Scrap that

hobby

We all try to capture the important moments of our lives in the form of photographs, and on occasion save some items – like ticket stubs, postcards, newspaper clippings, or even words scribbled on a piece of paper – that remind us of a time or event that we don’t want to forget. Each and every one of us has stuff lying around that takes us back to special moments; if you want to organize and add flair to your collection of such memorabilia, then you might want to try scrapbooking, a hobby that not only lets you unleash your creativity but also helps you artistically preserve your memories.

Scrapbooking involves combining photos and memorable items supplemented by accompanying thoughts and encompassed in decorative templates, so as to display the significance of that item or event. To create meaningful archives, photographs are arranged on a paper along with relevant clippings and notes, with explanatory text added to detail the experience in order to document important information next to the images; decorative elements are then added to the page that reflect the scrapbooker’s style and feelings as well as complement the photos, so that the final product relays a story and communicates the underlying sentiment or message in a more expressive way than any of the individual items could have done separately.

Basic scrapbooking materials include background papers, albums for storage, adhesives, archival pens, cutting and mounting tools, and decorative elements, like patterned paper, stickers, laces, ribbons, and other embellishments. The quality of scrapbooking supplies can, however, vary according to budget. You can use any paper, even plain paper or a notebook, if you so wish, although such material is unlikely to last in the long term and can also damage your photos and clippings. Proper scrapbooking supplies (like acid free paper and safe-for-photos adhesives) can range from expensive to more economical options; such supplies are specifically treated so that they don’t damage the things you want to preserve or severely deteriorate over time, and are therefore a better choice for safety and longevity.

If you’re short on cash, then you can also try its computer-based variant: digital scrapbooking. Digiscrapping lets you use scrapbooking software for building pages around digital/scanned photographs; you can create your own templates, and also find (both free and for-a-price) kits, elements, backgrounds, and tools online. Computer scrapbooking is easier than its traditional counterpart, and will save you both time and money, while making it easy to share the final product with others.

Scrapbooking is an activity that can be enjoyed be people of all ages. Scrapbooks can be created just for fun, as an outlet for creative expression and style, or to preserve personal or family history, and can also be made as a present for a family member or a friend. The hobby can also be social; scrappers can host events in which they get together and work on their pages, which can help them make more friends who enjoy the same hobby. Scrapbooking can potentially combine photography, journaling, and art; it can not only be creatively fulfilling but also gives you artistically preserved memories that you can cherish later on in your life and share with loved ones.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune - 13th March, 2011

Devil - an escalating supernatural encounter

movie review

Movie: Devil
Starring: Chris Messina, Bojana Novakovic, Bokeem Woodbine, Jenny O'Hara, Geoffrey Arend, Logan Marshall-Green, and Jacob Vargas
Directed by: John Erick Dowdle
Screenplay by: Brian Nelson
Story by: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3 out of 5

The first release in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Night Chronicles series, Devil is a supernatural thriller that follows the story of five strangers (Bojana Novakovic, Bokeem Woodbine, Jenny O'Hara, Geoffrey Arend, and Logan Marshall-Green) trapped in an elevator who discover that one of them is the devil; as they try to figure out who amongst them is responsible for the rising body count, a detective (Chris Messina) monitoring the situation tries to piece together what is really going on. The story isn’t complex – the general focus is on the elevator occupants as those on the outside try to help them, and the basic back-stories of the characters are touched upon as the film proceeds. The premise is a nod to Agatha Christie’s 1939 novel And Then There Were None, and the plotline is as simple as it is effective, although it succeeds more as a thriller than as a horror flick. The smart direction and decent script make the film both riveting and claustrophobic, and succeed in building suspense as the film heads towards the anticipated twist at the end (which you may or may not be impressed by). Don’t let the fact that it comes “from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan” put you off; it isn’t the dross that you’d expect based on the filmmaker’s recent work. That said, there isn’t anything exceptionally new or original about the film either, and it doesn’t exactly go out of its way to avoid clichés; still, because of both competent filmmaking and performances, and its brisk pace, the movie ultimately delivers. With a runtime of only 80 minutes, Devil is a short but sharp thriller that is likely to enthral fans of the genre, especially those with the requisite suspension of (dis)belief skills.

- Nilofar Amer

The Express Tribune - 13th March, 2011

Dirty Sexy Politics: Republican reveals all

book review

Book: Dirty Sexy Politics
Author: Meghan McCain
Genre: Non-fiction, Memoir, Politics
Publisher: Hyperion

Meghan McCain, the daughter of US Senator and 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain, first came to the fore for her blog, McCain Blogette, and subsequently gained a reputation for being outspoken and having a tendency to overshare. The 26-year-old blogger recently published her campaign memoir, Dirty Sexy Politics, which chronicles her life on the campaign trail as she tries to contribute to John McCain’s 2008 Presidential bid.

In the book, Meghan talks about the time she spent with the campaign (from which she was eventually sidelined) and reveals details like her surprise over the choice of Sarah Palin as her father’s running mate and how she nearly overdosed on Xanax on the day of the election. Despite its title, the book is not particularly dirty or sexy and doesn’t exactly offer scathing political commentary. The book wants to offer an insider’ point of view but has been written by someone who was essentially treated like an outsider. As a result, interesting revelations are few and far between.

The writer offers fewer insights into the behind-the-scenes presidential campaign action and goes more-in-depth when it comes to the reasoning behind her wardrobe choices and her impression of everyone else’s clothing selection. To her credit, she does acknowledge that her “stories are decidedly impressionistic rather than reportorial,” but Meghan McCain is neither a political heavyweight, nor a master of prose. Moreover, it doesn’t help her much that she lacks the material (and the writing skills) to warrant a full-length book, with both the content and style being more suitable for a blog.

Overall, Dirty Sexy Politics is a quick read that might resonate more with younger readers and will not offer much to those who are looking for political insight.

- By Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune - 6th March, 2011

"I am living my dream!" - Burcu Çetinkaya

cover story

Burcu Çetinkaya
Date of Birth: 19 March 1981
Nationality: Turkish
Discipline: Rally
Website: www.burcucetinkaya.com

A successful female sportsperson in what is generally considered a man’s sport, Turkish racecar rally driver Burcu Çetinkaya has managed to establish her place in motorsports and has also won accolades along the way. The multi-talented sports personality, who also hosts television shows in Turkey, is touring Pakistan from the 25th of February to the 5th of March, with the aim of encouraging and supporting the local motorsports industry. We got a chance to ask Burcu about her experiences as a rally driver and what she aims to achieve through her visit to Pakistan. Here’s what she had to say:

Us: Please tell us a bit about yourself.
Burcu Çetinkaya: I am from Istanbul, Turkey. My father is from Nallıhan, Ankara, Turkey, and my mother is half-Albanian from her mother’s side. I speak English, French, Turkish, medium level Italian and German. I graduated from Robert College (the American high school in Istanbul). Afterwards, I went to Babson College in Boston for Business undergraduate studies; after two years I transferred to Koç University in Istanbul, and I graduated with an Economics undergraduate degree.

Us: How did you become interested in motorsports? What prompted you to take up rallying?
Burcu: My father had been working in the automotive industry for many years. He took me to see my first rally when I was 12 years old. There I fell in love with rallying. The plan stayed in my mind for 12 years, and I managed to start only after I was 24 years old. 2005 was the year I saw my dreams take off - I did something crazy: I sold my road car, took a bank loan, and started rallying.

Us: What training regime do you go through as a driver? And how do you keep fit?
Burcu: I run eight km per hour, five days a week. I do kickboxing in the afternoons, four times a week. I also do regular daily concentration and balance trainings given by the Red Bull training centre in Austria. Before and during the season, I go testing and training in France with more experienced drivers, such as Sebastien Ogier and Kris Meeke, who have helped me a lot in the past seasons. Before the rally, we have a regular test to do the set up of the car. I look at the onboard cameras after the rallies.
Besides sports I also pay attention to my diet. I don’t eat fried food. I don’t smoke. I don’t drink alcohol. I eat healthy and regularly. I drink a lot of water.

Us: How difficult is it to be a successful female athlete in what is usually thought of as a men’s sport?
Burcu: Very difficult. Sometimes when we have to wake up before sunrise for three to four consecutive days and drive a rally car from morning till night under rain and on muddy roads, I find myself asking my co-driver Cicek, what we are doing here? Our hands become dry from dust, driving, or changing tyres, and our nails fill with gravel. Then I know the answer. I don’t hesitate. Because I have a dream and I chose to fight for my dream. It is difficult to convince men that we are there for rally driving, and not for showing off, or not because we are women. Any mistakes we make result in reactions about our being female. But on the other hand, any success we get also gets double attention because we are one of the very few women [in this sport] out there. It is difficult to be away from home, from family, almost ten days a month, always travelling. It is difficult to work out every morning to catch up and make up for the missing muscles we need to compete against men. But the pleasure of success, the fact that I am living my dream, makes everything possible and everything bearable.

Us: What are you most looking forward to during your tour of Pakistan?
Burcu: Meeting people from Pakistan, and getting to know the culture of Pakistan. I want to visit the Tooba Mosque; I have never been to a mosque outside of my country so I am very curious about that. Also, eating local food. But really, most important of all for me is meeting the people of Pakistan. I also read that Karachi is famous for water sports. I love wakeboarding :). I would love to try this in Pakistan as well.

Us: How important is it for you to encourage the local motorsports industry in Pakistan?
Burcu: It is very important to me. We have very different cultures but also many similar parts. Both our countries are surrounded by Islamic culture and I think I will find a lot of similarities between Turkey and Pakistan. Both our nations have had hard times - we are now nations that know how to fight and overcome challenges. I think this also reflects the soul of rallying. Motorsports requires people with a warrior-like and consistent character. I think such people can easily be found in Pakistan. But another reality is that for motorsports the conditions are much easier in countries such as Europe or the United States.
If I can be of any help or inspiration to any potential drivers in Pakistan, I will be very happy. So this is why it is very important to me to be able to communicate that motorsports is not unreachable.

Us: Would you encourage Pakistani female athletes to consider taking up this sport as a career? How can they achieve success in racecar rally driving?
Burcu: I would very much encourage them, but they have to know the difficulties. This is a man’s world. And to hang on to it, takes a lot of courage, belief, and fighting. If they can stay strong, concentrate on the sport, focus and not get distracted by the spotlight, then they can consider this sport as a career. It all depends on how much they want to do this.

Us: How central are safety measures and regulations for any motorsports rally?
Burcu: The most important thing in rally is safety. If the car is not taken good care of, if the belts are not tight enough, there is a life risk - that of my life and of my co-driver’s. So one must race with a good team - for us it is Peugeot Sport Turkey, with the aid of our sponsors like Red Bull, Ansell, Total, and Yokohama.
There is an example from the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) in the Iepers rally: we had an accident when we were at full speed, where we hit an electric pole at over 150 km per hour, and walked out of the car unhurt. To take care of the car, to have a strong roll cage, to put on your helmet, hand gear and belt all the time is very important to make rallying safe.

Us: What has been the most memorable and unforgettable moment in your motorsports career so far?
Burcu: In 2010 when we finished the Turkish round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) with Peugeot Sport Turkey in 12th place overall, and as the 2nd S2000 car after the WRCs. We also finished as the best Turkish team ahead of all the guys. The finish line in Istanbul where all the young guys, our supporters, were screaming and waiting for us at the service park... the moment of success is always the best!

Us: What is your favourite car?
Burcu: My favourite car is Peugeot RCZ, but of course my rally car 207 S2000 is the car that makes me the happiest, although it is impossible to drive it in traffic!

Us: If you weren’t a racecar rally driver, what profession would you have chosen?
Burcu: I would love to be a journalist. A war correspondent, especially.

Us: Do you have any hobbies? What do you do in your spare time?
Burcu: I present and prepare two weekly television programmes. One is a live show about sports, aired on Monday nights on Bloomberg HT. The other one has been going on for four years now on TV 24 in Turkey, and it is about cars (classic, modified, new). So between TV shootings, the strong training programme of sports, rallies and events, I really don’t have much spare time. But when I do, I love to learn languages, I love to learn saloon dances, I love to read books and watch movies. I love nature, and I love to go snowboarding or wakeboarding, depending on the season.

Us: What do you hope to achieve in the future? What are your goals?
Burcu: I hope to get on the podium with Peugeot Sport Turkey and my co-driver Cicek in one international event on the general classification; ERC (European Rally Championship) or IRC or WRC. This is my biggest goal to start with. Then, if destiny allows me, I would love to get as much success as possible. My motto is "always better".

Us: Any message for the readers?
Burcu: Believe in your dreams, believe in yourself, and work hard. If it is in your destiny, things will come your way. If not, then you will go the necessary way. In any case, at least you will know you have tried.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 4th March, 2011

The confident and courageous Çetinkaya

interview

This turbo-charged Turkish race car driver talks about her life from hairpins to handbrakes.

Few of us have actually experienced the rush of motorsports and know what it really feels like to race at mindbogglingly high speeds under trying conditions. Burcu Çetinkaya, however, can tell you all about it. The Turkish racecar rally driver has made her mark in the male-dominated sport, and is currently touring Pakistan with the aim of inspiring motorsports enthusiasts in the country.


Rallying

The star sportswoman became interested in racing while attending a rally at the age of 12 and eventually took up the sport when she was 24. “The first rally I participated in was a round of the Turkish Rally Championship, the Hittite Rally in Ankara (the capital of Turkey) in 2005,” she recalls. Since then, Çetinkaya has gone from strength to strength and has amassed quite a long list of impressive performances. “I have been the Turkish Ladies Champion for five years in a row, from 2005 to 2010,” says Çetinkaya. Her team has also placed highly in various rally championships, outshining a number of both male and female participants.

The rally driver had to face several difficulties when she initially entered the motorsports arena. “To find sponsors was the biggest difficulty. To learn how to be patient was another one. After I started to be successful and find sponsors, then the problem was to convince people about my goals. In the beginning, they wanted me to stay where I was, go for the ladies championship and not try the ‘impossible’. Then I had to fight to achieve my goals.” She feels that “the help of the Turkish rally champion Volkan Isik in trainings helped [her] a lot,” when she was starting out.

As can be expected, her training regime is quite extensive. “All year long, I have a physical training programme where I run eight kilometres, at least five days a week. I work a lot on my arm muscles, again a minimum of five days a week. Before the start of the season, we have testing with the car for two to three days; we take the data from my driving and try to see the places for improvement. Also, before each rally, we have a shakedown test of fifty to hundred kilometres to warm up. And after the rallies, I watch the onboard cameras in detail to be able to see where I make mistakes.” She thinks a person needs to be calm and patient if they want to take up motorsports. “They must like challenges, and have a warrior-like character. They need to be very well disciplined and persistent. And most important of all, they need to be really brave.”


Pakistan tour

Çetinkaya cites a number of reasons for wanting to tour Pakistan: “the colourful culture, the clothes, the beautiful mosques and most importantly the people of Pakistan! As you may know, Turkey and Pakistan have very good relations. We also have a high percentage of Muslims in the country, so we have some cultural similarities. And Benazir Bhutto was one of my heroes when I was a kid, so that also made me very curious about the country. When the 2010 flood hit Pakistan, in Turkey we really tried a lot to help. That was also the first time I planned to go to Pakistan, but it was not possible because I was away at the races. I am very happy that I will stay [in Pakistan] for ten days [from February 25 to March 5]. I want to meet as many people as I can and learn as much about Pakistan as I can when I am here.”

As for what she aims to achieve through her visit, she says she’s here to motivate people. “Nothing is impossible’ is a phrase I really appreciate. If there are people with dreams in sports or art or anything else, and if their families are unsupportive or have financial barriers, like I was at the beginning, there is a message I can give them. The biggest barrier standing in the way of our dreams is within us. If we can be creative and fight hard with discipline, we can fight for our dreams. I dream to meet people interested in this and motivate them if I can.”

The touring rally driver hopes to discover the scope of rallying in Pakistan during her visit. “I hope after ten days [of touring], I can be more clear about [how the sport can be made more successful in Pakistan], but the media can help a lot.” She thinks having a local motorsports hero would help. “If there is a worldwide successful sportsperson from your country in the sport, people will be more motivated to follow, and sponsors will be more encouraged to help.”


Women in motorsports

Burcu cites Michele Mouton as her favourite racecar driver. “She is the only woman in the world of motorsports that won a few world rally championship events and finished second in the championship at the top level in the 1980s, and showed that impossible is nothing.”

While Burcu hasn’t met any female Pakistani racecar drivers yet, she is looking forward to meeting some during her tour. She thinks encouragement and a change in mentality could help make it easier for women to take up motorsports. “In this sport, women and men are not put in different categories. Only in some countries, ladies prizes are also included in the championships to encourage women. But in the general classification there is no separation. There are two types of women in this sport: the first is there for attention, the other for success. I think the ones there for attention also give some colour to the sport, but the ones there for success are the ones that should really be encouraged. Women’s cups can be organised to choose the talented ones. I think the biggest help would be to encourage women. When there is a lady driver who is doing well, every mistake [she makes] is highlighted to show that she is not capable, so I think if this mentality can be fought against, things can get better.”


Activities and interests

In her spare time, Çetinkaya likes to read books and watch movies. “The books by Osho and Paulo Coelho, and Mesnevi by Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī are books I have read over and over many times. My favourite movie is Güneşi Gördüm (I Saw the Sun), a Turkish movie directed by the Turkish singer, actor, and director Mahsun Kirmizigul.  I also liked Amores Perros a lot. Also, I really love Indian movies; Ek Ajnabee, directed by Apoorva Lakhia and starring my favourite Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan, is a movie I really like. My favourite singers are Sezen Aksu, İbrahim Tatlıses, and Mahsun Kırmızıgül from Turkey; Garou, and Dany Brillant from France; and Frank Sinatra." As for TV shows, Çetinkaya says, “I love Top Gear and it is my favourite show so far.” She even hosts two television shows in Turkey and enjoys snowboarding and wakeboarding.

The future looks bright for this ambitious sportswoman and we can only hope that her tour of Pakistan will help motivate people, especially young women, to pursue their own dreams.

- By Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune - 27th February, 2011

The Confession

book review

Book: The Confession
Author: John Grisham

With the publication of each of John Grisham’s latest novels, I become more certain that I keep slogging through his work out of a misplaced loyalty to a writer who is long past his prime. Since the first time I came across his book in the school library in the late ‘90s, I have read all but one of his legal thrillers (the only exception being the young-adult effort, Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer), but after going through his recent works, I am thoroughly confused: what happened? The Associate (2009) rambled on till you got to the ending and, well, it didn’t have one; The Appeal (2008) seemed like a bad rendition of Erin Brockovich; and The Broker (2005)... I can’t even remember what that was about, and that can’t be a good sign.

His latest legal thriller, The Confession, doesn’t help the lawyer-turned-writer overcome his slump as he continues down the path of unimpressive fiction. The story revolves around a wrongfully convicted man who, despite his lawyer’s best efforts, is being executed for a murder he did not commit, but just a few days before the sentence is set to be carried out, the real killer confesses to the crime before a Lutheran pastor. Will they be able to stop the execution? Or will an innocent man lose his life for something he did not do?

The underlying story is based on a complex issue and the plot clearly has a lot of potential, but the novel itself is a complete letdown. The Confession fails on a depressing number of levels - as an interesting story, as an intriguing narrative and work of literature, and as a case against the legal system and death penalty. The narrative drags on for the most part; the pace picks up in the second section as the reverend and real culprit race to halt the execution, and you can see glimpses of the old Grisham shine through in places, but overall the same point could’ve been gotten across in about half the number of pages. As for the content, it’s all just black and white when what it really needed was a generous helping of grey. The characters lack complexity and are mostly one-dimensional absolutes - the bad ones are plain horrid, the good ones angels - and it’s not so much human error or a few bad apples causing the injustice, but the whole damn system that is staggeringly hellbent on executing an obviously innocent man. And yes, there is absolutely no doubt about the accused person’s guilt; he is flabbergastingly innocent and being blatantly set up, dagnabbit!

While I appreciate the fact that someone is trying to make a statement against the flaws with the legal system and think the author has every right to air his point of view, The Confession does not work as a legal thriller because it lacks balance and reads less like a convincing piece of fiction and more like a rant with the writer tediously belabouring the point to death. What’s worse, though, is that it is predictable to the point of frustration, and Grisham’s wry wit and intriguing character development are nowhere to be found. What makes it even more frustrating is that the theme is valid, the core plot is there; then why is the novel’s execution so lazy?

How can someone who once produced gripping works like A Time To Kill and The Chamber come up with something as immensely unexciting as The Confession? Has success made him complacent? Or were his initial efforts just not as good as I seem to remember and have simply glorified them through nostalgia? I’d like to say John Grisham has written some remarkable books and The Confession just isn’t one of them, but after reading so many back-to-back dismal efforts by the same author, I’m just not sure anymore.

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 25 February, 2011

The alluring Angeline

interview

A powerhouse of creativity and talent, Angeline Malik is a well-known name in the entertainment industry. Not content with excelling in just one field, she has put together a diverse portfolio with skills ranging from acting and production to hosting, modelling and direction.


Family & life

Angeline spent her early years in England before coming to Pakistan and eventually settling down in Karachi. “I was brought up in London and moved to Pakistan when I was 10,” she says, speaking about her childhood. “I spent my school and university years in Islamabad and went back to the UK for a Masters degree in Computer Animation once I completed my Masters in Sculpture. I moved back to Karachi after that and have been here since then.”

Strangely, Angeline is the only one from her family who’s been bitten by the show-biz bug.  “I belong to a totally non-media family with mostly doctors. My dad was an ophthalmologist and a social worker. He passed away three years ago. He is my inspiration and strength. My mom and brother are in Islamabad. My siblings have pursued conventional careers; my brother is a doctor and my sister is a banker.”


Career

Angeline’s big break was a mere stroke of luck. She started her acting career when another actress withdrew from a production. “I was talked into taking up the lead role, as the main actress backed out at the last minute. Since I was the co-producer, I had to find a solution, so I stepped in.”

The rest, as they say, is history. “Acting came to me naturally,” she explains. Her first project was Musafir Din Musafir Ratein (2001), directed by Jamal Shah. Since then she has tackled a diverse range of projects and says each of them stands out for its own reasons. “I would say I am proud of every project, because I give myself to it. I’m proud of different projects for different reasons, and I don’t do anything I wouldn’t be proud of. So far, my biggest accomplishment is that I am content with who I am and what I do and I am pursuing projects I would like to do.”

After having worked as an actor, producer, director, anchor and model, Angeline has experience in various fields, so which one of these does she enjoy the most? “I enjoy telling stories the most, the way I see them. My vision. Which is completely possible as a director.”

For Angeline, the support of her family has helped her establish herself in the industry and the sole reason she didn’t face any obstacles. “My family believed in me and has always encouraged me in all I’ve done.” As far as criticism regarding her work is concerned, the star says she is totally fine with it; “I love it! Any reaction works for me.”

Speaking of her own career and future plans, she says she isn’t a long-term planner. “I only plan short term… long term, who knows.”


Activities & interests

In her spare time, Angeline still thinks about work. “My mind works most of the time, obviously about work-related issues. I just can’t sit still!” If she could pick another career, she says she would love to dance and if she could learn a skill, she would want to learn to sing. She thinks a person requires lots of patience, tolerance, sensitivity and awareness to make it in show business.

If...

If I could play a character in any film ever made, I would play…
Uma Thurman in Kill Bill.

If I could meet one person (out of anyone that ever lived), I’d love to meet…
Napoleon.

If I could collaborate with any musicians (past or present), I’d work with…
Bono.

If I could destroy the master copy of any song so that nobody could listen to it again, I would pick…
I wouldn’t listen to it if I don’t like it.

If I could change one thing about myself/my life, I’d change…
My hair. It would be nice to know how it feels like to have silky straight hair.

If I had one wish, I’d wish for…
Wishes to come true…

If I had a million dollars, I would…
Treble it!

If I could find out the truth behind one incident/story/issue, I’d want to know about…
Sometimes it’s better not to know the truth.

I’m looking forward to…
Every day…

- By Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune - 13 February, 2011