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!