007

Its time to bid good bye to the year that had...

ups and downs...
moments of joy...
moments of despair...
moments of love...
moments of broken hearts...
moments of togetherness...
moments of loneliness...
moments of hardwork...
moments of rewards...

The moments that were 2006 have to make way...

for 007 to come...
for 007 to spread joy...
for 007 to rekindle hope...
for 007 to spread smiles around...
for 007 to break the shackles of the facade...
for 007 to party...
for 007 to have a good time...
for 007 to fly...
for 007 to be in the sky...

Let us take the giant Leap!

Its time for 2007 to arrive!
Here's to a great year ahead!

All Blacks

I can’t sleep a wink
The night has left us sore
I think we could have done better
I think that we deserved more!

We were so near
and yet we are so far
we may have not won
yet each of us was a star

The last fall that we had
Let it not get in the way
We know our worth
Whatever the others say

Each of us a pillar
That made up the stack
Those that stood strong
Each one an All Black!

- Max


Note: The All Blacks is a trademark of the New Zealand Rugby Union.

The Facade

Life is so strange. I feel alone. Yet I had a good time today. I went out. I did many things. Yet at the end of the day, in the middle of the eerie night, I sit here in the middle of deep darkness. I wonder where life is leading me. I want to lead the path. I wish to show the light. Yet I find myself typing my thoughts. I cannot see the keys that I am typing. They feel as if they are shots in the dark. Yet I know that they are not. Everything seems to be moving according to the plan. Yet I find myself confused. I see the milestone.

Yet I want to make myself believe that I am not on the right path. I do not know whether it is plain apprehension. Or whether it is plain fear that is affecting me. Whatever it is, it is having a funny effect on me. I am losing that one important lesson that I learnt. To smile
The importance of a Smile. Something that I have been preaching to a few friends. I talk about the manner in which we can be successful, happy, and striving for more. Yet, at the same time, a peace of mind prevails that helps us tide through the tough times of life.
I know find that missing. I see that people believe that I am happy. The façade that I put up, they fall for it hook, line and sinker. They are envious and happy for me. Curious as to how one amongst them is doing that he is doing. But I guess that few see beyond the façade. I wonder if I can see through my own façade. I wonder if I can do that myself. As the day shines upon me, as the lights get back to normal, I wonder whether I can see through what the mirror is projecting out to me. I wonder whether I can see beyond what the world sees.
The satanic verses by the side, I wish to be the extra special. I wish to be the one that people look up to. Nevertheless, most importantly, I wish to be somebody that I want to be happy to see when I look into the mirror.
Someone without the façade. Someone whom I can have a look and say that what I see is what it is.
The thought behind the smile is easy to miss. The thought behind the enthusiasm is easy to miss. Thoughts behind the entire façade are easy to miss.
However, it is tough to miss the forlorn look occasionally. It is tough to miss the despondent expression occasionally. It is something that inflicts every one of us.

Optimism

What am I without it
What am I without it
it is what keeps me strong
it is what keeps me going

it eggs me on
to do the right thing
pushing me on stage
it makes me want to sing

it makes me want to reach out
making me want to touch the sky
it makes me want to spead my arms
making me want to fly

it makes me believe
someday i will get there
gives me the hope
someday will be my day

gives me the hope
someday will be my day...

- Max

Greed

Greed and malice in thy mind
what cometh upon thou
in thy bad times
thou too have to bow

- Max

The Whiff of Honey

The count is down
and so is the frown
what was meant to be done rare
is now all brown

it happened to soon
it happened to fast
wish it weren't a dream
wish it were to last

mulling over the thought
wonder if it were meant to be
it was staring in the eye
and yet I did not see

on one side is a scissor
on the other is a cliff
the honey was always there
I just never had the whiff

-Max

Thee Memories

Try to hold not the people you meet
try instead to hold thee memories

try as we may hard
things don't always go our way
angels come and make a difference
and then they move away

try to hold not those
who are like a feather
but keep them in your mind
let the memories not wither

Its the moments

It is tough to identify the single most important reason that resulted in me writing this on a rainy night at 0312 IST.

It could be the defining moment when I chose what was likely to be The Path early this year. The decision that stumped most and shocked the rest of the world that I was known to. Nevertheless, it made sense to me. I guess that was what mattered at the end of the day. What mattered was what I thought of it at the end of the day.

It could have been the eye-opening journey that I embarked upon. The journey that helped me learn that there was more to the world than I knew existed. The journey that quelled any doubts that I had while I stood at the fork in The Path that had left me in a state of quandary.

It could be the presence of the dependable friends who guided, helped, and mentored me. Those who patiently bore with my idiosyncrasies. Those who were there when I needed them the most. Those whom I am most grateful to.

It could be the crazy, bull headed, and dogmatic me. These may not sound like (and my belief is that they are not) the qualities that one should aspire to have. Nevertheless, I guess in some manner, shape or form, they may be the reason between a shot in the dark and a bulls-eye.

Whatever the reason, the fact remains that I have achieved part of what I intended to achieve. The rest of the part is yet to come. Held in the future, it beckons me to follow the lead. Taking one-step at a time, calm and composed.

Today, I finally took the leap. Hoping and praying to god that I would be able to fly. Spreading my arms far and wide, I hoped to be the bird who flapped away towards the lighthouse. Flapping furiously, the light firmly in my sight, I hoped to be there before I lost breath and gave up. For I knew that if I did give up, I would end up dropping down like a rock. Not for once wondering why I took the jump. Instead, wondering why I did not try harder.

However, the leap was good enough. It did not get me to the end. But, it was the first jumps among many to come. It was not the greatest of shots at goal. But it seemed to serve its purpose. It was not convincing enough. Nevertheless, it got me to the other side. It was not something that all would be proud of. Yet again, something for which others would kill without blinking an eye. What mattered was that it was something that had my head spinning and my heart pumping!

And as the road winds ahead, I set my eyes on the road ahead. There is a lot of distance to cover. A lot of oil to burn and a lot of sweat to wipe. But, I chose the path. And I intend to make it happen.

It may not be a milestone for some. It may sound like a non-event for most. It may have all the makings of the ‘mountain out of a molehill’ story. But then, life is not all about the breaths that we take. Rather, it is all about the moments that take your breath away!

I am okay

Mumbai Multiple Blasts: For all those concerned, I am okay.

Regards,
APS

The finishing line

A month back, as the biggest spectacle of world team sport started, there were a lot of names that were thrown in the ring. All the best names in the world of soccer had descended upon Germany and it was expected to be a spectacle to watch out for. There were Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Czech, Spain, Netherlands, France and Italy.

Brazil, the eternal favorites, claimed that god was Brazilian and that he would not diappoint them in scoring a brace after Japan-Korea.
Argentina were in with a young team and played an attacking game of football that seemed to floor most of the football aficionados of soccer. Maradona claimed that the cup was headed to Buenos Aires.
It was Germany that caught the imagination of all with their un-characteristic football under Klinsmann. It looked like the hosts were preparing themselves for a party at Berlin.
The rest of the pack held a lot of promise, but failed to deliver.
When I talked about the ones, i said it would be Portugal or Italy. Portugal did lose out steam in the semis and eventually went out to Les Bleus...France! To say that they played a lousy game of unfair football would be to be kind to the portuguese.
But it was the other team... the Azzuri that made it all the way. There was a lot of ridicule and contempt for my support to the Italians. But I guess... its he who laughs last, laughs best!
France drew first blood early in the evening with a Zizou penalty. It looked that was to be the only goal for the match. The french, quite keen at holding onto their solitary lead. But the Italians were not going to give up so easily. Marco Materazzi making a name for himself in the 19 minute with an amazing header.The rest of the match did not tickle the scorers. There were a couple of chance to either side. But it seemed that the game was headed for extra time.
The extra time of 30 minutes would not have been eventful. Had it not been for the ruthluss head butt that Zinedine Zidane gave Materazzi. The referee sent off Zidane for this heinous act that was probably committed in a fit of rage. A blemish that will probably end up tarnishing what has otherwise been an amazing career of one of the greatest footballer of our times.
While the Italians did try to make some headway, the threat of penalty kicks was looming ominously.
And that is what it ended up being.
Buffon, Barthez and the rest of the guys would decide who would make a quiet exit though the side door. And who would be crowned champions of the world!
The Italians with their jinx of never having won in a shootout were palpably tense. The French did not look too hopeful themselves.
In the end, it was the team that held its nerves and prayed the most that ended up with the fanfare.
I guess the presence of the Vatican must have helped them in this case. Whatever the case, Trezeguet hit the wood-work. Meanwhile, the Italians converted all that they could. The end result...Italia were crowned as the WORLD CHAMPIONS! All those Brazil, Argentina, Germany and France supporters can take a hike!
Italia! Italia! It is they who cross the finishing line who want it bad! The world clicks him who crosses first. The also-ran remains just that...

Amchi Mumbai

There has been many a joke on the fiasco called the Mumbai rains. The BMC, MMRDA, Sena, Congress et al have pointed fingers at each other. All that remains is the mention of the 'foreign hand'. The one ace up every politician's sleeve.

Well...this joke does have a 'foreign hand'. I got this from my boss in NY. Seems that there is a joke floating around in the US.
It goes something like this...

Where Indians say "BEST buses were out in full strength and the train network was kept up and running till such a time when it became impossible to run services" -- source (Mumbai Mirror ed. 05 Jul 2006 - City)

Americans say: "We are in a state of emergency. Due to never seen before, extreme weather conditions city buses and trains are out of services. All available police forces have been mobilized, and the mayor is on the way…"

Seems like there is something going good for Mumbai! :)

This year seems to be better than the last one. All said and done, there was flooding and there was chaos. But, the over zealous media seems to have blown it grossly out of proportion with its live news feeds! The scars left in the minds of the people post 26/7 have just made things worse! Panic seems to set in a jiffy.

But this does not take away from the BMC, BEST, Mumbai Police and last but definitely not the least, the Mumbaikar spirit who have taken the raging bull by its horns.

Kudos to Mumbai! Kudos to its spirit!
Whatever happens, pick up your bag and move on! Its time to board the 18:34 Thane Fast (train).

Subtlety

Subtlety is an art. Some messages have more then one meaning. The truly artful ones have more then two...
The art lies not in being subtle...the art lies in making sense of the subtlety.

Italia...Italia

I have been chanting three names since the start of the World Cup...

Portuguesa - Portugal
Italia - Italy
England - RooneyLand

England failed to deliver at the last moment. Going down to the Portuguesa.
But the rest are still there...and if the Francaise falter in Germany, it would be a nightmare for me...
I wouldn't know whom to support!!!
Happened more than once in the Finals...

The Azzuri are through!
And They wait for Portugal to join them! Or atleast, I do!

Italia...Italia...
Based on their football under Jurgen Klinsmann, Deutschland were likeable and a pleasure to watch...but at the end of the day, those close to the heart are close to the heart!
The Azzuri are through!

Italy, unlike their usual self, played an interesting bit of tactical football under captain Canavarro and master tactician Marcelo Lippi. I wondered for a while if they were doing the right thing... but i guess all is well if you're going to Berlin!

Twice unlucky... third time lucky! And then... forth time lucky!
Fabio Grosso... Del Piero! You're on the front page! Say Cheese!
Italy! Pack the Bag... its time for Berlin!

While my heart does go out to the Germans, the Azzuri were a better side. I guess it was written all over Klinsmann's face.

And Lippi couldn't help dancing I guess. The Germans rode their luck. But, to give credit to them, they played an amazing genre of football. The kind that hasn't been associated with them. Not in the past that is.

Unfortunately, football(like others) is a ruthless game. There could only be one winner. Your heart bled for the Germans. But, I guess they have to go...
And no marks for guessing what Buffon is saying to them...

YOU'RE OUT!

Deutschland!!!

Bundesrepublik Deutschland, République d'Allemagne or The Federal Republic of Germany!!!

The winners of the match arguably touted to be deservingly called the finals before the finals!

A match that was boring to start off, it ended up with enough euphoria and adrenaline to befit the deserving tag of a final!

It saw stark contrasts and a sort of role reversal, Argentina playing 'Italian style' possession football. Germany, on the other hand, tried an approach with more flair and panache. However, the statistics told a whole different story. Argentina had the shots on target, the possession and a better hold over the match.

The first half of the match was a drab affair with both goalies barely having a say in the bearing of a match that saw the Olympiastadion stadium in Berlin packed like a tin of 70,000 sardines. The only affair worth commenting was the regular shrill of the referee's whistle that seemed to punctuate the proceedings at just about the right moment.

The two teams headed to the lemon break without tickling the scorers. Worse still, the scorers would have had gone off to sleep, had it not been a FIFA quarter final!

The second half saw the Germans coming out with a sense of belief and meaning. Must have been something that Jurgen Klinsmann must have said i guess. Whatever, it was that was said, the game seemed to be a different one from the first half.


However, it was The Albiceleste who drew first blood after barely four minutes into the resumption of play. A Riquelme corner saw Ayala guiding it past the outstretched hand of Lehmann into the netting as Lahm could only stare in despair.

This seemed to bring a sudden sense of urgency into the Deutsche as they seemed to be a team possessed. A set of 11 men fighting for their honour and that of their countrymen. They kept pressing, but were unable to pierce the Argentine wall.

As time passed by, the Germans got increasingly restless and fidgety. It didn't help that the South Americans were frustratingly content on keeping possession and wasting priceless time.


But, there was light at the end of the tunnel. Miroslav Klose acting as the torch bearer in the Nationalmannschaft’s progression towards an equaliser! In a fine display of team-work, Klose was ably aided by Captain Michel Ballack and Borowski. In the process, Klose headed his fifth for the tournament.


The Olympiastadion erupted in a frenzy as their favorite son (atleast at that moment) had ensured that they had lived to fight another day! The goal left Jose Pekerman's team in a disarray. They were playing for the final whistle and this meant a complete U-turn in their approach. They tried to twist the German arm, but the Germans wriggled out of the situation. They had their own chances, but it seemed that the match was destined to go beyond the regular stipulated time.

The 30 minutes of extra time excited only to disappoint with no change to the original score line. This meant that the match was headed into the infamous and exhilarating Penalty Shootouts. I guess it was fair, considering that it was really difficult to differentiate the teams apart. My guess is that it was worthy of a match of such a stature should head into shootouts. It was rightly said that the best matches are played in the quarters and the semis.

The hosts had a cent percent success rate as they converted through Neuville, Ballack, Podolski and Borowski. Jens Lehmann was the hero for the Germans as his saves from Ayala and Cambiasso meant that the Albiceleste and their huge contingent of fans had to embark on a long quiet and disappointing journey home.


As sorry as I am that she has to go, it also means that the Germans or the Portuguese would be staking a claim for my money on the finals!

Bundesrepublik Deutschland!!!

Its all in the mind...

It's all in the mind!
Listen to what is has to say...
You'll be happy!
Listen to your heart
You'll have the peace...
Listen to the both
and you'll be the happiest...
If you can manage to do this
nothing can stop you in life!

Triggering a thought...

It’s funny how small things can trigger a thought process. There may not have been much of a link between the event and the thought. A thought that was triggered by something seemingly trivial. Something which would probably hitherto have gone unnoticed and would have caused a nothing more than a mere flutter. But the same ‘something’ rekindled the thoughts in my mind. It was reminiscent of all the things that I had managed to accomplish and that brought a sense of achievement and gratification.

A dull Sunday après noon and I was busy doing nothing in particular. I just lay back lazing around in the middle of a not so quintessential day. Doing what I do best (???)… thinking. I thought that I might as well do something more meaningful. And so I sat down…to watch a movie. That with my latest muse…the laptop!

I rummaged through till I found the pack of movie DVDs. There were quite a few…and I looked through them….dwelling on what would interest me at that juncture. Then I saw this movie that I ended up watching. There was no particular reason. Nothing that was flashy. Nothing that was eye-catching. It was nothing more than the Random Theory is my guess. Although I still have my doubts.

The movie was ‘How to lose a guy in 10 days’. The plot was interesting and it seemed like a good watch. Which I assure it definitely was. But that is not what this is all about. It is not a movie review. It is about this scene that appeared at the start of the movie.
The scene was set on a crowded road with a total traffic mess. You may wonder that how that could possibly trigger anything reminiscent other than the utter chaos that prevails on the roads of Mumbai. The stretches of Andheri and Bandra that I frequent are always choc-a-bloc with more people than the population of Luxembourg! But it was not about that. It did not remind me of those places. It reminded of something that happened in the near past that was a totally exhilarating experience.

The scene was set on the corner of Madison and 28th! Does any of that make any sense to you? If it does, you would thoroughly appreciate what I have to say. Just in case it did not, I am talking about the corner of Madison Avenue and 28th Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The corner(???) you may wish to ask. The answer would be an emphatic NO! It’s not about that particular corner. It’s not about Madison Avenue and its definitely not about 28th street. It’s about New York City!
Yeah! It’s about New York City! The city of dreams and opportunity! The city that has something on offer to people from all walks of life. The avenues and streets full of the American free spirit.

The movie was set in New York and Manhattan was thrown in good measure. The Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Madison Park Garden, Staten Island (and the trans-island ferry) and of course the most imposing of them all…the Manhattan skyline! Places in the City that would stir up a strong and pleasant sense of nostalgia. Memories those are strong and fresh in the mind. Memories those are close to the heart for reasons more than one.

For the benefit of les ignorants, the reason (among other reasons) that I was incommunicado and not on this blog off late was because I was away at work (???) out there. And while I was out there for work, it did not stop me from exploring, enjoying, appreciating the City and its vibrant spirit. A spirit that I found missing as I explored other parts of the country. But, then I guess that is what New York is all about.

The movie inspired me to do something that I have been thinking of doing for a while now, but could not end up achieving…pen my experiences while I was out there. Funny are the ways of life. The way a small unrelated event can trigger a thought process in ones mind. That one ends up embarking on a journey that he intended to from the start, but could never get himself to implement the plans. Plans to write his very own memoirs.

Memoirs of a boy Downtown!

Jhalak dikha jaana

jis desh jaa rahe ho
rahe aap khushal wahaan
chhod jo aap chale ho
aapna chhota sa jahaan

jaa rahe ho aap jo
ajeeb sa lage hai
humein aap chhod chale
aisee kya jageh hai

ek hee raat mein
chale gaye aap itni dur
kaun gaon hai yeh
jise kehte hai vastrapur

aap jahaan kahaan ho
khushalta aapke saath rahe
jo bhi aap kar chalein
saphalta aapko miltee rahe

par saphalta ke shikhar pe
humein aap bhool naa jaana
pal pal guzarte aap
humein jhalak dikha jaana

Its about time...

Time is a very scarce commodity. A day has 24 hours. And more often than not, you want to get more out of life than what the 24 hours have to offer. You wonder what it would be like to have a couple of hours more in the day. A couple of hours which you could use to do the things in life that are dear to one’s heart. The ones those are always present on the radar. But, that is where they remain…on the radar. Often, they do not come into the crossfire. They do not grab your attention. And then there are times when they fade into oblivion…ending up being nothing more than a blip on the radar. And the truth of the matter is that you do not wish for that to happen. You wish that it didn’t turn out the way that it did. You wish that you could have ended up doing more justice than you did. For, it did deserve the justice. It did deserve your undivided attention.

The thing about life that makes it so interesting is that it sets boundaries. Finite possibilities those are open for any individual at a given point of time. However, it does inevitably leave you a window of opportunity to do your own thing. The art lies in recognizing that window and seizing that with both your hands and making the most of what you have. But that is not the real art. That is not the real skill. The real skill lies in making your own windows…not using the ones that Microsoft has to offer. Not waiting for the rule book to be written before you can read it…but writing your own rule book. And then gleefully breaking each and every one of them with pleasure. For rules are nothing but shackles and barriers that curtail your thinking. They define boundaries. And life is not about boundaries…it’s about the vast expanse of thought and opportunities that are on offer. It’s all about thinking out of the box. And yet not overlooking the inconspicuous box and what it contains.

In the rat race called life, it’s very facile to lose track of the wish-list. Often than not, you can end up falling in the trap of the rut…and you can’t get out. And it’s not because you cannot…it’s not because you don’t want to…it’s because you don’t realize that you are in the rut in the first place. It’s akin to quick sand. It sucks you in. And before realization dawns on you, you are already in knee-deep of shit. And while it’s not too late, it does take a lot of you to try and get out. But the good bit is that what lies on the other side of the fence is actually interesting. Nobody enjoys being in shit any which way.

The timing of the glow of the bulb of enlightenment is very crucial and a lot depends on luck. You may wake up well in time to board the flight back home. Else, it would be a case of ‘ignorance is bliss’. Stuck at the airport terminal 2A in wait for the next available flight; something that doesn’t seem to be in the near future. Your dream only a figment of imagination…

Life ends up being nothing short of a mess. A mess through which one tries real hard to get out. Break the shackles and achieve some sort of sanity. And life keeps popping reminders at you that you need to get your act together…for the next chance could be a while away…

Youth For Equality

In case you wish to join in the activities of the Youth For Equality, please make note of the following information:

URL: Youth for Equality
E-mail: yfemumbai@gmail.com

Go...check it out!

My bit for the protest

On friday I received this mail with regards to a protest that was to be in Mumbai. Being out of the country for a while, I was insulated from the things that had been happening in the country. Insulated in the sense that I was unaware. It would be wrong to say that these things do not affect me as these affect each and every person who considers himself/herself as a proud citizen of this country. So when I received this mail, i sat up and took notice. For the contents of the mail were pretty serious.
The walk of protest was organised by this group called 'Youth for equality'. I had heard precious little with regards to this group. In fact they sounded a lot like one of those groups that are floated by the Church. But in principle, it seemed like they were gunning for the same things that I stood for.
The march was in solidarity for the medical students that were mercilessly beaten up in a lathi charge for no fault of theirs. And one a broader level, to protest against the policies of the current government. Their (the medical students) only mistake was that they were conducting a vociferous yet peaceful protest against the politics of appeasement. The appeasement that the current politicians of the country have ventured upon with an eye merely upon the votebank politics that we witness every single day of our lives.
The idea was to make a point. We may not matter to the powers that be...for we do not form a part of their politics of votebank. Unfortunately, many of us do not bother to vote and that starts the first step towards their (the politicians)indifference towards us. The politicians believe that they have more to gain by playing to the masses in the stalls rather than the galleries. For the minds of those in the stalls and their sentiments can be swayed and moulded with a higher level of ease rather than those amongst us. Not to say that 'we' are in any way different from 'them'.
The minute we begin to believe that each and every one of us can make a difference, we will realise that there are a lot of young people like us who think alike and are ready to spend their time and efforts for something that they believe is correct.
The time was 1200 IST and the place was Bombay Hospital (isn't it ironical that the protest was organised near a hospital?). Unfortunately, i did not reach on time. Being jet-lagged(i know this sounds like an excuse that i have been using these days..but i guess that it was true to some extent.), i ended up getting up later than i had planned. And to add to that, none of my friends seemed to be interested in coming. There were a few who were supposed to come...but it was a 'alone at the last moment' kind of a thing. I would be lying if I said that at that time I didnt think of quitting. I conjured up quite a few reasons to myself as to why I should not go there. But, it was some strange steely resolve which told me that I should not quit. It was something that I strongly believed in...and it was something that I should have been a part of. In the end, it was a pretty easy decision to make.
As I reached Vikhroli station, in the hot sun...i began to rethink...there was a long queue...and there was the scorching sun...and the heat. But, some voice deep inside me kept me going.
I took the long journey to Churchgate station...switching trains at Dadar. I finally reached Churchgate.
As I was late for the start, I thought that I should walk towards Azad Maidan which was the end of the protest march and try to re-trace the path.
Azad Maidan was unusually quiet...barring a bunch of kids who had obliviously engrossed themselves in a game of cricket. There were a bunch of policemen standing in tow...so I knew that I should expect something to happen pretty soon. Also eye-catching were the OB vans of all the leading news broadcasting stations. But the protestors (of whom I was to be a part) were conspicuous by their absence. It was as if there was something expected to happen. It was akin to the proverbial 'silence before the storm'.
And then as if by cue, I heard a commotion...there were vociferous slogans and I knew that they had arrived...I quickly went across to join the group.
As is human nature, I scanned through the crowd for a familiar face...i saw none. But what was pleasantly surprising was that there were quite a few elders and aged who had lend support to the cause. I guess that they believed that this was harmful for the nation as well.
There were people from various walks of life. There were doctors (from IMA), engineers (from the IIT and professionals), CAs, lawyers, teachers from schools, professors and eminent personalities from society. And of course there were the students...youth from various colleges...from various streams...all marching along... raising slogans...and making their present felt.
The likes of Arjun Singh, AN Roy, Manmohan Singh, APJ Adbul Kalam, Chhagan Bhujbal... were cursed and condemned by the congregation.
There were quite a few inspired speeches and talks on the entire issue from various individuals...and each of these were greeted with slogans and loud cheers.
All of this (including yours truly) made it to national television.
We were very pleased to know that we had made our presence felt and that we had made our voice heard.
We may not be totally correct. We may not be the right ones. We dont want them to implement each and every thing that we say...all we want them to do is to listen to what we have to say and then to try and implement a few of things that we have to suggest. Not take unilateral decisions without consulting all those who matter. And without conducting any logical analysis.
We are not against any individual...we are not against reservation...what we are against is the manner of its implementation. The people who deserve it...and the people who end up getting it. The focus on issues that need to be tackled before we talk about these issues. To avoid building any more fences and barricades between the sections of society than that are already in place. To stop with the division of society on the lines that the British did...to stop dividing the country...
There are always three sides to a coin. Its just that those with a myopic view often do not realise that there are more than two sides to a coin.
Similarly, there are always three sides to an argument. Mine...Yours...and the right one. Its only through dialogue and discussion that one can arrive at the right one. Its always an obvious one. But, we as individuals are so clouded in what we believe is right that we do not listen to what the other has to say and what the other belives.

Shift of focus...

Today...I have decided to take leave...reduce focus and attention from the world of blogging.
From now on, it will be a conscious effort to get things in order.
In order to sight the eye of the fish that Arjun saw.
It will not be in totality...I will blog...will not stop...but the frequency will drop...sadly.
Things dont always work the way you wish them to...but that ain't the end of the world.
I have decided to get up and walk...and then run towards the finish line.
For I do not wish to finish second...ever again!
Will blog once in a while...it will remain...once in a while.

There are bigger and more important things in life that have to be accomplished!
Life doesn't give you a second chance...but I plan to wrest one from its clutches.
Whatever the odds...whatever the hurdles...whatever the downs...whatever!
The plan is ready...I am ready...
tamah-somm jyotir-gamayahh -- From darkness unto Light!

The right turn at the wrong places

There are times...and there are trying times. Times in the life of a quintessential human being when he has to do things that may not always be out of choice or conviction. Actions that are taken because they have to be. And while there is a larger goal...a bigger wider picture that this may be a pixel of, it doesn't always come across as that. Time and again, it seems to be an ineffectual part that makes you wonder whether one is on the right path. And while the destination should not be the only endeavour, losing sight of the goal to such a level that one reaches a point of no return isn't the smartest of ideas.

The actions of an individual could have various triggering criteria: family, friends, compulsions, the job, aspirations, dreams and life itself. One could end up doing things to please the near and dear ones rather than themselves. You cannot shy away from them and you need to do what you need to do. It may look like it is not a very smart thing to do at face value. But, if you dig deeper, you find that it was all for that bigger picture. The flip side of this is that we sometimes tend to lose sight of the present if we keep an eye only on the future. We cannot see tomorrow, it lies around the bend. But, we can make our present more meaningful. The past should be treated just that: as the past. You should learn from it and move on. The present however, should be in line with what has to be achieved in the future.

We may do things after a lot of deliberation and due diligence. However, at the heart of this is that one impulsive decision that was taken at the onset of the thought process. Having decided to do that, we come up with supporting arguments.

A whole 365 days back, I took such an impulsive decision. An impulsive decision that was to mould my life in more ways than one. A decision that was to have a lot of repercussions...positive and otherwise.

Rewind to the November of 2003. The impending edifice with its sparkling glass facade was a mirror to the impending future. Or so I believed. In the end, it was a bitter-sweet experience. When things got out of hand and restlessness grew to a high pitch, I packed by bag, started the bike and rode down to Mumbai. That single ride of around 200 kms was to define life in more ways than one.

It was a new place. A new place and new people is never a challenge. It is an opportunity. An opportunity to start on a new slate. A slate that has been cleaned. A canvas that is invitingly bare. To paint a picture with colours of your choice. To have a splash and a dab of your liking. To decide what you want. More or less.

At the same time, it is a new canvas. A nouveau tableau that replaces the past. Times that hold bitter sweet memories of the days gone by. Priceless moments that have had an indelible effect and should have be permanently etched.

The first impressions are more often than not the lasting impressions. As I reminisce those initial few days, I am filled with a feeling of warmth. The first few friends that I made have weathered the test of time and have meant a lot to me. And continue to do so...

Back then, I tried to do the impossible. I tried to hold on to the past as I ventured into the future. One leg on the jetty, the other in a moving boat. A bright future that could potentially overshadow the past with its brilliance. Akin to a 7 year old kid, I tried to hold on to all that lay in sight. Lest they be taken away from me. But as things kept coming in sight, all that was superfluous had to be placed aside. Placed aside with a heavy heart and a sense of separation.

Life took a turn. I walked along. At first, it seemed like a cul-de-sac. But there was light at the end of the tunnel. It could have been a mirage, my eyes and my mind playing games with me. But there was hope on my side. Hope. It is a funny thing. It is the guiding star, the ray of light that can lead you home. And so, I egged myself on.

Every once in a while, I turned and looked back. As I had walked along, I had also walked away. It wasn't a point of no return. There still was fuel in the tank. The long flight back could be achieved. But, there was a fire in the belly. A fire hitherto missing. Sieving through it all, the grain was separated from the chaff. The grain stayed on. The fire unknowingly took care of the chaff. The ashes however remained, charring the hands. The cinders resulting in burns on the hand.

But, there was that indomitable hope. The hope of a better tomorrow. The knowledge that the eerie night is nothing more than a prelude for a bright sunny day, beckoning a clean slate, devoid of the soot of the past.

As the sun rose bright and high, it filled the gloomy sky. The twilight making way for the sun to rise from the horiozon to take its rightful place in the sky.

As I wistfully look back at the year gone by, there are a lot of lessons to be learnt. Notes to be made and corrections to be effected. Learnings to be shared and joys to be re-lived. A few promises and a couple of resolutions. And last but not the least, the satisfaction in the mind of having taken the right turn at the wrong places!

The journey called Life...

To think is to play with a double edged sword (I never did understand this one...i always thought that both the edges of a sword have sharp edges...but wont digress now...).
If you don't think, you would end up meandering like the Mithi river without purpose, path or direction. People who be able to hold you at ransom (figuratively) and play with you at will. If you do think, you would end up dissecting your life and analysing each and every miniscule event in your life. The idea I guess lies in moderation, something that is a tough art to practice, let alone master.

It was this warm Saturday morning and I was pondering on the days gone by. Being a Cancerian, I have this tendency to analyse and micro-analyse and suddenly lo-behold, I have stumbled upon a solution to a problem which shouldn't have existed in the first place. But then, none of us are perfect. And it is tough to improve upon perfection any which way (;-> hehehe)
I looked at the year that has gone by...the achievements...the troughs...the lost opportunities...the pyrrhic victories...Life on the whole had been a mixed bag...as it always tends to be. It is always half-a-glass of water that life would place on your platter. It is upto you to view it as half a glass full or half a glass empty. Those that are happy will continue to be...and those that in a pit are because they have dug themselves a pit...they have jumped in...and now they wait anxiously for someone to bury them within!
Then there are those who are stuck in between and for them, the only purpose of life seems to be alternating in-and-out of the pits. The only variation being in the duration and the depth.
I, for one, am still at the crossroads as I try to figure out as to what is it that I wish to do. What is it that I want life to offer to me...
As I munched into my favorite Bengali sweet, I had these and a myriad more thoughts on life...where it was leading me (and not the way around as we all want to make ourselves believe)...and where I would eventually end up being. And how would the entire journey shape up on the canvas of life.
Answers at such a juncture are hard to come by and solutions to be aplenty. But none of them seem to the one thing that is being sought. Every dark, calm night brings with itself a new dream. A dream that would last out the eerie darkness and be conspicuous by its absence with the advent of the chirpiness of twilight. All that would be left behind would be a faint memory of a pleasant story that unfolded in your sub-conscience while the night spread out its blanket into the open sky.
The essence of life lies not in the brooding over the past or to ponder yourselves starry-eyed into the depths of oblivion. It lies in believing in your dream. Believing in yourselves. But the story doesn't end there. It merely commences. But now, you are in control of most of it. It isn't your sub-conscience or your vivid imagination that is driving your thought process. It is the bull-headed steely resolve to make the dream come true. To make it happen. For things happen only when you make them happen. Nothing happens by chance. Atleast not how you would have liked it to have turned out to be. Luck and Talent can get you within a stones-throw away from success. You can feel it in the air, smell it in your nostrills...but you still need that extra-mile to make the difference between the also-ran and the victorious.
Life is about taking your chances with both hands and making the most of what it has to offer. It is about making hay while the sun shines, lest the azure sky be shadowed by dark loomy skies. But, it is more importantly about those rainy days when nothing seems to go your way. It is about keeping your arms open in your days of despair. It is about picking yourselves after a fall and getting back onto your feet so as to continue your journey. For what ever it is that life may have on offer, you still need to pick your baggage and move on. For, in the yearn for that one major victory, we forego and ignore the little snippets of joy that life has on offer. It is not the destination... it is the journey that matters. The destination is just the logical and natural outcome of the journey that has elasped. It symbolises the end of the road and the beginning of a new journey. The journey called LIFE...

Mourinho's men!

Looks like the arrogant Mourinho is going to eat humble pie today!
The scores are level at the lemon break!
And the Giants from Catalunya are leading on aggregate!
Looks like its the end of the road for Chelsea at the Nou Camp!
Yipee!!!
Someone is finally teaching them a lesson or two...
Hope the scores stand this way!
I'm off to sleep!

The Sony Walkman

There is a interesting story behind the marketing strategy of the Sony Walkman.
When it was first introduced in Japan, its punch line went something like this...
Enjoy your music without disturbing others!
When the same Sony Walkman was introduced in the USA, it had the punch line
Enjoy your music without others disturbing you!!!
Doesn't that make for an interesting piece of conversation? :)
Kudos to Sony for having studied its markets and their culture so keenly and acclimatising itself to the needs of the market!
No wonder that they are SONY!

The Future is bright...

This came along with my Orange bill. I refuse to call Orange by its new name..it sucks! So does that sissy pink that they've adopted! Talk about negative publicity!
This however doesn't take away from them the accolades for their sense of responsibility in educating les ignorants!

Mobile Manners

Common sense tips that help maintain peace and decorum.

Speak Softly
You can speak softly and still be heard. You are not George 'Dubyaman' Bush that the world needs to hear you!

Lights off, mobile off
At theatres, keep your mobile phone off so that you don't disturb others.
I am sick and tired of these people...they act as if they are the National Security adviser who will have to advise the prime minister to press the nuclear button in the case of a nuclear holocaust.

Pray in silent mode
God may call you when you're in a temple or church. But it is unlikely that He'll use a mobile phone. Or is it that they think that they are Bruce Almighty who will have to respond to the queries of lesser mortals?

Don't speak while eating
At restaurants, enjoy the food and company. Calls can wait.If you don't have company... i suggest that you should introspect. If you don't like the food, why stop the others from enjoying it? Multi-tasking is good only in Microsoft Windows. It isn't a smart thing otherwise. And please... telling your loved ones as to how good/horrible the food is can wait for a few minutes.

Anybody can tell a bad tune
Choose your ringtones wisely. Ringtones which do not annoy your neighbour or the people around you. Some people need to add 'low volume', 'silent' and 'meeting' to their dictionary if not their cell-phone profiles. If you think that your ring-tone is chic, listen to it in private. Imagine if your neighbours favorite ring-tone is Altaf Raja's 'tum toh tehre pardesi' or 'who let the dogs out?'. If it is yours, please get in touch with Bayer's pest repellent division. Ever considered filing a patent???

A word before a picture
Ask for permission before you take anyone's photograph on your mobile phone. Imagine if your photograph appeared in Times of India, clicked while you were mining for the Kohinoor in your nose! Imagine if you appeared on TV while you cozied up with a 'friend' or were caught kissing on camera...and your significant other saw the same!

Be sensible...be understanding...and don't be pig-headed. Remember! Man (and a woman) is a social animal. Never forget the social bit...

Copied almost verbatim from the Orange bill...hope that no copyrights are infringed. The idea is to merely spread the word. ;) The text in italic are comments from yours truly.

Class always lacks numbers

As the lights came back to normal, the adrenaline was getting back to normal.
It had been a wonderful roller coaster ride. Wasn't a heavenly experience...but definitely deserved credit!
Watched Cellular over the weekend!
It wasn't a cult movie or something...but it was good! Pretty good if you ask me.
A simple story...not many threads spawned...
and that was the beauty of the movie!
Kim Bassinger, with all her wrinkles would have been okay..but somehow it didn't feel like her.
Overall a great time spent...the only regret coming when the intermission happened.
Reminded me of Phone-booth for some reason...although that was a cult movie.
There weren't many takers for the movie though..guess that the 'Junta' was watching Fight Club at the adjacent screen...Crowds conspicious by their absence.
Class ALWAYS lacks the numbers.

PS: Heard 'that' background music after a long time...its this techno beat that i've heard a lot of times...just can't get the name.

PS PS: Have to watch Crash...heard some rave reviews for this...care two hoots for the fact that its got the oscars..just that the movie sounds like a good option.

PS PS PS: Crash reminded me of Alicia SilverStone in Crush!!! :D

Wedding Crashers

Well...I saw the movie. It was inspirational. Some hated it. Some loved it. I, for one , loved it totally! I was so inspired by it, I decided to do it myself!
Well..before you let your imaginations run wild (mine certainly did!) with boundless freedom, let me put things in perspective. That was a movie! I am neither Vince Vaughan. Nor am I Owen Wilson. This is India. You are awake. So am I!
This is merely what the name suggests...about crashing a wedding. In case I have disappointed you, sorry for that! One needs material to attract attention. Else, movies and stars help gain that. If even that doesn't work, remember...controversial statements and sex always sells!
Enough of unrelated un-pointered talk. Lets get back.
Most things in life are best unplanned (unless your a manager and your a** depends upon it). This incident was one just interesting incident.
I was leaving for the day when a colleague came to me with the most insane of request. I was asked if I wanted to go for a wedding. I had the 'what the f*** are you talking about?' quizzical look on my face.
Here's what the deal was: A friend of this colleague of mine was getting married. With no company and with no conviction to go there alone, the question was popped to me...would I like to go...uninvited of course! I pondered over it.
To do...or not to do...is one of the most interesting questions that you can ask yourselves.I had nothing in particular to do than to go home and pour over the Economic Times to try and make sense out of the Budget. Also, I hadn't done my 'whacky' thing for the week (something crazy once a week is a resolution) and time was running out. I said....'what the hell'..i might as well do it.
Once decided, the next question was the mode of transport. I was adamant on biking it down to Ghatkoper which is where we assumed it was supposed to be held. Actually, the card was in Gujarati and I couldn't make head nor tail of that. Any which way, I was supposed to be gate crashing! How did I care about anything other than a sumptous dinner spread.
We rode down there and after a minor confusion with the roads, we were finally there. But this was not before an over-zealous Auto-rickshaw guy nearly got us lost with his sense of directions.
Finally, we found the venue! It was my first time at gate crashing and I was feeling queer. But, as I entered inside and mingled with the crowd, we realised as to how facile it is to get into and out of a wedding without as much as the raise of an eyebrow.
It was a Gujarati wedding and a lavish one if I may add.
We got down to business! We hit the food counters! The groom was busy with a sizeable crowd of people. Not that I was getting onto the stage to greet him anyways.

5 mins into the food binge and I thanked my stars for the moment that I decided to crash the wedding! The spread was lovely and I was having a ball of a time!
Ever seen a 5 year of kid with 7 toys. He/she doesnt know which one to play with. My situation was pretty similar. I didnt know what to have. Hence I tried a bit of everything!
There was Chaat, Mexican, Italian, Chinese, South Indian dosas, juices...besides the Gujarati of course!
Had a bit of everything! The diet(???) went for a complete toss! All that hard effort down Chaat-Street!
Met these two sweet females and had a good conversation with them.
We raided the desserts like there was no tommorrow and as though we had just landed in a flight from the sub-saharan desert country.
The mousse, bengali sweets, pastries...YUMM!!!
Topped it all with this atrocious pan that was so huge (but innovatively packaged)that my mouth was stuffed for well over 15 minutes after which I decided to dump it all into the bin. I was quiet for the while. Everytime I tried to open it, the only acoustics that were emanated were the 'ummmphhh' thanks to the stuffed mouth!

We finally left with a burgeoning tummy and no phyical strenght.
All in all a wonderful event and my first Wedding Crashers!
Maybe the next time I'll ape Vince Vaughan/ Oven Wilson...
The above reminds me...DubyaMan is in town!

Are you game?

People!!

Well, we are planning a trip to this place called Jayalgarh (near Rudraprayag, up north) and Shivpuri (near Rishikesh).
The trip would include a package (offered by an adventure activities organizing firm) for white water rafting (on the rivers Alakhnanda, Bahgirathi and the Ganga), Bridge Slithering, Rappelling, Rock Climbing etc.
Besides this, we plan to do some sight seeing of our own (no tours and travels/packages here) before we actually join the camp. This would be in and around places near Haridwaar.

The Plan

The final itinerary isn't out as yet, but the dates are!

10th April - Evening - Leave for New Delhi from Mumbai via the Rajdhani
11th April-13th April - Sight seeing around Haridwar
13th April - Afternoon - join the camp
16th April Early Morning - Leave for Delhi
17th Morning - 8 AM - Touch down at Mumbai by Rajdhani. Back to mundane life! In comparison that is...

The 14th of April (Good Friday) may be a Holiday for some of us (It isn't for me). Some others may have an holiday on Tuesday the 11th of April (again, not for me!). In case you merely have the 14th of April as an official holiday, we can actually plan the whole trip with just three "leaves" (vacations/holidays or whatever it may be). This would be applicable only for those from Mumbai. The ones from Pune may have to take another day off to manage the same. People from other places (if any) are requested to do their own calculations.

The Cost

The Adventure package would be around INR 5,500 for a 4 days and 3 nights package.
The remaining cost would be that of the travel. The return trip from Mumbai and the travel in and around the place would be around INR 4,500. This is inclusive of the additional sight-seeing that we may do out there as well. One a whole, we are looking at our pockets being lighter by around INR 10,000. This is a rough estimate and could go either way. In case of it costing lesser, it would be returned. We are in it for the fun, not for the money!

In case this happens to interest you, please drop in a line...

Please refer to this post for further details and snaps!

Heaven on Earth

India has arrived! I say that with gay abandon without having experienced either the reason for having said this. Or without having seen the snow off the cliffs of Mount Titlis. For the pictures that I have seen convey a lot!
It all started with a mail that the office guys were organizing a family day out for us. Knowing their penchant for the extravagant (Renaissance, JW Marriot, InterContinental...), I had my expectations set high. But not even in my dreams did I expect some of this magnitude. Ok! My expectations never are the moon when it comes to things of this sort. So, I was pleasantly surprised. There were talks of the SuperStar Libra, but I would attribute that more to the rumour mill. Either way, managing our strength with accompanying partners (described as a partner, not spouse) would have been no joke.

Eventually, what came out of the entire exercise was AMBY VALLEY! That came as a shock! Considering that all companies are talking about cost cutting, events like these are taking the hardest hit. And in the middle of all that, there is this! I may be making a BIG thing out of this. But, I guess that is so me! Life is all about these small (my HR guys will kill me for calling it small) joys! Looking at the website (a sleek one I must say! Must visit!), I was speechless! One look at it all and you would think that it is someplace like wonderland! The villas, the chalets, the lake view, the water sports and SO many other things! I wonder if we will see even a fraction of what is on offer!
I thought that Sahara was on the downslide and was sceptical of the company's forays and their future. After this, Subrata Roy has moved up a few notches up! Any company that some of this sort can't be all that bad! :)
I dont know what else to say...I can't wait to get there and have a ball of a time! I can't wait to click snaps by the dozen! This prompts me to say this (sounds overboard..but what the heck!)
There are some things money can't buy, the rest is taken care at the workplace! ;)

City by the night

It was a cool and calm night...the birds chirping sweet nothings in the background. Crickets and frogs making their presence felt. The trees swaying to tune of the gentle breeze. The leaves setting themselves free from the clutches of the trees with a shudder and then peacefully descending down into the open arms of mother earth. It was nothing like the usual. The usual chaos replaced by an uncharacteristic serene tranquility. A unique calm that had descended...
CALM???
There was absolutely NOTHING calm about it.

It all started last Friday. Well, actually it started well before that. But we will not discuss the Butterfly effect and how a particular totally unrelated thing that happened in the past few days can have a bearing on the present.
Friday evenings these days are getting sad with the advent of the Friday evening video conference in our serene lives. It ensures that you have to be around in office until atleast 2030 IST which essentially means that half the evening is lost. While the night is still young at 2030 IST and could possibly end at 0500 IST, this is not always the case...sadly so! Which essentially means that you end up with one of the three
half-baked plans
hurried or spontaneous plans
sleep-at-your-home-no-plans!
And don't even bother to plot a scatter diagram for the distribution of each of these!
Last Friday was one such Friday. Option #1 hadn't happened and option #3 didn't sound too appealing. After some frantic calls and meticulously chaotic planning, we were all set to go!
A few hiccups later, we were off!
Where else but downtown! Even if you were to wake me up at 0300 and ask me whether I want to go downtown, chances are that I'd get dressed without a word being said.
We were expecting to take the trains. But we had the fortune(???) of having a car at our disposal. The car in question being a vTec Honda City. Its a beauty! So...off we were! A gal and a guy completing the entourage!
Have you ever seen a kid when his/her favorite toy is taken away? The kid invariably goes off its rockers! Well..we had a slightly different scenario at our hands. There was this kid that was given this toy(apologies for drawing an analogy between the City and a toy). And the kid went totally berserk. I was sitting in the adjacent seat. Boy, if I had any experience alighting from the moving local suburban trains in Mumbai, I would have taken the chance and bailed out. But, unfortunately I do not possess the requisite skill for the want of past experience. Hence I quietly buckled up the seat belt.Ever heard the phrase..."Tiger in the office, rabbit outside?" This was something different...This was a case of a lazing-in-the-waterhole-buffalo to a raging-bull-in-ChinaTown! TO BE CONTINUED...IN THE SAME POST!

Skin Deep

A lot...and I must say that a LOT of newsprint has been dedicated to the Aishwarya and Abhishek issue. A dear friend has been crying hoarse on how Aishwarya is a manipulative b*tch and is an opportunistic female who has managed to seduce Abhishek.

For les ignorants, Aishwarya Rai is Miss World 1995 (if my history is correct) and often considered to be the female face of Indian cinema. On the other hand, Abhishek Bachchan is from the first family of Indian Cinema. The son of Amitabh Bachchan and the current Brad Pitt of Indian Cinema.
Anyone worth his/her salt would know this information. But what is baffling to most minds is that fact that Abhishek and Aishwarya are pairing up. This has been the topic of discussion in most of the print, parties and friendly discussions that I have been party to.
It is a well known fact that we Indians (me included here) have an opinion on everything...politics, cricket, religion, macro-economic situation of Russia and Luxembourg, movies...the list goes on. And most of the time, it is a very polarised, focused black-or-white with no grey kind of an opinion. They believe that they have the answer to Saurav's problems with the short ball and to current issue of reservations in the private domain.
The same is the case with the Ab-Ash issue. They have an opinion on whether they should get together or not, whether it would be a successful marriage or not, whether she is an opportunistic b*tch or not...the list is endless. Why for gods sake cant we leave them alone? They are adults. Let them take a decision for themselves.
One such discussion on the topic veered to the thought that Aish had mesmerised and seduced Abhishek and would end up ruining his life. The contention was that ALL men are the same! They do not think with their brains. My question: whoever contended that they do?The counter-agrument was that if a random survey were to be carried out, 8 out of 10 people would have named Sushmita Sen as far more sexier and seductive than Aishwarya Rai. The girls for some reason begged to differ. They said that while men may pay lip-service to this school of thought, given the chance, they would rather hitch a ride with Aish over Sushmita.
The discussion then took an interesting turn. The guys argued that it wasn't merely about the beauty per se, it was also about the person...the personality. At this, there was an audible snicker as the girls claimed that men are nothing but hypocrites! All of them! They will claim to appreciate inner beauty. Merely claim. Or so the girls contended.
As a member of the guy-contingent, i feel obliged to reply to this. Any guy who claims to be seeking inner beauty is either insane, out of this world or is simply not straight! Stay on with me here... If there is any inner beauty that he is seeking, it is the one inside her clothes! As hard-hitting as it may sound...it is the truth! It isn't subtle...and it isn't meant to be. Let me explain the same. The first impressions are what count in life. At every step of life. And this is no different. You are obviously attracted to an attractive person.It is human tendency. The same with the guys...the same it is with the girls. But how long will the attraction last? Not for long. The wrapper may be amazing! The advertising may have built an awesome brand image. But if the product is not good enough, the days will obviously be numbered. As with consumer items, the same is with life. The looks and attraction can get you only upto a point. After which, it is what he/she is as a person that matters. Not what he/she wears or what his/her vital statistics are! That is something that is so elementary, and yet missed often. Guys may go for the hottest babe around, but when it comes to settling down in life, there is more to it than merely oomph! Hence, you would hear of two classifications:
- The hot babe
- The one you take home to mom!
Give the guys some credit when it is due!
And for girls to claim that a guys thoughts can be skin deep is nothing short of hippocrisy itself!
If guys go for the looks and the oomph, the girls fall for power and money (sometimes both!). It is an unfortunate fact! The only difference here is that the guys are open about what they believe! While the girls dont!
Is it true love that 58 year old Salman Rushdie offers Padma Lakshmi? While I sure hope so...I guess not! Heard of Hugh Hefner? The septuagenarian owner of adult magazine Playboy has loads of gorgeous women by his side. Guess why? For he provides them with a chance to apprear on the center spread! And we are talking about accomplished ramp models here! I wouldn't know if he has been exceptionally endowed, but it would interesting to know the kind of true love that women seek from him. There are countless such examples and we can go on and on...
The essense of all this is that we live in an imperfect world. We are all human beings and have our own fallacies. We need to identify them and live with them. It is easy to hope and try to live in a chimeric world...where decisions are taken on merit. But in the real world, it is merely utopian to aspire for the same to happen. Afterall, we are mere mortals!

PS:I personally do not claim to be a holier than thou individual. Any frayed feelings are purely un-intentional.

New Milestones

I just realised that I have completed a new milestone! Have had over 300 (and still counting) visiters since the inception of the blog on November 29th 2005! Thanks for the amazing response! Hope that the journey continues! I, for one, have had an amazing time throughout. Its has been a wonderful experience.
Rgds,
Ameet a.k.a Max

Taming the rapids

Imagine water gushing down at speeds greater than that the adrenaline ever could!
Imagine fighting the water in its full fury!
Imagine being soaked to the bone!
Imagine having a life-jacket between you and hell (don't even dream about heaven, satan!)
Imagine the pinnacle of adventure sports!
WHITE WATER RAFTING!!!

If you can dare to imagine all of this.
If you can dare to dream.
If you can dare to conquer your fears, this is for you.


As you have gotten this far, you are obviously interested. Here is the relevant info that you are looking for:
Where : Uttaranchal - Nestled in the Himalayas, along the majestic Ganges
When : Mid April. Dates are not fixed and depend on response.
Cost : Don't know. Don't expect it to be a big hole in the pocket. Hence don't care! Its a once in a life-time opportunity. Make the most of it!
Audience : We belive in Equality. The Gorgeous ladies and the guys are invited. The not-so gorgeous ones may come too!
;-)

Additional Info : The faster the plan is finalised, the faster and cheaper the mode of transport. Schedule and logistics and other crappy details will be worked out by us. You just have to get your a**e out there are we will do the rest!
Duration : We are targeting 6-7 days. If it gets planned during the Easter weekend, we will have an extra day which would mean that we need merely 2 (at max 3 days of leave) for a wonderful opportunity to live a dream!
If you are interested, post your replies here!
So??? What are you waiting for? Easter?
;-)

Wonder weekend

This weekend!
Lunch at Britannia - Ballard Estate - town! Loved the Chicken Berry Pulav! It was out of this world! So was the Salli chicken! Definitely a place to have lunch in mumbai...word of caution: only lunch. They are open from 1130 to 1600 hrs.
Spent quality time with Jolene. Nice to catch up with her after a long time!
Bike rides speeding down the highway!
Mocha - Sheesha at Mocha was awesome! so was the grub and the ambience! It was blissful heaven!
Coffee at CCD - Temptation was true to its name. Irish coffee was great. To top it all was the Hot sizzling chocolate brownie! I need to get onto a diet now!
The walk down bandstand!
Cake at Hearsch!
Tapri food in downtown Mumbai!
Home food with Nana-Nani
Yatch party at South Mumbai!
Kala Ghoda Art festival
Rang de Basanti - left speechless and dazed for a while.
Last local train out of downtown.
Accident in the train - left me shocked! Promised myself NEVER to try stunts in life EVER again!
Slept like a log! A lot!
Long chats over the phone - catching up
Treat from Thakkar!
Max Meuller Art gallery
Shock that Monica got engaged!
Stunts on the bike
Gyaan on Macro economic scenario
Barbarians at the gate!
Wonderful weekend!

In the Lions den

Having Met Uncle Sam - Chapter #2
The entry to the den was finally visible over the horizon. As the swinging doors opened, there was a gust of cool air that came as a welcome relief. I guess that it wasn't a prelude to the squall that lay in store. The security check was equally thorough this time around. Only, the person was a bit more friendly. I finally entered inside to see a sea of people. All waiting for their turns. Before I could finish half a glance, I was pushed towards a queue for collecting my papers. I guess that there is no escaping queues anywhere in India. I wonder whether it is the same case in the rest of the world. Or is it the burgeoning Indian population!

As I reached the counter, I was attended to by a petite Indian female. She was probably the only Indian out there who seemed to have her feet firmly planted on the ground. She was very courteous and amicable. She fished out my envelope out of a pile and asked me to proceed to the finger printing section. Here I came across this other Indian female who was in stark contrast of the one I had just interacted with. She was totally pretentious and had a very condescending towards all the visa applicants. As though she was doing us a favour by going about her job! In stark contrast of this was the American female who was at the counter. She was very friendly and jovial. I guess that barring the one Indian female, the other Indians at the embassy needed a serious makeover in terms of attitude. Having received my pink token, I decided to take a seat. Here I met the P & O Nedlloyd person again. He had done all the other processing and was waiting for the final interview. I assessed that it would be a while before I would be called. I hadn't my breakfast and so proceeded towards the counter to grab a bite and a cup of coffee. Barely had I taken a bite of my sandwich when I heard my number being called over the public address system (PAS). I was shocked with the early response. I guess that god was tired of making me wait and wanted to get done with the process. Probably, he couldn't take the prayers anymore! I deposited the grub with the food counter and proceeded towards the counter. There were a few ahead of me in the line and I waited patiently. I kept telling myself to smile! You cant help but be nervous. I guess that one is always apprehensive in a situation like this. I over heard the person in front of me in the line as he put forth his case. The lady at the counter seemed to be grilling him, asking him about the kind of work that he does and the reason that warranted his travel. I shifted my gaze to the people around. More than eighty percent of those present seemed to be Gujratis. I deduced this from the names being called out on the PAS, the general 'loud' attire and the animated discussions that they were having with each other. No wonder that the American government is apprehensive of giving visas to the gujjus! My turn finally came. Smile! Smile! that is what I told myself one last time. The interviewer again was a very sweet American. She asked me a couple of questions on the reasons that I required a visa, the nature of the emergency...Once she had read the name of my employer, she was sufficiently relaxed. I guess that the name wields a lot of importance in the US.
Moral: Its all in the name!
It was more like a conversation and less of an interview after that. There was no grilling and there were no documents sought. In fact, I did not have to produce even a single document. Even the emergency letters from the company were not sought. The questions now moved to topics like 'Since I would be in NYC, I must have made a lot of plans!' And 'I must be very excited, considering that it is my first trip abroad!'. She than gave me a big broad smile and declared 'Okay Ameet, (she pronounced it perfectly!) your passport will arive in 3 days!'. I couldn't believe my ears! Was that it? I asked her whether it was the end of the process. With a big grin, she replied in the affirmative. She said that I could leave. Thanking her, I moved out.
I couldn't believe myself. I knew it wasn't supposed to be a marathon (although it was potrayed to be one), but I didnt expect it to be a walk in Central Park! For, that is exactly what it was!
So much for the gyaan that I received.
So much for the anxiety.
So much for the 3 sets of documents that I had carried, neatly segregated into logical bundles in a chronological order.
So much for the formal attire (although I dont know whether it helped or not!).
Having completed the process without any hassle, I sat down to complete another important task...breakfast! Something that was interrupted mid-way. As I munched away to glory, I saw the P & O Nedlloyd guy. The look on his face said it all! I guess that the sun had set prematurely on his campaign. I decided to leave him alone. It was no use adding to his misery.
Moral: Gyaan doesn't count for much!
I thought that I'd had enough action for the day. I came out and headed in the direction of the PCO after inquiring for the same. This time around, I seemed to find it without much of an effort. Suddenly I remembered that there was something that I had to pick up! My secure-id token! I rushed back to the bushes. As I looked for the same, I felt a chill down my spine. The worst had happened. I was shocked to find that the token had gone missing! I began to panic. The wonderful brainwave of tossing the token into the bushes suddenly didn't look all that smart. I cursed loudly, this time at myself for having taken such a grossly irresponsible step. I wondered as to what the repercussions would be! As I stood there, sweat trickling down my neck, I noticed a small kid appear. He asked me "Do you want to store something with me till the end of the interview?" This was the first time that I came in contact with the 'mobile lockers'. More curses followed. Why on earth didn't I meet this person before??? I could have deposited it with him and retrieved the same at a small price! I explained the situation to him! I told him about the fact that I had already tossed my 'stuff' into the bushes and that it had now disappeared! That is when the angelic kid spoke "I think I know what you are talking about". I almost jumped with joy when he said that a friend of his had picked up the token. He went in search of the other kid, me in tow. After a few minutes, the angelic saviour (who had picked up my token) appeared. He asked me what it was that I had tossed away. After sufficient substantiation, he handed it over to me! I didnt know what to say! I offered him money, which he politely refused. Flashing me a smile, he turned back and walked away as I stood there speechless!
Moral: Mumbai contines to have a semblance of integrity and honesty left!
I left with a feeling of contentment.

PS: I eventually got a 10 years multiple entry visa.

Having met Uncle Sam

And the clock struck 13...Well, actually it struck 0630! I got up with a start. For a good long time, the head didn't clear...Ever got up in the morning with a heavy head and all the other symptoms of a horrible hang over? Couple with that with the fact that you haven't had a single drop of alcohol? If you have, you know exactly what I am talking about! If you don't, you are one lucky loser!
Much like the un-correlated and crazy thoughts that I have right now, I was in a daze in the morning. It took me a while to realise the reason why I was awake. It was Interview time!

A sentence that would make my boss and the HR guys sit up and take notice. Well, it was an interview of a different variety.
With all these thoughts in the mind, I forgot the task at hand. I had to look presentable for the US visa interview! Within seconds of brushing my teeth, I heard the bell ring! It was the chauffeur! And I wasn't even ready! Thereafter everything was a splash and dash!
Moral #1 - If it weren't for the 11th hour, nothing would get done!
Soon we were speeding down the highway...me going over the documents for the last time...yet again!
It wasn't nerves and anxiety as much as it was the picture of a sailor-devouring Scylla that the interview was made out to be. There was a lot of inputs from various schools of thought as to how the interview should be 'cracked'! While the information was great and the intentions very noble, it built a certain level of doubt in your mind!
It was quite a dampener! Lincoln House, Consulate of the United States of America...The hegemonic super power of the world! I expected something better than the impending edifice. Guess that the city of Mumbai is a great leveler in more ways than one! The car had dropped me at the consulate in no time and I was a bit too early. I decided to scout the area and bide my time in the process.
The first thing that struck me was the enterprising attitude of people near the embassy. People seem to make money out of just about anything! There was a guy selling polythene bags at 10 INR a piece...a cool 900% profit! And guess what? people were buying! There were people selling pens as well. Didnt bother calculating the Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) on his earnings. The thing that took the cake by a mile was that of the people standing near the consulate offering to act as human mobile lockers for anyone who had dared to get items which were on the prohibited list. Besides the usual suspects, some of the things included digital watches and car remotes. Sounds like a sound business with lot of growth oppportunities.
Moral #2 - Money can be made out of absolutely nothing in a perfectly legal way!
It was finally time to stand in the line! With the blazer and the works (on a Emergency business visa, I had to look formal!), I stood in the queue. Things were hotting up! Well, in reality it was the blazer doing its job in the Mumbai heat. I thanked god (and the counsel lady) for having scheduled my interview early in the morning.
Struck a conversation with this guy from P & O Nedlloyd. 5 minutes into the casual talk, he was offering me gyaan...on what else?
How to crack it! :)
I shifted my gaze, attention and then conversation to this lovely lady from TCS (I didnt know that TCS had beautiful females!). Unfortunately, just when things were looking bright (No! The sun had been up long back), the consulate lady called her to enter inside. I cursed the person who came up with this chivalrous rule of allowing single ladies to jump the queue!
I resigned myself to reading the letter from the HR for the 78th time. Finding nothing new, I started talking to this other TCS guy(Does anyone in TCS work in India???) who stated proudly that he was from TCS(As though it was comparable to Google!). I thought of bringing his feet back to the ground...but then on second thoughts, decided to let it pass. Stuck between reading the letter for the 79th time and talking to Mr. TCS, I decided to do neither. Thought of observing people instead...read ALL the notices around and looked listless and stoned until Mr. TCS decided to move his attention elsewhere.
Within no time, it was time! Time to enter the lion's den! That is the kind of Anjolie Ela Menon painting that was sketched in my mind. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the famed Secret Service and CIA that one hears of. Instead, there were Indian security personnel. The security check was probably a prelude of the level of security that we were to expect in the US. Belts were out! Everything was scrutinised and frisked. Even the papers were not spared!
Moral #3 - Shit Happens! I realised that I was carrying my RSA secure-id token. For those unaware, it is a digital device that had a 6-digit display that is provides you a part of the password essential to log onto the office network. Half the size of my middle finger (used figuratvely here), it doubled up as my key chain. To my horror,i realised that I was carrying the house keys and hence the RSA secure-id in my pockets. I pleaded to god that the token be missed by the security guys. The hope was that it would be missed for its lack of conspicuousness. But as luck was to have it, it got noticed. Questions were asked and I feigned ignorance. But all my experience in Drama didn't count for much. I was asked to 'take care' of the same. This meant going out!!! If I had the time, I would have kicked myself for getting into this situation.
Moral #4 - If there is anything that can go wrong, it WILL go wrong!
I rushed outside, no escape route in sight. The chauffeur was not around and I didn't have my cell-phone to call him up! A PCO couldn't be seen around at all!
Moral #5 - When you really want something bad, chances are that it will never be in sight!
I looked for a place to stash the token. Suddenly, i remembered a place. Not a long distance away from the consulate, I found a couple of bushes. I tossed it into them, praying that I could retrieve it back. If I tell this to the people in office, there would be a gasp! Followed by an expression made famous by the Miss Universe's of the world. But in the situation that I was in, it seemed like the smartest(???) thing to do! I thought that it was better than giving it in the hands of a stranger. Atleast I had a chance to get it back! Dashed back again. To my horror, I found that I couldn't now re-enter. I had to stand in the queue again! I tried to reason with the security when I realised that it was fruitless. Hurling profanities at him (in my mind of course), I joined the queue. Luckily I got a chance to join the queue just outside. And I didnt have to go at the beginning to the queue. Phew!
I lost close to 30 minutes in the whole confusion. More so because I was pushed to the bottom of the stack....
The rest of the story in part #2