TABULA RASA...

First visit home - The Heritage tree - Life, THE Race!!, etc...

2010-04-06T14:04:00.000+05:30

I'm back. I'm back to the place I live. I'm back to the place I chose to live. I was home, home is where I belong. And I felt that I belonged there as long as I was there.

Mom made 'pulihora' and 'payasam' for me :) I had a mug full of Bournvita every morning and evening I was there. I ate 'pappu-annam'. It was heavy, but I liked it. I bought my lovely-dovely sister a Cadbury's Silk. And the fact that she's sweet, she gave me my share. Two-thirds :D plus a large Dairy Milk :D :D My family Doc gave me a choco-lava :) My other sister, promised me a hat :) Dad bought me my tea-kettle :) I met my kid-cousins. I dined with my good-old friends. We spoke of those who were there and about those who weren't. I drove around my city. I slept on my bed. I touched my PC. Everything was the same. Or was it?

I was visiting all my folks back home and when I visited my Grand folks, my Granny was telling me how the 'chikoo' tree (Sapodilla) in their backyard was planted when her kids were young and how they used to play around it, eat its sweet fruits... Then it was our generation... We all began playing around it... Swings hanging from its branches, the way I hid on the tree-top while playing hide and seek, how I was
and still AM fond of its fruits every summer... And now, no one's left in that house but my grand folks with memories, probably fading, of all the three generations that were there. Just the 92-year-old man, as strong and active as ever. And his 80 something-year better half. So... I climbed that tree once again as there was no one else to do it. I plucked its fruits. As big as ever :) (I couldn't stay long enough to eat one though! :() everytime I thought it was the last fruit I'm going to pluck, I found another large one and I found myself reaching for it! I went on for a while and then, I stopped. I could still go on. But I didn't.

And then, as I looked down from above, I began to wonder, how life goes on... How we all grow as kids, how we learn from the little things in life as kids, how we create a mould for everything that we perceive, and then when you're out there... Making your living, how you wish your life could still be 'song-and-play' around that old tree, how you would love to play all day, get tired by night, and sleep sound without a thought for the rest of the world. We all slept as babies. Like babies. Then something came over us. We began worrying. We began having sleepless nights. We lost the baby in us to the world around us.

We're all running the race. What race? Who started the race? Is there an end to this race, like all others? When we realize all this, we're already running. I like to run. Run along. Not run away. I'll run. But I know, one day I'll have to stop. What then? Will I be able to sleep like a baby then?

I dunno. I know I have to hit the floor tomorrow morning. And that I have to sleep now. I'll sleep. I'll just sleep so I can wake up to the sunshine and run once again. Run Joe run... For you've got to win your bun! :P Run... :) FTW!!

See you when I see you folks... :D

P.S. Thanks Supertramp, for saving my blog!! :D

Pune nagariya... :)

2010-02-28T21:36:00.002+05:30

Hello folks!! :) Loooong time!! Well, a quick update... I moved to Pune about a month back, in search of my roti and dal (quite literally :P) and things have been good so far. In fact, they're great!! :) I've made myself comfortable in an amazingly short time, I set a small cozy corner for myself with Wilson (my large blue ball!! :D) to keep me company all day... and work's good too!! The best part being me doing great at work so far!! Haha!!

So, back to Pune... I totally love the climate here, though we spend most of the day in our world-class training facilities ;) The sunsets are all amazing, the city is amazingly clean for the kind of populations it has... And there's something about all the houses here... Each house has a name... most of them are the early 90s kind and the names sound so good!! All of them... like 'Kalpana', 'Maya', 'Kajal'... and many more good names, of which I cant recollect even one now!! Darn!! But yeah, its something more to call a house by a name... creates that magic touch I guess!!

I haven't gone around much YET but, the little has been good. And there's absolutely no language issue... we continue to talk in Hindi to ask what we need... and they respond in Marathi (which is extremely sweet to hear when pretty girls speak!!) a word of which we don't understand. But as long as you can get what you want, doen't matter!! ;) I may even end up considering a few rosy prospects here ;)

And apparently, this place is called 'The OXFORD of the East'!! I can see where all the literacy shows!! Very civilized I must say. This place is proving to be quite a happy place away from home!! Dindn't miss it for more than a day after I got here :P That says it ;)

So, this is it for now. I'll get back when I'm less lazy. Too lazy to upload pics right now!! Sometime later maybe.... aaanyway, until then, see you when I see you folks... :D

Lal Salaam Lal Salaam...

2010-01-17T22:12:00.004+05:30

The Marxist leader, and if I may say so, The Godfather of Bengal, one with a lighter side to him and a man of great wisdom, Comrade Jyoti Basu died this morning.

Let me be honest here, I know not much of the man himself, other than the fact that he ruled Bengal for 23 years straight, which in itself speaks a lot about him and also that he was a very strong-old-man.

But I felt it was needed to leave a tribute to him in my small way... I have a great respect for people like him who even make it to live so long as they have... 95 years!! Whoa!! In this age when we guys think of retirement plans, boredom in 40s, 50s... lack of energy to take the staircase to reach the top floors, etc... these people life for so long, live healthy, live with a definite aim, live by something they've chosen for life. The amount of WISDOM these people possess is just amazing!! And to top it all, I just learnt that he read PG Wodehouse to chill off all the time!! :D Now, that's really some humor for a man of his age!! Not that age has anything to do with it, but just amazes me for that very reason. He studied law in UK in the 1930s... guess that's the Wodehouse link that changed his life forever after!!

Whatever, I'm sure the man has a lots of credits to his name and most worthy. I'm just not the one to be enlightening others about him... RIP Comrade Jyotibabu

Why should girls have all the fun??!!

2010-01-15T07:49:00.006+05:30

Its one thing many men have done and definitely something many more would want to do!! Yeah, I'm talking about the Scooty Pep :)

Its a tested and proven fact that Scootys (in general the class of gearless, brake-accelerate vehicles) are easier to drive when it comes to shopping for groceries, carrying some extra luggage back home and a lot more!! At least for a guy like me, who just loves to fall asleep while on two wheels, these vehicles are more safer and make it less tiring without all that gears and clutches!! And must say, the way you can squeeze these vehicles out of traffic... just terrific!! I can actually life one of these and put them on the less crowded lanes if needed... oh yeah!! And the storage space adds more ease to throw in random stuff you pick. Talking of colors, I'm only talking of Black or maybe silver here, its a little too much to ask for to have fun on a PINK scooty!! :P

For me, I feel like I'm cruising through when I place my feet straight on the little slant platforms on either sides, push myself to the back of the seat, throw my head back and zoooooommmmm.... :D

Yeah, its a whole different thing with bikes, all that power, the killer-looks, the rattle that annoys your next door neighbors when you come back late, the harle-harle-harle beats... all of it... its all the DUDE stuff. But tell me, how'd it be to carry a bag of tomatoes or a tray of eggs hanging from the handle of your bikes from the mart down the road?? Totally out of place... it'll be like playing a record slipping tracks. And I have had my share of crashes this way.

Lastly, talking of a greener place, lesser pollution... smaller the vehicle... lesser of all of it :)

Go ahead guys, you can have your share of the girls fun too!! ;)

See you when I see you folks... :D

P.S. What a post to begin I say!! :P And yeah, for those waiting to be blessed by me for the new year... SHINE O Dear Crazy Diamonds... :D

To imagine a heaven and then not to dream of it, but to demand it.

2009-12-14T17:28:00.010+05:30

"...Its a rare gift, you know, to feel reverence for your own life and to want the best, the greatest, the highest possible, here, now. To imagine a heaven and then not to dream of it, but to demand it."

Hmmm... I was asking myself... is it a dream job you want or a dream company?? And of course its a dream job, a job where you do as your mind pleases, a job where you can THINK about how to get that old rusted motor running, on your own, a job where you can get in and show your team, THIS is how you nail it in the head!! A job where I can drive back home feeling taller and stronger!! :) I feel this only when I swim or when I soil my clothes in the garden, or when I read Rand. At least for now.

What's a dream company anyway?? Unless you have one of your own!! Only then is it YOUR dream, only yours and no one else's to share. And talking of a job, yes, it could get the best of you for a while, but if you're really looking for more answers, they're all around you. Just a matter of time we begin to see that bright spot down the hallway... the door which leads to LIGHT... where you're standing tall, dark against the light with your arms up, head thrown back, feet apart and when the light hits your face, you look better than ever... you smile. A silent yet fulfilling smile, something that would say more than a thousand words or a beautiful poem... And one day, someday, I WILL come home to that smile... :)

See you when I see you... :D

P.S.I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey at the end of which he knows not WHERE he would be but only know WHAT he would be. I hope I can swim across to the other end. I hope to see the land of my dreams, and sit along its shores. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope. Inspired from The Shawshank Redemption :)

Updates... Revival :)

2009-12-12T23:02:00.012+05:30

Well, I've just been too lazy to sign into blogger!! Yeah, over 3 months I guess. I've had lots to write but somehow didn't make the effort to do it.

Anyway, if you're really expecting current tales of my land, let me warn you, I have nothing to say about it!! Whatever comes, I will remain and so the people of my land, who cares about borders/boundaries and limits these days??

So, coming back to me... my first month off I've been busy with House M.D and must say, Hugh Laurie really is some talent man!! In fact as I write this, I feel I must dedicate this post to House!! Why not?? I've been busy watching all the Seasons repeatedly, again and again... and talking of being influenced... I've been walking around with a cane, limping, for a few days, and finally had to give it away to someone who ACTUALLY needed it!!... I use Hanson-MmmBop as the ring tone for my friends, and ABBA's Dancing Queen for my brother (those of you who know will know)... you decide what that means. And yeah, I also read that Laurie said reading Wodehouse novels saved his life!! Oh man!! Now that's really something for reading novels what he is today!! :O

And... I've had my share of Wodehouse too... apart from that, I've had lots of revelations to myself... The most significant of all being the attitude of Dentists. Particularly female Dentists... more particularly pretty female dentists!! ;) When you're looking at her, you're so lost... the way she smiles, the way she engages you in random talk... smoooooth... and then KRRRRAKKKOWWW!! The next thing you know when you come to your senses is you're bleeding from your gums, she's giving you the perfect-smile with her perfect-teeth and she holds out my extracted tooth and flaunts it in front of you and says, "see... it wasn't that bad, was it??" Oh really!! And then she says, "don't spit anything out for about a day". I must have swallowed a pint of my own blood and Goddess!! it made me sick in the stomach!! Poor me, I didn't realize the smile and kindness were used over the anesthetic to perform this barbarous act!! C'mon!! Pliers??!! Wodehouse rightly says... "the prospect of visiting a dentist this evening makes you forget of the total ruin that's in store for you for the year to come!!" He's SO right!!

Seriously!! What's in it they need to smile about given what they do with it??!!

So, that is that. And oh, another significant move... I've started fishing again!! :D Big time. I'm going all out each day, and feeling totally on top of the world. But happens so that my to-be employer would like me to come and join sometime soon!! So the fishing stops then maybe (unless I can find a pond at work too ;)) Yeah, you win something, you lose something. Square.

So until I come back with something of greater significance (which I certainly will!! This was just like a starter ;) ), keep on dancing and as always...

see you when I see you folks... :D

LEARNING TO FLY...

2009-08-08T23:12:00.013+05:30

Friction lock - set.
Mixture - rich
Propellers - fully forward
Flaps - set - 10 degrees
Engine gauges and suction - check

Into the distance, a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reeled
A fatal attraction holding me fast, how
Can I escape this irresistible grasp?

Cant keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, i

Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings, I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to guide my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone
A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

This is most of what was ringing in my head (Pink Floyd - Learning to Fly) when I was standing across the line, seeing my friends fly-off to chase their dreams... I suggest you hear it and SEE it to understand and FEEL it... On a more personal note...

I felt like...

Like an Eagle I've learned to fly
Now I span my wings
Only to soar high in the sky
If not this summer, not this fall...
I will fly, when it is my spring...
For I was born to fly, alone and high
Like an Eagle... I WILL FLY...

There comes a time for all Eagles to leave the warmth of their nests and learn to fly like an Eagle. they're just born that way.

If you walk like a duck, quack like a duck, squat like a duck, then be sure, you ARE A DUCK!! "That which is of the flesh is flesh, that which is of the spirit is spirit" You just have to be born with whatever it takes to reach those heights, span your wings and looks down upon the earthy beings and still stay grounded to that what's needed off the ground!!

Live like a King, they once said... the Kings came, they saw, they conquered and they died (or probably fleed their land just to live, forget like a King!!) This is the age of Eagles... they were, they are and they will be.

Eagles will never stay on the ground and feed on the worms and grains in grit... They will fly... They will fly high... They will rule the sky... They may be alone high up in the sky, but they just don't care, for they were born to fly - soar high!!

Contrary to what I thought it would be, and mostly IS, my presence at the airport, seeing off the people who were part of my dominant thoughts and actions for the last few years, wasn't all that emotional. Not at all emotional actually!! Eagles don't sympathize with one another!! Each one - on his own...

I guess the Eagle-ian way of things says it all about what the whole experience has left behind with me...

And hey, Eagles don't take advice/teachings from fellow Eagles, nor do they flock together!!

Well, that is that... The Eagle-ian way of LIFE!! (I wish I could show you how high I am already!! :|

See you when I see you... :D

Seriously!! IT-Joe or not, just read it!!

2009-07-27T23:11:00.004+05:30

Look at what this good man has written about the IT-ian way of LIFE... so its so rightly called, IT's life! And also, let me just inform all those who don't know this good man, he himself is one among the IT-clan and yet, he spake the truth. Let the truth prevail... Good work Kalyan!! :D

Have fun... until later, see you when I see you... :D

Bachelor of Engineering!! :D

2009-07-15T09:12:00.006+05:30

Congratulations PK and all my fellow folks who've made it through!! :D

My header pic just shows my body, my soul is already flying high!! The first step into the REAL world... And so began the journey of another great man with other great men!! Does this not make him greater??!! :P

See you when I see you... :D

The PERFECT BEGINNING to a PERFECT ENDING...

2009-07-03T02:11:00.023+05:30

You have to see this to believe it!! The best spot I found in the entire trip... :)

*I realized it may seem a loong post for a few. So, if you want just the best of it, watch the videos towards the end and the pic links below... I really insist that you watch the first video!! Its kinda "bugging"!! ;)

**The fact that I've drafted this post some 20 days back!! ignore the tenses for a while and read on...

Hi all!! Finally PK stops over to share something. Must be something really goood and interesting!! ;) Such is the power of a good... actually, a great holiday!!

As you must have guessed from the title of this post, I just came back from a two day vacation to Coorg, and I must say, it was by-far, one of the best places I've ever been to till today!! And an added to the beauty of the place itself, was the Estate we stayed in, and the owners of it, a charming and caring couple as your hosts - there's nothing else to beat that!!

So, I started out reluctantly on the whole idea of going out on a holiday with my family (after a decade!!) and somehow ended up going by road from Bangalore to this place called, Silver Brook Estate in Coorg (click here for the Nature pics!!). And believe me, the entire trip, right from the drive on the Bangalore-Mysore Highway, along the twisted and thick green, spiral roads that lead to Madikeri, then to the Estate itself has been good enough to get me high!!

Day 1:
The thick green cover all over the place is something that all of us living in these concrete jungles would love at the very first sight. And the beautiful sounds of the insects, birds and the soothing sound of water flowing along the rocky slopes at a few places was really too much of a Natural experience for me!! :) Once I reached the Estate where we were two spend our next two days, I was exalted seeing the grandeur of the place. The owners of the Estate, Mr.Yogesh and Mrs.Revathi, both greeted us with big energetic hellos as soon as we drove in. Everything in the house was antique... a beautiful clock, a rich collection of books in the library, chairs along the fire place, and the entire house was lit with the natural light coming in through glass tiles on the roof. Oh and life isn't jingalaala without Tata Sky, so that too!! ;)

We had a bonfire that night, sat around it, a few family pics, the warm company of Pink Floyd all the while, then a wonderful continental dinner. The best part about each meal was that, we just had to mention the style of food, and the rest was taken care by our hosts, no menus, no picking, no trouble at all. There was something special about each meal :) And each time we were served something, that totally shut us up for a while. The juices get going too fast you see!! :P

Day 2:
Waking up to the biting cold, I took a stroll in the Estate and ventured a little deep into the woods (I had to do something adventurous!!), heard my own voice echo through the hills, observed a few sounds, plants, and was constanly looking out for a snake, so I could hold it and take a pic, but never found one!! :( So, I come back and sit by the fire place, with my legs on the coffee table and notice something on my leg and ignored it for a while thinking it was a fiber from my socks. Some, 30 mins later... tadaaa... the apparent fiber was a leech sucking my blood!! I dind't kill him, he shared my blood!! I named him Leechi and put him in a box. We went out had some pics togehter but that evening Leechi died!! :( He couldn't sustain life with my blood!!

That afternoon we drove to a nearby Elephant camp at a place called Dubbare. And just PK-style, I never even went to the elephant camp!! Instead, we (me and Nik) went white water rafting along the Barapore base camp along the river Cauvery. Now, here's the best part... The raft-guide of my boat kept instigating me saying its safe to swim in those waters, that I wouldn't drown with a life jacket, its going to be fine and all that... I had to tell him what I was made of!!! Sploosh!! ;)

And that evening, yet another spectacular composition of the nature... a pleasant symphony... a near-by brook, the soothing sound of flowing water... Nothing else was needed for that moment. That - in itself!!

Day 3:
Foggy morning, biting cold, and I set for my morning walk on the last day of my stay. It was the longest walk I EVER went out on!! Full 2 hours and 10 mins!! I just walked down the only road, came across a loooong stream that disappeared into the woods down the hills leaving just the sounds of gushing water behind, fluff cotton coming out of their covers, wild Mangoes, jack fruits all over the roads, and lots and lots of Hibiscus all along the way... Mera dil toh garden garden ho gayaa!! nahin, jungle jungle ho gaya!! :P Not to forget, the way I was singing out aloud, A Brave New World - Maiden, and the few passers-by or even fewer residents along the path, staring at me like I was a complete Jackass!! Maybe I was acting like one then!! But it was fun... :D And finally, after the long walk and a fantabulous closing meal for breakfast, we set out on our way back home... The same lush green, bright sun through the trees and not to forget, the soothing effect of photo-films on your eyes... ;)

Click on any pic to view it in Full-res... There's hidden beauty in details... http://picasaweb.google.com/nikthetitan/CoorgNature#

I really wanted something more than the Goas, Manalis and East and West of India, and I found more than what I wanted at Namma Coorg!! :D It was a very refreshing experience after a long time!! And yeah, most credits to the owners of the Estate we stayed in... they made our Holiday!! :)

And also, one misadventure... I had to cough up 100 bucks to Traffic Maama!! Sun-of-a-gun, was chilling under a tree and wired the other guys saying I went around the circle in the wrong direction!! Yeah right!! On a one-lane town, manned traffic signals (3 or 4) and one Police Station, how lucky could I get?? I got caught b/w two signals that had the police station b/w them!! Wah PK!! Your stars are SHINING ON YOU!!

Now, that's what I call a complete family-package!! This energy is still getting me going...

And finally, a few MUST WATCH VIDEOS!! Don't blame me if one of them is really annoying!! But I suggest you hear it anyway!! ;) Yeah, "HEAR IT"...

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the biggest and most annoying Jack of the Jungle!! ;) Listen to it for yourself... DONT MISS IT!! ITS REAL FUN!!

This one's along the road during my walk...

So until later, with another powerful post, see you when I see you... :D

Well... Just REMEMBER THE TIME...

2009-06-26T15:35:00.009+05:30

I had to give my own tribute to this Legend, self-proclaimed and maybe the very best King of Pop. Ever.

I have been saying this to people since morning and I'll say it here too...

They say history repeats itself every once in a while... Maybe. But it'll never be anything like this guy created!!

Like most of us here, I had my very own experience growing up with MJ's music... One of the very first songs I sat down and wrote the lyrics listening to the songs was - Stranger in Moscow... And one of his best ever with Slash - Give into me...

I spent a lot of time admiring this pic on one of his disks...

And I just came to know, MJ has a patent for his Moonwalk shoes!! Cool!!

RIP MJ!! Your music will live on...

P.S. Coming up, my much delayed and awaited post on my vacation to Coorg. The best ever!! (so far)

YES!! MAN...

2009-03-28T11:53:00.002+05:30

Say it a million times.
Say it a million more times.

And the word you will have said more than 2 million times is:

YES!!

Well, have I been busy?? - YES

Or just lazy?? - YES

Is all this completely crazy?? - YES

Did I feed the fish the tadpoles?? - YES

Did I go off on a long long vacation?? - YES

Will I be back ever again - YES

Soon?? - YES

YES

YES

YES

So, will you go watch the movie if you haven't yet??

........

Hell, YES!!

See you when I see you... :D

A WELL-DESERVED SAD POST!!!

2009-02-26T13:50:00.004+05:30

Yes!! It is!! Why?? Why should all this happen?? Why should I be in a position where I cannot do a damn thing about any of it?? Why am I a citizen of this country when I can't help it fight its evil?? WHY??

READ THE POST AT - WE ARE INDIA...

The SNAKE CHARMER... (well, almost!! ;))

2009-02-19T04:46:00.007+05:30

I was off on a trip to my friend's sisters wedding... and the wedding in itself, was just a small part of the day... what happened around it... see for yourself!!

Have a closer look, look at the transparent layer on its eye socket...

And can someone explain to me, what does this guy exactly do??!! I mean co-operate in what?? to whom?? is it gender specific?? if yes, then what about the other gender??

And finally, how's this for some food place to go to??

HIGH CLASS CANFECTIONER'S (with an aprostrophe and s!!)

And a BEKARY...

All in all, it was a very good trip and a great wedding!!

See you when I see you... :)

Another guy... another GOD theory...

2009-02-03T20:59:00.004+05:30

I read THE PINK ORCHID's post of being traditional and started commenting... I soon realized, I had a lot to share. So, here I go...

I said this on previous occasions but I'll just state it once again for the record... PK doesn't believe in GOD but believes in the ways of religion. But me not acknowledging GOD doesn't make his/her existence questionable if they REALLY exist. At least I know, I know. Now if you're saying to yourself, why'd I care (IF), read on... its always fun to read these things...

I am an atheist. But, having said that, let me also tell you, I love and respect religion. YES. Not GOD, RELIGION. Because nothing bad ever was preached by any religion. Religions are just a way of life... a disciplined way of life... follow it long enough and they call it a TRADITION!!

I do not have the influence of God on my life but I feel, all the religious traditions I've been put through, have built a great part of me!! For one thing, it surely taught me to be patient!! sitting through long sessions and stuff. Also, while people chant, I believe it would have some effect on them, not because of God, but because it involves taking control of one's own many senses.....

I accept the fact that I am what I am because of the effects religion has had on me (though I don't acknowledge the GOD factor involved in it). Any religion, if followed the right way, is good. Its just a huge collection of a set of DOs and DONTs which have been studied for centuries and put together as one solid thesis... RELIGION. Good. But, the confusing or rather amusing part here is, were the makers of these religions lacking so much confidence in themselves that they had to acknowledge all these as teachings of some being who is above the entire Human race?? And even worse, losers came along with passing time and added a whole new list of DOs and DONTs which had nothing to do with the initial teachings!!

A guy sitting in a laboratory achieves a feat no man has EVER achieved in life before, something that would CHANGE the world forever... and the bunch of losers come along saying, let's all thank God for this!! Guys!! The guy who discovered that thing is your GOD, He is The Man, standing right in front of you!!

A student studies HARD or whatever it is he does to score well and all the good results are dedicated to HIM and the bad ones to him!! No!! HE did not even remotely help the guy when he was staggered at the junction, not knowing whether to choose "Berkley or Lamport's Algorithm" or "the different types of threads", neither of which he knew the answers to, to clear the line!! But the guy somehow managed the show himself and in the end did a fair job.

Jokes apart, the whole GOD-factor in this world, is causing more destruction than ever before!! Now, it MAY not be fair enough to blame The Gods themselves for all that, but the fact that its in their name and there's not a GOD-DAMN thing they can do about it, remains a fact.

So, the Gods either need to make a PUBLIC-APPEARANCE and set all the records straight (which I really doubt, because the people doing stuff in their name need more action and definitely wouldn't spare GOD-himself for coming out in the open and making a statement) or PEOPLE need to stop worrying themselves about the GOD-factor and start living for themselves. Now, when I say this, I am definitely not preaching. For me, that's the IDEAL solution!! Because if people still fought then (which I'm sure they will), it would at least be based on an element of TRUTH and someday, there can be JUSTICE. But GOD, he's way above the LAW!!

See you when I see you... :)

What is INFINITE??

2009-01-30T22:15:00.006+05:30

Something that's way beyond the scope of the Human Mind...

Or something we're too lazy to chase around??

You can feel free to explain 'ifs' and 'buts' or are we too lazy for that too?? ;)

P.S. The reason I asked myself this Q was, I was driving along the cities roads and saw a great amount of work had been done overnight at some places (for 30th Jan!!) and was wondering why this doesn't happen every day of the year?? And then I gave up thinking. Again, a little while later, I ask myself, why did I stop thinking?? Is the problem infinite?? Maybe yes, maybe not!!

People can just point fingers at one another = infinite
Or just the one man who can get things done PERIOD

See you when I see you... :)

“THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE UNEXPECTED - BECAUSE THERE WERE NO EXPECTATIONS.”

2009-01-22T21:00:00.008+05:30

Here's the scenario... I was busy running around places doing random stuff, enjoying my vacations at Bangalore, from being caught peeking into my record during a lab internal to completely manipulating the output in the external exams... I've done everything that I should say just happened unexpectedly... I've started a BLOGATHON during my university exams, I've spent sleepless nights before exams blogging and...

FINALLY... the awaited moment... RESULTS...

I was prepared for ANYthing to happen. ANYTHING!! I thought of all possibilities for all kinds of results... from working after studies to having a career in politics to being a pedlar (honest!! there's good money there after all!!)...

And then, my brother shouts to me (while I was busy sleeping), "PK!!!! ALL CLEAR!!!" Maybe he was expecting me to jump out of bed in joy or show a sign of relief!! But trust me, it just meant filling up another void for me!! You know why?? Because, I was hoping for the best, but I was prepared for the worst too!! ;) And oh, to top it all, I guess its one of the best scores I've got so far!! YAY!! My dollar dreams are still on!! :D

So, PK's back... anyone wants to give me updates on anything at all... just feel free... because I am very busy trying to find something to keep up to at this point in time... bring it on folks!!

As always, until later, see you when I see you... :)

P.S. I celebrated my joy with Floyd (Comfortably Numb!!)

NONAME.TAG

2009-01-09T19:07:00.005+05:30

Another tag from The PINK ORCHID... here I go... But before that, I pledged my support to a good cause, here I go with that first...

"When You Pray, Move Your Feet"

Now that's what is called, 'COMMITMENT TO A CAUSE'... I am part of it... are you??

1) Who are you?
A) I am exactly the same guy I look in the mirror each day, and am a product of a series of chemical reactions happening in that twisted place in my upstairs!! I am COMPLETELY all what I am.

2) What have you achieved in your life till now?
A) Such is the nature of the question... I have achieved a lot!! A lots of knowledge, not to be confused with the wisdom I gained, lots of medals in swimming, lots of mischief in life, almost a Degree, most of all, an experience that's worth a LIFETIME of mine and completely worth each day I lived!!

3) Do you respect your parents and obey them, even if they don't share your viewpoint?
A) I respect all Human Beings living on this earth!! I mean it!! And I definitely don't agree with majority of the population, respect for them has nothing to do with my differences.

4) Do you believe in god?
A) NO. I would take the liberty to say more here... a little confusing for those who can't get it but for others, I believe in all RELIGIONS!! YES. The way I see things, all RELIGIONS are based on facts that have been put together for centuries. No religious man can EVER be a danger to the world we live in. But clearly, what we see today, is not even the remotest definition of ANY religion. And do subtract all SUPERSTITION from all religions!! And somehow, I prefer to stay a non-religious man, despite what I've said.

5) What are the things that you associate with god?
A) If anything, its THE LIGHT - THE SUN. And talking of GODLY figures, EACH MAN IS HIS OWN GOD. Period. I love WATER and AIR too...

6)Is it really not necessary to stand out for whats right and not complaint for whats wrong?
A) ALWAYS. But we need to do it in a smart way. What's good is a cause that you'd die fighting for, even before you've done something about it?? And anyway, there's no COMMON RIGHT / WRONG in this entire universe. Just the window of perception we choose.

Phew!! That was some serious tag!!

I'd just hook Dolphin with this tag... love to hear from you on these Qs!!

See you when I see you... :)

P.S. Feel completely free to tag yourself or even keep yourself away from it. Whatever you choose!!

TIK...TOK...TIK...TOK

2009-01-01T06:18:00.005+05:30

2009... HERE I COME TO, CREATE A LOT MORE OFF YOU BABY...

And so the clock ticked off its way into a new space, leaving a lot behind, carrying a lot forward, some things remembered, even more forgotten... AND ALL OF US, INEVITABLY, HAVE BEEN MOVED OUT OF WHAT'S NOW OLD AND DELIVERED INTO THE NEW ZONE...

MAY THE LIGHT SHINE ITS BRIGHTEST ON YOU...

MAY IT BRING OUT AS MANY COLORS IN YOU...

AND MAY THIS BIRD GUIDE US THROUGH, ALL THE WAY THROUGH...

WISH YOU ALL A BRIGHT AND HAPPY NEW YEAR... 2009

SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU... :D

PYAAR KE PAL...

2008-12-31T02:27:00.006+05:30

I went back to school a few days back... took a silent walk down all the roads, I still remember every small corner of the place... and all along the stay there I was humming...

To someone I said this song would say it all... And that's all I say... :D

I'm sitting some 22 hrs. behind a NEW start and I'm so relaxed and feel so good about the fact that, no matter how bad we screw up each time, every time, we get to start all over again... the 5's... the 10's... the NEW's...

HERE I COME 2009 (still running... :P) TAKE ME IN YOUR ARMS AND I'LL BE SPINNING AROUND WITH YOU... 60 times a minute... 360 times an hour... do the rest of the math yourself... :|

TAKE POSITIONS... PULL UP YOUR SOCKS... SET ONE FOOT BEHIND... tik...tok...tik...tok...

Of course guys... See you on the other end of the symphony... :D

IF YOU'RE DYING TO READ... HERE I GO... MY FIRST TAG...

2008-12-28T04:55:00.003+05:30

Zindagi ne zindagi bhar gham diye... jitne bhi mausam diye sab nam diye... :P
I never thought I'd be doing this but, hey, such is the scheme of things... the unexpected happens only when you're not REALLY expecting them to... guess that's what the word means, right??!!

1. If your lover betrayed you, what would you do?

move on man!! and if you call being with some other man 'betrayal' I've always said this and I'm saying it again... AS LONG AS SHE'S "WITH ME" WHILE SHE'S WITH ME, I wouldn't really care!! And once that happens (being WITH ME) I'll take care of the rest. So give your brains some thought on that, you'll figure out the design!!

2. If you could have one dream come true which one it would be?

quite honestly, to make it BIG with my swimming!! I wouldn't really want all my talent to go waste!! :|

3. Whose butt would you like to kick?

NONE!! Yipee!! I kick myself once in a while and that's it. No butt whipping for me, that's not my specialization either!!

4. What would you like to do with a billion dollars?

I'm a practical man. Give me the money and I'd have thought about it just then!! Smart eh??

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?

what if the person I love also happened to be my Best FRIEND?? Big deal!! But otherwise, my best friend turning into my lover, well I've never been there yet. So, I'm a practical man and choose not to answer the question straight until I'm there. :D

6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
any other options?

Being loved by someone you love!!

7. How long would you wait for someone you love?

I'd ask her right away. If yes, live HAPPILY EVER AFTER, if NO, move on man...

8. If the person you like is secretly attached, what would you do?

Its a secret!! Let it lie. Don't even bother telling/asking me!!

9. If you could root for one social cause, what would it be?

EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN BORN FROM THIS MOMENT. Good education is the beginning of THE END of all the problems in 'whole wide world'. I believe.

10. What takes you down the fastest?

An exhausting 6km swimming workout in one session

11. I loathe most in people?

The PASSION to be/impress SOMEONE else!!

12. What's your fear?

Can there be a fear of fearlessness??

13. What kind of person do you think is the person who tagged you?

There are two (that I know at least!!)
1.divinediu : Smart girl!! :D I guess!! Someone who believes in having a personal space, a sacred place. I mean no mixed up priorities. Right??
2.Sydney : Someone who's planned out a complete year that's to come (which takes a large piece of the mind to even think about!! appreciate it!! :D) and is having FULL THROTTLE fun with the whole idea of finding a mate for herself!! :P Let me reassure you, you ARE looking for someone from this planet and the lists are being run through... the code will find a match and the lights will go green...
3.Dolphin : speaking heart!! :D another guy who believes in "STOP WONDERING. START WORKING" What say??

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married and poor?

I say, is it too mach to ask for being married and rich??

15. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?

I suck water out of my sipper, make my bed and FIRST brush my teeth (EARLY IN THE MORNING...)

16. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously, who would you pick?

What are they?? Cherries to pick?? I'll never fall in love with two people simultaneously. NEVER. Its upto me and my senses, and I say, NEVER. Its MIND OVER MATTER :|

17. Would you give all in a relationship?

ALL but not my personal space. I don't mean keeping secrets or anything but just time for me to sit back in my rocker and listen to Floyd under some blue light... and stuff like that. Its okay if she joins me with her own passion for them, not sharing mine.

18. What's eating you right now?

No issues what-so-ever. I was born to be HAPPY...AND COMPLETELY FREE OF ALL TENSIONS IN LIFE :D Its just the way you look at things... just chill!!

19. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?

Its like saying would want to be a BABY or grow up to be a MAN. No matter what, if I'm hangin' in there long enough, then I'd be both right??

20. Tag six people.

I HATE THIS PART!!! CAN I SKIP THIS?? OR CAN I TAG 6 OF MY ALTERS?? CAN I VIOLATE RULE #2?? Oh c'mon!! Exceptions can be made!! I know. You're all such "sweet" people!! :D But if you INSIST, I'll think about it...

Until later, see you when I see you... :)

S.O.S

2008-12-23T06:45:00.005+05:30

My seat belt was fastened and the stewardess got a BIG PACKET of TAMARIND CANDY (the small round balls, wrapped two in a transparent wrapper!! great jaw breakers!!) SPECIALLY FOR ME because she thought I was sweet!! But I correct her saying, "I'm SMART, not SWEET!!" :|:D I took a few tam. balls and then the Old Lady diagonally behind me takes all the remaining candy while I'm talking to my brother (who's sitting behind me) and when I look at her she had a tortoise look on her face!! And we started racing across the runway, despite the fact that three of my other cousins didn't board the flight yet and some old man in the plane was yelling at the Pilot to take-off already!! And my plane just skid off the runway because an idiot came across the plane, on an ACTIVA (I couldn't see who was driving!! :P), at the take-off point and also an old man was crossing the runway from ahead of the plane!!

So, my Pilot loses track and goes out of the way and circles all the small lanes in Bangalore, in a circular path, to get back on track!! And I, along with my brother, get off the plane near my house(the plane's still trying to get back on track!!), which happens to be on the radial path of the plane(??!!), to pick my other cousins up!! They're baffled to see me outside, and tell me their actual plan was to miss the flight!! We had a good laugh, while the rest of my family, who're also in the plane, were all worried if we'd make it on time!! And just when we were leaving home, with the plan that we'll have Ice Cream at Corner House and then see if we can STILL board the plane...

Mr.HC messages saying, "...Go through DATA MINING TECHNIQUES!!!" WTF?? You broke my dream!! But that's alright!! Wonder what more I'd have seen if I dreamt on!!

RISE AND SHINE, PK

Okay guys, I'm going on a break here (don't show signs of relief yet!! :|), I'll be back soon. :) Very soon... :D

So, until later, see you when I see you... :D
And Merry Christmas or whatever it is you'd be doing that day, have fun!!

Day 27 : What NEXT?? (PART - 3)

2008-12-21T22:27:00.003+05:30

Well, I got into one of the Kendriya Vidyalayas, Picket, the best here (for education(what am I doing there??!!) ) and it did take a while for me to settle into this whole new culture. People from all places and all that.

But guess what (like What next?? :P)
At a point in life which could shape a major part of your career, I still stuck to doing what I do best. :D
I'm still swimming. In fact harder than ever before. I can say, the this was the BEST patch in my entire swimming career. I was SOOO HAPPY with my performance, I ended up with BIG plans to make a career out of it!! But yeah, REALITY...THE b.i.t.c.h... It's never REAL yet its the biggest thing ruling your life!!

Now, like I said, I'm Captain of The Ship and am in full charge. So, again I fall asleep in classes, I walk out of school whenever I please, and all I remember doing in my Biotech Lab was staring at a BIG FISH which never moved an inch. I mean it was alive for the two years I was there, it was BIIIGG, but I NEVER saw it move. Yeah it changed places, but it NEVER moved. It was one of my cousins who saved my ship from sinking during my Biotech exams, who has a Doctorate in some field in Zoology and I was there for him to handle amidst all his busy schedules. Man!! Am I a ROYAL pain or what?? :P THANKS DOC!! This could probably be the FIRST TIME I'M ACTUALLY THANKING SOMEONE!! MAN!!! I LOVE THIS PLACE!!

Now, here's where I faced the toughest question in life... PEOPLE ALWAYS ASKED ME "WHAT NEXT??" WELL, I DIDN'T QUITE KNOW THE ANSWER MYSELF, SO I ASKED PEOPLE "WHAT NEXT??" SO, THIS WAS GOING ON FOR A WHILE AND SOON ENOUGH THE WHOLE WORLD WAS ASKING EACH OTHER, "WHAT NEXT??"

Then I told myself, I was responsible for the DEADLOCK and so answered the question myself.

One last time, I asked myself, "What next??"
I said, "YES. I'll go on and do SOMEthing in life!!"
Now, if this is the kind of answer a guy gave to the BIGGEST Question in his life, I'd say, "SURE!! This guy's going SOMEwhere in life!!

And here I am, at the place I currently am. Vasavi College of Engineering. Again one of THE BEST and I HAD to be there. (Get used it and move on...!! :|:P)

Now THIS is where, the TRUE colors of me showed up or in fact ARE showing up. I'm STRONGER (both in body and mind), I'm rediscovering myself at each new juncture. I definitely couldn't say (some three years back), I'd be the guy who's sleeping in class during an Assignment (not the surprising part) and wake up all of a sudden to just stand and thrash my lecturer on his views, on life and more!! My folks no longer ask me, "What next??" They know I'll end up doing SOMEthing, though I strongly feel they don't know the MAGNITUDE of SOME here, not yet, but they'll find out soon... :)

And whoa!! Its not over. Not yet. I'm still swimming. :D The intervals are a little longer this time (the LONGEST being some 7 months or so), but I'm still there, doing that. And I hope something good comes off a good mans best talent. And oh please, don't pour in wishes for this now. Its just a possibility, I'm talking of here. Relax. Deep breath. Frown a little. Smile a lot.

And like always, see you when I see you... :)

AFTER THOUGHT 1 : Is 3 an unlucky number?? Now I know why Ocean's 13 wasn't as good as 11 and 12!! Whatever, LIFE still GOES ON... :)
AFTER THOUGHT 2 : And I would be a complete JACKASS, if I didn't THANK my folks for the best thing that I am. Of course its because of ME, but still, Thanks folks!! Whoooph!! I can't believe I just wrote that!! And I'm not sure I'll get my folks to read this, but its at least written. LIFE STILL GOES ON... :):):)
AFTER THOUGHT 3 : WTF is this?? Thanks giving day?? Is it 27th of Nov. ANYwhere on the planet?? :|

P.S. I look back at the ME that was 5 minutes from now, 1 hour back, a month ago, an year, a lifetime.... at what I AM, all that comes to mind, "I am Jack's complete lack of surprise!!", Fight Club. Good going PK. You'll definitely go SOMEwhere good in life!! :D:D:D

This is the longest I'm taking to hit the PUBLISH button, I sat back for 15 minutes. And... CLICK

Day 26 : What NEXT?? (PART - 2)

2008-12-20T22:32:00.004+05:30

So, the races kept coming and I kept swimming... I swam better, I went higher up the ladder... Oh yeah, schooling (primary and secondary) happened between swimming... At school, the day began with tasteless plain milk with sugar and scum particulate all in it!! GROSS... I drained my milk in the sink and asked the guys, "What next??"
They said, "The FUN part...:|"
I replied, all excited, "Oh really!!"
They said, dryly, "Completely"
I only understood a little while later what they meant!! Life got more complicated...
Social Studies, English, Hindi, Sciences, and how could my darlings leave me alone?? MATHS AND HISTORY. History was all grand and fine, but Math, I must say, I really screwed it up!!

After classes, I asked, "What next??"
And the Big Lady told me "We're going to the Dining Hall for Lunch"
And we kept walking and walking in a crooked fashion, but still they called it a "line"!! After walking for an hour or so, we finally reached the Dining Hall. Grand place, huge tables, we had lunch. I hogged so much, it took me longer than what it took me to get to the Dining Hall back to the class!!

On my way back, I wandered here and there, Into The WILDness of the "forest" within school!! I also came across my elder brother in the play field, he was an year elder. And I thought I could shoo off any bullies by telling the bullies his name. (Yeah, I heard of Tom Brown's school Days by then!!) It was only later that I learnt, if anything, I had to keep myself away from HIS friends!! Bloody rogues!! :X

Between races, they asked me at school, "What next??"
I replied, "Another race soon..."
I asked Dad, "What next??"
He said, another tournament, another tour, and off I went to almost all the states in India except J&K and a few on the East. I've only been to Assam and Bengal.
So, if you just forgot, I'm STILL SWIMMING...

And between all this ACTION were my classes...
Classes in general were fun. For some strange reason they always got me to sit in the first bench and I ALWAYS managed to fall asleep sitting there. :D They wouldn't even wake me up!! They thought, "AWWW!! Poor fellow!! Must be really tired after that hectic swimming schedule of his!! AWWW... Let's carry on class..." And I love my teachers for this ONE THING!! All I remember asking my friends was, "What's next??"
They tell me what period it is... I put the old books in, take out the new ones and zzzzzzz......

ART CLASS: I never slept much in ART Classes. All I remember drawing till my 10th standard was either trying to emulate what my brother drew or THE STANDARD - TWO MOUNTAINS, RISING SUN BETWEEN THEM, FLOWING RIVER, BIRDS TO THE RIGHT, A TREE TO THE LEFT, AND A HUT ALONG THE RIVER... There's at least 10 of these drawings each year in EVERY ART BOOK!! And I drew it each time with the same PASSION I had for it when it was first drawn... AND ALL STUDENTS OF HPS ARE PROUD OF IT!! :D

And finally I was out of school. I asked Dad "What next??"
He said, "College..."
And from this point onwards, I took command. If its my ship, I might as-well be in COMMAND.
I said, firmly, "NO. MORE SCHOOL" Now really hoping the skies wouldn't come down on me!!
He said, easily, "Fine. Go ahead..." (Aye aye captain!!)
So, I'm completely baffled but happy that i have two more years of Higher Secondary, in school.
STILL SWIMMING... :D

Now, here's where the FUN part begins!! So, I'll tell you the remaining tomorrow...

Until later, see you when I see you... :)

Day 25 : What NEXT?? (PART - 1)

2008-12-19T22:00:00.013+05:30

One very fine day, I was born. And that made the day very auspicious... let's start by saying, for me at least...

Mom spoke to Dad, "What next??"
Dad replied, "Let's give it our best shot!!"

They agreed. I learnt how to walk and talk... I even talked while walking and I was talking so fast, I realized, I was even running!!

The first thing I asked Mom, still running, "What next??"
Mom replied, "I dunno. Go to school. Learn to read and write. Play a few games..."
I replied , "Great!! When does the fun part begin??"
Mom thought, Dream on kiddo!!

So, I ran to school (pre-primary) (of course!! My folks take 1 step and that was equal to 3 for me!!), the first day was all sweet talk. A new dress, a BIG bar of chocolate, new pencils, my own stuff. I felt like I ruled the world!! And then, The MATH LADY entered my life... :( She gave me work... I slogged hard... and finally finished it and looked up... it was afternoon!! But I thought, well, its all over now!! And then the Math lady commands, "What next??",
I said to myself, "What more COULD it be??"
She said, "Open your diaries and note down your homework"
I started crying... "AAAHHHH....MOMMMY TAKE ME HOME....AAAAHHHHHH"
She walked to me, showed me her cane and said, "I hear ONE more sound from your mouth and I'm going to whip your butt with this. :| I'm your MOMMY and DADDY in school"
And so, the suppression began...

After school, Dad came to pick me from pre-primary and I ran like an Ostrich and I was all excited. So I asked, "What next, Dad??"
Dad replied, "How about a sport to keep you fit??"
I replied, "Sure. Sounds great!! Which one??"
Dad replied, "Swimming!! :D"
Even before I could say anything... SPLOOSH... "...brrr... Pull me out.... slrrr... please!!... I want to live....uhhuhhu... more!! I'll drown to... brrjjhf... death here!!!"

After a while, I got used to this. I learned to add and subtract, multiply and divide numbers (the toughest thing yet, in my whole life!!) I learned how to swim. It was all going good. One day, I swam my best and asked Dad, "What next??"
He said, "You've come this far anyway... how about competing??"
Before I came to my senses, the Lady was instructing me on the starting block..."You have to swim two lengths of the pool... go touch and come back... you start on my GO..." and shouted... "TAKE YOUR MARK...GO"
And the race began, everyone was going, so I went too... I swam and I swam and swam... BANG... APPLAUSE...
They tell me I finished third!! Hmmm... not a bad start PK!!

To be continued...

Until later, see you when I see you... :)

I would really suggest you go and read this post by Divinediu, if you haven't already read it... Just read it. And Diu, thanks for sharing this one!! :)

P.S. Classics for All Seasons - Spring. MP3-128kbps-torrent

Day 24 : Classics for all seasons - Spring

2008-12-18T23:50:00.011+05:30

I've been asked this Q many times. My answer varied from Floyd to Pearl Jam to Metallica to Frank Sinatra to Guns N Roses. Its not that I love one more or the other less, it just hard to choose which ONE GOD from this religion!! But if there's one complete Album far away from all this, it would certainly be - Classics for all seasons - Spring. If you already heard any of these then you know what it feels like. Else, you can TRUST ME on this one. No matter what genre you otherwise belong to. This is a global class!!

Holborne: Almand from Elizabethian Dance Suite

Prokofiev: Allegro con brio from Symphony No. 1 in D major

Haydn: Finale: Allegro from Concerto in E-flat major

Vivaldi: allegro from Spring

Boccherini: Menuet

Mozart: Andante from Symphony in F major

Pachelbel: Canon in d major

Schubert: Scherzo: Presto from Piano Quintent in A major Trout

Haydn: Allegro from Symphony No. 31 in D major, Hornsignal

Sanz: Rujero y Paradetas from Suite Espangnole

Beethoven: Presto from Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 10l, No. 2

Orff: Carmina Burana, Dance from On the Lawn

Vivaldi: Allegro from Mandolin Concerto in A major

Handel: Allegro from Water Music, Suite in F major

Mozart: Finale: Presto from Serenade No. 9 in D major, Posthorn

See you when I see you... :)

P.S. Do me a favor and listen to the ones in red. The after effects will be evident right here. I'm sure most of you would be running downloads once in a while. So, just add this torrent to that list. I'll seed it at max. speed for you!! Here's the MP3-128kbps-torrent- its 48.8MB.

P.P.S. The videos in the links are not quite the same as the mp3 itself!! :(

Day 23 : TWO NIGHTS AND THREE CUPS COFFEE

2008-12-17T00:04:00.009+05:30

The week that just went by was by-far, one of the best times I had in a loong time... Thanks to my creative-self and all my cousins who were there....

First, we started off by going on a cooking spree (of course the eating had to come along!! :P). Varieties of paratha, just name anything and we were ready to make parathas out of it!! Great curries that'd go along... too many cooks and yet a decent job!! Well, to begin with, Saturday Night, we started with Pav Bhaji, and had hot coffee at B'lore Cant Station. We savored the Pav Bhaji on the terrace. Now, you should know, the kind of cold B'lore throws at you this season (~13-14 I guess). And apparently that was the day the moon was closest to the earth in a long time, I came to learn this just the day before yesterday!! So, coming back to the night, after Pav Bhaji, we just lied down on the mattresses on the terrace... and wow!! Now finding a clear sky in Bangalore is such a rare thing and finding it when you really didn't ask for it or expect it is even more fun!! And I got to see 5 shooting stars of the 6 all of us saw. PK's score was the highest over there (5/6). Was that a sign or a mere coincidence or was it just me??!! I'll take it as a sign you call it whatever!! :P

The warm summer afternoons
The cold winter nights
The new life of spring
The bright eyes of night...

I wonder though, what it is, that life wants
I wonder though, how to scale those new heights
I wonder though, what's for dinner tonight
And I wonder no more, for it is the little things in life...
That are a Heartful Delight

I set out after the night's old
Grooving to the biting early morning cold
My muscles really tight
The acids ripe and might

As I lay on my back
The sun long gone, and night-bright
My face frozen in the moonlight
Wondering if there could be a better sight...
Oh Life!! You're such a Heartful Delight!!

And then the following day was again a whole new episode!! A great breakfast (pesarattu a.k.a green gram dosa), only to be followed by a great spread at lunch and finally, the best part... dinner. It was Harry's call, to set up a bonfire for dinner, and PK is always running all-over to execute the plans (specially his!!) So, off we went, collecting a few dry sticks from trees along the street, with people coming out of their houses and staring at two people, well-dressed and speaking good English, picking sticks and wondering what they'd make of them!! We even flicked two dry coconut branches that were thrown outside some house!! :P And then, dinner over the bonfire!! I mean how hard is it to set something on fire!! :P The smell of burning ghee over the sticks was mesmerizing!! And I always, as a child, loved taming fire, I used to run away onto the terrace with match boxes and start lighting one stick after the other and finally just burn all of them with one stick... whoosh... amazing feeling!!!

And that's not all, the best part yet is... do you remember the Hindi movie where Johnny Lever celebrates all the festivals at weird times of the year?? This was something like that!! We celebrated Diwali after dinner!! Or whatever you call lighting crackers on a non-Diwali day!! Why not?? It was a full moon day, good mood, everyone together, and I was like, sure, lets light up the sky a little more!!! And after the blast, again a drive to the Railway Station in an old Classic Premier 118-NE, my primary objective being, to sip fresh Hot Coffee!! :P

And to add to all this, Harry got me to hear this...

And so, the days moved on and before I actually woke up, it was already yesterday and then I realize none of this was a dream and so I'm still sleepy today!!

Just, see you when I see you guys... :)

P.S. Most of the poem's what I wrote during my exams, part of my prep!!, and how good it shows what was on my mind then and what I experienced now... :| And I, like God, do not play with dice and I don't believe in coincidences... V

Day 22 (or 25!!) : 212°

2008-12-16T12:26:00.010+05:30

AT 211 DEGREES,
WATER IS HOT.

AT 212 DEGREES, IT BOILS.

AND WITH BOILING WATER,
COMES STEAM.

AND STEAM CAN POWER
A LOCOMOTIVE.

These were the first lines of a book I read, 212 Degrees, and from here everything just went ONE STEP upwards... It was about what one more step than what is required, could do to you... Should say, I jogged for 5 more mins. at full speed after reading this!!! :|

Until later, see you when I see you... :)

P.S. I found this more important than the activities of the last 3 days that kept me busy!! I'll tell you if you insist!! :P

Day 21 : Think... (out of the box!!)

2008-12-12T23:43:00.002+05:30

PK : "I always wondered... Why don't these guys employ a 100 people for 5 days instead of 10 people for 50 days to finish all these projects?? (referring to the ongoing Metro project and some pending flyovers at B'lore and all the places in general)"

Until this point in life, I always thought I was so right with this idea and why people can't see this??!! And then...

Harry : "Dude, its like saying you can have a baby in one month with 9 mothers!!"

PK : (Completely baffled)"Gee!! Why couldn't I look at it that way!! So true!! You're too good dude!! :):):)"

Harry : "And there's a lots of other things too. Its basically the funds, they keep coming in small packages and so the work goes on in small packages."

PK : (still in a state of shock about himself and staring at Harry with a feeling of awe)

Harry : "But yes, a little more work-force may speed up the process but not compress it to the extent you think it would."

PK : (now, that's some consolation at least!! Think PK, think, think a little like you've never thought before!!)

See you when I see you...

Day 20 : UNITED AGAINST TERROR...

2008-12-11T22:57:00.003+05:30

Its all happening right here. On my land. And no its not hard to believe. I've been prepared to see this day since long. Very long.

Finally a session goes off without any blame being thrown at each other in the INDIAN PARLIAMENT. Mark these words, for this could be the beginning of something very big and very different. Or maybe not!! But, let's hope it indeed IS. Like Barkha said, "We are very proud our Parliament today" and I'll add, even the Politicians. I just hope this isn't a one day thing and goes on in the days to come. I know it sounds a little too much, but hey, who thought today would be like it was??

For a change, I liked the way Mr. Advani spoke, the same good old PM, apologized to the people of his Nation (he at least did that!!), the Home Minister accepted responsibility and identified that it is indecisions that are affecting our system, the Defense Minister asking Pak from a firm question, and finally, Rahul Gandhi saying, the LAAL BATTI should not be such a focus anymore if the life of each Indian really mattered. I'm sure non of them will ever hear a word of this. But, as people, we share the joy in seeing you be civilized, "I" appreciate it.

If we stay UNITED against this one issue, at least, we would have one problem lesser to worry about. Then we'll pick another issue to UNITE and slowly, who knows, we might be THE UNITED STATES OF INDIA. Sounds great right?? The hope lives on...

See you when I see you...

Day 19 : My affairs with Railway Stations

2008-12-10T13:19:00.007+05:30

This goes way back to my pre-primary schooling days. I wake up as usual that morning and my folks (my dad getting my socks on my feet and tying up my shoes!! Man!! what a memory PK HAS!! :P) tell me we're going out of station in the evening, by train. Aur yahiin se choote meri gaadi!! I was in school when all of a sudden my mom shows up with my lunch. I remember she was spoon feeding me and answering some random question I kept asking about the trip. It was a family visit to Tirupati.

And then my train of thoughts left the station, only never to return!! I was all excited about going by train!! I didn't know it then, but I know it know. Its all the chaos, the drama, the excitement, the complete ACTION package that excites me about Railway Stations. I have traveled a lot on trains to go various places for my swimming. Should say, I've been to almost all places except J&K!! And that too, I will go soon, no matter what!! Back to the action at stations... I just like watching all this action and am not a part of it. I don't like running around on Railway Station premises, its a peaceful experience for me. I haven't a major incident of this order that I can think of. Nor would I be running in the future. Yes, when the need arises, like maybe my girl's forgotten to take my goodbye kiss while going out of town, I'll run up to her and throw her the kiss, but otherwise, naah, I'd never run. But here's the GODDESS reason... I love having HOT COFFEE at Railway Stations. Preferably one from Fresh 'N' Ground, if not, one from a Coffee Day bar. I just LOVE the cappuccino from Fresh 'N' Ground, sugarless... I could ask for this coffee as my last wish on my death bed and I wouldn't give a damn where I'd reach in my afterlife, for I, already have found my Stairway to Heaven, my cup of steaming hot, cappuccino!!!

Coffee being the primary reason, I also like the wait for the person who's coming. No no, don't jump to conclusions. Its not because I already miss them a lot. Its because I'd have picked up some random scene on road while driving to the station or some incident last night that gave birth to a new theory of my own and then, I'm dying to find someone to tell about it!! I really don't care if the person who is being talked to listens to or not, understands or not, I'd just go on and on and on anyway!! :D I guess I'm the only guy who appreciates delays in schedules at Railway Stations (not while I'm on train, while I'm waiting at the station) because I just walk along the platform with my hands in my pockets, stare at the old monumental structures, listen to fellow passengers call the people who're to come by that train and crib about how the delay is annoying them... I love watching people creating a panic situation out of NOTHING, while I, on the other side am standing with a large exclamatory mark on my head, like "huh, really!!"

Somehow going by air to any place doesn't involve this kind of fun. I only remember being excited for the first two or three times. And then I started reading books. Its all calm, with just the huge traffic jams on the way to the airport and hence the whole idea of leaving a couple of hours earlier to the airport and then wait... those guys do not even make grammatical errors in announcements at airports!! Its boring. The only time your heart may be pounding is when you know its a bad weather out there and you touch down safely. That's it!! :|

P.S. I'll put up something soon, something I've written a night before I was to go to a station to pick someone up. Its not something I wrote on my own, I copied it, but I wrote it on paper.

Day 18 : Wet Slippers!!

2008-12-09T15:50:00.008+05:30

I like to keep my things clean. Very clean.

I like to keep my stuff organized. Very organized.

I like my stuff, and only I like to use it and with care. Very careful.

I like to keep track of what I'm doing and I don't like leaving behind trails for whatever reasons. Very discrete.

Now, its not really my problem if someone calls this OCD (Obsessive-compulsive disorder). It would be a disorder if it affected my way of life, more for me and maybe a few others. It would be a disorder if it lead to degeneration of my mental abilities to perceive. It would be a disorder if I would be chasing something that can never be achieved!!

But, all this, is just cleanliness. A lit bit of the higher order, but that doesn't change a thing about the person, or say something's wrong with him.

They tell me, as a child (till I guess I was 7-8), I used to carry my slippers on my head wherever I came across wet land. Big deal!! I can still remember they were some light-brown colored slippers. I do not like the idea of mixing dry land and wet land. No. No no no. Why would I want to leave behind my footprints anywhere and everywhere?? If I did so, that would be bugging me all day long!! But then I don't really care about all this while I am in and around a swimming pool. That place is meant to be wet. But I have a greater issue over there!! The idiots don't lay large enough tiles to suit peoples walking styles. So I have to jump from one complete block to another without stepping onto two blocks at a time. I know I wouldn't shrink into the ground if I did that. But then, that's just me!! Its just being stable. I make sure my footgear is absolutely clean whenever I'm wearing it, both inside and outside and downside!! But its just that I choose not to set my foot down wherever its wet but sometimes it just happens!! I'm still being clean... I love rains. I love either to watch the rain, or get wet in it. Not stick my fingers out of the balcony and say "WOW!!". That's incomplete. That's unfair to the rain. If I'm driving and starts raining, I generally get completely wet, than run and hide. (What say Hit??) That's fair. I'm still being clean...

Another episode is one that I encounter in kitchens. Everytime I'm cooking I keep cleaning up the platform, knives knowing that I'll have use them again. But see, the cleaner the place is the better you feel and the better you cook. Harry (my cuz) keeps the place clean, he's a great chef too. Its obvious!! I generally see that places where men cook (not professionals mind you), the cooking is all very vague. Largely diced vegetables, oodles of oil, completely messy surroundings and a few other such things. Why should it be that way?? I do it neat and clean. So the gustatory sensation you have when you eat my food, is obvious!! :P You would be left craving for more!! Double :P

Everytime I swim I make sure my initial workout is just what its meant to be (a min. of 1KM). I never come out before that. Every morning after I wake up, I make my bed and then leave.* Everytime I sip water out of my sipper, I make sure only I finish all the water in it. I like to have a count you see. So guys, the next time you ask me for water (I'm always carrying a large bottle) just make sure no one else around us is carrying any, else you can borrow theirs. :|

All of these things that I do are with a clear picture in mind. It sure may seem to be like an impossible task to others but, it works great for me.

So, the bottom line is, there is no OCD in cases like mine. Its OCO (Obsessive Compulsive Orderliness). What's wrong with being Obsessed?? We're all obsessed with life, aren't we?? So, chill guys!! If you're the kind who's left wondering after reading this, then you're just not so clean. If you're not, then you're in the OCO Club guys and we're all very proud of it!! :):):)

See you when I see you... :)

*PK's THEORY : If you're not the kind who doesn't make his/her bed after you wake up, then you have other thoughts on mind => you have thoughts on your mind => you didn't have a good sleep (as a sleep is meant to be a thoughtless state, that's what you're supposed to make it) => you have thoughts on your mind that are beyond your conscious control => you are messed up!!

P.S. If you jumped here directly without reading the whole post, then I redirect you back to where you left it. Its long, but you started reading it, so you better finish it!! :|

Day 17 : WHAT IT TAKES TO BE NUMBER ONE

2008-12-08T16:21:00.005+05:30

Just read this book a two days back. And I'll not say anything beyond just pasting the exact same speech of Vince Lombardi... READ IT AND YOU'LL KNOW WHAT IT CAN DO...

Winning is not a sometime thing; it´s an all the time thing. You don´t win once in a while; you don´t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.

There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that´s first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don´t ever want to finish second again. There is a second place bowl game, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.

Every time a football player goes to play his trade he´s got to play from the ground up-from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That´s O.K. You´ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you´ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you´re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he´s never going to come off the field second.

Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization-an army, a political party or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win-to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don´t think it is.

It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That´s why they are there-to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules-but to win.

And in truth, I´ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn´t appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head to head combat.

I don´t say these things because I believe in the "brute" nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man´s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.

P.S. I know a PS is not appropriate but I'll just say, this speech is over 40 years old and it still aligns you (me for sure!!) with the track-to-be from the track-we're-on!! I'll leave you with this... See you when I see you... :)

"...I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT ANY MAN'S FINEST HOUR - HIS GREATEST FULFILLMENT OF ALL THAT HE HOLDS DEAR - IS THAT MOMENT WHEN HE HAS WORKED HIS HEART OUT IN GOOD CAUSE AND LIES EXHAUSTED IN THE FIELD OF BATTLE - VICTORIOUS." - VINCE LOMBARDI

Day 16 : GRANDMA!! Lite Teesuko!!

2008-12-07T16:19:00.010+05:30

For all the guys who didn't get the title, "LITE TEESUKO!!" translates to "LITE LE YAAR" also, "TAKE IT EASY!!"

Lite Teesuko : This is something I've been hearing from my first year of Engineering. My lecturers too use it!! WOW!! Their context is a little different though. You go to them in a crisis and ask them to help you out, they say its too late and so..."lite teesuko"!! Now its the mantra I chant the most. All of us doing our engineering or who have already done it down here, chant it. Its the BEST lesson in LIFE my Engineering course could offer to me, for sure (I was always that kind though, I just found the right words here, THE MANTRA)!! And I'm sure there thousands more who would love to agree with me. What say folks??

Back to Granny tales... Think about this... Can you, at once, recollect a situation in life when you've been completely "helpless"?? I can, very quickly!! All the nasty encounters with my Grandfolks!! I mean its hard to get a few things across the table to my folks and these people are their folks!! Its IMPOSSIBLE!! There are these times when they are completely not okay with a few things we do. Like food habits, the times we choose to go to bed, the times we go out... and blah blah blah... And then there are times when they totally disapprove a few things we do... and then take-off time!! If my folks yelled at me, I can give it back to them, right back, and even convince them on the complete opposite of their initial assumptions!! Its the easiest things I can do now-a-days!! :P

But when its the Grander ones we are encountered by... naah, its not so easy!! I'm only referring to Grandmoms here. Grandpas are completely cool!! They don't give a damn as long as you don't come in their way. See!! They're MEN too!! :P But when Grandmas are throwing hot shots at you, there's not much at least "I" can do!! :( I've completely grown past the stage where it would offend me... I really don't bother myself with these warmer times now. Coming from Hyderabad, Hyderabad main hum aisich hai yaaron...sab kucch hum full lite lete yaaron... koi karein agar G mein dum toh...Dil pe mat lo... :P

On the contrary, of late, I've taught my Grandma a new mantra recently... THE "LITE TEESUKO" way of life!! My folks already know it pretty well and are doing great with it so far!! So, everytime there are signs of the steam building up... sploosh... "LITE TEESUKO!!" comes to my rescue. They still do get past it once in a while. But that's unavoidable I guess. So, all of you, teach the Gen-W the "LITE TEESUKO" way of life. It works great for me (only for short periods of time though!! but still, comes in very handy at times..:) )

And if anyone chooses to disagree on anything I've said, then again, "LITE TEESUKO"!!! :P No no... just go on... I'm always listening... I'm dying to hear!! :P

See you when I see you...

P.S. Listener discretion is advised for listening to the song. Its something from Hyderabad Blues, a Kukunoor movie. Loads of gaalis in there!! Also, I caught my first lizard today, a baby lizard (it was some 3/4th inch long). And also, Harry and I played with a centipede first thing after I woke up this morning!! It had 40 legs, stupid thing was slipping along the ceramic floor and thinking it was going somewhere!!

Day 15 : "ROADRAGE"

2008-12-06T09:29:00.003+05:30

The short dark guy with a pot belly, standing in front of me, his ass facing the crowd that's building up on my side... waving frantically to the guys with their "left indicators on" to GO LEFT and the guys with "right indicators on" to go right!! WTF?? Is that not what we would do otherwise?? And the crazy fucks go and turn-off the signals which were doing at least better and start performing their fucked-up YOGA styles in the "MIDDLE OF THE ROAD"!!!

I am talking specifically about Bangalore here. And I guess any other major city would have the same issues. Guys, all those of you who drive back home from work/college through these shit roads and traffic and still keep your cool towards the end of the day - HATS OFF to you all!! I was driving through a few roads yesterday and GOD!! Pile-ups everywhere!! I once saw Bangalore (some 5-6 years back) and thought even we at Hyd should start having one-ways to regulate traffic better. Thank God the guys at Hyd thought otherwise!! One-ways mean SHIT as of today!! What's the point?? There's a good amount of confusion all over the place and also good traffic!!

Adding to all this are the stupid fucks who HONK the ass out of the guy ahead of them knowing the fact that the signal is RED and that RED means STOP!! Stupid MFrs, didn't they tell you that when they gave you a license?? The only two people who bothered stopping on a red where there was no free left-turn were me and some Infy employee (I saw his ID hangin'). And on top of this the stupid fucks come and honk on you and sometimes even yell or make faces (fucked-up faces).

And whatever it is, the algorithms they use at signals, they're just not good!! One side is ALWAYS piling up and the other is a clean as a golf course (just the grass carpet missing!!). And my cuz drove me through an underpass that was exactly wide enough to fit ONE car and it was one-way. Did they ever hear, "If something can go wrong, it will. All at once"??!! I said, "this is nothing even for now, forget 5 years later!!" and he quickly says, "Hell!! This would've been nothing even 50 years ago!! Forget now!!" True. I really wonder what those shit bags are PLANNING cities back there but, I know for sure they're fucking it all up beyond repair!! Fuck you all cops, the ones waving to us where to go despite our indicators making it clear, the ones with the pink slips going around just to create panic (I say this because they INSIST we strike a deal that's beyond the scope of the slips they carry around!!)

P.S. "Roderage" I wish I could use this cheat on roads to blow the fucking cops off the roads (only the fucked up ones)!!

Ah yes!! I left my language filters at one of the fucking signals back there!!

Day 14 : And who says its easy to be a MAN in THIS world??

2008-12-04T21:32:00.008+05:30

I've seen. I've been seeing for years. I heard. I've been hearing for years (a lot). I said (very little over the years). You have NO idea how a woman feels!! And I always used to wonder, yeah right!! unless one of us is from Krypton!!

Just leave all your prepossessions behind, and read what I write. A man, also found in various forms (a.k.a. metamorphosis) as, a son, a grandson, a great-grandson, a lover, a soldier, a husband, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather. Now don't say even woman have this grand stuff. No!! Here, its completely different.

My son is going to carry on my legacy (free, bonded labor!!) (chiraags, we're called!! blow us hard and we're gone!! into the wind!!).

"Oh, its okay!! My husband will drop you home, won't you honey??" (Now, the poor guy is so overwhelmed with "honey" that it is not until he drops his wife's girlfriend off, he realizes, okaaayyy. something just happened to me a little while ago, though I'm not able to comprehend the structure of what it was!! (You were bound by the blinding shackles of the sweetness of honey, you jack-ass!! :P).

Baby cries, "don't cry baby!! Papa's gonna take us out tonight. :)" (And the poor guy is at work thinking how he's going to laze around after he gets back home!!).

Even worse, "Grandpa's going to take you to the park in the evening. No!! Not grandma, she can't run so much!!" (At least she can carry Grandpa back home!!)

And there's a lot more of this stuff!! Poor guy is trying real hard to convince his mom he still cares and his wife that he's listening to all she says. I can bet there has been more than one Prime Minister in India (the rest of the world too) who must have bit his tongue real hard while at office when he realized he just missed one of, his wife's tea parties!! She's like the steam coming out of the milk kettle, steaming, for her husband, who also happens to be the PM of a nation (like she cares!!) missed another one of her tea parties!! Though I can bet Madam Indira Gandhi never must have found herself in such a situation. I wasn't even born when she died, but still, I just know. Forget any such incident she wouldn't even have made such a commitment!! Feroz must have said, "Indira how about a movie tonight??" and she would be like, "Feroooozz!! Are you out of your minds!!". Poor guy would've been thinking real hard if what he asked her out was for a "movie" or a "booze party"!!

On a more serious not, not so serious, but still, expectations everywhere man!! From Manmohan to common man, its a man whose expected to do it all!! Not that he does anyway!! Girls, honestly, (don't even bother answering, but still) do you make more calls to your guy or do you receive more calls from him?? Fine he's desperate, but not all the time!!

And this heart thing really gets my thought process running, flying, zipping... Pinch me and see if don't "ouch!!". "all you guys, you don't have feelings... mcchhh. no. no, you don't... ummhmmm...". I say, "Chal hut!!". You stand good in your place and me in mine. No swapping. No weighing. Just the way we are.

Having said all what I said above, I now say, "No. Its not a lot more easier to be a man!! And no, its not as easy as you say!!". I definitely don't dare say its easy being a woman!! You are the one who can create and very well destroy!! Now these are the two hardest things to do in this world, the second could be a lot easier at times. So, I love you all for that!! All men love all women for that (this love is called respect/chivalry, etc). And you guys really need someone to throw your pillows at. So we're even. You give a little something, and you hold onto a little something. Fair. Fairly square. What we all need to agree is, each one has our own set of problems individually and a lot more joy together(!!). You do your work, I'll do mine. In the process we'll end up doing a WE and that's the way itsmeant to be!! You are you. I am me. And you and I are just meant to be!! :):) (WOW PK!!)

See you when I see you folks!! :)

Day 13 : A CLASSIC - CLASSICAL NIGHT... Live in concert - Jethro Tull & Anoushka Shankar

2008-12-03T10:53:00.009+05:30

Bangalore : I could hear the faint sounds of the sitar as I was walking into the Palace Grounds for the concert by Jethro Tull and Anoushka Shankar. I thought it was just a record of hers being played (from a record!!)... but I was a little shocked to realize it was actually she, who had already started performing!! Here, I say a 'little shocked' because that shock was overcome by a bigger one... the was she tampered her sitar, if I may call it so... WOW!! She played it faster than flapping wings of the slowest Humming Bird!! And the best part is it was all pure music to the ears. She gave her music a perfect closing note. Breath-taking is how I refer to it.

And now, the members of Jethro Tull started playing in the dark and slowly came to light, led by Ian Anderson. I need to make something clear here. I never even heard of this band until two days before the concert. So, obviously I'm not familiar with their music. However, I just heard a few of their bests in the morning. Decent. Despite the fact that I knew not much of the band, there were parts of the show which were completely amazing!! The way Ian handled the lead vocals, the acoustic guitar and the best part, his flute. He was just a cuckoo at work with his flute. Amazing!! They played all of their bests starting way back from the 60's. They did ROCK. And remember, he's 61 years old. The guy was the most active guy on stage. The way he grooved to his music... Rock Style.

So, after Jethro Tull's classic rock and little bit of jazz, the best part of the show. Jethro Tull and Anoushka Shankar. Now this was really amazing!! The fusion was just perfect. The way Ian and Anoushka performed the same music (Aqualung - listen to know!!)on the flute and the sitar, together... divine. It was at time that I saw Anoushka really slither her fingers across the strings of the sitar... I felt like I'll go hug her once before I leave or atleast hold her fingers tight!! :P Only to express my appreciation (which wouldn't really matter to her) or to get a feel of the fingers that created enormous waves of joy within me (this I knew, would not happen)!! :(

Finally , they announced they would take off, we were walking back and my cuz (Harry, the one who bought me my ticket!! :) ) said "See they're going to come back and give one last piece...all bands do that!!" and *string* I hear the sitar. Anoushka jumped into her place and started the best performance of the night!! She was like a Goddess for a few minutes!! In all, it was a great classical experience for me. One of my best. Try listening to this one... amazing!!

P.S. Thanks for the ticket Harry!! :)

And IE sucks to the core!! Why am I even using it!! Anyways, see you when I see you... :)

Day 12 : Is baar nahin...

2008-12-02T12:02:00.010+05:30

Is baar jab woh choti si bachchi mere paas apni kharonch le kar aayegi
Main usey phoo phoo kar nahin behlaoonga
Panapney doonga uski tees ko
Is baar nahin

Is baar jab main chehron par dard likha dekhoonga
Nahin gaoonga geet peeda bhula dene wale
Dard ko risney doonga,utarney doonga andar gehrey
Is baar nahin

Is baar main na marham lagaoonga
Na hi uthaoonga rui ke phahey
Aur na hi kahoonga ki tum aankein band karlo,gardan udhar kar lo main dawa lagata hoon
Dekhney doonga sabko hum sabko khuley nangey ghaav
Is baar nahin

Is baar jab uljhaney dekhoonga,chatpatahat dekhoonga
Nahin daudoonga uljhee door lapetney
Uljhaney doonga jab tak ulajh sake
Is baar nahin

Is baar karm ka hawala de kar nahin uthaoonga auzaar
Nahin karoonga phir se ek nayee shuruaat
Nahin banoonga misaal ek karmyogi ki
Nahin aaney doonga zindagi ko aasani se patri par
Utarney doonga usey keechad main,tedhey medhey raston pe
Nahin sookhney doonga deewaron par laga khoon
Halka nahin padney doonga uska rang
Is baar nahin banney doonga usey itna laachaar
Ki paan ki peek aur khoon ka fark hi khatm ho jaye
Is baar nahin

Is baar ghawon ko dekhna hai
Gaur se Thoda lambe wakt tak
Kuch faisley Aur uskey baad hausley
Kahin toh shuruat karni hi hogi
Is baar yahi tay kiya hai

By Prasoon Joshi

This poem reflects the feelings of many Indians after the Mumbai attacks. Lets hope, ki is baar nahi...

Video : www.ndtv.com

P.S. Realized there's some problem with the streaming... go watch it. Watch the last 10 minutes of the show. Simi just screwed it all in the end!!

Day 11 : JAI HIND!!

2008-12-01T11:34:00.007+05:30

I've been observing this for the last few days. I don't hear much of this on news or even in people's conversations. I saw a National News Channel yesterday where there was a discussion about the attacks, first-hand experiences and tributes (Stop guessing folks!! It is what you think it is!!). I was just hoping she'd close with a "JAI HIND". It did't come!!:( Maybe it was very obvious and the feeling was there all over the place but still, saying it would have kicked in more of the feeling in everyone. No complaints though!! They are doing their job and doing it right.I know each one out there loves their nation as much as anyone else. But, just getting ourselves to say these two words gives a sense of completeness, confidence, or call it whatever.

Now, if you say, "nothing's going to come off it just because we say it all the time!!", then try this, choose one of your closest friends, tell him/her that you'll be calling them a dog/bitch/rhino/hippo anything more creative that you can come up with, for sometime to come. And do this in front of their parents, friends, strangers. There would be a certain point when they'll say, "That's it dude. No more". Now, if you believe these words which weren't meant to mean anything and still annoyed you at some point, then the fact is, words always are meant to mean something. Something.

After all, why leave out the cause while we talk about the effects?? I think, people should stop greeting each other with God's names or whatever it is, if they choose to greet anyone and instead just say a "Jai Hind". Or maybe they can add the God's names after the Jai Hind!!

Jai Hind and see you when I see you...

Day 10 : I'm FULL yet EMPTY...

2008-11-29T23:58:00.003+05:30

It was all over today at 'aamchi Mumbai'. Had a slight, very thin, sense of joy... At least its over now!! Was so full of thoughts till today morning!! Was roling around in bed all night long!! Not quite sure why, but I guess it was the thoughts that were left behind by the incidents of last night.

Was watching NDTV 24X7, when Pranoy said, "lets salute all those who have laid their lives fighting for the country and the city they love..." all of us in the room stood in silence for a minute. The LEAST I could do to show my respect. Felt good. :)

Was so full of thoughts till today!! I just let them hang loose wherever they were for once. And instead chose to fill myself with food!! Yeah!! In order of occurance (only since 6 in the evening to 11:30pm) apples, papaya, tamarind toffee (the jaw-breaker!!), pineapple cake, dosa, hot-Fresh'N'Ground-sugarless-cappuccino, khatta-meetha, litchi ice-cream, hot chocolate fudge...(and oh!! a piece of raw cabbage too!!) now that's some kind of a meal!! :D And am still in ONE PIECE!! :P I guess I'll write some sense tomorrow. Just NUMB to what's happened I guess!! Too much pain inflicted on everyone. I'll just chill for a day.

See you when I see you folks!!

P.S. Someone "may" not smile for what's written today. But that's fine. Just try the tamarind candy. remember to chew it with your premolars. Your jaws will experience a sudden paroxysm!!

Day 9 : Calvin and Hobbes - ALL THE WAY, ALL THE TIME...- Its just a way of life...

2008-11-28T13:11:00.012+05:30

I was 12 or 13 when I first saw a really big comic book at my cousin's place. It was "The Essential Calvin & Hobbes" by Bill Watterson. I borrowed it from him for a while to read it. I read it pretty fast. But obviously I couldn't get enough. So I used to carry that book along with me to school [The HPS(R)] and re-read it along with my friends and have a blast each time. And one day, my cousin took the book back from me and I felt as if he took away something that was always mine (or meant to be!!) I din't let go. I flicked the book again from him, and then, he "asked" me to return the book, which I did. And then, I flick it again. :P This continued for a few weeks and then he stopped asking me!! I WON!! (As of today...someone flicked that book from me!! What comes around, goes around!! :(:(:( )

I can't remember one place I used to go without that book when I had it!! I used to read it lying on my bed, under it, on the terrace, on the pot(I don't waste time you know!!), in class, on the way back home... Aahhh!! I SAID, I LIVE IT!! There are still times when my brother thinks I'm mentally unstable whenever I read/recollect a strip and laugh to myself. I write Cal's quotes on walls, on my whiteboard, in my class, everywhere!! All my friends fell in love with it. I just started living with it!! Till today there are days when I don't remember a thing from the day's newspaper except that day's C&H!! I used to cut out the strips and collect them in a spectacle case everyday. (I still have the collection!!) I've followed it so much, I can tell what's going to come the next day (there's a series you know). As I recollect, all the friends I've had from school, the closest, are all great followers of C&H. Everytime we meet, we talk something and say, remember that strip in which Calvin goes to class for 'Show-Tell' and... we should do that sometime... And of late, I realize, that I AM DOING ALL THAT!! Seriously, how many of you went to your Princi's office during your Under-Graduation days?? I did!!(the mischevious, triangular Calvin smile on my face) I was pulling off a C&H trick with a friend and they thought I was ragging!! (I don't believe in ragging!! I hate ragging. And people who rag... grrrr...)

Coming back to C&H, its undoubtedly, THE BEST THING that could have happened to me in my whole life (and the life to come). I know this because I've formed a philosophy that's based on my initial days of C&H (and The Fountainhead) and anything that happens now, will just be an addition to it. The irony of all those guys who follow C&H is that everyone loves being Calvin but would hate to have a six-year-old like Calvin (includes Bill Watterson)!! Ask me when I have a 6-year-old!! :P

"AND YET... SOMEHOW... LIFE GOES ON..." That's one of my all time favorites... :)

P.S. The first two posts of my blog are C&H too!! :):) (go check to cross check!!)
I was overwhelmed when I read a good strip on Chai aur Gupshup. Hence, this joyous cry!! :):):)

Day 8 : HELL BREAKS LOOSE IN MUMBAI... BLOOD BATH

2008-11-27T04:42:00.008+05:30

Fucking hell!! I woke up to the news of the terror attacks in Mumbai at 0345 hrs!! So sad. I'm quivering here!! This is what I feared the most!!

The ATS Chief was shot dead, 11 policemen dead

Hemant Karkare (ATS Chief), Vijay Salaskar, Ashok Kamte, 3 top cops dead

At least 78 confirmed dead, over 200 injured

Grenades were thrown at, randomly on roads

People taken hostage at The Oberoi

The majestic Taj hotel had 6 blasts and is still on fire

I just saw a LIVE telecast of someone who was shot dead by terrorists who have taken over a police jeep, his guts spewed on the road!! Shit man!! Who even defines TERROR this way?? This is beyond terror... I don't know what its called!!

As I write this I'm watching updates of the incident. I have NO REASON not to be shit feared right now!! THIS IS WHERE WE LIVE. FACE IT!! :(

P.S. watching now

Day 7 : The IMPACT lingers on...

2008-11-26T21:07:00.004+05:30

Redirected to : The ELITE... The IMPACT

Its one of those days when I choose the 'present me' to lay low over the 'past me'!! This because what he's done (the past ME) cannot be gotten over so easily!! In fact this may go on for a little while longer if the need be... (this, I do out of CHOICE and not COMPULSION!! The Blogathon is still going great!! :) )

P.S. Thanks to Lukkydivz for echoing her voice with mine in this regard!! Honestly, what you've done really has my appreciation for you!! *pat pat* :)

See you when I see you, folks!!

Day 6 : The Elite...The Impact...

2008-11-25T18:17:00.007+05:30

Ever wondered how many people around you bother to think about thinking of issues that are of concern?? How many of them bother to read stuff and more importantly care (sometimes dare!!) to write about a thought?? And what's it that sets each one of us apart from the rest??

Well, people have different ways to go about their thinking process (if they choose to do so). I chose this place as my abode to just put up my thoughts and refine my logic constantly in this process. And I'm having total fun doing it and know I'll continue to do so!! I already have a fine logic though!! So, I'm saying, this is definitely one place (the Blog space) where, at least once in a while, people give a thought about issues that haunt them, which clearly shows, they wish to see a change in the things that happen around them. So, here's what I say... We can start by being the change. It may sound foolish or pointless in the beginning but it'll work out to be a great difference as time goes by... Surely the Loyal Abe did not think so, else he wouldn't have been what he was(and still is)!!

In today's world, its really hard to tackle together people to bring about a Revolution. So that is completely out of question. Instead, all of us can begin individually, and who knows, how big a Fusion Reaction it would turn out to be!!

I'll be a little more specific here. Of late, people have started talking about renewal/revival of lots of things, the top most being the Political System. Surely, there's nothing we can do (or most of us and definitely me) at this given point in time for that to happen directly. If you CAN, then that's great!! What we CAN do is, just stop discussing the filth of the politics and if we really intend to discuss it, just talk about the good that's going on. And hey, it definitely wouldn't have anything to do with Ruling or Non-Ruling or whatever.

If that's one thing, another that really gets onto my nerves is, the way most people litter (okay!! all those who moved back and said, "Definitely not me!!" if that be true then good for you... now get over it and read on...:P). Why can't we realize that EACH ONE WILL make a difference in the larger scheme of things?? DO NOT LITTER!! In fact stick up a note at all your Cafeterias, Canteens or wherever it is you gather to eat. And if you're the kind that takes leaks along roads (men only, hopefully :P), or see someone who does that, kick them swift in their nuts!! If that sounded cheap, so does what they do!! I mean, you distribute it along green pastures on highways or some place like that, that's fine. That's fertilizer in fact!! But places inside the city... chiiiii!!

The list can go on... spitting on roads, jumping signals (its completely OKAY when the roads are empty and when done with caution), wasting electricity, fuel... just don't do it.

Most importantly, DO NOT PREACH. Let people see you and LEARN. That way, it'll be a greater IMPACT. I know, its people with a certain amount of valid logic that read it till here and hope they will do whatever it is they can to GENERATE THE IMPACT!!

HAPPY INDIA-ING!! :):):)

P.S. If you haven't read the whole post, here's the gist... BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN OTHERS, AND YOU WILL SEE THE CHANGE IS NOT FAR BEHIND...

P.P.S. I generally wouldn't say, but this ONE, for the IMPACT I talk about, I would appreciate if you spread a word about this (the IDEA, I mean). See you when I see you folks... :)

Day 5 : I LIVE IN INDIA/BHARAT... YOU??

2008-11-24T20:24:00.007+05:30

Yes. Now don't start, "We all do!!" No. There is a majority of our population who still wants to live in 'HINDUstan'. Well, that's how my country is called in Hindi. If that is all there is to it, then I'd love to call it that too. After all, I too love and believe in 'Saare Jahan Se Achcha'. But, clearly that's not the case we have right now. Every time something fishy comes out with reference to a leader of a certain religion (let's say the majority) the top leaders of this country shamelessly come out in their defense just for the reason that they 'do' belong to that religion. Or may be because they are the "OPPOSITION"!! I mean how would anyone want to be called an "OPPOSITION" in their own country, in their own political system!! Whom or what are they opposing?? Its for the growth of the very same nation that they work for, right?? Or is that what they just claim?? Its like telling Daddy, "Welcome Dad!! Feel at home!! Turn on the AC, watch some TV, have a drink, eat good and sleep well!! :)" when he comes back home from work to "his" own house!! Damn!! Opposition?? Seriously(!!), justify it, can you??

The ATS provides evidence saying someone is involved in a terrorist activity... but NO. Someone still finds the necessity to bail them out of the crisis they've gotten into. Ha!! Did we do that to all the people against whom evidence was provided and branded them as radical/anti-socials or whatever.

60 years of Independence, incredible growth, booming economy... and one Godhra train tragedy, Gujarat/Orissa riots, series of blasts in almost all major cities, communal riots all over, reservations for the unworthy in the name of the worthy, fights for separate states... this is what we come down to!! Damn!! It reminds me of a sequence from Rang de Basanti... "is desh mein logon ko ladne ke liye sirf ek bahaana chaahiye" Maa ki!!

I'd like to be the top guy in our political system just to throw abuses at people and let them know that any of it would not make the least bit of a difference to their lives. That we need to take things more light-hearted. That we need to work hard, day-in and day-out to get ourselves to the top. Obesity is a way of life here!! Come on, there are people who are as intelligent as us and working twice hard as we do!! Are we still left with a chance??

P.S. So what do we do about all this?? I'll come up with another one... Until then, see you when I see you... :)

Day 4 : A night with...

2008-11-23T21:29:00.005+05:30

Ever wondered what to do on late night hang outs?? Well, most of the times, things just happen at that time of the day. But, still, if you'd want to plan something for a night (works for both sober and soaked folks, never tried the latter though) a game of UNO is just the right thing!! And for me more so because, I did not develop the kind of enthusiasm, tact or call it what to handle the regular playing cards!! NO, its not a crime if you don't know how to play the famous 'theen patte' or whatever!! In fact that is thorough crap!! Yeah!! This is PURE FUN!! Be it family, friends, young, old, adolescents or whoever, it works just great!!

I was taught how to play this game by a 9 year-old, Khushi, who, given her age is pretty weak in analyzing arithmetic logic, yet, and things just got better from there!! Every time you play with new people, you get to make new rules as you play along (WOW!!), just flick a few cards here and there, hide a few within your clothing (preferably clean places :P) and zap, yell out "UNO" and finish your game!! WINNER WINNER... And then turn me upside-down and dust me, I'll BET at least two cards will fall out!! Of course I don't know how they got in there!! *innocent face*

BUT, there's always a butttt, of late I'm beginning to realize that all these cheats work well in groups of 4 or 5. More than that, my cheats never worked!! :( In fact, I lost all games that I cheated!!(Oh yeah!! Now don't ask me what's the moral of the story is, already!! LOSERS!! :P)

But still, that doesn't change me a little bit. I'm a fighter to the core!! I'll try, and I'll try till I win one game the other way (not so popularly preached but still, that's MY WAY!! :P)

P.S. For those of you who've heard of the game and never played it, try it right away!! And those of you who never heard it, why bother yourself even now!! :P

P.P.S. People, don't ask me how I do this with my exams going on!! That's just me!! Take the most talented guy you know, mix a lots of slumber in him, add an equal amount of 'wasted talent' and then a little bit of foolishness. Mix well in the batter of 'creative wild thoughts' and TADAA. The thick slimy discharge you get... THAT'S ME!!! :):):) ANYONE, beat THIS definition of "jobless" now!! Haha!!

Day 3 : MDCDB

2008-11-22T14:16:00.004+05:30

That is what is keeping me alive...
That is what is fueling my flames of desire...
That is what is powering my wings to fly...

Any guesses what MDCDB stands for?? Okay, look at it this way - M&D C&D B... now??

Fine!! Try this, M&D C&D Bank... now??

Bah!! You're so unbelievable!! Fine, its 'Mom&Dad Credit&Development BANK' :):):)

Yeah!! At least for me, that's all of what I said above!! The only bank on earth where there's no interest on the amount they lend, no mortgaged stuff with them, a few questions but completely worth the pain!! Recession doesn't have any impact on this bank, neither does inflation. WOW!!

Son/Daughter : Mom, can I get a hike in my allowance??

Mom : Oh sure, you can have my job too!! :)

S/D : grrr... Okay, how about a few extra bucks for this week??

Mom : Didn't you just take a few last week??

S/D : Yeah!! But then I had to pay for this course you know (the new restaurant at Clock Tower.. hehe *chuckles*)...

Mom : uhha... go ahead.. I'm listening...

S/D : What?? That's it!! (In a higher tone!!) SO AM I GETTING THE MONEY OR NOT??!! (like I have a friggin' choice and hoping she doesn't say NO!!)

Mom : Okkkaayyyyy... But what about the stuff you promised me you'd do??

S/D : What stuff??

Mom : Cleaning your room, helping me out in the kitchen...

S/D : (his/her train of thoughts is still boarding at the station... is she tricking me into this crap again!!)

Mom : Hullo!! I'm waiting for an answer!!

S/D : Uh?? (shaking the head wildly..) Oh Yeah.. whatever you say!! Sure!!

Mom : Fine!! Here's the money... and come back home early

S/D : Sure!! (Not even a THANKS in most cases!!) I'll be back EARLY mom (EARLY IN THE MORNING!! :P)

And similar such encounters with Dad when it comes to taking the car out for a spin... But, the important thing to note is that, Dad's get into this "my kid is growing fast... :):):)" feeling very soon. So, as we near our twenties, there's no need to even ask for the car!! Just tell him and hit the road Jack.

Wow folks!! Though I'm an atheist, I'd pray that you guys always have a great professional career. I'm always by your side (to help you with your economics!! :P)

P.S. But it is important to make credits into MDCDB at around 22/23 (in India at least!!) to avoid any possibilities of a possible recession or conditional transactions (which we definitely do not want!!) with the Bank

Day 2 : And I am still sleeping!!!!

2008-11-21T16:36:00.006+05:30

HC said...

One of my school friends talks to me after a long time...

PSM : Arey!! Tu kitna badal gayaa re!! Hamesha first bench pe baith-ke sotaa tha!!

PK : isme badalne waali baat kya hai?? Aaj kal college mein last bench pe baith-ke sotaa hoon!!

I mean that is the memory of me he had as a friend back in school!! But school was fun!! I used to go to school after exhaustive swimming workouts and be very tired from the first hour itself!! So, what do I do?? Doze off... zzz... zzz

My teachers always understood this and never disturbed me while sleeping. I really appreciate them for that!!

I go to college, I cut down my swimming workouts but still have the hang overs, it kinda became a lifestyle for me. I 'HAVE TO' sleep in the afternoons!! So, I sit on the last bench and doze off... zzz... zzz

But here, things changed a little. A lots, in fact. People don't understand why I sleep and keep disturbing me. So, I can't sleep well while in class. If caught by a lecturer, just like the protocol says, "I'm down with a severe headache/fever". I can always bring that feeling of sickness onto my face. :)

And then there's HC, who's a unique episode all together!! I come with him on the bike... Coming is fine. The trouble starts when we're going back... As I said, I don't get to sleep well at college. So, all of it kicks in on the way back. So?? What's wrong with that?? Well, that in itself, nothing. But I'm the one driving and remember its a two-wheeler. So HC is hitting me (hard) on my back at equal intervals of time and asking me, "Dude, are you sleeping??" and I'm like, "Naah (how did he know!!!)" And luckily, we're both in one piece(each!!) and fine till now!! See, all this because they fail to see the 'cause' of the 'effect'. Whose fault is it?? I need to catch some Z's to be active for the time I'm awake!! Its HUMAN!!

Even till today, all I do in the afternoons is sleep. Friends partying in the afternoon, PK - sleeping. Family chatting in the afternoon, PK - sleeping, examinations in the afternoon, PK - sleeping, and it goes on...

Day 1 : I am NOT a hypcorite!!!

2008-11-20T22:38:00.006+05:30

HC said...

Why would I even think of calling myself one, say, even if I am one!!

I don't even like the idea!! Yes, we do a lots of things that are not exactly in tandem with what we say but, that's what we call 'living in the real world'. I call it that.

Seriously, what difference would my 'jumping' a signal on an 'empty road' affect the world!! No, honestly, guess it would only affect the horse waiting on the zebra crossing for the pedestrian signal!! And damn that horse, it doesn't even know red is 'stop' and green is 'go', so, it doesn't even affect that now!!

And yes, my littering on the road 'would' make a difference to the whole world. The butterfly affect. So, I don't litter. No, not even a bus ticket or a mint wrapper.

One thing, which may sound a little contradictory is bribing cops. But, hey, as I said, I 'really don't feel' the need to carry a 'No-Objection Certificate' to drive a vehicle I bought in this country (all taxes paid!!) just because I cross the border to another state. And they Raj is the only one playing divide politics!!

Conclusion : (yelling out loud from the corner of a cliff) "NO, I'M NOT A HYPOCRITE" (echoes)

Blogathon : I'm taking Chopra's call...

2008-11-20T22:18:00.013+05:30

He said : "I'll do one each day, for 60 days..."

I said : "Yeah right!! Let's see... How about you not making it, being your first post!! And even if you do, I'll come and break your limbs on the 59th day!! HAHA!!"

And I ended up thinking...
Not a bad idea though!! I can try too, I mean a discussion, your view, my view... agree - disagree... good idea dude!! We can actually fulfill our dream of going 'maa-behen' with each other!! debates... Yeah, lets do it... As you say, 'damn cool' Chopra!!

So, here I go... on Hit's Blogathon...

P.S. I don't really like the idea of 'moving-on' from a really awesome idea that occurs to me without fully enjoying its flavor, I mean post after post after post. But heck, what's life without a little uncertainty and "that's the way the cookie crumbles!! :P"

And oh, I'd say just 'bookmark' the two pages and 'have fun at someone else's expense' (and we both at each others) Yes, this is the kind Dennis Leary calls, you know what...

I'm home... HONEY!!!

2008-11-19T19:12:00.005+05:30

I remembered a conversation between a few classmates of mine back in my school days. Was something about golf balls and honey!! So, I asked Guruji about it and look what I found!!

1) There's a patent on this thing that describes the method that involves filling up the core of a golf ball with honey!! United States Patent 4805914

2)Honey is incredibly flexible. You can find honey in everything from car radiators to golf balls. It isn't just a great way to top a biscuit or to make a sauce. You can use it at home in first aid and there are hundreds of ways to make it a part of your daily hygiene or beauty regimen. (www.grandmascraftguides.com)

3)Up until the introduction of a special solid core model in the late 1960s, golf balls usually had a rubber center filled with a liquid. Many of those golf balls contained honey. Honey can keep indefinitely and had all the physical traits necessary to make a great liquid-filled golf ball. Today, most balls have a solid core and the mass-produced liquid-center balls use synthetic materials. However, one can occasionally find an older ball that still has honey in the middle.

And the endless uses of honey go on... Not to forget, the sweet cooing between the lovely couples... "I'm home honey", "What's for dinner honey??", "Honey can we go to my mom's this weekend??" and so the cooing goes on and on... Guess the married folks can add in the tinge of reality about the sweetness of honey in their lives... Listen to 'Honey Honey' by ABBA.... whooo the sounds in the song... so hhhoney!!!

And until later, see you when I see you...

Or, is it, goodbye honey!! :P

Shaked and speared

2008-11-18T09:13:00.006+05:30

'What win I, if I gain the thing I seek?
A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy-
Who buys a minute's mirth to wail a week?
Or sells eternity to get a toy?
For one sweet grape who will the vine destroy?
Or what fond beggar, but to touch the crown,
Would with the sceptre straight be strucken down'

I just loved these lines the most from 'The Rape of Lucrece'

P.S. Of course, I haven't read the whole poem!! yet

haan. to main yeh keh raha tha...

2008-11-13T19:43:00.006+05:30

There are two kinds of people in this world my dear friend.
One, those who go for the kill, knowing they can kill.
The other, who go for the kill knowing they can come out 'alive'!!

Oh I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey, I, I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey I, oh, I'm still alive
Hey...oh...

Thought it would be the toughest exam of the semester but, somehow, I pulled it off!! I did most of my reading some 90 minutes before the exam and that's what worked!! haha.

LIFE has never been better...

2008-11-08T21:09:00.005+05:30

Three years and one semester down the engineering 'way of life' and I'm glad I am where I am. I've got an exam Monday morning but, still I do not feel it yet!!! Got very used to this culture of examinations and anticipations.

Because I know it now. Doesn't matter what you really write but, write you should. Fill up the pages with the most otiose lines you could come up with and make sure there are a lots of them and you'll be satisfied with what you get in return. I guess most of the girls always knew this and for some reason didn't find it that important to be shared with men (definitely not generalizing here). I couldn't believe until I actually saw a few(most!!) of them go on and on and on during many of the exams I've written, while I find myself just enjoying the beauty of the nature around!! The modern baroqueness they exhibit in their scripts... nothing short of a modern spectacle!! Guess its born-talent for a few!! Sadly my style of writing has always been nothing but laconic.

But today, I am a changed man. I know the tricks of the game too... :) I'm happy that I'm not the only one this time (not that I wouldn't be happy otherwise!! I'm the kind who thinks, 'if not for me, then, not for anyone else either'). In better words, just like my aunt tells me : हम तो डूबे है सनम, तुम्हे भी लेकर डूबेंगे

Some 14 of us were out today to celebrate Arun's birthday and all of us just chilling out (so much that we had the AC turned off!!). At least I know they haven't been studying for the time we were together and no one really looked like they gave a damn about the exam. WAY TO GO GUYS!!!:):):) WOW, FEELS SOOOO GOOD!! And I don't intend to change my plans anytime soon either!! So, I'm back to doing what I do best... JUST CHILL

P.S. Wishing you a Happy Birthday dada!!!

And here comes the most awaited hour...

2008-11-06T06:03:00.005+05:30

GOD : :):):) (God's always smiling, you know, a lot) PK, I've heard you say quite often, "I'm too busy for that". So I thought I'll come down and give you an extra hour for a day.:):):)

PK :(raising his left eyebrow)uhha!! :|

GOD : (hyperventilating) So, PK, aren't you all excited about what you've got??!! :):):)

PK : (still lying in his bed) Can you please pass me that bottle of water...?? :| (right next to his feet)

GOD : (in a slightly higher tone)WHAT??!! :-/

PK : (in a slightly higher tone than that of GOD's) What??!! The bottle... can you?? (:|

GOD just passes the bottle to PK. GOD realizes that PK is trying to open the bottle with the same difficulty as one of his guards when he's opening the gigantic doors of heaven, at the Gateway to Heaven that's at the end of the Stairway to Heaven. :P

GOD : Let me help you with that... (takes the bottle from PK and opens its cap)

Returning the bottle to PK...

GOD : Hyperventilating and :):):) So, PK, what do you plan to do with the extra hour?? Should be something definitely BIG, uh?? Can I be of any help to you that ONE hour??

PK : No thanks. But just wake me up after its over... zzz

GOD is completely baffled and even more annoyed...but still, keeps his cool (after all HE IS GOD!!!)

GOD : Okay then. I'll take a leave for now. Is there anything that I could do?? that would please you...

PK : zzz... mphth... ya, just turn down the AC and... tmpth... close the door on your way out... zzz

GOD : (Gods don't come through open doors you fool!!!) Adios my child (forever jerk!!!) :-L

PK : zzz :-j

And so, PK never got his extra hour and never had GOD interfere in his life ever after... He lived a happy life ever after...

Next morning PK wakes up and comes back to his senses and realizes all what happened the last night...

PK : And that's the way the cookie crumbles!!! ;):)

Q.What do you call a few thousand people standing together at Grant Park and shouting, "YES WE CAN"??

2008-11-05T21:51:00.005+05:30

A.CHANGE

BBC News : The first BLACK MAN who raced his way to the WHITE HOUSE... BARACK OBAMA

Shakespeare In Love (1998)

2008-11-04T00:35:00.010+05:30

I felt two things after watching the movie... 1. Love and 2. something for Gwyneth Paltrow (guess its more of something for Juliet, after all what man would not fall in LOVE with Juliet)

"But to be frank, and give it thee again.
And yet I wish but for the thing I have:
My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite." - William Shakespeare (as Romeo)

JULIET : Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.
ROMEO : Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.
JULIET : Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
ROMEO : Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day ? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May"

I just can't resist adding in more dialogues from the play but, I guess I'll give it a break here!!

P.S. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel love after watching this and even more after reading parts of it...

Review - FANTA APPLE

2008-11-03T07:27:00.009+05:30

Here's another addictive drink for all those fruit lovers.

Fanta Apple - This soda tastes real good and was very surprised when it tasted a lot better than I expected it to be!!! You can get 500ml for 22 bucks and 200ml for 8. And if you are the kind who prefers their fruit drink without fruit, then here's what could most likely be your choice, FANTA APPLE Flavour- CONTAINS NO FRUIT.

But for all the people who already are addicted to the company of our good old friend Mr. Appy, well guys, he is the best. A little more expensive, but he has the fruit I need (the fact that he's called a fruit drink). Also, I have a choice of picking either CLASSIC or FIZZ with Appy. So, if you're just looking for a change or maybe a really smooth carbonated drink (or even one that's a little cheaper), do try the new-comer.

Color : Brownish-orange (petrol, looks a lot lighter than Appy)

Rating : 8/10

P.S. Released only in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, all the others have got to wait for a little longer to try it out!!!

"To have more, we must first become more"

2008-11-02T23:50:00.002+05:30

I was once told this quote by my uncle a couple of years back. And today morning when I saw a plant I planted (tamarind) a few months back that really wasn't growing for a little while now, this quote was the first thing to pop-up in my head. All it does is open its leaves during day and tuck them in once daylight's gone. Its been living in a small flowerpot until now and is just stuck there, ceasing to grow, despite its ability (and probably want!!!) to grow.

Will look to transplant it into loose soil sometime soon.

To Vishy...(Shraddhajali)

2008-11-02T06:44:00.012+05:30

మండేటి ఎండలో వేడి నీళ్ళు పోసుకొని రగ్గు కప్పుకుని తిరిగే వాడి

మొహం లా మొహము వాడు, పోతావు రా ఒరేయ్, నాశనమైపోతావు

(manduti endalo veydi neelu poosukoni raggu kappuku-tirigee vaadilaa moham la mohamu vaadu, pootavu raa orey, naasanam-aipootaavu)

Learnt he's not coming next sem... :(
So, no more Vishy in our lives, no action, no hyperactivity, no nothing... Chi!!! This is my tribute to the bitch!!

With hardcore hatred
PK

P.S. Realized not many understand what's written, here's what it means...
"Vishy's someone who'd bathe with HOT WATER on a hot summer afternoon and wrap himself up in a rug!!! Die, you will, one day, some day..."

FEELS GOOD... :)

2008-11-01T22:05:00.005+05:30

Nothing like cooking your own food and even better just loving the way it tastes. Feels great infact!!! Latest on the block, Laccha Paratha. Should say, came out pretty tasty for the first attempt!! Good going PK!!! :P

PK Quote : Its only two things that men are passionate about in life, one's a good wife (*conditions apply) and the other's good food!!!

Cool Drinks - served HOT!!!

2008-10-31T22:38:00.003+05:30

WOW!! I always wondered why they spend so much on advertising but, I saw it, and I FELL for it!!! Thank God, they don't use all these stars and models to advertise booze and weed (not any that I know)!!! :P

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN...

2008-10-31T22:20:00.004+05:30

Its more than just another good old classic rock song from two Gods of Good-Old-Rock. Every time I read the words 'Stairway to Heaven' I can't help humming the tune, "Ooh, it makes me wonder,Ooh, it makes me wonder". This song to me is definitely larger than life!!

Stairway To Heaven
(J.Page, R.Plant)
There's a lady who's sure
All that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven.
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for.
Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.

There's a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know sometimes words have two meanings.
In a tree by the brook
There's a songbird who sings,
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it makes me wonder.

There's a feeling I get
When I look to the west,
And my spirit is crying for leaving.
In my thoughts I have seen
Rings of smoke through the trees,
And the voices of those who standing looking.
Ooh, it makes me wonder,
Ooh, it really makes me wonder.

And it's whispered that soon
If we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason.
And a new day will dawn
For those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter.

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow
Don't be alarmed now,
It's just a spring clean for the May queen.
Yes, there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on.
And it makes me wonder.

Your head is humming and it won't go
In case you don't know,
The piper's calling you to join him,
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow,
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind.

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul.
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold.
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last.
When all are one and one is all
To be a rock and not to roll.

And she's buying a stairway to heaven.

...SIHT DAER

2008-10-27T01:43:00.006+05:30

!!!era yllaer UOY ohw tuo dnif ot yad rehtona evil uoy !!!snoitalutargnoc ,uoy dnuora s'tahw fo esnes ekam llits dna siht daer nac uoy fI

DOWN...DOWN...DOWN...

2008-10-24T22:04:00.012+05:30

SENSEX - down 1070 points, closes at 8701, lowest since November, 2005.

All this, despite the Finance Minister reassuring the investors of the nation. So I guess its time for Chidambaram to make calls to some recording studios. After all, his speeches don't seem to be making any impact any time, so he might as well just play the tape every time the markets go down!!! (Chopra predicted it would go below 10K - 8K some five months back, well now I agree dude!!!)

OIL - down to less than $64 a barrel

Rupee vs. Dollar - Rupee, down to 50 against $ (I mean weaker)

and lastly,

PK - down with Acute viral nasopharyngitis :P

Lead INDIA

2008-10-20T00:23:00.007+05:30

There are two meanings to this phrase,
1. 'you' LEAD INDIA...
2. INDIA LEADS 'you'...

Both of which make sense, only, when they come together.

When there is so much talk about an economic meltdown, a crisis and we, yes we, Indians, talk about, "well, that is that. So, what are we going to do about that??" and lots of questions being asked about that, I can't help the flashes of the visuals of a certain something most of us saw a couple of years back. All of us saw it, some of us felt it, even fewer are living it...

What beats me even more is when people say and agree that its mainly speculations that drive our markets, when did we ever take the easier path and why do we keep looking back and falling down, again and again and again?? I know it for a fact, we will rise, like we always have, but, its just that is it going to be a little late this time around??

There's only one answer to all the questions... like my team always says,

STOP WONDERING...
...START WORKING

P.S. This one's a response to http://storyboardinc.blogspot.com/2008/10/i-owe-i-owe-so-i-go-to-work.html (thought a comment would be too long over there!!)

"If anything can go wrong, it will."

2008-10-18T01:40:00.004+05:30

One very famous statement of Murphy's Law - "if anything can go wrong, it will."

If there's something you don't want but yet know it HAS to come your way, ask for it to happen RIGHT NOW. Because, now is always a better time than the future... Life just gets too complicated as we slide along the timeline.

There's some hidden talent everywhere, in everyone, in some aspect...its just a matter of time...
That time will come, as the clock keeps ticking, when that moment you've always had nightmares about, will come. You would be frozen in time. Of course, in due course of time, you will realize that it actually continued to tick on and it will do so, for as long as the time to come, will come. So, what do we do about those nightmares?? MOVE ON MAN!!!

P.S. For those who've been following me for a while, they know why this had to come at THIS time. And I'm just glad it came anyway. And now, I just hope its gone, forever and ever...

BUSTED!!!!!

2008-10-17T10:44:00.003+05:30

It had to happen... and it did... The worst part is, it had to be Vishy and even bad, it had to be ME!!!

October 17, Thu, 2008... a day that'll only go down in history as one of the eclipsed days for PK... Sitting right under Vishy's nose and taking the liberty to peek into my own record did prove to be a little heavy. Well heavy enough to get myself out of the lab.

But, it was an experience I had to have, sometime or the other. Glad I'm done with it and glad it had to be Vishy!!! But as I said, the experience is one that'll last a lifetime. Me facing Vishy, 'his' hands trembling(!!), me standing in front of him.

V: "see... let me tell you.. I cannot tolerate this.. no..no.." (trembling hand rolls over the forehead)
PK: "Ok, what's done is done. I'll do it all over again, on my own..."

... a lot more happens for the next 3.5 mins or so (mostly the emotional demeanor of Vishy)... and concludes something like this...

V: (shivering harder) "Jayendra... you tell him.. this is not tolerable... no"
J: "you leave, I'll take care..." (of what??!!)
PK: "whatever!!!" (and walks out of the lab)

And finally, hope we've learnt a lesson here, the hard way though!!!

THE FISH THAT HATH ONE EYE..

2008-10-15T21:47:00.003+05:30

Saw this one at a local aquarium... It was like the cool villian with just one eye... one of the bigger fish popped its eye out of this one's socket and gulped it down during a fight!!! Really!!! if you don't believe me watch this video (is was shot right after the fight...)

LIFE-DVD-Rip-Xvid-AC3(with subs)

2008-10-12T23:18:00.009+05:30

I was watching an old telugu movie with English subs on some channel this week. And I do not have the guts to frame all the feelings that came by in a string of words. Was something like this...

I'm hearing a song of Love...
in your smiles.
Love! Is it your disturbance?
I'm seeing a new dance...
In your anklets.
Love! Is it your sound?

Fingers are cut, mouths are happy
Spoon feeding is lovely
problem leads to kisses
Beautiful is the apathy of dear ones
Lovely to scold a victorious wife

And after seeing this, I asked myself ONE question, 'YOUR MOTHER!!! WHAT IS ALL THIS RE??!!', in Telugu of course!!! No points for interpreting it right!!!

But, an interesting thought crossed my mind...

How would it be to have subs in daily life? In a different language, no matter what language you speak, subs in a different language. Hmmm, sounds VERY interesting...

This is how it could be :

English : "I am on cloud 9!!!"
Subs (Tel) : "nenu tommidoo nemberu mabbu meeda unnanu (cha?? inka!!)"

English : "I am having cold feet"
Subs (Tel) : "naaku challa kaalu unnaayi (naaku aithe rendu unnayi!!!)"

And vice-versa...

Telugu : "Naa burra edaite undo, adi tinakayaa Crane vakka palukulu tina-vayaa..."
Subs (Eng) : "my brain which is there nooo??... don't chew that up dude!! chew Crane Betel nuts dude!!!(emaina comparision aa??)"

It gets even better...

Hindi : "Kutte!! Main tera khoon pee jaoonga..."
Subs (Eng) : "Dawg!!! I will drink up your blood...(wonder what that's rich in??!!)"

Hindi : "Main ek ek ko chun chun ke maarongaa..."
Subs (Eng) : "I will one-one ko pick-pick ke thrash em' up...(like they were golf balls lying all-over the golf course!!)"

And, if any of you has the energy to take this one, go ahead... its a bird... its a plane... no, its Superman... no no no. its NTR!!!

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=nJsQgKCTucM

VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!!!

LIFE - Quote (WOW!!!)

2008-10-12T23:06:00.006+05:30

I came to know of this quote when Nik said it... and must say, was quite impressed, both with the quote and the fact that I had to know of it from him!!!(he seldom says stuff that actually mean something meaningful) :P

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”

Just loved it!!!

Distributed Systems... or...

2008-10-07T17:13:00.007+05:30

One more famous encounter with the not-so-famous Vishy!!!

Assignment Test No.3...(I have NO idea when 2 had happened and you can find my experience with no.1 just a few posts away...)

Now, Vishy comes up with another test and PK has no IDEA what its all about!! So, what does PK do this time...?? See for yourself...

Click to enlarge

My personal favorite being answer number 4...

The MAN who gave BIRTH to a NATION...

2008-10-02T18:52:00.007+05:30

He was a man of noble ideas. He was born on this very day in the year 1869. He was a man who steered one of the world's largest nations during its Struggle for Independence. He not only stood as a role model for an entire nation but also tried his best to get everyone to follow in his path of non-violence. His name is Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.

Art by NIK

He was quoted as saying, "I do not want to be part of a nation that is born of violence." His ideologies, his teachings are still widely followed by the people of this nation and many more all over the world. He is called the Father of the Nation. And I feel, that he's the one who can be closest to being called so during the entire Independence movement. All what he has done to achieve independence for India are well within the meaning of the word 'ahimsa'. He in fact replied to the other leaders of the Independence movement, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." when advised to take up violent ways of tackling the enemy.

No doubt, he was and is a very fatherly figure to the millions who are part of this nation. If only the citizens of this nation truly followed all his teachings, this nation certainly would be the paradise on earth. But that is clearly not the case. He is only part of the books we read, the speeches we make and political parties logos that are created to lure millions towards them. We have a nation that talks of Gandhiji and his ideas and a nation that is nowhere close to DOING what it takes to achieve what he preached.

On this day, all we can hope to achieve, is true independence!!

My tribute to the Man who gave BIRTH to a NATION :

The MAN who sold a NATION

2008-10-02T00:09:00.005+05:30

THIS is my tribute to the MAN who sold a NATION and this couldn't have come at a better time!!

As we all know, the Theory of Evolution holds tight till date. Now what has this got to do with the Man who sold a NATION?

Lets look at it this way : If the survival of the fittest is true, then those around us also ought to be fit, which they clearly aren't. And the reason why the theory was dishonored is, the old man couldn't come up with a better solution for the repudiate inhabitants of the nation and so this painful situation. They are sick, very sick. So, in order to maintain the Theory's tautology, the weak/sick CAN be wiped off the slate, the only question that remains is, "Would it be fair?". My answer, like Uma Thurman said in Kill-Bill, YES, that would be even. That would be square.

But the Council of Common Good has a different take on this one. In fact, it has a different opinion about everything, which connotes the fact, it has an opinion about everything. And yes, it is not that easy to get the Council of Common Good off your back. The Council also defines GOOD in different ways for different nations. The BOSS of the Council defines GOOD as 'what's best in their interest and to hell with the rest of the world , with their asses on the line'.

Coming back the Survival of the Fittest. What happens if this theory is dishonored? Its something like this, what happens if you let the domestic Pests breed? In a short time, they'll forget who they are and make themselves at home, and go all over the place more like domestic Pets, completely ruining the back of your refrigerator or maybe your showcases or any not-so-bright corner, whatever. But that's fine. What really pisses you off is, they biting away your favorite T-shirt to pieces!! Now, you are thoroughly shaken and shocked at how and why only YOUR T-shirt? Now it becomes a Personal War against the pests. But the fact is it always was, you just woke up now!! Better late than never. You chase the last ones out of home, leave them dead in a polythene OUTSIDE your house. And you'd live Happily ever after, at least for a few months to come.

Coming back to the man himself, all sources that were very close to him (or so they claim) had all made interesting observations about his experiments with Brahmacharya. Wiki quotes, "As part of these experiments, he initially slept with his women associates in the same room but at a distance. Afterwards he started to lie in the same bed with his women disciples and later took to sleeping naked alongside them." Now c'mon!! I'm sure he at least had the brains to lock the doors before the last observations in his experiment were to be made!! And so the close associates came up with a dumb story that follows, which is also quoted in Wiki. All I remember in my history classes about this guy is about his 'experiments' and his dumb methods of dealing with the people who were shoving long pegs up our arses. And hey, his book is also titled some 'experiments' with 'something'.

GIST : Yes, the graybeard did sell off the nation, at a very low price or actually for free. Now they want more. But, nothing's for free in this free world. Everything has a price. And no matter what, we WILL be paying it for the REST of our lives and the lives yet to come into this world of ours. All thanks to the Old Chap who left this and a lot more for the Nation.

My tribute to The MAN who sold a NATION : ..|.

FROZEN!!!

2008-09-30T08:31:00.004+05:30

Wow!! The feeling is just beyond human abilities to define it in their language. Maybe the closest is mirthful, just close. For those of us who tried it, we have a clean satisfaction in our minds, "Yes!! I did it again!!! And yes, it works, all the time...".

I'm talking about 'FREEZING YOUR HARD DRIVES'. Way back in school, I used to tell a few friends that freezing the drive brings it back to life. The smarter ones just tried it and shared that joyous feeling with me. The cowards sang all the same stories, "..but my dad", "oh!! I've never opened it before"(there's always a first time bozo!!), even worse, "dude, I don't think it really works!!".

Well, guys, its been done again and again and again. My brother Nikhilesh brought back a 7 year old to life, again after a recent crash. And this morning, I heard the familiar click again that said, "time to be FROZEN". And so, I wrap it up and throw it back into the freezer for coming back to life.

I'm ending this post here and the only feeling I have within me now is 'overflowing joy and satisfaction' (its like the froth that comes out of hot coffee and slides down the walls of the coffee mug... flowing and flowing and flowing... boy!!!)

COMING BACK TO LIFE...

2008-09-19T05:01:00.005+05:30

I had to see it to believe it... The guy who's hitting hard (2nd from top) and finished first, they tell me that was me. Now, was it??

Looking beyond the embers of bridges glowing behind us
To a glimpse of how green it was on the other side
Steps taken forwards but sleepwalking back again
Dragged by force of some inner tide

At a higher altitude with flag unfurled
We reached the dizzy heights of that dreamed of world

Encumbered forever by desire and ambition
There's a hunger still unsatisfied
Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon
Though down this road we've been so many times

The grass was greener
The light was brighter
The taste was sweeter
The nights of wonder
With friends surrounded
The dawn mist growing
The water flowing
The endless river

Forever and ever

And touch. Maybe it was a part of me. Whatever, hail the best man!!!

FRIENDS FOREVER...

2008-08-10T10:40:00.005+05:30

This is the story about two great friends. The first was HAPPY, the other was LUCKY. Both of them were lived on the same block. One day, LUCKY bumped into HAPPY round the corner of their street. LUCKY said, "Hi!! I'm LUCKY!!", HAPPY said, "Sure, you are!!".

LUCKY : You must be HAPPY??
HAPPY : You bet, I am!!!
LUCKY : I'm happy to meet you!!!
HAPPY : Hey, I'm lucky too!!!

And this is how they started out as friends. Both of them went to the same school, and went on to go to the same college. Both of them graduated out of college. LUCKY was always happy because he was lucky. HAPPY was occasionally lucky, but always happy. One day, both of them bumped into a new guy on their block.

LUCKY said : Hi!! I'm LUCKY!! We live on the same block. Welcome aboard!! What's your name btw??
He replied : Huh!! Hmm.. Yeah.. My name is SAD.
HAPPY said : Hi!! I'm LUCKY's friend HAPPY!!
SAD said : But I'm still SAD!!!

And so, they were three friends now. HAPPY, LUCKY and SAD. A weird coincidence, but, all the three got into the same company and all three had similar jobs. They started out fine. HAPPY and LUCKY felt happy and lucky to have that job and worked hard. But SAD thought he deserved better than that and was unhappy and felt unlucky.

An year passed by. LUCKY got four promotions for his work and was happy. HAPPY got three and felt lucky. But SAD remained without any promotions. This made him sadder. The sadness only went on to get him to lose even the job he thought he was too good for. He broke up with HAPPY and LUCKY. He went places, only to be saddened further to know that there weren't any jobs for him. He got into a depression and one day, slit his throat. That's not the end!!! He was sad he did that, and tried to stitch it back together and died a sad death while doing so.

On the other hand, HAPPY and LUCKY, kept getting happier and luckier. Got married, had children and lived happily ever after. And that's the story about the two friends, HAPPY and LUCKY. Lucky them!!!

So, who's your HAPPY / LUCKY?? Is your SAD dead yet?? I wish you all a happy journey during your ride through my questions and life that'll follow. And may your luck come along...

P.S. I'm sure 2 out of three would say, "PK is HAPPY (HAPPY aipoyaadu!!!)" after reading this. And yes, I am!!! I'm a happy man who's just getting luckier by the day!!!

MAY THE SPORT PROSPER FOREVER...

2008-08-08T19:18:00.004+05:30

Nations are many, religions even more. Castes, colors and a lot more. But all come together, against each other, for one event, with an undying and ever growing spirit to conquer the rest of the world. Our very rich and most ancient culture of the Olympic Games.

Years of strict training, 365 days of continuous improvements, umpteen number of attempts to be better then the best, and to be ahead of the rest... All comes down to this one platform, laurels to the player, pride of their nations. The feeling is just Euphoric!!!

Here's one more event, the Beijing 2008 Olympics, truly one of the largest events ever seen in the history of The Olympics. And all we can hope for is, "May the best man/woman win." No matter the country, state, age... The result is going to be fair. And in this fair race, all I am hoping for is for our Indian Contingent to give their fair best performances. And the rest will be unveiled in the time to come.

And on a more personal note, I'm looking forward to Michael Phelps getting his seven Golden eggs and a lot more!!! After all, not all men are as dominant as he is when it comes to Aquatics at least.

ITS SHOWTIME!!!

2008-08-04T22:26:00.003+05:30

Aaj to humne iski utaar di hai!!! Been waiting for too long for this to happen!! And finally, today was Showtime. All the big players screwed him, popularly known as, LEFT, RIGHT, CENTER!!!

And this post is a tribute to that episode which all of us created. Sharath, I'm glad you started while I was lost in my dream world!!! Hasan, you were his EVIL SATAN for the 2 minutes you spoke. He'll pray to you for the rest of his life. Phani, Kumar and Arun added more fuel to the fire. I felt bored, so I got up and gave my share up his A*#!! All in all, its a day that'll last in my memories for decades to come...

And finally, one word of advice to my class. CSE-A, ROCK ON.....!!!!

Techno Talk - NOKIA 888

2008-08-02T01:53:00.007+05:30

Like PG Wodehouse says,
"IT IS NEVER THAT THE ORDINARY MAN, STUNNED BY SOME REVELATION OF GENIUS, IS ABLE TO FIND WORDS WITH WHICH TO EXPRESS HIS EMOTION. When Alexander Graham Bell, meeting a friend one morning in the year 1876, said, 'Oh, hullo, George, heard the latest? I invented the telephone yesterday', it is probable that the friend merely shuffled his feet in silence."

It is the same with me now. But, I'll try and get myself to say very little!!!...

MAN!!! LOOKS LIKE PHONES ARE GOING IN FOR WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS AND A LOT MORE!!!

Heard of this worm first when my friend Arun was talking about it. Thought it would be just another slim phone. But when I looked for it, I kept looking for the phone, only failing to find it. Well, not really!!! Only to realize that what I was looking at was THE PHONE!!! Read about it for yourself... Click here

Now I'm completely prepared. I can see them show me a crumpled piece of tissue and say, here you go Sir, that's our Latest Phone for you. And I know I wouldn't start by picking it up and cleaning my nose!!!

TRAPPED!!!!

2008-07-26T10:57:00.004+05:30

I've always tried to take a pic of a fly when I catch one. Never could do it before. But finally the day has come. I caught an Adult house-fly and scanned it!!!!! I have that pic for the rest of my life!! And if any of you think, "what's so great about catching a house-fly??!!" yeah right, try doing it once!! You'll fall flat, all tired in less than five mins.!!! And inference... NOT ALL MEN ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO CATCH FLIES... WHAT REFLEXES I HAVE!!!

Eddie Vedder - Society...

2008-07-18T19:02:00.004+05:30

Whenever you think of what this world is doing to ruin your beautiful little world, just listen to this, and it'll make you feel much lighter!!!

It's a mystery to me
we have a greed
with which we have agreed

You think you have to want
more than you need
until you have it all you won't be free

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me

When you want more than you have
you think you need
and when you think more than you want
your thoughts begin to bleed

I think I need to find a bigger place
'cos when you have more than you think
you need more space

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

there's those thinking more or less less is more
but if less is more how you're keeping score?
Means for every point you make
your level drops
kinda like its starting from the top
you can't do that...

society, you're a crazy breed
I hope you're not lonely without me
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

society, have mercy on me
I hope you're not angry if I disagree
society, crazy and deep
I hope you're not lonely without me

BRAIN BALL v.1.1

2008-07-18T18:51:00.002+05:30

UNITED BY NATION... DIVIDED WE STAND...

Wow!!! What have we made of the world we live in?? We live in a nation that has a Great History, and the way I see it, that's where all the Greatness ends!!!!! No offense but, this is with regard to our way of seeing things in our creepy little world today.

We start with a cause for all we need and then think of the effect. No, its not a cause that leads to anything, it only works if its an effect of something that happens to us. We want new states within our borders and we want more and more, the reasons not so clearly known to us. NOT YET!! It is only tales of the greatness of other nations that we are left with and, seems like that is as real as we can get!!

Hell!! we need permits to travel states in our own nation, need to pay to each state separately which in itself is not a problem but, the mess around it?? We NEED to fight among ourselves for territory, castes, water, food, funds and just name it!! Is there anything we haven't screwed up for ourselves at least for a decade to come?? and if we are good enough even longer!!!

We are left with a prayer that has been given to us by a man of vision, and it remains unanswered even today.... it remains a prayer unanswered...

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow
domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action,
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

In fact, we qualify to the opposite in each line. We have thick domestic walls in our society, ones that have made themselves strong enough to last for centuries!! There's just a bunch of losers who do all this for the rest of us and the nation. The so called SELFLESS LEADERS of the nation. I feel and know, what we need is SELFISH leaders and ones who don't shy away from saying that they are. After all, SELFISHNESS is a virtue most attributed to the Humans and that's how things work for us in this world.

Let us all not just pray for this prayer to come true... but become GODS of our own world and choose and decide what we need and see to it that what we get is what we need...

BRAIN BALL v.1.0

2008-07-07T20:30:00.003+05:30

Hello all!! This is what I said would be a prominent and a very serious part of my blog. Its called BRAIN BALL. If you can guess by the name, its to do with your sole weapon, and the way you let it roll into unexplored territories, your mind. New thoughts, new ideas, great theories, all building up into a WAY OF LIFE... It'll all be unleashed here... one after the other, and I'm sure you'll be left craving for more (I can't assure you exactly why though, i.e. to contradict or to ponder and ask yourself for more answers to the questions that would arise. Also, let me assure you, that the contradictions wouldn't find a significant part of me bothering about them!!!).

What I can assure you, is the lack of insubstantial theories under the label BRAIN BALL, not now, not ever. Also, I'd appreciate if you guys can come up with areas on which we need to reach beyond the horizon and achieve clarity, primarily for ourselves and maybe anyone else who has second thoughts about these ideas.

To say, one thing that I've really had on my mind for long is the way we've managed to classify ourselves into two broad categories, MALE AND FEMALE, not just to stand out as two different sexes but, as two different species. Which is actually fine if not for the inferiority that is accredited to one of the two sexes. Which one?? all of us know!! I'll be coming up with something concrete in a few days on the same thought and my observations about the same issue. Until then, keep looking into your sulci and gyri for the long lost lush green pastures... I'll be waiting to receive your thoughts. Until then,

SEE YOU WHEN I SEE YOU!!!!!

Splashed!!!!

2008-07-07T20:25:00.002+05:30

SPLOOSH!!!! Just that first dive into the pool in months and, the liberation my senses felt!!! Just have to make a splash yourself to understand what it takes off you and what it gets on you... Its the same feeling that made a certain someone run out naked on the streets yelling EUREKA... EUREKA!!!! The force, its too good to play around with, the buoyant force. Water's the only place I can float, fly, sink, sail and do a LOT MORE!!!!

WOW!!! I love water!!! That makes me not a fish though. I can live without having to throw myself into it. But its just that I choose not to live so!!!!! HELL, I'm amphibious!!! I guess I'll breed on land and grow old in water...

Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa... Maane Tu Ya Maane Naa...

2008-07-05T08:11:00.004+05:30

Jaane tu, ya jaane naa....
Maane tu, ya maane naa....

That's how the movie begins...

Don't have time for movies, tired of regular hindi stuff.... Well, I'll come straight to the point. This one's a regular love story, and the LOVE PART being discovered towards the fag end of the movie.

But, just thought I'll tell you this.... the music's by A R Rahman, atleast thats what they're saying!!!! I wouldn't have known if not for the credits. All the songs, the background scores, fit right into the movie.

Movies carry an energy with them, some kind of energy, good / bad, high / low. This one's just the kind that you'll need to watch the movie and also keep you going a long way after it!!!! Just the theme that it leaves behind with you..... wow!!! All the characters in the movie, have a very definite role. Perfection is what they've left behind on the screens.

Wonder if the "a" in the Aamir Khan productions stands for ACE!!! The attention to detail in each scene is just evident in each frame. Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak, Paresh Rawal, all play small but, definitive roles. Thats what you'll love about the movie. However, the story could get very predictable as you're going through it but, that's what excites you about THIS ONE. Its the same prediction but, in a very funny way.

The story, is definitely about love but,

Jaane tu, ya jaane naa....
Maane tu, ya maane naa....

And, that's pretty much how it finally ends. Yet, it still goes on and on and on.... And the best part is, the tune of these lines is to sing them out of tune!!! So, all those guys who're not so good with the tunes, this one's definitely for you and, also the rest of us!! So, if you can't get yourself and your someone special to watch this movie, you may not really miss out on anything but, if you do manage to do so, you'll be left with a lots of something.... for sure.

So, waiting to see how bright your stars are, click here for tickets

ALL GOOD THINGS WAIT FOR THE GOOD TIMES...

2008-07-01T18:35:00.003+05:30

This is what I felt last night, waiting for the results of an interview I had given a couple of hours back, my first one too!!! And I'm not the kind of person who really attaches emotions to the things I do and so it shows in my work and the way I go about it. And last night was no exception!! But, good things, remain good, no matter what!!!

So, we were waiting for the results of our interview to be announced and most of them were a little queasy during the 30 odd minutes we waited. But I, as usual, was saying...

HOPE FOR THE BEST...
AND BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST...

In the meanwhile, Hitesh started playing this beautiful song called "Laree Choote" from the movie "Ek Chalees Ki Last Local". The words fit right INTO the emptiness between the Interview and the Results!!! Here are a few lines from the song...

Woh kehte hai na,
Jo hota hai acche ke liye hota hai...
Galat kehte hai.

Kismat ka khel hai saara
Phirta tha mein awaara
Yeh kya se kya hogaya
Chaar din ki zindagani
Har pal ek nai kahani
Kya tha mein kya ban gaya

Kya hua jo laari chooti
Jeevan ki gaadi looti
Khwaab hai to mujhko naa jaga
Zindagi ek pal mein saali
Yun palat gayee humari
Jhooth hai to mujhko na bataa

Karlo jo bhi karna hai
Hota hai jo hona hai
Guzra to pal yeh phir na aayega
Kya bura hai kya bhala hai
Waqt hi shayad khuda hai
Ho jane do phir dekha jayegaa

Kya hua jo laari chooti
Jeevan ki gaadi looti
Khwaab hai to mujhko naa jaga
Zindagi ek pal mein saali
Yun palat gayee humari
Jhooth hai to mujhko na bataa

Woh Kehte hai na,
Jo hota hai acche ke liye hota hai...
Sahi kehte hai.

To download : click here

Calvin and Hobbes...

2008-06-29T22:02:00.005+05:30

Here's the first Calvin and Hobbes strip, published in the year 1985, and a few that followed it...

A TRIBUTE To Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw...

2008-06-27T20:02:00.003+05:30

Source : http://indianarmy.nic.in/army_chief/10fm_manekshaw.htm

I have always felt and also believe that words are not the medium to describe such Men of Honor. The only thing that can get close to describing such men, is to get an insight of the actions that they have performed thorough their life.

The only feeling I share with him and can say is, Jai HIND!!!

To read more about the man's life, click here : Storyboard INC

Techno Talk..... No more DOT COM!!!!

2008-06-27T02:24:00.006+05:30

Yes, you heard it right!!! Man, am I too psychic or what??!! I was just discussing with a few friends of mine about the end of the current domain name addressing system in the internet and that the guys behind it wouldn't just be sitting idly waiting for a crisis!!!! And just as I thought, here's the solution.... No more .com and .net!!

ICANN(Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) has announced the biggest expansion to internet in FORTY YEARS!!! All credit to their team of analysts who have suggested that it is possible to implement new names, broadening the spectrum of our current domain names. ICANN says the bidding for the new names will start in the second quarter of 2009. So, if you have any plans for yourself, keep looking out for the announcement by ICANN.

The CEO of ICANN, Dr.Paul Twomey said, and I quote, "The Board today accepted a recommendation from its global stakeholders that it is possible to implement many new names to the Internet, paving the way for an expansion of domain name choice and opportunity"

So, don't be shocked when you hear of a .GOD or .GOOGLE. That's the next big thing....

For actual post : click here

Hot Chocolate v1.1

2008-06-26T19:47:00.011+05:30

Vegetarian Sandwiches

NO, if you think you already know how to make good ones, read on...

Toasting the bread...

This is by-far, the most important part of making the sandwitches. Most actually end up frying the bread and still stick to the term "toast" after it!!! I was one among such people too!!! Until my good old cousin, Harry taught me how to actually "toast" a bread and retain the true meaning of the word.

1. Heat your pan on a medium flame for a little less than 5 minutes.
2. Take the raw bread slices and place them on the pan.
3. Keep rotating the bread, so it doesn't stick and apply pressure gently along the edges.
4. Turn the side once its golden brown and repeat the same.

Note: Do not stack the bread one on the other, causes them to become soggy.

Greasing the bread...

Now, comes the tricky part. This part can have many alterations to it but, the classifications are only two: FAT-RICH and NUTRIENT/PROTEIN RICH

Lets start with the more popular version - The FAT RICH

1. Take a cube of butter with a knife and spread it lightly over the warm toasts that you've just taken off the pan.
2. Do not press hard while applying the butter and start with the edges (untouched edges without the ingredients do not make good sandwiches!!!)
3. Take another toast and apply mayonnaise (there are both with and without egg, so pick carefully) OR even better, a salad dressing (I would suggest Thousand Island).
4. Add a few raw, thin onion slices.

and if you're the slimmer version your species, go on with 5 & 6,

5. Throw in a slice of cheese or some grated cheese.
6. Find yourself a good silent corner and savor the sandwiches of your hard-work!!!

For the NUTRIENT / PROTEIN RICH version:

1. Take some mayonnaise in a bowl and add some grated cabbage with a little vinegar to it (this is popularly known as the Coleslaw sandwich, Kohl being cabbage in German, though pronounced as Cole. Thanks to Harry again for the info!!!).
2. Add a little pepper, salt and a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
3. If you're a sweet guy like I am, add a very little sugar to it.
4. Mix well and apply a good thick layer on the toast.
5. Place a few thin slices of tomato , cucumber or any other vegetable of your choice.
6. Same as above!!!

Oh my goddess, I've just finished writing the most elaborate description of making a SANDWICH!!! But honestly, the whole thing shouldn't take longer than 20 mins, max.

P.S.: And while doing all this, make sure you don't keep the toasts waiting for too long to get cozy with the dressing, they rot when they wait, just like anyone else!!! And if you're a guy who meets me regularly, forget not to make one for me!!!

INTRODUCING - HOT CHOCOLATE...

2008-06-26T19:33:00.009+05:30

HOT CHOCOLATE, your place to learn simple cooking, from the works of the man himself, PK!!! The biggest motivation I can give you through this series starts from the name itself, HOT CHOCOLATE.... hmmm... well, lets carry on without pausing for long at that!!!

THE PK PRAYER...

The element is smooth and creamy,
Maybe a little slimy!!!
But its sweet and tasty,
The aroma makes you feel dizzy!!!
Ah, at last I know what to do of it....
May God Bless himself and, the MAN behind it...

So get your knives,
And slaughter the beast,
And hold on tight, to your forks bright,
Coz we're going in for a feast...

"There are millions without FOOD and there are billions without GOOD food." - PK

COMFORTABLY NUMB.....

2008-06-25T00:00:00.005+05:30

Hello,
Is there anybody in there ?
Just nod if you can hear me
Is there anyone at home
Come on now,
I hear you're feeling down
I can ease your pain
And get you on your feet again
Relax,
I'll need some information first
Just the basic facts
Can you show me where it hurts ?

There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child I had a fever
My hands felt just like two balloons
Now I've got that feeling once again
I can't explain, you would not understand
This is not how I am
I have become comfortably numb

O.K.,
Just a little pin prick
There'll be no more aaaaaaah !
But you may feel a little sick
Can you stand up ?
I do, believe it's working, good
That 'll keep you going through the show
Come on, it's time to go.

There is no pain, you are receding
A distant ship smoke on the horizon
You are only coming through in waves
Your lips move but I can't hear what you're saying
When I was a child
I caught a fleeting glimpse
Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown
The dream is gone
I have become comfortably numb

- Roger Waters wrote the lyrics. While many people thought the song is about drugs, Waters claims it is not. The lyrics are about what he felt like as a child when he was sick with a fever. As an adult, he got that feeling again sometimes, entering a state of delirium, where he felt detached from reality.

- Dave Gilmour wrote the music while he was working on a solo album in 1978. He brought it to The Wall sessions and Waters wrote lyrics for it.

- Gilmour believes this can be divided into 2 sections, dark and light. The light are the parts that begin "When I was a child...," which Gilmour sings. The dark are the "Hello, is there anybody in there" parts, which are sung by Waters.

- This was the last song Waters and Gilmour wrote together. They have not spoken to each other since Gilmour kept the band going in 1986. Waters left the band and felt there should be no Pink Floyd without him.

- Gilmour's second guitar solo on "Comfortably Numb" regularly appears in Best Guitar Solo of All Time polls. In an August 2006 poll by viewers of TV music channel Planet Rock it was voted the greatest guitar solo of all time.

For more facts : click here
Source : www.songfacts.com

7.62 millimeter...FULL METAL JACKET...

2008-06-24T18:14:00.010+05:30

"This is my rifle.
There are many like it,
but this one is mine.
My rifle is my best friend.
It is my life.
I must master it,as I must master my life.
Without me, my rifle is useless.
Without my rifle, I am useless.
I must fire my rifle true.
I must shoot straighter than my enemy,
who is trying to kill me.
I must shoot him before he shoots me.
I will.
Before God I swear this creed.
My rifle and myself are defenders of my country.
We are the masters of our enemy.
We are the saviors of my life.
So be it......until there is no enemy, but peace. Amen."

These lines are just as they are, and if they weren't, that wouldn't be Stanley Kubrick.

But, the only problem a guy like me would have watching movies like Kubrick's is, the few days that happen to follow the movie, are real hard for me. Because I get to meet a lots of Pvt. Pyles in my camp too. And even worse is I'm no Sargent Hartman. And this truth ticks me off further!!!! So, its a chain of explosives. Man, its a hard hard world out there!! But heck, the explosions definitely get you high on life!!! So, who cares??!!

Any of you guys haven't watched the movie yet, or need any other Kubrick flicks, just ask PK. Until then, keep parading in my camp and goodbye ladies. :)

Calvin and Hobbes

2008-06-22T12:06:00.005+05:30

Here we go again, my first and most definitely one of my personal favourites. All those who're reading this right now, very obviously, would be feeling the joy that comes with it. But, if, just if, there is someone who still isn't familiar with this chef-d'oeuvre of Bill Watterson, trust me, you've spent a majority of your life without knowing the brighter side of it!! Yeah yeah, I know, joy is of many kinds. Sure it is. But hey, whose ever talking of joy alone when they're talking of C&H, its a complete Euphoria that you experience. And the philosophy that comes with these comics from a six-year old are awe-inspiring. Who even thought of or dared speak of the Green Revolution as early as 1988?? Or for that matter even talked of Life and Death in comic strips!! Good old Bill did!!

So, I think I'll make this a habit of mine. Yes, I will. I'll post the best comic strips of C&H at frequent intervals. So, all the C&H lovers can have fun reading them and I, for once, will have fun sharing something!!

See you when I see you...

Trivia : Both Calvin and Hobbes are named after famous philosophers. Calvin is named for a sixteenth-century theologian who believed in predestination, while Hobbes is named after a seventeenth-century philosphoer with a dim view of human nature.

Sooner than later...

2008-06-21T13:51:00.009+05:30

“I am. I think. I will. ...

“What must I say besides? These are the words. This is the answer.

“I stand here on the summit of the mountain. I lift my head and I spread my arms. This—my body and spirit—this is the end of the quest. I wished to know the meaning of things. I am the meaning. I wished to find a warrant for being. I need no warrant for being, and no word of sanction upon my being. I am the warrant and the sanction. ...

Well, I could not think of starting with anything better than these words of Ayn Rand's from Anthem. Now, for all those who know me, they would, most certainly know what to be expecting from this blog of mine and for those who don't you'll get to know as time goes by.

Also, I find it necessary to mention at this point in time that if, you are expecting to find anything, absolutely anything about the happenings of this world, of course with an exception of the attributes of Planet Earth (climatic) and the technological advances, this is NOT the place you want to be. However, what you can look forward to is a lots of trivial conversations on Calvin and Hobbes, The Indian way of Life, Psychedelic Rock, Cult movies, Indian cuisines (though only vegetarian!!!) and a lot more relating to these genres.

As for the rest, just leave it to PK, to unleash his lucid theories on anything and everything concerning the Human Mind and its infinite abilities to reason with itself and find answers that do not conflict with its existing logic.

This is the beginning of the road, and you surely know where to, it leads.....