An archeologist is the best husband any woman can have; the older she gets, the more interested he is in her.

Hehehehe

Picked it from Short and Sweet.

Hello...

Well it is so that other people say hello back but no one has :(

I guess everyone has 'grown up' and is too busy lol. Where are all the lukhas gone?

Anyway it is strange how we rarely hear 'hello' now as compared to 'hi'. Maybe it is just the kind of industry I am in, or the people I am around. We all 'hi' each other and even people we are introduced to rather than saying 'hello' to them.

Guess 'hi' isn't as "insulting" as it use to be. The highly informal, highly non respectful, sign of a rebel word has evolved. Could also be because those who grew up with it are the ones in the drivers seat now rather than those who were before them.

Happy Birthday Nisha

Man it's that time of year again.


The time when you are asking why God punished humanity (or at least some specific 'bichara' humans) by unleashing Nisha onto us.


TBC - It's about Nisha so obviously the post cannot be of 2 lines :p

I have internet again (at home).

Finally.

Thank god.

Don't know how I survived.

But alls well that ends well. Especially if the well is accompanied by soon when what you are facing is miser.

:)

Exams finally over

I actually love giving (Indian style - I obviously mean taking) exams. I don't always love studying for them though.

Maybe more on why some other day.

Never given exams this badly

TBC

OMG...

If I had a rupee for everyone I had to say Oh my God, I would be so much richer.

I mean so many things happen EVERYDAY that are so damn unbelievably stupid that you can't help but wonder how is something so wrong with someone/something.


[The below is a useless rant so don't bother reading]

I'm studying and the book I have for the subject (Research Methodology) has typos and grammatical errors. I mean a few here and there is fine but I must have found at least a dozen mistakes already. And this is ME. I usually always overlook mistakes and get the right version of something. I am horrible at proof reading that way. But I found so many mistakes. Which of course leads me to think there are more which I skipped over.

I am okay with having errors in things you write but not in things you write which gets publish. I mean for crying out loud, hire a proof reader to look over the book that is going to be in circulation (even if it is just for students).

It a horrible book by the way. Not sure if the subject is horrible. Research can be interesting and have done some of this stuff in early college so it isn't so bad but the more I am studying the book, the less I want to.

Ahhh I think my sis is right - economics last year was better than this subject this year. Lets hope I clear. I don't even want more than a 40 in the paper. I will cover up my marks with all the other papers.

Goodluck to me.

What's playing on your music player?....

I need more English music - Allllllll the music channels seems to play only hindi music now days (don't watch VH1 - it's not in the 300-312 channels [music channel section in CAS] - it's in the lifestyle channel section).

God I remember how I was an 'early adopter' of FM back in the day. 1994 I guess. Use to listen to this 'english top 20' show or something. I was always the first to know new 'happening' songs in school :)

Then everyone got hooked to English songs cause it was the cool thing so I was like everyone else.

Then there was Bhavna - she would give me a list of songs before we had even heard of it or the singer here in India.

Now all I get is latest hindi music from TV.

So what you listening to?

Soooooo Happy - CSI is back.....

Yeah baby. Season 8 - Monday nights at 11 PM only on AXN.

Ahhhhhhhhh I love a lot of TV shows but I think CSI (The ORIGINAL - Las Vegas) will always be my first true love in terms of TV serials.

Sense of Humour

A 'TBC' for why this post comes to be.

I don't laugh at anything and everything. And somethings I go mad laughing at/about. It's got nothing to do other than the kind of sense of humour I have. I think we all have different things that we find funny and therefore different people laugh at different things and not at all things 'funny'.

My favourite type of humour is physical comedy. Not a wise crack. Not something witty. But someone getting half a heart attack when something jumps out of a box. Things falling out of trees scaring the hell out of people. That's the kind of thing that makes me laugh.

Please note - I am talking about stuff on TV and not in real life. I would hate having things jump out at me so I sympathize with people who are 'victims' but it's just very funny.

:)

Enjoy (randomly selected - will upload some more later)

17 Only...

Attended blogcamp this year (found it quite a waste of time - will have a post about that later) and had a bunch of (if I may say) obnoxious 'kids' talking back to the talkers. While I didn't like their attitude too much I was totally blown over by the amount they know about the internet. It wasn't funny. So later I actually started a conversation (small one) with 2 of them and found that one of them was a CEO and he was 17 years old.

I was so shocked. His colleague was older but didn't look too old either maybe at the most 10 years old and the other kid with them was a friend who was also 17 years old.

It is pretty pathetic to see such young people know so much. Makes me jealous. I didn't even really understand then net at 17 and here were people who were on top of everything that happened in the online world.

I need to be more focused for sure.

Aches and Pains..

Man having aches and pains is a real pain. I suddenly had aching ankles and then aching wrists. I think the 1 aching ankle happened because I nearly slipped. And then other aching ankle and aching wrists happens because of the 1st aching ankle.

There was more aches and pains but they are gone now thanks to sleeping a lot. I don't even want to mention it now cause one should stay away from being 'not in a normal state' as much as possible.

If only we all were more careful about our health....

"I was born to die"

Right said R.

Context - Someone asked R what his dream was. R replied saying he wanted to build a million dollar company. The person asked R why he didn't say he didn't say he wanted to own a million dollar company. So R replied "I was born to die".


Aate hai khaali haath, jayenge khaali haath.

Happy Holi...

The holi highlight of the year was most definitely Khushboo saying 'Deepaliiiiiii pleaseeeeeeeeeeeee you don't need to say it. Everyone would figure that you don't play holi'.
Lol you all know me too well.

I hate the smell of the colours and I fall ill if I am wet for too long. So I totally avoid Holi. I don't miss it though. So it's all good.

This year though we didn't play 'catch' with water balloons :( maybe later in the day. Use to be hilarious when we would - everyone is so scared, not of dropping the balloon but rather of seeing that the balloon is far away from their body and that they catch it softly.

Anyway here's wishing everyone a colourful day :)

PS - I know the abridged version of why we play holi (which is so good cause I am not into mythology and cause lots of people around don't know why the festival is played).

Race

Totally loved the movie.

My Review of Race.

If this was America, we would have sued you...

Why the nick?

Well Reliance Energy sends a notice to us on the the 17th (in the evening) saying that on the 18th, there would be no electricity for 7 hours, from 10 AM to 5 PM (for some maintenance or repair) , in the area where I work.

We call up the company to find out if 7 hours is with a very high buffer, or if electricity would go out in phases etc, but the office cannot answer and say they would call us back and let us know. We got no call for at least an hour (that was the time till which
We had no option but to call it a day off and substitute the 'holiday' by working on a Saturday.

How unprofessional is this?

And to top it off, the next day we find that there was electricity the WHOLE day.

I would have sued them. Big time.

Congrats Kishor

Kishor got a baby boy yesterday.

It's kind of strange because it seems like like he got married just yesterday.

Actually it seems just like yesterday that he was teaching us. Explaining things so clearly and with so much passion.

:)

I think one of the best things that happened in my life is doing Theatrix. And there could not be a better instructor than Kishor.

Not only did I learn about acting, directing, writing, etc (I do none btw other than write on my blog) and it's not only that I met cool funny people like Kishor, Sam, Javed, Vinit but I think the realization that I could do anything, ANYTHING I wanted came to me while I was doing Theatrix (advanced course). Somethings just change your life (you have to of course be observant enough to understand what is happening).

Thanks Kishor.

I don't know...

I know that you expect me to know...

I know that I should know...

But I can't know everything, all of the time...

I don't know. Somethings I just don't know.

Essel World

Had a total blast today.

The entire office (with the exception of a few) went to Essel World. I have visited EW today after a gap of about 14 years. I was just thinking on my way back that when I went last time, I was too short to sit on the adult rides :)

Firstly a few thanks to some people who made the day exciting/different/fun/etc.

Thanks Neelofer
Thanks Vaishali
Thanks Gautam
Special thanks to all the bag girls and bag boys. If you wouldn't take care of our bags our rides would not have been so much fun.

The day started when we had to get on a bus to get to the ferry. We walk out of the office and can't see the bus anywhere and we are trying desperately to contact someone who went ahead of us onto the bus. We get the direction but still can't see the bus. We could see a BEST bus (local transport bus) but not a bus that looked like one we hired. But guess what, our bus ride to the ferry was in the BEST bus that was standing there. It was so cool cause I didn't know (like nearly everyone else on the bus) that you can hire a BEST bus to take you around. It was pretty cool. And for me a big experience. Why I can't really put my finger on but maybe some day. I think it's mostly got to do with how I like BEST buses and hate the closed 'rent for a while' volvo type buses.


TBC

Might just be a busy year...

It's 1st week March and I already attended 1 wedding of a cousin (which has ruined me - listen to too much music now while either tapping my foot or moving my head) which was in Mathura. So there was some traveling involved. Lots of family was around and we hung out with everyone a lot. Saw so many of my cousins after so long. One cousin I saw for the first time. He is 15 already and I bet he is going to want to come down to India again if he can.

Then attended a college friends wedding last weekend. Technically the first wedding I have attended of a friend of mine. It was fun. Tried desperately to do the garba (I am hoping it was my first and last time).

There is another 2 weddings lined up this year. Not sure if we will attend either of them because both of them would require traveling.

My MCom part 2 is this year. So have to study for my exams too.

Went to Essel World finally.

Might (big might but still) go to Himachael Pradesh finally in a couple of months. Keeping my fingers crossed.

And there is a lot more that will happen.

Rocking 2008 already.

May not have been subscribed to TOI if I were in Delhi..

They have no times trends. That the BEST PART of the whole newspaper man. I can't believe they don't have the page in the Delhi edition.

We Miss You Too Marian...

On popular demand :p

Marian while you might be one of the very few people who read this (since you made the request hehe), I am still going to write it as an explanation of the nick rather an writing to you.


The nick comes to be as a response to Marians nick that says she missed us. Now it's obvious she would miss us ('us' here being my sister and me), we are just so cool :D

I met Marian when she came for lunch home. Unlike my sis, I hadn't interacted with Marian before she came to Mumbai (my sister I think use to talk to her on facebook). Anyway I think I will always remember Marians first day here - mainly because sometimes small things you do, reflect on who you are as a person...what your beliefs are, how you look at the world, etc. Anyway Marian came for lunch (it was a weekend I think cause I was home at lunch time). She came into the kitchen and insisted on helping. Now we don't let guests help out (unless they are being a real pain about it hehe). But inspite of telling her to go sit and that she wasn't going to do a single thing, she wouldn't listen and even though we didn't let her work, she actually stood around in the kitchen and spoke to us (with requests of wanting to help) instead of just going and sitting around, waiting to be served. To me the way this 2 minute interaction said a lot.

I have to say that when I heard my cousin was marrying a Spanish girl, it was a little amusing and strange. Now it is not that cross-national marriages have not happened in my family but this is the second wedding of 'our generation' and it was not something that I had expected. I always knew that there would be little resistance my cousin would face because his mom and dad are pretty cool about such things. 'As long as you are happy and the girl is good' was all they said I believe. Anyway I come from the school of thought that the more you have in common the better it is. Lesser conflict, lesser reasons to be unhappy every now and then. Which just means that (let me take the liberty of saying 'I' for simplicity sake) I would only want to be married into a home that was just like mine. So when I thought of J and M, I though that so much would be different. They have different nationalities, religions, languages, traditions, etc and that it would be so difficult to adjust (who ever chose to make the adjustment). But when I met Marian, I stopped thinking/worrying about such things because no matter what, she seemed just like us. She seemed like she was a part of our family even before being in our family.

It was the same feeling toward her family too. Except a MAJOR language barrier we all seem just like the same. (Also except that all these Spanish people are so damn photogenic. All of them look so good in photos). I guess it's nice people are nice people irrespective of country, race, religion, etc.

Anyway, we had such a blast in J&M's wedding. Haha Marian thinks we are really all good liars. Well I don't blame her. We had to give her a few surprises and had to lie for the distractions. One was for the dance and the other was for her Bridal Shower. Hehe was good fun.

Marian also thinks I am on the phone all the time. Which is so funny cause I am hardly a phone person. Of course I won't deny that I do talk a lot and sometimes a lot on the phone but those are rare instances. I mean I'll admit that just yesterday (17th March) I was a total of about 1 and a half hour on my phone. And today for close to 20 mins but that's only cause I have nothing better to do.

Anyway (one reasons I hate writing long posts is cause I stray too much) Marian's cool. She seems like a person who doesn't judge other people too harshly or rather sees the best in others. Which makes it easy to actually talk to her. You wouldn't have to sit and explain to her too much cause I guess she would still just keep liking you (assuming she liked you to begin with hehe). We ate breakfast together one morning, and I was actually quite open with her about a lot of things because I didn't have to worry about what she would think, or who she would tell etc.

Haha and the coolest thing is she actually remembered what I wrote in her guest book (the secret to happiness and tries to follow it :)

And of course like everyone else she thinks I am super smart hehe. Brilliant actor that I am :)


Glad to have you in the family Marian. I don't know what you were thinking. I doubt you were thinking...who in their right mind would marry into this family??? hehe kidding. Keep Rocking.

Jeckyll & Hyde

Ohhhhh yeaahhh

Turn up the volume to the maxxxxx

Better Late Than Never...

Brilliant Song - I am glad I got hooked onto it.

Don't know why I keep thinking it's Nelly Furtado singing (It's actually Rihanna of 'hey Mr.DJ' fame). The song is called Umbrella and this version features Jay Z and also Chris Brown (Cinderella bit)



I don't think this remix version has a video. Anyway haven't watched any video any version of the song and after watching some 20 seconds of the original video, decided that it would actually take away from the song so left it.

Is it love...

It never felt so right before
I need to be with you much more

You're always on my mind
I hope that I'm not dreaming



What a brilliant song (IIO). Can't figure which version this is but since it's a more 'dance'/techno, it's all good.




Don't know why the song gets cut in this video but still it's better to have this video than the other ones that were uploaded.

One night at an Ashram...

Got to Mathura and stayed at an Ashram for 1 night. There were MANY firsts that happened that night. All of which I don't want to experience again.

Never felt that cold.

Never had coal smoke killing my eyes. Also killing my lungs I am sure.

Never seen my fingers turning blue before.

Never seen SO MANY mosquitoes at one time in a room.

Never seen someone become an ace mosquito killer after just learning the art (my cousin from abroad). I guess he got a lot of targets to practice on.

Never had such a laugh seeing paste on the floor - our tap drain opened up over a drain on the floor instead of going into it.

Never slept in socks before.

Never though of not changing into my pjs because it was too cold to get out of my regular clothes.

Only one before have I slept (at night) in the same clothes I was wearing the whole day.


Never wished I was more exhausted so that I could fall asleep faster.

Fun Weddings

Now I didn't go crazy or anything but danced and sang more than any other wedding I have been at. Of course it helped that we were only 40-50 of us - all family or friends. No one looking at you, judging you, commenting on what you are wearing, being all hoitie toitie etc.

Also visited the Taj.

Did the whole 'choreographed dance on stage' routine again. This too was easier cause there weren't a million people going before or after who were brilliant so it didn't matter if we were good bad or just plain average.

No internet so no worries about work.

Stayed at a really nice hotel. Freedommmmmm sort of. Woke up when we liked (unless we had a ceremony or function or outing) and slept when we wanted.

Made new 'friends', met lots of people from Spain :) hehe I now have '3 houses' in Spain. Well at least for the sake of visiting, as in when on vacation.

Even ended up shopping a little too which is not common for me. Could also find good enough souvenirs for everyone. Cute little elephants (trunks raised) from Agra.

Had experiences I would not have even imagined - example - my fingers turning blue because of the cold.

Nervous about being out of town...

Too much happening at work. Leaving at a bad time...

Out of town from the 12th to the 20th....

Storytelling Rediscovered....

What a brilliant ad.

Unfortunately the video doesn't look as good as the commercial on the TV (don't know why - maybe just the sound and picture quality).

Storytelling Rediscovered :)

Nottttttt a party person....

Man how I HATE going 'clubbing'.

It's just NOT my thing.

Another city...

Mumbai seems like a whole different city this winter. Every 2 out of 3 persons is wrapped up in a shawl, muffler, sweater, jacket, etc.

It's a little strange cause I never remember Mumbaites walking around like that :)

Of course it hasn't been so cold in decades.

Anyway I do hate the cold no matter what but getting home today, I couldn't help but smile cause the experience was so different.

Also as the train pulled in, I noticed that all windows in nearly all compartments were shut - again something very unusual. Of course it was a sight for sore eye :)

I finally own a sweater. The only sweater I had before was a school uniform sweater. I guess this new one I will be using tomorrow cause I don't want to come back home like I did today - thinking that my fingers and toes are going to fall of and my nose is going to turn to ice.

I feel bad for those people who can't get home and shut all the doors and windows and wrap themselves up in blankets. Living on the streets is one of the most terrible things in the world. If I prayed, I would have prayed for those living on the streets. I finally understand how people die in cold waves (and heat waves for that matter). It's really sad...

Happy New Year....

Ming, Ruiyu, Shuyi, TienLoon, Nico & James.

Chinese New Year I think is the coolest New Year - Celebrations go on for 7 days and everyone is on holiday :)

A specie disappears every 20 minutes....

Somewhere on your planet, a specie goes extinct every 20 minutes. You do the math... that's 3 every hour, 74 every day, and nearly 27,000 every year.
Source: Greenpeace

Most of us didn't know. Most of us won't care. Most of those who do care, will do little or nothing.


Let's not be indifferent to those who share this world with us. You don't donate all your money. You don't have to go to the Amazon Rainforest. You don't have to adopt an Orangutan.


Small changes can make big differences.

Turn off electrical appliances when they are not in use. Don't waste paper. Don't wear pure leather/fur. Don't waste water. Don't waste food. Get into a car pool. Use public transport if it is viable.

You won't save the earth, you won't save a specie but at least you won't waste. You won't pollute. You won't add to so much that is already wrong in this world.

Fixed my comp :)...

Loveeeeeeee when I fix things.

Ishq Hua...

Brilliant song.

Caught the movie (Aaja Nachle) yesterday and was surprised I hadn't heard the song before.

Enjoyyyy

On days like today...

[Today doesn't = today.
Today = every day of the last week]

On days like today I wish I was vacationing. Sitting on the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade on a nice cool day, listening to the waves, feeling the breeze, watching boats crossing the little waterway, being in awe of Hong Kong on the other day.

It's so tragic when you feel the need to 'get away'.

Even if I block you online, it won't mean you will be out of my life - so what's the point :p...

I hope you hear me Nisha

:p

The 'most out of this world' exotic thing I have ever owned - Soap made of Volcanic mud :)...

Thanks Mahesh.

Back to Work...

Not that I was never there or anything but it's back to doing work that 'takes its toll'.

Don't you just hate when sometimes there is nothing to do and then there is SOOOO much?

I think I'll be repetitive - I like flat lines. Hate extremes.

Sab Chalta Hai...

There use to be a show called 'Sab Chalta Hai...Take It Easy'.

Back in the day we use to say that line all the time when someone got worked up about something (dorky school kids that we were).

The line just gets on my nerves these days because sab NAHI chalt hai. I mean it's okay to say 'shit happens' not to feel like hell - to take the stress off. But to say 'shit happens' as if it's an excuse of things not working is just plain and simple wrong. You can't just 'take it easy' and forget about everything else.

Happy Birthday Monica...

Have a great one.

:)

PS - Get a phone soon.
PPS - I didn't forget this year hehe

Happy Sankranti / Pongal...

Which ever to whom ever it fits (I don't quite get the who and whom right).

Another year goes by and I don't learn how to fly a kite :(

Same same but different....

While I do await all Nagesh Kukunoor movies very eagerly, this post isn't about his forthcoming movie Bombay to Bangkok but rather about the line - same same but different.

Most people might at first glance think this is something that is silly or doesn't make sense but honestly is does.

The line totally make me think of Resh. I mean I keep saying it that it's so funny that we are friends let alone good friend but then it is because we ARE 'same same but different'.

So me and Resh are sooooooooooo different and soooooooooooo similar it's not even funny. Resh is so conventional and non rebellious but we totally have the same sense of values about so many things. All our cribbing (because I don't want to say another word) is on the same lines. It's not about the same people but about the same issues. We also have similar lifestyle values (haha sleeping in tents - NOT HAPPENING) but have different family values.

I think I found a line to sum it up nicely. If I were to be born 20 years before I was, I would be Resh and if Resh was born 20 years after she was, she would be me. Don't know if that makes sense to you but it makes sense to me.

R.I.P.

I am real sorry aunty that I never came for the lunch to which you must have invited me a 100 times.

Rest In Peace.

Don't Judge Too Quickly...

Hehehehe

The Mob Mentality...

I have tried real hard not to blog about the whole issue but I do have 2 thing to say.

1) This whole mentality of 'because I am 1 in a group of 30, nothing will happen to me' is something we have to see doesn't get set into the mind of people looking to COMMIT CRIMES (that IS what this incident was - a crime).

2) I believe it is the job of the police to see to it that miscreants don't start adopting this mob mentality.

Happy New Year!

I wish for more harmony in the world in 2008.

Here's to the last day of 2007 :) ...

2007 was a pretty cool year. Over all more good than bad.

Some of the highlight of the year (not in any order) for me were -

1. Completing 2 years at my work place during the year (completing to and a half years or working is a GREAT feeling - I always worried before I got my job whether 1) Someone would hire me 2) If someone would hire me, would I actually be any good 3) Would I be able to stick around for at least 6 months before I got fired hehe
2. Getting my blog discovered by Cosmic and then having a lot more people visiting and leaving comments.
3. Meeting Prerna (who I know through blogging). Not only was it great to meet her but also reminded me of 3 - 4 years ago when I use to be active on a social network and actually met up with a bunch of my then internet friends.
4. The offsite at Kamshet - learned a lot - especially about myself. I find it so hard to follow without giving inputs and take a back seat - it's CRAZY.
5. Struggling at work with a couple of specific projects - learned a lot about my job but also got a lot of assumptions broken.
6. Realizing that wisdom appears in everyday events (most of which I put down on my blogs).
7. Finding blogs of really interesting people. It's a great way to find not only people who have different ideas but also come across those ideas.
8. Watching 'The Secret' (hopefully there will be implementation soon)
9. Buying a few stocks.
10. 'Partying' a little more than usual - Not that I enjoy it but the fact that I get invited is 'new'.
11. Losing my phone - not a positive highlight but a highlight none the less.

Lots more to come I am sure just can't think of all the other things right now.

I am smarter than you think I am...

So stop treating me like a kid.

Enough Already...

Hate the end of the year mainly because nearly EVERYONE asks what I am planning to do for New Years (meaning new years eve).

I know it's the kind of question people do ask you close to the end of the year but even people who know I don't party or don't like going out on the 31st, end up asking me.

This is one time when I feel ZERO guilt at lying. If I have to get out of going with a bunch of people to party - I tell them I already have plans and unfortunately they cannot be changed because no only have passes/ticket come (or any other arrangements) but also that I am seeing these people after years and they will feel very back.

Like every year I know this year also I will have to make excuses :(

What the big deal about partying man? It's such a waste of money. I don't drink. I don't dance - what I should spend thousands to go and see peoples faces?

-If all goes as planned I will be watching a lot of movies and then hopefully watching the sunrise (sucks that it's winter and that sunrise will only be around 6:30 at earliest [I am guessing]. This way I get to see at least one sunrise every year).

Perception...

Even though stars look like 'dots' in the sky, they are BIG - very big. Each star is like our sun (apparently our sun is a dwarf sized star if I am not wrong).

Now if you didn't know this and thought the stars you see at night are small - it's fine. I don't blame you. I'll never say how silly/stupid. But if you understand distance and light and everything else, and still believe the stars you see are small, then you are just foolish.

Stars also don't twinkle, they shine. What makes them twinkle is that their light gets refracted. An average person not being taught this, has full right to believe that star twinkle but those who understand about 'light moving through our atmosphere' are making a mistake if they accept/believe stars twinkle (I am saying believe and not 'say' because in general talk we all say stars twinkle and that is a matter of habit more than anything else)

Perception is important, but being blinded even when you know better is just wrong.


[Not sure if the words I have used are correct but I think the idea is clear enough]

So Readable?...

Was pretty surprised when at least 4 people asked me if I was okay and if something was wrong.

If you can't call this a great day, I don't know what you can...

Now all days should be like today I say.

1) Called up key - spend 300 bucks but so worth the 36 mins I spoke to her. Highlight of the day (month actually) for sure. So her kids are nearly normal - considering key that's a great feat. Also she did mention marriage. I don't know why I forget she is my AUNT. And guess what, she can actually do her math. Maybe it's cause she must be teaching Yash (for school) addition and subtraction :p

2) Chilled a little at work - got to know some of the 'crazy' wedding customs of South India

3) Did A LOT of keeda with Sunisha.

4) Met up with Arun thanks to whom I won a United Colours of Benetton umbrella. Glad to know he VERY REGULARLY read my blogs :) - Comment sometimes yaar.

5) Finally got Ashita's number and spoke to her.

6) Discussed 'The Secret' with Arun and on the way back got this girl on the signal telling me to buy it, and I told her I have it in my bag and she didn't believe me so asked me to show it, and I did, poor girl didn't know what to say other than offer me other books to buy.

7) BONDED majorly with 6 women in the compartment for 20 seconds - there was a crazy female in the train and when we got off the few women who were sitting across her started talking about her (had my music on so didn't hear the comments) but we ALL burst out laughing. It felt great for some unknown reason.

Merry Christmas

Special wishes to Ashwan, Berty, Bev (& the Thunderstormers), Claude, Karl & Raj

The Closer...

My latest 'favourite' TV show currently.

The first episode was not that great. Second one also I didn't like (watched it cause its Sunday and nothing better to do and also cause in this time slot I use to watch the show before this started). But I have watched a few more episodes and its brilliant.

I have to admit I love the characteristics of the main character. So proficient and competent but has these eccentricities. The role is played by Kyra Sedgwick. She is doing a pretty good job.

Also the best crying scene I have seen on TV has been this show.

Traffic Signal

Life has its own traffic signal.

The green and red lights are going to go on and off.

You will have to Stop and you will have to Go.

Only about me?

How self-centered am I?

Sometimes I think too much, sometimes I think not enough. Is it wrong to be self-centered? I don't think so. But of course like with everything else in life, there has to be a limit.

The interesting thing though is that while I might be focused on me, because I am not an 'in your face' sort of person, most people would not think for the slightest moment that I am self-centered.

2 times everytime - so strange...

My phone seems to be doing the weirdest thing.

Every time I message Gautam, he gets the SMS twice. I tried to figure why and I can't seem to fine any logical reasons.

Now Gautam getting the message twice is not an issue but me getting charged twice is.

Sure you can say 'how much does an SMS cost', but at the end of the day it is money gone to waste.

No prizes for guessing who isn't getting any SMS's from me (unless of course it is past 10:00 PM and I need to send out some message urgently).

Anyway why this figures on my blog is that there is a lesson there too. Things happen in life that are totally illogical. They might be funny, they might be costly, they might be relevant, they might be forgettable but unexpected things HAPPEN.

The only thing you can do is look for a logical solution.

Always The Last....

To Know

It's idiotic and barbaric

Been meaning to write about this for a really long time but have been forgetting.

I think the 'justice system' in Saudi Arabia is totally f***** up. I mean what the hell, a woman gets raped and you want to punish her.

I don't even have words to say how stupid that is and how angry I am at things like this. I mean what about the trauma this woman already faces? You want to not only beat her but also humiliate and BLAME her for being in a car with unrelated men? Also if a woman feels she hasn't got justice why shouldn't she go to the media?


If a woman gets raped it's not her fault. "She was asking for it", it just the most messed up thing to say. I can still understand a woman wearing something that super short and/or very revealing or something and getting stared at (I don't think it is right but I can accept that it is bound to happen) but saying that this woman was asking for it, is just so damn ridiculous.

Also wtf is this whole - how can you go anywhere without a male companion? And also how f'ed up is it to then tell a woman she was wrong to do it, especially if something bad happens to her? You are suppose to punish the man who has harassed this woman.

Anyway I could go on and on. I just think it's the stupidest level we can get as humans. It's inhuman too.

I am badly trying not to start a rant on "honour killing". Shit even the term leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Human beings are just f***** up.

dumbfounded...

I am always surprised when I come across a blog where I find someone sharing the same sentiments/feelings/thoughts I have about certain things.

I have my own take on things and I am not saying that my take is very unique or anything. It is just that it is not the most commonly said/felt/thought thing.

In real life I find very few people who feel or think the same way I do. On the net I find it so much more easily. Of course it could be that in person people don't share such ideologies openly (thought I don't see any reason why. I of course won't start talking about deforestation generally because I know that 90% of the people sitting there wouldn't be truly interested - and this could be what happens with everyone around - they don't say something because they believe that the other people around, don't want to hear what they have to say).

Anyway it's all good. I enjoy that I find more people "like me" out there. It not only gives a sense of comfort but also give more food for thought.

Go With The Flow

I always go with the flow - my life has no direction cause there is no where I have to get to.

Anyway there isn't anything wrong with going with the flow if you have no goal but at some point in time gwtf needs to stop. Not that you will only end up in bad places if you gwtf or anything, it's just that I think it's important to find a destination that you need to get to. Getting there or not is secondary. Important but secondary.

Anyway I still got a little more time (because I have given myself a little more time) to go with the flow, so I will enjoy it while I can.

And obviously I am not going to bitch cause only good things happen majority of the time.

Since you're first...

there obviously is something there.

Especially since there are other more interesting places to be.



We see it, cause it's obvious.

Familiar Strangers No More...

So I met my first blog buddy - yayyyy.

Met up with Prerna today - she was kind enough to come all the way to where I work (she had no issues with the distance though I am sure she wasn't thinking that way on her way back hehe).

It was great meeting up. I did maybe 5x of a talking - thankfully she asked for some gyan about what I do so it wouldn't seem that much.

Hopefully this we will meet up often. I owe you a coffee Prerna - if you are at our office again, you will be served the 'special' coffee I drink.

Btw I had to ask you a question and I forgot - why is it PK?

@ Cosmic - neither of us scared the other off but we are wondering about what kind of crazy person you are :p HAHA

Light Years...

Distance and time....time and distance....


I miss not seeing you around.

I miss not hearing your opinion on something.

I miss your stupid jokes and wise ass comments.

I miss how we made fun of each other.

I miss bumping into you at the most unexpected time.

I miss your attitude.

I miss how we fought for each other.

I miss trying to solve your problems.

I miss creating problems for you.

I miss the opportunities you gave me.

I miss hearing you laugh at all my jokes.

I miss being part of the group.

I miss bitching with you.

I miss sharing homework and showing you the test answers during the test.

I miss how you encouraged me.

I miss our brain-storming.

I miss how we always cancel plans we make.

I miss the good old days.

How would I be who I am if it wasn't for you?


I miss a lot of people I have grown apart from. Some have moved to different locations/cities. Some I have drifted from because it has been so long since we have met. [That's why the post is title light years - time and distance both]

Some time of course the distances aren't necessarily physical. People grow apart with change in outlook (growth).

Lots of people come into our lives and then aren't part of our lives anymore but everyone leaves a mark.

[This post in not about just one person. The "I miss" happens thanks to school friends, college friends, ex-colleagues, teachers. I miss (some of) my teachers a lot]

Sore throat :(

Nice to be considered...

Thanks BD for the pouch. Thanks GM for the earrings. (Also thanks AG for multiple gifts from 'exotic' places).

I don't like accepting gifts, but this stuff was "small enough" and also if I created a scene I would get jhaped royally in front of everyone hehe.


Whatever said and done, it's nice to be considered.

:)

Thank you.

(Next time though please don't get me anything - I seriously don't like accepting stuff).

O Mahiya - yeh dil mein tu...

Song from Dus Kahaniyan.

Totally kicks ass.

Love the whole 'O mahiya yeh dil mein tu' bit.


P.S. - I love having nicks just like that when songs / lines from songs are not famous (yet). People start asking me what's up, what's wrong with me, who I am talking about, etc etc etc. It's totally funny at times and I write such nicks on purpose.

Another Oil Spill :@....

The :@ creates an emoticon - angry face.

I can't understand why nothing substantial is getting done to stop oil spills. I mean everyone knows that these cause lots of damage to the environment, so why is it that we can build in more safety to see that oil spills don't happen the way they are happening right now. Sure you can stop a disaster from happening. Ships will break, they will sink, but I am sure a few more measures can be added to try and prevent so much damage.

I mean what are shipping companies not bothered about how much oil actually gets wasted? This is one of the reason, I keep praying that oil prices keep increasing. Oil should be so dear that any leakage or loss would be unbearably expensive and therefore systems / technologies, would come into place to prevent wastage.

Which one...

The other day, my mom asked me which of my cousins was my favourite cousin (it was not a random question).

I realize that while it wasn't hard to list my cousins out in terms of preference, it was hard admitting the preferences because on certain things you are suppose to be non bias and if you do have a bias, it must not show.

Anyway mom didn't judge obviously because she believes you can have a list / levels of liking, but I still hated naming names (she wouldn't let me go till I told her my order).

I know I hate doing this stuff - why can't we just have like v/s dislike? I mean I can rank movies, I can rank TV shows, I can rank songs, I can rank subjects (and say it all out loud) but ranking people in some order and then stating it is just wrong.
My issue isn't with having judgments and notions about people, it's about partiality.

I don't know the whole experience was icky (distasteful)

To Tarana

Well honestly I don't know what is wrong with this woman - no one confides in my so much - hehe maybe I am just available online at odd times when she is bursting to say something to someone ... anyone

:)

And if she isn't confiding and making up stories - well they really are stories. Total masala filled - those types that would be super hit with the Indian masses. Of course some of it sounds Hollywoodish too - Julia Roberts, Richard Gere (not pretty woman).

I have never seen any woman burn so many matches, in the style she did, 'just like that'. I am sure at some point in her life she will start a major fire somewhere.

I miss my favourite techie (hehe I never had to worry about giving instructions in English very fast and also didn't have to worry about doing too many tests).

Here's to Tarana (enjoying new found freedom in Canada).

Ill :(...

That's ill and not 3 or something.

I get a fever at least 3 - 4 times a year - sometimes due to exertion / exhaustion and also because I can't adapt to changes in weather very well. So if it is very hot and suddenly starts getting cold, I am sure to come down with something.

Yesterday was different though and it was freaky. Don't know what happened but I felt like hell. Why it was scary was because yesterday felt like the days, some 8 years ago when I was VERY ill.

I travel by train and climbing up/down stairs to get to the platform/out of the station is an everyday thing. Yesterday I was huffing and puffing. While you could look at me and say I look like a person who would huff and puff after a few flight of stairs, I usually don't. My breath doesn't catch that badly. Feeling as sick as I felt with I had malaria so many years ago was very scary.

Made me realize though that being mentally 'psyched out' is worse than being physically afflicted.

Thankfully I am feeling much better today.

No More...

I have already written a post about alcohol and drinking it before but am not going to provide a link because you aren't missing out on much.

What 'no more' is about, is my 'social drinking'. Sure it is as good as non existent, seeing as I am rarely social, but still 1 drink once in every 3 months is not cool.

I have decided not to take alcohol again.

I am not trying to fit in. Jeez if I were ever doing that I wouldn't be the way I am. The whole idea of taking the drink is to make the people throwing the party, feel a little happy and more over to stop people from nagging me to take a drink. So I usually end up taking one mild drink throughout the evening. But it is not worth it.

Before I agree to going to a party next time, I am going to make it clear that I will not drink and that people around me must not force me to.

I miss those days...

The other days I saw Zoom online but with a status of away and I had this "aching in my heart" (lol that line is too funny and I don't think I'll ever find a more appropriate place to say it). I wanted to ping him and start a convo full of nothing but rubbish talk, to which I would either hear 'waah bhai waah' or some other dumb line he would come up with. I realized I missed my bolt gang so much (aching heart because of this not because I couldn't talk crap with zoom)...missed spending hours on chat doing totalllllllll time pass with all 'us (us not USA) desis'.

I miss those days terribly. This post is a tribute to the funkiest, craziest, coolest, most retarded, online group I have ever been a part of.

Thanks (in no particular order) - trig, rush, nidhi, ghin, (nidhi and ghin had totally filmi romances going on back then - it was soooo cool) keerat, monish (mr bong), rohit (apples from shimla), zoom bhai (not bhaiya but like gangsta bhai), tj, degen, subho, josh, arpita, bhrama, and all those I can't remember now (cause it has been 4 - 5 years). We had some really good time. Haha I don't think I will ever again have a 'joint convo' with 7 other people all in one window.

Those were some really good times. Thanks guys - you all rock (okay so maybe not all but a lot, okay fine so maybe not a lot but at least a few. hehe couldn't resist).

[I just got to know today (since I haven't logged on in over a year and a half) that Bolt.com filed for bankruptcy and has shut down - RIP Bolt.com: Social networking before we knew what it was - and really it was social networking before we actually knew what it was]

Grow Up

"Don't you realize that people look up to you? Or if they don't already, they will someday. What sort of an example are you setting?"

Why is change so tough?...

Ever realized how badly you need to change something about yourself but find yourself totally incapable of doing the same?

I feel empowered...

Very empowered actually.

Finally got a designer and write in the team :)

3 book...

The other day I was reading 3 books different books -

Next - Michael Crichton
Small is the new big - Seth Godin
iCon - Steve Jobs

Waiting to see which one I actually finish. Next will be done for sure cause it's a Michael Crichton novel.

Seth Godins book was very interesting in the first few pages but after reading about 7 or 8 I thought about abandoning it but realized it is giving me really insightful tit bits every few pages. So I figure I might as well read a few more.

iCon will be my first real biography of sorts. I had started with Lee Iacoca's book many years ago but back then none of it mattered, interested or made sense to me. Now that I am 1) older 2) working, maybe these sort of book will be just the thing I need.

Lets see how much gets done and how soon.

Hate how wonderful pics look on a camera display but look so average on the computer...

What A Brilliant Day....

Mannnnnnnnnnnnnn how I wish all days were like Saturday. It's seemed like "the universe was working" to give me a GOOD day.

I actually counted 12 things that were so great about it.

1. Got a novel to read again - it's been a while.
2. Gautam set a record at work (Which everyone is expecting me to beat - NOT HAPPENING but will still try)
3. Went to Snack Shack after ages
4. Discovered the greatness of Open Bake
5. Found and ate brilliant tiramisu
6. Played the Amazing Race (thanks Arytch)
7. Watched Bhool Bhulaiya that too in the comfort of the conference room.
8. Caught a bus to the station (after months of giving into my cabaholism).
9. Chatted with Cosmic (1st time).
   

There were 3 more points but I can't remember them now. But it was such a great day - so many things seemed so happen so nicely.

Gautam did say 'You noticed how none of your 'highs' were work related' lol. Thanks Gautam I hadn't realized till that point.


Don't get me started about Monday though....

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/07/photogalleries/seven-wonders/index.html

This is a page on National Geographic of the New 7 Wonders and the Ancient 7 Wonder of the world. Some of the pictures here are so brilliant.

The one below has the most amazing mix of colours. While I understand photos can be edited, I am sure that on at least one day of the year, this view of the would truly look like it does in the picture.




The amount of beauty all around is just shocking at times.

It is worth checking out more photos on NGCs website.

........

Nothing is also good sometimes.

Sometimes the last thing you want comes in 1st, sometimes the 1st thing you want never comes....

A line from the song 'Strange and Beautiful' by Aqualung.

The song is strange and beautiful too. Don't know by reminded me of 'A Midsummer Night’s Dream' (at least I think that is the one). Maybe it was written for that play (/movie) or was inspired by it.

Anyway the line is brilliant - happens only too often.

But the beauty and strangeness of it is that life goes on and we move on and face more instances of - 'the last thing you want comes in 1st, the 1st thing you want never comes'

Mad World - Gary Jules

This is the song I had heard on CSI (not Goin' Nowhere by Changing Faces - shame on me - I searched INCORRECTLY). Song totally blows my mind away. Love the line - The dreams in which I am dying are the best I've ever had.


Lyrics -

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very
Mad World
Mad world

Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very
Mad World
Mad World
Enlarging your world
Mad World.

Happy Diwali


[I know it's still a day or two away, but still - I'm in a festive mood already]

Not into celeb gossip but this time I really want to know....

Watched Jab We Met and I am dying to know what actually happened between Shahid and Kareena. While it is none of my business and curiosity killed the cat, I still think a great suspense is a great suspense and would only warrant inquisition to people who know about the issue (everyone).

Everyone thinks Shahid doesn't look the type to cheat on Kareena and that it must be she who cheated on him. But I remember the episode of Koffee with Karan on which the 2 of them were and Kareena seemed totally crazy about Shahid. Could be that she is loud mouthed and more open and that he is the reserved kind but I still felt that Kareena was 'more in love' with Shahid than the other way around.

What would be a real damper would be if the split was mutually decided - not because someone was cheating or because someone was falling out of love. (I know I sound like a real bitch but everyone loves some masala and also everyone loves to believe that fantasies do come true and if they don't it's because we don't want them).

Anyway I believe everyone deserves peace of mind, so I wish they both do have that if nothing else.

Party Time...

2 parties in 2 days- that's a record for me.

Happy Halloween

The funkier a festival, the more popular it is.

I wonder why...

It has been such a 'hazy' day.


Literally.


No seriously I mean a hazy day in a literal sense.

I wonder what causes the day to be this 'foggy'. Some of my assumptions would be -
1) Pollution in the air.
2) Cloud formations - filtering how much sunlight gets received.
3) Temperature and other factors in the weather (water vapour, etc).

Makes for a good day to be out even in the middle of the afternoon. Unfortunately most of us end up being indoors on beautiful days because of work.

Watch out for...

Jaaniye (a song) from Dus Kahaniyan.

If you would like to listen - http://www.lyricsmasti.com/song/5131/get_lyrics_of_Jaaniye-Jaaniye.html

0....

Just like that...

Was trying to change my nickname and selected all the text to delete but hit the 0 key before I could hit delete.

For meaning - 0 is not what I am getting in my college exams.

Exhausted...

Not Studying

:(

Man I find it soooooooooooooo tough to study now that I am working.

Really painful.

Food for thought

Don't you hate how it NEVER ends

:(

http://sunisha-v-k.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-in-name.html

A post on Sunisha's blog about 'whats in a name'.

So that you can just click - http://sunisha-v-k.blogspot.com/2007/10/whats-in-name.html

I thought the post was hilarious.

I thought having 2 names was painful (you know one official name and one pet name that the whole family calls you of sorts thought it's a little more complicated in my case) but obviously having a "different" name can be more painful.

there is a reason...

everyone thinks you're a bitch...




and it's cause you are one.

Training...

Finally some training coming my way on 'how to manage people'.

Funny thing about stuff like training is that so much of what you hear / see / experience in a program is stuff you already know - at some level or the other.

The other thing about training is that you have to do honestly in any training program is accept some thing about yourself which you realize.

And you also end up realizing things you didn't know about yourself.

Also helps to have an outsiders perspective - so I always feel like training should have some element of personal feedback.

Derailed

Saw a movie by that named (review of it is here) but it's my nick cause I actually realized how much I loved the word.

Not that I love getting 'derailed' but it's one of those impactful words - says so much in so little.

"there is never a second chance to make a first impression"...