I was pondering over my routine; a schedule so deeply entrenched in me by now, that everytime I am on a vacation, the body initially fails to respond; as I sipped at my piping hot coffee. Well, except for the fact that I didnt have to handle the daily vagaries of my boring office life and no weekend rounds of bridge to look forward to, not much was different. Ofcourse, the food tasted way better but then food has stopped the existential motivation it used to be.
What was I missing then? Why did it feel incomplete even though the heart said this is much better? Since when did I start things about Bangalore? Sumthing was ticking me off but I couldn't pinpoint what it was.
As I downed the last sip of my perfect coffee; it dawned on me.... Things were just picture perfect. They were as I hoped they would be. The net worked fine and the channels shifted as I wished. Food was yummmmmmm and coffees just about right. There was no bungling in the washing of clothes or ironing either. Life was in order; sumthing unthought of when u stay alone.
I was missing Ram, our servant dude with attitude.... I was missing the saccharine sweet tea or extra large pegs he poured when we drank... Missed the dal which tasted like chicken curry and vice versa; clothes being bungled and sorted out with great difficulty has been an amazingly engrossing activity now for the past 2+ years. I was used to my ironed clothes never makign it back to my closet and the fights and scoldings to Ram that followed.
Coming to think of it, I was missing the chaos and the order that exists within one. This chaos is self-prophesised and is inborn in most people that stay away. Dirtiness is a constant companion... we feel incomplete without filth around.. CLothes and papers lying around provide a cushion. We detest great food....Maggi with eggs is divine. We dont watch TV for the entertainment it provides... rather we entertain ourselves based on what we see and the fights we have to watch something specific.
Staying away from home makes you a different person; for better or worse.... Its a whole new world. As Ronald McDonald says, " I'm lovin it".........
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Wish-lists
Getting bored doing nothing can do strange things to people... To me, it gives a free license to Orkut and catch up with and on my friends... Reading blogs is another fun thing that I indulge in. Recently came across a sinfully wishful one: well what else can one expect from something thats tagged as a wish-list; wild fantasies and crazy out-of the world dreams. I thought," WOW!!! this should be fun"... SO heres my list.... in no particular order of relevance or reality:
- I wish I never heard of all the possible vices that surround us and grip our zest for life. i feel everyone should get a chance and opportunity to do what they wish in life and make this world a slightly better place to inhabitate.
- I wish I can have every falvor of ice-creams and chocolates available all across the length and breadth of this planet.
- I wish I could play all my favorite sports with my all time favorite players evry evening (Cricket with Sachin, Soccer with Ronaldinho, Tennis with Agassi, F1 with Schumi, Basketball with Jordan, Badminton with the Chinese champs, Baseball with PEdro Martinez, Running with Michael Johnson, Golf with Tiger.... oh boy !!!! this list can keep running for pages)
- I wish I can taste every available form of booze and be a big-time connoisseur and be able to distinguish spirits just for the sight and smell of it. As an aside, probably try evry known cocktail to mankind.
- Make enough money to own a fleet of Ferraris and drive around town in a different car every day.
- Slim down to great shape; by basic simplicty of Math- lose 4 inches around the waist and get 1.5 times of that in length.
- Never hurt anyone physically, mentally or verbally even by mistake.
- Have all the coolest gadgets that are invented till date and for once, have them and know the use of each.
- I wish I can fly once in a while if I am too tired to walk or drive around.
- I would like to be a major team man in whatever projects my team has to deliver; I like being a team leader than a contributor.
- I wanna be able to be the most flexible guy in the world and be able to dance any known dance form known to mankind.
- I wish I marry the girl of my dreams and have the most cutest adorable kids on the face of the earth.
- I really wish point #12 comes true.
- I wish I give up my procrastinating habits and be more responsible.
- I wish I can meet/see every species of animals/birds/insects and play with them if possible. (hope the tiger never catches me in pakda-pakdi)
- I wish I could be Spiderman for a few days... he is way too cool.
- I wish to write the worlds most famous book on sher-o-shayari and wax eloquence on all big forums on poetry.
- I wish to possess the most sensous touch any man could ever have.
- I wish I can finally whistle better than my mom; possibly as good as Saroj Khan.
- I wish the battery of my cells gets charged just by mere touch..
- I wish to be well known as an asset to society(in real terms) even after my prescence has left the scene.
- I wish to die on my own free will (like my mistake, in my sleep) rather than as a mishap effected by someone's stupidity.
- I wish...........
Thursday, November 09, 2006
9/11 to 11/9
Of course, forgot to mention that we have to count a few years in between and then thank someone (some one if you dont blieve in God) that these were only a few years in between. Well, for latecomers... 9/11 unravelled the ugly face of so-called Jihad and 11/9 marked the first public defeat for the subsequent policies pursued by Dubya ever since in over a decade).
Bush ran over the middle east like a raging bull out to trample world peace to tithers cos the best looking building in US of A was screwed up; supposedly by people from the Taliban. At the rate that he was going.... trouncing Iraq and pointing his nukes next on the Iran and what not; soon there would have been distinct possibilities of really remote american states cropping up. I mean how much trouble is it really to create a few more stars amidst the stripes.
Whether this irreverent war was for oil supremacy or spreading Chrsitianity or just the superflous fantasies of a few crazed minds would never be known, atleast not officially. But carnage; it has been. Iraq burns everyday and american troops and locals and rebels all keep the fire burning. The world is definitely not any more safer :U K bombings followed by Bombay blasts and ever present Gazza strips troubles effectively rule out those arguements.
The only thing that has increased is hate. We are mroe aware of it now and at some point or the other we indulge in it. We hate Pakistani terrorists and they hate RAW. There is no love lost between Tamils tigers and SL admin. Palestine and Israel really are nowhere close to amiable solution. Americans hate the whole world; atleast tthose parts which do no generate any profits for them.
Whats the solution if any? Honestly, I would love to make a commentary on this but myself highly dwarfed and inadequate to comment on such a complex query. The only thing I can preach is something I practise. I do not hold prejuidices, definitely try to avoid biases and treat each individual as a friend. Though adopting a similar stance for a population with diverse concerns and interests is impossible; a sincere attempt to this effect might help.
Till then, I only dread we are not done with our golbal share of 9/11's.
Bush ran over the middle east like a raging bull out to trample world peace to tithers cos the best looking building in US of A was screwed up; supposedly by people from the Taliban. At the rate that he was going.... trouncing Iraq and pointing his nukes next on the Iran and what not; soon there would have been distinct possibilities of really remote american states cropping up. I mean how much trouble is it really to create a few more stars amidst the stripes.
Whether this irreverent war was for oil supremacy or spreading Chrsitianity or just the superflous fantasies of a few crazed minds would never be known, atleast not officially. But carnage; it has been. Iraq burns everyday and american troops and locals and rebels all keep the fire burning. The world is definitely not any more safer :U K bombings followed by Bombay blasts and ever present Gazza strips troubles effectively rule out those arguements.
The only thing that has increased is hate. We are mroe aware of it now and at some point or the other we indulge in it. We hate Pakistani terrorists and they hate RAW. There is no love lost between Tamils tigers and SL admin. Palestine and Israel really are nowhere close to amiable solution. Americans hate the whole world; atleast tthose parts which do no generate any profits for them.
Whats the solution if any? Honestly, I would love to make a commentary on this but myself highly dwarfed and inadequate to comment on such a complex query. The only thing I can preach is something I practise. I do not hold prejuidices, definitely try to avoid biases and treat each individual as a friend. Though adopting a similar stance for a population with diverse concerns and interests is impossible; a sincere attempt to this effect might help.
Till then, I only dread we are not done with our golbal share of 9/11's.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
To Bombay and the spirit of life...
Once a Bombaiitte always one... I have heard this more than N no. of times from various people and believed it from the depths of my heart. Yet, when time and again I am asked why is Bombay so special or different, I flounder to answer.
I fail to explain to people the romance of the touch generated from being cramped up in a train full of sweaty people; bodies brushing violently, bad breath causing havoc to your internals and maintaining the Maharaja smile as if this was the first perfect date of your life. I cannot explain why the pani-puris taste better in an inverse ratio to the cleanliness of the Bhaaiyya. Jostling under the burning sun, waging wars on the cricket battlefield for vada-pav and coke is un-understandable according to most normal logical reasonings.
So what exactly is this Bombay Spirit.. Is it only visible in face of a calamity? Is there something real thats kind of quanitfiable? Time and again, I read this phrase and get thinking....
And always the answers have been euphorically the same. Bombay has a different existence and it gets mixed in a lil bit with blood streams of evry individual tht stays here.. Longer the stay greater the influence... This is one city that teaches you the real value of life; not necessarily living. Every life that belongs to kith and kin is treasured and every thing else is expendable depending on the situation. Losses are mourned over but only till the time that they dont mix with your money-minting capabilities. There is a price tag attached to evry action, every person and happiness though not necessarily measurable is supposed to be a good enough ROI.
Thus, any and every individual lives in Bombay on the following principles.
I would try to be happy, enjoy my life and do what I please. If my family and friends are involved in this the happiness quotient is trigerred a bit further. All strangers by default are friends bonded by the sameness of the trains or buses. If they are in discomfort I would try to be nice to them; only if I dont sacrifice a larger chunk of my share of niceness and happiness. If the dangers are catastrophic or calamatic, then I wouldn't mind reducing my nicety to a bare minimum. I would compete and strive for greatness by hook or crook; only as long as others can avail the same degrees of crookedness. I would, at large partake in all religious activities with equal fervor; one as it lets me hang my hair down, simultaneously increasing my happiness quotient and also keep the economy bustling; again increasing happiness for quite a few businesses and business-people.
ALL in ALL... this is the essence of the BOMBAY spirit as I have known till date...
We love happiness and would go an extra mile to achieve that. We realize that true happiness stems from the fact that most if not all are happy and we strive for that as well. We are not super-humans and we are hurt too; but lying low and spreading melancholy would just enhance the spectre of gloom and hence we put a brave front to adversity.
Being HAPPY is being a Bombaiitte....
As rightly said: "Jara haske jara bachke.. ye hai bumbai meri jaan"...........
I fail to explain to people the romance of the touch generated from being cramped up in a train full of sweaty people; bodies brushing violently, bad breath causing havoc to your internals and maintaining the Maharaja smile as if this was the first perfect date of your life. I cannot explain why the pani-puris taste better in an inverse ratio to the cleanliness of the Bhaaiyya. Jostling under the burning sun, waging wars on the cricket battlefield for vada-pav and coke is un-understandable according to most normal logical reasonings.
So what exactly is this Bombay Spirit.. Is it only visible in face of a calamity? Is there something real thats kind of quanitfiable? Time and again, I read this phrase and get thinking....
And always the answers have been euphorically the same. Bombay has a different existence and it gets mixed in a lil bit with blood streams of evry individual tht stays here.. Longer the stay greater the influence... This is one city that teaches you the real value of life; not necessarily living. Every life that belongs to kith and kin is treasured and every thing else is expendable depending on the situation. Losses are mourned over but only till the time that they dont mix with your money-minting capabilities. There is a price tag attached to evry action, every person and happiness though not necessarily measurable is supposed to be a good enough ROI.
Thus, any and every individual lives in Bombay on the following principles.
I would try to be happy, enjoy my life and do what I please. If my family and friends are involved in this the happiness quotient is trigerred a bit further. All strangers by default are friends bonded by the sameness of the trains or buses. If they are in discomfort I would try to be nice to them; only if I dont sacrifice a larger chunk of my share of niceness and happiness. If the dangers are catastrophic or calamatic, then I wouldn't mind reducing my nicety to a bare minimum. I would compete and strive for greatness by hook or crook; only as long as others can avail the same degrees of crookedness. I would, at large partake in all religious activities with equal fervor; one as it lets me hang my hair down, simultaneously increasing my happiness quotient and also keep the economy bustling; again increasing happiness for quite a few businesses and business-people.
ALL in ALL... this is the essence of the BOMBAY spirit as I have known till date...
We love happiness and would go an extra mile to achieve that. We realize that true happiness stems from the fact that most if not all are happy and we strive for that as well. We are not super-humans and we are hurt too; but lying low and spreading melancholy would just enhance the spectre of gloom and hence we put a brave front to adversity.
Being HAPPY is being a Bombaiitte....
As rightly said: "Jara haske jara bachke.. ye hai bumbai meri jaan"...........
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Nightmares come true....
Tuesday was like any other normal, mundane ultra boring workday; the likes of which I have endured countless times for the past 2-3 yrs. Traffic on the roads made me recollect my worst nightmares of being trapped in bottomless pits and staying put till eternity gobbles me away.
Finally, after yomen struggle and tugs and pulls, I landed at work... the dress looking evry bit as tattered as a crumpled love letter which the heart-broken lover couldn't tear apart cos it had his sweetheart's name. Hair disshelved; I turned on my PC hoping there was no work slated for the day so that I could go catch the Pak-SL match. However, by now, i should have realized that I am not the one chosen for small favors.
Work and crappy one at that was queued up. It was gonna be a long day. I started, grudingly sifting through files and updating the documents, gathering metrics and doing whatnot rushing through my work. Combined breakfast with lunch to avoid time wastage and kept an eye on the watch as the sun started it journey back to Darkness center. 7:15 was the last shuttle and I was not going to risk it. I had already paid the price for being too dedicated to the job the other night, shelling 200 bucks to get home.
Thats when the mail trickled in. One of my worst fears was unfolding thru those black letters. The VOLVO that carried me daily... riding more its luck than the wheels, teasing death not only for us but also the roadside commuters had finally cracked under pressure. What was always a what if kinda fear was finally a dark reality.
The mail read: 2 dead and 20 injured in a VOLVO bus crash at HAL. Irate mob burns down the bus. The road is closed.
Mob fury had reared it ugly head following this incident. Commuters were stranded on either sides of the city and a normal journey that takes 45 minutes was excruciatingly slowed down to a 2 hr experience. Poor commuters nd people on the road were subject to inconvinience for someone whose life -mantra might hv insipred folks @ Need for Speed (NFS) center. My travelling nightmare ws no more just tht...
Finally, after yomen struggle and tugs and pulls, I landed at work... the dress looking evry bit as tattered as a crumpled love letter which the heart-broken lover couldn't tear apart cos it had his sweetheart's name. Hair disshelved; I turned on my PC hoping there was no work slated for the day so that I could go catch the Pak-SL match. However, by now, i should have realized that I am not the one chosen for small favors.
Work and crappy one at that was queued up. It was gonna be a long day. I started, grudingly sifting through files and updating the documents, gathering metrics and doing whatnot rushing through my work. Combined breakfast with lunch to avoid time wastage and kept an eye on the watch as the sun started it journey back to Darkness center. 7:15 was the last shuttle and I was not going to risk it. I had already paid the price for being too dedicated to the job the other night, shelling 200 bucks to get home.
Thats when the mail trickled in. One of my worst fears was unfolding thru those black letters. The VOLVO that carried me daily... riding more its luck than the wheels, teasing death not only for us but also the roadside commuters had finally cracked under pressure. What was always a what if kinda fear was finally a dark reality.
The mail read: 2 dead and 20 injured in a VOLVO bus crash at HAL. Irate mob burns down the bus. The road is closed.
Mob fury had reared it ugly head following this incident. Commuters were stranded on either sides of the city and a normal journey that takes 45 minutes was excruciatingly slowed down to a 2 hr experience. Poor commuters nd people on the road were subject to inconvinience for someone whose life -mantra might hv insipred folks @ Need for Speed (NFS) center. My travelling nightmare ws no more just tht...
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Sleepy as Hell
I am so terribly sleepy that I may drop dead on the keyboard. Well, if you smarties out there are gonna suggest that I take a break or sneak a nap, you are getting a snare from me... Cause it would mean that you folks take me to be a dimwit who wouldnt have identified this most commonest of solutions and implemented it by now.
The problem is my boss doesnt sleep at work and consequently we assume we are not allowed either. Moreover, he inherits this Gandhian activity of walking long distances, especially after lunch thereby killing the iota of chance we may have had to catch a few winks.
Coming to think of it: Why does it always happen after lunch? I have always maintained that I dont hog. Kisika Chutta Kisiki Daulat syndrome u see... OK, I pig out on food but then on weekends when I am with friends I dont feel sleepy. Why does thus disaster strike only on weekdays then? GO figure...
Again the tastier the food the greater the urgency and urge to sleep. Wonder if theres any scope for a PhD to establish the hypothesis and relativity between tasty food and sleep... Also find the co-relation between unavailability of sleep when you really yearn for it. We can make it wholesome by adding components like global application of this phenomena.
OK, here are the queries tht can b explained:
Why does sleep strike more hard after lunch than dinner?
Who tells the brain that the tummy just had lunch and not dinner?
How does this sleep strike harder when its more tougher to get it?
What is the best way to prevent the happening of this occurence; especially if you are sure that the boss is gonna b strolling ard?
When shall we overcome our submission to this force of nature?
Am I done with the 5 Y's... Have I kept writing through my boss' trips to my cubicle....
I guess I did...
Till tomorrow; when the pangs of food strike me again and the snakes of sleep girdle ard my eyes.. Khuda Hafiz....
The problem is my boss doesnt sleep at work and consequently we assume we are not allowed either. Moreover, he inherits this Gandhian activity of walking long distances, especially after lunch thereby killing the iota of chance we may have had to catch a few winks.
Coming to think of it: Why does it always happen after lunch? I have always maintained that I dont hog. Kisika Chutta Kisiki Daulat syndrome u see... OK, I pig out on food but then on weekends when I am with friends I dont feel sleepy. Why does thus disaster strike only on weekdays then? GO figure...
Again the tastier the food the greater the urgency and urge to sleep. Wonder if theres any scope for a PhD to establish the hypothesis and relativity between tasty food and sleep... Also find the co-relation between unavailability of sleep when you really yearn for it. We can make it wholesome by adding components like global application of this phenomena.
OK, here are the queries tht can b explained:
Why does sleep strike more hard after lunch than dinner?
Who tells the brain that the tummy just had lunch and not dinner?
How does this sleep strike harder when its more tougher to get it?
What is the best way to prevent the happening of this occurence; especially if you are sure that the boss is gonna b strolling ard?
When shall we overcome our submission to this force of nature?
Am I done with the 5 Y's... Have I kept writing through my boss' trips to my cubicle....
I guess I did...
Till tomorrow; when the pangs of food strike me again and the snakes of sleep girdle ard my eyes.. Khuda Hafiz....
Friday, September 29, 2006
Orkutting. Am I Safe???
PS:
I havent gotten time to scan thru the books and Gandhigiri-Part2 would take some time to come.. sorry about that.
I am very sure most of you have been zapped over by Orkut at some level... most probably, you have landed on my blog thanks to it. So is it really what it promised to be... That divine intervention that made boundaries disappear and got you back with your old friends or is it a new threat to personal information and identitification theft.
The changes and subtle variations in orkut have been startling since the day I started using it (since a year almost). At first, they happened at an extremely slow rate and were hugely cosmetic in nature. However, today finally the true colors or atleast the most preliminary shade of it has come to light... Finally we see on the side lines stuff that gets GOOGLE (orkut ka parent org.) its bread and butter. Sponsored ads.....
Is Orkut as safe as before,,, anymore???? Was it really a very safe medium ever??? I mean there have always been threats like Cloning of Ids, spamming of scrap books, Invitation to weird communities etc... and now this...
This is like that preliminary question " Is science a boon or bane" taken to an even microscopic level.. Is Orkut a necessary evil or the likes...
It has definitely done for me what none of the communication mediums ever did.. Gotten me in touch with long lost buddies, my alma mater and my college memories have been refreshed. It also opened up my mind to a whole new gamut of friends who share my likes and dislikes and all this for free... Total cost; except for the net connection (which is free at work neways); zilch.. But this is about me...Sumone that treats it as an amazing communication bridge. What kind of power does it accord to spamsters and hackers who have devilish ideas on their mind? How safe is my identity and how secure my relations with friends (if sumone is hell bent on screwin it up)??? Where are the folks who may plan these dastardly acts???
ARE THESE NEW ADS THE FINAL STRAW IN THE BREAKDOWN AND CHEAP DISTRIBUTION OF MY RESERVED AND SUPPOSED TO B PRESERVED PRIVATE INFO???
AM I REALLY REALLY SAFE...
I havent gotten time to scan thru the books and Gandhigiri-Part2 would take some time to come.. sorry about that.
I am very sure most of you have been zapped over by Orkut at some level... most probably, you have landed on my blog thanks to it. So is it really what it promised to be... That divine intervention that made boundaries disappear and got you back with your old friends or is it a new threat to personal information and identitification theft.
The changes and subtle variations in orkut have been startling since the day I started using it (since a year almost). At first, they happened at an extremely slow rate and were hugely cosmetic in nature. However, today finally the true colors or atleast the most preliminary shade of it has come to light... Finally we see on the side lines stuff that gets GOOGLE (orkut ka parent org.) its bread and butter. Sponsored ads.....
Is Orkut as safe as before,,, anymore???? Was it really a very safe medium ever??? I mean there have always been threats like Cloning of Ids, spamming of scrap books, Invitation to weird communities etc... and now this...
This is like that preliminary question " Is science a boon or bane" taken to an even microscopic level.. Is Orkut a necessary evil or the likes...
It has definitely done for me what none of the communication mediums ever did.. Gotten me in touch with long lost buddies, my alma mater and my college memories have been refreshed. It also opened up my mind to a whole new gamut of friends who share my likes and dislikes and all this for free... Total cost; except for the net connection (which is free at work neways); zilch.. But this is about me...Sumone that treats it as an amazing communication bridge. What kind of power does it accord to spamsters and hackers who have devilish ideas on their mind? How safe is my identity and how secure my relations with friends (if sumone is hell bent on screwin it up)??? Where are the folks who may plan these dastardly acts???
ARE THESE NEW ADS THE FINAL STRAW IN THE BREAKDOWN AND CHEAP DISTRIBUTION OF MY RESERVED AND SUPPOSED TO B PRESERVED PRIVATE INFO???
AM I REALLY REALLY SAFE...
Monday, September 18, 2006
Gandhigiri.. Bole to...Part One
Yes, the title makes it apparent that I have witnessed the spectacle dubbed " Lage raho..Munnabhai.." and yes... I was quite impressed too.
Firstly, the movie achieves what every single flick thats ever released strives for; Keeping the audience engrossed for the entire duration of its run. It was a kind of Sachin innings where you watch it entirely for the class of batsmanship regardless for the team he plays for or the result of the match or the missed opportunities to nail him early.
Second and more importantly; it got me thinking on one of my most favorite personal conflict; Was Gandhi really a saint? The fashion in which Gandhi's ideals are propogated without sounding too preachy or makin them look extremely card-boardish is a tribute to excellent film-making. Raju Hirani, take a bow.
So what exactly is Gandhigiri... why was it so powerful... why could it manage to sway the entire world...is it relevant today...if yes, how exactly.... These are very profound queries. Several Phd's may have been awarded for researching this one human existence on this planet and still we would barely have actually scratched, even the surface...
I have always been fascinated by the perception afforded to Gandhi in history; He has always been quoted as the architect of Indian freedom movement but then progessively his stature has deteriorated to that of an oppressor of Hindus, a man responsible for partition and the aftermath of it, a man so manipulative that even all his greatest doctorines have been rendered complete wastes, a man who should have been shot much earlier and his killer being hailed as a saviour. I have seen extremes of opinion about many things ranging from ecstacy to abhoration (classic example being the performance of our cricket team) but hardly ever have i seen such tilts in opinion about a man so highly placed in public memory.
I must admit that I m no scholar on the life and works of Gandhi and the two books I have drawn reference to forming an opinion about him are his own autobiography about his experiments with truth and a book titled : " Gandhi: a sublime failure".
What follows is my opinion on the phenom that was once fondly and now forcibly called " Father of the nation"
Gandhi started his life as an ordinary guy with limited aspirations and even feebler strength to achieve those. The one and only great influence on his life was that of his very pious, religious mom and a superbly well-balanced, truth loving dad. These individuals moulded Mohandas to be an honest man if nothing else. Gandhis aspirations were to emulate Shravan ( a great son who carried his blind parents on his shoulders so that they could visit all major religious centers in their lifetime). This was his ultimate driving force and all his actions and misadventures were aimed at that goal from early on.
Neither was this boy perfect as the image that has been created suggests. Gandhi mentions the various supposed fallacies of his charcter in great detail (stealing gold, smoking, eating meat and enjoying it, etc.) The fact was these were subsided by his effort to sparkle in his parents eyes. Most of the so-called decisions to quit or give up these habits was steeped in the same. Bole to... there was a definitive goal to raise in the eyes of ones parents rather than the righteousness of the act itself that motivated Gandhi a lot.
To his credit, Gandhi always took extreme care to stand true to himself and his beliefs. This, sometimes even at the risk of knowing the potentiality of the imminent failure. This quality kinda defined him as a person. His immense belief in God, his penchant for being righteous and the value he put on following it to the core transformed him from an ordinarily good guy to a Mahatma (saint). This aspect sharpened his other angles too. How it worked wonders for India is one of the most fascinating aspects of history.
(In the second part, I would try to comment on what Gandhism truly meant and how much of it is relevant)
Firstly, the movie achieves what every single flick thats ever released strives for; Keeping the audience engrossed for the entire duration of its run. It was a kind of Sachin innings where you watch it entirely for the class of batsmanship regardless for the team he plays for or the result of the match or the missed opportunities to nail him early.
Second and more importantly; it got me thinking on one of my most favorite personal conflict; Was Gandhi really a saint? The fashion in which Gandhi's ideals are propogated without sounding too preachy or makin them look extremely card-boardish is a tribute to excellent film-making. Raju Hirani, take a bow.
So what exactly is Gandhigiri... why was it so powerful... why could it manage to sway the entire world...is it relevant today...if yes, how exactly.... These are very profound queries. Several Phd's may have been awarded for researching this one human existence on this planet and still we would barely have actually scratched, even the surface...
I have always been fascinated by the perception afforded to Gandhi in history; He has always been quoted as the architect of Indian freedom movement but then progessively his stature has deteriorated to that of an oppressor of Hindus, a man responsible for partition and the aftermath of it, a man so manipulative that even all his greatest doctorines have been rendered complete wastes, a man who should have been shot much earlier and his killer being hailed as a saviour. I have seen extremes of opinion about many things ranging from ecstacy to abhoration (classic example being the performance of our cricket team) but hardly ever have i seen such tilts in opinion about a man so highly placed in public memory.
I must admit that I m no scholar on the life and works of Gandhi and the two books I have drawn reference to forming an opinion about him are his own autobiography about his experiments with truth and a book titled : " Gandhi: a sublime failure".
What follows is my opinion on the phenom that was once fondly and now forcibly called " Father of the nation"
Gandhi started his life as an ordinary guy with limited aspirations and even feebler strength to achieve those. The one and only great influence on his life was that of his very pious, religious mom and a superbly well-balanced, truth loving dad. These individuals moulded Mohandas to be an honest man if nothing else. Gandhis aspirations were to emulate Shravan ( a great son who carried his blind parents on his shoulders so that they could visit all major religious centers in their lifetime). This was his ultimate driving force and all his actions and misadventures were aimed at that goal from early on.
Neither was this boy perfect as the image that has been created suggests. Gandhi mentions the various supposed fallacies of his charcter in great detail (stealing gold, smoking, eating meat and enjoying it, etc.) The fact was these were subsided by his effort to sparkle in his parents eyes. Most of the so-called decisions to quit or give up these habits was steeped in the same. Bole to... there was a definitive goal to raise in the eyes of ones parents rather than the righteousness of the act itself that motivated Gandhi a lot.
To his credit, Gandhi always took extreme care to stand true to himself and his beliefs. This, sometimes even at the risk of knowing the potentiality of the imminent failure. This quality kinda defined him as a person. His immense belief in God, his penchant for being righteous and the value he put on following it to the core transformed him from an ordinarily good guy to a Mahatma (saint). This aspect sharpened his other angles too. How it worked wonders for India is one of the most fascinating aspects of history.
(In the second part, I would try to comment on what Gandhism truly meant and how much of it is relevant)
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Who plays cricket in the rains???
Apparently , Indians and Sri Lankans do. And they are smart enough to rope in South Africa to partcipate in this utterly diabolical plans. SL is as good as the southern tip of India and it pretty much rains there 24/7 as if the clouds out there have a perpetually bad bladder.
(Assumed conversation between officials)
So, we plan a soccer tourney; right? I mean rains dont really affect soccer as much as other sports... Nah, dude thats Boring...Lets plan a real skill challenge. Lets make our cricketers toil it out in the damp, humid conditions. Yuvi and Gibbs would look hot with dew drops dripping down their foreheads, you see...
But there is a good chance that play may be washed out? Good for us... Lets hope its not too bad and we can snick in a 20-20 tournament under the pseudonym of the ODI challenge and Indian team draws a crowd even on the Antartic.
How do we compensate if there is a washout? Duh!!! havent you ever heard of insurance folks. Mention India and cricket and they would come running to insure even that nugget you are diggin out of your nose buddy. In Ten sports, we have the worlds most lucrative oil rich company splurging money on whatever and whoever we show and then this is India...
Oh I get the point... Whatever be the occasion we just ensure India is participating right??? There you are.... As I have already said; it takes just a clear vision to be enlightened...
Sir, one more doubt... Any way we can sneak India in the soccer world cup.....????????????????
(Assumed conversation between officials)
So, we plan a soccer tourney; right? I mean rains dont really affect soccer as much as other sports... Nah, dude thats Boring...Lets plan a real skill challenge. Lets make our cricketers toil it out in the damp, humid conditions. Yuvi and Gibbs would look hot with dew drops dripping down their foreheads, you see...
But there is a good chance that play may be washed out? Good for us... Lets hope its not too bad and we can snick in a 20-20 tournament under the pseudonym of the ODI challenge and Indian team draws a crowd even on the Antartic.
How do we compensate if there is a washout? Duh!!! havent you ever heard of insurance folks. Mention India and cricket and they would come running to insure even that nugget you are diggin out of your nose buddy. In Ten sports, we have the worlds most lucrative oil rich company splurging money on whatever and whoever we show and then this is India...
Oh I get the point... Whatever be the occasion we just ensure India is participating right??? There you are.... As I have already said; it takes just a clear vision to be enlightened...
Sir, one more doubt... Any way we can sneak India in the soccer world cup.....????????????????
Missin GANU
Nah... Not like crying and singing " Ne majhsi ne" and all... nor is my divine altercation with my favorite diety shattered. I dont know if I am agnostic or atheist or a hardcore Hindu at heart. I do believe in some sort of a higher power and that is where it ends...
Whats so attractive about Ganapati then; you ask me???
Well, for starters ... how many people can carry off such a rotound tum with so much aplomb and look so cool... Who else can claim to have made a mouse look cute and eating heap loads of fat (read ghee) filled ladoos into a fashion statement. So lets give credit where it is due. Either we accept Ganesh and/or his creator (if such a being could be traced out) as super cool, uber smooth, utterly dear a fashion icon, a la, Teddy or accept that you dont like really utterly cuddly wuddly woosh woosh ad wala kiddos...
For me, He is more of a sub-conscious mein present buddy. Whenever I feel low I talk to myself and sometimes I vent out my anger at frustrations and anger on Him... saying how comes he manages to screw me up all da time... Luckily, if he is the power tht people claim him to be, then he surely is sensible and patient with it cos I havent been taken to the cleaners even once. And if he isnt really there then I would like to tip my hat off to the brilliant artist who ceonceptualized the entire story board for Ganapati.
But leaving that aside, Ganesh Chaturthi has always been a special moment of my childhood years cos tht was one time; two days of pure unadulterated fun. All cousins; all part of my humungo family gathered at Kaka's house and ran riot. Pulling each others legs and singing dancing the norm de rigeur. One other uncle had the video player and we literally ate, drank and slept SHOLAY and JAWS subah and shaam... Sumtimes my Bal buddhi wondered if we came here to celebrate the video player or the festival... Growin up those 2 days were the most awaited and cherished days of my years. Stories emerged and carried over to many Ganapatis later on finally achieving legendary status...
Since 2000, my participation has been highly reduced in this family get together. The only significant chance of catching up with friends and family goes to waste every year. I keep missin this chance and keep reflecting on those magic moments. I am not too fond of the exorbitant and vulgar display of affection showered on Ganapati in street pandals and mandirs and the likes but somehow I miss those good ol' days when me and him were jus plain buddies, yet basking in the virginal pristinity of selflessness and enjoying the Modaks together...
I miss you, my cuddly buddy...
Whats so attractive about Ganapati then; you ask me???
Well, for starters ... how many people can carry off such a rotound tum with so much aplomb and look so cool... Who else can claim to have made a mouse look cute and eating heap loads of fat (read ghee) filled ladoos into a fashion statement. So lets give credit where it is due. Either we accept Ganesh and/or his creator (if such a being could be traced out) as super cool, uber smooth, utterly dear a fashion icon, a la, Teddy or accept that you dont like really utterly cuddly wuddly woosh woosh ad wala kiddos...
For me, He is more of a sub-conscious mein present buddy. Whenever I feel low I talk to myself and sometimes I vent out my anger at frustrations and anger on Him... saying how comes he manages to screw me up all da time... Luckily, if he is the power tht people claim him to be, then he surely is sensible and patient with it cos I havent been taken to the cleaners even once. And if he isnt really there then I would like to tip my hat off to the brilliant artist who ceonceptualized the entire story board for Ganapati.
But leaving that aside, Ganesh Chaturthi has always been a special moment of my childhood years cos tht was one time; two days of pure unadulterated fun. All cousins; all part of my humungo family gathered at Kaka's house and ran riot. Pulling each others legs and singing dancing the norm de rigeur. One other uncle had the video player and we literally ate, drank and slept SHOLAY and JAWS subah and shaam... Sumtimes my Bal buddhi wondered if we came here to celebrate the video player or the festival... Growin up those 2 days were the most awaited and cherished days of my years. Stories emerged and carried over to many Ganapatis later on finally achieving legendary status...
Since 2000, my participation has been highly reduced in this family get together. The only significant chance of catching up with friends and family goes to waste every year. I keep missin this chance and keep reflecting on those magic moments. I am not too fond of the exorbitant and vulgar display of affection showered on Ganapati in street pandals and mandirs and the likes but somehow I miss those good ol' days when me and him were jus plain buddies, yet basking in the virginal pristinity of selflessness and enjoying the Modaks together...
I miss you, my cuddly buddy...
Thursday, August 10, 2006
My Blogging Personality...
You have a heart of gold, and are likely to blog for a cause.
You're a peaceful blogger - no drama for you!
A good listener and friend, you tend to leave thoughtful comments for others.
Seriously...not kidding... i got it from this site...
http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyourbloggingpersonalityquiz/
u can check ur blogging persona too...
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
My dosage of Marathi.
Saturdays and Sundays need not necessarily be the best days for young single people in cities other than their home-towns. I can vouch for this after having the better part of past 5 odd years in various locations.
Bangalore, for me, is slightly different though. I have already developed a love-hate kinda relation with it and there is nothing about this city that I really peeve or am gung-ho about. Its give me a feeling of being Bombay's younger, not-so-worthy sibling tryin to ape its more illustrous bro.
This city is alive with a basic funda: Maal hai to Taal hai. If you got the money, flash it. If you flash it, the city may dance to your tunes. While the thrill and exhilration provided by this is nice and feels good for sometime; the reality soon dawns on you the day your credit card bills come looking.
Hence after a while Sundays become a dreaded proposition. What to do becomes an existential query rather than a curious prod. Amidst all these problems, this past Sunday came like a breezy dream. A much needed change of plans and monotony. I attended a Marathi get-together.
On the onset, let me confess that I am not a big proponent of the language and my only contribution to it is that I am born into a Mahrashtrian family. So, when my friend invited me and my roomies to attend a marathi get-together of Mahrashtrians in Bangalore, I readily said yes hoping only for some good food and changing my routine.
As always sticking to time-tables is very unIndian. Hence we found ourselves at the doorsteps of the hall with four other people and a bunch of volunteers (my roomie being one of them) right at the stroke of 9 (when we were supposedly gonna start off).
However, this delay was one of the very few blemishes on a day of great fun and candor. Braving the power outage our show started with Ganesh pooja thanks to a power packed generator. What followed this was splendid.
We had a great start to the show with cultural dance followed by a very witty Quiz thereafter. I was ashamed at my shallow knowledge about the language and the state. This was quickly overcome though by the spell binding dance presented again by the same lady who had kicked off the event. Such was the soul of the dance and expressions on her face that we felt transformed to the event she was describing...
The start was nice and hopes had built up. Another surprise was in store when it was announced that a very talented singer is being called in specially from PUNE to help us lose ourselves in a sea of melody. Now; my marathi song database (read, my brain) has a storage of just about 30 songs and this made me a bit apprehensive about how I would like it but to my pleasant surprise; the next hour and half seemed to be a dream. It seemed like the lady knew what song I was aware of and sung just the same. Seemed like a personal juke-box sorta.... Amazing....
By the time this program got over it was past 1 and "Potat Kawale Ordu Lagale Hote". My hunger was further accentuated by an announcement that YUVA- group of earlier settling Bangalore youngsters would be performing a local dance form called " Gaav Gavlan and Batawani". I wasnt too keen on this "social comment come satirical presntation" as my tummy had already started bataving me that breakfast was a distant dream and reality beckoned... But, as if to quiten all my ramblings; I witnessed the spectacle of the day. Very crisp commentary on the social realities coupled with some great acting and even better songs and hot-off-the-pan dialogs, this was a scorcher. The audience forgot their hunger and willed YUVA to go on and on and on... And on and on, they went. Finally wrapping up half past two, we got a much deserved one hr lunch break.
Back from the break; we were all enthu for more and Yuva presented one more masterpiece. This time they enacted the 80's special- Ek aur Anek... That famous animated cartoon with their own twists, turns and choreography. It was great fun. Then came other dances: Folk, filmy and whaateva u can imagine... Interspersed between this was an amazing experiment to garner audience interaction and improve networking of the members through some very intelligent team creation(give seperate color ribbons to participants as they enter so that common frds dont end up on single team..brilliant) and setting up games like JAM, The Wish list and Pencil Sharpening. All in good fun and jest. I believe the lure of Perk was also party responsible though.
This was then followed by some quickfire gift presentations and then the finale: That ever-enthu mad caper " Dhagala Lagali Kala".... Best part of it all... Organizers valued our time and wrapped up this magical evening by 5:30..dot on time....
We had broken the conventional IST punctuality syndrome and I was very proud of it. An amazing day made even sweeter with that saccharine sweet language all around and topped off with amazing punctuality.... HATS OFF.....
Bangalore, for me, is slightly different though. I have already developed a love-hate kinda relation with it and there is nothing about this city that I really peeve or am gung-ho about. Its give me a feeling of being Bombay's younger, not-so-worthy sibling tryin to ape its more illustrous bro.
This city is alive with a basic funda: Maal hai to Taal hai. If you got the money, flash it. If you flash it, the city may dance to your tunes. While the thrill and exhilration provided by this is nice and feels good for sometime; the reality soon dawns on you the day your credit card bills come looking.
Hence after a while Sundays become a dreaded proposition. What to do becomes an existential query rather than a curious prod. Amidst all these problems, this past Sunday came like a breezy dream. A much needed change of plans and monotony. I attended a Marathi get-together.
On the onset, let me confess that I am not a big proponent of the language and my only contribution to it is that I am born into a Mahrashtrian family. So, when my friend invited me and my roomies to attend a marathi get-together of Mahrashtrians in Bangalore, I readily said yes hoping only for some good food and changing my routine.
As always sticking to time-tables is very unIndian. Hence we found ourselves at the doorsteps of the hall with four other people and a bunch of volunteers (my roomie being one of them) right at the stroke of 9 (when we were supposedly gonna start off).
However, this delay was one of the very few blemishes on a day of great fun and candor. Braving the power outage our show started with Ganesh pooja thanks to a power packed generator. What followed this was splendid.
We had a great start to the show with cultural dance followed by a very witty Quiz thereafter. I was ashamed at my shallow knowledge about the language and the state. This was quickly overcome though by the spell binding dance presented again by the same lady who had kicked off the event. Such was the soul of the dance and expressions on her face that we felt transformed to the event she was describing...
The start was nice and hopes had built up. Another surprise was in store when it was announced that a very talented singer is being called in specially from PUNE to help us lose ourselves in a sea of melody. Now; my marathi song database (read, my brain) has a storage of just about 30 songs and this made me a bit apprehensive about how I would like it but to my pleasant surprise; the next hour and half seemed to be a dream. It seemed like the lady knew what song I was aware of and sung just the same. Seemed like a personal juke-box sorta.... Amazing....
By the time this program got over it was past 1 and "Potat Kawale Ordu Lagale Hote". My hunger was further accentuated by an announcement that YUVA- group of earlier settling Bangalore youngsters would be performing a local dance form called " Gaav Gavlan and Batawani". I wasnt too keen on this "social comment come satirical presntation" as my tummy had already started bataving me that breakfast was a distant dream and reality beckoned... But, as if to quiten all my ramblings; I witnessed the spectacle of the day. Very crisp commentary on the social realities coupled with some great acting and even better songs and hot-off-the-pan dialogs, this was a scorcher. The audience forgot their hunger and willed YUVA to go on and on and on... And on and on, they went. Finally wrapping up half past two, we got a much deserved one hr lunch break.
Back from the break; we were all enthu for more and Yuva presented one more masterpiece. This time they enacted the 80's special- Ek aur Anek... That famous animated cartoon with their own twists, turns and choreography. It was great fun. Then came other dances: Folk, filmy and whaateva u can imagine... Interspersed between this was an amazing experiment to garner audience interaction and improve networking of the members through some very intelligent team creation(give seperate color ribbons to participants as they enter so that common frds dont end up on single team..brilliant) and setting up games like JAM, The Wish list and Pencil Sharpening. All in good fun and jest. I believe the lure of Perk was also party responsible though.
This was then followed by some quickfire gift presentations and then the finale: That ever-enthu mad caper " Dhagala Lagali Kala".... Best part of it all... Organizers valued our time and wrapped up this magical evening by 5:30..dot on time....
We had broken the conventional IST punctuality syndrome and I was very proud of it. An amazing day made even sweeter with that saccharine sweet language all around and topped off with amazing punctuality.... HATS OFF.....
Thursday, July 27, 2006
News of no news...
Recently, I was holidaying @home and going furiously at my favorite time-passing activity. Click the remote the fastest that you can manage. Its a nice way to agitate mom and throw her off her routine marathi serials which let me watch my races and golf and soccer and any other sport under the sun...
I noticed that a new avtaar of entertainment has arrived in the form of news channels. I had read a report last week which says that they are the fastest growing media inititative across the length and breadth of India. Growing at 16 %, they far surpass sports channels except during the cricket fever; maybe. As i flipped through the multitude of these channels I realized news channels had arrived and Arrived with a Bang...
This got me thinking... What news do they show, which has all of us so hooked on???.. why do we watch so much of it and never get enough of it... Is the media coverage given to "Operation Prince" justified? Are news of desecration of some unknowns statue or prices of dresses worn by Hritik or such of the likes really deserving of the air-space and footage afforded to them?
What is the media upto??? I have been asking this question quite often; to myself and others over the past few days..rather weeks or months. I have always been critical of the way the western media picks and hypes up certain parts of a particular news. Also, the general public is very town centric and so a dog biting someone on his bum becomes a big local news out there.
This is a blasphemous misuse of the rights and powers vested in the media according to me. I used to have great pride in the way our media handled news and segregated and presented them with due importance.
This was, however, a few years back. When news was just that. Something you hear and take notice of. It was either a very good or extremely bad one that affected the way your world spun...
Cut to today and it is more about sensationalism. Anything to catch your eye, I say. The media wont stop at anything: be it malfunction or wardrobes at fashion shows or milk-drinking Ganeshas or rapist cops or corrupt politicians. The greed for titbits has meta morphised our media folks into ground hogs for whom any snippet is news.
There is no introspection and both the victim and the perpetrator are glorified. SMS contests are run daily and poor commoners are lured to participate under the lieu of great prizes...Everything is gift-wrapped under the pretense of being sensitive information or Breaking news.
The media has been converted into a circus where evrything from illicit love affairs to dastradly terrorist acts get equal publicity. That day may not be too far when media reports news even before they happen...
PS: Growing media influence has benefits too which would be discussed some other day...
I noticed that a new avtaar of entertainment has arrived in the form of news channels. I had read a report last week which says that they are the fastest growing media inititative across the length and breadth of India. Growing at 16 %, they far surpass sports channels except during the cricket fever; maybe. As i flipped through the multitude of these channels I realized news channels had arrived and Arrived with a Bang...
This got me thinking... What news do they show, which has all of us so hooked on???.. why do we watch so much of it and never get enough of it... Is the media coverage given to "Operation Prince" justified? Are news of desecration of some unknowns statue or prices of dresses worn by Hritik or such of the likes really deserving of the air-space and footage afforded to them?
What is the media upto??? I have been asking this question quite often; to myself and others over the past few days..rather weeks or months. I have always been critical of the way the western media picks and hypes up certain parts of a particular news. Also, the general public is very town centric and so a dog biting someone on his bum becomes a big local news out there.
This is a blasphemous misuse of the rights and powers vested in the media according to me. I used to have great pride in the way our media handled news and segregated and presented them with due importance.
This was, however, a few years back. When news was just that. Something you hear and take notice of. It was either a very good or extremely bad one that affected the way your world spun...
Cut to today and it is more about sensationalism. Anything to catch your eye, I say. The media wont stop at anything: be it malfunction or wardrobes at fashion shows or milk-drinking Ganeshas or rapist cops or corrupt politicians. The greed for titbits has meta morphised our media folks into ground hogs for whom any snippet is news.
There is no introspection and both the victim and the perpetrator are glorified. SMS contests are run daily and poor commoners are lured to participate under the lieu of great prizes...Everything is gift-wrapped under the pretense of being sensitive information or Breaking news.
The media has been converted into a circus where evrything from illicit love affairs to dastradly terrorist acts get equal publicity. That day may not be too far when media reports news even before they happen...
PS: Growing media influence has benefits too which would be discussed some other day...
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
Banned...
Well, that I havent had a post in the past 20 odd days is half my doing and half, the brilliance of soem overtly enthu brains in the Indian government; ably aided by few ISP's.
I generally dont take a stand immediately on any issue and like to listen to the logic provided by the people or organization opposing my views before I speak out. When I reached home on 14th.. Bombay was still reeling heavily under the weather, both thanks to the rains and the bomb-blasts. The mood was sombre and vibrancy of the air was slightly diminshed.
It was an unexpected homecoming for me too... Generally, I get greeted by roads busting on the seams and people in a fury that only other more furious people could handle... This time, however, I felt as if the city was more accomodating and understanding. It was silent and it bemoaned me to play my silent part too.
I reached home and stories from all and sundry filled in. Sumone in the building was hurt; others had seen the whole blasts and were petrified and few more had lost faith in the safety quotient the city once very famously touted...
I thought this was nerve-wrecking and decided to write about it... But sumthing was eerie about the way the globe spun on my netscape browser as I typed in my blogsite identity. It wasnt gonna open. These were going to be feelings better left supressed. I tried a few other regular sites I am used to but encountered the same error. I cursed my connection and returned back to the follow-up news of the incident...
Thats when news poured in.. Blog sites are banned. They may be carrying sensitve information; it was said. I took it at face-value, admiring the intelligence agencies on such speedy work...
But then it struck me. Why my site? why a lot others like me? what differentiates the written word from being voicing a protest to perpetrating a crime? These are questions i am clueless about and answers that would take a lot of time to b answered........
I generally dont take a stand immediately on any issue and like to listen to the logic provided by the people or organization opposing my views before I speak out. When I reached home on 14th.. Bombay was still reeling heavily under the weather, both thanks to the rains and the bomb-blasts. The mood was sombre and vibrancy of the air was slightly diminshed.
It was an unexpected homecoming for me too... Generally, I get greeted by roads busting on the seams and people in a fury that only other more furious people could handle... This time, however, I felt as if the city was more accomodating and understanding. It was silent and it bemoaned me to play my silent part too.
I reached home and stories from all and sundry filled in. Sumone in the building was hurt; others had seen the whole blasts and were petrified and few more had lost faith in the safety quotient the city once very famously touted...
I thought this was nerve-wrecking and decided to write about it... But sumthing was eerie about the way the globe spun on my netscape browser as I typed in my blogsite identity. It wasnt gonna open. These were going to be feelings better left supressed. I tried a few other regular sites I am used to but encountered the same error. I cursed my connection and returned back to the follow-up news of the incident...
Thats when news poured in.. Blog sites are banned. They may be carrying sensitve information; it was said. I took it at face-value, admiring the intelligence agencies on such speedy work...
But then it struck me. Why my site? why a lot others like me? what differentiates the written word from being voicing a protest to perpetrating a crime? These are questions i am clueless about and answers that would take a lot of time to b answered........
Monday, July 03, 2006
A career.. loads of memories...
I am an avid sports watcher; almost all kinds... One of the most thrilling to watch over the years has certainly been tennis and the two guys who got me hooked on to this thrill a second roller coaster have been John McEnroe and Agassi. Both legends; nutty, ecentric, showmen but their best quality was the talent to match this atrocity.
My first images of Agassi was Wimbeldon'92... a young, strappy, punk-haired, earring wearing dude with amazing service returns. The guy who could sizzle up the green lawns with both his looks and his game. The debonair image was further boosted by the likes of Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandon and a host of other celebrtities shouting hoarse in their support for thr darling.
His strokes had a certain elan, a flair, an adventurous spirit. It displayed the kind of freedom known only to vagabonds. The cross courts and down the lines always knew where they were supposed to land... Thy were the free spirit which always knows it destiny. And they seldom betrayed the owner. Agassi was the artist whose strokes bewildered even his opponents.
However, he was always gonna be the second fiddle against the great Pistol Pete. For all his flair and charisma; he couldnt shake off the indomitable workmanlike precision and accuracy of Sampras. He would be the darling of the masses and media but he was always second-best. But the showman from Vegas was determined to carve a niche as a champion more than a blazer.
He stuck to his fitness regime, always focussed on his goals; tried harder each year and finally survived more thn most would dream to... Playing 15 odd years on the professional tennis circuit is no joke but Agassi achieved it with verve and spunk. As always fortune favored the brave and he joined the enviable company of greats to have won on all the surfaces- a feat even Sampras couldnt match...
The rapid decline in age and painkillers have finally taken a toll on the champions body. Since last year, he wasnt as competitive as we are used to see him. Agassi realized this and reduced the amount of playing he was involved in. Just last week he declared this would be his last Wimbeldon and the US open his last competitive tournament...
All his die hard fans wished him luck and hoped for one final hoorah. That was not to be... My tennis hero was defeated (perhaps by the guy who will emulate his sucess; Nadal) but definitely not disgraced. The age showed but so did the quality. If the greens have seen the last of the maestro; so be it. Lets hope the showman has in a sense passed on the mantle to the most worthy shoulders.
The cross courts and service returns would always be remembered. His career was a package reel full of highlights. The sun is setting on one of the most loved tennis careers but the love never will.
Agassi- my tennis idol; take a bow...............
My first images of Agassi was Wimbeldon'92... a young, strappy, punk-haired, earring wearing dude with amazing service returns. The guy who could sizzle up the green lawns with both his looks and his game. The debonair image was further boosted by the likes of Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandon and a host of other celebrtities shouting hoarse in their support for thr darling.
His strokes had a certain elan, a flair, an adventurous spirit. It displayed the kind of freedom known only to vagabonds. The cross courts and down the lines always knew where they were supposed to land... Thy were the free spirit which always knows it destiny. And they seldom betrayed the owner. Agassi was the artist whose strokes bewildered even his opponents.
However, he was always gonna be the second fiddle against the great Pistol Pete. For all his flair and charisma; he couldnt shake off the indomitable workmanlike precision and accuracy of Sampras. He would be the darling of the masses and media but he was always second-best. But the showman from Vegas was determined to carve a niche as a champion more than a blazer.
He stuck to his fitness regime, always focussed on his goals; tried harder each year and finally survived more thn most would dream to... Playing 15 odd years on the professional tennis circuit is no joke but Agassi achieved it with verve and spunk. As always fortune favored the brave and he joined the enviable company of greats to have won on all the surfaces- a feat even Sampras couldnt match...
The rapid decline in age and painkillers have finally taken a toll on the champions body. Since last year, he wasnt as competitive as we are used to see him. Agassi realized this and reduced the amount of playing he was involved in. Just last week he declared this would be his last Wimbeldon and the US open his last competitive tournament...
All his die hard fans wished him luck and hoped for one final hoorah. That was not to be... My tennis hero was defeated (perhaps by the guy who will emulate his sucess; Nadal) but definitely not disgraced. The age showed but so did the quality. If the greens have seen the last of the maestro; so be it. Lets hope the showman has in a sense passed on the mantle to the most worthy shoulders.
The cross courts and service returns would always be remembered. His career was a package reel full of highlights. The sun is setting on one of the most loved tennis careers but the love never will.
Agassi- my tennis idol; take a bow...............
Friday, June 23, 2006
Soccer - JOGA BONITO
Many may be surprised that I havent written anything about soccer even though the world cups running on full steam... Well, I was thinking it would be nice to see enough matches before making a comment on the whole show. Its half way now and the wheat has been seperated from the chaff. I still wanna reserve comment on the teams for a more opportune time; but, at the onset, I am thoroughly impressed with the organization and even more impressed with the Adidas ad (dont know the relevance , but still)..
Soccer is just such an empowering game and played at such break-neck speed that you tend to fall in love with the game... It hardly lasts 2 hrs and seems the easiest thing to do... Only once when you land on a soccer field that you would understand how enormous the task is...
Anyways, like always this championship has thrown in its fair share of twists and turns, upsets and ecstacies, dissappointments and excitements, poor judgement and skills par excellence display... Some memories like the Swedes rushing to a draw in the last minute has been etched in memory forever...
Some heroes are born... some destroyed... As the tournament progresses; stakes would get higher and gossips louder... A simple mistake would be a catastrophe while one right move may improve your stock by a few millions.. The ball crossin the goal line would determine everything from your new tees to your new GODs...
Joga Bonito or the Beautiful Game as I understand it; is casting a spell on this populace of 6 billion...
As is said... 32 countries... One religion.... One temple.... the search for GOD ends July 9th...
Soccer is just such an empowering game and played at such break-neck speed that you tend to fall in love with the game... It hardly lasts 2 hrs and seems the easiest thing to do... Only once when you land on a soccer field that you would understand how enormous the task is...
Anyways, like always this championship has thrown in its fair share of twists and turns, upsets and ecstacies, dissappointments and excitements, poor judgement and skills par excellence display... Some memories like the Swedes rushing to a draw in the last minute has been etched in memory forever...
Some heroes are born... some destroyed... As the tournament progresses; stakes would get higher and gossips louder... A simple mistake would be a catastrophe while one right move may improve your stock by a few millions.. The ball crossin the goal line would determine everything from your new tees to your new GODs...
Joga Bonito or the Beautiful Game as I understand it; is casting a spell on this populace of 6 billion...
As is said... 32 countries... One religion.... One temple.... the search for GOD ends July 9th...
Friday, June 16, 2006
Movies...
I have been a keen follower of movies and it always surprises me when people ask me how I liked one. Now, I dont really know what to say because arent movies or art supposed to be like a personal choice...
What I like neednt necessarily be your zenith of creativity and vice versa... I like to spend three hours or whatever the length of the movie is... totally bereft of my personal concerns. If a movie helps me achieve that, then its good enough for me. This is my only necessary and sufficient condition for a movie. And the more outrageous and unbelievable the plot even better... It totally draws me away from realms of reality and takes my mind to another place...
That's eutopia for me... I like Govinda movies for the same reasons... Though cinematically they may be in tatters, thy entertain me with their lack of logic and reasoning for three hours... Good enough; works just right for me...
So the next time you want my opinion whether to watch a movie; this is what i would most probably say: Hey it was Ok; I liked it.. Good enough for a one-time see...
As to what it means: I will watch any damn movie... If you wanna join in, feel free. More the merrier.... If your movie tastes r very refined, wait for the review and hedge your bets...If you are a loser, forget movies... they cost way too much to satiate any of ur thirsts.. Go grab a beer instead....
What I like neednt necessarily be your zenith of creativity and vice versa... I like to spend three hours or whatever the length of the movie is... totally bereft of my personal concerns. If a movie helps me achieve that, then its good enough for me. This is my only necessary and sufficient condition for a movie. And the more outrageous and unbelievable the plot even better... It totally draws me away from realms of reality and takes my mind to another place...
That's eutopia for me... I like Govinda movies for the same reasons... Though cinematically they may be in tatters, thy entertain me with their lack of logic and reasoning for three hours... Good enough; works just right for me...
So the next time you want my opinion whether to watch a movie; this is what i would most probably say: Hey it was Ok; I liked it.. Good enough for a one-time see...
As to what it means: I will watch any damn movie... If you wanna join in, feel free. More the merrier.... If your movie tastes r very refined, wait for the review and hedge your bets...If you are a loser, forget movies... they cost way too much to satiate any of ur thirsts.. Go grab a beer instead....
Birthdays...
Last week was kinda significant in my PG... We had 2 birthdays celebrated within the space of about a week and though we celebrated both in much the same way... it was actually quite touching.
Well, before telling about the singnificance of it all, let me give you all a small peep in my PG. This PG is like a big bungalow with quite a few rooms all stashed with upto three beds with the landlady making sure that she would squeeze every imaginable dime that she's used to build this one. By some strange coincidence she is extremely successful at it even though she is universally hated. God and his ways, I say...
We have a servant who is more like the heart of the house and he's got so much alcohol in his body that if he gets cut we may see streams of rum and whiskey flowing out... Add to this around 15 people; totally unrelated to each other and friends/acquaintances due to the sole reasoning of sharing the same roof.
Now, a few of us have been around for 2 yrs or more while a few have come in past few months... All in all a nice blend of variety all around... U might wonder what does celebrating random birthdays have to do here and rightly so... It really doesnt mean anything...
However, I have observed that this is the first time its happening. The two years have brought us together and given us a familial feel. We care and feel concerned a lot more about each other thn before. Saturdays nowadays necessarily mean lunching out together and weekends is our bonding time. Cards keep us going all through as do the regualr rounds of coffee and teas interspersed with a few ciggys in and around...
We have realized that this is an alien land and the only way to maintain sanity is to make most of what you got in hand... If its few friends, then so be it... Functions, parties and celebrations wasnt the norm-de-rigor but we have adapted it as part of the bonding process.
So this week, when we cut the cakes for A and R.... it was in a strange poetic way the Icing on the Cake for this process of growing up to enjoying life and understanding that "All it really needs to be happy is to learn to be so..."
Well, before telling about the singnificance of it all, let me give you all a small peep in my PG. This PG is like a big bungalow with quite a few rooms all stashed with upto three beds with the landlady making sure that she would squeeze every imaginable dime that she's used to build this one. By some strange coincidence she is extremely successful at it even though she is universally hated. God and his ways, I say...
We have a servant who is more like the heart of the house and he's got so much alcohol in his body that if he gets cut we may see streams of rum and whiskey flowing out... Add to this around 15 people; totally unrelated to each other and friends/acquaintances due to the sole reasoning of sharing the same roof.
Now, a few of us have been around for 2 yrs or more while a few have come in past few months... All in all a nice blend of variety all around... U might wonder what does celebrating random birthdays have to do here and rightly so... It really doesnt mean anything...
However, I have observed that this is the first time its happening. The two years have brought us together and given us a familial feel. We care and feel concerned a lot more about each other thn before. Saturdays nowadays necessarily mean lunching out together and weekends is our bonding time. Cards keep us going all through as do the regualr rounds of coffee and teas interspersed with a few ciggys in and around...
We have realized that this is an alien land and the only way to maintain sanity is to make most of what you got in hand... If its few friends, then so be it... Functions, parties and celebrations wasnt the norm-de-rigor but we have adapted it as part of the bonding process.
So this week, when we cut the cakes for A and R.... it was in a strange poetic way the Icing on the Cake for this process of growing up to enjoying life and understanding that "All it really needs to be happy is to learn to be so..."
Monday, June 05, 2006
Bacardi Losers........
PS: PLEASE READ "PROMISE OF THE UNKNOWN" AS THE PRECURSOR TO THIS...
Tag along we did (my friend was smart enough to fool not just me but a teetotaler as well)... However, the very first shadows of doubt crept in my mind as soon as we entered the rick and my friend appeared dumbfounded tryin to explain the obscurest of locations on the city's road network. If this was a posh club, how did the rick guy not know it?
Other questions soon found their way clearing the cobwebs of the promised goodies:
Why are we going to a night club in the early hours of the evening?
How have I never heard of this place which hosts the most amazing club from anyone in this 2 years of existence in Bangalore?
What kind of gift would we get; if any?
Who is the real sponsors of this mega event?
These basic existential queries pointed harder and harsher at my gullibility in falling prey to my friends promise of eutopia.
I was lost in these thoughts when suddenly the rick stopped and our man Friday shouted; " UTARO..AAGE RASTA BLOCK HAI"... We were gonna walk to this destination if we wanted to reach it; the only hindrance being that no creature worthy of verbal communication had ever heard of this paradise on earth....Frantic calls from my friend to our supposed hot hostess revealed we just mixed our directions and would have to walk for about 20 minutes to make it to our dreamland...
Having come this far and dressed so nice; this mere glitch wasnt gonna spoil my evening. Women and power(my out of these world gifts) were going to take notice of this smiling dude. I would be my charming best; I promised myself...My legs were aching but my heart was going on... and thats when it happened... The designated location came into sight...
This couldnt be true... where was the night club and bevy of beauties and the free flowing booze???? My friend was the LUCKY WINNER..dammit... he couldnt be possibly conned to come to this irreverent lodging premises. Forget a classy hotel; this was much more a congregated bunch of shanties. Our clothes were so misplaced for the hotel that people gave us the most dumbfounded looks... It was such a horribly maintained place that forget the party circuit; even the person with the least self-pride wouldnt have entered this premise... Our only companions other than the mice seemed to be shady truck drivers and people scurrying around for a quickie......
We were tricked and royally at that.... The only ounces of support came from other fellow simpletons who had fallen prey. The only silver lining was that we still could get amazing gifts but the hope was fast dwindling...Soon it was clear that WE wouldnt get gifts rather HE(my friend) would... I believe we were used as moral supports for my friend in this "dumb gets dumber beforing turning dumbest" moment thanks to some divine intervention and our lust for super-freebies...
Our only hope: our friend got something amazing but the hope had floated away into the moist air. The dark clouds were perfect symbols of our gloom and the drizzling told the state of our hearts. Our hot hostess was working for the event organizer's call center and guiding us to this crap. The only female species present there were on tattered calendar posters and movie magazine covers... And the gift... Oh my God... the big gift.... well, it was none of the exotic variety for sure... Forget Goa and cruise liners, we didnt even get a peg of bacardi to douse our flaming hearts... Instead we got one set of the super-cheapest water glasses which are available in the market for a max of 50 bucks.... maybe to cry our hearts out and collect them in these piece of art...or else " CHULLU BHAR PANI ME DUBNE ke liye" these glasses would be apt...
We were being owned and it was all our greed that could be blamed... We had to take it on the chin, smile and head back home... Yeah, as if this was not shameful enough.... The rain gods had joined in all their might to watch us turn from Bacardi Creatures 2 Bacardi Losers....
Tag along we did (my friend was smart enough to fool not just me but a teetotaler as well)... However, the very first shadows of doubt crept in my mind as soon as we entered the rick and my friend appeared dumbfounded tryin to explain the obscurest of locations on the city's road network. If this was a posh club, how did the rick guy not know it?
Other questions soon found their way clearing the cobwebs of the promised goodies:
Why are we going to a night club in the early hours of the evening?
How have I never heard of this place which hosts the most amazing club from anyone in this 2 years of existence in Bangalore?
What kind of gift would we get; if any?
Who is the real sponsors of this mega event?
These basic existential queries pointed harder and harsher at my gullibility in falling prey to my friends promise of eutopia.
I was lost in these thoughts when suddenly the rick stopped and our man Friday shouted; " UTARO..AAGE RASTA BLOCK HAI"... We were gonna walk to this destination if we wanted to reach it; the only hindrance being that no creature worthy of verbal communication had ever heard of this paradise on earth....Frantic calls from my friend to our supposed hot hostess revealed we just mixed our directions and would have to walk for about 20 minutes to make it to our dreamland...
Having come this far and dressed so nice; this mere glitch wasnt gonna spoil my evening. Women and power(my out of these world gifts) were going to take notice of this smiling dude. I would be my charming best; I promised myself...My legs were aching but my heart was going on... and thats when it happened... The designated location came into sight...
This couldnt be true... where was the night club and bevy of beauties and the free flowing booze???? My friend was the LUCKY WINNER..dammit... he couldnt be possibly conned to come to this irreverent lodging premises. Forget a classy hotel; this was much more a congregated bunch of shanties. Our clothes were so misplaced for the hotel that people gave us the most dumbfounded looks... It was such a horribly maintained place that forget the party circuit; even the person with the least self-pride wouldnt have entered this premise... Our only companions other than the mice seemed to be shady truck drivers and people scurrying around for a quickie......
We were tricked and royally at that.... The only ounces of support came from other fellow simpletons who had fallen prey. The only silver lining was that we still could get amazing gifts but the hope was fast dwindling...Soon it was clear that WE wouldnt get gifts rather HE(my friend) would... I believe we were used as moral supports for my friend in this "dumb gets dumber beforing turning dumbest" moment thanks to some divine intervention and our lust for super-freebies...
Our only hope: our friend got something amazing but the hope had floated away into the moist air. The dark clouds were perfect symbols of our gloom and the drizzling told the state of our hearts. Our hot hostess was working for the event organizer's call center and guiding us to this crap. The only female species present there were on tattered calendar posters and movie magazine covers... And the gift... Oh my God... the big gift.... well, it was none of the exotic variety for sure... Forget Goa and cruise liners, we didnt even get a peg of bacardi to douse our flaming hearts... Instead we got one set of the super-cheapest water glasses which are available in the market for a max of 50 bucks.... maybe to cry our hearts out and collect them in these piece of art...or else " CHULLU BHAR PANI ME DUBNE ke liye" these glasses would be apt...
We were being owned and it was all our greed that could be blamed... We had to take it on the chin, smile and head back home... Yeah, as if this was not shameful enough.... The rain gods had joined in all their might to watch us turn from Bacardi Creatures 2 Bacardi Losers....
The promise of the unknown........
Bacardi breezers, bacardi white rum and all other bacardi products were swirling in my mind as my friend woke me at the peak of my post-sleep revelry as I rolled in my bed. The very idea was mind-blowing. He had been the chosen one in the Bacardi " Creatures of the Night "survey hosted by some never-heard-of marketing agency and he had been accosted the privilege of inviting a few of his friends too.
The images he had created the previous night were still making me reel; posh night-club, amazing crowd, the whos-who of the Bangalore party circuit and some hot host who would take care of the privileged winners. I wanted to thank my drunkard friend with a ceremonial bath of some more of the divine waters for this amazing stroke of luck he had produced from nowhere to brighten our so-very-mundane weekends.
Imagining and anticipating the kinda shoulders we might be rubbing at the club we wore our smartest best and teamed them up with the latest glares available in the market. If nothing else we were promised a good time with the latest offerings from Bacardi and other amazing gifts which may include anything from a weekend stay at Goa to an amazing luxury cruise in Asia's best liners...
It all seemed too good to be true; I mean people got lucky but they definitely didnt ever carry our countenance and even if Lady Luck had one shot too many of her Bacardis; why would she choose us along with my inerbiated friend to shower her blessings on? It didnt add up but my heart over powered my head, thanks in no small measure to the amazing marketing strategies my friend put to good use for the first time after his MBA... The allure of free booze or a cruise liner trip along with the real Page 3 crowd blinded me and I tagged along.....
The images he had created the previous night were still making me reel; posh night-club, amazing crowd, the whos-who of the Bangalore party circuit and some hot host who would take care of the privileged winners. I wanted to thank my drunkard friend with a ceremonial bath of some more of the divine waters for this amazing stroke of luck he had produced from nowhere to brighten our so-very-mundane weekends.
Imagining and anticipating the kinda shoulders we might be rubbing at the club we wore our smartest best and teamed them up with the latest glares available in the market. If nothing else we were promised a good time with the latest offerings from Bacardi and other amazing gifts which may include anything from a weekend stay at Goa to an amazing luxury cruise in Asia's best liners...
It all seemed too good to be true; I mean people got lucky but they definitely didnt ever carry our countenance and even if Lady Luck had one shot too many of her Bacardis; why would she choose us along with my inerbiated friend to shower her blessings on? It didnt add up but my heart over powered my head, thanks in no small measure to the amazing marketing strategies my friend put to good use for the first time after his MBA... The allure of free booze or a cruise liner trip along with the real Page 3 crowd blinded me and I tagged along.....
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Random things about myself....
This might not be a pretty write-up... it can get corny, funny, ridiculous, dumb or whatever... cos I am writing this one in a free flow... Kinda listing out my idiosyncracies; if you like... I came across this blog written by some girl which made her list 20 random things about herself; I liked the idea and picked up the tag...
I hope this one's a balance between my qualities but I cant put a number to it.... Here goes...
1} I like to sing in my loo; that too the most soulful of ghazals and old romantic or sad songs...I feel like I am the classic crooner with a voice so silken that girls wud rain left, right and center over it...
2} I love playing with earthworms and cockroaches... Catching a roach's whiskers gives me an awesome kick...
3} I am scared, i mean shit scared of stray dogs and I shiver at their very sight when I encounter them at night, especially if I am alone...
4} I would like to think that I cook fairly decent but I just hate the cutting of vegetables charade... Overall, messier the work involved more is my love for it...
5} Exercising was invented as a form of exorcism for humans who didnt demonstrate any visible traits of being haunted... I hate it from the bottom of my heart and can think of any and every excuse to avoid it...
6} Equal to my hate for exercise is my love for sport... I would and generally try any sport on display... Even if I am amazingly lousy at most of them; I would still go and play it... I have spent most of my vacations playing one or the other games... right from cricket and soccer to chor-police, aaba-dhoobi, i-spy etc.... I am not so fond of Bowling though and I prefer karting any day....
7} I feel that I understand people very easy and can relate to all and sundry... I demonstrate that typical leo trait of guarding my friends and family and wouldnt mind a face-off with anyone for the same....
8} I believe in tough love and would make a very demanding boss... More than individualistic glory I love the team spirit at my workplace...
9} I can eat and I mean it... If I love the food, trust me to finish it... I hate seeing food being wasted and make an effort to stop it... My face gives away my hurt when I see such acts....
10} Anything in life should be VFM (value for money) for me... By this I dont mean that things should be cheap but they should provide that sort of comfort, luxury, brand visibility and confidence once we spend on those... for eg I hate spending 100 bucks on miniscule chicken chilly in Nandinis but I can spend 300 for a sizzlers at Kobe for that ambience and food quality...
11} I love chaat and roadside junk.... I can go any lengths to eat a Vadapav.... I drink any and every sort of water( though nowadays I have become lil circumspect about it)....
12} I have always been more popular in my peer group than I imagined... the biggest shock was becoming the CR in final yr engg class based on a voting system... I almost fell off my chair...
13} I have a knack for mixing drinks... I have concocted weird combos and knocked myself out a few times..
14} Hyprocrisy is one thing I genuinely abhor.... we all are hypocrites at some level but some people just over do it... I cant line-mark what I believe is hypocritical behavior but I sense it when I see it and I generally avoid accquaintance with the likes...
15} I see " Lal Baai" once in a while and though I am not scared of it nowadays; it does give me a few sleepless nights...
16} I work as and when needed, though my grasping powers good; I would hardly make an effort to enhance my knowledge and this attitude does hurt me once in a while..
17} I would like to think I am a good leader and silent force behind any and every team that I am a part of... Overall, throughout my final yr project and MS projects and even now at my work... I feel I have always gelled in well...
18} I can see TV 24*7..... sports and music channels are my soul food but even discovery and zee and sony and such stuff can be watched... If nothing else, News channels can also keep me hooked on...
19} I cannot handle extremely close cricket matches in which India is involved... I generally run temperatures which subside soon enough... However, those final overs are not my cup of tea...
20} I am very forthright.. sumtimes to the point of being brutal.. I call a spade a spade and dont mind risking my head if I believe I am right... I love arguements espcially the ones which are strong and sensible and can carry on all night long... I hate when people present vague justifications for their comments (though I am guilty of doing the same once in a while)....
21} I have this vision that I could have been the next Harsha Bhogle if I had taken the chance.... I also feel if I ever make a movie it would be a mad caper a la Hyderabad blues... My biggest dream however has always been a chain of coffe shops like CCD but even bigger and better... Only problem being no money in my jeb...
22} I have had an amazing head-on crash in my car and I felt life would end... But I had no recollections or my life didnt flash by as they say....
23} Lifes too big to list in article but I would like to end at point 23.... Thats Michael Jordan's jersey number... my most favorite sports personality.....
I hope this one's a balance between my qualities but I cant put a number to it.... Here goes...
1} I like to sing in my loo; that too the most soulful of ghazals and old romantic or sad songs...I feel like I am the classic crooner with a voice so silken that girls wud rain left, right and center over it...
2} I love playing with earthworms and cockroaches... Catching a roach's whiskers gives me an awesome kick...
3} I am scared, i mean shit scared of stray dogs and I shiver at their very sight when I encounter them at night, especially if I am alone...
4} I would like to think that I cook fairly decent but I just hate the cutting of vegetables charade... Overall, messier the work involved more is my love for it...
5} Exercising was invented as a form of exorcism for humans who didnt demonstrate any visible traits of being haunted... I hate it from the bottom of my heart and can think of any and every excuse to avoid it...
6} Equal to my hate for exercise is my love for sport... I would and generally try any sport on display... Even if I am amazingly lousy at most of them; I would still go and play it... I have spent most of my vacations playing one or the other games... right from cricket and soccer to chor-police, aaba-dhoobi, i-spy etc.... I am not so fond of Bowling though and I prefer karting any day....
7} I feel that I understand people very easy and can relate to all and sundry... I demonstrate that typical leo trait of guarding my friends and family and wouldnt mind a face-off with anyone for the same....
8} I believe in tough love and would make a very demanding boss... More than individualistic glory I love the team spirit at my workplace...
9} I can eat and I mean it... If I love the food, trust me to finish it... I hate seeing food being wasted and make an effort to stop it... My face gives away my hurt when I see such acts....
10} Anything in life should be VFM (value for money) for me... By this I dont mean that things should be cheap but they should provide that sort of comfort, luxury, brand visibility and confidence once we spend on those... for eg I hate spending 100 bucks on miniscule chicken chilly in Nandinis but I can spend 300 for a sizzlers at Kobe for that ambience and food quality...
11} I love chaat and roadside junk.... I can go any lengths to eat a Vadapav.... I drink any and every sort of water( though nowadays I have become lil circumspect about it)....
12} I have always been more popular in my peer group than I imagined... the biggest shock was becoming the CR in final yr engg class based on a voting system... I almost fell off my chair...
13} I have a knack for mixing drinks... I have concocted weird combos and knocked myself out a few times..
14} Hyprocrisy is one thing I genuinely abhor.... we all are hypocrites at some level but some people just over do it... I cant line-mark what I believe is hypocritical behavior but I sense it when I see it and I generally avoid accquaintance with the likes...
15} I see " Lal Baai" once in a while and though I am not scared of it nowadays; it does give me a few sleepless nights...
16} I work as and when needed, though my grasping powers good; I would hardly make an effort to enhance my knowledge and this attitude does hurt me once in a while..
17} I would like to think I am a good leader and silent force behind any and every team that I am a part of... Overall, throughout my final yr project and MS projects and even now at my work... I feel I have always gelled in well...
18} I can see TV 24*7..... sports and music channels are my soul food but even discovery and zee and sony and such stuff can be watched... If nothing else, News channels can also keep me hooked on...
19} I cannot handle extremely close cricket matches in which India is involved... I generally run temperatures which subside soon enough... However, those final overs are not my cup of tea...
20} I am very forthright.. sumtimes to the point of being brutal.. I call a spade a spade and dont mind risking my head if I believe I am right... I love arguements espcially the ones which are strong and sensible and can carry on all night long... I hate when people present vague justifications for their comments (though I am guilty of doing the same once in a while)....
21} I have this vision that I could have been the next Harsha Bhogle if I had taken the chance.... I also feel if I ever make a movie it would be a mad caper a la Hyderabad blues... My biggest dream however has always been a chain of coffe shops like CCD but even bigger and better... Only problem being no money in my jeb...
22} I have had an amazing head-on crash in my car and I felt life would end... But I had no recollections or my life didnt flash by as they say....
23} Lifes too big to list in article but I would like to end at point 23.... Thats Michael Jordan's jersey number... my most favorite sports personality.....
Monday, May 22, 2006
Gadget frenzy
I have one of the cheapest pieces of electronic junk popularly called the TORCH that I use to call people and communicate via messages... It looks shamelessly ragged but I love it. Firstly, no one tries to flick it and a cell like that shouts " I am broke", hence friends never ask me for a small favor... Pick pockets veer clear of me lest they wanna risk their reputation for a little small money....
However, this has not stopped me from marvelling at the gadgetry available... Sleek mobiles which carry all but your lunch boxes within... TV s that are flatter than the notebooks we carried to school... Laptops that process things almost before you type them in.... Pencil shaped I-pods that store anything close to 1000 high quality music albums...
The list is never ending and sky seems to be the only limit (mayb not even that) to what the human mind may come up with...
Mayb the next biggest challenge maybe creating human beings who are unbiased and love rest of humanity irrespective of caste, color, religion, sex, money, power.... Now would that be possible sumtime in my living future????
I doubt it.... A 1100 just doesnt impress one as much as a N90 any more; so what if the messages and calls from the former are way sweeter....
However, this has not stopped me from marvelling at the gadgetry available... Sleek mobiles which carry all but your lunch boxes within... TV s that are flatter than the notebooks we carried to school... Laptops that process things almost before you type them in.... Pencil shaped I-pods that store anything close to 1000 high quality music albums...
The list is never ending and sky seems to be the only limit (mayb not even that) to what the human mind may come up with...
Mayb the next biggest challenge maybe creating human beings who are unbiased and love rest of humanity irrespective of caste, color, religion, sex, money, power.... Now would that be possible sumtime in my living future????
I doubt it.... A 1100 just doesnt impress one as much as a N90 any more; so what if the messages and calls from the former are way sweeter....
I am Himeshed....
No, no, no.... dont get me wrong... There is nothing about his current songs that I adore; well, apart from Deepika Padukone in one of those videos...The problem is that everyone in the media industry seems to believe he is the next messiah out there to save our wasted souls from further plunging into the depth of mediocrity.
Agreed, that he does come up the odd soulful melody like " Kyunki" or "Dil ken raha hai" once in a while or sumtimes he totally bowls you over with an amzing sound track like " Tere Naam" but thats not what we know him for and/or as...
Himesh typifies the media overkill of a moderately successful product. These leeches have taken the meaning of " sucking your blood dry" to a whol new stratosphere. If it sells we would make sure you end up buying or else we would kill you with it. We wont allow you liberty to breathe without catching a glance of what we sell... If you dare close your eyes, we would badger it into your ears... If the ears are closed, we would shove it into your brains... Sumhow we would ensure you can't escape...
Well, before I forget lemme get that designer trim done, wear that overtly tight tee and grab the oldest cap I had so that meself fits into this cloned world... I am Himeshed and I dont know what to do...
Whats the cube of 13? Ans: SUROOR...
TERA TERA TERA...... SUROOR
Agreed, that he does come up the odd soulful melody like " Kyunki" or "Dil ken raha hai" once in a while or sumtimes he totally bowls you over with an amzing sound track like " Tere Naam" but thats not what we know him for and/or as...
Himesh typifies the media overkill of a moderately successful product. These leeches have taken the meaning of " sucking your blood dry" to a whol new stratosphere. If it sells we would make sure you end up buying or else we would kill you with it. We wont allow you liberty to breathe without catching a glance of what we sell... If you dare close your eyes, we would badger it into your ears... If the ears are closed, we would shove it into your brains... Sumhow we would ensure you can't escape...
Well, before I forget lemme get that designer trim done, wear that overtly tight tee and grab the oldest cap I had so that meself fits into this cloned world... I am Himeshed and I dont know what to do...
Whats the cube of 13? Ans: SUROOR...
TERA TERA TERA...... SUROOR
Monday, May 15, 2006
Wait until dark...
Well I am writing this cos we didnt have to... If we wanted to get a feel about the primitive descendants of mankind survived... we managed to get a taste of it... Under some weird logic spurting from randomly sadist brains came the notion that since Bangalore isn't subjected to regular load shedding; let these over serviced civilians live in HELL for one complete day.
Now what better day can you choose for such an execution than a brilliantly hot Sunday... We, roomies were still reeling under the effects of alcohol and melancholy spreading ghazals when it happened...
The power went off slowly; first a small voltage fluctuation followed by a complete stoppage to the whirling blades of our antique fan... Lots of thoughts poured in. Mayb the fan has breathed its last or this was the normal routine of power tripping cos all boilers were started simultaneously... But sumhow the heart knew this was different. And the signs werent too ominous...Suddenly the harshness of the sun seemed to have increased in tango with the humidity and then came the news... Our servant came running like those old hindi movies had; he looked like the messenger of some real bad news...
SAHEB 12 HOURS KE LIYE LIGHT BAND KIYA HAI.. RAAT KO 8 BAJE AAYEGA...
The face we made was close to those of imprisoned pickpockets who sincerely bliv that the only fault they committed was getting caught; that too while spreading the light of Communism...We all knew that next twelve hours were gonna make us all feel very wasted and with this thought in mind we all started our morning prayers ( Mine only included a wish that I have enough food to survive this day...)
Now what better day can you choose for such an execution than a brilliantly hot Sunday... We, roomies were still reeling under the effects of alcohol and melancholy spreading ghazals when it happened...
The power went off slowly; first a small voltage fluctuation followed by a complete stoppage to the whirling blades of our antique fan... Lots of thoughts poured in. Mayb the fan has breathed its last or this was the normal routine of power tripping cos all boilers were started simultaneously... But sumhow the heart knew this was different. And the signs werent too ominous...Suddenly the harshness of the sun seemed to have increased in tango with the humidity and then came the news... Our servant came running like those old hindi movies had; he looked like the messenger of some real bad news...
SAHEB 12 HOURS KE LIYE LIGHT BAND KIYA HAI.. RAAT KO 8 BAJE AAYEGA...
The face we made was close to those of imprisoned pickpockets who sincerely bliv that the only fault they committed was getting caught; that too while spreading the light of Communism...We all knew that next twelve hours were gonna make us all feel very wasted and with this thought in mind we all started our morning prayers ( Mine only included a wish that I have enough food to survive this day...)
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Making people write
Its been almost two months since I started blogging and its been fun to scribble whatever I have. For the past few days, my major bloggin activity has been to make people read my blog (albeit a bit forcibly) and something thats even tougher, making them register and start blogging.
Writing has to be a natural extension of reading cos; If you read stuff seriously about such varied topics as the Iraqi war for Oil to the Oil deals revealed under Volcker report, India's unstoppable juggernaut in cricket to the immovable soccer team, using drugs to pump ur triceps to doing drugs to forget your physical existence to what and what not...
If we read this and so much more so vociferously, wouldnt or rather shouldnt we be eager to express our opinions about the same? We write so much throughout our lives... so much of it forcibly.. remember all those assignments and workbooks and fair notes and essays and reports that we either wrote or copied... Filling those reams of paper never dettered us from further occupying even more space on our examination answer sheets... Whatever is a compulsion; we duly oblige. Why then do we procrastinate something that may provide us with great joy?
I seriously fail to understand the Human Mind ....
Writing has to be a natural extension of reading cos; If you read stuff seriously about such varied topics as the Iraqi war for Oil to the Oil deals revealed under Volcker report, India's unstoppable juggernaut in cricket to the immovable soccer team, using drugs to pump ur triceps to doing drugs to forget your physical existence to what and what not...
If we read this and so much more so vociferously, wouldnt or rather shouldnt we be eager to express our opinions about the same? We write so much throughout our lives... so much of it forcibly.. remember all those assignments and workbooks and fair notes and essays and reports that we either wrote or copied... Filling those reams of paper never dettered us from further occupying even more space on our examination answer sheets... Whatever is a compulsion; we duly oblige. Why then do we procrastinate something that may provide us with great joy?
I seriously fail to understand the Human Mind ....
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
10 things that I miss the most....
I started blogging around 2 months back and one of the few people that I have developed an instant connect with is Kavita... I just happened to browse through one of her write-ups by chance and ever since I have been hooked to her writing... She writes very very sweetly and kinda inspires me to scribble most of da times... She's tagged me to mention a list of 10 things that I happen to miss a lot and so here goes.........
DISCLAIMER: the missed things would appear in no particular order and may change over a period of time...
1} My Aaji and Aajoba..
I grew up in Kalyan till i was 2 and was showered with so much love that even the baby knew that these are sum very special folks... My love story with that small town and big house kept growing every year as I passed vacation after vacation troubling them and they, in turn loving me more than i thought humans were capable of... Both of them are no more and evry now and then, a thought passes me by.......
2} Playing cricket in Amit Apts.....
I left Dahisar when I was almost 23 ....... And I miss nothing more than those crazy Sundays where we left our body, soul, blood and sweat on the cemented field ; playing cricket; to earn those darn 3 rupee samosas and a gulp of Pepsi.... The cuts and bruises from those mega wars is sumthing I am gonna display all my life (with a lot of pride, ofcourse).
3} Study leave Dhamaal.....
I swear I wouldnt have been an engineer had Ketan and Rupesh decided never to come to my house to do their revisions during those crazy study leave days... The whole process and the mindlessness of it is a memory etched forever...
4} Sumo wrestling.....
I sumhow always found wrestling on TV very invigorating... It was only natural that my school days were filled with these mock wrestling bouts where me and snehal and amit mounted on Salil... the sole purpose being beating the living hell out of our very own Yokosuna...
5} Cycling.....
My best school memories are all centered around running crazy; me and Rohit cycling through those up and down slopes from school to home gluttoning our way to glory at the VadaPav wala... Mary Immaculate Girls Convent was always a place of devotion and unknowingly the cycles used to turn super slow or stop completely near the entrance... Strange is the magic of God's creation...
6} Ruia and my Katta.....
I never had a huge frd circle at Ruia nor did I spend any significant time thr... But Mani's and the idli-vadas-free sambar; DPs and the fruit beer; 5 Gardens and the cricket matches; most of all sitting idle and carefree on the Katta totally oblivious of worlds measure of successes is sumthing I dearly wish I could go back to.
7} BE VCET MECH mavalis and what not.....
In the remotest of places was my college and till date I wonder if that was a right choice... but the memories it has given me is enuf for this lifetime. The tin hatched roofs, sweltering heat, zero chick classes, absurdly stupid profs, ill-timed xams, copied oodles of submissions, numerous rejections, even more joyous bunked classes, first ciggy, cockroach-infested noodles, brushes with profs and princi... most bitter sweet ride of my life. I like it, love it... even hate it but for nothing in the world am I gonna trade it...
8} Goa trip....
No parental supervision, 2 profs present for namesake... some godforesaken industry located in Goa or wherever and 40 mech guys... What u get is a rollercoaster ride full of drunken revelery...yours truly included... The amount of booze we consumed or the weirder than hell games we played... Its a lifetime of memories and its the only thing we friends discuss everytime we meet....
9} USA....
31st July 2003. The baby sparrow spread its wings for da first time. I am still learning, I may never soar as high as I wish but I love this ride and am gonna miss all da days of settling down in the US, those amzing seniors, the fight for grades, working at Smathers Library and getting to know Jo and Marvin, staying with Nilesh Dada and falling in love with Veyd and Varun( the most cutest nephews i have) and all the Jugaads i did for my job whilst at CA with solo... I miss those days a lot...
10} My past life....
Coming to think of it, its been quite a journey... All along I miss my parents and sumtimes my bro... I miss my building friends and our evening sojourns, I miss those games we played as kids and the fun we had at Holi and Diwali, miss moms food and dads passing the glass at parties, miss the first crush, miss Juhi Chawla and QSQT, miss India's world cup triumph of 83, miss that feeling I got when I got my result in 8th sem and then my GRE score, miss my UF commencement, miss Jason and Adil and Harsha and Churi and all my UF friends, the cooking turns and even worse.. the cleaning ones, trips to WinnDixie, the job interviews and prepartions for the job fairs, miss my VCET buddies esp Ketan, Solo, Rupesh and Sachin, Sujith and Rangeela and Mahimkar even more and to borrow a phrase from one serial that touched me the most...
DISCLAIMER: the missed things would appear in no particular order and may change over a period of time...
1} My Aaji and Aajoba..
I grew up in Kalyan till i was 2 and was showered with so much love that even the baby knew that these are sum very special folks... My love story with that small town and big house kept growing every year as I passed vacation after vacation troubling them and they, in turn loving me more than i thought humans were capable of... Both of them are no more and evry now and then, a thought passes me by.......
2} Playing cricket in Amit Apts.....
I left Dahisar when I was almost 23 ....... And I miss nothing more than those crazy Sundays where we left our body, soul, blood and sweat on the cemented field ; playing cricket; to earn those darn 3 rupee samosas and a gulp of Pepsi.... The cuts and bruises from those mega wars is sumthing I am gonna display all my life (with a lot of pride, ofcourse).
3} Study leave Dhamaal.....
I swear I wouldnt have been an engineer had Ketan and Rupesh decided never to come to my house to do their revisions during those crazy study leave days... The whole process and the mindlessness of it is a memory etched forever...
4} Sumo wrestling.....
I sumhow always found wrestling on TV very invigorating... It was only natural that my school days were filled with these mock wrestling bouts where me and snehal and amit mounted on Salil... the sole purpose being beating the living hell out of our very own Yokosuna...
5} Cycling.....
My best school memories are all centered around running crazy; me and Rohit cycling through those up and down slopes from school to home gluttoning our way to glory at the VadaPav wala... Mary Immaculate Girls Convent was always a place of devotion and unknowingly the cycles used to turn super slow or stop completely near the entrance... Strange is the magic of God's creation...
6} Ruia and my Katta.....
I never had a huge frd circle at Ruia nor did I spend any significant time thr... But Mani's and the idli-vadas-free sambar; DPs and the fruit beer; 5 Gardens and the cricket matches; most of all sitting idle and carefree on the Katta totally oblivious of worlds measure of successes is sumthing I dearly wish I could go back to.
7} BE VCET MECH mavalis and what not.....
In the remotest of places was my college and till date I wonder if that was a right choice... but the memories it has given me is enuf for this lifetime. The tin hatched roofs, sweltering heat, zero chick classes, absurdly stupid profs, ill-timed xams, copied oodles of submissions, numerous rejections, even more joyous bunked classes, first ciggy, cockroach-infested noodles, brushes with profs and princi... most bitter sweet ride of my life. I like it, love it... even hate it but for nothing in the world am I gonna trade it...
8} Goa trip....
No parental supervision, 2 profs present for namesake... some godforesaken industry located in Goa or wherever and 40 mech guys... What u get is a rollercoaster ride full of drunken revelery...yours truly included... The amount of booze we consumed or the weirder than hell games we played... Its a lifetime of memories and its the only thing we friends discuss everytime we meet....
9} USA....
31st July 2003. The baby sparrow spread its wings for da first time. I am still learning, I may never soar as high as I wish but I love this ride and am gonna miss all da days of settling down in the US, those amzing seniors, the fight for grades, working at Smathers Library and getting to know Jo and Marvin, staying with Nilesh Dada and falling in love with Veyd and Varun( the most cutest nephews i have) and all the Jugaads i did for my job whilst at CA with solo... I miss those days a lot...
10} My past life....
Coming to think of it, its been quite a journey... All along I miss my parents and sumtimes my bro... I miss my building friends and our evening sojourns, I miss those games we played as kids and the fun we had at Holi and Diwali, miss moms food and dads passing the glass at parties, miss the first crush, miss Juhi Chawla and QSQT, miss India's world cup triumph of 83, miss that feeling I got when I got my result in 8th sem and then my GRE score, miss my UF commencement, miss Jason and Adil and Harsha and Churi and all my UF friends, the cooking turns and even worse.. the cleaning ones, trips to WinnDixie, the job interviews and prepartions for the job fairs, miss my VCET buddies esp Ketan, Solo, Rupesh and Sachin, Sujith and Rangeela and Mahimkar even more and to borrow a phrase from one serial that touched me the most...
" The memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.. I remember a place...a town...a house...like a lot of other houses. A yard like a lot of other yards...on a street like a lot of other streets.
And the thing is...after all these years, I still look back...WITH WONDER."
Friday, April 28, 2006
Meetings at workplace...
What do I dread most about my job? Well, having lunch in the cafeteria....umm.. a close second; buddy... The biggest fear factor is the N number of meetings we have throughout the week to discuss mundane things with an aimless agenda and even more clueless people..
The only constant is the 100% attendance registered at such events; be it a team meeting or focus group discussion or all hands meet or corporate get-together. Various events have different kinds of incentives attached to them and depending on an individual's aim in life.... he/she would shine through these with mind-numbing expertise.
So you would always find " I am born to lead this planet against aliens" guy in a all-hands meet or a " I ate the complete Encyclopedia on coding standards for lunch" guy in all your client interactions. The most obnoxious brethren of this art of "Meetings Visibility" would generally end up being omnipresent at all, they would generally be relegated to the bench and disliked by one and all at work.
The creepy fact is the real ideas or agendas that spark off the meeting is generally always forgotten irrespective of the criticality of the issue and the only constant you take home from most meetings would be strategic info about the weather in some remote geographical locations...
What do i do in my meetings, you ask.......
Well; what else... We all catch up on our sleep which was never completed thanks to the friends meeting at dinner table to discuss the uselessness of all these corporate meets...
The only constant is the 100% attendance registered at such events; be it a team meeting or focus group discussion or all hands meet or corporate get-together. Various events have different kinds of incentives attached to them and depending on an individual's aim in life.... he/she would shine through these with mind-numbing expertise.
So you would always find " I am born to lead this planet against aliens" guy in a all-hands meet or a " I ate the complete Encyclopedia on coding standards for lunch" guy in all your client interactions. The most obnoxious brethren of this art of "Meetings Visibility" would generally end up being omnipresent at all, they would generally be relegated to the bench and disliked by one and all at work.
The creepy fact is the real ideas or agendas that spark off the meeting is generally always forgotten irrespective of the criticality of the issue and the only constant you take home from most meetings would be strategic info about the weather in some remote geographical locations...
What do i do in my meetings, you ask.......
Well; what else... We all catch up on our sleep which was never completed thanks to the friends meeting at dinner table to discuss the uselessness of all these corporate meets...
Who really died???..part 2
Wednesday refused to pass away without disturbing us further. Thankfully, all 15 of me and my room-mates got back home in good time, unfazed by the disharmony that had erupted. TV was our only mirror to the goriness engulfing the end of an era...
Somehow, we managed to cook a decent dal-rice meal for us with the supplies available and went off to sleep hoping for a better day on this uncalled, unprecedented holiday... Thursday dawned like any other except for the fact that it was different... Though things seemed the same; there was an unspoken unease in everything... Shops hadnt opened even at 8am and it seemed unlikely that life on the roads would spring up. To add to this conundrum, everyone was home looking a lil dull and weary of what might follow...
TV was switched on and the only thing staring back was darkness ... Cable had been cut off and only news channels were open. Incidents of mob violence were reported with alarming regularity and the circus engulfing the legend was a scary sight...
It was clear that the day was one for the black books and only sadness would prevail in the end... Mob violence was gonna turn ugly; that 6 people including a cop would die cos of this was out of anyone's imagination. That people would go without food for the whole day was assumed to b as true as Newton's laws of gravity. That the dead and gloom would make life a misery was now etched out...
We...... all 15 of the flat mates..... finally realized... Rajkumar hadnt died himself... He was taking a part of Kannada heritage with himself.... The death of a civilized society plastered across our souls by the unabashed mortification of goriness was shuddering our beliefs to the deepest cores...
The news that was gonna linger in our minds was : " SIX PEOPLE DEAD. MOB FURY TAKES AN UGLY TURN IN BANGALORE. RAJKUMAR'S SOUL RESTS IN PEACE.. ." The CITY doesn't.....
Somehow, we managed to cook a decent dal-rice meal for us with the supplies available and went off to sleep hoping for a better day on this uncalled, unprecedented holiday... Thursday dawned like any other except for the fact that it was different... Though things seemed the same; there was an unspoken unease in everything... Shops hadnt opened even at 8am and it seemed unlikely that life on the roads would spring up. To add to this conundrum, everyone was home looking a lil dull and weary of what might follow...
TV was switched on and the only thing staring back was darkness ... Cable had been cut off and only news channels were open. Incidents of mob violence were reported with alarming regularity and the circus engulfing the legend was a scary sight...
It was clear that the day was one for the black books and only sadness would prevail in the end... Mob violence was gonna turn ugly; that 6 people including a cop would die cos of this was out of anyone's imagination. That people would go without food for the whole day was assumed to b as true as Newton's laws of gravity. That the dead and gloom would make life a misery was now etched out...
We...... all 15 of the flat mates..... finally realized... Rajkumar hadnt died himself... He was taking a part of Kannada heritage with himself.... The death of a civilized society plastered across our souls by the unabashed mortification of goriness was shuddering our beliefs to the deepest cores...
The news that was gonna linger in our minds was : " SIX PEOPLE DEAD. MOB FURY TAKES AN UGLY TURN IN BANGALORE. RAJKUMAR'S SOUL RESTS IN PEACE.. ." The CITY doesn't.....
Friday, April 21, 2006
Who really died???..... Part 1
RAJKUMAR dead............ As news started trickling in last Wednesday, many of my Kannadiga friends went white in the face... Soon reports started pouring tat stray incidents of violence have erupted and mob-fury was evidenced in places around town. We, outsiders, were in our own merry world oblivious to anything wrong with the world...That is when it happened.. Offices across Bangalore got mailers from security personnel stating that the city is tense and its better to move out ASAP... Followin this was another mail askin employees to take a day off the next day...
Managers added to the confusion asking us to stop work and pack up for the day... ME and my friend very unwillingly packed up and came out cursing the hot sun and humid air along with this sudden change in situation... This is when it struck me... An icon had passed away... There was a sea of people at bus stops and rickshaw queues waiting to get home as quikly as they cud. Every1 anticipated trouble to erupt in various parts of town....
Luckless that we were; I suggested that we start walking home; a good 8 kms... My friend realized there was no other way we could make it and unwillingly dragged his feet on.. Roads were quiet and an eerie atmosphere prevailed even at 4 pm.... the bright sunshine did nothing to eradicate the gloom that had set in... The city resembled those "Spot the difference" pictures where everythin seems the same but still you know sumthings amiss....
After walking 2 kms, GOD seemingly smiled on us and we caught hold of a bus at a signal... though, it didnt go all the way we were sure to reach safer parts of town in this... As i climbed in, I was flooded with calls from my PG buddies beggin me to get home as soon as I could... Neighboring areas had been privy to little violence and it wasnt safe to stay out...
In the bus, my mind was wandering again and again to this one thought... If Death is so hurtful to legions of fans of a star... shouldnt they be sensitive not to hurt others???
How can someone who has lost someone special be inclined to inflict hurt and cause grief to others of the same kind??? Has evolution betrayed us in this aspect of growth????
Managers added to the confusion asking us to stop work and pack up for the day... ME and my friend very unwillingly packed up and came out cursing the hot sun and humid air along with this sudden change in situation... This is when it struck me... An icon had passed away... There was a sea of people at bus stops and rickshaw queues waiting to get home as quikly as they cud. Every1 anticipated trouble to erupt in various parts of town....
Luckless that we were; I suggested that we start walking home; a good 8 kms... My friend realized there was no other way we could make it and unwillingly dragged his feet on.. Roads were quiet and an eerie atmosphere prevailed even at 4 pm.... the bright sunshine did nothing to eradicate the gloom that had set in... The city resembled those "Spot the difference" pictures where everythin seems the same but still you know sumthings amiss....
After walking 2 kms, GOD seemingly smiled on us and we caught hold of a bus at a signal... though, it didnt go all the way we were sure to reach safer parts of town in this... As i climbed in, I was flooded with calls from my PG buddies beggin me to get home as soon as I could... Neighboring areas had been privy to little violence and it wasnt safe to stay out...
In the bus, my mind was wandering again and again to this one thought... If Death is so hurtful to legions of fans of a star... shouldnt they be sensitive not to hurt others???
How can someone who has lost someone special be inclined to inflict hurt and cause grief to others of the same kind??? Has evolution betrayed us in this aspect of growth????
Understanding books...
Whenever I read profiles of people, one hobby or interest prominently stands out...
Reading--- evryone reads... got me thinking a bit.... most of my friends are literate enough to read and educated enough to understand what they were reading. We all read numerous books to get through our graduations. Some are prescribed text-books while some are axillary, ancillary reads... When does this enforced readin transcend over to reading stuff of our own free will and making a choice about it?
I guess it starts off right at the beginning... from when we choose the book with the better pictures or bigger alphabets or musical pages... As we grow up the taste refines and segregates into much finer aspects of liking depending on your views, idelogies and the whole nine yards...
What you read is influenced by a whole essay of reasons.. ur friends and what they read, the books your parents dig into, the magazines and news papers your household has subscribed to, books recommeded by teachers, stuff lying ard at home, books available at the library, successful movies inspired from some novels, short stories to while away your time and smaller novels to tide away the holidays... the list keeps increasing as your scope and spectrum widens..
As I look back I understand the connection... If I understand the books you read; I would be very close to understanding the person your are....
Reading--- evryone reads... got me thinking a bit.... most of my friends are literate enough to read and educated enough to understand what they were reading. We all read numerous books to get through our graduations. Some are prescribed text-books while some are axillary, ancillary reads... When does this enforced readin transcend over to reading stuff of our own free will and making a choice about it?
I guess it starts off right at the beginning... from when we choose the book with the better pictures or bigger alphabets or musical pages... As we grow up the taste refines and segregates into much finer aspects of liking depending on your views, idelogies and the whole nine yards...
What you read is influenced by a whole essay of reasons.. ur friends and what they read, the books your parents dig into, the magazines and news papers your household has subscribed to, books recommeded by teachers, stuff lying ard at home, books available at the library, successful movies inspired from some novels, short stories to while away your time and smaller novels to tide away the holidays... the list keeps increasing as your scope and spectrum widens..
As I look back I understand the connection... If I understand the books you read; I would be very close to understanding the person your are....
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
As life passes me by...
Most days of our lives start the very same way that the rest of it has; and yet, somewhere.. deep down...one gets this feeling that today aint like those "Any other day". As I woke up today, everything seemed to be in its place yet I felt a strange pull. Things were in their usual place and chores were taking place with their mundane certainity. But I had a premonition that the day wudnt pass me by without a few twists.
It wasnt as if the signs werent there. The water hadnt heated up and one had to make due to with a few splashes of cold, torturous water over the body. I had missed my regular bus and the next one wasnt due for another half hour. I was unprepared for the meeting and suddenly I got the eerie feeling that it would be a while before I was gonna be done with it.
With all these forebearings, I started my laptop... Strangely, nothing unusual happenings took place... Was it my imagination? Why was I doing this make-believe stuff when all was really very normal... Maybe the work pressures making me a bit paranoid.. I assured my self and logged into my messenger...
This is when it happened... My best friend( in our group of 5) pinged me... a bit mad at me for not tryin to keep in touch... Only yesterday had I come back after meeting one more from the group. I had called one more staying in some obscure part of India and gotten to know abt his well being.... Even the last one; I had tried to hunt him down after he had gone missin in his job in the US as being some secret CIA agent... But my best buddy.. well HIM.. I had totally forgotten..
Now it all came back to me. The signs were there. Only I was too myoscopic to see rason behind them... Life was passing me by... I was losing track of my footsteps in my search for bigger, better lifestyle and the shadow was covering not just my eyes but my mind too... The warmth of the money was developing me into a heartless, cold-shouldered individual whose only friends were soon gonna b his own idiosyncracies and haugtiness.
But then, I do ask you.... Isnt this true in some ways for all of us? Arent we all being slightly sidetracked from our paths blinded by this quest for personal glory? Is the price worth paying?
What is the sum-total of these Individualistic lifestyles we are constantly seekin to imbibe?
Should we just let LIFE pass US by......
It wasnt as if the signs werent there. The water hadnt heated up and one had to make due to with a few splashes of cold, torturous water over the body. I had missed my regular bus and the next one wasnt due for another half hour. I was unprepared for the meeting and suddenly I got the eerie feeling that it would be a while before I was gonna be done with it.
With all these forebearings, I started my laptop... Strangely, nothing unusual happenings took place... Was it my imagination? Why was I doing this make-believe stuff when all was really very normal... Maybe the work pressures making me a bit paranoid.. I assured my self and logged into my messenger...
This is when it happened... My best friend( in our group of 5) pinged me... a bit mad at me for not tryin to keep in touch... Only yesterday had I come back after meeting one more from the group. I had called one more staying in some obscure part of India and gotten to know abt his well being.... Even the last one; I had tried to hunt him down after he had gone missin in his job in the US as being some secret CIA agent... But my best buddy.. well HIM.. I had totally forgotten..
Now it all came back to me. The signs were there. Only I was too myoscopic to see rason behind them... Life was passing me by... I was losing track of my footsteps in my search for bigger, better lifestyle and the shadow was covering not just my eyes but my mind too... The warmth of the money was developing me into a heartless, cold-shouldered individual whose only friends were soon gonna b his own idiosyncracies and haugtiness.
But then, I do ask you.... Isnt this true in some ways for all of us? Arent we all being slightly sidetracked from our paths blinded by this quest for personal glory? Is the price worth paying?
What is the sum-total of these Individualistic lifestyles we are constantly seekin to imbibe?
Should we just let LIFE pass US by......
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Nightmare for personal info security.....
To what extent are we vulnerable to becoming the next harassment victims to these N number of callers who want you to apply for their credit cards cos its free for a lifetime? Are we really living in a free country where evry minute detail of yours is already sifting through multiple hands with yourself not even being aware of all the pertinent dangers attached to it....??
This awareness struck with the force of lightning wave the other day when my sweet Saturday rendevouz with sleep was disturbed by the constant flurry of beeps from my Mobile indicating that I have received some 8 SMS's. My initial reaction was ... WOW... this must be some festival or something akin to that. Saying so, I rubbed my eyes and unlocked the unsuspecting message box... Imagine my horror when I saw that a random number had messaged me all these times...
I first thot that this has to be a Aprils fool prank from some friend intent on harassing me and decided to doze off to glory...Even before I could turn my blanket over, propped in message number 9 and sorry to say, when I opened them I was nowhere close to Cloud# 9.... all messages had the same typical message body requestin me to apply urgently to avail of free credit cards and call SHIVA for further details...
Disturbed I woke up and enquired of my friends if sumone had reffered me. NO was the unanimous reply. I hadnt even thought of applying for this card... The bank who was supposedly offering me this card was one I didnt even have an account with... In fact none in my family/friends/ professional circle had any links to this venture...
On returning the message with a curt NO i was subjected to 3 more of the same variety. The only question rattling me was, " Is my personal info so easily accesible to such random people that my whole identity might be taken away?" Am I and my life so unaccountably vain that various databases have shared the info like some hot gossip... Is this happening only to me or is everybody caught up in this trap... Has personal identification theft spread so far as to categorize it as a punishable offence or do we need some people to lose their complete life and its belongings before we smarten up...
Whats the end of this all??? Do they know only my tangible secrets or they know my complete life and history or worse still.. do they know my future too...??? What wud trigger some sort of protection against this blashphemy???
I plan to resort to the Consumer protection act to help me here; but is it real worth the trouble or a mere eye-wash? I dont know but neither do I have many options either. As Gandhiji has said, suffering thru injustice is a bigger crime than commiting injustice.... I have decided to fight against this dastardly methods of business propogation. I hope you too, God forbid, if the time ever comes.....
This awareness struck with the force of lightning wave the other day when my sweet Saturday rendevouz with sleep was disturbed by the constant flurry of beeps from my Mobile indicating that I have received some 8 SMS's. My initial reaction was ... WOW... this must be some festival or something akin to that. Saying so, I rubbed my eyes and unlocked the unsuspecting message box... Imagine my horror when I saw that a random number had messaged me all these times...
I first thot that this has to be a Aprils fool prank from some friend intent on harassing me and decided to doze off to glory...Even before I could turn my blanket over, propped in message number 9 and sorry to say, when I opened them I was nowhere close to Cloud# 9.... all messages had the same typical message body requestin me to apply urgently to avail of free credit cards and call SHIVA for further details...
Disturbed I woke up and enquired of my friends if sumone had reffered me. NO was the unanimous reply. I hadnt even thought of applying for this card... The bank who was supposedly offering me this card was one I didnt even have an account with... In fact none in my family/friends/ professional circle had any links to this venture...
On returning the message with a curt NO i was subjected to 3 more of the same variety. The only question rattling me was, " Is my personal info so easily accesible to such random people that my whole identity might be taken away?" Am I and my life so unaccountably vain that various databases have shared the info like some hot gossip... Is this happening only to me or is everybody caught up in this trap... Has personal identification theft spread so far as to categorize it as a punishable offence or do we need some people to lose their complete life and its belongings before we smarten up...
Whats the end of this all??? Do they know only my tangible secrets or they know my complete life and history or worse still.. do they know my future too...??? What wud trigger some sort of protection against this blashphemy???
I plan to resort to the Consumer protection act to help me here; but is it real worth the trouble or a mere eye-wash? I dont know but neither do I have many options either. As Gandhiji has said, suffering thru injustice is a bigger crime than commiting injustice.... I have decided to fight against this dastardly methods of business propogation. I hope you too, God forbid, if the time ever comes.....
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
In a strange land...
I always get this sinking feeling that i am drowning and there would be no one to help me ashore. And, how would they? Most people dont know my language... Am I saying this because I am caught up in a land where the local language is different but then is it so important??
Having being brought up in Bombay language was never an issue. It was always a bhel-puri of so many of them..I had used all types of words from Hindi, English, Marathi and spattered a few Gujju words too... all in the same sentence.
Out here too, I have got the basics of Kannada and that should help me sail through in a normal scenario... but I am finding it difficult to break through or break the ice as they say...
What can be the reason, then? Why is language suddenly such a huge hindrance?
To add to this fact that most of the friends that I have made out here are quite well-spoken in English and they take care to talk to me in the same. Then why is it that it doesnt feel as nice as it did in Bombay or even in Florida...
May be this is where the mother tongue aspect of language kicks in... I really don't know.. I am still tryin to figure it out and fit in....
I hope it is sooner than later cos otherwise my days in this city may be numbered.....
Having being brought up in Bombay language was never an issue. It was always a bhel-puri of so many of them..I had used all types of words from Hindi, English, Marathi and spattered a few Gujju words too... all in the same sentence.
Out here too, I have got the basics of Kannada and that should help me sail through in a normal scenario... but I am finding it difficult to break through or break the ice as they say...
What can be the reason, then? Why is language suddenly such a huge hindrance?
To add to this fact that most of the friends that I have made out here are quite well-spoken in English and they take care to talk to me in the same. Then why is it that it doesnt feel as nice as it did in Bombay or even in Florida...
May be this is where the mother tongue aspect of language kicks in... I really don't know.. I am still tryin to figure it out and fit in....
I hope it is sooner than later cos otherwise my days in this city may be numbered.....
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
cricket is not the same any more
It was sunday and it started off like any other. It's been boring; the way weekends, especially, Sundays have gone ever since I landed in this supposed city of gardens.
For the past year and half, this sabbath has been well spent stocking up the tummy with yummy lunch buffets at various places all across town... Regular routine consists of a late night movie on Saturday accompanied various discussions with roomies about existential questions regarding the importance of bugs in softwares.
This leads to a late wake-up, generally after people stop saying "Good morning" followed by a quick readying session of clumsily brushed teeth and half completed shower. We are then ready to hog into our favorite plate of samosas and chaat and chole-bhatura before embarking on the long walk for delicious parathas... The sun generally sets by the time we are done with this. Nights are reserved for quests of non-veg eateries where the same devotion is offered towards the food God.
This Sunday... started off promising to be the same... We were all still under the weather having suffered through FightClub the previous night. The day was bound to be as exciting as watching the clock tick by... India and England were locked in a dull test mostly wiped out by rains, Iqbal was the afternoon watch (but staying awake till it actually happens was doubtful plus the ads ensure u conk off before the movie ends) and the only glimmer of hope was the final ODI between SA and Australia.
But things I am told started off well.. For a nation that loves cricket more than a religion and where SRT is celebrated as God... people were afforded a whiff or fresh air by the way the new look Indian team resisted the ever improving Englishmen and suddenly there was a discussion that maybe India could sneak in a win.
I was relieved... so were my roomies... we cud hog without guilt into the pizzas now... and Iqbal had started too... The song "Ashayein" was pumping us up too.. Finishing the grub didnt seem as intimidating now as it had earlier... Jumping channels between the movie and our match we managed to clean every bit of food that was visible... Plans of an evening outing were destroyed there and then... We were so full that all other options except for a big afternoon siesta were thrown out of the window...
This is where Man proposes and God disposes begins to kick in. Having slept the afternoon away, we were woken up by mad cheering from Jumanjee, our aussie supporting roomie...we all woke up to witness murderous scenes at the Wanderers... Whatever little was left of the competition was being fed to the dogs with each passing ball... the African agony was so heinous that we thought the stuff being shown on TV was too graphic in nature for viewership... TV was promptly switched off to discuss the best hangouts to conduct classes in bird watching for the new arrivals in town... And then news arrived.... SA were murdered.. the magical landmark of 400 was crossed for the first time in a ODI... Though not an aussie fan the idiot box was turned on to salute the extra human effort... 434 it was by the end of the 50th... As we watched Highlights of the bludgenoing; it became apparent that Australia is still miles ahead of all the minnows and WC 07 is theirs unless there is a major miracle... Ponting is the best ODI batsmen over the last year...
And.... SA chokes the best.. They beat India to the title... We decided to watch the final slaughter as aussies would gobble up SA and we could make this team the butt of a few more meanie jokes....
So started the SA innings... Chasing history, these brave warriors were gonna fall woefully short... Would it be a 100 or 200 run defeat... Can anyone make a striking century to make this margin look respectable... Thoughts were running through thinking of decent burials for the match and the next day headlines were floating through as clear as crystal... Suddenly Dippenar was gone and Gibbs made an entry...
I was sure this was gonna be a miracle.... The largest ever defeat in a ODI... yea, thats what this was gonna turn into... and the aussie smile .. that smirky twisted look will rule the world.. AGAIN...
AND THEN IT ALL STARTED HAPPENING...
The ground was too small, aussie fielders also fumbled and mis-fielded, 434 was so huge that it blinded the SA teams sense of fear, all supposed batting guns decided to come to the party on the same day....
Runs started flowing more freely than oil in the Middle east... Anything that touched the bat landed beyond the boundary ropes... Gibbs had dropped the WC in 99 and he wanted to make ammends for the same....Every unknown face was contributing... runs kept literally flooding as the overs commenced.. the Magical Halfway mark of 220ish was crossed before the 25th over finished....
Were we to believe this? Were history books gonna be re-written in a single day.. twice over? All roomies gathered... We believe in miracles... remember, we actually thought that Ganesha idols drink milk etc etc...
We were gonna witness history if and as it was gonna be created. If this was once in a lifetime occurence.. we were ready for it...All the coveted spots in the hall were taken.. Food and booze was arranged.. A big party was ON... as overs dwindled and runs ticked off and the unimaginable was getting close to reality.. excitment was at its peak...
Nervous tension was increasing and wickets were tumbling... The old curse of choking was coming back... The art of losing a game that you have won... It was like Indian batting collapses revisited... Can they really do it or was this gonna be registered as another great effort for all its worth?
That it was going down to the wire was sure... One over and seven needed.. 2 wickets left.... Easy right... Well, no one told Hall that when you need 2 to win off 4 deliveries you take singles... Having brought the victory so close he threw it away with an untimely slog... Ntini was In and he is just as likely to be Out... SA were going to choke and nothing was goign to wipe that smug look and smirky smile off the aussie faces.. We were all dejected... But then there was divine intervention...
Somehow the next ball took an edge and went safe to third man for a single..scores were tied and Boucher, rightfully had the strike to win it all... the next delivery was thudded off to the mid-wicket boundary and History was created...
Cricket, as we have grown up watching, was never gonna be the same again. I had watched the greatest ODI ever played and it is going to make stories for my life-time...
For the past year and half, this sabbath has been well spent stocking up the tummy with yummy lunch buffets at various places all across town... Regular routine consists of a late night movie on Saturday accompanied various discussions with roomies about existential questions regarding the importance of bugs in softwares.
This leads to a late wake-up, generally after people stop saying "Good morning" followed by a quick readying session of clumsily brushed teeth and half completed shower. We are then ready to hog into our favorite plate of samosas and chaat and chole-bhatura before embarking on the long walk for delicious parathas... The sun generally sets by the time we are done with this. Nights are reserved for quests of non-veg eateries where the same devotion is offered towards the food God.
This Sunday... started off promising to be the same... We were all still under the weather having suffered through FightClub the previous night. The day was bound to be as exciting as watching the clock tick by... India and England were locked in a dull test mostly wiped out by rains, Iqbal was the afternoon watch (but staying awake till it actually happens was doubtful plus the ads ensure u conk off before the movie ends) and the only glimmer of hope was the final ODI between SA and Australia.
But things I am told started off well.. For a nation that loves cricket more than a religion and where SRT is celebrated as God... people were afforded a whiff or fresh air by the way the new look Indian team resisted the ever improving Englishmen and suddenly there was a discussion that maybe India could sneak in a win.
I was relieved... so were my roomies... we cud hog without guilt into the pizzas now... and Iqbal had started too... The song "Ashayein" was pumping us up too.. Finishing the grub didnt seem as intimidating now as it had earlier... Jumping channels between the movie and our match we managed to clean every bit of food that was visible... Plans of an evening outing were destroyed there and then... We were so full that all other options except for a big afternoon siesta were thrown out of the window...
This is where Man proposes and God disposes begins to kick in. Having slept the afternoon away, we were woken up by mad cheering from Jumanjee, our aussie supporting roomie...we all woke up to witness murderous scenes at the Wanderers... Whatever little was left of the competition was being fed to the dogs with each passing ball... the African agony was so heinous that we thought the stuff being shown on TV was too graphic in nature for viewership... TV was promptly switched off to discuss the best hangouts to conduct classes in bird watching for the new arrivals in town... And then news arrived.... SA were murdered.. the magical landmark of 400 was crossed for the first time in a ODI... Though not an aussie fan the idiot box was turned on to salute the extra human effort... 434 it was by the end of the 50th... As we watched Highlights of the bludgenoing; it became apparent that Australia is still miles ahead of all the minnows and WC 07 is theirs unless there is a major miracle... Ponting is the best ODI batsmen over the last year...
And.... SA chokes the best.. They beat India to the title... We decided to watch the final slaughter as aussies would gobble up SA and we could make this team the butt of a few more meanie jokes....
So started the SA innings... Chasing history, these brave warriors were gonna fall woefully short... Would it be a 100 or 200 run defeat... Can anyone make a striking century to make this margin look respectable... Thoughts were running through thinking of decent burials for the match and the next day headlines were floating through as clear as crystal... Suddenly Dippenar was gone and Gibbs made an entry...
I was sure this was gonna be a miracle.... The largest ever defeat in a ODI... yea, thats what this was gonna turn into... and the aussie smile .. that smirky twisted look will rule the world.. AGAIN...
AND THEN IT ALL STARTED HAPPENING...
The ground was too small, aussie fielders also fumbled and mis-fielded, 434 was so huge that it blinded the SA teams sense of fear, all supposed batting guns decided to come to the party on the same day....
Runs started flowing more freely than oil in the Middle east... Anything that touched the bat landed beyond the boundary ropes... Gibbs had dropped the WC in 99 and he wanted to make ammends for the same....Every unknown face was contributing... runs kept literally flooding as the overs commenced.. the Magical Halfway mark of 220ish was crossed before the 25th over finished....
Were we to believe this? Were history books gonna be re-written in a single day.. twice over? All roomies gathered... We believe in miracles... remember, we actually thought that Ganesha idols drink milk etc etc...
We were gonna witness history if and as it was gonna be created. If this was once in a lifetime occurence.. we were ready for it...All the coveted spots in the hall were taken.. Food and booze was arranged.. A big party was ON... as overs dwindled and runs ticked off and the unimaginable was getting close to reality.. excitment was at its peak...
Nervous tension was increasing and wickets were tumbling... The old curse of choking was coming back... The art of losing a game that you have won... It was like Indian batting collapses revisited... Can they really do it or was this gonna be registered as another great effort for all its worth?
That it was going down to the wire was sure... One over and seven needed.. 2 wickets left.... Easy right... Well, no one told Hall that when you need 2 to win off 4 deliveries you take singles... Having brought the victory so close he threw it away with an untimely slog... Ntini was In and he is just as likely to be Out... SA were going to choke and nothing was goign to wipe that smug look and smirky smile off the aussie faces.. We were all dejected... But then there was divine intervention...
Somehow the next ball took an edge and went safe to third man for a single..scores were tied and Boucher, rightfully had the strike to win it all... the next delivery was thudded off to the mid-wicket boundary and History was created...
Cricket, as we have grown up watching, was never gonna be the same again. I had watched the greatest ODI ever played and it is going to make stories for my life-time...
Friday, March 10, 2006
Sometimes I Ponder
Its Friday. Everyone in my cubicle has left for home. What am I doing here? Why am I whiling away time doing nothing when I can go home early and catch up on that book unfinished or cook myself some dal-chawal and papad. And then I crib all weekend long about how lousy life's turning out to be.
But NO. Today is not everyday. My team-mate has quit and she is there burning the final few Cd's before she leaves the premises, probably forever. I am not her best friend; possibly not even a friend in the real meaning of that term. Why do I feel lil akward then???
As i sit in my cubicle blogging away to glory; running away from the reality.... It just keeps creeping up on me.... I have seen so many people supposedly "Moving Ahead" in life leaving the project and office for the promise of a better tommorow. The rate of attrition matches the speed of light. Bonds are broken even before they even get formed. Dialogs said by my dad like " I worked for the same firm for 30 yrs", " I got this silver plaque for my silver jubilee"etc. resemble archealogical evidences and yet the heart ponders...
IS this really the progress, growth we r running after? Is individual betterment the sole objective in a decision? Dont we have any necessities towards bettering our social life at the workplace? Is money the sole driver for all decisions we make?
If yes ...... Then why am i sitting here hoping to get that one smile from her and why is there a drop of tear in her eye whilst she flashes her coy smile at me... possibly for the last time......
But NO. Today is not everyday. My team-mate has quit and she is there burning the final few Cd's before she leaves the premises, probably forever. I am not her best friend; possibly not even a friend in the real meaning of that term. Why do I feel lil akward then???
As i sit in my cubicle blogging away to glory; running away from the reality.... It just keeps creeping up on me.... I have seen so many people supposedly "Moving Ahead" in life leaving the project and office for the promise of a better tommorow. The rate of attrition matches the speed of light. Bonds are broken even before they even get formed. Dialogs said by my dad like " I worked for the same firm for 30 yrs", " I got this silver plaque for my silver jubilee"etc. resemble archealogical evidences and yet the heart ponders...
IS this really the progress, growth we r running after? Is individual betterment the sole objective in a decision? Dont we have any necessities towards bettering our social life at the workplace? Is money the sole driver for all decisions we make?
If yes ...... Then why am i sitting here hoping to get that one smile from her and why is there a drop of tear in her eye whilst she flashes her coy smile at me... possibly for the last time......
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