The Pakistani Spectator

Sigh. I hate the ‘describe yourself’ parts. Anyway, I’m Hira Saiyed, future textile artist (I don’t like the term designer that much). I’m self-centered, self-righteous and as unlikely as it sounds, quite self loathing. But that doesn’t stop me from taking the world (thus myself- since my world revolves around me) as a joke.

You can find me along with my twisted sense of humor right here:

www.hiragoeson.blogspot.com
Could you tell us what made you decide to blog, and what was the inspiration behind it?
To be honest, I started blogging out of sheer boredom. I didn’t read blogs before I started writing one, and I didn’t plan to turn this into the big part of my life that it is now. So let’s just call it a happy accident.

What do you think sets Your blog apart from other blogs?

My header. I look great.

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

As superficial as it sounds- my American accent. Man, I love the slavish nature of this country.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

I’m erratic. I get highs when I’m low, and vice versa. But khaer:

Happiest: The day it rained at night in my university and I spent it with some of my favorite people in the world.

Gloomiest: The day my taya died. 

Urdu Blogs have got huge potential, when do you think they will really take on the online horizon in Pakistan?

When urdu script becomes easier to read. Much as I love urdu tasneefaat I find it impossible to decipher one word from the next. It ends up looking like a Jackson Pollack painting on a computer screen.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Abhi? Highway ki karhai khaane with friends- without having to bug my mum for permission (: D)

You know what? Why restrict myself to three proper destinations? I’ll take a bicycle (after learning how to ride it) and just leave. If money’s not a problem, what does it matter where I’m headed?

What is your favorite book and why?

Oh that’s tough. A book that left a mark or a book I read again and again, because both would classify as favorites? I’ll do both

The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoevsky- It left my soul battered and bruised and my faith in humanity in tatters

Anne of Green Gables- This is the book that fixed it.

What is your favorite meal, dress, and sport?

Meal- Anything grilled, roasted or panfried and filled with cheese, followed by anything creamy, chocolatey and filled with calories

Dress- I’d love anything by Armani…does he do shalwar kameezes?

Sport- footballer watching- especially Spanish and German ones.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

Smile. I always fall for the Cheshire cat types. Always!

Whose Future is more bright in Pakistan; English blogs or Urdu Blogs?

At the moment, English. Like I said, someone definitely has to make the urdu script more legible.

How Pakistani bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
I have no clue. If someone knows any way I can make money off of this, mail me!

Do you think Pakistani bloggers tend to remain somewhat self-centered and really don’t go out of their shells? Is it the oriental style of blogging, or they are still unsure about it?

Define self-centered? I prefer having a me-oriented blog because I’m the biggest thing in my life. Why pretend?  Pakistani bloggers are very open, about themselves and the world around them. They’re not afraid to express their opinion- regardless of how idiotic it is, and that’s what makes us so much more fun to read.

What do you think where the Pakistani blogosphere is right now?
Actually, I could answer that only after I find out where the non-Pakistani blogosphere is.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers in Pakistan?

Ouch. Can’t answer that. I’ve got about 12 blogger friends and can’t leave any out. Change the number to 15 and I’d be happy to comply.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger in Pakistani blogosphere?

Not really. The day I find a serial killer diary in the form of a blog I might be pretty stunned.

What is the future of blogging in Pakistan?

Very bright. A lot of wonderful people are on the blogosphere and I’ve met more ‘kindred spirits’ through my blog than through actual face to face interaction. Define weird?

Plus, people are not afraid of being vocal on the internet as they are in other media forms. It may be due to the internet’s ability to maintain anonymity, khaer, what I mean to say is that opinionated people often turn to blogging. It’s a great way of finding out the honest opinion of intelligent Pakistanis.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

Oh personally, it’s made me a happier person. I go through the day wondering whether incidents are blog-worthy and how I could turn them into fantasy-inspired real posts (as a friend call them). It spares me a lot of time wondering what to do with my time.

Professionally, on the other hand, it might completely ruin me considering I spend more time blogging and less time working on my dissertation, which is a hefty part of my thesis total. So if I fail and never graduate, it’ll be my blog’s fault.

What are your future plans?

Blogging or non-blogging?
Blogging: Keep on truckin’
Non-blogging: Hmm…Graduate, go to SCAD for Masters, get married, become a label, become a millionaire, win an Oscar, win the Pulitzer, Man Booker and Nobel prizes, maybe have a kid or two, buy an orchard, live in a small home in the middle of the orchard, die and be buried in an orchard…I dunno, I don’t plan much.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?
Don’t bite your nails. It’s gross and you’ll forever have people pulling your hand out of your mouth, which is very very irritating.