Unrelated to anything specific in the past few days, but thinking over the years, just how lacking in compassion the English upper middle classes can be. I am thinking, particularly of things like the huffing and puffing when someone kills themselves by throwing themselves in front of a train. I find it really distasteful how […]
The most beautiful there is
Urdu poetry is the most beautiful there is for me; strange, given that I am much more at home in English, read much more in English, yet Urdu goes to the heart like nothing else. I remember the pang of pride I felt at my Ivy League university when I was introduced to an extremely […]
New story: The astrolabe
I forgot to say, this new story is up. As always, comments welcome.
Still raging
The fire outside Nelson is burning hard, and another has started on Rabbit Island, the wooded bit opposite the narrow part of the estuary in Mapua. Our hosts from the last few days came to say goodbye and were clearly very shaken, and an artist friend of theirs whom we met a couple of times, […]
By the sea
Byblos reminds me a bit of being in Karachi. The flat is airy and pleasant, like those in Karachi, and the balcony is sunny and has a constant breeze under hot sun. We can’t see the sea, but nor could I growing up in Karachi. Generally, though, I have enjoyed pottering around a quiet, well […]
Full story
I am still reeling from the shock of yesterday’s story writing. It is not particularly original, and rather falls between genres so is probably not publishable, but I did write the whole thing in one go. It makes me think I should avoid plotting: all the stories I’ve completed tend to be episodic, leading towards […]
Eid
Eid was its usual understated to the point of non-existence self. I spoke to my father who was in a cheerful mood, but couldn’t face speaking to my grandmother which I shall no doubt regret. I did send her a message. My schoolfriends’ whatsapp group, which is normally an annoyance full of stupid forwarded memes […]
Onwards
I got some feedback on the astrolabe story. Some of it i’ve implemented, and the rest I’m still mulling over. I find it really hard to go back to a story I’ve finished and add on new materials. It becomes something of a whole in my mind. Anyhow, for now I’ve moved on to another […]
What happened long ago
I spent the whole day in the flat yesterday, as editing had come in (a dissertation on migration). I can’t say it felt a particularly productive day, as I was scattered and found it hard to concentrate, and I could hardly bear to think about my memory room story. That is an odd side of […]
Time traveller
Wednesday was a lull between projects (late at night the next bit of work came in) so I did some accounting and refamiliarising myself with the memory room story. This is a longer novella, and I have been chewing over it for a very long time indeed. I think it’s promising, but let us see […]