IMRAN™: In My Humble Opinion: 2025

Sunday, October 12, 2025

Déja Vu vs DoYa View: Do You Experience Such Coincidental Alignments Of Random Things? - IMRAN®

Have you ever had one of those oddly timed coincidences that feels too precise to ignore? I experience a lot of those. Not the type of déjà vu brainwave—of having experienced that exact moment before and knowing exactly what would unfold in the next few seconds—but actual verifiable alignment of various unrelated things, despite total randomness.

This weekend, on October 10, 2025, I grabbed another handful of unread magazines from my piles of thousands that I’m working to browse and send to recycling at my Long Island home. Among them was a July 2018 issue of GQ, which I placed on my dining table in New York to browse during dinner and dispose of.

I’d owned it for over seven years but never flipped through it—mostly because I’d been spending so much time in Florida. An artist named Zayn Malik was on the cover.

The name Zain is of personal significance to me in another not-so-secret, precious part of my life. But I didn’t recognize Zayn. I’ve never followed One Direction and had no prior awareness of him in the band or as a solo artist. Still, something about his Pakistani heritage caught my attention, so I looked him up.

Here’s the weirdness: that same day—October 11, 2025—he released a new single. So the moment I finally engaged with a seven-year-old magazine cover featuring someone I’d never heard of, he happened to drop new music. It was so random that if it were in a movie, the audience would laugh at it as one of those “yeah, sure, like that type of coincidence happens in real life.”

No algorithm prompted me. No playlist suggested him. Just a perfectly timed sync between a forgotten magazine and a new release from someone I had literally just learned existed.

This Zayn “moment” wasn’t serendipity. I have no direct connection to him or even his music. But it was one more entry in a long list of strange, well-timed coincidences that seem to follow me. Do you have similar experiences and stories to share?

#IMRAN #NewYork #LongIsland #EastPatchogue #HeronPointe #GreatSouthBay #magazines #music #random #serendipity #coincidence #timing #philosophy

Thursday, October 09, 2025

American, Delta Departures From Departing Delta At Tampa — Early Spring, Blue Skies — IMRAN®

Flying and photography—two lifelong loves I was blessed to begin at age 7 in Pakistan, thanks to my late, incredible father. In the late 1960s, I became the first in my family to fly, and likely one of the first kids my age to own a brand-new camera. So flying, photography, photographing flying, and flying photography remain enduring sources of joy and gratitude.

On March 28, 2025, I was departing from Tampa International Airport, bound for New York City. The crisp early spring air offered blue skies to aviators and photographers alike. Just as my Delta flight was preparing to depart, an American Airlines jet nosed into position—wedging itself between another Delta flight taking off and mine. A moment of motion, memory, and the magic of flight.

#IMRAN #flying #family #Florida #Tampa #Delta #American #airplanes #aircraft #aviation #travel #memories #spring #autobiography

Tuesday, October 07, 2025

December Sunset (Board/Dog)Walk At New York Home - IMRAN®

I had taken K2 to the beloved New York home after the dual hurricane hits at the blessed Tampa Bay home. This was a capture with the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses. I captured it on December 6, 2024 as we walked to the home beach to enjoy another sunset.

#IMRAN #NewYork #LongIsland #EastPatchogue #HeronPointe #GreatSouthBay #Sunset #sky #clouds #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #gratitude #winter #walking #marina

Sunday, October 05, 2025

Grateful For 30th Autumn At Blessed Love-Filled New York Home - IMRAN®

Thirty autumns in this blessed New York home. I look around and see the layers—colors, textures, memories—each one a quiet witness to the seasons I’ve lived, created, and archived here.

The blue shirt wasn’t planned, but it matched the mood: calm, grateful, present. Behind me, one mirror catches a beautiful black stone statue of two lovers in embrace I bought a quarter century ago. An ode to the beloveds who gave all of themselves to me in this haven of uninhibited love. You know who you are.

The other mirror reflects my aviator leather jacket, from learning to fly 25 years ago. Other fragments of the room you see, like my journals and posts, catch slices of time and life.

Even the mobile sways with stories. I took this selfie not to pose, but to pause—and honor the space that’s held me and my loves through it all.

#IMRAN #NewYork #LongIsland #EastPatchogue #HeronPointe #HomeSweetHome #selfie #memories #gratitude #memoir #love #lovers

Saturday, October 04, 2025

Delta Happy (Not To Collide With Another Aircraft At LGA) Meal — IMRAN®

On my flight to New York, I was grateful for Delta’s consistently solid service and a flavorful spicy chicken afternoon fare in the Pakistani/Indian style — always a welcome option, even for someone who’s not a rice fan. I made my foray in seat 4A, foraging through a surprisingly delightful light meal.

Their occasional beef stroganoff and other limited-edition meals can reach restaurant quality, as I’ve posted before.

I was even more grateful not to be on either of the two Delta planes that collided at LaGuardia Airport after my flight. That must’ve been…. “Awkward!”

#IMRAN #NYC #Pakistan #dining #food #foodie #travel #travelogue #humor #gratitude #menu #Delta #lifestyle

Friday, October 03, 2025

K2, Framed By Fall, A Portrait At The New York Property - IMRAN®

Late last November, K2 joined me on a drive to Long Island, New York—his quiet strength filling the space left behind by Kennedy, whom we had bid farewell eight months earlier in April. That autumn late morning, he posed with a grace that felt both present and timeless, captured against the fading gold of trees at the property in East Patchogue.

#IMRAN #GSD #GermanShepherd #LongIsland #NewYork #EastPatchogue #autumn #portrait #nature #humor

100,000 Viewers on Google vs. 14+ Million Views on Flickr; Where Do We Go From Here? — IMRAN®

A late night notification from Google caught me off guard pleasantly: over 100,000 people have viewed the handful of photos I’ve posted there only recently. That’s less than 1% of what I’ve shared on Flickr—where I’ve amassed 14+ million views over nearly 20 years. But let’s not confuse metrics.

Google counted viewers, Flickr counts views. One is pure generic global reach, the other is fewer but with many loyal viewers over the years. It’s a moment to reflect—not just on numbers, but on platforms and squandered potential.

Microsoft let Skype rot on the vine. IMHO, WhatsApp and its clones wouldn’t have been necessary if Skype’s global community hadn’t been mismanaged into oblivion. Yahoo did the same with Flickr. Instagram might’ve remained a footnote had Yahoo not fumbled its head start—first under Jerry’s indecision, then under Marissa Mayer’s overhyped tenure.

Today’s Flickr is a shadow of its heyday. I recently scrolled through its primitive messaging system—still a stream of unthreaded, individual messages spanning hundreds of screens—to revisit my earliest interactions. Most of those accounts are gone. Others haven’t posted in a decade. Many have deleted their entire libraries, including non-erotic content, just to comply with Flickr’s shifting paid account policies.

In a world of uncensored paid platforms, wildly popular free PG-13 services, and even Google’s passive hosting options, it’s increasingly difficult to justify the steep annual cost of a Flickr Pro subscription.

So I ask: What are your thoughts? What’s your plan? Where do we, and Flickr, go from here?

#IMRAN #Yahoo #Flickr #Microsoft #Skype #strategy #consumers #customers #loyalty #CX #UX #innovation #future #photos #photography #SocialMedia #PhotoSharing #censorship #IMHO #commentary #management

Thursday, October 02, 2025

Fortunate To Know & Understand “O Fortuna” - IMRAN®

“O Fortuna” from “Carmina Burana” by Carl Orff is not just music—it’s a thunderous invocation of fate’s cruelty and fortune’s volatility. Composed in 1935, when my late father was a toddler, this choral masterpiece opens the cantata with a primal force that has echoed through concert halls, film scores, and—regrettably—too many superficial ads. But beneath the bombast lies a profound meditation on the wheel of fortune, the rise and fall of human destiny, and the raw unpredictability of life.

This particular performance by the Vienna Philharmonic (Wiener Philharmoniker) captures both the grandeur and the anguish embedded in Orff’s vision. The Latin lyrics, drawn from 13th-century medieval poetry, speak of fate as a tyrant—blind, capricious, and ever-turning. If you take a moment to read the translated text, you’ll uncover lines like:

“Fate—monstrous and empty, you whirling wheel…”

These aren’t just dramatic flourishes—they’re existential truths, shouted into the void by monks and minstrels who knew suffering, joy, and the impermanence of both.

There are many reasons why it moves me so much. The music’s relentless rhythm mirrors the pounding of time itself. The choir’s crescendos evoke the rise and fall of empires, fortunes, and lives. The lyrics remind us that no triumph is permanent, and no despair is final.

This piece has been one of my personal favorites for decades—not just for its sonic power, but for its philosophical depth. It’s a greatness-inspiring reminder that art can scream truth louder than any sermon or slogan.

Watch the video in the comment below—and if you’ve never read the full translation, do it. You’ll never hear “O Fortuna” the same way again.

I first heard O Fortuna more than 35 years ago—and it struck a chord so deep, I’ve never stopped resonating with it. Its fierce truth about fate and fortune mirrored my own worldview so precisely, it felt like the music had named something I’d always known. That alignment wasn’t just emotional—it was philosophical, spiritual, and enduring. I consider myself truly ‘Fortunate To Know & Understand “O Fortuna.”’

#IMRAN #music #classics #ClassicalMusic #Vienna #orchestra #CarminaBurana #fate #fortune #philosophy #history

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DEoy1une6/?mibextid=wwXIfr

MMM: Making Music Magic: See How New Order Created Blue Monday - IMRAN®

How many of you love this great dance track from the 1980s? I enjoyed the breakdown https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1LnMUsCPRn/?mibextid=wwXIfr of the awesome song Blue Monday by New Order. https://youtu.be/9GMjH1nR0ds?si=Iro8-uJ8N2_3lWaq

Having loved the song since it came out, and being into MIDI music-making since the start of MIDI, literally 40 years ago, it makes me appreciate their talent and the power of this track so much more.

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

QUIZ TIME 🅿️🕠 – IMRAN®

It’s 5:30 PM on a Sunday. You pull up next to this sign.

How long can you park here for free?

• A) 15 minutes

• B) Until 9 PM

• C) All night

• D) Depends which way your car is facing

• E) Timeless trap to get your money

I know the answer. I just want to see who reads signs like a lawyer and who reads them like a poet. Bonus points if you argue with someone in the comments and still get it wrong! 😄

Let the parking punditry begin.

#IMRAN #NewYork #LongIsland #EastPatchogue #Patchogue #parking #signs #BadSigns #travel #humor #quiz

Neighbor’s Beautiful Deep Blue Boat Slips Past Light Blue Shallow Waters in Boating Channel – IMRAN®

Just one of those quietly gorgeous moments I’ve captured over the years—one among more than a hundred thousand I’d love to share with you all. But my desire to write a story with each one means it’ll take me about 175 more years to get through the backlog… and that’s not counting the new pictures I hope to take, God willing, in whatever life still has in store.

This scene from June 5, 2021, features a beautiful boat from my neighborhood gliding past the shallow, light blue waters of Tampa Bay—channeling, pun intended, a palette worthy of the Bahamas. I captured it at the empty lot near my home, accompanied by my beloved German Shepherds, Kennedy and K2.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #boat #boating #beach #seaside #cruising #lifestyle #summer #memories

Saturday, September 27, 2025

Thought For Food: 7 Leaf’s Indian Restaurant Tampa - IMRAN®

I was in the area for a meeting and did a quick search for Pakistani or Indian food—this place popped up. It was around 4:30 PM, so I wasn’t sure they’d be open, but they were already serving, so I drove over. It’s a new spot, open for about a month.

The two ladies running the place were very attentive, and I happened to be the only customer around 5 PM. Normally, when I visit a restaurant like this, I order three or more dishes to sample a variety and enjoy the leftovers at home over the next few days. But since I won’t be home until midnight tonight, I went with a single dish to test the waters: chicken tikka masala.

I give that an A—flavorful and well-prepared. The rice was decent (I’m not a big fan of rice in general), so I’d rate it a B. The service was excellent, also an A. I even tried the rice pudding, which surprised me—I usually don’t care for it, but theirs was genuinely enjoyable. Another A.

The only downside: they don’t have a tandoor oven yet, so the naan was the store-bought kind you’d find at an Indian grocery. It didn’t quite match the quality of the entrée. I’d give that a C. Hopefully, they’ll add a real tandoor to their kitchen soon. The ambience is typical medium sized family owned restaurant, but bright and easy. The toilet was also well lit, and clean.

Overall, I’d definitely come back to try more dishes. Promising start for a new restaurant.

#IMRAN #food #foodie #Pakistani #Indian #restaurant #review #FoodReview #Tampa #Florida

Friday, September 26, 2025

Hollywood Report: Relentless, Risky, Bold, Honest and Uncomfortably Timely - IMRAN®

“One Battle After Another” lives up to its name—a relentless cascade of conflict, both physical and ideological. While I respect the high praise it’s receiving, I landed at a solid 7.5 out of 10—not because it lacks merit, but because it demands that kind of brutal honesty.

The film is bold. In a landscape of sanitized storytelling, it dares to confront uncomfortable truths. Credit to the writer, producer, and investors for backing a vision this unflinching. The cast delivers across the board: Leonardo DiCaprio proves once again that he can masterfully balance drama, comedy, politics, and violence—all within a single role. Benicio Del Toro remains a stellar performer, bringing quiet intensity and layered nuance. And Sean Penn? Surprisingly impressive in yet another great performance —his presence adds weight without tipping into melodrama.

The writing holds surprising depth, and the cinematography is often stunning, though some sequences linger longer than they should, slowing the pace. The early segments—set in a historical backdrop from years ago—carry a tone that occasionally veers into dark comedy. At times, it feels like an awkward apology for illegal immigration politics, the backlash to which itself created the environment for opponents to take a turn to normalize fascism and embrace tyranny for the USA. But that tonality gives way to something far more serious.

The film’s real power lies in its depiction of how fragile our civil and physical liberties have become even here in America. It doesn’t just warn—it shows where we already are.

In a world where Christian-nationalism desires and authoritarian acts are increasingly normalized, the movie reminds us how easily any one of us could be coerced, disappeared, or crushed by the machinery of state power under the current circumstances.

I wanted to rate the movie higher. But 7.5 felt right. Still, I’d recommend One Battle After Another over most of the risk-averse fare coming out of Hollywood. It’s not perfect—but it’s brave, and disturbingly relevant.

What do you think?

#IMRAN #movies #review #HollywoodReport #cinema #politics #immigration #democracy #freedom #liberty #commentary #IMHO

Saturday, September 20, 2025

K2 GSD GSB BayWatch Full Moon NY Home — IMRAN®

Last autumn, my beautiful and energetic German Shepherd K2 joined me at my New York home. We were missing Kennedy, my precious pup we had to say goodbye to in April 2024.

It was a stunning Friday evening: full moon rising on one side of the property, sunset melting into the Great South Bay on the other. K2 stood still, focused, watching a beautiful large swan floating nearby.

GSD on GSB ON TGIF.

#IMRAN #NewYork #LongIsland #EastPatchogue #HeronPointe #GreatSouthBay #GSD #GermanShepherd #dogs #FullMoon #autumn #animals #gratitude #memories #focus #discipline

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Tuesday’s Totally Thrilling Truly Stunning Serene Sunset Sky - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #Sunset #sky #clouds #nature #seaside #Tuesday #gratitude #autumn

Monday, September 15, 2025

Intriguingly Infinite Unlimited Uncertainty, Schrödinger’s Sticker, Tag Timing, Found Fond Mobile Memories – IMRAN®

A quarter century ago, I became CEO of EverTrac. It grew into the industry’s vision-setting, thought-leading, sizzling-tech telematics and location-aware startup. We pushed live, wireless, remote mobile-systems management past 200 mph. Just this morning, I was drafting a post to commemorate 25 years of that journey. (That one’s coming soon.)

But not all parts of the business were sexy. Asset tracking was one unglamorous—but profitable—component. I was the first to demo RFID to Walmart’s tech leadership—surprisingly forward-looking at the time. Miniaturized RFID is now everywhere, embedded in tags of all kinds but it was cutting edge back then.

Fast forward 25 years. Just 24 hours after kicking off EverTrac anniversary planning, I spotted this in a Publix parking lot: a bright yellow tag that reads “Missing tag. Do not remove.”

So… THE tag is missing, but THIS tag isn’t? If it’s not missing from something, why is it on the asphalt? If I found it, is it still missing? Or it emotionally missing an asset? 😊

What happens to the item with the missing tag, now missing the “Missing tag” tag? Escher at work—drawing conclusions within conclusions, all puns intended.

And now, does “Do not remove” mean the cleaning crew must leave it there forever? Is this a permanent placeholder for a temporary identity? There’s some principal uncertainty principle at work here.

Maybe it’s Schrödinger’s label—both absent and present. Down to earth asset management meets spaced out existential crisis. 😉😀

Any bad puns or wordplay you want us to (for Ever)Trac(k)? Stick them in comments below!

#IMRAN #humor #travel #Florida #ApolloBeach #roadway #geekhumor #philosophy #AssetManagement #EverTrac #RFID #history #science #tech #puns

Saturday, September 13, 2025

Thought For Food: Never Order Dinner When Famished - IMRAN®

It’s always easy to over-order—or overdo the grocery haul—when hunger takes the wheel. Last night’s indulgence at Roti Restaurant: Chicken Tikka Masala, Lamb Curry, and Chicken Karahi. By tonight, I’m sure it’s all been efficiently converted into elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight.

#IMRAN #Florida #Riverview #Food #Dining #Foodie #Pakistani #Indian #Cuisine #FoodReview

My Memories, Music Maestros, Memorable Movies, Moving Music & Mancini Magic — IMRAN®

www.facebook.com/share/v/16yBCq6MTG/

My Memories, Music Maestros, Memorable Movies, Moving Music & Mancini Magic — IMRAN®

From watching The Pink Panther in Pakistan in the early 1970s… to seeing Berlin Philharmonic cellists surprise a modern audience with its iconic theme — life’s soundtrack keeps looping in unexpected ways.

Back in 1987, I was a 24-year-old Pakistani engineer and writer on my first foreign trip, a state guest of West Germany. I turned 25 in West Berlin, attending the city’s 750th anniversary celebration with a front-row seat at the Berliner Philharmoniker performing Beethoven and other monumental works — conducted by the legendary Herbert von Karajan, seated beside the great Willy Brandt.

This clip from Medici.tv’s social feed brings it full circle. Decades later, the same orchestra’s cellists playfully channel Mancini’s magic. Berlin, then and now, remains etched in my heart.

#IMRAN #Autobiography #Berlin #WestGermany #PinkPanther #Music #Orchestra #Cello #Concerts #History #Life #Travel #Pakistani #Legacy #MediciTV #Karajan #WillyBrandt #Beethoven #BerlinPhilharmonic

Tuesday, September 09, 2025

Magic Monday Sole Sailboat Tranquil Tampa Bay Before Relentless Rain - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #sailing #boating #sailboat #Monday #autumn #tranquility #peace #lifestyle

Thursday, September 04, 2025

K2 Watching Dolphins Passing By Tampa Bay Florida Home At Start Of Autumn - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #nature #gratitude #home #clouds #autumn #seasons

Wednesday, September 03, 2025

Summer End 4AM Dog Walk, Grateful For Dozen Years At Blessed White House On Tampa Bay - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #night #WhiteHouse #architecture #LateNight NoEdit

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Thought For Food: First Time Trying Out A Dish In First Time At Desi Restaurant In Bradenton - IMRAN®

This past Sunday marked my first time in Bradenton in quite a while. As the evening grew late, I decided to stop for dinner before heading home. I passed a Desi restaurant I had never visited before and chose to try it—my first time at that establishment.

Once seated, I faced a familiar decision: Chicken Tikka Masala (this pic), is a staple in my visits to Pakistani or meat-serving Indian restaurants. But I also wanted to try something new. The menu offered a sweet mango chicken dish, which briefly caught my attention. However, I prefer the sharper, more traditional Pakistani pickled mango chicken—unavailable here.

Instead, I opted for the staff’s recommendation: a yogurt-based chicken dish with herbs and spices. It was my first time trying that preparation. The dish was acceptable, though not memorable. Still, the overall food quality and service were quite good, making the experience worthwhile.

#IMRAN #Florida #Bradenton #food #Pakistani #Indian #cuisine #dining #foodie #humor #wordplay #travel

Sedated K2 Chilling Watching Another Dog At Veterinarian Office - IMRAN®

K2 was given some tablets overnight and in the morning so he’d be chill and more cooperative in having X-rays taken without resisting the physical manipulation needed. He was plopped on the couch but still actively watching another dog across the waiting room.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #K2 #pets #animals

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

Thought For Food: Convenient Cuisine, Pretty Pineapple Salsa Salmon, Midnight-Marinated Lemon Wasabi Friday Feast — IMRAN®

I love being HappilySingle™. I love eating—as my waistline and double chin have attested to for decades. 😀 But I’ve always hated, and mostly avoided, actual cooking. Grilling a burger or steak? Absolutely. And thanks to the fabulous convenience of air fryers, salmon and more? That, I can live with.

A salmon dish was my very first experiment with the excellent Philips XXL Air Fryer a few years ago. To my surprise, it turned out better than almost every salmon I’d ordered at even the best restaurants. Since then, I’ve experimented most with salmon, using a variety of ingredients. Each version has been different, and each one has been delicious.

This one was marinated overnight in wasabi, ginger, lemon, olive oil, soy sauce, black pepper, and mustard. I topped it with pineapple salsa and sour cream for visual flair and flavor. The tiny olive slices, each with a dollop of mustard, were a spontaneous experiment in taste and presentation. The result? A definite A++ meal and — as always — one I’m grateful to the Almighty for providing.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #cooking #food #humor #lifestyle #restaurants #homemade #autobiography #fish #salmon #cuisine #dining #foodie #vegetables #health #weekend #AirFryer #seafood

Monday, August 25, 2025

K2 on All Fours, Bird on One, Both Keeping Watch Across the Gulf Of “MaxiPhone”, Late Night Late Summer Sunday - IMRAN®

Three-second long exposure, handheld iPhone 16 Pro Max. My German Shepherd K2 sat on the broken boardwalk, facing an indigenous bird sitting on the dock across the water. The bird balanced on one leg, both eyes fixed on the dog. K2 returned the gaze, unmoving. Two creatures. Two stances. One silent standoff.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #nature #birds #animals #night #summer #weekend #Sunday #wildlife

Sunday, August 24, 2025

Thought For Food: Spicy Omelette Overcast Sunday — IMRAN®

Brown eggs, sautéed mushrooms, diced chicken, bell peppers, onions, with cheddar cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Light breakfast - my version.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #cooking #food #humor #lifestyle #peppers #chicken #homemade #cuisine #foodie #vegetables #health #weekend #Sunday #brunch

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

Kennedy & K2 Loved Winter Playtime At Apollo Beach Home Tampa Bay Beach In Winter 2023 - IMRAN®

A cherished memory from the winter of 2023, when life with Kennedy and K2 was full of joy and quiet moments.

It was February 3—just two weeks before K2’s third birthday, and the fourth anniversary of Kennedy arriving at his forever home.

Tampa Bay that morning was a portrait of serenity. And this moment became one to hold onto forever.

#ApolloBeach, #Architecture, #Beach, #Florida, #GermanShepherdDogs, #gratitude, #GSD, #Home, #IMRAN, #Imran #Anwar, #iPhone, #K2, #Kennedy, #memories, #seaside, #winter, #dogs

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

Thought For Food: First Time Trying Out A Dish In First Time At Desi Restaurant In Bradenton - IMRAN®

Once seated, I faced a familiar decision: Chicken Tikka Masala (right), is a staple in my visits to Pakistani or meat-serving Indian restaurants. But I also wanted to try something new. The menu offered a sweet mango chicken dish, which briefly caught my attention. However, I prefer the sharper, more traditional Pakistani pickled mango chicken—unavailable here.

Instead, I opted for the staff’s recommendation: a yogurt-based chicken dish with herbs and spices (left). It was my first time trying that preparation. The dish was acceptable, though not memorable. Still, the overall food quality and service were quite good, making the experience worthwhile.

#IMRAN #Florida #Bradenton #food #Pakistani #Indian #cuisine #dining #foodie #humor #wordplay #travel

Saturday, August 16, 2025

iPhone Selfie • Meta Ray-Ban • JFK • Springtime NY Home Visit — IMRAN®

I’ve favored Ray-Ban aviators since my teen years in Pakistan—sleek, timeless, and unapologetically cool. But today’s smart glasses demand more: batteries, cameras, mics, speakers… all crammed into frames that lean more Clark Kent than Top Gun.

This was the only form factor that offered the color-shifting lenses and tech I needed. A compromise in style, maybe—but not in capability & options.

#IMRAN #NewYork #JFK #travel #airport #DeltaAirlines #spring #Meta #RayBan #selfie #SmartGlasses

Midnight Breakfast - IMRAN®

Sometimes I just want a hearty breakfast omelette… at midnight. That’s what I get for having an early dinner.

But hey—technically it’s morning in Pakistan, where I was born. So really, I’m just syncing with my roots.

And look: fruit instead of pancakes. Clearly a health-conscious decision. 😄

#IMRAN #omelette #eggs #breakfast #midnight #humor #eating IHOP

Seaside Weekend Hot Dog Cool Shade Big Stick Toy Story - IMRAN®

K2, proud and content with one of his many random fetch-stick trophies, lounging on the nearby empty lot.

Hot days don’t dampen his drive to chase and play in full sun—but when the sprinting’s done, he’s a master of shade-seeking.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #humor #wordplay #weekend #summer #weather #greenery #bokeh #gratitude #K2

Thursday, August 14, 2025

Purple & Gold Summer Sunset Sky Tampa Bay Florida - IMRAN®

Purple & Gold Summer Sunset Sky Tampa Bay Florida - IMRAN®

© 2025 IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #sunset #summer #nature #gratitude #lifestyle #GermanShepherdDog #seaside #beach #dronephotography DJI IMRAN

Sunday, August 10, 2025

Magnificent Fire Island, Long Island, New York, Atlantic Ocean, Winter Sunset - IMRAN®

Magnificent Fire Island, Long Island, New York, Atlantic Ocean, Winter Sunset - IMRAN®
During a winter visit to my blessed Long Island, New York home for Valentine's Day weekend with my then-girlfriend, I captured this magnificent sunset on Fire Island at Smith Point Beach Park. The image was stitched from multiple handheld iPhone photos, so some stitching artifacts are visible on the right side.

© 2022-2025 IMRAN®

#Beach, #FireIsland, #IMRAN, #iPhone, #LongIsland, #memories, #Nature, #NewYork, #Ocean, #Panorama, #seaside, #SmithPoint, #Sunset, #Tourism, #Travel, #winter

Friday, August 08, 2025

Why? Why This Spot In Massive Mostly Empty Parking Lot? - IMRAN®

Another demonstration of people’s behavior. Surely this is some sort of mental health issue that some people have.

Nearly closing time. The entire massive parking lot of this Home Depot was almost empty. I specifically parked further away from the entrance to not have other cars parked next to mine.

I come back out and this is what I see. Why? Why here?

Weren’t all the other empty spots visible in this photo — and four times more behind me (closer to the store) — somehow not the right color or texture for this person?

#IMRAN #Florida #SunCityCenter #BadDrivers #driving #parking #weirdos

Thursday, August 07, 2025

Bird(Dog)Watching - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #birds #nature #HeronPointe #summer #animals

Wednesday, August 06, 2025

Comatose Contacts, Catatonic Connections, Cleanup Cutoff Commences – IMRAN®

Even after a major spring cleaning, Facebook says I’ve hit the 5,000 friend limit again. I’m humbled. Notifications say there are 1,000 more waiting at the velvet rope, and 18,000 followers sharing the IMRAN® journey & adventure. 😊

So, if we haven’t interacted in ages, if you’ve not had time to interact with me, sorry if you have to be cut from the “VIP lounge” of my friends. Nothing personal—just making space for those still clapping, laughing, or even heckling in the comments. 😊

I’d love to have you want to stay connected. It’s easy.

Like a pic. Comment on a post whether you agree or disagree. Be something other than a digital ghost. 👻 I’m here, I’m engaged, and I’d love to keep you in the mix. Cleanup begins now. Bring popcorn. 🍿

#IMRAN #SocialMedia #engagement #friends #humor #communications #network #support #love #gratitude

Delightfully Tasty & Unhealthy Homemade Double Cheeseburger – IMRAN®

Everyone knows I hate cooking, but grilling hamburgers or steaks on a barbecue grill—or tossing salmon and other no-muss, no-fuss items into the air fryer—is something I’m grateful to get good results with.

This double cheeseburger was doubly tasty… and probably triply unhealthy.

Not to mention the Soda Shop Real Sugar can of Pepsi.

Hey, at least I’ve resisted the temptation of even Buy One Get One Free offers on my favorite Ben & Jerry’s, Häagen-Dazs, and Breyers ice creams for most of this year!

The indoor palms, backlit by Florida’s afternoon sunlight, give the image a magazine-picture feel. Would you agree?

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #food #humor #eating #cooking #summer #bokeh #photography

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Treasured Timeless Tender Touches, Soft Silent Snowy Stillness, Parents’ Perpetual Peaceful Presence - IMRAN®

In every snowfall, a whisper of their warmth. In every silence, the echo of their love. My Ami and Abu.

I hope you’ll read this and be moved to remember yours. To feel the touch of their love again. And maybe, to honor them in your own way.

There are so many touching stories—touching time, touching my life—held within this one photo, I couldn’t possibly fit them all into a short caption.

This selfie was taken as snow gently fell on my blessed Long Island, New York home on December 21, 2024. That same date in 1993 marked the beginning of my search for my first American home by the sea. It had snowed that week too—on Christmas Eve.

My first visit to see the empty lot was also marked by snowfall—on the last day of that year, even in Manhattan. That same “my forever hometown Manhattan” where my precious parents had visited me in mid-1989.

Abu had gone to Utah State University, while my Ami stayed in New York. The hat I’m wearing—and writing about now in summer 2025—was my Dad’s, from that same summer of 1989.

Ami and I spent several incredible months together in New York—my longest time with her since I left home at age six, to live with her mother, my Nani, in Karachi for a better education. During my winter visits to my parents, it became our ritual in the late Decembers of the 1970s and 1980s to chase the season’s first snowfall in Murree—the timeless hill station nestled in the Pir Panjal range.

Once a colonial summer retreat for British officers, Murree had become our family’s own sanctuary of winter wonder. Abu would drive us through winding roads and pine-covered hills, touching the cold air and the warm memories that place still holds.

My family was still reeling from losing my mother in 1992, when Abu retired in Pakistan. Later, he visited me at this NY home during a very difficult time in late 1996—the same year I bought the jacket I’m wearing in this photo. (Yes, I remember tiny details, and I take care of the things and mementos I’m blessed to have.)

As I stepped out into the light snowfall to walk K2 on December 21, 2024, I wore that blue cap—a nod to yet another twist of time and dates.

It was still December 21 in 2008 when I called to check on my father. That’s when I was told that Abu, the greatest father ever—who had devoted his life to securing the future of his extended family—had been touched by the hand of death, passing away unexpectedly in Lahore, Pakistan.

Dates, people, things, events, pets—even the snow—all have touched me in this incredible life.

But of all the touches, the ones most missed—and yet constantly felt—are the pats of his loving hands on my cheeks.

#IMRAN #Pakistan #NewYork #autobiography #parents #family #Murree #LongIsland #winter #Manhattan #snow #memories

Monday, July 28, 2025

K2 & Kennedy — Such Opposites, Yet Always Aligned – IMRAN®

A candid moment captured by Tressa, whose family both my beloved German Shepherds, Kennedy and K2, adored staying with whenever I traveled. K2, ever rambunctious, and Kennedy, always active but tempered with wisdom and calm, were a study in contrasts.

Whether resting together or standing by the beach, I often noticed how they’d instinctively sit facing opposite directions—like sentinels, ensuring full coverage of any potential threat. It felt hardwired into their DNA.

Even in this spontaneous moment, they’re each absorbed in something different, facing away from one another—yet perfectly aligned in mind and mission.

It was July 19, 2023. There was no hint of the deadly tumor that would soon take Kennedy’s body—but never his spirit—away from me.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #memories

Sunday, July 27, 2025

Berlin Aquarium — From Cold War Scaffolds 1987 to Peaceful Pulse 2012 – IMRAN®

Aquarium Berlin, end of April, 2012. The crocodiles no longer flinch at sirens, and the jellyfish pulse in peace. But I still see the scaffolding of 1987—when West Berlin was a fortress of defiance, and I stood outside this very complex, a guest of a divided nation, predicting its impossible reunion.

Back then, as I was turning 25, the Crocodile Hall had only just reopened, scarred by Allied bombs and Cold War silence. Now, the glass glistens with quiet grace. The murals speak in color what the walls once held in tension. And the light post I framed in the foreground—whether original or reborn—marks the spot where I once stood, hoping one day they'd trace the light back to me.

I returned not to marvel at marine life, but to trace the emotional sediment of a city that once mirrored my own need to be set free from the shackles of the now-dead dictator General Zia's vile, fundamentalism-breeding regime in my motherland in the 1980s.

Over those 25 years, the two halves of Berlin reunited and healed. I too endured, and continued my journey through MySpaceTime. By the grace of God, I achieved great freedoms to be all I want to be. Although it is a surreal irony that now, in 2025, it is the United States that is losing its freedoms—to Nazi-loving, Russia-controlled enemies of democracy.

#aquarium, #Architecture, #autobiography, #Berlin, #Clouds, #democracy, #freedom, #Germany, #History, #IMRAN, #memoirs, #memories, #Sky, #travelphotography, #travel

Saturday, July 26, 2025

Berlin to JFK — A Flight Through Time, History, Freedom — SwissAir Passing Blessed NY Home April 2012 - IMRAN®

In April 1987, I arrived in (then West) Germany—not as a migrant, but as the youngest foreign journalist guest of its government. Back home in Pakistan, I had been a student political leader—imprisoned and tortured by a U.S.-backed military dictatorship that feared dissent more than it feared decay. General Zia-ul-Haq ruled with iron and ideology, his regime propped up by the CIA and Saudi oil, while the ISI grew into a shadow state.

When my German hosts urged me to visit (then West) Berlin, I resisted. I imagined a city cold, grim, and depressed—surrounded by walls, haunted by war, and suffocated by Soviet shadow. But destiny had other plans.

I flew Lufthansa to Frankfurt, then boarded a Pan Am flight from Bonn—after a weeklong stay in that working capital of West Germany—to West Berlin. That city, encircled by East Germany’s barbed wire and ideology, became the most electrifying part of my two-month European journey.

I turned 25 there, in a place where freedom had to be flown in. Tegel Airport was its lifeline, and just across the divide, in Dresden, a young KGB officer named Vladimir Putin served the Soviet hammer that kept East Germany silent.

During that visit, I met West German leaders—including their foreign minister—and boldly predicted that Germany would reunite within five years. They laughed, dismissing it as impossible in their lifetimes. But history had its own rhythm.

By November 1989, I was an American living in New York City, watching CNN as the Berlin Wall crumbled. Tears rolled down my cheeks. The laughter of diplomats echoed in memory, now replaced by the roar of freedom.

Exactly 25 years after my first landing, in April 2012, I returned to Europe—touching down at Schiphol, Amsterdam within hours of my original arrival in Frankfurt in 1987. After a conference keynote speech there, I took a train to unified Germany.

Berlin was now whole, and I loved my new stay, walking the same places I had a quarter century prior. Finally, it was time to return home.

Tegel—the Cold War portal that had once welcomed me into the caged freedom of West Berlin—was preparing to close. My flight out, SwissAir to JFK, was among the last international departures from that historic airport before it was decommissioned.

Besides Manhattan, New York and Lahore—my forever hometowns—only Berlin has etched itself into my soul. It is a city I resisted, then embraced. A city I returned to at 50. And, at 55. God willing, a city I hope to return to again for my birthdays in the future, if fate and the jetstream of time permit.

Some journeys are measured in miles. Others in meaning. This one was both.

As the Airbus descended into New York airspace, I captured this moment: the deep blue waters of Long Island stretching beneath the wing, the red Swiss logo gleaming on the winglet. My blessed home lay just below, as history soared behind me. Over Bayport and Sayville—Fire Island drifting past the frame—the coordinates read 40.7320, -73.2300. The coast to my right, the archive to my left.

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Meta(Re)Verse – IMRAN®

I’ve loved photography ever since my father handed me my first camera at age 7. I’ve loved gadgets just as long—and still hang on to the best ones from a lifelong collection.

Ray-Ban sunglasses? That’s another lifelong love—ever since my late mother gifted me my first aviators in Pakistan in the mid-1970s. So while I’m not eager to further enrich Zuckerberg, last winter I did order the Ray-Ban Meta camera/headphone glasses in New York.

I got the lens-color-changing kind and tested them out during a limo ride to give a conference speech in NYC last December.

Even though I’ve been writing for newspapers since age 17, I’m not trying to be Clark Kent—much less Superman. Just aiming for super/camera/man status, one gadget at a time. The photo was taken 8 months before the latest movie came out.

Talk about reversing the metaverse. This is actually an iPhone selfie to see how nerdy the camera glasses make me look. Mission accomplished.

I already own red underwear. Now, where do I order the bright blue bodysuit and red cape?

#IMRAN #NewYork #LongIsland #driving #selfie #humor #photography #RayBan #gadgets

Dark Dramatic Dusk Crazy Cloud Cover Spans Stunning Sunset - IMRAN®

#ApolloBeach, #Architecture, #Clouds, #D850, #Florida, #gratitude, #IMRAN, #Lifestyle, #Nature, #Nikon, #seaside, #storm, #summer, #Sunset, #Tampa, #TampaBay, #weather Nikon

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Stunning Saturday Sunset Savoring Silence with GSD K2 – IMRAN®

Though the temperature matched days prior, something about Saturday felt unusually warm. Perhaps it was the sky itself ablaze with color or the stillness that even K2, my German Shepherd, seemed to sense—gazing out over Tampa Bay as if savoring something sacred.

My closest friends know that I had planned to live here for just twelve months. By the grace of the Almighty, I’ve now completed twelve unforgettable years of living in this personal isle of paradise. I bow my head in eternal gratitude—for all that has been granted me, and all that is soon to be.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #Sunset #Sky #Clouds #Weekend #Beach #Summer #Gratitude

Saturday, July 19, 2025

“Prime” Example Of Software Bugs Swapping “SALT” & Peppered With Errors, You Could Die Laughing — IMRAN®

As an engineer—especially one who wrote software early in life—I understand how complex systems can misfire. Most bugs are benign. But when a global company like Amazon, serving tens of millions daily, slips up this obviously… it’s a Prime example of how even polished platforms can serve the wrong spice.

I was trying to learn more about Minamata—a poignant, painful tale of mercury poisoning and corporate denial. Instead, the preview and metadata gave me SALT, Angelina Jolie’s sleek spy thriller. Different continent. Different tone. Different universe. But hey, they both kick off with trauma.

So here we are: Minamata—a film about invisible mercury silently poisoning lives—swapped with SALT, served cold with espionage and high-octane stunts. A digital bug so simple it’s funny… until you realize how easily bad data can swap identities, finances, even medical history.

Amazon probably employs better engineers than most government or legacy banking systems. But imagine the wrong code cross-wiring your tax return with someone else’s criminal record. Now the mercury’s rising. And the heat in the AI kitchen? It’s ghost-pepper hot.

Sure, too much salt can raise your blood pressure. Mercury? That’s not seasoning—it’s neurological sabotage. One makes your doctor frown. The other makes your neurons forget how to function.

And now, as corporations lay off human programmers in favor of AI agents still learning to tie their digital shoelaces, who do you call when SALT turns into Minimatter or Minamata becomes Mini-Meta?

And in a time when treaties once forged to protect humanity—from nuclear annihilation to environmental collapse—are being quietly unraveled, it’s worth remembering that the original SALT treaty wasn’t just about missiles. The Strategic Arms Limitation Talks were a Cold War milestone, a rare moment when superpowers agreed to slow the MAD race toward mutually assured destruction. SALT was a treaty born of fear, restraint, and the fragile hope that diplomacy could outpace escalation.

Now, when even that legacy is fading into footnotes, it’s no surprise that SALT is known not as a strategic safeguard, but as a streaming movie suggestion. A salty treat, served up by flawed metadata, peppered with bugs, and hard to swallow — but entertaining!

Pass the Pepper? More mercury? No, thanks. But I’ll take a double dose of SALT—at least Angelina knows how to raise my blood pressure in a good way.

#IMRAN #Amazon #wordplay #movies #SALT #democracy #IMHO #commentary #UrUXSux #software #AI #business #ParadigmShift #upheaval #culture #economy #careers #ArtificialIntelligence #programming

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

AMC: Karma Is a Killer (Of English Grammar) - IMRAN®

Hey, AMC, I Know What You DIDN’T Do Last Summer… you didn’t hire copywriters who know proper English or how to use simple grammar tools. They clearly need to improve THEIR grammar before THEY’RE slashed from their positions! Grammar so reckless, it swerved off a hairpin bend and hit a homophone.

#IMRAN #AMC #humor #English #editing #grammar #education #marketing #MovieReferences

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

K2 & His Shadow Framed By Dual Reflected Home Lights’ Beams At Rain Cloaked Sunset - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #night #reflections #summer #weather #WhiteHouse #gratitude

Sunday, July 13, 2025

K2 GSD^3 (German Shepherd Dog, Gleefully Seeking Dolphins, Genuinely Stunning Dusk - IMRAN®

This is an absolutely unedited iPhone photo with no filters or processing of any kind. It happened so quickly I couldn’t even frame K2’s paws fully.

Luckily I caught my GSD (German Shepherd Dog) K2—GSD (Gleefully Seeking Dolphins)— at a Genuinely Stunning Dusk — chasing that marine mystery in motion and spirit we call dolphins.

No stress could rival this blessed moment. No challenge could shake the hopeful heart. No words were needed to describe nature’s magic suspended across the dream-filled sky, as this TGIF exhaled in gratitude—joining me in Maghreb prayers for whatever comes next.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #Sunset #sky #clouds #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #nature #Maghreb #writing #wordplay #lifestyle #prayers #dusk #writing #prose

Saturday, July 12, 2025

DNR: Darwin News Report - Patient of Dr Instagram - IMRAN®

“Woman's daily high dose of turmeric pills caused her to 'essentially poison' her liver,” reports NBC News.

Nothing an injection of bleach can’t cure. Dr. Darwin says she should also take brain-enhancing herbal dog-poop tablets she sees someone post on Instagram next.

#IMRAN #IMHO #stupidity #medicine #healthcare #DarwinAwards

Friday, July 11, 2025

GSD (German Shepherd Dog) K2 — GSD (Gleefully Seeking Dolphins) – IMRAN®

While soaking in this surreal, stunning sunset over Tampa Bay—its waters glowing like a living Crimson Tide—K2 lay quietly to my left, poolside and serene. Then, in perfect synchronicity, we heard dolphins exhale nearby. I instinctively switched to camera mode and caught my GSD (German Shepherd Dog) K2—GSD (Gleefully Seeking Dolphins)—mid-stride, chasing that marine mystery in motion and spirit.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #Sunset #sky #clouds #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #dogs #nature #Maghreb #writing #wordplay #lifestyle #prayers

Tuesday, July 08, 2025

When the Sky Speaks Softly in the Now & My Soul Whispers to Myself in the Future — IMRAN®

Some days are louder on the inside than they appear on the outside.

Today was one of those days—full of motion and emotion, full of thought and urgency, full of moments that won’t be spoken aloud but will stay with me for a long time. The morning moved quickly, filled with focused tasks and quiet intensity.

By early afternoon, I was on the road, shifting gears both literally and mentally, before stepping into a long, demanding meeting that required my full attention. And as the time-constrained day rushed forward faster than I could catch up, I found myself flying through a stream of formal emails—all while sitting in a parking garage—each one written with care, each one a step toward future outcomes.

The day, like much of my life, wasn’t dramatic, but it had all the elements of a literary saga: complex, rich in detail, full of characters with unknown motivations—suspense and hope, tension and inspiration. Quietly and deeply meaningful.

By the time I was heading home, I realized the sky was putting on one of those rare performances—a visual metaphor for the day—where the light turns to liquid gold and the dark clouds seem to hold their breath. I knew I wouldn’t make it back in time to catch it all. And I didn’t.

But when I pulled into the driveway, I stepped around the house and caught the last few moments—the afterglow, the hush, the kind of beauty that doesn’t need to be complete to be meaningful. I hit record. Not to capture perfection, but to honor presence.

Because sometimes, even when you miss the main event, you arrive just in time for the part that matters most.

As the camera rolled, I found myself saying—softly, but with conviction:

“That ends today. Tomorrow is the start of the rest of life. What are you and I going to do about it?”

The sky didn’t answer. But it didn’t need to.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #Sunset #Sky #Clouds #Inspiration #Character #Courage #Leadership #Future #Vision #Gratitude #Hope #Literature #Prose #TimeFlies #writing #writers