starry starry night

Eik Sapna

2008-04-16T16:44:00.000-07:00

Found em....the only words which could describe my state of mind right now...

Btw, if for any reason this song is new to you...correct your mistake right now.

Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna
Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavre Se Mann, Ki Dekho Bavri Hain Baatein
Bavre Se Mann, Ki Dekho Bavri Hain Baatein
Bavri Se Dhadkaane Hain, Bavri Hain Saansen
Bavri Si Karwaton Se, Nindiya Door Bhaage
Bavre Se Nain Chaahe, Bavre Jharokhon Se, Bavre Nazaron Ko Takna.
Bavra Mann Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavre Se Is Jahan Main Bavra Ek Saath Ho
Is Sayani Bheed Main Bas Haathon Mein Tera Haath Ho
Bavri Si Dhun Ho Koi, Bavra Ek Raag Ho
Bavri Si Dhun Ho Koi, Bavra Ek Raag Ho
Bavre Se Pair Chahen, Baavron Tarano Ke, Bavre Se Bol Pe Thirakna.
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Bavra Sa Ho Andhera, Bavri Khamoshiyan
Bavra Sa Ho Andhera, Bavri Khamoshiyan
Thartharati Low Ho Maddham, Bavri Madhoshiyan
Bavra Ek Ghooghta Chahe, Haule Haule Bin Bataye, Bavre Se Mukhde Se Sarakana,
Bavra Mann, Dekhne Chala Ek Sapna

Yep ! Finally Doing It !

2008-04-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

After 2.5 years of knowing Harsh... In exactly 10 days from now, Im gonna be engaged to be his wife.

Am I crazily happy : Yes

Am I sane enough to write a post about it now : No.

Wanna say more, have no clue what !

Bah !

2008-04-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

Black day for IIMs - 27 % quota allowed by the supreme court...

Absolute bullshit !

She's Gone

2008-04-05T02:02:00.000-07:00

"Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
and things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art; to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul."

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

She passed away last night.

After almost a century of seeing it all - being the daughter of the most wealthy person in the town, to living in a fort after marriage, wearing imported silks and riding horses, meeting Gandhi, Nehru & Netaji, losing everything in partition, delivering a baby on a train station, learning to ride a bicycle after bearing her 6th child, living through the loss of her husband almost 40 years ago, telling everyone stories from the granth-sahib - forgetting almost all of them due to failing memory, losing most of her vision, all of her teeth & gums and quite a bit of her ability to walk, never once failing to enjoy either a cricket match or a hollywood movie if i was translating alongside, enjoying her mathris with as much relish as it was trouble to eat them with no teeth, taking care of her paralytic DIL after her son died of cancer in front of her eyes, never failing to take a jab at me and smiling the toothless smile - 'Tu to Gujratan ho gayi'.......

We all used to joke for years that a news of a India winning in a match or a phone call from a dear one, would make sure she will come back from her death-bed. Wish I had called :-(

Time. Pain. Misforture. Death - Nothing could touch her, nothing could affect that zest for life. She passed away - i hope - knowing she never once showed her back to life.

I love you Dadi. Wish I could have gotten another chance to say it to you.

Ouch !

2008-04-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

Two incidents in the past week which have never happened before ! Hopefully, will never be repeated !!

The Bloody @$%##@@!! Taxi Driver

So Harsh and I took a taxi to come back home on Sunday night, somewhere right about midnight.

We tell the taxi driver that we need to go to Balestier Road (where I live). Just before he turned into the corner, he glaced back at us through the rear view mirror and suggestively asked ' Hotel 81?'....

I was quick to nod and say close to it yes - and named my turn....when the true nature of what he said sunk in ! Ewwwwwwwwww.......

Just to set the context - Hotel 81 are the touristy budget hotel which spring like mushrooms all over Singapore...which atleast dont look like the kind of place which rents by the hour !

And no, we were not snogging in the back seat....too tired from a busy day, we were almost dozing off...and yes, we were in our nightsuits (had just gone to wish Happy Burrday to a friend) !

So the suggestion of the darned taxi driver was soooo uncalled for...im still fuming....
AS i said earlier........Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww !

Silly Old Me

As I walked outta my home to catch the bus last week, I realized that in all the flurry of mind numbing tasks - that has become my work, i had forgotten to recharge my Bus card. Ugh !

And ofcourse, because Singapore buses only accept coins in exact change as bus fare, today would be the day I would have no change in my purse. Double Ugh !

Needless to say, this would be the day that I overslept and am late for an important presentation. Triple Ugh !

I quicken my pace towards the bus stop, hoping the next bus would come in atleast 5-10 mins (my everyday usual waiting time) , which would allow me to ask for change from the shops behind the bus stop. When, I see my bus turning the corner already ! Fourth....well you get the point by now.....

I make a puppy face and ask the only lady on the bus stop, getting into 131..if she can gimme some change for $5 - she refuses. So does the bus driver. When im just about to get off, and take a cab...a guy hopped on. As a last ditch attempt, I ask him. He did not have enough change for $5, but offered to pay my fare ( 60c wonly thankfully !). Before I could react, the driver smiles, shuts the door and drives off. I reach office, after paying the right fare (thanks to the good samaritan) - but boy-oh-boy....tis been a longggg time since ive ever been more red-in-the-face and just prayed for my stop to come faster.

Borrowing money from a stranger - with a wallet full of dollars.... Such is life for silly ol' me !

Shoes

2008-03-16T23:50:00.001-07:00

Must answer question :

How many pairs of shoes do you own? And how many of them do you need?

Trigger point(sss...) :

- Recent obsession with Shoes ( triggered by 'Sex and the city' )
- Moving to Singapore ( land of pretty, non-expensive shoes ! )
- Recent ability to afford those PYTs ;)
- Two conversations over lunch today :
- a guy owns 12 pairs !!
- a friend owns 45 and still counting ( though she kept saying its 45 and not 80 !! )

Cmon Cmon, confess...

Just Another Tequila Sunset !

2008-03-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

After an week of work, arrives the much needed weekend...but when weekend after weekend are spent running behind one task after the other...shopping, picking out rings, shifting houses...a chance to just sit watch the world around your run by is so precious !

Had a chance to have a wonderful dinner at a quiet little pizza place near our house. Quite unlikely called Mad Pizza, the place serves one of the tastiest foods ive had in this city, with undoubtedly the best service ! And well, tonight... getting a chance to eat warm food, served with warm laughter...watching the world rush by, under the moonlight and shimmering tree lights, cool breeze making the leaves rustle. How just a dinner can make you smile the widest in the entire day :)

The singer picked up his guitar, and Harsh & I , crooned along with him, singing timeless songs by Beegees, Denver, Clapton and Eagles.... A hot cuppa chocolate to top it all of ! For that one hour, life just couldnt be better :)

Which also makes me write about a thread in my mind since yesterday... (yeah. We ate at the same place last night also !) How much difference a nice smile and wonderful service can make to your meal ! I never used to think much of it back at home - cuz meals outside home were few and far between. But here, when we eat atleast 1, and sometimes 2, meals outside, yeah - if we find a friendly face who smiles back at us and makes atleast an effort to listen to our long rant of only veggie-no egg........., can you please check with the chef, etc etc; Im sure the food tastes better than the chef could've delivered alone :)

Anywho, nothing puts the spring back in your walk like a full stomach, filled with smiles, hot cocoa and music.... bring on the Monday, Im ready :)

My First Tag

2008-02-27T04:56:00.000-08:00

Considering noone tags me - I decided to pick this tag up myself, simply cuz it seems like a fun one to do :)

So, here goes :

The Alphabet Tag

A -Available? Nope

B-Best friend: Had promised myself a long time ago that I will never ever give that kinda tag to anyone - but if I had to pick - has to be Swappy and Fatty

C-Cake or Pie? Can I say : Warm hocolate Truffle Cake or Crunchy Blueberry Pie ...plzzzzz :)

D-Drink of choice:Fresh lime soda, sweet or fresh watermelon juice

E-Essential thing used everyday: Toothbrush :) - yeah man, lame answer !
F-Favourite colour:Blue, all the way...

G-Gummi bears or worms: Am a girl, so no prizes for guessing

H-Hometown: Rampur

I-Indulgence: Recently, Shoes - and shopping, any kind, including window

J-January or February: February (my burrday, my folks' marriage anniversary, my niece's burrday........I could go on for a long time)

K-Kids and names: None yet !

L-Life: A total drama...the funny kind tho :)

M-Marriage date: Stay tuned, coming soon

N-Number of siblings: One sister - loveliest darling

O-Oranges or apples: Apples

P-Phobias:Tons.... one i keep quoting around though is Phone phobia - i am scared of picking up the phone and dialling anyone, immense fear of interrupting in their life

Q-Quote: I collect them...so its difficult to pick one, but here Im gonna quote my first post :
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate bar in one hand, favorite beverage in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, screaming Woo-Hoo ! What A Ride !"

R-Reason to smile: Harsh, around me... (yeah yeah, go Awww..and then laugh off :P)

S-Season: When it rains,and it rains in all seasons in Singapore ! Yippee !

T-Tag three people: Noone's gonna take this - but still - Harsh, Harish, Ankur Sir

U-Unknown fact about me: Im scared.. will leave it at that.

V-Vegetable you do not like: Karela

W-Worst habit:Wasting time

X-x-rays you have had: Chest, Stomach, Shoulder

Y-Your favorite food: I refuse to choose !

Z-Zodiac: Fishy :) [ Pisces, duhhh !!]

Woohooo !

2008-02-04T19:23:00.001-08:00

My sister had a baby girl yesterday ! yippee !

You are the worst dad !!

2008-02-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year !

2007-12-31T20:42:00.000-08:00

Heylo to the 2.5 regular visitors here ( ha...who am I kidding...2 of you)......

Wish you a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year !

Love !

Small conversations, little things...

2007-11-28T08:16:00.000-08:00

Small conversations, little things... and sometimes they are enough to make you realise - you will never be their daughter, no matter how much he says that they want you to be and how hard they try; because you will never be equal to their son.

Small conversations, little things... and sometimes they are enough to make you realise - I miss you mom, dad, di. Life sucks without you guys around.

The restaurant :

N : "Hey Mrs. S, you want to try this? Its delicious !"
Mrs. S : "No N. I wouldn't like it."

5 mins later
H : " Mom, you should eat this."
Mrs. S : eats.

The shopping trip :

Mrs. S : "Why are you limping?"
N : "Oh that. Managed to hit my little finger on the trolley."
Mrs. S : "Bleeding?"
N : "Yeah. But its not too bad. Im fine."
Mrs. S : "Ok."

Coupla hours later. We reach home, exhausted, haulding insane amount of stuff.

N : Lemme call H to help us carry all this stuff up.
Mrs. S : No N. He might be doing something. Don't disturb him.

Smile

2007-11-22T07:59:00.000-08:00

I saw her again today...or someone exactly like her. Theyre all so same.

The last time I saw her..I cried. I'm not sure why, I'm not sure why now..but I did. I tried writing about her, couldn't. And couldn't write since. Today, I have to. The silence is suffocating otherwise.

I was just walking back from office one evening. Wide eyes...staring at the opulence of this city...after just a few weeks here I still wasnt used to it. And then I saw her, sitting on a tiny chair at the corner of a street. She was an old lady, so old. She was holding her hand out. It took me a few seconds to realise she was offering to sell something to me. She didnt say a word. Was just sitting their with her arm stretched, hoping someone would stop if they wanted to. I fact that I had stopped to notice her almost made her bent back upright...her eyes widened, a little smile crossed her withered lips. I...well I, just looked down and moved away. So many times...so many times I would have seen one similar back in India. But here, she made me cry. I was in tears by the time I stepped out of the elevator to enter my apartment.

My pen went silent since.

I saw so many more like her all around Singapore. That old feeble lady who cleans tables in Square 2 food court, the old man at the airport who collects trolleys. This is probably the only thing Ive ever heard Harsh complain about this country. For a country which has achieved so much in so little time, isnt it a worthwhile cause to give peace and rest to its elderly? - he says. Maybe he is right. Maybe you dont expect it in India - so much is left to be done there - maybe old people figure way down on the list of priorities. Me...I dont know what to say. Or what I believe. Or why I react this way now.

I was walking back from the train station today. Coming back from watching a movie about love and magic and dreaming.... humming the catchy Disney tune...

I saw her again. Another feeble small old lady...I saw her across the long walkway. She was carry two heavy looking bags...one on each shoulder, bags which were too heavy for her. She would move a couple of tiny steps and then would keep the bags down and take a long breath before picking them up again.

I almost ran to her..bending over I asked her if I can walk her over to the platform...or wherever she was going to. Then I saw, the same glimmer in her eyes as she put her hands in her bag and pulled some small things out. She was selling them. She could not understand what I was saying...she seemed only to speak Chinese. When I tried asking her again if I could drop her somewhere...she realized she cant understand me. She gave me a feeble little smile and then stepped away from me. As she walked away from me without so much as a second glance, I was frozen. I dont know why, I couldnt move. That sinking feeling of immense helplessness.

I did walk away. Eventually. When I could see her no more, I walked back home. That smile which she gave me, I cant forget. The silence as I saw her walk away...deafening.

Why MBA

2007-10-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Wrote this as a e-mail to the student of T.I.M.E.

My two cents on the answer to the quintessential question :

Hi,

I am sure the most painful question in your life these days is 'Why MBA'. Well, when all & sundry these days would be doling out advice concerning the same in truckloads, I decided a 1-page mail by me couldn't possibly add to your pains. So, here are my two cents on why I think an MBA is worth slogging all out for.

As I look back at the time when I was preparing for my CAT, I used to act blasé telling myself and all the nervous friends around me : Its not the biggest exam of your life. I did believe that it was just another exam for just another degree.

But today, almost 6 months out of my MBA, changing 1 job and moving to another country; I am tempted to say... It is the most important exam of your life. No, I am not trying to scare you even more. I'm trying to give you an insider's perspective on why you should strive to be at a b-school - Why it is an experience worth striving all out for.

I am sure all of you have a myriad aspirations & expectations from your MBA – that angelic million dollar job, social welfare, starting your own venture, learning more about business etc. etc. And you should have them. However, in my opinion, the best intention to enter b-school is purely to come out a new person. Because that is exactly what an good b-school can do to you - a good b-school, mind you; not necessarily the degree attached to it.

To quote a friend : 'A b-school is actually like learning 2+2. It is about starting with a clean slate...... Apart from imparting the necessary technical skills, the 2 year gestation on campus – with its demanding schedules, diverse subjects, and eclectic mix of people – ensures that you walk out with razor sharp confidence to take on any situation, in any part of the world. '

I can go on and on about what all can you learn being among amidst the sharpest brains you will ever meet, the close knit family of people who besides being immensely talented have one thing which is so precious - passion. About something, about anything. But it is something you can only experience.

And this is where you need to start to be among them - be like them. Find your passion, and then let nothing stop you from doing what you believe is needed to own it. Much like the mythical Arjun seeing only the eye of the parrot & working ceaselessly to score the perfect hit! This I believe is the keystone to success at the CAT, or for that matter, most other exams that lie ahead in your lives

People would say I am the lucky one - went to an IIM, had a ball of a time, did the most coveted work during the 2 years, got the job which I wanted [ well half my batch wanted it too ;) ] and earning that dollar salary [ notice the lack of the word million there !]. I would say that too. But for reasons entirely different - for finding who I want to be during my counseling sessions at TIME, for discovering my potential & its yet unexplored reaches, for being responsible for fulfilling aspirations of 3 batches, for finding a passion that now drives my life, for living amongst the craziest people, for falling in love with one of them.

Life has a strange way of working itself out the way you want it to. You just have to know what you want. Go ahead – Dream on. Strive to see them fulfilled & have faith.

Wishing you all the best of luck.

Thank you.

In Singapore

2007-09-17T10:11:00.000-07:00

So I have finally found myself out of India and in the land of Merlion.

You would think that finally after getting where I wanted to, having a new job, being in a new country and most of all, finally finding a 3rd person who actually reads my blog [wow!] ... i would be writing something !

I would think the same. Just need to adjust to this new life and get my rhythm going again. Have lots to say, just hvta find the words again.

Having one of those days today... when you find yourself completely alone in a big house in a new place and the reality of being a million miles away from your family hits you. First time I cried in a long time.

Guess had to get it out of the system... atleast, that is what I hope it was.

Like a friends said : Found myself staring out of the window at the tall buildings and feeling lost.

Wow Moments

2007-08-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

So let’s talk about the good things which happened during my 5 week long induction with TAS. Being the blue eyed kids of the biggest and most distinguished group comes with its perks. Indeed, we did call ourselves Tata’s Adopted Sons ;) as a spin off on the name of the outfit. [ For the uninitiated – it’s Tata Administrative Services ]

The first thing which hits you when you live in a colonial estate in Pune, which serves as the training base for Tata’s elite, is not the opulence, the greenery, etc etc… it’s the wonderful food which the TMTC people serve. Or more specifically the desserts. Every meal is served with desserts from a colonial world, long forgotten. Things you would find in no hotel menu. The tastiest soufflés, the truffle pastries, the surreally light fruit cream. I would be damned, but I don’t remember half the names. Sometimes Indian, or more correctly Parsi desserts did creep into the menu, but it was mostly reigned by what I think were English desserts. God bless the chefs, each one better than the others.

Of course, nothing gets bigger than the TAS induction program. Everyone, and I mean everyone, who is important in the group meets you. Be it Mr. RNT himself, or the guy part of the VSNL turnaround – Srini. While each of them is a master in their own right, some people do leave you spellbound. Like Mr. Ishaat Hussain. He is about 70ish director at the Tata’s who is the finance do-all-and-be-all for the group. And ask 25 20-somethings TASO’s , he is a force to be reckoned with. The guy drips with knowledge and class, pure business aristocracy, if I may say so. Much like Mr. Tata himself – the group chairman who still pulls out his own chair, answers all questions with humility and poise which is unmatched and leaves after putting the chair back in place !

And if you have to see opulence, sneak into the board room at the Tata Steel office in Jamshedpur. Its huge, its oak, its something lil’ ol’ me had only seen in movies !! Of course, a guided tour of the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai or staying at The Taj Bengal in Kolkata does bring you in touch with luxury, which at least was pretty much unattainable for middle class kids like me. Ah, the benefits of an IIM MBA !

Oh and did I tell you about the special preview of the breathtaking jewellery made for the forthcoming movie, Jodha Akbar which was arranged for us at the Tanishq plant. Ladies out there, trust me on this one – get ready and save up – they are pieces you would want to own before your neighbour. Just keep your fingers crossed and hope that the company releases the jewellery for the public, a-la- Paheli.

Not just luxury, we also got treated to the wonderful open pit coal mines in West Bokaro. Right from where the coal is mined in these pits till the manufacture of the last steel wire by the Tata’s. Fascinating to say the least. But the definite “WOW moment” which I wish everyone gets to see in their lives once – is to see millions of gallons of molten steel being poured and molded. Trust me, if that doesn’t leave you wide eyed – you’re dead. The entire group started wide eyed at the plant the size of a city, which incidentally looked like a Steven Spielberg sci fi movie – where huge pieces of equipment were making steel and converting the molten black gold to sheets and wires etc. The assembly units of the-cab-of-the-country: Indica are quite futuristic- with rows and rows of huge robots piecing together millions of parts which go into the only 100% indigenous car.

But the biggest wow moment – or actually experiences – were the midnight sessions I was part of. Almost everyone from the batch would descend in a room, with alcohol for company sometimes and we would end up chatting and laughing till the wee hours of the morning. We made fun of people absent, annoyed people present, celebrated birthdays, played dumb charades, went for walks, had pillow fights, saw movies, cribbed about the long sessions, abused the…ahem…certain people. It was a B-school all over again. Unforgettable memories of 5 weeks with 25 most fascinating people.

Of Integrity, Fidelity and Politeness

2007-08-22T21:51:00.000-07:00

* Disclaimer and Background :

This is something I wrote when I was at my last job, sitting through another drivel of a presentation or lecture...Just never got the chance to post it earlier as the page got packed in the bottom of my suitcase, and I found it a month later, after moving through many cities and finally changing my job. I haven't altered any part of it while reproducing, so my subsequent views on the same topic could be different( except adding a line which is in italics).

And of course, with no intention to badmouth either my previous employer, institution or anyone I met, these are just my opinions on what I saw.*

Show me a company which does not have INTEGRITY as one of its core values and I will show you a company which is fictional. But do they really follow it?

I am yet to meet a person receiving a induction lecture, who actually believes that what is being doled about how fair and honest the company is, is true. I think it has just become engrained into us. We cant believe people around us can be fair at a group level. The corruption regimes have made us skeptic. Every office is overall unfair and unjust [don't we all love Dilbert!] ; even though a few individuals might be good. This is a fairly held belief. Ever heard : Who said life will be fair ?! But who said it shouldn't?

My latest employer - actually, technically my first - is a good example. They are the biggest business house in the country, pledging much of their profits to social initiatives. And even though my colleagues and I have seen quite a bit of it ourselves [ and mind you, the work they do is commendable ] ; and yet, the skepticism in the truth in the profit deployment is very apparent all around.

I also saw this during my work in my B school. For me, integrity stands not just being free of corruption.It also encompasses being truthful, standing by your work and working for people you are responsible for. And I saw this missing in such a large group I dealt with - corporates, students, faculty - it shocked me. This integrity is so often mistaken for being stoic, that I hold even my colleagues responsible for upholding the impression that only quiet, silent and reserved people can work properly and anyone who is involved, is by default assumed to be biased or incompetent. If I had a penny for every time I was put down for being loud and chirpy..... ah well.

When dealing with the who's who of the Indian corporate, a very apparent fact was that the irreverence for your own world and the people you are dealing with, was most apparent in people with less experience and proportionally more power. They are rudely proud of their ability to lie and manipulate; citing that as a reason for their success. Any Indian B-school student who has heard of Anuj Dutt of HUL (erstwhile HLL) and Rahul Gangal of TAS ; would know what I am talking about.

The illusion that such people act such only with their counterparts across the table - in this case, placement committee representatives - and differently towards the people/organization they are responsible for, has been dispelled since I joined work. I mean how difficult could it be to make a schedule for a day and inform to a group of people via an email !?! And No ! In the efficient world, words dropped to one person over a late dinner or drinks does not count as information dissemination, nor does the sentence "I have no clue what to do/what is going on" coming out the mouth of a representative of the most respected business group in the country add to its repute.

I am shocked at the sheer nonchalance with which concerns and questions of the new joinees are ignored. Most of the time, its cited as pride, trying to teach us the ways of the real world. I am sure my batchmates would have agreed; with years of work experience behind them; they are not kids and do understand that rudeness doesnt not make you look cool, despite of what you might think. I refuse to believe that an organization which manages close to 450 companies, cannot learn how to professionally manage time of its own top resource. And if its not the company, then it is the people who represent the group to us. And I wonder, what is that gives them the assurance and sanction that being impolite, unprofessional and lying is correct ?

And its not something which occurs only in the corporate world. I shudder to see, the frequency at which I see people around me flaunt their infidelity as a medal. With all the theories of man-being-born-polygamous etc floating around; its almost become fashionable to be disloyal to the people around you. A friend's girlfriend decided to get involved with another friend, without bothering to tell this guy. And it never occurred to her that this is wrong. A newly married colleague, has very skillfully managed to keep his promiscuous activities from his partner by challenging people who knew about it. He says that it was his right to be infidel, and the wife doesnt need to know because it does not concern her ! It does not concern her !?! How? Who else does it concern !? [ and if you have read the comments on the last post : even my boyfriend thinks that Marriage is a certificate which keeps men fidel, else "men being men" would move away at the drop of a hat, with nothing to keep them in reins ! ]

Fidelity and Politeness is Passe. So last century. Rude is in ! Its fucking cool !

Now let me admit, i am not the politest person around. Truthfully, I could as well be the loudest and the brashest. But I do not carry around this illusion of being above everyone. I do believe that integrity in invariably linked to realising who you are and how much your actions can affect other people's lives. For me, integrity and fidelity are synonyms and I am yet to meet a person who has earned the right to be corrupt - in work or in personal life.

And so, it does surprise and upset me every time I meet such people. Maybe I live in an unreal world of mine . Maybe I look at life through rose tinted glasses - it comes with being a Piscean , as Ms. Goodman predicts. Maybe because of this outlook I would not be very successful; in the way world defines it. But rest assured, I would continue to hope and work towards ensuring that the vision through the tinted glasses becomes a reality around me. Touch wood !

Marriage ! Bah !

2007-08-12T23:22:00.000-07:00

This morning I started writing something on a similar vein.... but then stumbled upon this...

The truth is here.

We Are Like This Only

2007-08-12T21:45:00.000-07:00

We're quirky, crazy, mad, loud, smart, imposing....

We're Indian.

Read a wonderful article which celebrates everything that makes us.... Well... INDIAN.

click here.

Greetings

2007-08-11T05:00:00.001-07:00

So I called up my new HR today for the first time ... had some queries about the VISA form.

The conversation began like this :

Me : "Hi. Can I talk to Ms. G"

Miss G : " Yes, that's me. "

Me : " Hi. This is Nitika here. "

Miss G : " Oh HI ! Finally you called. Its so good to hear your voice. High time you called. Tell me, how are you doing?"

Me : mouth agape...no words comin out !

Finally, after a few hours...[okie okie....seconds] of stunned silence....I repeated that its me Nitika and proceeded to ask my questions and politely ended the conversation a few minutes later. During all this while I was wondering what happened that Miss G reacted so enthusiastically to my call.

After being part of placecom for 2 years, you invariably get used to listening to HRs who either appear totally disinterested or glued onto every word to catch a possible slip... I have never heard anyone be so cordial and happy to answer queries.

There couldve been three reasons for her response,

1. She mistook me for a long lost friend of hers.... and later continued the conversation in the same tone, to avoid any embarrassment to any party

2. She remembered me from one or two conversation we [might have] had on campus, when i attended her call for another colleague

3. She actually expected my call and was genuinely happy to talk to me

Now, I would not know her enough to comment which one of these is most likely for her....from other experiences, I think most of us would know which is the most expected ;)

Either ways, after a long time someone left me lost for words ;)
Kudos, Miss G ! youve achieved the impossible

Wait a Minute !

2007-07-31T04:51:00.000-07:00

I was walking on the clouds...
but hey ! How did this happen !

How come my future plan got written as : Married in a year...kids in two !!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

What went wrong !!

YELP !!

Is this the price you pay for love !!

Its Rubbish !

2007-07-29T21:57:00.000-07:00

Dude ! wtf !

I am working with Virgin Mobile's India launch and so you can imagine...
im surrounded with firangs all day...and they are damn funny ! Exclaiming 'Its rubbish' at everything.

Picture this : its pouring outside... [this being Mumbai and the rainy season, so what else did you expect !]... our colleague runs out with his camera phone.
We follow him outside...[ I just know when to snoop for a blogging opportunity ;) ]
He is focusing his camera on... and I kid thee not... a drain pipe. This pipe drains the water from the roof and our wide eyed boy here wants to take a photo of the water swooshing out !

I mean for chrissake ! Gimme a break ! Do they have to act like kids in a zoo.... clicking drains...
might just as well walked out of the office to click overflowing gutters on the main road.

Damn amusing people...

Quill

2007-07-23T04:07:00.001-07:00

From : www.abeautifulrevolution.com

Daydreams : John Denver

2007-07-19T01:51:00.000-07:00

Yes I've been dreaming about you every day
Each and every day
Had I been thinking about you all night long
I even wrote a song

Just to try to tell you how I really feel
To make you understand my love is real
That you're on my mind all the time
I wish to God you were mine once again

I remember talkin' to you
I remember walkin' with you
I remember laughin' all the time
And you were mine
Now the days seem so long
I can't face a night alone
I beg you please won't you please come home

I remember talkin' to you
I remember walkin' with you
I remember laughin' all the time

I remember singin' to you
I remember dreamin' with you
I remember lovin' you alone
And now the days seem so long
I can't face a night all alone
I beg you please won't you please come home

Different

2007-07-17T02:39:00.001-07:00

Yeah so ok, I havent posted anything decent in a while...will do it soon.
Till then, if you wanna look at something different check out Jessica's Blog.

Here.

Oyi !

2007-07-13T06:17:00.000-07:00

61%

Mingle² - Online Dating

Crossroads

2007-07-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

Why is it that it is so difficult for us to change.

I’m sure every person knows his/her weaknesses. We all are aware what is it about is which annoys others, pains them. Even if we remove the concern about what the world thinks of us, there would still be issues with you which affect the lives and happiness of people who matter to you. Your habit of smoking which troubles your asthmatic roommate can be one. Then why are we not able to change our negatives, to help ourselves and make the life of people who matter better. No matter how many self help books prophesies it, and how many times we look at the mirror, something inside us drives the need to stay as we are. What makes changing such a difficult process, even when we know it is for the better. Is it plain old EGO. Or ignorance. Or when it comes to moving out of our set ways, they fuse.

How many times do we use our personality as an excuse to avoid changing. I can remember many such times, when I just said, ‘ This is the way I am. Live with it ‘ and refused to change. Where do you draw the line? When do you stop looking for a partner to accept you as you are – and decide that you as you are is not good enough, even for you.

Is it that difficult to realize the difference between changing for pleasing others and becoming better.

For me, I am at a crossroad. I have to decide – would I change to save what I have or would I embrace the changes taking me to the future. I don’t know what my process or criteria. All I can try to do is leave me behind, hold my life in my palms and set it free. It’s High Time.

The Leaf

2007-07-02T02:51:00.000-07:00

The leaf on the high branch fluttered wildly in the wind.
A gush of rain shook it, scared it.
He could not understand.
The rain was his friend.

He remembered the day, when he met her for the first time.
He was young, the soft droplets of water cleansed him.
He enjoyed spending time feeling the soft rain gliding over him.
The tree also approved this friendship.
The leaf grew up playing with the rain.
While he tried to catch the drops, she tried to weigh him down.

But today, he felt like he did not know her.
He was scared.
The leaf did not understand what was goin on.
The rain was trying to show off her power.
He could not take the force any longer and with a snap, he got seperated from the tree.
As the leaf crashed to the wet earth, the rain stopped.

Cradling the dead leaf in the water, the rain now wondered.
How did it happen? How did their games become fatal?
How did she manage to destroy one thing that was precious to it?

How?

2007-06-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

How do you breathe
when you knocked the wind out of someone

How do you walk forward
when the road you left behind disappears

How do you sleep
when you filled another life with nightmares

How do you smile
when you trampled dreams dreamt together

How do you see the future
when the mirror of the past has been shattered to pieces

How do you go on living
when death seems to open the gates to peace

How do you not cry
when the raindrops are tracing their path on the window

Specialization is for Insects

2007-06-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein

Thought for the day

2007-06-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

A Kiss is much more potent in hindsight.

What the...

2007-06-12T11:59:00.000-07:00

Ohk...one forward which...ummm..........left me annoyed....
Ok, not really anooyed...but makin that face where youre pouting slightly, with eyes half closed, looking at things with a cold stare....

Read On. Bleh.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.

Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them. The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another Turn

2007-06-09T07:37:00.000-07:00

Left IIM Lucknow about 3 months ago... Still wondering how to describe it.

Would be starting work with TAS on 10th June.

Hmmm.........

Oh Those Darn Kids

2007-06-04T00:18:00.001-07:00

I have somehow, absolutely unwillingly, have become a fan of the new HT newpaper "MINT".
Its a good business paper, and oh god...finally...a newspaper which is sometimes witty. Be it talking about a fight between National Flag and National Anthem or about the brash kids abounding our country.

Show me a person who has never felt like strangling a kid when they are screeching non stop while throwing half the contents of the dining table on the floor and Ill show you a liar. What is it with parents who just cannot control their little bundles of pain ! I pray to lord, if i am ever a parent...give me the strength to handle my kids. But till then, I hate em all...Specially when I have to spend my last week at home doing their stupid holiday homeworks at the pretexts of them being too dumb and their parents being too busy!!

Read this awesome writeup by Vir Sanghvi about kids who make our lives hell here. How many of you have been there done that?

Found

2007-06-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

on some other blog...brilliant...so had to copy...

"The Most unfair thing about life is the way it ends.

I mean, life is tough.

It takes up a lot of your time. What do you get at the end of it? A Death! What's that, a bonus? I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get it out of the way. Then you live in an old age home. You get kicked out when you're too young, you get a gold watch, you go to work. You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement. You do drugs, alcohol, you party, you get ready for high school. You go to grade school, you become a kid, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a little baby, you go back into the womb, you spend your last nine months floating......

and you finish off as an orgasm.”

Why?

2007-06-01T06:05:00.001-07:00

When im pissed, i frown and stop talking.
When im angry, i shout.
When im really mad, i cry...more like bawl !

WHY?

Who Are We?

2007-05-31T02:24:00.000-07:00

"We can live a while lifetime of friendships and complicity, we can bring up children, have sex every night, reach orgasm and still feel that there is a terrible emptiness about it all, that something important is missing."

"Perhaps when we find ourselves wanting everything, it is because we are dangerously close to wanting nothing."

Parents

2007-05-29T02:29:00.000-07:00

Heard on Oprah :

" Dont try to be your child's friend. They will have a million friends in life, but only one mom and only one dad. Step up and be the parent. Be enough for them. "

Ahem...did I just admit Ive seen Oprah...aaah...umm.... whatever :D

Kerela

2007-05-21T00:00:00.000-07:00

Back from a 7 days trip to Kerela. Awesome it was..well almost. Details, maybe later.

Till then- enjoy these pics :

A History Of The World

2007-05-12T10:52:00.000-07:00

According To Student Bloopers.....

This is what is the history of the world is :

"The inhabitants of Egypt were called mummies. They lived in the Sarah Dessert and traveled by Camelot. The climate of the Sarah is such that the inhabitants have to live elsewhere, so certain areas of the dessert are cultivated by irritation. The Egyptians built the Pyramids in the shape of a huge triangular cube. The Pramids are a range of mountains between France and Spain. The Bible is full of interesting caricatures. In the first book of the Bible, Guinesses, Adam and Eve were created from an apple tree. One of their children, Cain, asked "Am I my brother's son?".........................

read more here.....

Solving Tough Problems

2007-05-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Book : Solving Tough Problems - An open way of talking, listening, and creating new realities

Author : Adam Kahane

Finally i read and finished this book in my train rides to my grandma's place. It doesnt talk about anythin revolutionary.. well about the power of talking and listening to create wonderful solutions...

i quite liked it...

think it also gave me a perspection on a few ways which we can take our discussions forward and solve all kinds of problems in our lives. While the examples in the book deal mainly with the author using his skills to solve world level problems, he keeps it real enough to apply to us.

A few quotes/lines which I liked from the book are given below. They are both the one's written by Adam and what he adapted from various sources.

" The root of not listening is knowing "

" One of the reasons that future cannot be predicted is that it can be influenced "

" People were willing to accept being free citizens on the street but serfs at work "

" If youre not part of the problem, you cannot be part of the solution "

" What is most personal is most universal "

" Our biggest impediment to hearing is our impulse to talk rather than to listen, to make a judgement rather than an observation "

" Silence has an incredible capacity to bond. You simply remain silent and nobody has to say anything. We're there, all of us together "

" The answers to difficult problems is simple, not easy "

" Conflict isnt usually the result of your rational argument vs. my rational argument. Its a result of your rational argument hitting my blind spot and vice versa. "

" If talking openly means being willing to expose to others what is inside of us, then listening openly means being willing to expose ourselves to something new from others. "

" I am not my ideas, and so, you and I can reject them without rejecting me "

Needle !

2007-05-05T01:17:00.000-07:00

Some of my creations. :)

Temme if you like em...

The Good Old Life

2007-04-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

Don't get me wrong. I love the new world, the new life. I love how easy technology has made lives, i love the life of the new empowered young Indian in the big city, i love the malls, the coffee shops, the halter tops, slinky dresses, Sex and the city, mp3 music... everything.

But life has changed from when I was a kid. And how ! I miss the simplicity, I miss living life and not race as today. I miss writing on a paper, playing in the garden, sitting on the terrace.

So many times I feel that we were the last generation who enjoyed life. Maybe it is because i miss my childhood... maybe its the fact that I am back home after two years and most of my day is spent thinking about the past and the future.

Look at simple things around us. How many of you, living in the big towns have seen a crow in the last few years. Seriously, just a crow...or even a sparrow. I don't remember seeing one in the nine years in Noida. Don't think Ive seen a crow even on the 200 acres of IIM Lucknow campus. Strange? I seem to think so. Think of it...the simple story of the thirsty crow might just be lost on the next generation...no crows to show em.

I miss the lazy life of a small town. The winter sunday morning ritual of tel-maalish, boot polish and the sitting with whole stalk of sugarcane..with a tub in front of everyone. Mom in the background mumbling that my dad and I are the dirtiest people, not bathing till late morning. :)

The amount of enthusiasm generated with Chitrahaar becoming biweekly can never be compared with channel surfing through 200 channels, not watching even one.

Right now, I am sitting in my balcony, writing this during a long power cut. My phone is playing the radio - classical music @ 102.6 FM. Quite nice, i must add. Yes, i quite know that this is possible only through the technology which exists today. But its also true, that sometimes [just sometimes] I miss the long 20 hour power cuts of the old days. With no inverters and generator populating every home, dinner and walks used to become communal. Entire colonies out to talk and sing songs or play till the power was restored. So many nights were spent sleeping under the stars or playing antakshri with didi or talking life et al with dad or mom telling me stories. Ah, the awesome excuse not to do my homework, sometimes, even the teachers bought it :D

I miss waiting for the monthly Nandan [A HT Hindi magazine for kids] and Nanhe Samrat, finishing em the day the newspaper boy delivered them..and the rereading everything till the month got over.

Life has become easier, what with everything packed and ready to eat.What to say of the next generation, when I know of so many peers who have never known what fun it is watch your mom slice potatoes and help her spread them over a thin muslin cloth on the terrace to make those brilliant homemade chips. Or the many winter nights spent huddled close to the angithi where mom would be make ketchup. Oh what wouldn't I give up to taste those mathris and gujias and namkeens and kanji and panna made at home, before the readymade revolution hit.

With our own generation lost touch with so much good of our childhood, it pains me sometime to think that the next generation would never know of all this fun. Chacha Chawdhary will get lost in the midst of Power Rangers and Pokemon, Makke ki roti with shakkar replaced by a McChicken [sorry for the cliche]. It is quite easy to believe that we can never be as good homemakers as our moms. Sleeping on the terrace under the soft breeze of the pipal tree, just a memory now.

Its not like I am someone old fashioned and does not feel comfortable with the fast life of today. I am very much at ease eating at the latest mexican joint in the city or recounting the flavour of Oreos. Count me in everytime you throw a i-got-my-new-tech-toy-come-see-it party. But what saddens me is that how easily we just discard what was precious about our lives for the new. I find it unpalatable that we cannot enjoy the new with the old. Noone stops you from spending a Sunday afternoon with a few papers and crayons and drawing a crooked mango[was it just me, or did everyone have problems getting the damn thing just perfect?]

Sometimes, just sometimes, maybe it will be wise to revisit the Good Old Life.

Witness

2007-04-28T02:57:00.000-07:00

From the movie "Shall We Dance"

Why is it that people get married?
Because we need a witness to our lives.
There’s a billion people on the planet.
What does any one life really mean?
But in a marriage, you’re promising to care about everything…
The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things,
All of it… all the time, every day.
You’re saying “Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it.
Your life will not go unwitnessed - because I will be your witness.”

Bye Bye Baiji

2007-04-28T02:35:00.000-07:00

It would be official also very soon. The Baiji Dolphin of the Yangtze River in China are extinct..or almost extinct...no one has seen one for years. And a two month long search for them recently resulted in nothing.

Known as the Goddess of Yangtze, this nearly blind dolphin was unique in so many ways - lived in fresh water, had heightened sonar capabilities to navigate the murky water (much like bats) and a long pointy nose.Alas, we may never see one again :(

Its sad to see how much the measly humans have destroyed over the years. The newspaper report said that they realised way back in 2004 that the dolphins are gone, and yet... a search was launched only in 2007. None of the scientists who were a part of the team were hopeful that they would see one. They are most probably right. Even as more and more countries would reach the one trillion dollar mark (for the uninitiated,India just reached it) ; I think we should take the time to just reflect that maybe the only thing we created and worry about on earth now is money...the life as the planet had or deserved, is lost.

".....various species that have gone extinct at the hands of humans: the dodo bird, Steller's sea cow, the passenger pigeon, and scores of others, many of which were never known to science at all. Even stuffed organisms, some representing the only specimen of an extinct species, have been known to disappear at the hands of humans. The last Carolina parakeet, stuffed after its death in 1918 at the Cincinnati Zoo, was lost some years later; the last surviving thylacine, the only large carnivorous marsupial to live into modern times, was thrown out with the weekly trash.

... humans are not necessarily the best choice for guardians and record-keepers of the planet. "But here's an extremely salient point: we have been chosen, by fate or Providence or whatever you wish to call it. As far as we can tell, we are the best there is. We may be all there is. It's an unnerving thought that we may be the living universe's supreme achievement and its worst nightmare simultaneously."

And no amount of trillion dollars can ever bring back the Goddess of the Yangtze.

Movie-A-Minute

2007-04-27T01:02:00.000-07:00

Link : Movie-A-Minute

Now this is smart ! Someone actually sat down a created one minute versions of a whole lot of movies claiming " With our ultra-condensed versions of your favorite films, you can experience whole movies in just one minute! "

Oh my god ! Who has so much free time to do that ! Useful or Useless? You judge...

Here is ultra condensed Armageddon :

NASA

An asteroid is coming. We are in trouble.

Nerd

You must blow it up from the inside. Probably.

NASA

Let's teach drillers to be astronauts, on account of drilling is too hard for astronauts to learn.

Bruce Willis

Instead for a ninjillion dollars, we will only do it if we don't have to pay taxes anymore, because audiences can relate to that.

Audience

I can relate to that. Therefore, I love it.

The Friendship Prayer

2007-04-26T09:40:00.000-07:00

[ flicked it off the net ;) ]

May the fleas of a thousand camels infest the crotch of the person who screws up your day and may their arms be too short to scratch

AMEN !

अरे रे अरे ये क्या हुआ !

2007-04-17T03:15:00.000-07:00

Blogger now allows you to post in Hindi !!

बिल्कुल वैसे ही जैसे हम बोलते हैं। बेकार के keyboard shortcuts याद करने की कोई भी ज़रूरत नही !

I am loving it !

Tolja So !!

2007-04-17T03:03:00.000-07:00

You Belong in London

A little old fashioned, and a little modern.
A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock.
A unique soul like you needs a city that offers everything.
No wonder you and London will get along so well.

What City Do You Belong In?

Love

2007-04-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Photograph : click here
The Story : click here

The story of true love and commitment. Ive seen a lot of people stick together and a lot of people run away in my life. This is one couple which makes you believe.

Read on, maybe we all can learn something.

Closet Case 2 : Missing You

2007-04-04T23:14:00.000-07:00

This was copied from a card or something some gazillion years ago... didnt mean much, just a set of nice words I came across. So true now...

Strange indeed is human nature
Friends around...
So what?
Special ones too, like you...
No big deal!
Here today,
else where tommorow.
Realisation dawns.
Nostalgia takes over.
Depression sets in...
I'm human. And Depressed.
Youve been away long.
Too long.
Tried everything.
Nothing works.
Except thinking of you.
Every day...
Every hour...
Every minute...
Thinking of you... Every minute
Come back soon. My love.

Closet Case 1 : Lines worth reading

2007-04-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

Been cleaning out my drawers since ive been home. Stumbled upon lots of interesting stuff and scraps of paper. Pieces of life long shelved, some long forgotten too. Would like to talk about a few of those things, and hence the Closet Case Series :).. i mean, i hope it become a series. Who knows when laziness hits me again :D

A few quotes i found :

"All photos are accurate. None of them is the truth"
"Love is the answer, but while youre waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty good questions"

"Suffering is circumstantial : It either stops or we die"

"Concentration comes from a combination of confidence and hunger"

"If there is a heaven for me, I am sure it has a beach attached to it"

"Its a shallow life that doesnt give a person a few scars"

"God answers all the prayers. Sometimes he answers "Yes". Sometimes he answers " No". And sometimes the answer is "you got to be kidding.""

"Anyone who tells you money cant buy happiness never had any"

"How strange to use - You Only Live Once - as an excuse to throw life away"

"At times, it is better to keep your mouth shut and let people wonder if youre a fool than to open your mouth and remove all their doubts"

In pursuit of ART !?

2007-04-03T23:42:00.000-07:00

Hmm... So it seems almost cosmic... Any artistic adventure I wanna embark on... some twist leads me away from my pursuit, and lands me somewhere I least expect to be.

A coupla years ago, one sultry August afternoon tryst to the National Art Gallery in Delhi, resulted in me standing in front of a locked gate saying 'monday closed' and subsequently watching the colorized version of "Mughal e Azam" a piece of art in itself.

I was so exited to be visiting an art gallery for the first time, it was literally jumping with anticipation (come to think of it, anything which catches my fancy causes me to react in the same fashion, quite unladylike... tch tch). But then, I got over it quickly and thoroughly enjoyed watching the spectacular movie on the big screen.

Then, last week, the art bug bit again, when I decided to cruise the play scene in Delhi with a friend. We decided to go to NSD (National School of Drama, for the unitiated) and watch the students showcase 'Taj Mahal'. All excited (no thanks to disgusting cold coffee served by CP Barista once again - why dont I learn !!) we reached the hall, only to be turned away as the screening got postponed to the next week. Not to give up, MS and I, walked up and down the tree-lined spacious Delhi roads to look for other plays/recitels to watch, but at 7:30 in the evening, we were more than fashionably late for all of them.

Finally we ventured into Lalit Kala Academy, to visit the art gallery featuring quite a few artists - almost all of em Bengali, not one whose name i remember :D. We roamed around in the five galleries, loving some paintings( oooh ! Preettyy ... I cooed quite often) while not quite understanding what's so special about the others...

Though, i dont think we emerged any wiser on the art of Art Appreciation (is that what its called) it was overall still quite an interesting experience. The best of which was actually, roaming around the streets of Lutyen's Delhi in the lovely March evening breeze, with a friend - talking about some stuff which matter, some which doesnt.

Hello Big Bang !

2007-04-01T11:02:00.000-07:00

Hello all couch potatoes... The biggest event in the history ( of well... umm... the Universe, non- technically speaking ), is coming live to your TV... at no extra cost !

Think im kidding ?

No seriously, The Big Bang is a direct feed to your TV... (NOT THAT you pervert !!) The birth of our universe, according to the Big Bang Theory, was from a infintely small space (though, space doesnt mean anything before the Big Bang) containing infinite amount of everything ( though, even mass is meaningless at that time). This singularity, due to some unknown trigger, decided to expand all of a sudden and most of the mass currently in the universe was creating in the first 3 minutes of this event, known as the Big Bang.

And, ofcourse, because the event happened so so long ago, that our Aaj Tak reporters couldnt get there on time. But fear not, the radiation/waves from The Big Bang, reach the earth.. even though they are very weak. Most of the crackle which we see on our televisions is the last remnants of that same event which started it all.

How's that for a dinner time family watch?

Arre Sacchi Baat !

2007-04-01T06:24:00.000-07:00

Read this, bear with me, its worth it...

Santa Singh gets onto a train in Delhi and calls the TT. "Sir, i am a very sound sleeper and my station comes at 4am. I would request you to ensure that i get down there. Throw me out if you have to, but just do it !". The TT agrees and Santa Singh goes to sleep. He wakes up in Chandigarh at 10am, furious. Immediately he starts shouting at the TT, who very strangely laughs at every choice word our furious surd throws at him. Perplexed onlookers ask the TT "Why are you so amused?". "I cant help it," says the TT, "I just cant stop laughing thinking about the guy who was protesting when i was throwing him out of the train at 4am !"

Now this is such a old joke (a very sad version by me, but whatever) im sure youre wondering why is it here. The reason is (or shall i say, reason are) the two conversations i heard within the last fifteen days, which made me think how much jokes rise from the local culture, or conversely, is it that all jokes become "arre sacchi baat bataon..." among society eventually.

Last month, traveling from Lucknow to Delhi, we didnt get a seat to sleep so I spent the night. Walking around in the train, i overheard two helpers talking about a incident. One guy claimed to have witness his friend getting beaten up by a passenger who needed to get off at a station in the middle of the night, but was not woken up. His friend had managed to ensure some other guy was unwillingly thrown outta the train at the other station. I just assumed this person had my dad's habit of telling every joke as if it occured to him.( I personally fail to see the charm ;) )

I never thought of this before yesterday evening, when travelling from a bus to home, i was standing near a conducter who was telling the driver this. " Yaar, sacchi baat bataon, woh jo 392 ka kalu hai na...." and proceeded to tell the exact same story of a hapless passenger, greeting the entire family of kalu with choice words, when he was not informed of his stop... and ofcourse, kalu had thrown the luggage of another gentleman off the bus. As the conducter swore that he witnessed this with his own eyes, I got thinking... was there actually a certain Santa Singh who found himself in Chandigarh, giving rise to this urban legend or was this just one of those UFO's.... everyone in Arizona knows a guy who was abducted by one.

Laugh

2007-03-29T07:28:00.000-07:00

Free Masons In India

2007-03-27T08:38:00.001-07:00

I came across the term 'Free Masons' when i saw the utterly forgettable movie 'National Treasure' starring Nicolas Cage. I assumed it to be a society/group formed on the lines of say 'The Priory of Sion' somewhere in US, something which a lot of powerful people were part of. Beyond that, i can frankly admit to not bothering much, for a typically american group of people. Strangly enough, i bumped into them again, right in my living room today, when i was going through a diary which my sister brought home from work. It belonged to her boss, and detailed the activities of Free Masons in India along with the listing of a lot of top members.

The seal on the cover showed the crest... the top was a elephant standing atop a rectancle with four parts. four symbols which i couldnt quite recognize, though clearly, one was a tiger and the other three were historical sites in india. In a semi circle in the bottom, there was a symbol of protactors and some kind of ruler. The tagline said ' Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth ' .

Notice this : while the members list boasted of people like the former chief justice of Andhra Pradesh High Court, Chief engineers for PWDs - most of the people who hold top ranks did not mention their designation in their letters.

The interesting thing is that they claim not to be a secret society, at the same time, urge the members never to talk about Masonary outside the lodge walls. Their reason for coming together is mentioned simply as "an opportunity to experience the benefits of being a part of a good orderly organization..... is a way of life which may enable us to live respected and die regretted" !! Vague enough.

A historical overview, described them to be one of the oldest fraternal societies based on "Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man." It was supposed to have been started in Europe and is indeed influenced by the Knights Templar. It has been supposed to have come in India way back in 1720's. The stone lodge in Calcutta called the 'Star in the East' was the first one to be built in India 256 or more years ago. Indian were not allowed to be a part of it till 1775.

Illustrious (and ofcourse politically influencial) brothers of the past include Swami Vivekananda, Moti Lal Nehru and our first president Dr. Rajendra Prasad, besides many Supreme and High Court Judges and Civil Servents. More details are provided on their beliefs and members lives etc. Three basic features : They consider themselves as upholders of morality and freedom; a belief in God is essential to be a member and (why doesnt this surprise me) membership is exclusively male.

That's where i stopped reading.

How to die properly

2007-03-26T08:07:00.001-07:00

Chk out this link :

click here

I Shall Believe : Sheryl Crow

2007-03-26T07:58:00.001-07:00

Come to me now
And lay your hands over me
Even if it's a lie
Say it will be alright
And I shall believe
I'm broken in two
And I know you're on to me
That I only come home
When I'm so all alone
But I do believe

That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly you won't give up on me
And I shall believe
And I shall believe

Open the door
And show me your face tonight
I know it's true
No one heals me like you
And you hold the key

Never again
would I turn away from you
I'm so heavy tonight
But your love is alright
And I do believe

That not everything is gonna be the way
You think it ought to be
It seems like every time I try to make it right
It all comes down on me
Please say honestly
You won't give up on me
And I shall believe
I shall believe
And I shall believe

I Am

2007-03-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

I am among a sea of people.
I am alone.
I am happy for the triumphs.
I am sad about what was done.
I am smiling.
I am crying.
I am alive.
I am dead.

I am in my hostel room for the last time tonight.

February 26

2007-02-26T11:36:00.000-08:00

26th February 1984 :

Was a Sunday.
The zodiac was Pisces.
The season was Winter.
It was about 22 years ago
Against All Odds by Phil Collins, When Doves Cry by Prince, What's Love Got to Do with It by Tina Turner, Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr., Jump by Van Halen, Like a Virgin by Madonna, Karma Chameleon by Culture Club, Footloose by Kenny Loggins, I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!
were the popular songs that year.

February 26th in History is a day when these people were born; :

1802: Victor Hugo, French novelist and playwright
1846: William Cody, 'Buffalo Bill', the American showman
1916: Jackie Gleason Brooklyn NY, comedian (Ralph Kramden-Honeymooners)
1920: Tony Randall [Leonard Rosenberg], Tulsa OK, actor
1928: Fats Domino, American singer, NO LA, rhythm & blues pianist (Blueberry Hill)
1932: Johnny Cash Kingsland AR, country singer (I Walk The Line, Folsom Prison Blues, Boy Named Sue)

... and all this happened :

1797: First ever pound note issued by the Bank of England
1815: Napoleon Bonaparte escapes from exile on the Island of Elba
1936: Volkswagen Beetle car launched by Adolf Hitler
1991: During the Gulf War, Kuwait City is liberated and Iraq begins its withdrawl
1993: Terrorist bomb explosion under the World Trade Center, New York

Top News Headlines on this day:

- H Debehogne discovers asteroids
- N Chernykh discovers asteroids
- Rev Jesse Jackson acknowledges that he called NYC, "Hymietown"
- Robert Penn Warren, Pulitzer Prize winner, named 1st US poet laureate
- Last US marines in multinational peace-keeping force in Lebanon left Beirut
- Pak Awang (84) marries 80th spouse

Events and birthdays around the world on this day...

In 1802 Victor Hugo, French author, born.
In 1815 Napoleon escapes from Elba to begin second conquest of France.
In 1846 William "Buffalo Bill" Cody (near Davenport, Iowa), frontiersman, born.
In 1848 Second French Republic was proclaimed.
In 1852 John Harvey Kellogg, English Corn Flake inventor.
In 1870 First New York City subway line was opened to the public.
In 1881 S.S. Ceylon begins first round-the-world cruise from Liverpool.
In 1916 Jackie Gleason, Comedian, born.
In 1919 U.S. Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona.
In 1920 Tony Randall, actor (The Odd Couple), born.
In 1928 Fats Domino, singer, born.
In 1932 Johnny Cash, singer, The Man in Black, born.
In 1933 Golden Gate Bridge ground-breaking ceremony held at Crissy Field.
In 1952 PM Winston Churchill announced that Britain had its own atomic bomb.
In 1954 First typesetting machine (photo engraving) used at Quincy, Mass.
In 1955 First aviator to bail out at supersonic speed - G. F. Smith.
In 1969 Levi Eshkol dies, Golda Meir becomes premier of Israel.
In 1970 Beatles release Beatles Again a.k.a. Hey Jude album.
In 1986 Philippines President Ferdinand E. Marcos flees in defeat, takes up residence in Hawaii with wife Imelda.
In 1993 World Trade Centre bombing. Islamic terrorists detonate a bomb in the World Trade Centre. 168 people killed in the first terrorist attack on United States soil.
In 1995 Barings Bank disaster. Nick Leeson loses billions of Pounds Sterling in offshore investments, ruining Barings Bank.

Oh and... I was Born too :)
Amongst friends and well wishers... just saying Thank you and god bless to everyone.

Holy Thee !

2007-02-20T11:29:00.000-08:00

In 2002 God had an image problem in Singapore. That was the challenge presented by a network of 150 Christian churches in Singapore called the Love Singapore Movement. It commissioned Ogilvy to plan an advertising campaign for God himself. Research proved that many people in Singapore understood God to be totally unapproachable. The agency’s job was to create a new image of God – someone with a sense of humor. A killjoy schoolmaster was to be repositioned into someone you wouldn’t mind putting on the guest list of your dinner party. Someone who talks to people in his own way, with wit, irony, humor.

Ogilvy used a variety of media – billboards, bus ads, e-mail, TV commercials and SMSs.

These are only some examples of God’s messages presented around the city:

“I was thinking of making the world black and white. Then I thought . . . naaah.” God

“What do I have to do to get your attention? Take an ad out in the paper?” God (a newspaper ad)

“I hate rules. That’s why I only made ten of them.” God (on billboards)

“Please don’t drink and drive. You’re not quite ready to meet me yet.” God (on buses)

“I could make you click here. But I believe in free will.” God (internet banners ad)

“Thank me, it’s Friday” God (sms on Friday)

“Coming over to my place tomorrow? God (sms on Saturday)

“I grew this apple especially for you.” God (little stickers on fruits)

“Bring your umbrella, I might water the plants today.” God

“Nietzsche’s dead.” God (wordplay with a Nietzsche’s famous slogan: God is dead.)

I am everywhere - God(in subways)

The campaign was extremely successful — and won a number of international awards.

A person in charge of the campaign was Eugene Cheong from Ogilvy, a lifelong Christian, who said: “Let’s just say that I knew the product very well. After almost 20 years in the business, finally, there was a product I could believe in.”

What is interesting, the TV campaign was banned by the Singapore’s government that is hyper-sensitive about religious issues. That was a genuine creativity exam for Ogilvy. But they found a solution. They painted buses with the ads, sent sms messages, printed T-shirts, distributed over a million postcards and plan to publish a book of quotes from the campaign. Furthermore, they have gone hi-tech, with a cutting-edge website that presented all the creative ides as well as genuine testimonies of believers.

Ironically, through these interactive channels, the campaign had reached more people and more effectively than they could have through traditional media. Various other sources have also adapted the idea. Many more examples like the one's below exist.

1. Let's Meet At My House Sunday Before the Game - God
2. C'mon Over And Bring The Kids - God
3. What Part of "Thou Shalt Not..." Didn't You understand? - God
4. We Need To Talk - God
5. Keep Using My Name in Vain And I'll Make Rush Hour Longer - God
6. Loved The Wedding, Invite Me To The Marriage - God
7. That "Love Thy Neighbor" Thing, I Meant It. - God
8. I Love You ... I Love You ... I Love You ... - God
9. Will The Road You're On Get You To My Place? - God
10. Follow Me. - God
11. Big Bang Theory, You've Got To Be Kidding. - God
12. My Way Is The Highway. - God
13. Need Directions? - God
14. You Think It's Hot Here? - God
15. Tell The Kids I Love Them. - God
16. Need a Marriage Counselor? I'm Available. - God
17. Have You Read My #1 Best Seller? There Will Be A Test. - God

Photos from Flickr

2007-02-18T23:09:00.000-08:00

Flash Slideshow

BookMooch

2007-02-18T08:58:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful new thing i discovered on the net. A person has started a website where people can join for free and share their books with other users. You can ship your books to a user... gain points and use these points to order books from other users. Simply awesome to say the least. And the best part is that the users are not just US or UK based, but instead almost every country, including India is represented there.

The website is : www.bookmooch.com

Advertisements : Realistic

2007-02-17T22:05:00.000-08:00

Some brilliant pieces of mostly outdoor advertising collected from various sources.

Link 1

Link 2

Link 3

Enjoy !

Contrary Proverbs

2007-02-16T04:27:00.000-08:00

Every Action has an equal and an opposite reaction?
Similarly, every proverb has an equal and an opposite proverb!
There always exist two sides of the same coin!
U be the judge…

All good things come to those who wait.	BUT	Time and tide wait for no man.
The pen is mightier than the sword.	BUT	Actions speak louder than words.
Wise men think alike.	BUT	Fools seldom differ.
The best things in life are free .	BUT	There’s no such thing as a free lunch .
Slow and steady wins the race .	BUT	Time waits for no man .
Look before you leap .	BUT	Strike while the iron is hot .
Do it well, or not at all.	BUT	Half a loaf is better than none.
Birds of a feather flock together.	BUT	Opposites attract.
Don’t cross your bri dg es before you come to them.	BUT	Forewarned is forearmed.
Doubt is the beginning of wisdom.	BUT	Faith will move mountains.
Great starts make great finishes.	BUT	It ain’t over ’till it’s over.
Practice makes perfect.	BUT	All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Silence is golden.	BUT	The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
You’re never too old to learn.	BUT	You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.	BUT	One man’s meat is another man’s poison.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.	BUT	Out of sight, out of mind.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.	BUT	Many hands make light work.
Hold fast to the words of your ancestors.	BUT	Wise men make proverbs and fools repeat them.

Strange Statues

2007-02-16T02:59:00.000-08:00

Check out some strange and funny statues all over the world here.

Sant Valentine.. Jiyo Mere Laal !

2007-02-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

So, here it came and went again...
Another Archies' ...err... i mean... Valentine's Day.

I mean its ok... one more day created by card companies or whatever....
But well, it still was fun. Got gifts for family and close friends. Just came back from a party on campus. Mostly drunk people around, but it was still awesome to share a few laughs with friends. Me and Swapnil even did a paper dance, which was fun for everyone watching... ( We are Laurel and Hardy incarnate.. no prizes for guessing who is who)
And free hugs distributed by me to all friends...

So i say, bring in on... any more days created by cards shop... just throw in some friends to hold hands and dance with, ill have fun.

Love Away World....

:)

Musically Yours

2007-01-26T12:10:00.000-08:00

Spent the last few hours in the 3.4 music room with Harish. Surreal to say the least.

Something very true he said.. " Music is what seperates humans... we can understand and appreciate music :) "

He is a wonderful singer... the soul is as intact as the voice which makes the experience every bit worth it. I tried my hand the various instruments there too. Ahem, well I apparently cant do shit with em... hehe... The musical genius believes i learn fast so i will go by his words. Tried my hands at drum... and that's about it... it was trying my hand only.. hehe

Did slightly better with the octapad but finally settled on the Keyboard and playin Sa-Re-Ga-Ma... or Do-Re-Mi for the uninitiated... learnt a lot of nuances like what is a chord, key or what are the sever sur.. learnt to identify an octet and play by hearing your own voice.

C'est formidable...

Safe to say have managed to fuel the bug to learn something creative again.. ahem... less see...

Ouch! Zapak !

2007-01-24T11:59:00.000-08:00

Been addicted to playing tetris on a friends cell phone. Naubat yahan tak aa gayi hai ki now I have found myself Zapak.com thanks to Mr. Harsh Shah. Its a online gaming portal, with a gazillion.

After recovering from a killer fever and cold, have spend my entire day playing stupid online games which are very addictive... shooting guns, making patterns, finding tresures...

Its been a not stop stretch since 5pm today... its 1:30 in the night... except a 1 hr break in between.... Im sure my eyes are going Ouch !

hehe... not time to stop though... Zapak.. here i come....

Where Have I Been?

2007-01-18T07:11:00.000-08:00

Too few posts in the last few months. Where have i been?

Dont know.. Dont remember.

What triggered this forced/volutary sabattical from the world of expressing myself, I am not too sure. But something did snap.

I have not made a decent post in over two months. Not written a proper email or made a postcard (what are they belong to another post at another time) for almost the same time. The last term of my MBA at IIM Lucknow has started, which means more free time that I know what to do with. Have taken quite well to vegitating in my room without any activity. I had thought that this would trigger a wave of useless or not so useless posts here but did not happen.

Been doing pretty much nothing over the past coupla months. After exams and a trip home, it was time for unlimited boredom brought on by a complete lack of work and my inability to deal with it after a year and a half of being a workaholic@placecom. So spend nearly two weeks preparing for a friend's visit to campus - Cleaning room, buying and wrapping gifts, making CDs... basically anything to keep me occupied.

Since New Year's ive rediscovered the library. Have issued an immense number of books and been gobbling them up like a leach. At any given point of time i have been reading atleast 2-3 books :D

Sadly, still doesnt explain why was i so inactive here. Not that there was a lack of things i had to say... sometimes i wrote entire pages of thoughts in my mind... but somehow.. hand always froze when i got to a pen or a keyboard.

Where have i been?

Happy New Year !

2006-12-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

so...

Its time for another year to end eh !

Wish you all a very happy new year.

Im having fun...

resolution : be more active here.

That's about all tonite.

Take Care

Have a safe and happy new year's celebration !

New Launch !

2006-12-06T12:14:00.000-08:00

Harish Naraynan... undisputedly the coolest guy on campus :)... just did something awesome...

Thanks to him... we now have a campus radio !!

Live on my friend....

Dum Tara Dum Tara Mast Mast....

2006-12-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

A friend introduced me to the music of Guru last night. Have to say, A.R. Rehman has the knack of giving a spring to your walk and a tune to hum...

Dum Tara is a beautiful number with wonderful lyrics and very catchy music, but the best part of the song is that its sung my Rehman itself.

Melody at its best! Looking forward to the movie in January.

Wonderful News...

2006-10-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

... its a great post amongst a lot of nonsensical one's scott adams writes...

Story of a man who lost his voice... and got it back from his creativity....

Read it here...

Actually Funny !

2006-10-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Whaddya Know !
An actually funny forward...
Read on....

After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form, called a "gripe sheet," which tells mechanics about problems with the aircraft.
The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight. Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor. Here are some actual maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas' pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers. By the way, Qantas is the only major airline that has never, ever, had an accident.

pilots complaints (marked with a P) and solutions recorded (marked with an S)

P: Left inside main tire almost needs replacement.
S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.

P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.
S: Auto-land not installed on this aircraft.

P: Something loose in cockpit.
S: Something tightened in cockpit.

P: Dead bugs on windshield.
S: Live bugs on back-order.

P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200 feet per minute descent.
S: Cannot reproduce problem on ground.

P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.
S: Evidence removed.

P: DME volume unbelievably loud.
S: DME volume set to more believable level.

P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.
S: That's what friction locks are for.

P: IFF inoperative in OFF mode.
S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.

P: Suspected crack in windshield.
S: Suspect you're right.

P: Number 3 engine missing.
S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.

P: Aircraft handles funny. (I love this one!)
S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.

P: Target radar hums.
S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.

P: Mouse in cockpit.
S: Cat installed.

And last ....

P: Noise coming from under instrument panel. Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.
S: Took hammer away from midget

Economics !

2006-10-14T02:32:00.000-07:00

A brilliant post by a friend linking famous rock songs to Economic concepts.

Its a very funny read !

Check it here

Smiles :)

2006-10-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

No sleep since two days....
No work either !

Frustration mounting, fights galore...
when i look around, the world seems dark.

I tell them...go away...
He still knocks on the door...

An old friend, he knows me...
I let him in...

Smiles galore in that short time...
I miss the world that we created...

I know now, what he says is true.
The smiles are in little things...

Like his seven mails in seven second to me...
Some new, some old...
Theyre all there...
Like memories, of times when he was there along with me...

Sorry honey... you can be my love
But he stays...
The most honourable knight...
In shining armour... always....

I know you would be there...
For this damsel in distress.

Very Funny Ads

2006-10-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

A cool site with very funny ads ;)

click here

2006-10-07T14:45:00.000-07:00

Will and Grace - Accidentally in Love Music Video

An awesome vid of a great show....
must watch for all the favorite will and grace moments :)

2006-10-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

My Cubicle

You got to check this out !

Spoof on James Blunt's 'Youre Beautiful'

Rules for Gen Next : A smart fwd

2006-10-07T02:01:00.000-07:00

Rule 1: Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect
you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

How Lord of the Rings should have ended

2006-10-01T01:58:00.000-07:00


you got to watch it... an alternative to the threee longgggg movies !!

Just A Pic ? Just A Statement ?

2006-09-27T11:45:00.000-07:00

My Meaning, My Memories

2006-09-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

Its strange when you see where life takes you.
My parents taught me this mantra when i was very young. I somehow got into the habit of saying it atleast once or thrice before sleeping every night. just a very very simple ritual, stayed on for years. I remember being the last person to sleep in the night, even when i was young. used to give my dad a glass of water, wish my parents goodnight and remind everyone to say the mantra. just a family ritual, silly little thing which stayed on for years.

And then i grew up. Was an insomniac back then also. Studying late became a norm class 9 onwards, and i started sleeping long past everyone else in the house. and the thread of those 'goodnights' and ' gayatri mantra zaroor karna' just melted away.

Miss it sometimes. Specially these days when im away from my family. Insomnia is back again, and night pass restless. Feel like need some thing to calm me down before i sleep. Sadly, the habit is long gone, now that i need it the most. Still chant it if i cant sleep for long, but its just not the same. Maybe its something to do with the fact that it was not just praying, it was something i did with my family.

Maybe...

Gayatri Mantra

2006-09-27T09:05:00.001-07:00

Found this on some blog. Source of Eternal Peace :

The Mantra:

Aum Bhur Bhuvah Svah
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dhimahi
Dhiyo Yoh Nah Prachodayat

Translation:

Aum, the celestial sound that resounds in our body, over the earth and the cosmos up to the gates of heaven.
The effulgence of the rising sun that sets all living things to their allocated tasks to strive to achieve their aim in life
May the dazzling light which is the gift of the God illuminate our beings. Let us contemplate on it so that our minds
gain enlightment.

Colors for me !

2006-09-23T01:38:00.000-07:00

just realised....

I might appear as an annoying bright pink to people mostly [ which i am] too painful to be around. nice to see if youre down...

but then also realised i would be very ok being a Grey. Just being.

Try and make sense if you can, im not bothered. It just a thought which came to my head...

Chk this out !

2006-09-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

this one if for all ice age fans :

enjoy !

Want Your Opinion

2006-09-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

http://kevan.org/nohari?name=Nitika+Nagpal

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Nitika+Nagpal

Harsh

2006-08-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

i love you babes....really.....

for this you i know.

that guy who is soooo typicallly a person

a real person...

now....

you dont see such people around anymore

very real....

honest...

faulty....proud of it...

great....proud of it...

works hard...

enjoys...

lives life....

wants a life...

and lives by his own code of honour

bad or good...

he owns it

doesnt live with the tide

and dreams...

he dreams about himself...

what he will do.....

he has no place in life for sand castles...

his dreams are real....you can feel then....you know they will happen....

no two ways about it...
just soo typical....
its a boon

you feel safe and alive...

atleast i do.

Must See !!

2006-08-13T15:09:00.000-07:00

Saw it on another blog. Mind boggling ads...
must see...specially the third and the fourth one.
Go on click....thank me later !

Masti Ki Paathshala: Award Winning Ads

BE GAME : Photocopier

2006-08-07T08:16:00.001-07:00

Because the world is one big photocopier.
Because the world is one big photocopier.

Put your foot down on uniformity.
That foot in the bright blue boot.
Ignore Tom's invitation to the rave.
Beacuse Dick and Harry are also going to be there.
Ask your girlfriend over.
Eat lebanese chicken and watch a japanese thriller.
But first, dim the lights and draw the shades.
Because if they catch you, they are going to copy you.

BE GAME !

[from the ad for San Frisco Jeans]

BE GAME : Reincarnation Theory

2006-08-07T08:16:00.000-07:00

There's one thing you must know about the reincarnation theory.
Its just a theory.

You live only once.
You will not come back.
But your 72.3 years on the planet would not be without opportunities.
Disguised, of course, as obstacles.
A strange dish that says "eat me".
An offbeat career that says "choose me".
An unpaved road that says "follow me".
So step outside you comfort zone.
Go for broke.

BE GAME !

[from the ad for San Frisco Jeans]

Postcard

2006-07-23T03:14:00.000-07:00

Dont Say A Word !

2006-07-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

....i hate that they want me to change and be the way they want me to be....

it has been my temple.....cant live with these priests anymore.
i dont know what to do.....
i thought that they might not judge me,
that there i might hide from the world and never come out.
it didnt happen.... stupid of me to think that the tears would go away...

Shh…Its You

2006-07-21T06:05:00.000-07:00

Shh…Can u hear that…

Yes, it’s my heart beating

Wish I knew why it calls out your name

Why you own my smile, my tears, my whole

Shh…Can u hear that…

It’s the wind

Wish I knew why felt like you touched my face

Why you rule every sense in this mortal soul

Shh…Can u hear that…

It’s the soft drops of rain falling on the roof

Wish I knew why it made me turn

Was it your footsteps across the room I wonder

Shh…Can u hear that…

It’s the soft tears wetting the pillow

Wish I knew why your pain crumbles me inside

Why I want to see you always soaring in the yonder

Shh…Can u hear that…

Its love... and its calling my name

Wish I knew if it’s a dream or reality

Why I feel alive with your hand holding mine

Fun @ Headbutt

2006-07-14T04:18:00.000-07:00

If you wanna see Zidane's Headbutt : click here

If you wanna be Zidane : go here and click ;)

Enjoy people !

World E book fair

2006-07-11T08:05:00.000-07:00

flicked the link from ankur sir's blog !

project Gutenberg is holding the world e book fair

check out the link : http://www.worldebookfair.com/

Readers of the world ! enjoy !

Shit Happens!

2006-07-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Italy has just won the world cup... Cool or whateva...dont really care one way or the other.
Sad about what zidane did... i know its easy for us to shout from here...u fool ! how could u do this? this was your last match and blah blah.... what he did was wrong...but was it deserved by the other guy?
what could have happened that provoked him enough to throw his final match away...?
We would never know i guess.

anyways,

congrats Italy !

Book Review : 1

2006-06-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

Have read a lot of books in the last few months during my internship. It just a passion which keeps growing. Thought would share my thoughts on a few books I end up reading, so here goes.

Just Finished : Digital Fortress by Dan Brown.

Thank God I borrowed the book from a friend. Would have hated wasting money on it. Though I like DVC and Angles & Demons by Dan Brown this book is a big letdown. I appreciated the first two books not cause they are brilliant pieces of fiction, cuz theyre not. Albeit the books are enjoyable as they are full of trivia and knowledge about a lot of locations and buildings. The man might or might not know his Bible, but he made sure he knew the buildings. It a fast read, good to while away time and he does a credible job of blurring the line between fact and fiction.

None of this is seen in Digital Fortress, which is predictable to the hilt. Slow and non imaginative the book is at best passable.

Currently Reading : Why We Buy by Paco Underhill

Review Later !!