowd and actually get to the front line. It's no holds barred when it comes to costumes in the Village. I mean, people really go all out. I pretty much expected it for the most part...you can't have a Halloween parade without transvestites...but some things were too disturbing; i.e. one guy came as a giant phallus. Another guy had a similar costume, but he had a contraption set up...and well, I'll spare you the details. Unfortunately, some things can't be unseen. Some people were really creative; a few dressed as iPods, others did a "pie eating contest" ensemble, one guy came as a Van Gogh self-portrait (complete with picture frame), etc. As far as creativity, I give the parade a major plus. The blunt vulgarity and half-nakedness I could've done without. In Greenwich, anything goes. Unfortunately.

People are @$$holes...

2005-10-25T19:34:00.000-04:00

I don't know if you guys remember, but a while back I wrote a similar post concerning an IKEA chest of drawers which was initially promised to me, but was later given to someone else (luckily in the end though, things worked out and the girl sold the dresser to me). This is a similar scenario. I'd been looking for this exact IKEA rug for months, and just last week I found some guy was selling it on Craig's List for $40 (the rug retails at IKEA for $250). Granted it's 3 years old, but he said it's in good condition aside for a small clear spot...which he said can be covered up easily. So I e-mailed him about it, and even talked to him on the phone concerning the details and a good time to pick it up. Mind you, the rug is still listed at $40, so there's a tacit agreement that it will be sold to me for $40. Last night I'm browsing Craig's List again, but this time I see it listed for $80. I'm thinking wtf? He obviously went back and changed the price from $40 to $80, but I'm wondering why the hell he did that. So I get an e-mail from him today saying "I have an offer at $80. Are you still interested?" I'm really pissed off now cuz we had an agreement that the rug was to be sold to me. We spoke on the phone, and he just left me a voicemail last night about choosing a good night to pick it up. I replied that $80 was double what he listed initially, and if he'd give me time to think about it. He then replies: "Well, I have an offer at 80 so unless you can beat that, I think ill take it. Sorry." I don't know why people have to be such assholes. I mean, it's not even the rug...it's just the principle of the thing. He knew and I knew that he was going to sell me the rug for $40. After this agreement, someone offers him more money for it, so he decides to screw me and sell to the guy offering more money. This is why people really piss me off.

IKEA ULDUM rug. Length: 7 ' 7 " x Width: 7 ' 7 "

The world is yours...

2005-10-24T01:02:00.000-04:00

What does it mean to "live a respectable life?" Is it a necessary must to work a nine-to-five in order to be a "productive member" of society? And why must we limit ourselves to "standard" jobs like dentists, physicians, or pharmacists? I say screw that. Me, I want what's coming to me. You wanna know what's coming to me? "The world chico, and everything in it."

Duck Tales...

2005-10-22T04:45:00.000-04:00

I recently downloaded...ahem, "acquired"...the full Duck Tales series on divx. Duck Tales was probably my favorite after-school cartoon growing up; I remember the WB had a great line-up: Duck Tales, Talespin, Darkwing Duck, and Animaniacs. Anyhow watching these episodes really makes me reminisce of the good ol' days...when I hadn't a worry in the world. It also makes me realize how crappy today's cartoons are. Lol I actually learned a lot from the cartoon because it always did a lot of spoofs of historic events or great works of literature (i.e. The Odyssey, or Shakespearean plays, etc.)

Sigh, they don't make cartoons like they used to.

Mama said there'd be days like this...

2005-10-14T03:24:00.000-04:00

It's 3:30 am. I have a radiology final in 5.5 hours. Rained like crazy today...my scrubs were soaking wet by the time I got to lab this morning. Umbrella didn't do jack; flipped inside-out every other second. Went straight to the library after lab...and got back to my apartment like an hour ago. I get back, and I found out the living room floor was flooded because of a leak in the window. Adnan called maintenance, they said they'd fix it...they better. And they better replace the hardwood tiles that got messed up...next to the view, the hardwood floors are the best part about our apartment. Anyhow, back to studying...still got a lot to go... :-( Oh yeah, and I'm still depressed about the Yankees. :-(

ALDS...

2005-10-08T00:22:00.000-04:00

2 games left. The series is far from over.

Jazakallah khair for all the duas...

2005-10-05T03:19:00.000-04:00

Hey guys. Just wanted to say jazakallah khair to all those who made dua for my mom. Alhamdulillah the surgery went well, and inshallah we should get the pathology report in a week. I'd appreciate it if you guys kept her in your duas and pray that she have a quick recovery. Inshallah I pray we all take full advantage of this blessed month, increase our imaan, refrain from committing any sins, and become much closer to the deen. Ramadan Mubarak! رمضان مبارك

Duas inshallah...

2005-10-02T22:53:00.000-04:00

Hey guys. Inshallah my mom is having an operation this Tuesday, so if you could keep her in your duas I'd appreciate it. Jazakallah khair.

The Price is Right...on speed.

2005-09-24T17:25:00.000-04:00

I remember I almost fell off my chair the first time I saw this clip. I came across it again on eBaum's World, and thought you guys might enjoy it. This has to be the funniest Price is Right contestant. Ever. Note: If you ever appear on the Price is Right, be sure to lay off the crack and PCP.

Click to see 'Daniel' on the Price is Right

From bleak to chic...

2005-09-13T00:39:00.000-04:00

So I've decided I want to add some class to my apartment...more specifically, my bedroom. I'm trying to avoid the whole "dorm look" you'd see in your average frat house room, and go for something with more style. So far the room isn't too bad, I kind've have a pseudo-trendy IKEA thing going, but the place still needs work.

A possible wall clock for my room. Bed, Bath, & Beyond. 50 freaking bucks.

Recently I've become alot more interested in art. I'm obviously by no means a connoisseur, but I know what I like. At ISNA as usual I fell in love with several Haji Noor Deen pieces, two in particular, but they're so damn expensive! Islamic calligraphy is by far the most beautiful calligraphy in the world, and the way he combines Chinese and Arabic styles makes his pieces all the more unique. It's so hard to find nice Islamic calligraphy prints on the internet. No joke, I've looked and looked, but can't find anything I like. I should e-mail Haji Noor Deen and tell him to make poster prints of his work as well. He'd make a killing off of the less-affluent MSA students who can't afford the original pieces. So I've turned to museum art now. It's easy to find poster prints of that. I'm looking to replace my once beloved Simpsons poster with something a bit more elegant. I'm thinking Picasso's Guernica. My sister used to have a print of it back when I was really young; I remember liking it a lot back then.

My current wall hanging. Yes, yes, I love 'em too...but I think it's time to grow up.

Guernica. A possible replacement for the Simpsons.

I've put up some of my own pieces on the wall too. Yesterday I mounted and framed the book covers I did for White Thread Press. They actually look pretty nice hanging on the wall. :-)

Book covers I did for White Thread Press.

First "impressions"...

2005-09-08T21:47:00.000-04:00

So the D2 year started this week. They say the D2 year is the worst of all 4 years. I can't say much for classes yet (Micro just started today), but I know straight up lab is defintely going to be no joke. We did alginate impressions/plaster casting in Complex Rest. I and II this week. It's not so much the work, impressions aren't that bad really, but more so the craziness that goes on during lab...especially in the wetlab. First off, they cut our time with introductions about the course and videos on how to do the procedures. Note that lab is 3 hours, but it takes the full time (and then some) to get your shiz done. And because it's so hectic, oftentimes we don't finish and have to come in during our own time. Now I realize why last year I'd always see D2s in lab on the weekends. But like I said, it's really the wetlab where you see the worst of it. EVERYONE is trying to pour their plaster molds at the same time, so you either have to wait on the machines or share one with like 2/3 other people. And this is a really tiny room mind you. You come in and it's jam packed, you can't even get through the aisles without contorting your body. And we were all lectured the other day about how messy the students leave the wetlab. That really pissed me off because with time limits and trying to get the assignment done, you have NO time to clean up after yourself. Especially when there are like 10 other people squished around you. I'm sorry, but with the exorbitant tuition we're paying, they should cut us some slack when it comes to that. I was chewed out by one of the bigwig faculty members today. He's just some skinny white guy who was yelling at everyone about wearing proper attire in the lab. He said nothing to me during lab, but afterwards I ran out to put some things away in my locker to save time while the plaster dried (I was already 5 minutes late for Microbio). So I ran back into the wetlab...just to pick up my molds...and he sees me without my goggles, labcoat, and gloves, only scrubs. I knew I was totally screwed. So he's scolding me (making me even more late for class), said some bullsh*t like "What if those molds were biohazardous? What would you do then?" I guess he had his reasons, but he didn't have to chew me out like that. I tried to explain to him that I was running late for class, but the @$$hole didn't care (and yes, he is one). I cannot wait till D2 is over. And it just started this week. :-P

Insomniac...

2005-08-31T04:00:00.000-04:00

It's 4 o'clock in the morning. When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep...and you're never really awake.

Whisper words of wisdom...let it be.

2005-08-23T22:27:00.000-04:00

I was walking to CVS today, going through the 60's playlist on my iPod. I got to this song, and I'll tell you straight up, whenever this song plays, my mood just totally changes. It's these kinds of songs why the Beatles are timeless. No doubt the greatest songwriting team in history, and in my opinion, the greatest band of all time...

The Beatles - Let it Be

When I find myself in times of trouble Mother mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness She is standing right in front of me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. And when the broken hearted people Living in the world agree, There will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is Still a chance that they will see There will be an answer, let it be. Let it be, let it be. yeah There will be an answer, let it be. And when the night is cloudy, There is still a light that shines on me, Shine on until tomorrow, let it be. I wake up to the sound of music Mother mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be. There will be an answer, let it be. Let it be, let it be, Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. - Paul McCartney

Photoblog: Manhattan II

2005-08-11T15:32:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I've been really lazy in putting these up. They're from last Saturday. Enjoy. :-)

EDIT: A lot of people have been asking me this. Just to clarify, YES, I TOOK ALL THESE PHOTOGRAPHS.

I pass by this guy every time I walk to Penn Station. I figured it was about time I took his pic. Shot from the NE corner of the 86th floor observatory. The New York Life building. One of my favorite buildings in the city. Those four buildings are part of Waterside Plaza. The one all the way to the left is my building. :-) The antenna atop the Empire State Building. We should've come at night, then we'd see it lit up. The Chrysler Building. Another favorite. It actually held the record for the world's tallest building back in the early 1900's. Lobby of the Empire State. The Chrysler. Inside the lobby of the Chrysler. Walkway inside Grand Central Station. Grand Central terminal. Statue of Prometheus at Rockefeller Center. Statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center. St. Patrick's Cathedral. Across the street from Rockefeller. Prometheus.

MRI...

2005-08-08T22:54:00.000-04:00

Tonight I had an MRI done for the shoulder. I think this is the second MRI I've had in my life. And like the last time, it wasn't too much fun. Sort've a coffin-like experience. Cozy, if your Count Dracula. Kinda reminded me of the scene in Kill Bill II when they buried Uma Thurman alive. And all the while I was fortunate enough to listen to John Tesh DJ'ing on 95.5 FM. Inshallah the orthopaedic surgeon should have the results in a few days. Hopefully all will be good with the Rooqster's shoulder. :-

Goin' Downtown...

2005-08-06T00:36:00.000-04:00

So I took Faisal downtown today to do a bit of site seeing. "A bit" turned out to be "a lot," and we actually pretty much covered all there is too see in downtown Manhattan. We passed through Battery Park, went on the Staten Island Ferry (saw the Statue of Liberty), toured the Financial District, visited the World Trade Center site, walked over the Brooklyn Bridge, went up to Chinatown, Little Italy, SoHo, the Village, Washington Sq. Park, and I think that's pretty much it. We left after Jumuah (~ 2:00) and got back around ninish. Yeah, a lot of walking today.

The Staten Island Ferry is a must for any tourist. Mainly because it's free. Yes, even though Manhattan tries to rob you blind every other possible way, the Ferry ride is gratis.

Lady Liberty, in all her glory.

Just as I was about to take this picture, an old man next to me said something like "Careful taking pictures or they might take a shot."

The Financial District and the ferry port.

"Luke, I am your father."

They were shooting a movie called Inside Man in the Financial District. According to workers, it stars Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, and Clive Owen. They told us none of the actors were on scene though. Yeh, right.

'The Heroes of September 11th, 2001'

Left: "America" ; Right: "Europe". Taken in front of the U.S. Custom House in Bowling Green. The statues were sculpted by Daniel Chester French, the same guy who sculpted the Lincoln Memorial. There are actually 4 sculptures total, altogether called the "Continents", but I...like an idiot...didn't see "Asia" and "Africa".

Afterwards, we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge. We didn't go all the way into Brooklyn though...because there's really nothing to see there, and it was getting pretty late. And oh yes, I kinda went "sepia-crazy" after seeing Qudsia's Brooklyn Bridge pics. :-P

This actually turned out to be a really nice photo. :-)

The Financial District on the left.

Don't know the building, but while I was taking the shot, the security guard was yelling and saying "You cannot take pictures of the building!"

Chinatown.

Read the sign.

Little Italy again.

SoHo. These people were marking awareness for the anniversary of those killed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Washington Square Park. The arch is one of my most favorite sites in the city.

Need a shoulder to cry on...

2005-08-03T18:44:00.000-04:00

Finally saw the orthopaedic doctor today. At first he really scared me; said that since I've had multiple dislocations I'd most likely need surgery. After examining the x-rays though, he didn't find anything unusual, and said he's "not really leaning towards surgery" right now. But the x-rays don't mean too much anyhow; once I get an MRI done we'll really know how serious it is. What really scares me isn't the surgery itself, but the 6 weeks (minimum) I'll need to keep my right arm immobilized. Classes start after labor day, so I'm praying to God that it won't have to come to surgery. 2nd year is crucial in the dental program, and I really don't want to fall behind in lab. But I felt much better about the situation after the appointment. Like I said, alhamdulillah the x-rays were fine, and he didn't detect anything serious during the physical. Just please make dua that the MRI will be fine too. :-/

Sunday in the City...

2005-08-01T01:21:00.000-04:00

Had a pretty fun day today. Faad, Faisal, Farhan, and I hit up The Museum of Natural History, Central Park, and Jackson Heights...just wanted to show Faisal more of the city before he heads back to London. I'ts been a whiiile since I've visited the Natural History Museum. I think I enjoy it more than the Met; I mean, what the hell do I know about art right? The Met is great the first couple of times, but afterwards, it gets really repetitive. Plus the fact that their Islamic art exhibit has been closed for renovations, and will remain so for the next few years, doesn't help.

It was a beautiful day in the city...a little warmer than I'd liked, but still great strolling weather. Didn't really want to go to Central Park...isn't much to do there really...but Farhan really wanted to go. I took them to the main fountain, and showed them the infamous bridge (Bow Bridge) where Faraz saw Preity Zinta fall on her butt twice during taping of Kal Ho Na Ho.

The beauty that is, Central Park.

Bow Bridge. Where my friend saw Preity Zinta fall twice on her butt during taping of Kal Ho Na Ho.

Afterwards, we went to Jackson Heights. I bought a couple of DVDs I've been meaning to get (Veer Zaara and Swades), and then we ate ate Kababish. The chicken makni was superb, and the samosas were to die for :-D. Exhausted and full, we headed back home. Next time I gotta take this guy to the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Chinatown, Soho, and the Financial District. Freaking tourists. :-D

Now, if they only had an Aishwarya billboard too. :-P

Dislocated shoulder...

2005-07-19T22:01:00.000-04:00

Oh man what a day. We were on our way to the mall when I dislocated my right shoulder. For the second time. It was so sudden, and totally unexpected; I wasn't lifting anything heavy...just had my arm around my mom in the car, and as soon as I brought it to my side, I heard this pop. I had no clue what happened exactly, just that my arm/shoulder really hurt like hell...especially when I lifted it a bit. We stopped at the mall, still weren't sure what exactly was wrong with it. Adnan bhai though I might've had a muscle spasm, so we called Dr. Imtiaz uncle and drove to his house. He felt around the joint and said it was definitely dislocated; he could feel the ball underneath the socket. Earlier, I myself felt the gap between ball and socket (I could push the flesh into the space) and was totally afraid it might've been dislocated. When I looked in the mirror, the right arm/shoulder was definitely lower than the other. It just hung there, and any sudden movements brought on pain.

So we went to the ER at Good Samaritan. We even ran into Dr. Murtaza there. Apparently there was a long wait to see the ER doctor, but one of the other doctors said he would try to pop it back in right then. He gently pulled the shoulder down and out...it was pretty cool...exactly what we learned in Anatomy :-D. But the pain was insane. I took it like a man though, just closed my eyes and thought "happy thoughts" :-). Lol, the nurse was even like, "Are you at your happy place?" Afterwards they put an arm sling on me and told me to keep it on for a few days. As we left the hospital, we ran into an orthopedic surgeon (a friend of Dr. Murtaza's) who told me I should keep the sling on for at least 6 weeks. He said the capsule around the joint probably didn't heal properly after it happened the first time. The first time it happened, I didn't even realize it was dislocated. The pain wasn't as bad, but it was definitely there. Like a moron, I figured it was just a muscle pull or something and didn't even bother to see a doctor. Man I'm such an idiot. I just put some Icy/Hot on it, and it fixed itself after a few days. Anyhow, now when I get back to NY I'm definitely going to see an orthopedic surgeon. I really hope it won't require surgery, but we'll see inshallah. And please guys, I know this type of stuff isn't uncommon, but all and any duas would be greatly appreciated. I really just don't wanna have to go through surgery for something like this. :-/

Dinner at Imran bhai's...

2005-07-19T11:07:00.000-04:00

So last night we all went to dinner at Imran bhai's (my sister's brother-in-law's) house. It was nice, always good to see the sister's Chicago relatives, but I never have anything to say when I'm there. Literally, nothing. Like at dinner Imran bhai, Adnan bhai (sister's husband), and I were sitting at the table...completely quiet. I hate those awkward moments (of which I experience far too many) where you wanna say something, you're trying hard to come up with anything meaniningful to say, but in the end you just sit there quietly...eating your dinner. Awkward silences are the worst, especially for me cuz I'm so freaking shy when it comes to people I don't know too well. Plus the fact that my Urdu/Punjabi is terrible doesn't help much either. It's one thing to be introvert, but an ABCD introvert is even worse. And later on, when more of the Arain clan came to visit, it didn't get much easier. :-/ I spent part of the night downstairs playing video games with the kids. Ahaha I'm such a loser. I was facing Haaris (my 5 year-old nephew) in the Star Wars: Episode III video game on PS2. Now, I never play video games, which is why I completely suck at them. That's why it was extremely humiliating when Haaris beat me in the 1st round. But what might even be more pathetic is the fact that I felt some satisfaction when I crushed him in the next 2 rounds :-P. Picture a 24 year-old young adult trying to beat the hell out of his 5 year-old nephew in a video game :-). I mean, I definitely felt sorry for the little guy...but come on, I had to save face. :-D

A leisurely stroll along the East...

2005-07-12T03:17:00.000-04:00

Tonight, after watching Legends of the Fall, I was in a rather pensive mood and decided to take a walk along the East River. It was like 1 am and I had no idea what compelled me to go out at that hour...but I guess I just needed a little "me" time. Nighttime is definitely the best time to take a walk alongside the river. No one's around, save a few late night bikers and homeless people. I was pretty much alone with myself, my iPod (my Legends of the Fall soundtrack), and my thoughts. The river air was a nice change from the usual odors you smell in the city. Granted, the East River is probably "the most heavily trafficked overly contaminated waterway on the eastern seaboard" (Seinfeld reference), but the smell was a nice change :-P. And all along the walkway are planted these beautiful flowers, who's frangrances mix with the river smell and really emit a refreshing aroma. I walked a lot farther than what I had expected to. The further downtown I went, the more beautiful was the uptown cityscape. There's this one area, where the walkway bends the furthest East, where I caught the best view of the city. A perfect place for a camera/tripod shot. Eventually I walked all the way down to Houston Street (exit 5 on the FDR) when I decided to turn around. By then the walkway was long gone and the area was getting much more shady. I had wanted to go all the way down to the Brooklyn Bridge, but I guess I'll save that for a day stroll. Nothing like a stroll along the East to clear your head.

When we were Kabob Kings...

2005-07-10T03:01:00.000-04:00

So tonight Tanbeer, Farukh, Taneem, Samio, Naveed, Ibrahim, and I went to go see Fantastic 4 in Astoria. The movie was decent, extremely cheesy, but entertaining nonetheless. Afterwards a bunch of us went to Kabob King for dinner (at like 1:00 am). We went up to the second level, where they have the nicer dining area and stuff. I've never been to the upper level of Kabob King before, seriously yo, it was like we were getting VIP treatment yesterday :-P. Gotta love Jackson Heights. We actually first went to Ibrahim's uncle's new restaurant, Corner Fried Chicken, but they were closing up and therefore had a pretty small selection. Taneem just looked around and so rudely said "Yo I think we should go to Kabob King" (with Ibrahim's uncle right there.) Lol what an ass. :-P Good times man...took me back to the old Stony days when we used to chill together. Meer met up with us at Kabob King too. Man, just being with these guys brought back old memories. Taneem hasn't changed at all; he still makes me laugh so much my insides begin to hurt (I'm not joking). Now that vacation's started, I think I should try to chill with the old crew as much as I can...

Sarah McLachlan - "Answer"

2005-07-07T15:42:00.000-04:00

This is probably the best song on her Afterglow album. It's a really soothing song, especially when listening to it when your down or depressed. If any of her songs epitomize the beauty of her voice, I would definitely say it's this one.

Listen to Sarah McLachlan's "Answer"

I will be the answer At the end of the line I will be there for you Why take the time In the burning of uncertainty I will be your solid ground I will hold the balance If you can't look down If it takes my whole life I won't break, I won't bend It will all be worth it Worth it in the end Because I can only tell you that I know That I need you in my life When the stars have all gone out You'll still be burning so bright Cast me gently Into morning For the night has been unkind Take me to a Place so holy That I can wash this from my mind And break choosing not to fight If it takes my whole life I won't break, I won't bend It will all be worth it Worth it in the end Because I can only tell you that I know That I need you in my life When the stars have all gone out You'll still be burning so bright Cast me gently Into morning For the night has been unkind

Macy*s Fourth of July Spectacular...

2005-07-04T23:41:00.000-04:00

Oh man, what a "spectacular" display it was indeed. Zahid bhai, Farhat baji, Farhan, Hasaan, and I came up to Waterside to see the annual Macy*s July 4th Fireworks Spectacular. The view was amazing. My apartment complex overlooks the East River, so from the plaza we could even see the Macy*s boats shooting up the fireworks. Took dozens of pics; I'll post em once Farhan and Faad send them to me tomorrow.

Disclaimer: These are NOT my pictures. :-)

Associated Press

Getting here was a royal b***h. Security throughout the city was obviously mad tight, and we roamed about for over an hour looking for parking spot. We couldn't find ANY...good God the city was so packed! We finally parked at a garage (charged $30 bucks btw) on 26th and rushed down to Waterside. Luckily, we only missed like the first 10 minutes. The only other time I've seen the city so packed is on New Year's Eve. It was so weird, we saw War of the Worlds earlier today and seeing all these people on the streets, traffic practically at a standstill, sort've reminded me of the movie :-P.

Associated Press

Anyhow it was a great day. Good time was had by all. I wish the nieces could've been here, but it definitely would've been too late out for them. :-(

"24" is the lonliest number...

2005-06-30T12:09:00.000-04:00

Sigh, it was my birthday yesterday. The big "2-4." Didn't do anything special, the highlight of my day was probably picking up that IKEA chest I wrote about in a few posts earlier :-P. It turned out the girl's friend couldn't get it into her car so it was still for sale. Lol I felt so bad saying what I said about her. When I got there she was sooo sweet (and really pretty too :-D) and even had a guy there she said could help us out. Hauling it back to my place was a royal pain (especially in the humidity) but I finally got it back. Finally, no more storing my clothes in a trash bag! :-D Ravi gave me a ring; wanted to go out last night to celebrate, but now I'm home sweet home. Be it ever so humble. Can't wait to hit the city for the 4th of July fireworks. I think 24 officially marks mid twenties, no? I have no clue what the hell that signifies, but I do feel older. Not wiser, just older. Good God Long Island is boring. Don't get me wrong, I love the family, but there's like nothing to do in the 'burbs. I miss looking out my window and seeing helicopters fly by. I miss the soft sirens of the NYPD that lull me to sleep at night. :-P This weekend, I am so hitting up the city again...

New York state of mind...

2005-06-29T01:07:00.000-04:00

Had a great time today. Sarfraz and I went up to the Met, walked through Central Park for a bit, went down Madison and Park (pretty much window shopping for clothes we can't afford), and then went down to the financial district. Soo much walking today, and the heat was pretty bad. But it was worth it. :-) The Met no doubt has some of the most beautiful pieces of artwork, but you can really get bored after a while. Would you believe Sarfraz and I stopped by the Chanel exhibit? The women:men ration was about 20:1, lol no joke...I'm surprised we didn't synchronize our cycles by the time we left. :-P

Didn't spend too much time in Central Park, and most of our walking was done down Madison and Park. Now that is a site in itself. Would you believe I've never been to Ground Zero? Not once. The Financial District is also another one of my favorite spots in the city. We would've gone up to Soho, but we were dead tired and decided to call it a day. Man, I really need to buy me a camera.

It's the next best thing to be, free as a bird...

2005-06-28T00:50:00.000-04:00

Today was the last official exam of the D1 school year. I'd like to dedicate one of my favorite Beatles songs to this precious moment: Free as a bird, it's the next best thing to be. Free as a bird. Home, home and dry, like a homing bird I'll fly as a bird on wings. Whatever happened to the life that we once knew? Can we really live without each other? Where did we lose the touch that seemed to mean so much? It always made me feel so... Free as a bird, like the next best thing to be. Free as a bird. Home, home and dry, like a homing bird I'll fly as a bird on wings. Whatever happened to the life that we once knew? Always made me feel so free. Free as a bird. It's the next best thing to be. Free as a bird. Free as a bird. Free as a bird.

Chest pains...

2005-06-26T19:53:00.000-04:00

You know, it really pisses me off how some people can be. Since I've moved in to the new apartment, I've been looking for a nice chest of drawers for my clothes. I moved in on May 15th and since then most of my clothes are still lying in a trash bag in the corner of my room; no kidding...a freaking trash bag. So anyhow I saw this really nice IKEA 6-drawer chest, and every freaking time I try to buy it on Craig's List something comes up. Usually it's sold beforethe owner gets my e-mail, but other times it'll just have problems (broken drawers, etc.). So the other day I search Craig's List again (my usual daily routine) and I find this girl who's not only in the Village (relatively close by), but also only selling it for $40 (IKEA sells it for $150). So I e-mail her, she replies and straight up tells me "the dresser is yours if you can pick it up on Monday." I call my bro, and he said he can probably come help me pick it up. I reply to her e-mail, and now she's all of a sudden like "It turns out that one of my friends actually wants it" and adds, "she had contacted me first but wasn't sure" (which I'm sure is bull****). Dude, I was so looking forward to finally getting this damn dresser (yes, I'm pathetic I know) and she has to pull this crap. Like I said before, some people can really piss me off. Anyhow, back to the books...

Closing time!? Bastards...

2005-06-25T20:14:00.000-04:00

To this day it boggles my mind why the hell the NYU med library closes early on the weekends. I mean 9PM on Friday, 8PM on Saturday...do they even want the Med students to study??? Anyhow I left the Med and I'm here at the dental library. We're open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Yeah, that's right, b***h. NYUCD forever baby. :-) Anyhow back to studying. Oral bio final on Monday. Last exam of the year. I mean, whoa.

Batman Begins...

2005-06-19T03:55:00.000-04:00

This movie was tiiight. There were like 25 brothers that went to see it tonight at the Lincoln Square IMAX. Lol it was crazy, we saved seats for most of them; we all sat in the same row.

I really, really liked this one. A definite change from all the previous stupid, campy sequels. This one wasn't cartoonish at all, a much darker portrayal of the character and how he came to be. Christian Bale played an excellent Batman/Bruce Wayne, and I hear he signed on to do two more sequels, which is awesome. Liam Neeson was great. I can't say much for Katie Holmes though. For some reason I just don't like that girl, and she definitely looked way too young to play Bruce Wayne's love interest. I didn't like the Batmobile much either, but I guess it was decent...did it's job :-). Hopefully in the next one he'll start collecting more "toys" ;-). The ending was great too...when the Joker left his calling card :-). Hmm...I wonder who'll play him in the sequel?

After the movie, Adeel, Taneem, Samio, Ibrahim and I went down to the Village to grab a bite at Memoun's. Man, I love the Village during the day, but come nighttime (especially Saturday night) it's fitna central. Oh, and word to the wise, don't plan to eat at Washington Sq. Park in the middle of the night. We saw a crazy amount of rats scurrying around, and when I passed by that one dead one, I was straight up, "All right guys, let's get the hell outta here."

Sin city that never sleeps...

2005-06-18T02:31:00.000-04:00

Nice night tonight. Sarfraz, Ravi, Ranbir, Henna, Katie, and I walked up to 53rd and 6th (halfway through the girls took the subway though). It was a beautiful evening for a walk, seemed like it was gonna rain, but the skies stayed clear for the most part. I love walking through Times Square; no matter what time of day it is, the city feels so alive. Afterwards us guys chilled at Sarfraz's place and watched Sin City. Awesome flick. Best quote: Bruce Willis: "An old man dies. A young girl lives. A fair trade. I love you, Nancy." I think pretty much everybody in the class took the night off to chill. We needed it too; had Oral Bio this morning...alhamdulillah it went well. :-) Just 2 more exams left. So close, yet so far... :-/

Mr. & Mrs. Smith...

2005-06-14T22:55:00.000-04:00

Saw it last night. Hilarious, and the action sequences were awesome. Angelina and Brad have excellent chemistry together. And she was just stunnning.

Man, Angelina really knows how to work that dress. :-)

Cinderella Man...

2005-06-11T03:11:00.000-04:00

Finally saw the movie today. It was excellent. Russel Crowe's acting was superb, some of the best work he's ever done. Paul Giamatti, as usual, played a great supporting actor. And Renée Zellweger's work, though not top notch, was definitely a plus. But aside from the acting, the whole film was just made so brilliantly. Boxing, of course was a key element, but I liked how the film dealt more about James Braddock's life in general, and how he dealt with tough times during the Depression. There were some really great and emotional moments. The scene where he gave his little daughter his dinner was really touching. My favorite scene was when Crowe went to the boxing commission to ask for money, that's where his acting really shone through. And you could feel how incredibly tough and humiliating it was for him to ask for handouts...but he needed to provide for his family. And the boxing story was excellent in itself. Everyone loves underdog stories, but this one was truly a "fairy tale." And you knew that his rise to the top meant all the more to everyone because they were all in tough times, and they needed that source of inspiration in their lives. Like the ads said, "When the country was on it's knees, he brought it to it's feet." :-) There's no doubt that the film, Crowe, and Giamatti are going to be nominated for an Oscar. Zellweger too. Crowe definitely deserves it; they robbed him for it when he was nominated for A Beautiful Mind. My personal reviews, two really big thumbs up.

June...

2005-06-02T01:33:00.000-04:00

Good God June is gonna be a horrible month :-/. This is crunch time people...exams and practicals are rushing upon us. Luckily after next Friday, the crux of the shiz will be over: got Embryo conference exam on Friday, the Immuno exam on Monday, and the Embryo final next Friday. I'm still so freaking pissed they didn't move the Embryo final to the Monday after. For the love of God we had 92% (probably the most our class has ever agreed on anything) voting to move it, but they still wouldn't let us. Gotta love the NYUCD bureaucracy. :pissed off: A couple more practicals I think, two Oral Bio exams (the course started today by the way), GDS final...and I think that's it. It's gonna go by quick, but June 27th still seems eons away... Pray. For. Rooqster. :'-(

A throne fit for a king...

2005-05-31T12:57:00.000-04:00

Another useless post, but I'm just too damn happy :-). After waiting impatiently for almost 2 weeks, the mesh chair finally came in today.

Winding down...

2005-05-27T23:43:00.000-04:00

In exactly 1 month, June 27th, the official 2004-2005 NYUCD D1 school year will be over. Whoa.

Slowly but surely...

2005-05-17T21:12:00.000-04:00

Well, my room is finally looking like a room now. My corner desk came in today, and I gotta say, it looks pretty nice :-D. Now my laptop doesn't have to rest on cardboard boxes anymore! I pretty much cleaned everything up, so there aren't like random boxes/bags all over the floor anymore :-). But I need more furniture though. Planning to hopefully get the IKEA chest, bookshelf, and sidetable soon. :-/

Christening the new place...

2005-05-14T01:29:00.000-04:00

Well, it's the first night in my new crib. Everything's moved in, though the place is a total mess...still have to organize it all. Have to buy a couple things, lamp, chester, desk...in fact the only piece of furniture in the room right now is my bed, which was a royal pain to move in. Good God, moving in was such hell! Alhamdulillah my bro was there to help, Adnan too; now it's just a matter of setting it all up >:-O. But yeah, I need furniture! Right now my laptop is resting on 3 boxes stacked atop one another. I think I'll probably go the IKEA setup, not quite the look and (exorbitant) price of a Bo Concept, but still pretty modern and neat. :-) Plus some D4s are moving out in building 20, and they're selling IKEA stuff for half the price :-D. Anyhow, it's been a long day, and tomorrow's gonna be a full day at Bobst, so I should get some rest. Sigh, the first night of sleep in the new crib. O:-)

We're movin' on up...

2005-05-12T05:53:00.000-04:00

"Well we're movin' on up, to the east side. To a deluxe apartment in the sky. Movin' on up, to the east side. We finally got a piece of the pie."

Ahaha, not quite a "deluxe" apartment, but it's far better than the craphole NYU dorms. Today, the 12th of May, 2005, Adnan and I are finally moving our things out of our NYU dorms, and into our new Waterside apartment :-D. Wow, it's like a rite of passage; I'm finally becoming a man...even though it is my parents who'll be paying for it :-P. As happy as I am to get the hell out of here, moving ain't exactly fun...I still have to finish packing. And my bro won't be able to help me till Friday, so today I have to haul some of this crap myself. With no car. Across the bridge. Over the FDR. Ain't no fun. :-(

A little "me" time...

2005-05-09T00:52:00.000-04:00

After studying tonight I had some time before the trolley came, so I decided to walk around the Village for a bit. NYU's main campus really is beautiful; everything is so nice and quaint, and so much more livelier than where the dental school is. I walked for some time (I had like an hour before the 11:50 trolley came), up and down West 4th, ate at a pizzeria on Bleecker St., passed by several tattoo parlors and "adult" shops on 6th Ave. (good God there's a lot of them). Anyhow so as I was walking back towards Broadway, I figured I'd pass through Washington Square Park.

I never really saw the Washington Sq. Arch up close until tonight. I've briefly passed by it several times, but it was always hidden behind the park's trees. Anyhow it really is a beautiful piece of architecture. I just stood in front of it and it looked so nice against the clear night sky. Usually in the daytime the park is so damn crowded, but tonight there was hardly anyone there. I really should get myself a digital camera and start taking pictures around the city. There are so many beautiful sites, but we never have the time to see or notice them... :-/

Kingdom of Heaven...

2005-05-08T02:56:00.000-04:00

Saw Kingdom of Heaven tonight. Caught the 12:20 show. It was really good...better than I expected. The battle scenes were excellent; I especially loved seeing the the armies marching along...like a sea of men practically...holding up their flags and religious emblems. The night battle was spectacular; when Saladin's troops launched fireballs upon Jeruselum...seriously, it was like watching a meteor shower. Few directors could pull it off as well as Ridley Scott did.

Click on the thumbnails to view the full images.

Even though I didn't like him at all in Troy, I thought Orlando Bloom did a decent job in this one. However, even though he packed on some muscle, he still had that effeminate quality that you wouldn't normally see in a great army general. Liam Neeson was excellent. It was obvious that Ridley Scott went out of his way to put the Muslims in a positive light. Which is good of course, though a few scenes were a bit over the top. Like after Jeruselum is surrendered by Balian (Bloom): Saladin is walking through the city, he sees a cross fallen on the floor, picks it up, and stands it upright. I was like, umm...yeah, okay? But all in all, the movie was definitely worth watching.

What the hell do you mean "Not registered"!?

2005-05-07T23:37:00.000-04:00

So I almost had a heart attack at Bobst today. The past few days my NYU ID hasn't been working, so I haven't been able to swipe into the library. I asked the guy at the desk to give me a day pass, and while he was checking my ID number in the computer he's like "You don't seem to be registered." I was like wtf!? Sidenote: Last semester Ravi used to talk about NYU just dropping students, and the fear of one day swiping into Bobst or the Palladium and then finding out you've been kicked out. Lol so today I immediately thought of what he said and was like, "Oh crap!" :-D Anyhow, the guy kept looking and couldn't find me in the records. Freaking out, I was like, "My name is Farooq Ahmad. That's A-H-M-A-D. I'm a first year dental student. Finally the guy checks NYU College of Dentistry's records and sees my name. Finally gives me a day pass. What a freaking sigh of relief... But I still have to head to the card office to get a new ID card issued. I think the current one is demagnetized or some crap. That totally kills a couple of hours from my day. >:-(

The NYU ID card. Make sure yours freaking works.

What dreams may come...

2005-05-07T14:07:00.000-04:00

I had the weirdest dream last night. One of those "seems so real" dreams, but when you wake up you're like "What the hell was that?" Anyhow from what I recall (I always forget like 50% of my dreams afterwards) I was on a subway with a bunch of my classmates. Then all of a sudden I meet Tanbeer and some other people (don't remember if they were Stony heads or not). Don't remember if K-town or Shariq were there. Later on Meer comes too I think. It turns out Tanbeer has to give some Islamic speech at an airport or something (?). We chill for some time. Damn. That's all I remember. Should've written this right after I woke up. >:- Anyhow I think this dream definitely means something. Tanbeer, bro, it's been too long since we've seen eachother. We gotta hit up a Bolly film man...like the old days. :-'(

Rewarding a day's work...

2005-05-05T00:05:00.000-04:00

Just got back from Chicken Guy. It was a productive day at Bobst, so Adnan and I figured we'd reward ourselves :-). No matter how many times I say I'm sick of that place, in the end, I keep coming back for more. Stupid addictive white sauce. Oh yeah, remind me never to get hot sauce. After two bites my head started to itch and I could feel the sweat on my scalp. I had to open my room window just to cool off. Me and spicy food just don't mix; I can't believe I'm desi... Photo courtesy of Fouzia Haq

Yankees 6, Blue Jays 8...

2005-05-01T19:50:00.000-04:00

vs.

So I went to the Yankees game today with my bro. Was totally unplanned; we were at Home Depot and talking about the AL standings...then he's like "You wanna go to the Yankee game today?" I was like, "Yeah sure." :-) So we get to the ticket counter and the guys says the only available ticketes are $75 each. At this point we had already missed the first two innings, so I was just like, screw it. However, as we headed back we saw a scalper and, well, you can guess what happened next. ;-) The seats he gave us were pretty decent too; a few rows up behind third base. Arod was playing third today. :-) Even though they lost, overall the game wasn't too bad. The first half was pretty good, Sheffield's HR was the definitely the highlight...but after the 6th or so inning they really started to suck. I mean there were plenty of times when they had 2 strikes on the batters, just couldn't freaking put em away. Ahaha funny story: during the 7th inning stretch I went out to pray Dhuhr. Some guy passes by, sees me praying, and says to my bro "Wow, they're not losing that bad man." Lol. I think he was drunk. :-P Man I was so pissed! Today was "Bat Day" at the stadium, but they were only giving them to kids 14 and younger. What the hell is up with that!? During the game I even went to 3 different security personnel to see if I could get a free bat...punks said they were for kids only. >:- Speaking of kids, there was one loudmouth kid sitting behind us who just would not shut up. Seriously, this kid was repeating things the vendors were saying (pissing off the vendors too), whistling like a jerk (I almost went dead in my right ear), and pretty much just annoying the hell out of everyone around him. Man, I wish I had a bat then. ;-) All in all it was a good day. It's been ages since I chilled with my bro, and been to a Yankee game, so it was really nice alhamdulillah...

So hard to say goodbye...

2005-04-30T17:18:00.000-04:00

So Masood leaves me a message yesterday on my cell. It was really short; just said he wanted to say goodbye and inshallah he'll see me in August. I was like wtf? I call him back, he didn't answer. I call Khaled, he didn't answer. I call Haroon's cell, he didn't answer. I call Masood again, he picks up and says he can't talk cuz he's on the plane. At this point I had an inkling he was going off to med school. Finally, Khaled returns my call and confirms it. I was just like...wow. I had no idea he'd be leaving so soon :-(. It's all good though, my duas akhi...I'll see you in August inshallah. :-)

The Notebook...

2005-04-30T01:51:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching The Notebook. Overall it was a good film, a bit overrated, but it was really the ending that made it worth the watch. During the first hour and 50 minutes or so it was decent; some parts were good, others were kinda corny. I was hoping for another Legends of the Fall, but the film fell way short. Even still, those first two hours are worth watching...just to see the last few moments. :'-(

I can't live, with or without you...

2005-04-29T20:47:00.000-04:00

Currently listening to the greatest song ever recorded. U2 - With or Without You See the stone set in your eyes See the thorn twist in your side I wait for you Sleight of hand and twist of fate On a bed of nails she makes me wait And I wait without you With or without you With or without you Through the storm we reach the shore You give it all but I want more And I'm waiting for you With or without you With or without you I can't live With or without you And you give yourself away And you give yourself away And you give And you give And you give yourself away My hands are tied My body bruised, she's got me with Nothing to win and Nothing left to lose And you give yourself away And you give yourself away And you give And you give And you give yourself away With or without you With or without you I can't live With or without you With or without you With or without you I can't live With or without you With or without you

GDS Practical 7...

2005-04-29T16:22:00.000-04:00

Just got back from the GDS practical. All in all wasn't too bad; though I spent way longer on the MO prep than I did the amalgam insertion. I'm just a little worried about the contacts (as usual). I definitely broke both buccal and lingual, but I'm always afraid they'll think I didn't break em enough. Conservative is key. The RA-56 bur is a lifesaver...God bless Hatem for telling me about it! It smoothed out the walls and floors beautifully...I hardly had to use my handtools at all for those parts. Dude...I was totally freaking out towards the end of the practical. Dr. Hessel had said we could use a spare #3 as a reference while carving out the amalgam. Later on Dr. Selgado stops at my bench and peers over the manikin to see what the hell I was doing; I paused for a second, there was this awkard moment, and then she left. I thought she thought I was cheating or something...so aftwards I asked Bucklan if what I did was all good. He said it was no problem at all. Dude, what a sigh of relief! Gotta love Bucklan. :-)

What an uneventful day...

2005-04-28T01:06:00.000-04:00

Nothing special happened today. In the 2nd hour of GDS we went over the midterm exam, which is always entertaining to watch :-D. People arguing back and forth...excitement to its fullest. Bleh. Wow...I just had deja vu. In fact, I just had deja vu about me saying I had deja vu. That's weird. So Justin's fiancee came in tonight from Seattle. I would've said hello but I was donning my usual shalwar + t-shirt sleep attire :-). Lol I still can't believe he's engaged...lucky bastard. :-P Ahahaha Adnan just sent me Usher's "Yeah" video with scenes spliced in from Napoleon Dynamite. Dude that was totally hilarious! If I find a link I'll post it. :-D

My very first post...

2005-04-26T12:58:00.000-04:00

Wow. So I finally got this thing linked to my site. Much props to my boy Khaled for helping me out btw. ;-) So we finally had our 2nd Physio exam today. I think overall the exam was definitely fair, but as usual I made stupid mistakes. Whatever. Whattya gonna do? I was looking through Haseeb and Masood's photos of the MSA alumni dinner on Sunday. Man so many brothers came through! Studying for this stupid Physio exam made me miss it...freaking school. :'-( Sigh, iA there'll be other events.