Day 23 : TWO NIGHTS AND THREE CUPS COFFEE

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 18 : Wet Slippers!!

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 16 : GRANDMA!! Lite Teesuko!!

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!!

Hot Chocolate v1.1

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!!!