When the big tree falls

Around this time, 25 years back, when I was a mere toddler, a big tree fell in this country. The then Prime Minister, Ms. Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her own security personnel. This brought about mass unrest in the capital city of New Delhi. Thousands of Sikhs were massacred in what was the largest genocide in modern day India.

Rajiv Gandhi, the 'heir' to the throne [figuratively] and the next Prime Minister had the following words to say at a Boat Club rally, "Some riots took place in the country following the murder of Indiraji. We know the people were very angry and for a few days it seemed that India had been shaken. But, when a mighty tree falls, it is only natural that the earth around it does shake a little."

A mighty tree did fall. Unfortunately, the subsequent tremors was far more devastating than a little shake, scarring Indian minds forever!

A nobel joke

WSJ Article
Time Article

Fritz Henderson a more deserving candidate? This very mockery probably hits the nail on the head in trying to explain how the politically savvy, marketing guru with good sense of the pulse of the people got it horribly wrong by accepting the Nobel peace prize award for 2009.

In office for a grand total of twelve days when nominated, eight months into the presidency today, he is still working on his promises and his vision for the US and the world at large. Kudos to him for a job well done thus far, for attempting to create a new world order and for taking the US away from the cowboy diplomacy that it had come to be identified with off late.

Nevertheless, a lot needs to be done before being declared Nobel enough, or maybe not. Well at least more that rhetoric and propaganda. It would have been astute and humble to not have accepted the award, saying in effect, I will be back in three years to accept this award. Only, it may not have been there because the people who are on the committee have proved that they too are human and could have taken his 'no' as a snub and a question of their judgment.

Obama, on his part, showed he is human. He agrees that he is humbled and undeserving, that he is human [read: greedy] enough and is fallible. As for the Nobel, it lost a bit of its charm today. Just like when Sadat, Begin, Kissinger got it. Just like when Mahatma Gandhi didn't. Great guy that Obama, will probably be deserving in 3 years. Flatpacked on twitter put it aptly when he said that it would appear there is a Nobel "looks like you might do something for peace in the rest of your term in office" peace prize.

Two years

Two years, this very day... shizer, it has been one hell of a roller coaster of a ride

Kya Tha Woh Seherr

manzil pohounch humne jaana
kya haseen tha woh safarr
tha kya woh jalwa
tha kya woh seherr

mile jab hum pehlee baar
naach aata naa thaa
chhaa jo hum gaye manchh par
aangann ab tedaa naa thaa

dheere dheere haule haule
unki ungli pakad hum naache
mitti se shuru toh kiya
antt mein bane pakke dhaanche

manzil toh hai aa gayee
naa rahee koi kasar
shuruwaat thi toh tal se
jaa kar pohounche hum gadar

chehre the woh naye
dost humne jo banaaye
naacha khoob saath saath
sukhbir ke dohe gungunaaye

iss hasee gaane ke baad
ek mayusee hai ab chhayee
dil baith sa hai gaya
vidhaiee ki ghadee jo aayee

raah apni apni pakad
jo hum hai chale
aao milke ek saath
bolein balle balle

-max

Inquilaab Zindabad

Picture Source: Wikipedia
Homage to three of the greatest martyrs for the country.

- Shaheed Bhagat Singh


- Sukhdev Thapar


- Shivram Rajguru


Inquilaab Zindabad!

To Those who died

Picture Source: NDTV.com
TO THOSE WHO DIED & THOSE WHO SAVED & THOSE WHO ONLY STARED……

If not for you,
I would have never known
How Courage transforms men
In times of greatest fear

If not for you
I would have never known
My country’s real Heroes
Who care not for their own
But save the lives of men unknown

If not for you,
I would have never known
The shamelessness of men
who watch the burning show
as if it were a thing
that happens now and then

If not for you,
I would have never known
A servant’s true loyalty,
To save a two-year old
From horror, none would ever know,
Had she to run alone

If not for you,
I would have never known
How 21 year olds -
The worst of Frankensteins -
Could pulverize a modern world!

If not for you,
I would have never known
That the managers of Hell
Have spread their tentacles
Into our daily world –
“No place is safe no more”

If not for you,
I would have never known
That killing one another
In the garb of religion
Could seem so meaningless
When terror strikes –
which has NO religion

If not for you,
I would have never known
Unity can still prevail
Amidst the people of my land
If only one would have
Leaders like once upon a time

It is to YOU -
O’ soldier in the uniform,
and even ‘sans’ a uniform -
that I pay obeisance, and cry
with humility and also pride
and say :
“MERA BHARAT MAHAAN”!!

--Ms. Monica Aurora [A dear friend's mom]

The City that I call home

Photo Courtesy: National Geographic Archives
“Terrorists attack the Taj Hotel in Mumbai”. As I saw this text message on my phone, I had a lump in my throat. I quickly called my cousins in Mumbai to check on them. While my family was safe and sound, the city that I once called home was not. Some of the most prominent landmarks of the city, such as the Victoria Terminus, the Taj Mahal Hotel and the Oberoi Trident were attacked. Over the next 60 hours, while the security personnel were able to eliminate the danger, the city lost 188 people, Indians and foreigners. Many others were injured. As terrorism raised its ugly head yet again, public anger was imminent and the terror attacks drew world-wide criticism.

Mumbai is, and has always been, the crucible of India. Since the Portuguese took possession of seven tiny islands off the west coast of India and called it Good Bay, it has brimmed with entrepreneurs eternally in search of their dreams. A channel for millions of ambitions, it is the land of possibility. The financial capital of India, home to the country’s thriving media and film industry and the second most populous city after Tokyo. Bangalore gets a lot of attention with its dotcom boom and its software prowess. Nevertheless, one simply cannot compare a Silicon Valley with a New York. Mumbai is what the Indians call Mayanagari, the city of dreams.

It was this dream that terrorists have often tried to wreck. Mumbai has seen more that its share of terrorist attacks. Be it the terrorist attacks at landmarks in 1993 or the 2006 bomb blasts that targeted its lifeline, the suburban metro rail transit also called the local. I remember being circumspect for a while every time I boarded the metro after the train blasts. And yet, the city took this in its stride and marched along unperturbed.

These recent attacks were different. We see a lot more emotions across Mumbai, India and the rest of the world; emotions of anger, anguish, pain and resolve. The public opinion this time around is vastly different and sustained. Not to say that there was no public outcry the previous times. This time, it is different. It may be because people are tired of the mindless killings that the city has seen before. However, I think it is because the terrorists struck at the very heart of the Indian dream. They targeted places that epitomize modern day India. The Taj Mahal hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea symbolizes the vast riches and opulence in the city; eschewed by many as they walk along the waterfront, gazing dreamily.

I am not from Mumbai. Nevertheless, like many, I too made it my home. It embraced me with open arms. I would often travel to the very stations that were attacked. I would enjoy a cold pitcher of beer in the very café that saw a mindless spray of bullets. I would visit the Taj hotel, always wanting to come back. Soon, this attack will become just a tragic date in history. It will be business as usual. However, for most of us, the blood of innocent victims will have left behind indelible stains.

I tell the story of Mumbai. But, this is not just the story of Mumbai alone. The same is the story in New Delhi, Islamabad, Colombo and Tel Aviv. Let us not forget New York, London or Madrid. India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads for over 50 years. Israel and Palestine haven’t seen eye to eye. Sierra Leone, Angola, Congo and other countries in Africa continue to fight bitter civil wars. There is no end in sight for America’s war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is not a problem of a city or a region alone. It is a virus that plagues the whole world; a disease that has spread its tentacles wide and hides under a garb of a ‘cause’.

Every terrorist has a cause, a reason that he uses to camouflage murder. Cold blooded thoughtless murder of innocent victims. The reason put forth could be religion, freedom, money, power or revenge. However, there is no reason that justifies senseless killing. The true spokesperson of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi, once said “An eye for an eye will make the world blind”. The world is already blind with greed, hatred and jealousy. Let us all resolve to not let this blindness obliterate humankind.

The response

I read a brilliant article in the New York Times by Suketu Mehta, a professor of journalism at New York University and the author of 'Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found.'.

The right attitude to the situation at hand.
So I’m booking flights to Mumbai. I’m going to go get a beer at the Leopold, stroll over to the Taj for samosas at the Sea Lounge, and watch a Bollywood movie at the Metro. Stimulus doesn’t have to be just economic.

I too hope to grab a beer and fish & chips at Leopold, Chicken Bhuna and rumali roti at Bade Miaan, and watch a Rahul Da'Cunha play at NCPA.

You may read the entire article here.

Reality Check

This is the commentary from an Obama supporter. I dont know if she chooses to publish any thing on this topic or not, but I think this is a valid pointer that needs mention. Entire text in verbatim by Blah.

UPDATE: She has posted it on her blog here.

---
Here is the thing about this whole Obama victory... the enthusiasm has already died for me! I fear that people believe that electing him will produce a magical cure for all their problems... I hope they believe him when he reminds them that the ardous journey has just begun. As a non-american, I applaud that they finally got the courage to pick an African-American man (still, not a woman) to lead them. But as a non-American, I also hope he will not overlook the other smaller countries, where he has to play the role of the 'Big Brother'. I hope he puts peace and trust before war and suspicion. I hope he urges the people to not forget yesterday's big story of the violence in Congo DR. I hope he reminds tomorrow morning that the news channels needn't profile his kids' new dog, his wife's dress tonight, his aunt's immigration status... but look at those bigger problems that will not disappear overnight.

Mr. Obama ...a whole world looks on to you for change, not just USA.
---

Max comments: For the sake of the world and the USA, I hope that he delivers.

Sutli Bomb and more

It is the festival of lights. It is Diwali time. There is just one problem. It hardly feels like it is Diwali. There is no buzz in the air or a sense of purpose that you see on most minds. Well, there is a reason... this is the US of A and not India. And while I live in arguably the 31st state of India, New Jersey, it is still not the same.

For one, there are no firecrackers, diyas - earthen oil lamps that dote the landscape. There are no adhoc sweet-shops or elaborately dressed individuals heading to their friends house or better still, to the temple. You will find the odd dot-head draped in a saree covered by the warmth of black Ralph Lauren over-coats. But that is all. For a community that boasts of the number of South Asians that it has, it is entirely strange and quizzical.

Well, we wouldn't let our brethren dampen our spirits would we? With all the enthusiasm befit of the festival, we decided to take the trek to the local temple. Well, local is two hours away. We got up bright and early. Ummm... errr... not entirely. With no mom or grand-mom to wake us up, we managed to get up at a leisurely quarter past six. That is, after seven snoozes on the alarms. I showered in the traditional manner with coconut oil and the works. Why? For the kicks. I don't think I appeciated it back in India. Apparently, I now do. Wearing the new janevu - sacred thread, I offered whatever prayers that I knew. It is a shame, given that my grand-dad can read and recite all the hindu religious books in chaste Sanskrit and often performs religious ceremonies.

Finally, dressed in new clothes and super charged up, we set out for the temple. The temple is in Flushing, NY. I live in Jersey City, NJ. That is the meaning of a local temple. The average time for travel is typically 90-120 mins. To get a sense of the travel, click here. Anyway, this was my first time and I was super excited. After four train journeys [yes, four], we finally arrived in Flushing. Well, not at the temple. This was now a bus ride away. I asked myself, why on earth would anyone build a temple so far. Again, I reminded myself, we are not in India. We are in NY and its sky-rocketed real-estate prices. I should hardly be complaining. I wasn't.

We had to take the MTA bus. The problem was that we got confused and took the wrong bus. Next, we got off at the wrong stop. Actually, we realized that we were lost and decided to get off. Thank god for friends, google maps and hopstop.com. After fifteen minutes of help from friends, who directed us in the right direction, we got to the temple site.

The temple was under construction. There was a shiver down our spine as we wondered if the temple was in fact shut for construction. Luckily for us, it was not. As we entered, we saw tam families enter with exquisite sarees and other Indian fare. We on the other hand were dressed normally. My friend gave me a don't blame me look: don't look at me, I have to goto work after this. We convinced ourselves that god would appreciate our sacrifices in coming all the way out there and ignore any irrelevant details.

The temple - a Ganesh temple, was a nice temple. There was some good artwork and despite the constuction activity and NY location had the aura of a temple. We were in time for aarti. After praying to Lord Ganpati for a good job and other things, we prayed to the other deities there as well.

We then went to the famed cafeteria [Hindu temples generally have great food] for some food. True to its reputation, we had some wonderful South Indian food. As was expected, my South Indian tam-bram friend didn't think too highly of the food. Yet, it was appreciated given the circumstances.

Tangent: South Indian tam-brams will hardly appreciate anything other than their own mother's cooking. Understandably so.

We also picked up some chakli - spicy Indian snacks and some barfi and halwa - Indian sweets.

Happy with our journey, we decided to get back to the city and back to our lives in school. And while I had an exam on the day of Diwali and another the day after Laxmi Puja - festival of the goddess of wealth, we did try and enjoy our diwali. It is interesting to note that both these exams were conducted by Indian professors. B-ah! Bloody Indians!

Diwali night was capped with a wonderful and stuffing-oneself dinner at the Tiffin Wallah, a fine Indian vegeterian-kosher restaurant.

All in all, it was a wonderful Diwali experience. I still do miss the Sutli-bomb, the lights and the sweets. But, it was a good experience, given the circumstances.

For the record, Sutli-bomb is not the same as a Sultry Bomb. I am sure everyone likes those. A Sutli-bomb is a fire-cracker with a fuse called the sutli. It generates a loud explosion and is standard fare for Diwali. Just for the record, these crackers are handled by children and peace-loving individuals, not kalashnikov-totting terrorists.

The next plan is to have a taash [poker] session on the weekend. Plan is to start in the evening and go through the night. Diwali, I would say was well enjoyed.

Parting notes
Mr. Landlord: Do not worry a bit. As instructed, we did not light any diyas at home. I understand your fear of fire. Especially given that you have chosen not to repair the fire-alarm.

Mr. Obama: Thank you for your wishes. They cut no ice. Not that I can vote, but that does not mean I cannot have an opinion. Go McCain!

ABCDs and Socialists: Don't be so shocked. Obama is no good. And get that Bloody Indians! look off your face.

Finance Guys: May Laxmi Puja mark the start of an economic revival. May things look up again.

Wish you a Happy Diwali and a prosperous New Year. Peace and Joy to all!

Snow white and the dwarf

It is my first snow fall in New York! Well, it's my first snow fall ever! Coming from sunny state of Goa, India, snow is something that I have never seen, of course other than the time it is on the television. The lowest that it goes is 19 degrees C or 64 degrees F. Fair enough to say its a stark contrast huh?

So, it is beautiful to wake up and see a sea of white outside the window.

It feels like you are in heaven past the gates and into the clouds. It is so beautiful and serene that it looks as though god came by the previous night and cleaned the place up with milk. I choose the second option. I dont think I would be in heaven just yet!



It is the first snow fall of the year and one finds children and adults, all playing in the snow, having fun and making snowballs out of the snow. We checked the place out and it is prettier than it looked from the window. Tiny flakes of snow suspended in the air, its difficult to keep the warm overcoat and gloves on. You want to get them off and feel the snow. But, it is too much of an adventure for the first time, so I decide to let it pass. Once I am used to the snow, I could probably weather the storm...

I am no photographer... but these are pretty!

The view from my window


The view of the Newport Marina - I


The view of the Newport Marina - II

Charity

Like last year too, I have enrolled myself as a part of the corporate team for the Mumbai Marathon. Besides the fact that I have a chance to participate in the marathon itself, it gives me an opportunity to contribute to the funds that would be donated for charity by the firm.

The new thing this year is that the participants are also required to take a few pledges from the general public and collect donations for a charity of their choice (In my case the employer decides, and I dont disagree!).

I had a few apprehensions. This was like my experience as a Boy Scout. I would take part in collecting money for charity. Or the time in Sanvedna where we collected money for the disadvantaged children!

The corporate environment has its own challenges when it comes to requesting for donations. First of all, the fact that I have to request those people to donate whom I work with is a tricky situation. Asking is not the problem. The problem lies with their discomfort. Since it is for a noble cause, most people cannot be seen to be not donating. Hence, many of them feel compelled to pay. While the money is important, my thoughts are that any money that is not given from the heart should not be collected.

I try to ensure that people do not feel compelled to pay up. I throw the idea across and then gauge the enthusiasm. If there is no enthusiasm, I do not pursue the matter any further. In fact, I make it a point to request only once. Only if the person has shown a strong desire to donate would I get back to them.

Another thought is that people judge others based on their donations. I have had instances of people commenting on the amounts donated by others. Personally, I believe that it is the thought that counts. Another point to take cognizance of is that we are unaware of their participation in money and/or kind in other charitable causes. They may make it a point to have a token gesture to participate.

I made it a point to explain whatever that I could with regards to the Non-Government-Organization (NGO) that the proceeds would go to. The NGO in question is one named Magic Bus. I explain all the work that it does for the children and how we as a firm have been associated with this NGO for the past 2 years. It is important for people to realize that the money that they are donating is going into the right hands. I do not blame them for that as I would probably have done the same.

Anyway, there has been a notable collection of INR 5000/- (and counting) as of now! I have a total of 20 or so pledges. And I am yet to add my money to this! :)
It feels nice that a lot of people have donated!
I used a different strategy from the others. Instead of mailing and requesting others, I gathered the attention of a group of individuals and addressed them. This gave me a better attention span. Having explained the basic process, I would wait until the individual showed some enthusiasm!

On a personal note, I realize that I am 1500/- INR away from matching the person with the highest contributions that was cited in the booklet that we were given!
That sure is great going!

What dreams are made of...

Each and everyone of us are like the fingers of our hands...different!
Put 10 people in a room and you will get an exhaustive list of likes and dis-likes, thoughts and opinions and a truck-load of talent! You would find someone who can dance like Jennifer Lopez, sing like Mariah Carey, write like Ayn Rand, entertain an audience like Jay Leno...well almost! You would need these people in person to get that kind of talent! But you know where I am getting at...
As I have mentioned in one of my earlier blogs...I think that I lie at the other end of the said spectrum. This may sound real low on self confidence..but it is not! Until a few years back, I thought that i was a realist(if there is such a thing in the Oxford dictionary)...someone who thought realistically about things and did not have an optimistic or a pessimistic view point. But then I realised (life is a great tutor in many respects...) that it wasn't doing any good for my self confidence!
And life is ALL about ATTITUDE!

Your attitude defines your thought process.It drives what you want to do and what you actually end up doing. And so it gives a person the defining edge to rise above mediocrity and move towards excellence! And when you break the journey up into smaller steps...it doesn't look any steep anymore! It is do-able!
I have charted many a personal victories using this thought in mind and it has reaped huge benefits for me.
Well..back to the topic at hand. I ain't the most talented guy in this side of the town. But I try hard not to lose an opportunity when I am given one...For they are like an old man's teeth...Few...and far in between.
This is a simple story of one such opportunity!
One of my previous blogs had a comment that I can sing to disperse a crowd...and that this talent(???)can be used in a tense situation to break up a mob!
One night has changed that outlook...
Something like a week back, we received a mail from the admin for my team asking me whether I wanted to be a part of the group which was planning on singing the carols for the office Christmas/Year end party.
Yes! You read that right! I was asked whether I wanted to join the office choir. It had always been an unfulfilled dream for me that I sing to an audience...that was willingly listening. And that when I would open my eyes at the end of it all, there would be someone listening to me!
While I saw this as an opportunity, i was sceptical. I didn't know how it would all turn out. And whether I would make a fool of myself! ALL my friends have always been critical of my attempts at singing. And I guess that made me think 100 times before I sang. Singing for me was something that was done only in the confines of the bathroom, under the shower. But i went nevertheless! For I knew that Lady Luck ain't coming knocking to your door twice.
There were quite a few people there for the practices. And I wondered...would I be any good? Would I be decent enough not to make a fool of myself? It wasn't a case of self doubt. It was more like the Truth for me. When you hear day and night that Surf Excel can get rid of all stains, you start believing them! Similarly you start believing people when they tell you time and again that singing is NOT my cup of coffee (I dont drink tea... :->).
Well, back to the choir practices. On an average, 3 out of 4 people were regular choir singers or those who had sung in a choir before. And they were good!
I passed through two days without a lot of trouble. Missed a thing here and a few things there...but all in all, it was a good experience! I decided to stay in the shadow of another guy named Satya. He has a wonderful voice and I would sing in his shadow, by his side. He would mellow...so would I. He would stop, so would I. We were told in the first few days that his was the 'better' voices and that we had to support him. A few of those present didnt exactly like that and hence they politely excused themselves. But I decided to persist! There was a goal in mind. I wasnt thinking about the choir. I was selfishly thinking about myself. I wanted to do it for myself! As the practices progressed, I heard a lot of terms: 'tone', 'alto', 'melody', 'harmony'...while I theoretically had a vague idea of what they meant, I didn't have a clue as to what they sounded like. I couldn't tell one from the other. For that matter, I couldn't tell one from itself! Everything was Greek and German as far as I was concerned. And it was amusing to me when every once in a while, everyone (besides me)threw their hands up in the air screaming that we were one 'note' higher/lower and that we weren't sounding right. Turned out that i was the only member of the Les Ignorants contingent out there. I now emphatised with Joey Tribbiani. The way he would try to act like he was on the same page as the others whilst in the middle of a intellectual conversation...when actually he was so far away from the line...that he couldn't even see the line. I decided that the shut mouth policy was the best policy. In the middle of all this, there were some interesting turns and twists to the carols.
The turning point came when the guys were asked to sing all by themselves to get the notes(??? I am not sure whether that is the right word) right. In the middle of the all guy-song sequence, one of the girls doing the melody (no idea what it means...guess will have to google for it...) said that i should do 'seconds' for a particular sequence. I said that I didnt know what the hell she was talking about. She made all of us sing again...and then exclaimed that i was indeed doing seconds. Since we were not doing well that day, i thought that it was me who was screwing it up. When I asked her if that was the case, she said that it was something good. Something else came up and as a result of the same, I had to let go of the same.
The next day however, the same thing came up again.The director(that is what we all her fondly!) suddenly exlaimed that I was doing the thing that i was doing...seconds. That is when the melody girl said that I have been doing it for a while....without knowing what I was upto. I was scared know...I thought that i was really screwing it up. That is when they said that what i was doing was actually something good! I couldn't believe my ears!
I asked them...'Excuse me???'
They said...'Exghacttly'
Well, actually it wasnt Exghacttly like how i said it...but I bet that you get the drift!
As I always do, I started fishing for compliments! I wanted to know what it was that they meant. They told me that it was something that was tough to do...something like melody and harmony..and that if I was doing it spontaneously, it was something great! And that i was to continue to do what i doing (unknowlingly of course!).
Later in the evening, when it was sound check time, we (atleast me) were going terribly off! I guess I was getting conscious...I have done atleast 10 skits/dramas etc on stage...even danced once on stage...but a song was a first! The butterflies in the stomach were obvious! All the attitude and the self-confidence went for a toss. I was asked to stand all by myself at the end of a semi circle that we boys(that is what the girls were calling us) were standing in. I thought it was because I wasnt doing well. It was only later that i realised that this was actually because i was throwing someone else off the track!
Let me try to explain the concept of a second voice as I have understood it with my limited music knowledge(sorry to have kept harping on the lack of musical know-how. it is just that everyone other than me seems to know more about music... :-> ). When a person is singing in a second voice, what he/she is actually singing a note lower than the rest of the group. This is supposedly akin to swimming against the tide. To sing in tune, but a note lower than the rest is something that isn't easy is something that I am told(please correct me if any of this is incorrect).
Since I was singing at a different note, i was throwing another guy off the track. Hence he needed to be alongside someone else so that he remained in scope.
The sound checks were chaotic. We just didnt seem to get the sequence right. And before we could test anymore, the first of the buses carrying the people arrived and people started trickling into the InterContinental lawns. We decided to pack up and change into our gear.
Us guys were doing blazers and were looking neat. But the girls were simply stunning. Each and everyone of them! They seemed to provide just the right kinda motivation! ;) And they had our attention...hook, line and sinker!
I know had another reason to perform well! ;)
The scheduled time was 2000 IST...but in the fine tradition of Indian Stretchable Time, it was pushed by 30 mins...and we were getting impatient...so were the people! We had lovely Santa caps on! And they were lookin simply stunning! All of us had champagne and sparkling wine...and that seemed to give us the push that we needed...
We started with Joy to the world! It was a loud and a strong song(description was provided by the director). The papillons in the belly had been long gone! Whether it was because of the champagne, the new found confidence or the stunning ladies, I don't know. But they were gone for sure!
I sang with a lot of fervour. It was my 20 minutes of glory. A dream long overdue was finally being fulfilled. I sang my heart out. I guess that my emotions could be heard in my voice. It was like a one-day match debut for a cricketer or clearing the Engineering graphics paper for a first year engineering student! We soon moved to peppier songs like Santa Claus is comin' to town, Jingle Bell Rock and Jingle Bells
When it was all done, it was like the end of a dream! It wasnt that i desperately wanted or something. You have to understand that! All of us have this list of things that we want to do in a lifetime...BASE jumping, para-gliding, writing a book of my own...This was a part of that list...I guess that i just didnt have the confidence to do it! And never had more that half an opportunity any which way.

At the end of the day, it was a lesson well learnt! Nothing is impossible in life...One just has to do it the right way. One should have faith in oneself. And you should not try to ape someone else. You should do what you are good at..and be good at it. If I had tried to ape Satya or do something different, I reckon that i would have screwed it up. All of us have some talents. Its just that some of them are hidden. We have to understand the meaning of the word 'hidden' and try to find them...And the most important of them all...Always follow your what your heart tells you and try to achieve what you dream of!
I think that it was a one hell of a learning for one night!

PS: In case I have sounded like I am boasting or if you found the post to be lacking of modesty, I apologise. But, you have to understand the thought process and excitement that has gone into the writing of this post! And the underlying sentiments involved. You have to understand HOW much it means to me...
thanks...APS