Fortuitous Reflections

Just dealing with it...

2012-02-15T23:15:00.001+09:00

Went out for lunch with the team today. Simple enough thing to do. I was the only girl amongst three men. Right in the middle of eating good old Punjabi food in the neighbourhood dhaba, the men suddenly begin talking about how they spent their Valentine’s Day. Each had a tale of woe concerning their girlfriends. Apparently all girls micromanage or complain no matter what is done for them. They slam down phones, they crib and yes, all of them are drama queens. Having worked with these chaps (… and they are awesome fellows otherwise…), I have realized, arguing or standing up for the feminist in me , against such a majority, is of no use, hence I devote all my energy to filling my hungry stomach and nodding. When the discussion reached its peak, they realized I was a part of the audience and was quietly enjoying my lunch.

“Your kind!”, someone says, “they are all the same!”

I looked up. What had I done? I was just mutely eating!

So I said, “How is this my fault specifically?”

“It isn’t your fault per se, but all women are the same! You should tell all the women you know! Why are all of you this way?”

I find this amusing! J

What is it that annoys men so much? If you get asked what you were doing, why not just tell us? If you get told you are not devoting enough time or seriousness in the relationship, why not try and listen?

Women are only as complicated as you make them out to be. Yes we think too much, yes we like to know, yes we love silly gifts, yes we are emotional and dramatic…and YES, you can’t do without us!

Give us some credit, who else will buffer your world and make it a better place? Who will dress up and cook for you? Who will try and like stuff that you like? And most importantly, who will give everything seamlessly if she believes in you?

Lighten up fellas! We deal with you the other 364 days don’t we? J

Finally mine :)

2011-12-18T16:44:00.002+09:00

To write or not to write?

2011-09-15T19:33:00.003+09:00

I haven't written anything in a long time.

I find that even when the ideas swirl in my head and I think up an idea that really moves me and I want to write, my laziness gets in the way. I think up entire stories / poems in my mind but just don't get down to meticulously recording the same It seems like too much of an effort to go out there and lay out an idea. Why do it anymore? The enthusiasm of starting my own blog seems to fading away and I don't like this very much.

I don't have supporting statistics but it's easy to see that to start something is easier than maintaining the same energy to sustain it.

I can only wish that this is a passing phase and I will return a bit motivated soon enough.

Cheers!

Read this today...

2011-07-13T23:11:00.002+09:00

There are only two mistakes in life:
1) Not starting on the journey
2) Not going all the way

I agree.

Another fact...

2011-06-13T15:57:00.002+09:00

You can never have enough books...or bookmarks!

http://nheilke.com/blog/?p=2628

I could not agree more :) My obsession is not alone :D

Birthday come birthday go...

2011-05-31T17:40:00.004+09:00

http://fortuitousreflections.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html

I wrote this over 2 years ago...reread it by chance a few days ago.

Then realized, I haven't changed :)

I wonder if its a good thing or a scary thing to not change or want newer things.

In addition, I like to think of myself as older, wiser and a whole lot funnier ;)

True Fact

2011-05-17T21:44:00.003+09:00

You know you are getting old, when with a birthday looming large around the corner, you suddenly get sensitive to jokes on age! :D

2011-05-01T22:41:00.002+09:00

"In three words I can sum up everything I have learnt about life--it goes on"
--Robert Frost

The phone rings again…

2011-04-12T21:32:00.001+09:00

Tring trinnnng…
I pick up the otherwise forgotten landline.
“Hello”
“Hi, is this xxxxxxxx”
“Yes, who is this?”
“I got a call from this number when I was on International roaming”
“You did?”
“Yes! I didn’t answer because I was on international roaming”
“I am sorry, we barely use the landline”
“But I got a call!...when I was on international roaming…I didn’t pick because you know, international roaming”
“Yes I get that you were on international roaming…could have been a mistake…”
“Let me tell you the time and date!”
“No no..its ok..”

20 seconds later....
“March 28th, 14:05 hours”
“Oh ok…like I said, it’s probably a mistake..I am sorry”
“Since I got so many calls and just got back recently, I am returning the calls…I was expecting some important calls you know…that’s why I was checking…so why did I get a call from this number?”
“Sorry sir, but this seems like a genuine mistake…I don’t think we know you”
“The problem is your voice sounds familiar”
“It does?” (In my head, I was thinking….what a line!)
“Yes it does…are you into RJing”
“Ehhmm….no I am not!” (Weirdo!)
“Right, so why did you call when I was on international roaming?”
“I didn’t call!!!” (What the hell really!)
“But I gave you a date and time when I got this call!”
“I am very sorry, won’t happen again!” (Grrrrrrr!)
“So what field are you in?”
“Excuse me?” (Did he just ask me that?)
“Now that I did get a call, I may as well find out…what field are you in?”
“Why should I tell you that?!” (Creep!)
“You did call when I was on international roaming”
“I am not telling you anything!”
“Oh I understand your apprehension in telling a stranger personal details”

….he slams the phone
I am left open-mouthed and amazed.

Why does this happen to me?

Some old memories from Chitra Kala Parishat, Bangalore

2011-04-11T22:19:00.000+09:00

One sunset over the mighty Tungabhadra...

2011-03-14T10:49:00.001+09:00

Because it is blue....again! :)

2011-03-02T19:17:00.002+09:00

Because it is blue...

2011-02-26T01:32:00.003+09:00

Sunlight and Shadows...

2011-02-26T01:07:00.002+09:00

Waves

2011-02-26T00:43:00.003+09:00

Yawning silence and frightening calm.
Never ending depth and no one to reach out to.
Suddenly, a wave breaks the surface.
Surging hope and rays of light.
An old song, a slight touch, a warm smile.
The waves always reach deep.

The best way to kill a nut......

2011-02-23T17:37:00.004+09:00

.....is to drown it in chocolate! :) My first attempt to make a nice big slab of nutty chocolate at home is a success!

Unexpected delights!

2011-01-09T19:13:00.003+09:00

Saw 2 movies over the last week. Both were fascinating, completely riveting and rather unexpectedly entertaining. Do watch these if you get a chance...

Strangers on the train:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strangers_on_a_Train_%28film%29
(Alfred Hitchcock...always a master of thrills)

The Fall:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_%282006_film%29
(A nondescript title but excellent acting and imagination)

Books read over the last week include:
1) Aftertaste by Namita Devidayal. (Strongly recommend, beautiful writing)
2) Not a nice man to know--The Best of Khushwant Singh (Like anything by KS, you can't help but read on and chuckle)
3) In Between the Sheets by Ian McEwan (Brilliant set of short stories. I think, Ian McEwan has a mastery over the language that is unparalleled...)
4) Terrible Matriarchy by Easterine K. Iralu (Beautiful portrayal of life in one family, over the years, as seen through the eyes of a little girl. Set in Nagaland, this story was honest and very in your face)

Mine! :)

2010-12-19T18:04:00.007+09:00

One dream up..so many more to go! ;)

On my side table this month...

2010-11-16T10:58:00.004+09:00

The experiment :)

2010-11-13T17:48:00.004+09:00

The tiny tomato and spinach pizza...with unholy amounts of cheese....perfecto! :)

Movies and books this week...

2010-11-06T21:45:00.003+09:00

Cold Mountain by Anthony Minghella (One of my fav directors, the movie is like a beautiful painting, each detail meticulously thought out)
Some like it hot by Billy Wilder (The original comedy that inspired a gazillion remakes in every language possible :)..a salute to Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon...what a pair!)
The bicycle thief by Vittorio De Sica (Undoubtedly one of the great classics, an inspiration to all movie buffs)
Chocolat by Lasse Hallstrom (...because I love Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche)
Vanilla Sky by Cameron Crowe (Very disappointing, couldn't wait for it to end)
Udaan by Vikramaditya Motwane (Refreshing and off beat, worth the watch)
Beauty and the Beast (1991) by Walt Disney feature animation (Big fan of animation/musicals, a classic)

Corner Shop by Roopa Farooki (Brilliant writing, right mix of funny, sad, real and imaginary)
The Counsel of Strangers by Gouri Dange (so-so, can be missed)
Saraswati Park by Anjali Joseph (Enchanting, fluid writing, disappointing ending)
Luck by Dhruba Hazarika (Fascinating stories from the North East, simple and unpretentious)

The Mahabharata retold....

2010-11-01T16:52:00.003+09:00

I am a big fan of the Indian epics. I grew up in a house where Sunday mornings were reserved for watching B R Chopra's Mahabharat. The booming voice saying "main samay hoon..." will never be forgotten. Every kid in my generation grew up to this phenomenon on TV.

Recently a friend recommended this book to me and the unusual title caught my eye right away...Devdutt Pattanaik's "Jaya, an illustrated retelling of the Mahabharata"

Having bought it, I went through the book in one sitting. It is a magnificent and brilliant reproduction of the epic. What makes this book unique are the fantastic line drawings on each page. The author not only brings out the essentials of this ancient tale, he also illustrates a picture for each sub-plot. The strokes and writing are definitive! An absolute delight for someone who believes that there cannot possibly be a another epic that even begins to cover what this text of Indian culture and history leaves you with.

No where in the book does the author reduce to preaching. He touches up on each story and its connections to modern thinking. Small info boxes between the retelling give the reader the source and origins of the stories. The reader is also informed of any variations to the most popular version that exist. The author also shares current rituals and festivals that are celebrated due to specific events in the Mahabharata.

I completely enjoyed the book. It bought back childhood memories and I found scenes from the TV serial enacted in my head as I read through them in the book. The line drawings deserve an absolute applause. They can only be defined as perfect.

Three Cups of Tea

2010-10-17T23:30:00.001+09:00

This has to be by far, the most inspiring book I have ever read.

Reading about one man’s inspiring and tremendous journey, that saw him build schools in what is, arguably, one of the most poverty stricken and cut off areas of the world, makes you want to stand up and salute.

Greg Mortenson is a true hero. The book, beautifully written, in the simplest of terms by journalist David Oliver Relin, sees you through Mortenson’s beginnings, life and ultimately what became his obsession—building schools for children in remotest regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

His spirit and undying devotion to education as a means to better the conditions of life and its ways in such hostile conditions and cultures makes you wonder, as an individual, where the courage of your convictions can take you. What stays with you long after the book has ended, is a strong belief that no matter how many wars are fought for whatever reason, the only means to a peaceful solution anywhere comes through education and tolerance.

You almost “whoop” in delight when you feel the joy of first time students clinging on possessively to their new shiny notebooks. Education, in its truest meaning isn’t just learning how to read and write. It is the opening up of the mind to ideas and possibilities of cultures, languages, people and beliefs. At the very core of this, is the faith, that through educating children, the generation that will come forth, will have an open-mind and better chances at improving their lives, when compared to the generation of their parents.

I strongly recommend this book to everyone. It is a life changing book.
Thank you Greg Mortenson, for making the world a better place, one school at a time.

Also please visit www.threecupsoftea.com to find out more about this education project and how you can help. Pass this on to everyone you know. Every gigantic revolution always begins with silent and small steps.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

2010-10-13T10:40:00.003+09:00

"Never love a wild thing ... the more you do, the stronger they get. Until they're strong enough to run into the woods. Or fly into a tree. Then a taller tree. Then the sky. That's how you'll end up, Mr Bell. If you let yourself love a wild thing. You'll end up looking at the sky."
-Truman Capote,
Breakfast at Tiffany's.

2010-09-13T10:26:00.002+09:00

Children are Masters of Zen.
Curious about everything.
Adults are serious and boring.
What happened?

-- Kabir Bedi, Actor
(From his short story, "Ramblings on a Beach")

2010-09-05T10:46:00.002+09:00

We have not passed that subtle line between childhood and adulthood until we move from the passive voice to the active voice--that is, until we stop saying "It got lost," and
say " I lost it."

Sidney J Harris
(Journalist, drama critic and teacher)

Randomness on the phone...

2010-08-28T17:18:00.002+09:00

Him: Hello.

Me: Hello.

Him: Hello.

Me: Hi. Who is this?

Him: Who are you?

Me: Who do YOU want to talk to?

Him: Is this Sanjay?

Me (clearly in a girl's voice): No it's not!

Him: But I thought this was my friend's Sanju's phone.

Me: Well, its not!

Him: Who are you?

Me (grrrrrrr...): Check the number you are calling please!

Him (sweetly...): If it's not Sanju, will you be my friend?

Me:...(tongue-tied..then quickly slams the phone)

2010-08-28T17:16:00.000+09:00

Come to the edge.
We can't.
We're afraid.
Come to the edge.
We can't.
We will fail!
Come to the edge.
And they came.
And he pushed them.
And they flew.

Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918)
French poet, philosopher.

N97 Mini

2010-07-25T22:08:00.002+09:00

Two touch screen phones...I figure I am generally a lucky bum!
The iPhone however, wins hands down anyday!

No guts, no glory

2010-06-08T01:06:00.003+09:00

So I have finally gone ahead and done it!

I have finally quit two popular social networking sites.

Five-six years on Orkut and about two years on Facebook have made me realize I didn’t want to be on them.

I will gladly admit I have made some very good friends along the way. People who I will always cherish, love and pray for. I have also had my fair share of batty personalities, “fans”, testimonials and more “friendsheep” requests than I care to keep an account of.

About two days ago, I got thinking about who I really kept in touch with on these sites? How did they matter? Where were all these people when real ups and downs have happened? Did I really want to read comments on my wall? Did I really want to know if someone played Mafia wars or did some farming? Did I realize I have wasted about half an hour of my life looking up some friend’s friend’s photo album….heck! I didn’t even know anyone’s name in this photo! How did I even get there? Someone please get me back my 30 mins!

I then asked myself if I had enough guts to take the plunge and let go of it all.

I DID.

Why not just keep the accounts and not be active on them?
Good question! I have asked myself that question as well.

Hmm….I find I am a compulsive “reply back” kind of person. So if someone pinged, wrote or messaged me, I would find myself being polite and replying….usually saying something mundane like …"Hey you! Long time no hear! We really should catch up you know!"….By and large, I did not want to “catch up” or really keep in touch. I was merely replying instinctively. I much rather receive a personalized mail than someone “liking” or commenting on a wise-guy comment / link on my wall.

The people who really matter—the bona fide ones that back me no matter what and have been through my thick and thin—know exactly where and how to find me. They don’t rely on some social networking site to figure out how things are with me. I don’t either.

I don’t stand for or against becoming a member of these sites. It’s a personal choice and either ways doesn’t mean a thing.

I figure all the time and mindspace I gain after quitting these sites will make me pursue things I genuinely like doing—like writing for instance…

When I wrote to a few people telling them that I have left these sites for good, the answers I received amused me. “Is someone stalking you?”, “Why why why! Come back”, “Why the virtual suicide?”, “Was it me?”….

All I have to say is GET A GRIP!

It’s not like I am vanishing off the World Wide Web. My blog (this very one that you are reading) is alive! So is my mail account.

Get in touch! Just do it the “old fashioned way”.

Take your time. Write me a mail. I will always reply because I want to ;)

Pain...

2010-05-25T11:00:00.002+09:00

Got stung by a bee yesterday.
The pain had tears coming out of my eyes. I haven't had that sort of physical pain in years! Makes me wonder how we took all our falls in childhood? Was it easier then to just accept that it was all a part of growing up?
I felt awful, because of the hurt and because the poor bee died :(

Jeffery Archer…

2010-05-18T21:13:00.000+09:00

What a master in the genre of short-story writing!

I have read every single book this man has ever written. There couldn’t be a more loyal fan when it comes to following his short stories.His latest “And thereby hangs a tale” almost has you biting nails and furiously turning pages to figure the twist in the story.

Unputdownable!!

Marley & Me by John Grogan

2010-05-16T20:15:00.002+09:00

I will guilty admit that I picked up this book on a whim. It had a cute lab puppy on the front cover! Today as I finished reading it, I can't thank my stars enough for having picked up this book!

The story made me laugh, cry and want to own a dog like Marley right away. Very few books move you like the way this one will.

Beautifully and so effortlessly written, this lovely tale about the life and love with the world's worst dog really reinforces your belief in the art of good story telling. More importantly, it paints a hilarious and true picture about the many benefits and drawbacks of owning a crazy dog as a family pet.

I strongly recommend this book for all dog lovers and would be pet owners.

It's worth every bit of the crazy ride!

Thank you Mr Grogan. It's a wonderful story well-told.

Need and want…

2010-05-11T21:47:00.002+09:00

I was doing some random skimming through a magazine last night and a particular article caught my eye. It talked about three women who, despite being way below the poverty line, had adopted children and were giving them a good life.

I started thinking about how many people I knew who would be that selfless. Who would be willing to live a life that is so untouched by greed or want for something or someone?

I couldn’t name anybody L

All of us want something. All of us have a hidden agenda somewhere. Dig deep enough and there is always a motive, no matter how sub-consciously embedded it is.

We all want a vacation.., that salary increase…, that perfect life fraught with materialistic things…Why are these wants so ubiquitous? Before you get rid of one there is another one knocking down your door.

Really come to think of it and you will find that some of the things that bring the greatest joy are not “things” at all. A hidden smile, a private joke, a hug, the feeling you get when you read a warm letter, playing your favourite sport, the joy of singing the way you want to, your dog wagging its tail when it sees you, the smell of your mum’s cooking…this list is endless! Yet all of us strive to make misery where we can.

If you don’t get what you want (and it’s usually something worldly that seems completely absurd after you really think about it) you crib, you cry, you vent, you rave…not once stopping to think about where this is taking me, will this make me truly happy?

What makes us forget the little delights?

As a generation, are we getting so caught up in attaining better, bigger, shinier things and becoming so acquisitive that we forget what is everlasting may actually cost nothing?

There is a very thin line between need and want. Very few people are able to walk that line and be altruistic enough to give back.

I’ll endeavor to get there someday.

:) :) :)

2010-05-08T22:32:00.003+09:00

Hmm...

2010-05-06T13:11:00.001+09:00

I read this today.....

"Why compound ignorance with inaudibility? Why run and hide?"--E. B. White

I agree with it. Takes guts to face your demons.

Before Sunrise…

2010-05-03T23:06:00.000+09:00

I just saw the whole movie for the very first time and fell absolutely in love with Love.
How perfect is this movie? ;)
Sigh.

A cup half full…

2010-04-30T02:18:00.001+09:00

I was reading this random mail forward yesterday. An analogy of sorts.

A professor holds up a sack of rocks and then asks his students what happens if he held it high for 5 mins. The students say nothing.

“What will happen if I hold it for an hour?”
The students jump up and reply that his arm might ache.

“What if I hold this all day?”
The students say, “The pain in the arm will be unbearable!”

“So what is the solution then?” asks the professor.
Some wise back-bencher says, “Put the sack down!”

The mail then went on to tell me that life’s problems (sack of rocks) are as big (Hold them for 5 mins or hold them for a day) as you make them out to be.

Hmmm.

That’s an interesting concept!

Personally, I am not sure if I can be so detached from some problems that I face. First of all, not all problems are the same; hence solutions to these problems also vary.

Second, if only solutions were that simple, how happy we would be!

All problems and their solutions start and end depending on how you see the cup—half empty or half full.

Isn't it?

The best ever nutty sponge cake! :)

2010-04-19T10:41:00.002+09:00

Good fun making and good fun eating ;)

Random-ness galore....my workspace this month!

2010-02-19T00:21:00.002+09:00

2010-02-19T00:15:00.002+09:00

Just finished reading “Khushwant Singh selects Best Indian Short Stories—Vol II”

The book made for utterly delightful reading! Although I had read most of these stories somewhere or the other, this compilation really is a collector’s delight. All these stories have appeared in the Illustrated Weekly of India—at one time considered as the publication that was the end all and be all of any writer worth his words.

A special mention to the following stories—they have a timeless essence and are hard to forget.

Khushwant Singh’s “The Agnostic” and “The Bottom-Pincher”
Mohan Rakesh’s “An Unprofitable Sin”
R K Laxman’s “ An Accident” and “The Gold Frame”
P L Deshpande’s “Namu, the Dhobi”

I strongly recommend this book for short-story buffs.

All's well that ends well?

2010-02-10T18:38:00.001+09:00

Ever had one of those days when nothing goes right? Everything quickly reduces to helplessness and then finally despondency? I had one of those days today. Not a single thing was on track, not a single person good enough to work with. The boss was incorrigible and the work was wretched.

Personally I believe any place that does not have meetings and micro-schedules must be heaven. Being idiotically naive and annoyingly optimistic means I strive at things earnestly and whole-heartedly. It also means that unless it is a dangled under my nose, I don’t get signs.

The greatest problems are not due to the work itself, they crop up due to the relationships you develop with the people you work with. Someone once told me that your colleagues can never really be your friends—they are all striving for just the same things that you are! Once an agenda, albeit even a hidden one, comes up means friendship cannot blossom. I think somewhere this logic holds true. Isn’t this sad? You spend more time with these colleagues than you do with say, your family or friends—shouldn’t you be able to depend and trust them effortlessly?

I find that I have managed to make some meaningful friends who were my colleagues from my last company. Guys I can depend on without thinking about it. It feels great. But I couldn’t think of them as “pals” when I worked with them! Strange but true!

I digress. Sorry.

Coming back to today, feeling low and rather angry, I messaged a few of my friends about what I should do to up the mood. Some of the absolutely ludicrous answers make me immensely grateful I have goofy friends. One guy gave me REIKI gyaan, whilst another one told me to get drunk. One told me ditch it all and take a vacation in Delhi (psst…the book fair is on!) and the other one prodded me to listen to loud Bollywood music. One even told me it was time to find a husband! It all made me smile. Suddenly it put things in perspective! Sometimes when you work you don’t realize why you do it. Your entire life is NOT work. Problems you face at your work place should never be credited for more than what they are. A lot of your life must be lived outside of what you do. It defines who you are and what person you become. Every now and then, I strongly believe you should do things that bring your acuity in place—like making sure you make time for these very crazy buddies. They keep you grounded.

Another incident stands out. Most of you already know how all my life’s wisdom come from Bangalore autowaalas….here is another one. While travelling back home in the evening today, my auto suddenly stopped in the middle of nowhere. The driver then turns around and tells me that a wire is cut and he can’t go any further. I had few options. Walking home would easily take me an hour—an hour being a conservative estimate. Getting any mode of public transport at that hour , at that place was near impossible. Muttering, almost thinking this is like the icing on the cake today, I was ready to get off. The driver then stopped me. Told me to wait while he tried to get me another auto that would take me home. He went on to apologize about the failure and even told me how this is the worst area one could have a breakdown in!

After about 20 minutes of trying to get the attention of every auto that passed by, this man came up to me and said that I should keep the faith. If it meant he had to do a quick and rather clumsy job of fixing the cut wire he would do it, but he would get me home! It’s a promise!

I stood there on that busy road, while the traffic zoomed past us and thought—if this man can do something like this, be so interested in doing his job so well and so till the end, I have little to crib about. He could very well have let me off and left me to my own devices—it was almost what 99 out of a 100 would do!

I stood there in awe, thinking—wow! So much pride, so much honesty and the smile never leaves his face! Every day he possibly faces the worst things and severe pompous attitudes. What makes him so happy? What makes him want to do this and do it the best he can?

The answer I think lies in two things.

One is the honesty about doing something. If your heart and head is in the job / relationship / thing, you will go to any level to stick by. You will strive at it / for it like no tomorrow. You won’t even realize how much of an effort you are putting in. Be true to yourself about this in all things.

Two is the fun. If your job or relationship with someone is not fun anymore and you have exhausted all possible ways to mend it, have the courage to let go of it honourably. Things can only improve from there.

I did get home in an auto that this driver found me. The bad mood was gone; a smile was found where none existed.

All truly is well if it ends well.

The Coconut Barfi.....

2009-08-16T01:50:00.001+09:00

Something got me cooking today.....this is what I made..

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/pallavimv/TheCoconutBarfi?authkey=Gv1sRgCIys4qqy8JH6KQ#

Finger licking good! :D

Bye bye 26th

2009-05-31T22:02:00.000+09:00

Hello 27th! :)

Can’t do without….

2009-04-12T19:18:00.000+09:00

Half cup of tea in the morning

Reading the newspaper …….books…..reading anything

Checking mail

Goofy people…goofiness galore

Listening to music

Seeing the funny side of things

Making people smile

Mum’s kadhi chawal

White Musk perfume

Thinking about getting a dog

Thinking about getting fish

Bread and butter

Animated movies……romantic comedies……all movies!

Popcorn

Best friends (S, M and S—you gals make my world vibrant and vital)

Watching programs on animals or travel or cooking on TV

Listening….and truly believing that it helps

Drama in everything, so that I can weave stories when I get old

Water

Greenery/plants

Intelligent conversation

Writing

Stationery

Procrastination

Lounging in pyjamas once in a while….doing nothing

Extended sleep on Sunday mornings

Mangoes and watermelon

Singing out of tune on purpose

Attempting to whistle

The colour blue

Silver bracelets and silver earrings

My watch

Day dreaming

Jeans

Calvin and Hobbes

Remembering trivial utterly useless GK

Asking questions

Invariably putting my foot in my mouth

British humour

Eating the cherries off cake and ice-cream

Subtle sarcasm and mild flirting

Telling the truth

Writing bad limericks

Getting ribbed…………blushing

Remembering numbers and dates

My iphone

Forgetting why I got angry

Brother’s advice

Being fascinated by lights and fireworks

Being agony aunt

Consulting…counseling…..worrying

Learning new things

The elephant God and His humourous ways to test us poor mortal humans

Never finding the right clothes to wear

Wishing I could play tennis more often or atleast watch it being played

Planning to not die till I learn or attempt to learn salsa

Thinking P G Wodehouse is the greatest author ever

Making a “things to do list”….then promptly forgetting to look at it again

Wanting to drive an SUV

Enjoying the smell of the first rains

Wanting to finish a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle

Having an opinion on most things

Being on time

Wishing I had said the right thing at the right time

Always regretting words spoken in anger

Being annoyingly optimistic

The window seat…always!

Wanting to see a F1 race someday

Believing that all things are equal and yet the balance tilts to favour those who show enough courage to want it badly

Reading between the lines…..then getting into trouble

Watering plants

Giggling

Wanting to see the world—the hills, the valleys and all that lies in between.

Logic, practicality and science….and also that some things I cannot explain

Wanting to be a student for ever

Thinking about being a photographer someday

Experimenting with cooking

Standing by the window when it rains

Coming up with every excuse to not workout

Wanting to see and touch snow

Cuddling up with pillows

Being a hopeless incorrigible romantic

Wishing I could play the piano or the guitar

Talking forever……saying everything and nothing at all

Letting go….when I can’t do anything else

Keeping the faith

Believing that hope always floats

Wanting to see a Broadway musical

The fact that what goes around comes around……and the world is a small place

Being naïve sometimes

Reading a book...never figuring out when I fall asleep

The knowledge that humour helps lessen the pain when it hurts the most

Admitting that it all happens for your own good.

2009-03-19T02:40:00.000+09:00

Of auto fans and psychos……

I have this uncanny knack of picking the wrong autowalla no matter where I go.

In my unmatched travels in Bangalore I have come across enough specimens to be inspired enough to write this blog.

Let’s begin with a very scary auto fan/ psycho type: This guy is forever parked outside my street. He is also forever ready to go anywhere I ask him to. He never uses the meter and always charges less than what the fare would normally come up to. All this is still tolerable, until he begins asking me questions—what are my office timings? Do I work Saturdays? Can he come to pick me up in the evenings? What is my phone number? Can he call and check if he can come and pick me up in the evening? Can he call in the morning and come and pick me up from my building? Who is my watchman? Etc etc…

As you can probably understand……..I make an effort to not take this auto in the morning. If it means I have to leave a little early, little late, or from another street, then I just do it.

The second category of autowallas includes the geography gene deficient chaps. This is how the conversation usually flows;

Me: “Race Course Road?”

Him: “Eh?”

Me: “Race Course Road??”

Him: (Scratching his chin or poking his ear, looking sufficiently mystified) “Where on Race Course Road?”

Me : “Near Taj West End”

Him: (Now vigourously working on scratching that chin or digging uranium in that ear, looking positively dumbfounded!) “Which route to go?”

Me: (Controlling the urge to hit the man, wondering why they always ask you questions when you are running against time to reach work….) “Over Old Madras Road….”

Him: (Scratch, scratch or dig, dig, Oscar winning cinematic look of deep mystery and incomprehension) “After Old Madras road, which way?”

Me: (Grating teeth, wishing for something hard to hit his head with, with increasing volume…) “Over Dickenson Road, then you take a right , parallel to M G Road, then you drive straight down to Raj Bhavan Road, then you take a left at Chalukya circle, then straight down to Race Course Road!!!! The whole thing will last 30 mins ! ARE YOU COMING OR NOT???”

Him: (In deep thought for over a minute, working out on that chin or/and ear)“ No madam” (cheesy grin)

Me: “ THEN WHY THE HECK DID YOU ASK THAT MANY QUESTIONS???”

Him: (another cheesy grin)

Suddenly another auto draws up almost running over your toes……

Him2: “Where to madam?”

Me: (hopeful again, there is a lord!) “Race Course Road?”

Him2: “Hmm”….scratch……

And life goes on…………..

The third category belongs to the virgin autowalla. Rare and very hard to come by, this auto walla doesn’t know a single place in Bangalore. He asks you if you know the way (bloody gall I tell you!) and as is the superior human tendency of non auto drivers; you smirk and tell them that of course you do! Then begins the jolly ride, where you realize that this absolutely cunning and shrewd fellow has made you his Bangalore guide for the day………he insists on knowing when the Ulsoor lake came into being, or when a particular street became one way, or why old Madras Road is called that, one guy even asked me what the price of a film ticket was when we passed a mall! All in all you are mentally drained, not to mention pocket empty, by the time you reach your destination.

The fourth and final type of autowalla are found dime a dozen. They wait till you are seated and then say; “20 rupees extra”

Smart these fellows are! They know you cannot jump off a moving vehicle and that you are sufficiently and psychologically cornered into accepting. Yet I have learnt after a lot of fighting that this need not be an all encompassing losing battle for you….I usually say, “WHAT!!Stop this auto immediately”

Ah ha! You have realized that their weakness lies in not having a scene (here is where you feel like grinning goofily, but since you are having a fight, you must look distressed and agonized enough…)

He persists and tells you, “You won’t get any savari (customers) from there!”

You retort with, “So? Is that my fault?”

You have managed to stump him! Hurray!

The euphoria doesn’t last too long. He says, “Madam, what is 20 rupees to you? We have to come back empty from there….”

You reply, “So that gives you a right to cheat people?”

Again you have come up with a winner! (Pat on your back my friend!)

He says, “Ok madam, 15 rupees, not yours or mine”

You: “ You think you can cheat people is it? No 15 rupees! You want to come for 10 rupees then come otherwise stop this auto right now!”

That my friend, is when it strikes you that you have comprehensively lost an extra ten rupees for absolutely no reason. It is then that you should just meekly accept that the laws in this auto filled world are conspiring to constantly win against you and your silly little brain. Just give up and lead a peaceful life.

Life without drama, like I always say, is no life at all.

2009-03-17T11:19:00.000+09:00

Heat , rain and some candles......

2009-02-18T23:05:00.000+09:00

.....life.

I am usually, almost incorrigibly, definitely annoyingly optimistic about most situations that come my way.
I stand defeated and very alone today.

2009-01-11T23:19:00.000+09:00

Vacation?

I was feeling a bit frustrated last week. There was no particular reason really.....I just wished I had a little more "patience" to step back and see any situation from a third party perspective. I wished I didn't jump to conclusions or get emotional about the whole thing, so quickly! This invariably lead to hurting oneself. I have learnt that there isn't much that is worth this kind of involvement...

The bigger picture gets lost when you deal with trivial--and as you will later realise, utterly useless--by-issues. I have to keep telling myself--more often now, when something makes me angry--that this is just a small part of your life and not your entire existence! Don't give situations undue credit especially when it isn't due...

"Compartmentalising" you life is hard. It is not entirely impossible though. Boundaries are lost over time and some things gather all the priority they don't deserve. Trying to avoid mixing bogies is a full time job.

Phew!
What a roundabout way to say I NEED A VACATION! :)

2008-09-05T10:36:00.000+09:00

WHY?

Why do things happen?
In the way in which they do....
If we could see the outcome,
Would there be a sadder few?

If you could see Tomorrow,
Would you be really glad?
Imagine seeing the future
and all that can be had!

But Stop for a moment and think like this....
the Future is but a lump of clay,
if you didn't know the shape you are meant to have,
you may mold it any way!

2008-06-29T21:01:00.000+09:00

Unputdownable, fantastic read!

2008-06-28T22:40:00.000+09:00

Needed some patience to get through this book.
Certainly have mixed feelings about the writing.
PS- Thanks to someone special who wrote me a few lines in this book........it's the only reason that really kept me motivated to reach the end. :)

2008-06-22T22:33:00.000+09:00

A few pictures from a recent Lalbagh trip............certainly has the old Bangalore charm still....
The little black dog followed me where ever I ventured........always dutifully a few paces behind, and posed like a professional for the photograph and then mysteriously disappeared at the gates......

2008-06-22T22:11:00.000+09:00

I have always liked what Jeffery Archer has written - this book is no exception.
Long live British authors!

2008-06-15T17:37:00.000+09:00

My latest temptation!
Soon my room will have more books than it can handle :)
Getting lost in a bookstore is by far the greatest thing to do - it is also my favourite thing to do in this crazy world.

2008-06-06T02:16:00.000+09:00

Every day for the last two weeks, every time I have been out, I have seen an ambulance maneuver in traffic...........very scary and sort of unsettling :(

2008-05-25T00:07:00.000+09:00

Birthdays!
My 26th birthday is a week away. Quarter century completed without any major destruction to self and others :)
I hope it's normal to feel like a theatre mask.
Have decided that growing old is great just as long as it doesn't happen to you.Sure, you want to cross over and be taken seriously but being a kid forever has its own advantages. You are mostly allowed to get away with everything. Now some rather idiotic concepts of the future begin to disturb an already diminishing quantity of grey cells.
Yeah yeah.............let the "old jokes" and fun begin!

Grumble grumble grumble,
But old age knocks on the door,
You may as well enjoy it now,
B'coz it can't be ignored any more.

2008-05-24T23:54:00.000+09:00

The week that was...........
Some interesting places and lots of rain :)

2008-05-11T15:30:00.000+09:00

Ever since I have been a little girl, every saree would seem like an extension of some bed spread.........until I went shopping a few days ago and bought these for my mother.......I dont know exactly when but somewhere in between the entire experience ( I made the poor saleslady remove every saree she had to show hence building up this little mountain right under my nose) and actually buying, I fell in love with this glorious and graceful attire...........Someday I hope I can wear these and carry them off.........
Hmm........maybe it is true........maybe I am growing old........

2008-01-01T14:09:00.000+09:00

Happy New year once again to every passerby.........
That time of the year again when resolutions are made and broken.
When you believe everything is going to start afresh.
When no matter how the past has been you believe the future can only get better :)
Brand new slate and squeaky chalks..........write whatever you want.........
A joyful, naughty, perfect year for everyone! ;)
Happy New Year '08!!!!

"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

2007-12-25T14:45:00.000+09:00

Merry Christmas everyone! Time to forgive and forget......stay happy, healthy and eats lotsa plum cake :) may the spirit of this season last forever!

2007-12-10T01:17:00.000+09:00

I was talking to someone very senior at work and we were discussing the faith and zeal one puts in the jobs given to them.

He likened it to something very remarkable……

“Every job,” he said, “is like a sufficiently long train journey to somewhere.”

“You enter the compartment and see your co passengers. How you behave towards them and how they behave towards you will determine how pleasant the journey eventually becomes.
The destination may be something you can’t help but the journey and how much fun it can become is entirely in your hands.”

“You have a stake in everything you do. You may not consciously think about it but you do. The deeper your stake the better you do the job,” was his conclusion.

Ever had that feeling when a tiny bulb comes on in the camouflaged nook of your head?
This was one such moment for me :)

2007-12-09T15:54:00.000+09:00

THE WEEK THAT WAS............

In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted.

-- Bertrand Russell

#####

* What a song!!!!! *

Bitter Sweet Symphony- The Verve

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life
Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to the money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet, yeah
No change, I can't change, I can't change, I can't change,
but I'm here in my mold, I am here in my mold
But I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no

Well, I've never prayed,
But tonight I'm on my knees, yeah
I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind , I feel free now
But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now

No change, I can't change, I can't change, I can't change,
but I'm here in my mold , I am here with my mold
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no

(Well have you ever been down?)
(I can't change, I can't change...)
(Ooooohhhhh...)

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life
Trying to make ends meet, trying to find some money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet, yeah
You know I can't change, I can't change, I can't change,
but I'm here in my mold, I am here in my mold
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mold, no,no,no,no,no
I can't change my mold, no,no,no,no,no
I can't change my mold, no,no,no,no,no

(It justs sex and violence melody and silence)
(It justs sex and violence melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down)
(It justs sex and violence melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down)
(Been down)
(Ever been down)
(Ever been down)(Lalalalalalaaaaaaaa...)
(Ever been down)
(Ever been down)
(Have you ever been down?)
(Have you ever been down?)
(Have you ever been down?)

#####

Been listening to Linkin Park, AC/DC, Def Leppard, Metallica, Creed and Nickelback all of last week

I have to end off with a cheesy line so here goes……….

In the End, apart from the tingling in the ears I am quite Numb to everything and Nothing else matters. :)

#####

Does lowering your expectation about something/somebody make you hurt any lesser when it doesn’t happen?

I don’t know…………..it seems like no matter what the expectation, the intensity of hurting is just the same…………..

#####

Traveling by buses everyday is a new experience. The streaming multitude of unknown hoi polloi and the comfort of being unrecognized and nameless among them is such a freedom.

Sure you get pawed and pushed sometimes, but I don’t think such a potpourri of life can be seen and experienced in any other way.

#####

Walked in the rain- exhilarating!!

*The fever and cold that follow don’t make any sense though*

#####

A close friend said this about my father last year

Of manners gentle,
Of affections mild,
In wit, a Man
In simplicity, a child.

I would like to add on that he was and always will be all this and much more.

Miss you pops, and I love you even more.

#####

2007-10-28T22:44:00.000+09:00

I Wonder.

I saw the moon the other night, distant and tranquil,
It caused a quiver somewhere and a little sigh
I wonder if he feels it too?

A mellow zephyr infringes the deliberation,
A thought occurs and a heartbeat misses,
I wonder if he feels it too?

Everything stands frozen for that ephemeral instant,
Brings the memory of a stolen glance and a shy smile,
I wonder if he feels it too?

Love doesn’t happen in the unvarying talk,
It happens over the million moments of silence,
And I wonder if he feels it too.

2007-09-30T21:56:00.000+09:00

Chak De India!!!!

Finally saw the movie everybody in the world has seen......my verdict in one word?
"SUPERB"!!!
After a longish time, a movie made me sit on the edge of my seat and wish.....go India go!
A fantastic soundtrack, committed acting and more that anything, is the way the movie makes you feel........you laugh, you cry, you get goosebumps and you stand up and cheer. At the end of the day, thats what entertainment is all about isnt it?

Am beginning to think maybe, just maybe, bollywood can think beyond its regular mix of dishoom dishoom, meri tumhari bacche ki maa banne waali hoon, namesake heroines and larger than life heroes. :)

As long as there will be movies like Iqbal, Dor, Chinni kum, and now CDI, there will always be fans like me.........

Definitely a well made movie this!

http://www.yashrajfilms.com/microsites/cdi/cdi.html

2007-09-15T21:34:00.000+09:00

The Circle of Karma- Kunzang Choden

A very enchanting tale of a woman and the journey she makes from birth and beyond. This is the first time I was reading something by a Bhutanese author and I must admit I came away impressed. There is nothing hidden in this novel.

It is a beautiful description of the reality of life and the struggles of being a woman in the Himalayan kingdom. Deeply influenced by religion, belief and karma, this tale is about a journey Tsomo, the main character takes.

It is a story of her life and the travails in them. It is about how everything you do comes a full circle someday. It’s about realizing who you are and where you eventually want to go.

My conclusion- Captivating read but requires some patience to get the flow!

Can You Hear The Nightbird Call- Anita Rau Badami

An absolute outstanding weave of a story.

The story of three women and their entwined lives. This magnificent book is about Bibiji (Sharanjeet Kaur), Leela, and Nimmo. From the narrow streets of a small village in Punjab, called Panjaur, the lanes of Bangalore, to the opportunity filled Vancouver, this book covers everything.

This tale brings forth the pain and the trauma that take root in their lives, caused by some grim realities in Indian history including the partition, the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the subsequent terror that followed a particular sect and the bombing of Air India Flight 182, Kanishka, where all 329 people on board were brutally blown up in a terrorist attempt………

It is a tale of want, ambition, and how deep beneath the skin, everyone is related by his or her circumstance to each other. This book is so true in it narration the reader can almost reach out and touch the lives of its characters. This novel clearly depicts the closeness one feels towards one’s countrymen in a foreign land. It talks about the bonding that might be forced but is a necessity to survive in a home far from home.

A very well written story, the author manages to make you grimace at some of the descriptions of terror. It is however a book that leaves you sad in the end, because no matter how much you wish what you have read is not true; the reality is that there is nothing that can be changed now.

My favourite line- “Coincidence? Perhaps. Chance brings lives together in unexpected ways and breaks them apart with equal randomness”

My conclusion- A definite must read! Brilliant candid work!

2007-08-30T19:01:00.000+09:00

One for the soul................

Life is like having a cup of coffee. You sit by the window, lift the cup, take a careless sip and find no sugar.
Too lazy to go for the sugar, you somehow manage with that sugarless cup. On finishing you discover undissolved sugar crystals settled at the bottom.
Thats how life is.
We do not make any efforts to value what is around or within us. So look around, may be the sweetness you are looking for is closer than you think.

One for everyday at work.........

Never argue with a stupid person. First they pull you down to their level and then beat you with experience.

One for belief......

Let your faith take the first step even if you don't see the entire staircase

One for Romance......

"If you love someone,you say it, you say it right then, out loud, or the moment just.....passes you by" ( My Best Friend's Wedding)

One for Life......

2007-07-29T20:02:00.000+09:00

The most amazing songs ever......sweep me away everytime i hear them.

Thousand years- Sting

A thousand years, a thousand more,
A thousand times a million doors to eternity
I may have lived a thousand lives, a thousand times
An endless turning stairway climbs
To a tower of souls
If it takes another thousand years, a thousand wars,
The towers rise to numberless floors in space
I could shed another million tears, a million breaths,
A million names but only one truth to face

A million roads, a million fears
A million suns, ten million years of uncertainty
I could speak a million lies, a million songs,
A million rights, a million wrongs in this balance of time
But if there was a single truth, a single light
A single thought, a singular touch of grace
Then following this single point , this single flame,
The single haunted memory of your face

I still love you
I still want you
A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves
Like galaxies in my head

I may be numberless, I may be innocent
I may know many things, I may be ignorant
Or I could ride with kings and conquer many lands
Or win this world at cards and let it slip my hands
I could be cannon food, destroyed a thousand times
Reborn as fortunes child to judge anothers crimes
Or wear this pilgrims cloak, or be a common thief
Ive kept this single faith, I have but one belief

I still love you
I still want you
A thousand times the mysteries unfold themselves
Like galaxies in my head
On and on the mysteries unwind themselves
Eternities still unsaid
til you love me

*************************************************
Old friends- Simon and Garfunkel

Old friends, old friends,
Sat on their parkbench like bookends
A newspaper blown through the grass
Falls on the round toes
of the high shoes of the old friends

Old friends, winter companions, the old men
Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sunset
The sounds of the city sifting through trees
Settle like dust on the shoulders of the old friends

Can you imagine us years from today,
Sharing a parkbench quietly
How terribly strange to be seventy

Old friends, memory brushes the same years,
Silently sharing the same fears

**************************************************

The Boxer- Simon and Garfunkel

I am just a poor boy and my storys seldom told
Ive squandered my resistance for a pocketful of mumbles, such are promises
All lies and jest, still the man hears what he wants to hear
And disregards the rest, hmmmm

When I left my home and my family, I was no more than a boy
In the company of strangers
In the quiet of the railway station, runnin scared
Laying low, seeking out the poorer quarters, where the ragged people go
Looking for the places only they would know

Li la li...

Asking only workmans wages, I come lookin for a job, but I get no offers
Just a comeon from the whores on 7th avenue
I do declare, there were times when I was so lonesome
I took some comfort there

Now the years are rolling by me, they are rockin even me
I am older than I once was, and younger than Ill be, thats not unusual
No it isnt strange, after changes upon changes, we are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same

Li la li...

And Im laying out my winter clothes, wishing I was gone, goin home
Where the new york city winters arent bleedin me, leadin me to go home

In the clearing stands a boxer, and a fighter by his trade
And he carries the reminders of every glove that laid him down or cut him
til he cried out in his anger and his shame
I am leaving, I am leaving, but the fighter still remains
Yes he still remains

Li la li...

*****************************************

2007-07-29T19:32:00.000+09:00

Random musings………..

Whining about life is a constant time-pass
Having probably heard enough from me, one of my friends asked me to list out the three greatest worries of my life…….
The question left me stumped! Even after complaining so much, I couldn’t think of a single thing to say to him that would classify as a “worry” that wouldn’t subside after some point! Everything moves on and time heals, even if you refuse to believe it at first.
Future, life, relationships, work- all uncertainties in someway but nothing that you can actually control, fight or rebel with, then why do these things worry us in the first place?
Heartbreak, loss, pain, loneliness- it all eventually goes away doesn’t it?
Which one of us doesn’t go through the “can’t meet a deadline, boss sucks, work sucks even more, can’t define a personal life” routine at some point in our lives? Most of us live through it day in day out.
I have discovered after falling several times, that learning to laugh at your goofiness is an art. It sets you free. After some point letting it go is the best policy to adopt.
Things can only worry you if you let them worry you.

Saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- what a terrible way to fit a marvelous book in a couple of hours of cinema. All effects, no soul movie. Leaves you cold.

Reading P G Wodehouse. The man really does leave you short of superlatives. I haven’t read a single book of his where I didn’t end up smiling. For me he shall always remain the best author ever.

Cooking is clearly God’s gift to a select few. The others should stop trying.

One of my closest friends recently got married. The youngest and the most spirited, and clearly the baby of the gang.
Fills my heart with joy when I see her so happy and full of love. Bless them. I still can’t believe we have grown up so much we are all ready to build our own nests. Wasn’t it yesterday that we bunked classes and caught the first day first show Shahrukh movie? When we spoke about clothes and cars and boys? Roadside chaat and saved up religiously to buy that glorious pair of jeans………..time flies doesn’t it?
Maybe, just maybe, marriage is not such a bad idea to think about in the future ;) till then I am born free……..

Over and out.

2007-07-22T21:52:00.000+09:00

Writing after a longish time……..forgive the rust
Caught up in the mundane daily work :)

Ever wondered how radio has changed our lives?
I travel quiet a bit every morning and evening to work…….. Leave home when its dark and get back when its darker……
Some days are worse than the others…you just don’t want to wake up…..don’t want to leave the nice warm comforting environs of your blanket…..but you get up anyways……you curse the world……you curse the system…..you wish something…….anything……would just give you an excuse to stay back….be a kid…….then you sigh…..no divine intervention……no such luck……you wake up still mumbling how the world conspires against you and hates your sleep……
You move at a sluggish pace……slower if possible……
No matter how much you try……you still want to sleep!
You walk towards your stop……..you wait for your transport…..
You enter the cab……you feel like the grinch so you growl at the driver when he smiles and says hello……
You slothfully walk towards your seat……
The cab moves……
You think to yourself…..this isn’t so bad……maybe I can sleep now……you close your eyes…….
The driver switches on the radio at a volume that even the stone deaf would oppose……
Suddenly there is music everywhere!
You wake up with a start and if you could you would be willing to stab the driver……
You grumble again……mumble under your breath…..
You have no choice but to listen……
An annoyingly cheerful RJ telling you what’s happening in your city…..you begin to listen with a frown…..someone calls the station…….says he loves his wife, she means the world to him….wants to dedicate a romantic song to her……..in your head you smile……think “aaaaawwwwww”……a soulful number comes up……you don’t know when you start humming…..
You are now listening with all ears……..addicted…..
You listen to the ads……they fly past you……you listen absorbedly to the songs and wish…..oh so badly wish……that they play your song next………they do!……you feel joy…..you are now fully singing the song in your head……brings back memories……of people…..of situations……of some good times…….
Before the song ends….you don’t know it……but you are smiling…..a certain peace fills you……the world isn’t such a bad place after all huh?……the cab stops, the RJ is still telling you whats new in your city……work beckons……you are still humming…….you bid a bye to the driver....one lopsided grin deserves another....
You are ready for another day……..

2007-01-01T22:31:00.000+09:00

Happy new year to every passerby.........
Only two ways to go down from here.........lay back and think about the past dreams or wake up and pursue them........
I hope for whoever is reading this, may your worries last as long as your new year resolutions! ;)

2006-09-24T20:28:00.000+09:00

Bangalore
Over the past few days, a lot of traveling in Bangalore city has made me think long and hard about what makes this place such a potpourri of cultures and influences…
It is………
A city where at every nook and corner, there is a “darshini” or a “adigaas” offering you south Indian “fast food”
A city of Baristas, Coffee Day……and filter coffee
A city of umpteen bookstores
A city of pubs and multi cuisine restaurants
A city where the autowallas carry mobile phones, speak in her majesty’s English and always have faulty meters
A city where, on the same street at the same time, you will find a sleek looking BMW and a completely oblivious cow, each making their way someplace else
A city that is sweltering in the morning and sees rain in the evening
A city passionate about its theatre and movies
A city where every street has seen a game of galli cricket
A city of malls and roadside stores
A city where no matter where you go, a cyber “browsing chat games” center is always around the corner
A city where the traffic never moves and the roads are better not taken
A city of modern architecture and ancient values
A city where you can get by without knowing a single word in kannada
A city where “swlapa adjust maadi” is the unwritten rule
A city of unfinished flyovers and new ring roads
A city where every way eventually turns one way
A city of green parks and tiny lakes
A city of matchbox flats and rich individual homes….and slums
A city for the nouveau rich, the poor and everyone in-between
A city, where if you throw a random stone at ten people, nine and a half turn out to be techies
A city where the music ranges from suprabhaat to head banging rock
A city where countless traditions mix and form a delightful medley
A city where lies my home………… :)

2006-08-26T23:13:00.000+09:00

have managed to reach the dreaded writer's block :(
wonder when this detour from regular inspiraton will end......
just read the little strip........looks like that happens to all great people eh? ;)

2006-05-31T04:15:00.000+09:00

Last day on this earth as a 23yr old..........
Old Age is vigorously pushing down the tightly closed back door...........I wonder if Wisdom detects the open windows??? ;)
It has been a year of some meaningful ups and some equally severe downs.
All said and done, somewhere along the ebullient journey last year I discovered that every cloud, no matter how dark and dismal, has a silver lining....…...just need to keep the faith and if you still can't catch a glimpse of it.......take my counsel and do the next best thing…………w-e-a-r g-l-a-s-s-e-s ! :)

2006-05-16T18:23:00.000+09:00

The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini

It’s by far, one of the most gripping stories I have read in recent times. A completely “unputdownable” book!
A beautiful riveting saga of Amir, a boy whose past haunts him till, as a man, he builds up the courage to fight his demons and Hassan, the ever steadfast and true friend who will die before he goes against his master.
The Kite Runner is spellbinding story of friendship, loyalty, courage, honour, trauma, family relations, religion, violence, prejudices, secrets and life’s uncertainty.
This book is a chronicle that not only covers the physical barriers of lands from Kabul, Afghanistan to San Francisco, America but also the invisible limitations of the mind.
In a nutshell, this book is a riveting and vivid tale of a journey that compels its reader to travel along.

http://www.khaledhosseini.com/
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/kite_runner/

My favourite sentence: “…….I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.”

2006-04-30T17:08:00.000+09:00

Doordarshan Part 2

For all the true fans out there, given below are links to some doordarshan serials/ title tracks that came on air at different points in TV history.
The links came about due to the sheer gusto of a close friend, who refused to stop finding links till sleep overcame him…..thanks ashwin!….. This is really a priceless find!
Although a majority of these links are for doordarshan goodies, there are a few links to glorious cable tv shows as well.
Enjoy and relive those memories!

HE MAN

STREET HAWK

MILE SUR MERE TUMHARA

EK CHIDIYA ANEK CHIDIYA

AGATHA CHRISTIE--- Mrs Marple.

MALGUDI DAYS

BHARATH EK KHOJ

JUNGLE BOOK

TALESPIN

DUCKTALES

TINTIN

DANGER MOUSE

CHIP 'N DALE RESCUE RANGERS

THE WONDER YEARS

BLOSSOM

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES

BOY MEETS WORLD

THE NEVERENDING MOVIE TRAILER

THE NEW ADVENTURES OF WINNIE THE POOH

BAYWATCH

lol! i dont quite know how i was convinced to put baywatch.....but there is no denying almost everyone i know has seen atleast one episode in their lifetime :)

2006-04-28T01:57:00.000+09:00

Completely random and crazy friends can be a windfall sometimes.
Especially if they have access to the net…..that means they send you completely random and crazy forwards.
Got one today…..and it converted a dreary day into one that had a lot of laughs and memory that will last for sometime!
The forward was totally juvenile! It urged you to take a test online to determine what kind of sports car you are!
That sounds cheesy enough to put off any sane, normal and regular member of the human species.
I, on the other hand, actually took the test.
Good thing I did….because how else could I have found out?…..I am Porsche 911!!!
Infact, the exact words used were “You have a classic style, but you're up-to-date with the latest technology. You're ambitious, competitive, and you love to win. Performance, precision, and prestige - you're one of the elite, and you know it.”
Such articulate words work wonders!
It's amusing how even though you know it's all bogus smooth talk, it felt superb and childishly superior to be equated to your all time favourite sports car……
I better sign off now before I get a forward that urges me to find out what kind of fruit I am most likely to be in the unknown afterworld……
And to all the crazy and random people out there……may your tribe increase!
Vvvrrrrroooommmm…….

2006-04-26T17:25:00.000+09:00

Just saw Ice Age 2 – The Meltdown.

If you are an animation fan like me, then this movie should delight you. It’s worth every little penny and then some more. This charming sequel has the three characters (Manny, Sid and Diego) return to another adventure in the world where the ice is melting and threatens to flood the valley where all the animals exist.
However, one has to admit that Ice Age 1 had a better storyline and was faster paced.
The first movie establishes the endearing lead characters and the relationship they build.

The Meltdown, on the other hand, brings in a host of new creatures from the animal kingdom and could confuse a new viewer.
All in all, the movie is completely in the “feel good” genre and the dialogues are funny/sarcastic enough to get “children of all ages” laughing.

My rating ****

2006-04-23T21:20:00.000+09:00

Continuing with poems, the one poem that always manages to make me smile is by the poet Ogden Nash.
It’s funny, spot on and gets its point across!

What Almost Every Woman Knows Sooner Or Later

Husbands are things that wives have to get used to putting up with.
And with whom they breakfast with and sup with.
They interfere with the discipline of nurseries,
And forget anniversaries,
And when they have been particularly remiss
They think they can cure everything with a great big kiss,
And when you tell them about something awful they have done they just
look unbearably patient and smile a superior smile,
And think, Oh she'll get over it after a while.
And they always drink cocktails faster than they can assimilate them,
And if you look in their direction they act as if they were martyrs and
you were trying to sacrifice, or immolate them,
And when it's a question of walking five miles to play golf they are very
energetic but if it's doing anything useful around the house they are
very lethargic,
And then they tell you that women are unreasonable and don't know
anything about logic,
And they never want to get up or go to bed at the same time as you do,
And when you perform some simple common or garden rite like putting
cold cream on your face or applying a touch of lipstick they seem to
think that you are up to some kind of black magic like a priestess of Voodoo.
And they are brave and calm and cool and collected about the ailments
of the person they have promised to honor and cherish,
But the minute they get a sniffle or a stomach ache of their own, why
you'd think they were about to perish!
And when you are alone with them they ignore all the minor courtesies
and as for airs and graces, they utterly lack them,
But when there are a lot of people around they hand you so many chairs
and ashtrays and sandwiches and butter you with such bowings and
scrapings that you want to smack them.
Husbands are indeed an irritating form of life,
And yet through some quirk of Providence most of them are really very
deeply ensconced in the affection of their wife.

2006-04-23T21:09:00.000+09:00

Came across a rather dog-eared book of poems by Robert Frost lying in a quiet, unscathed corner of my room.
This well-expressed versifier has written two of my all-time favourite poems.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it's queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep…….

The Road Not Taken.
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

2006-04-16T17:57:00.000+09:00

Rain! Puddle!! Splash!!!

Indomitable winds,
An abrupt tranquility,
A soft rumble in the distance…
Gentle pitter-patter,
Grey, almost melancholic, skies.
Parched greedy soil,
The earthy scent of the first rains.
Seemingly infinite showers.
Emptying roads,
Scurrying people,
Everything looks a shade darker.
Puddles on the road…..
Wet happy urchins,
Rapid metamorphosis from searing to refreshing.
A budding hope for…..
Uncontaminated novel beginnings.

2006-04-14T19:56:00.000+09:00

Have you ever been held up in a lift that didn’t go either ways?

I have.
Being stuck in a dark lift all alone can only lead to two things; hyper-ventilation and consequent screaming (neither of which I am very good at) or profound thinking, to take your mind of harsh reality…..
I chose the second option.
The night before I had been talking to a close friend about how Doordarshan was a major part of our childhood entertainment memories. Now standing in darkness, my thoughts wandered in that direction again…….

My first memories of Doordarshan, stem from Dr Ramanand Sagar’s monumental epic-Ramayan. As a kid, the costumes, the dialogues, the “effects”, and the “oh so dramatic” situations filled me with wonder! Mystical stories of demons and beautiful princesses left me craving for another Sunday.
When Mahabharath came along, the costumes, the effects and the situations just got better. Who can forget the soft yet unyielding voice at the beginning of almost every episode that said “Main samay hoon……”

My thoughts come faster now…….. Randomly I think……
He- Man and Jungle Book…..
Stone boy and Potli baba ki…..
Vikram aur Betaal……
My favourite Malgudi Days and Katha Sagar, weaving enticing tales by Chekov, Maupassant, Saki, Bond, and so many others…..
The thrilling Kile ka Rahasya and the comical dreamer, Mungeri Laal ke haseen sapne….
Wagle ki Duniya and the ever so unlucky Mr Yogi……
The enlightening Surabhi and the enchanting Bharath ek khoj…..
Humlog and Buniyaad…….and Nukkad...
Chitrahaar and Superhit muquabala….my dose of Bollywood songs and gossip…
British comedies….Yes Minister, Black Adder, Mind your Language….
The dapper Hercule Pirot, the handsome Byomkesh Bakshi, and the bordering on goofy, Tehkikaat…….
The man, the machine……Street Hawk!
The advent of Indo British ventures…..Tandoori Nights and Jewel in the Crown.
The biased pro government news and the regional national award winning sub-titled movie every Sunday afternoon……..
Independence day and Republic day…..patriotic speeches, the magnificient Red fort and the parades……..
Rukavat ke liye khed hai……

Suddenly, the commercials hit me……
“Raju ke daant motiyon jaise kyon chamak rahe hai?”…..Dabur laal daant manjan!
“washing powder Nirma”
“Lijjat Pappad”
“Glycodin”
“Vicco Turmeric…nahin cosmetic”
“Parle-G”
“Rasna”
“Humara Bajaj”
and who can forget………… “Gold spot- the Zing thing!”

It’s funny how I still haven’t forgotten “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara” and can sing every line of “Ek chidiya anek chidiya” with this much enthusiasm now.

The thoughts slow down a little, I wonder what this cable addicted generation is missing out on? Sometimes too many choices don’t generate lifelong memories.

The lights come on…. I snap back to reality…….. The lift moves upwards…. stops on my floor……I step out……I am humming “jungle jungle baat chali hai pata chala hai…….”
I smile and vow never to take the stairs again…

2006-04-13T18:31:00.000+09:00

Why am I writing a blog?
Surely it’s in the enthusiastic hope that somebody might read my musings, connect with it and go “there is another person who thinks just like me!”…..or it could be and this is the more likely cause, two weeks of excessive indulgent lounging, a completely numb top floor and almost total intellectual degeneration force me to want to do something new….. ;)
Today someone told me how "your desire to do stuff is inversely proportional to the time you get".........it's simple really, everybody knows it and yeah! life is ironical!
Either ways, here I am…… :)