The Express Tribune hi five - December 29

Ms DECEMBER 29, 2013

ISSUE NO. 80

Timeless Classic

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page

New Year, New Rules page

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inside review — Girl Rising

domestic goddess —

Finger-lickin’ fish

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page

Section In-Charge: Batool Zehra Sub-Editor: Amna Hashmi

Hottie of the Year

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Ms

the buzz

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 29, 2013

The science of New Year Resolutions Nayab Najam looks into the concept of New Year’s resolutions, why they fail and how we can see them through by Nayab Najam

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 29, 2013

Renowned British writer G.K Chesterton once said that “The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year but rather, we should have a new soul.” Many a New Year’s parties have been marred by the notion that Christmas and New Year’s Eve are a time for personal reflection and resolution, with millions of people across the world promising to make changes in their lives most of them cannot see through — at least not within the next year. They continue to indulge themselves, resolving to lose weight, quit smoking, save money, get married or find a better job etc, every January 1 but don’t really understand the concept and so, fail to fulfil their wows repeatedly. This time, Ms T shall help you fulfil your New Year’s resolutions by shedding light on them and how you can achieve your goal effectively.

The idea of New Year’s resolutions dates back 4,000 years, when the Babylonians began praying for good health and virtue on the March 23, which marked the ‘official’ start of spring in the Babylonian civilisation.

It was a celebration of good harvests and crop yields; good luck and fortune were believed to be in the air, not just in Mesopotamia but also the Roman civilisation which adopted the practice over the years and dubbed the date as ‘Resolutions Day.’ It wasn’t until 46 BC when the Roman calendar was reformed by the great Julius Caesar that January became the first day of the new year. This was done in honour of the Roman god Janus who was believed to be able to look back and forward in time, giving rise to the idea that one should reflect over the past year and make their resolutions accordingly.

But what exactly are New Year’s resolutions? Are they goals we hope to accomplish, items on our wish lists or simply a silly concept we feel obligated to adhere to because everyone around us is doing so and we do not want to be the odd ones out? By and large, a New Year’s resolution is a promise to start a good habit or to kick a bad one on the first day of the year. “For me, resolutions are a way of maintaining direction in my life — a special focus,” confesses 18year-old Sana Kaiser. “Making a resolution on any day, be it January 1 or August 14, is sort of a reminder in case I lose my way.”

As human beings, we are biologically pre-disposed to becoming demotivated and often lose our way to find ourselves unhappy and stuck in a rut. Setting a goal can help us maintain this focus. “In today’s fast-paced and chaotic life, we can lose sight of what is important to us,” says 25-year-old Ayesha Waqar.

“Although life can never be linear, a New Year’s resolution can add some coherence to it. What’s better than bidding farewell to the past by setting goals for the future and striving to achieve them?

A resolution only adds more value to the otherwise

Although life can never be linear, a New Year’s resolution can add some coherence to it. What’s better than bidding farewell to the past by setting goals for the future and striving to achieve them celebratory nature of New Year’s Eve.” Unfortunately, humans also suffer from a grave tendency to forget what they say, once the words have been uttered. Research has proved that over half of the vows made on January 1 never materialise, with only eight per cent of people actually accomplishing what they had aimed for and surprisingly, there is an actual medical explanation for it! Imagine having to remember the number 184930586749302 after just one glance. Impossible, right? In much the same way, the prefrontal cortex (the area of the brain which controls will power) is bombarded with information, as we make one resolution after the other come New Year’s Eve. This influx of information, and that too in such a short span of time, can prove too much for the prefrontal cortex to process and the brain cells are unable to record the information properly, causing us to forget what we had resolved completely.

We must also take into consideration the nature of the resolution made in order to determine its tangibility. Oftentimes, people make larger than life, sweeping statements and vague resolutions which are almost impossible to fulfill, such as ‘quit smoking’.

Setting such broad and ambitious resolutions can be fun but the difficulty of seeing them through can give way to frustration and insecurity. A resolution to ‘lose some weight’, for instance, will be harder to abide by than a strict diet plan of say, no carbohydrates or reducing one’s sugar intakes by half a teaspoon upon every tea break. Similarly, it is advisable to cut down on the number of cigarettes smoked gradually instead of giving it up on January 1 altogether. This can perpetrate withdrawal symptoms which are likely to hamper your goal.

As suggested earlier, many people view New Year’s Eve as an opportunity to draft extensive bucket lists, plan out personal makeovers and brag about how they hope to achieve all their goals by the end of the new year. Unfortunately, the average person has so many additional priorities that their approach is doomed for failure. A good way to avoid running into this dilemma is by biting off only that which one

can chew and keeping resolutions simple, small and attainable. Perhaps focusing on one major resolution would be easier on our minds than dipping our toes in ten different ones. “What matters is not how much change or achieved but the fact that you recognised the need for a change and are working towards it, albeit gradually,” says Sana. Also, adding specific details to one’s goal will take it a long way, such as ‘jogging for twenty minutes daily’ as opposed to ‘exercising’ or ‘getting fit’.

Setting reminders on your cell phones, bedside tables, daily planners or bedroom walls etc, can be of great help, especially for those with hectic schedules and poor memories. It is important to hold yourself accountable for the achievement of your own goal and if you still tend to forget, ask a friend or a family member to remind you of your plan. Perhaps this will motivate you to prove their determination to the other person, if not yourselves. Experts suggest charting your progress or simply making them known to the public, say over Facebook or Twitter, to keep motivated. Making resolutions obvious can do wonders to help you stick to your goal. For those seeking to lose weight in particular, comments from others appreciating your progress will boost your selfesteem and encourage you to lose more.

The most important thing, however, is to keep your faith and remain focused! Many people abandon their New Year’s resolutions once they hit the first bump on the road and attribute their failure to a weak willpower or lack thereof. Remember, we have only as much willpower as we think so your journey towards achieving your goals will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This is not to say that one should get warped in trying to meet their goals; too much pressure makes the cooker explode! Taking it easy is just as important.

After all, the main objective should be your happiness and nothing more. Here’s to hoping the New Year proves a joyful one for everyone and gets us all one step closer to whatever we want to achieve. Amen! *Names have been changed due to privacy

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en vogue

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 29, 2013

Timless Ensembles Deepak and Fahad’s exquisite new collection is wonderully elegant with a touch of modern styles, perfect for your next formal gathering Label: D`n`F Designers: Deepak and Fahad Hair & Makeup: Sab’s Salon Photography: Haseeb Siddiqui Coordination: Umer Mushtaq Model: Sarwat Gillani

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 29, 2013

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review

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 29, 2013

Girl Rising Ms T ’s review of the UN documentary and whether it will change things for women in Pakistan

by Nida Ameen

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Directed by Oscar-nominee Richard E. Robbins, the UN documentary — aptly titled Girl Rising bears testament to the depravity girls in developing countries face on a daily basis, such as illiteracy and abuse. It illustrates the plight of nine lives from different countries around the world and their misfortunate yet spirited journey towards academic success.

Enacted primarily by girls themselves, each of the nine stories has been penned by nine renowned writers from each of the countries depicted in the film and voiced by international icons including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Selena Gomez and Frieda Pinto. The message of Girl Rising is both simple and striking: girls should be educated. However, despite the director’s commendable efforts in filming, one often loses track of the film’s main objective in the assortment of visual effects used.

Focused on how education can improve life for a young girl, the film tackles social issues such as poverty, underage marriage and bonded labour and manages to pull some strings with gutwrenching real life stories and statistics. Wadley’s determination and Suma’s escape from bonded servitude are perhaps the most

gripping and inspirational of the nine. In particular, Suma’s bicycle journey through time as a child slave is enough to melt even the hardest of hearts. One need not look at the subtitles on screen to be moved by the songs Suma sings for solace. Wadley’s determination to go to school against all odds serves to reiterate the cause for which Girl Rising stands.

Unfortunately, the remaining narratives are obscured by the director’s cinematic ambitions and some do not need the extra propaganda. For example, the black and white depiction of the harsh living conditions in Senna’s mining hometown in Peru and the superimposed animations in Yasmin’s rape story only leave the viewer distracted.

While some vignettes transcend the significance of education perfectly, others like Amina’s life in Afghanistan seem out of context. The hardships faced by the girl child in war-ridden regions of the country have already been documented a plenty in the global media and hardly need further hype. Also, the implication that a veil hides and mutes a girl child and only taking it off brings true freedom reflects a rather biased mindset.

Hence, in spite of stunning visuals, impeccable cinematography and heart-warming narration, Girl Rising fails to leave the impact expected by the viewer. For contextual reasons, it could have been cut short. The focus on finding a ray of light in misery, instead of highlighting the victory of education over the obstacles of life, inseminates a rather banal inspiration and renders the film little more than an elongated public service message one can expect on daytime television as opposed to a hard-hitting documentary.

Nevertheless, Girl Rising has its heart in the correct place. With an array of disempowering real-life statistics and stories, the film has good intentions and an important message. The variety of stories succeeds in imparting knowledge about the status of women across the world and including A-list celebrities to the team has only added more legitimacy to it. Without a doubt, Girl Rising proves why the world must come together and work to save women from a life of pain and suffering. If you are a feminist-documentary enthusiast, this one is a must-watch for you!

Score: 3.5/5

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 29, 2013

Recipe

Fish Tempura

One of the most popular dishes of Japanese cuisine, good tempura is light, crisp and delicious to eat at any time of the day. Try my recipe for this delightfully easy to make finger food and enjoy the burst of flavour inside each tiny piece. Make sure the batter isn’t left standing uncovered for too long lest it goes bad. Tempura is best straight off the stove so keep them warm while serving. Addiction guaranteed!

Method For the fish: • Mix the garlic paste, black pepper, salt, soy sauce and vinegar together and marinate the fish fillets in the mixture for about an hour.

• In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder, cornflour, water and two pinches each of salt and pepper. Mix the ingredients to form a thick, cold batter. Do not pour in all the water together — add little by little, in small quantities.

• Dip the fish fillets in the batter, covering all sides and deep fry until they become golden brown.

For the garlic mayonnaise: • Mix 1 tbsp of garlic paste, salt, ½ cup of mayonnaise and ¼cup of yogurt together in a medium-sized bowl.

• Whisk the ingredients well to form a smooth paste.

• Serve the garlic sauce as a dip to go with the fish tempura. Your dish is now ready.

Arooj Waqar runs a Facebook cooking page called Mona’s Kitchen and aspires to convert her passion for cooking into a career

Ingredients:

Boneless fish fillets 750 grams

Salt to taste

Flour 1.5 cups

Chilled water ½ cup

Black pepper to taste

Soy sauce 2 tbsp

Garlic paste 1 tbsp

Baking powder ½ tsp

Cornflour 1 tbsp

Oil

Vinegar 1 tbsp

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, DECEMBER 29, 2013

After a whole year of gushing at the A-list men of Pakistan, everyone’s favourite model-turnedactor Sheheryar Munawwar Siddiqui has been honoured with a very special aware from Ms T: the Hottie of the Year! The heartthrob has been setting our TVs ablaze all year with his gutwrenching performance in the Geo TV serial ‘Aasmano Pe Likha’ and of course, the many advertisements and other appearances Sheheryar continues to bless us with. To celebrate this honour, Ms T sat down with Sheheryar for a quick one-on-one to get to know the person behind the dapper good looks and boy, were we surprised at how great he is! Read on for more information on the golden boy of Pakistani showbiz.

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Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui Name : Sheheryar Munawwar Siddiqui Age: 25 years Birthday: August 9th, 1988 Birthplace: Karachi, Pakistan Height: 5 feet, 10 inches.

Occupation: Model/Actor Education: Southshore School and IBA Relationship status: Single Marriage: When the time is right and the situation is conducive!

Favourite movie: I am a complete movie buff with too many favourites to name but if I had to go with one, I would say Empire of the Sun. Favourite actor: Leonardo DiCaprio and Christian Bale are absolutely brilliant!

Favourite actress: In terms of looks, Scarlett Johansson but acting wise, I am a fan of Jennifer Lawrence from The Hunger Games.

Favourite song: I love both old and new music so have too many favourites but Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel is great.

Favourite band: Pink Floyd and Pearl Jam all the way!

Favourite performance of your own: I hate all of my work. I am one of those people who always criticise themselves and try to do better every time. Hopefully, my next project will be my best though. I am looking forward to it and hope others are as well.

Favourite holiday destination: Beirut, Lebanon.

Favourite book: The Outliers and The

Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell Favourite quote: I came across this a few years ago while reading Shakespeare’s Hamlet in which he says “I could be bound in a nutshell and count myself a king of infinite space.”

I like this line because it implies that a person is only as happy as they try to be and that our happiness should come from within, not from others. I also love the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost.

Most embarrassing story: I can’t remember. That is how I deal with bad experiences — I forget about them.

If you were stuck on a remote island and had to take someone with you, who and what would you take: I would definitely take the character John Rambo with me so he can do all the work and help me survive. But then, he isn’t much of a talker so I would keep a couple of Scarlet Johansson’s movies in handy to keep myself entertained.

How does it feel to be Ms T’s Hottie of the Year: I am utterly shocked but ecstatic! It is surreal that I beat out so many of Pakistan’s leading men for this honour. Thanks!

What is your New Year’s Resolution: 1) I hope to revisit all of my previous unfulfilled resolutions. 2) I want to focus on my work and do even better in 2014 than I have previously and 3) I want to make more time for my family and friends.