Showing posts with label Gratitude. Show all posts

Sunday, August 16, 2026

German Shepherd K2 Guarding His German Engineering Rides - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #GSD #GermanShepherdDogs #MercedesBenz #cars

Friday, January 02, 2026

Stunning Year-End Sunset Tampa Bay - IMRAN®

This December 30, 2025 sunset was one of the most photographed and posted ones on social media. No edit, no filter.

Wait until you see the Timelapse I captured at my blessed home in Apollo Beach. I’ll post that later.

#IMRAN #Florida #TampaBay #ApolloBeach #Sunset #sky #clouds #nature #seaside #winter #gratitude #blessed #lifestyle #Maghreb

Funny Firing-Up Florida Flaming Fireplace - IMRAN®

#IMRAN #Florida #humor #winter #GSD #GermanShepherd #HomeSweetHome

Friday, December 19, 2025

9.5 Years Late, Stunning May Day 2016 Sunset At Tampa Bay Florida - IMRAN®

I am so blessed with all the moments I have experienced and captured in my life. Sometimes it takes me a decade even to post a photo from my "To Post" album!

At least this one is being posted in less than a decade — merely 9.5 years LOL — since I captured this gorgeous Tampa Bay, Florida pre-summer sunset. Photo taken with the nearly 18-year old Nikon D300 at my blessed home in Apollo Beach.

© 2025 IMRAN®

Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Breathtaking Sunday Sunset Panorama Tampa Bay Florida At Apollo Beach Home - IMRAN®

Wednesday, December 03, 2025

Honoring My Father - Part 1: Dedication, Studying Under Highway Lamps, New Homeland Haveli, 1947 Partition Legacy - IMRAN®

Christmas Day used to be my beloved mother's birthday, whom we lost too young in 1992. The time spanning December 21/22 in 2008 is when we lost my precious father.

When my friend Kyle recently shared his childhood memories of growing up in rural Kansas before electricity reached his family’s farm, it reminded me of my own father’s journey in Pakistan. Kyle’s story of kerosene lamps and battery radios resonated with me because my father too began life in places where electricity was scarce.

My father was a Partition‑1947 orphan. As a preteen, he survived a massacre of Muslims by Sikh mobs during a bus convoy from Jalandhar (now in India) to Gujranwala (now in Pakistan). Our new ancestral lands were about ten miles outside Gujranwala, in a village called Butranwali.

Even the family’s home, their village-landlord Haveli — a manor‑like house — had no electricity. Across the road stood a solitary tall electricity pole, one of few placed many miles apart along the single lane two-way ‘highway’ to Sialkot, a city still famous for its surgical goods and FIFA footballs. Behind the family Haveli were mud and brick huts where the farmhands lived, along with the fields and a twin‑bull‑powered mechanical primitive equivalent of a tubewell that irrigated the land before electric pumps existed.

While his brother and brother-like first cousins played, my father dedicated himself to studies. He would sit under that solitary lamp on the highway, studying late into the night. Each day, he rode his bicycle eight to ten miles to school in Gujranwala. His determination carried him far: he became a civil engineer, eventually rising to Chief Engineer in the Punjab Irrigation Department in the early 1990s, shortly before my mother passed away unexpectedly young, just before what would have been his retirement years to spend with her.

Today, Gujranwala has expanded so much that our ancestral Haveli and village are now bustling housing schemes. The Haveli actually stayed in the family, with my first cousin expanding his business into a real estate local empire. Even our family graveyard a short distance from the home still remains, a place where we pay respects to those who came before us and whom we will meet again one day.

(To be continued: how my parents’ focus on education shaped our lives, and how electricity defined both comfort and struggle in the towns where we grew up…)

PS I am in the AI industry, but have zero interest in people posting fake AI creations as real photographs. I do not mind using it to create infographics or images to accompany articles or blog posts. Since I do not have any photos of that time in my father's life, I used AI to create an image and then worked on it myself as homage to his dedication to which my family and I owe everything.

#IMRAN #Pakistan #autobiography #family #parents #electricity #history #India #Partition #Punjab #education #development

Tuesday, November 18, 2025

When GRAVITY of Movies Becomes Reality, From Crystal Palace to SKYFALL! – IMRAN®

“A Collision With Space Debris Leaves 3 Chinese Astronauts Stranded in Orbit,” reports WIRED (link in comment).

This incident was not quite as catastrophic as the global disaster so brilliantly and realistically depicted in the great movie GRAVITY, but—like all cases of life imitating art—collisions between spacecraft and the tons of debris floating in the (literally) “high” seas of space were bound to happen.

Fortunately, this is a (somewhat) minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of superpower space programs, though certainly a serious challenge for the crew. Still, it highlights the importance of tracking and attempting to eradicate space debris—something I was privileged to discuss nearly 25 years ago with the top brass of the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC) at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama.

Flying from Long Island, NY for my first visit to Huntsville, AL, my excitement was already high at the literally incredible doors that were opening for me. I vividly recall being escorted into a super-secure facility—one so restricted that even U.S. Senators could not enter without prior vetting and authorization.

Having seen the great movie WarGames as a young electrical engineering student at UET in Lahore, Pakistan, you can imagine the goosebumps I still get thinking about visiting the real-life equivalent of NORAD and “Crystal Palace” from that film.

There, I met with Lieutenant General John Costello, the Commanding General at the time, to talk about EverTrac™’s solutions for “tracking people & assets indoors & outdoors”—including the greatest of all outdoors: the increasing number of satellites, rockets, tests of potential missiles for a future battle, and the resulting orbital debris in space.

That was a quarter century before today’s United States Space Force came into existence, complete with its logo that critics noted looked suspiciously like Star Trek’s Starfleet emblem.

Time flies, as do more rocket ships hurtling into orbit. With each deployment of an explosive bolt here, a breakaway fragment there, the exponential increase in risk becomes clear. The likelihood of a real-life drama—like the one Sandra Bullock and George Clooney endured on screen—rises dramatically.

I need to rewatch the 3D Blu-ray I bought a few years ago. What do you think are the chances of a true catastrophe, and in what time frame? What solutions do you imagine?

At EverTrac™, we have (bad pun alert!) plenty of space to track your ideas and present them to the right people.

EverTrac™

#IMRAN #EverTrac #space #news #accident #disaster #Huntsville #autobiography #SpaceForce #USASMDC #defense #warfare #WarGames #Gravity #moviereference #gratitude #success

Saturday, November 08, 2025

(At Home) A Million Miles (From Home) – (Never) Up In The Air (Even Up In The Air) – IMRAN®

I’ve officially crossed the million-mile mark with Delta Air Lines. The account summary today shows 955,805 miles, but I had redeemed 60,000 miles for a trip a few years ago.
My most recent roundtrip—Tampa to LaGuardia/JFK and back—pushed me past the million-mile threshold. I’ve been a Delta SkyMiles member since 1989, and every mile tells a story—from business breakthroughs to personal journeys across the globe.
This doesn’t even include the half a million miles I had with Northwest Airlines. Sadly, I lost those because I didn’t find the old paper ticket coupons until decades after Delta had taken over the airline.
It also doesn’t include my half a million miles on Pakistan International Airlines. I became the first in my family to fly at age 7—more than 55 years ago. I stopped flying PIA about a decade ago when it went from being one of the world’s great airlines to one of its most dangerous white elephants (though still better than Air India and similar carriers).
This is more than just my love for travel. It’s about loyalty, longevity, and living life fully—one mile, one flight, one day at a time.

© 1989–2025 IMRAN®

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 11, 2024

Stunning Pure Shocking Pink Sky Perfect Seaside Place - IMRAN™

Believe me, you will see more shades of stunning shocking pink seaside skies in this 30-second time-lapse video than you could catch in a lipstick manufacturer's catalog.

Even the sunset was stunning, but the dusk skies are mind-blowing. Also watch the cruise ship zip by and Tampa International Airport (TPA) traffic zooming by.

Recorded on July 31, 2024 at my blessed home on Tampa Bay, Florida with a Nikon D850, shared from Apple Final Cut Pro. Play with music and be blown away! Like, love, comment, share! Thank you.

Sunday, July 28, 2024

Kennedy Watched For Dolphins Nearby As K2 Went For A Swim In Tampa Bay Waters Mid-October 2020 - IMRAN™

I brought both my dogs to my neighborhood beach on the very first day I got them. Kennedy, a 4-5-year-old rescued German Shepherd in February 2019, was intrigued but did not fall in love with the water until later. K2, a 2-month-old German Shepherd puppy, came to this beach spot in April 2020, and I recorded the cutest video of his first time going in the water that day.

This was recorded exactly six months later, on October 15, 2020, during the pandemic era. K2 was growing fast and went for a swim. Kennedy was excitedly watching for the dolphins that had passed us a minute earlier.

In the second video, he too goes for a swim but is more interested in the dolphins than in swimming. Later on, multiple daily wades in Tampa Bay became Kennedy’s routine, while K2 only did regular swims in the swimming pool at home or in the bay if I tossed something for him to fetch.

Friday, June 14, 2024

Making Music & Memories At Columbia University Manhattan New York Apartment 35 Years Ago Today - IMRAN™

Some things never change. My lack of talent in learning to play music. My taking selfies. My still having this necktie that my late beloved mom had bought for me 40 years ago!

My Yamaha B200 synth keyboard. Even my Atari ST computer from the 1980s. And that Columbia Business School textbook. It is among ALL my books from that time I still retain. They are all still at my blessed home on Long Island, New York.

Being a Gemini, and wanting two of everything, has not changed. You can see I had two computers even in 1989, and two monitors. Heck, you can even see two of me, if you see my reflection in one of the monitors, which I still have. The monitor. I am sure I do not have that same reflection anymore, but I have a lot more reflections on life!

I do take care of my things. Even that wall poster from the New York City Tourism + Conventions' “I ❤️ New York” tourism promotion campaign, titled “New York Is Music”, from 1989 is still intact in Pakistan. My mom had it framed for me.

What did change is clearly me having far more fat and far less hair. But I remain blessed and grateful for an incredible journey. No one could have lived a fuller life than I have, from the day I was born until today - and God willing on every day - until it will be time for the grand finale of my life, when my music must fade out. Thank you for all the love all along the way.

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

A Colorful Happy Life Is Whatever You Make Of The Canvas Of Destiny & The Paints Of Fate God Gave To You At Birth - IMRAN™

Sure, it looks like I ran through a glue factory into a flower shop and then through a paint store as the cans fell off the shelves! Life, like art, is what you choose to see, what you make of it.

I do not know how much time I have assigned to me here on Earth in God's ledgers of time. What I do know is this, we are all given a blank cavas of destiny when we are born. We are provided an infinite supply of paints that family, education, travel, experiences, and choices bring into our studio.

What we do with them, what we envision, what we conjure up with our imagination, what structures we sketch in, what conclusions we draw, and what motions we go through, those are all entirely up to us. We choose the paints. We choose the brushes, the pencils, the erasers, even the magic markers and spray cans. Every day of life we are coloring in the story of our one and only one life.

We are working on a singularly unique canvas in the entire universe and through all of the infinities of time. It is the ultimate irony that the painting is only “complete" when our finite time runs out, when it is the end of the physical world for us. Sometimes paintings are left unfinished compared to what we imagined, when we do not get all the time we thought we would.

The truth is, even with a hundred years, we could never run out of the new shades, strokes and layers we could have continued to add. That is why it is essential that we paint the best of our intentions into existence every day.

We must do that and live life to the fullest every day, make the world a better place every day, speak out against injustice every day. Whether the painting is considered a masterpiece by anyone is not important. What is important is to know that regardless of what and how we chose to live, and paint our story, we did the best we could have.

That way, no matter how much time we have, and how much of our envisioned image is completed, it will still have been the best use of the gifts of life we were given by Allah, the One God, creator of everything and beyond.

At the end, that is the only viewer who can award us the ultimate prize…. knowing that we lived the happiest, most colors-filled, joyful, love-spreading life we possibly could have. Thank you, God.

#IMRAN #art #life #painting #style #philosophy #God #Allah #gratitude #blessed #LifeCoach #inspiration #nature #creativity #IMHO #farewell #universe

Friday, September 01, 2023

(CAUTION) Sticking My Neck Out - (20 Hours After I Survived In A Cut-Throat World!) - IMRAN™

Caution, scary image of my face - fine, and a cleaned up 20-hours later view of the incision. That is the maybe 8-inches throat slit where the surgery was done through. I am only sharing it as people asked how it went. I did not post the one from soon after waking up because the cut looks fresh as if I got treated like John Wick.

Honestly, I almost did not make it out alive. But God is kind, and the medical team was great. So, I am still here and you will have to continue to read my stories!

Life is clearly a cut-throat game. I am so grateful for the great medical professionals and technology, the employer provided great medical insurance, and the prayers of each and everyone who cares and loves me. Thank you.

#autobiography, #death, #gratitude, #hospital, #humor, #IMRAN, #ImranAnwar, #insurance, #iPhone, #JohnWick, #life, #neardeath, #surgery, #TampaGeneralHospital, #Tampa, #Florida, #TGH

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Hurricane Decked My Dock, Bored My Boardwalk, Even At Lowest Tide Hour; But I’m Grateful - IMRAN™

Hurricane Decked My Dock, Bored My Boardwalk, Even At Lowest Tide Hour; But I’m Grateful - IMRAN ™ Even with the lowest tide time of 7:51 am, the super full moon and storm surge meant the water got higher than normal high tides. It was strong enough to be destroying my beautiful dock in front of my eyes as I watched at 8 AM. Kennedy & K2 were with ne as I inspected my home and property this morning. Six more hours before full high tide and much stronger winds coming, the dock destruction wasn’t complete yet. Luckily the wind wasn’t as destructive and fast as possible until later, or it would have been far worse. I am sure the directly hit areas fared much worse. Even with this damage, I am grateful to be so blessed, fortunate to be spared the worst of the wrath of nature.

#IMRAN #Florida#ApolloBeach #TampaBay #hurricane#destruction #storm #weather #home#gratitude #GSD #dogs#GermanShepherds

See less

Hurricane At Lowest Tide, Not Terrible Wind, Still Overfills Tampa Bay Apollo Beach Florida - IMRAN™

I’ve been blessed to sit through several major hurricanes at my blessed home on Tampa Bay, Florida for the last dozen years. Post neck surgery, and with two large German Shepherds, it would have been impractical to evacuate anyway as this latest one hit the state. Kennedy & K2 are curious about what’s going on. You’ve seen videos of them jumping off this empty lot on to the sand. Right now, even at lowest tide time, and without any terrible wind, the water is easily coming on to the lot. My home is taking a hit of a different kind that I’ll post later.

Sunday, August 20, 2023

Kennedy, K2, & I On Fabulous Florida Weekend With Drone Following - IMRAN™

Monday, February 20, 2023

Kennedy & K2 Bonding At Wolfe Home Third Day Of Meeting & Coming Home - IMRAN™

I had to be away briefly on the third day of bringing K2 home to Apollo Beach, Florida. K2 had immediately bonded with Kennedy even on the first night they met and stayed with me. But this adorable video shows K2’s nonstop, fearless & fun nature, and Kennedy’s loving, gentle & playful personality. My beautiful neighbors, Shelley & her daughters, took such good care of them those 2 days both dogs love them like family. Their dog Riley is a bundle of every too. They sent me this video and more.

Monday, August 29, 2022

Please Partake Pretty Pink Pastels Perfect Personal Paradise Phone Pano Presentation - IMRAN™

Please Partake Pretty Pink Pastels Perfect Personal Paradise Phone Pano Presentation - IMRAN™

Just take a deep breath and walk with my dogs and me to my dock. Come with me and savor last evening’s perfect pink and blue pastel shades spanning the sky at Apollo Beach on Tampa Bay. Soak in the sweet magic of nature you’ll love being covered in.

Facebook shows full sphere panorama pictures but it doesn’t display my fun 360x360 videos. So I’m sharing the flat vertical view by key framing the best parts of the full view. It was tranquil but you can hear some wind.

#Florida, #TampaBay, #ApolloBeach, #IMRAN, #sunset, #Maghreb, #360x360, , #HDR, #clouds, #dusk, #shadows, #magic, #miracles, #gratitude, #blessed, #swimmingpool, #homesweethome, #Insta360, #GSD, #germanshepherds , #boardwalk #architecture, #boating,

Sunday, August 14, 2022

God's Million Painting In One Sunset Tampa Bay (Timelapse Music Video) - IMRAN™

**Please enjoy on the largest screen you can see it on, with audio.**

Each sunset photo I have ever posted of Tampa Bay Florida sunsets, I often called them paintings by God. Well, this 30-seconds music video Nikon D850 timelapse of a 90-minutes sunset & dusk will show you a million paintings and colors.

Both the original music clip created for this video and the video itself are by yours truly - but the miracles are all by the Almighty God to whom I bow my head in prayer and gratitude five times a day, especially at Maghreb as the sun sets.

Arabic	Hebrew	Polish
Bulgarian	Hindi	Portuguese
Catalan	Hmong Daw	Romanian
Chinese Simplified	Hungarian	Russian
Chinese Traditional	Indonesian	Slovak
Czech	Italian	Slovenian
Danish	Japanese	Spanish
Dutch	Klingon	Swedish
English	Korean	Thai
Estonian	Latvian	Turkish
Finnish	Lithuanian	Ukrainian
French	Malay	Urdu
German	Maltese	Vietnamese
Greek	Norwegian	Welsh
Haitian Creole	Persian

Arabic	Hebrew	Polish
Bulgarian	Hindi	Portuguese
Catalan	Hmong Daw	Romanian
Chinese Simplified	Hungarian	Russian
Chinese Traditional	Indonesian	Slovak
Czech	Italian	Slovenian
Danish	Japanese	Spanish
Dutch	Klingon	Swedish
English	Korean	Thai
Estonian	Latvian	Turkish
Finnish	Lithuanian	Ukrainian
French	Malay	Urdu
German	Maltese	Vietnamese
Greek	Norwegian	Welsh
Haitian Creole	Persian

Arabic	Hebrew	Polish
Bulgarian	Hindi	Portuguese
Catalan	Hmong Daw	Romanian
Chinese Simplified	Hungarian	Russian
Chinese Traditional	Indonesian	Slovak
Czech	Italian	Slovenian
Danish	Japanese	Spanish
Dutch	Klingon	Swedish
English	Korean	Thai
Estonian	Latvian	Turkish
Finnish	Lithuanian	Ukrainian
French	Malay	Urdu
German	Maltese	Vietnamese
Greek	Norwegian	Welsh
Haitian Creole	Persian