the monk who wants to own a ferrarri

Relationships

2011-01-10T11:06:00.000-08:00

In relationships its important to know what exactly you are bringing to the table - for that determines where the relationship goes .

HNY 2011

2011-01-09T08:15:00.000-08:00

2 years or so since I started the blog - I have been inconsistent in keeping this up (why are we surprised here , its typical me !! )

Ah ... somethings never change :)

Somehow--

2010-05-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

--somehow I have been a little left out in the race of life .. A little left out is a very poor description of what I feel.

Skill sets , social life , investments ( non financial) and a meaning to life..

Somehow I feel like I am visiting a zoo and I sit and get amused with what I see around me..a distant ambivalent and contemplative...

Somehow...

Existence

2010-05-02T05:57:00.001-07:00

I have always wondered what my existence has been for ? In the scheme of the universe what is my place ? I somehow dont prescribe to Bhagavad Gita that says do your dharma and the results will follow. There has to be a purpose of doing that right ?

Invictus

2010-03-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

-William Ernest Henley (1849–1903)

The movies simply brilliant - brilliance in execution by clint eastwood

Cross roads

2010-03-02T10:45:00.001-08:00

Its once again one of those in numerable times in my life when I feel a vacuum - a desire to have stability in my life - even the gym routine has stopped now with some kind of fatigue overpowering me to sleep late into the morning.

Work is not so interesting now and nothing to do at home once I am back to my room..

Friends have dwindled with all except for few -getting married..

Its a phase I am trying to get through though excruciatingly slow.

Food

2010-02-14T00:32:00.000-08:00

Some of the most simple foods in life can be the most awesome to eat- khichdi, sambhar rice, yellow dal and rice, chicken curry,lassi, alu paratha, curds. maggi noodles, pasta, omelletes ...:)

Face in the crowd

2010-02-13T22:31:00.000-08:00

A face in the crowd

Friendly,warm ,smiling

Constant,

Tend to lose sight of it

Get pushed around

In the crowd

I look back

Its still there

Hand stretched out

To pull me up

To make me smile

To make me hope

That someday

I will know her name.

Poetry

2010-02-13T22:23:00.000-08:00

I am doing some poetry - i finished one couple of weeks back and I am posting it up.

Shiv Sena and SRK

2010-02-13T22:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Swapan Dasgupta, - apologies for lifting your article from todays sunday times of india- i loved it and infact matches my ideas - thanks for voicing them

#########

RIGHT & WRONG

Why Sena needs to pass a loyalty test

SWAPAN DASGUPTA

Assuming Islamabad has an equivalent of the committee of the great and good that decides on India’s Republic Day honours, it may find it worthwhile considering something innovative: honouring the Shiv Sena with a Pakistani award. There are few organizations that in recent weeks have done more to foster a spirit of generosity towards Pakistan as has the Sena and its leadership.
The Sena’s services to Pakistan are difficult to surpass. First, it has put Mumbai on par with Peshawar in the global safety index for cricket matches. If it is hazardous for a visiting cricketer to either field near the boundary line or venture into town in Peshawar, the Shiv Sena has made it known that it will not countenance any Australian or Pakistani player in the Mumbai leg of the IPL. Unwittingly or otherwise, the Sena has helped establish political equivalence between India and Pakistan. It has neatly punctured India’s claim to be a cut above the rest in the subcontinent.
Secondly, the Sena has established the validity of what Pakistan’s politicians and generals have steadfastly maintained after 26/11: that perverted thinking in the Islamic Republic doesn’t emanate from state-sponsorship but from troublesome, yet independent, ‘nonstate’ players. Pakistanis can now assert with greater confidence that just as they have their wild lot in Muridke, India has its crazies in Mumbai. True, the devotees of Bal Thackeray rely exclusively on sticks, stones and muscle power, whereas the holy warriors have considerable expertise in armed warfare. But these, many in Islamabad would undoubtedly argue, are niggling matters of detail. What counts is that fanaticism and lunacy aren’t exclusive Pakistani prerogatives.
Finally, by picking on Bollywood’s most exalted star, the Sena has advanced the Pakistanization of India. Shah Rukh Khan isn’t, and has never pretended to be, a political pundit tutored in the nuances of the Great Game along the Radcliffe Line. He is not Aamir Khan who loves a ‘cause’ each day for breakfast. What Shah Rukh has to say about good neighbourliness may be potentially interesting, even incisive. But to suggest that his starry-eyed comment “It (Pakistan) is a great neighbour…We are great neighbours, they are good neighbours. Let us love each other” constitutes an act of devilish treachery for which he must seek forgiveness is incredible. If film stars start being assessed for patriotism—like what Senator Joe McCarthy did in Hollywood to combat communism in the 1950s — India will be perilously close to emulating those in the Pakistan cricket establishment who felt that the religiosity should be a factor in team selection.
In 2006, the chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board Nasim Ashraf had to inform Captain Inzaman-ul-Huq that “that there should be no pressure on players who don’t pray regularly or any compulsion on them to do it under pressure… I have told him there should be no perception among players that if they don’t pray they will not be in the team…” In 2010, the owners of the Shiv Sena have set a new loyalty test that carries one message: you cannot do business in Mumbai if your hostility to Pakistan isn’t sufficiently robust.
By this logic, Thackeray should have broken off its political relationship with the BJP whose leader wrote a glowing testimonial to Mohammed Ali Jinnah after visiting the mausoleum in Karachi in 2005. Compared to Advani’s ballad, Shah Rukh was guilty of composing a poor ditty. But then, as Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto used to say, consistency is the virtue of small minds.
The Sena’s role in making Pakistan seem respectable is seminal and immeasurable. It certainly surpasses the goody-goody utterances of the hero of My Name is Khan. But whereas Shah Rukh can at best be faulted for naïve sentimentalism—which in his business of selling dreams is hardly a crime—the Sena’s offence is graver. By virtue of his menacing antics, it has willy-nilly joined many millions of the star’s fans to a cause that was never foremost in their minds.
There are many Indians who are wary of New Delhi’s U-turn on Pakistan, and more so because memories of the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai are still fresh. They can’t empathize with Shah Rukh’s lovey-dovey approach, just as couldn’t identify with those who lit candles on the Wagah border. Yet, even those who advocate a mix of belligerence and benign neglect towards Pakistan have been appalled at the targeting of a star simply because he is innocent of foreign policy and his title is Khan. They have watched in horror the Sena make nationalism disreputable by turning it into thuggery.
If there is to be a loyalty test, it is the Sena that must first establish it is batting for India. As of now, it doesn’t seem all that clear cut

Getting hacked

2010-02-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

my gmail and facebook accounts got hacked .. finally got thru them.. have deleted the facebook and orkut accounts for now.. never thought my cyber existence would get attacked like this..

I live like a refugee

2010-01-31T05:14:00.000-08:00

The other day I realised that I live like a refugee - no roof on my head, no address proof of my own and no kitchen of my own..

I live like a refugee.....

How to Gain Weight

2010-01-27T08:19:00.000-08:00

Nobody will tell you this- no website no journal or dietician would give this info. All they would say is eat more !!

I was skinny and I did the below to put on weight -

1) Joined a gym and did weight training - every day a particular body part - six days a week.

2) The gym routine made me hungry and I was instructed to feed my hunger by eating 6 times a day . As my body metabolism is high , I was free to eat everything under the sun and non veg atleast once a day.

Try it and let me know.

Bombay

2009-11-17T08:10:00.000-08:00

I will call the mega polis as Bombay. I never liked it when they changed the city's name. The city is huge and yes mega is the right name for it. The nightspots are simply superb -one may require an entire fortnight to finish them.

The city has its own problems - the people are just one of them. It needs a mega plan to revitalise its infrastructure - transport, water,living spaces,waste treatment.

And on the other hand - what does the beloved Shiv Sena and MNS do ? Any grand ideas for the city thats crumbling and vulnerable from them ?

None at all - except play politics ;after all they are politicians ..

Helped a blind man today

2009-11-09T11:01:00.000-08:00

to cross the road and it felt really good......

The gud old blore weather !!

2009-11-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

The cold damp weather - once in a day rains of Bangalore are back again and one has only oneself to give company... I have touched 70 kgs - the only way was eating hard :) and parallely working out in the gym...Now need to move up the value chain of working out, meanwhile allow me to chill out in this beautiful weather. !

Funny Pics

2009-10-31T07:05:00.001-07:00

1.The female monkey above looks longingly at an ATM security guard,for food

2. Hilarious sign put up at Dominoes Pizza Church Street-- it was such a disaster eating at the place there !!!

Durga Puja

2009-10-31T06:56:00.001-07:00

Crackers on diwali

2009-10-31T05:45:00.000-07:00

Poetry

2009-10-31T05:39:00.000-07:00

I look out through the window

Up onto the white grey sky

and i see the moon

lovely little speck

I wish I was on a plane

so that I could poke it

and see it for myself

if it was real

I hold my gaze and it does

the same

wonder how did it learn this

little trick

Ah the moon,

lovely little speck

in the dark white sky

Serene,

And yet lonely

Humsini

2009-10-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

She passed away.......

Her face still in front of me..

Difficult to digest

Bubbly,

Sweet...

Victim of road rage

Not her fault - death is nobody's fault

Died too soon

Cant get it out of my head .................

Interesting Views from todays Sunday Times

2009-09-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

" The happiness of life, the joy of individual liberty, will define the politics of India in the foreseeable future. Those politicians who do not recognize this are condemned to irrelevance. Who understands life better than a woman? Women give life. Men take it.
Women have listened to priests in every age of recorded history. It is time for priests to listen to women" ----- M J AKBAR

"This then is the secret of India’s success. Don’t waste time with strategic planning and picking winners. Simply let competition happen. You will be surprised how the most unlikely sectors can become world class. That’s how India has just beaten China." - SWAMINATHAN S ANKLESARIA AIYAR

The youtube videos

2009-09-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Its fun now using the youtube esp after I found out a website which can convert video links into the VLC format. The power of youtube now just seems endless.

I bought my phone

2009-09-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

Its the Nokia E 63 and its getting in all the nice comments one cud expect from people around me.!!

Today

2009-09-07T10:31:00.000-07:00

Today - is bit dull and melancholic - but surprisingly all the 4 hindi channels on TATA Sky are showing Big B movies - one channel says its ABC ( Amitabh Bachchan Cinema) !!

PONDERISMS

2009-09-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.
There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.
Life is sexually transmitted.
Healthy is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFOs like they used to?
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, 'I think I'll squeeze these dangly things and drink whatever comes out?'
If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?
Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?
If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?
If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?
Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?
Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?
Do you ever wonder why you gave me your email address?
Can you cry under water?
How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?
Why do you have to 'put your two cents in'. . . But it's only a 'penny for your thoughts'? Where's that extra penny going to?
Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
What disease did cured ham actually have?
How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two hours?
If a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?
Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?
Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground?
Why is 'bra' singular and 'panties' plural?
Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
Can a hearse carrying a corpse drive in the car-pool lane ?
If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!
If Wiley E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME crap, why didn't he just buy dinner?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?
Why did you just try singing the two songs above?
Why do they call it an asteroid when it's outside the hemisphere, but call it a hemorrhoid when it's in your butt?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?

PS- from an email forward from my friend

The Concept of Existential Aloneness

2009-08-23T02:43:00.000-07:00

You need to read this section from the book -Pulling your own strings by Dr Wayne W Dyer.The concept of exisential aloneness simply says that human existence is predicated on one being alone with your unique feelings and thoughts. and that life can be simpler if one accepts this reality.

Searching for a cell phone

2009-08-23T00:40:00.000-07:00

My nokia 5610 is screwed up with hardware issues - it was a really good deal that time ( my sister and bro in law gifted it to me) .Nonetheless it worked well - 3.2 mp phone camera was worth it and for the very little amount of music I listen to the loudspeaker quality was decent.
Anyways, now with the memory card not being read by the phone, the slider acting cranky affecting the screen display its time for me to look around for a new one. And man its proving to be a tough !!
For the budget in mind there are no good phones - either they are slider ones or dont have a decent camera.I have gone to google and did recee the stores , the nokia e 63 looks good so far . My room mate has picked up the same and it does look good- wat does add up in the end is that its time for me to move up the value chain

Masinagudi

2009-08-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

It was after a long time that I had a road trip weekend .Went to masinagudi with office colleagues and man it was an awesome place to stay at the homestay- Mountain Mist . It was my responsibility to make sure that the place we stay be a good one - after all I had called up my pal in Mysore to find out somebody to arrange this. And everything fell beautifully into place. The homestay was just nestled under the foothills of the Nilgiris and man it was so silent that talking in loud voices there made one feel guilty.

It made me doubly happy and proud when such things fell in place for rarely have I got a chance to do things single handedly esp when one is the youngest in the family and most of the time made to sit on the fence.. It showed that I could do things on my own and that too smartly - that I can pull it off when the time came .

Finally on facebook !

2009-08-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

Sometime ago I commented on a cartoon strip that appeared in Sunday Times - about a woman not being on Facebook and how she did not want to succumb to conforming to the world around her.
I tried my best to hold out and not be on that networking site - the entire world was there and that was exactly the reason I held out but finally succumbed. Another reason I held out was the concept of being on a networking site is bit oxymoron - if u want to stay connected- pick up the phone and call why be on a virtual network ?

I poked my brother in law and added a few friends - lets see how things work out ....

Comic Strips

2009-07-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

I have been reading the e paper version of Times of India these days and yesterdays Bangalore Times supplement had two wonderful and the most beautiful cartoons under Calvin & Hobbes and Between Friends.
Calvin complains how time has flown quickly and that he does not want to go to school and that he wants to hoard his freedom and have more fun

In Between Friends. Susan tells Maeve that she did not find her in Facebook.Maeve replies saying that she is not on facebook. Why ? asks a surprised Susan one should be on Facebook so as to stay in the loop. Maeve replies that does not make any sense to her and Susan wonders when did being relevant ever make sense to anybody !!

I wish I could post the cartoons on the blog I do not know how. Try reading them and you would realise that sometimes things that are meant to be laughed at teach you the most relevant lessons about life itself.

Obsoletely Male

2009-07-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

I borrowed the heading from Sunday Times of India ( 12 july 2009) article titled WATER COOLER moment - it was supposed to be a pun on the news that scientists have invented a procedure to create sperm cells from stem cells and that would mean the men would not be needed anymore.

Almost all the articles that I have come across on this topic laments this fact or rather grumbles on this fact but not this one.
The article- pun in cheek -writes that women traits are happening - better EQ so better team players ,better listeners so better managers and even better shoppers and then suddenly the article counter argues that a girl cannot choose all the lovable features of a particular man from stem cells and eventually we all need love .

The article is brilliantly written with everything so subtly put into a single precise column - hats off to the thought process and the editing !!

India after Gandhi

2009-07-09T10:07:00.000-07:00

I have finally finished reading this book - it took me more than two months to finish it though. The book is a good read especially if one wants to know how India shaped up after Independence .Beginning with Nehru to 2003 the author Ramachandra Guha captures everything- the Partiton the Kashmir issue, secessionary tendencies in North East , war with China, Indira Gandhi and the war of 1971 with Pakistan. It touches on even movies and even the evolution of All India Radio
The book ends with something a very interesting insight - "so long as Hindi movies are watched and their songs sung,India will survive."

Intelligence

2009-06-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

My friend told me that I am way too high for her intelligence. I said I can come down to her level but then she asked for how long would you put up the act. One day I would be giving up the pretense.
This "categorisation" of me must have began during my degree days and it indeed became more evident during MBA.I am not gloating over all this. Sometimes I feel sad that I find myself alone in the so called intellectual league.
Perhaps. all the knowledge has been bottled up till date.
I read more books than my peers and thought more than they ever did.
I do not know how I would go about getting myself a partner if she is not intellectually upto me - would I be able to put up with her? I guess this is a different tangent and I need to answer it seperately

R D Burman

2009-06-27T05:22:00.000-07:00

Today is this legends birthday. I love his songs and they have remained hummable even till date.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-27T05:05:00.000-07:00

Original song writer, music composer. choreographer,the singer with whom my generation grew up with.
World record holder for staying on the No. 1 Singles hit chart (37 weeks) .
Pioneer of the music video industry.
Controversy never left him even on his death. May his soul rest in peace.

Asking the right questions

2009-06-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

They say one needs to ask questions . The right questions at the right time to the right person ,I believe, to get the right answers.
If you dont get the right answers then think if you have done the above correctly.

Moments of Happiness

2009-06-04T11:22:00.000-07:00

We yearn for moments of happiness - moments we feel we can hold onto and be at peace with ousrselves.All our worries ,stress and tensions lie in crossing that distance - the shortest ever but yet longest - the proverbial so near and yet so far.

Friends

2009-06-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

They are like the drivers you see on your rearview mirror.They are right behind you but do not overtake and always remember objects in the rearview mirror are actually closer than you think !

The month of May

2009-05-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

My recently married friend from MBA came to my room today and complained that in the past 3 weeks he has come to my room, I am not to be seen.

First weekend of May I was in Mumbai having an awesome weekend with friends there.Its an awesome city to party. Yes the May heat can kill you especially if you are from Bangalore.The only way out is the traditional Malayalee habit of bathing twice a day. I could not get on to ride a double decker bus but made my friends take me around the city which I believe wont tire you.

The third week I was in Mangalore with office collegaues attending a colleague's wedding. The road trip was simply relaxing !

Also went to see Jeffery Archer at Landmark, Jayanagar- he was witty some lines were repeated from his Mumbai and Chennai visits- overall a good impression about him - after all he signed my book.:)

Meanwhile the Congress won thumpingly in the elections - hope it does not become arrogant and then May also saw me change to contact lenses.. They are good to wear and you should see my new look its uber cool.....

Look forward to June with more posts and more activities after all the mind cant stay vacant.!!

Khushwant Singh

2009-04-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

A couple of days back I finished reading Khushwant Singh's book of essays- Why I supported the Emergency and other essays - the simplicity of the language used is so powerful.The articles are all anecdotal in nature and filled with humuor . At 93 years this great mind is sharp as ever !!

The day I saw Rajiv Gandhi

2009-04-25T12:22:00.000-07:00

One of the early VIP's I saw in my life was Rajiv Gandhi. I remember it very clearly - I was probably 6 years old or so and we stood outside our apartment complex. Traffic was held up and the roads were cleared for the calvacade to pass.And lo the fleet of ambassador cars whizzed by and there was Mr Rajiv Gandhi with his entire head out of the window waving to us.The crowd cheered and roared and for my impressionable mind the whole thing has just clung on.
A couple of years later Mr Rajiv Gandhi was assasinated .Those days we did not have 24 hour news channels and the morning edition of Statesman never came on time.We were cursing the news agent and when it came ,we read in bold headlines about the tragedy.Apparently a human bomb had blown herself up.It was gory .It was for the first time that such a weapon was used ( previous assassinations were through the bullet- Mahatma Gandhi and Indira).I never understood the political compulsions behind the killing - for me the person whom I had seen so upclose had gone and it was upsetting for me. Rajiv's face represented his entire legacy- the hairline of Nehru and the jaw of his mother Indira could be seen.

I am watching Big Fight on NDTV and the supporters of LTTE say that because Rajiv sent the IPKF to Sri Lanka, they blew him up.Who gave them the right to decide such things is my question ?

Being sick

2009-04-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

I think i had a premonition of falling sick - somehow I was calculating the number of sick leaves i had earned in the last year and how I could actually take them as lavishly I wanted. And then suddenly I was sick with viral fever from last Saturday. I hesitated going to the doctor for I was apprehensive about going into the hospital. The last time I had gone ( and for the first time in my life ) for typhoid was for three days and boy , it was so boring plus expensive.A steady stream of visitors had me humored but the experience was not pleasant.

So finally,this Tuesday I went to my doctor - a general practitioner ( always go to a GP first come what may ) amd he cheered me up when he did not mention of any tests or hospitals.The very relief made my sickness come down a notch and has put me onto road of recovery faster.(the happiness gene really works I guess )

I I just want to get back to my routinue- I have nissed my gym and the good food and I cant stand it longer.

Sundays

2009-04-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

I live by my Sundays. The only day I get to do something which I have not done in the entire week is on a Sunday. Wish people around me felt the same way and not slept till late in the morning.

Indian Political League 2009 - 2

2009-04-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

Its reaching the crescendo - honestly not much has changed in the parties and in the candidiates running for the elections. I will try my best to bundle what I am aware of whats happening .

1) NDA announces Advani as PM candidate .
2) UPA - the incumbent alliance has differences amongst themselves - Congress finds itself being marginalised in states where they are not dominant .
3) Advani appeals to youth -opens a facebook profile, goes to the gym ( a major PR campaign) to reach to the youth voters ( honestly this is very amusing to me ).
4) Third Front appears - a bunch of regional parties whom the BJP nor the Congress are willing to give weightage to but has to woo post elections.
5) BSP's Mayawati appears to be a strong kingmaker ( as I write this I am also watching an entire episode on her rise ) .
6) The actual campaign colours begin with the Varun Gandhi hate speech.
7) BJP and its allies attacks PM Manmohan Singh.
8) PM Manmohan suddenly bares his fangs - says he refuses to get into a TV debate with L K Advani for that would legitimise the latter's claim to being the next PM ( I loved his retorts ) .
9)The Samajwadi Party launched its election manifesto - and man its hilarious - ban computers ( what would friends Anil Ambani do with his Reliance Infocomm and Amitabh Bachchan with his blog !!)
10) The mood in electorate is somewhat like this - If Congress comes to power , I am ok with it.if its BJP then I would leave the country and if BSP's Mayawati becomes the PM - I would settle in Congo !!
11)Eventually everybody is moving in such a way that - 'you are my enemy, I dont like you ,I hate you and I cant stand the sight of you - but yes wait in case we are in a good position to form the govt post elections I am willing to sit with you and talk !!!!

All in all - wish I could vote online from here without going to my hometown .Its a huge excerise and needs to be carefully thought through, maybe someday it will happen...

Doing my "ings" correct

2009-04-12T00:28:00.000-07:00

Recently my friend called me up and asked me how I was doing .I replied I was doing the usual - doing my "ings" correctly.

"Meaning ?"
"Oh , working,reading,watching TV,gymmimg,eating,sleeping and all such things "

Life after all seems to fall in that routine now where nothing would seem to go wrong

A Beautiful Sunday

2009-03-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

Today was one of the most beautiful Sunday's in recent times.Breakfast-morning paper - movie on laptop-swimming and to top it up dinner at a Bengali restaurant.

I just dont want this night to pass.I hope it freezes and the sun never gets up tomorrow for this moment seems to be so perfect.

Under your wear

2009-03-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

I was shopping today at a Hanes outlet near my PG for swimming costumes and I was amazed at the sheer collection of men's and women's undergarments available at one's disposal.

The designs,the styles ,the cut and to the extent of fabric being used has gone through a tremendous amount of change in the past fifteen years.I wonder if any B school has come out with a case study documenting such changes and about the brands in the current market.

I feel such changes reflect a change in attitude towards one's sexuality by the Indian consumer.A change in mindset about how they should feel inside to look good outside.

Hope such changes percolate deep further into the lower levels of the society - something which we Indians drastically need to improve upon.

Indian Political League 2009

2009-03-22T01:20:00.000-07:00

Somehow this time's election does not look like an election at all.The sounds and sights are yet to be seen and felt.

It all looks to be a hung parliament with a coalition government. The BJP looks to be shooting in its foot with infighting and the Congress finding itself getting lost with its regional allies - first with NCP in Maharashtra and then RJD in Bihar. UP was always a lost state from 1979. The Third Front claims to have its own base but then again its loaded with regional stalwarts who have their egos as big as their regions they are in control of.

So whom does the Indian electorate vote for ? Not many good choices eh ?

Personally ,post elections I would want for a single party government at the helm atleast that way there would be no dilly dallying to make strong decisions. And yes of course some creative thinking in campaigning and the issues on which the elections are fought .

Next blog would be on what changes I would want in the Indian Political League

Eating with chopsticks

2009-03-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

Last night dinner was with chopsticks at a Chinese restaurant.The impulse to do something out of the routine was so compelling.It was clumsy initially but it was good fun.

I guess this is what life is all about - doing things not done before and and enjoying those moments .

The failed state of Pakistan

2009-03-04T10:48:00.000-08:00

I cant help but comment on this topic. Have u ever thot why Pakistan has become the way it is today ,despite having achieved Independence along with India.
Come what may we Indians religiously go to the polls every five years ( how muchever Godhra type events happen , we go ) .We have some how stuck to the Constitution that the founding fathers had envisoned .But look at Pakistan - tumultous history and not a wink of peaceful sleep for its citizens ............. what went wrong ?

Big question in my mind - discussion with friend

2009-03-04T10:13:00.000-08:00

There ocurred a big question in my mind which ended up in a big discussion with one of my friends ..
The point here was why does life end up chasing ideals ,of chasing aspirations and the struggle to achieve them.One tends to move on from one desire to another and the ensuing struggle for that.

I am sure we are meant to do something in our life rather than this "pursuit of happyness" thing

How do we get to the answers? They do say that life is all meant to be a struggle and there is no meaning to it without the struggle - but then why are we falling into the trap in the first place ? To learn what ? And for what higher purpose ?

Slumdog Millionaire

2009-02-24T10:25:00.000-08:00

The movie won the Oscars and yet there are some people who are still skeptical about it. This is typical crab mentality- neither do u u go up nor do u let others move forward .

PS- read my take for the movie in an earlier post

In the presence of greats !!

2009-02-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

Abraham Lincoln was born on Feb 12th and George Washington on 22nd Feb - and I was born right inbetween the two dates !! ( WOW)

The World is not a nice to place live !

2009-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Recent events have been making the world a not so nice to live. First it was the slowdown followed by recession which meant job losses . Swaminathan S Ankelswaria Aiyer in todays TOI says that the recession was brought about b y Asian economies holding on to surplus foreign reserves.He says that the Americans have generally used their future income to consume more ( there is no other economy that spends more and only when this country spends does the world economy run !!) and on top of that when Asian economies pumped in their dollar reserves to buy American assests and stocks it made US domestic interest rates much more lower which in turn encouraged Americans to borrow more and spend more and finally when the bubble burst - we all came tumbling down. (Wow ! that was the most simplistic version I could have come up for any economic article)
Meanwhile Paris Hilton says that she will spend more to help the world economy but the problem is she would be buying only from the elite brands/companies and how does this " magnamious act" of hers help things .
Obama has come to power and I am still not sure how he is going to bring the change he has been promising.

Closer home some really jobless people have taken up to define whats good and bad for us ( I am referring to the Sri Ram Sene) and V day celebrations seem to look bad this year. Intellectuals will only talk and cannot act do what they propose for they are intellectuals and their job is to think .

Why cant women organise a Sree Durga Sene and go on a rampage ?

Closer to me I have joined a gym finally and enjoying every bit of it ,after all those sessions are all about me and me alone !

Where have I been ?

2009-01-26T06:32:00.000-08:00

I was not in town for the past two weeks - was at home for 5 days ( ah that was heaven !!) Best part of the home trip was I did not have a single official call or escalation and that was pretty much of an achievement.
Yesterday I was back from Tirupati - it was good I guess.
Now here I am writing this blog and the biggest worry for today is have I outlasted my utility to the people around me ? I guess and I strongly feel that I have. Somehow I need to get back to my feet all over again not sure how .

HNY 2009

2009-01-11T00:23:00.000-08:00

HNY 2009 to all. its 15 days post new year that I m writing this post.
New year party was good - eating icecream at Baskin Robbins at 130 am was indeed worth it.
Life is pretty much the same- the weekends come and go and you are left wondering what happened to the good old days.Too many things to do and too little time in hand- all I wish is I get loads of it and in short it means prioritisation at every level.

Come play with me

2008-12-27T23:39:00.000-08:00

Across the yonder

Over the mountains

Under the ridges

Beneath the blue sky

Come play with me

My friend

Its been a long time

Storytelling and the movies

2008-12-27T13:38:00.000-08:00

Storytelling is an art and movies often tell stories. The success of a movie depends on how well the director has told his story.
I saw two movies over the weekend ( its 340 am on a sunday, as I write this blog) - Ghajini and Slumdog Millionaire.
Ghajini is an out and out commercial movie with the right mix of songs ,laughter and loads of gory action ( gory is not the right word, its a lighter version which I cant think of).Hats off to Aamir Khan to pull it off solely on his shoulders. It was worth all the hype and hoopla around it I think.
Slumdog Millionaire on the other hand is a Danny Boyle movie based on the novel Q&A. Through the programme Who Wants to be a Millionaire, it narrates the story of a slum boy .The best part of the whole script is how the author links each question asked to the protaganist on the show to his past and how he answers each one of them based on his real life experiences.Brilliant piece of story telling.

Ratings - Ghajini - 3.5/5
Slum dog Millionaire - 5/5

Being in control

2008-12-24T09:55:00.000-08:00

At work today I felt I need to be more in control of my work and my situations , in general. I guess this is what people most often than or not try doing their entire lifetime.

It ends up wondering how to put the right pieces at the right places and their by end up controlling one's destiny and future.Is this easy ? I am not sure of the answers

22kgs underweight,9% body fat and then inspirations

2008-12-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

The oher day I went to inspirations a beauty clinic to check out their weight gain progs.Apparently the tests showed I was 22kgs underweight and and with 9 % body fat , when I am supposed to have a 27% body fat-the package would cost me 98,000 odd.

It was so hilarious could not stop laughing with my friend once I was out.Nothing could entice me to book my place not even a 30% discount or a 500 buck spot registration. Imagine why should anybody pay this much of a money to gain/lose weight ?

Invisible- The movie

2008-12-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

Based on a real life rugby player -Vince Papali who played for the Philadelphia Eagles- its an inspirational story about a bar tender who joined the team at the age of 30.

Good one to watch over the weekend.

Ravana

2008-12-08T09:24:00.000-08:00

Ravana the demon king in Ramayana has been holding my curiosity for some time now and yesterday I looked it up on wikipedia and my curiosity was greatly satisfied.
Painted as the villain in the epic story how did he become the all powerful ruler of the three worlds including the netherworld? Apparently he was so powerful that he could summon the rising and setting of the sun !

Ravana was a Brahmin by birth and because of being blessed by Brahma he was a master of all the four vedas and the 6 upanishads and hence the name " dashannan" or the ten headed for he was equal to ten scholars ( probably this is the inspiration of him being depicted as somenody with ten heads literally speaking).

A great devotee of Lord Shiva,Ravana is also credited with the composition of Shiva Tandava Stotra .

When the battle of Ramayana is being waged Ravana was at the peak of his powers - how did he achieve this ? Why has not modern authors and playwrights not explored this part of Ravana and the Ramayana ?

Interesting is it not ?

Ghajini- music

2008-12-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

I do not know where to place this movie's album. The best and sometimes the worst part of A R Rahman's music is that one needs to "hear" the music/song in the context of the story .
In my opinion it applies here as well. Take a look at the song guzarish by javed ali ( he vaguely resembles sonu nigam ) I am hearing the song for a long time on in.com ( nice website to check out) and finally saw it on TV- wow the way the instruments were assembled and the feel it gives to the scene is really good.
Rest of the songs again sound ordinary I am yet to see it picturised- i m sure it wud be equally gud

It happened on a wednesday-3

2008-11-30T01:28:00.000-08:00

The whole country ( the news channels I mean) seems to be shouting and highlighting how the governement is in effective.I remember one notable news clip on NDTV where they Barkha Dutt showed a citizen holding a placard " Mr Terrorist; I survive despite of u ;Mr. Politician I survive with .......................... " (sic) { I m not sure ,how it ended }

Well. the point I try to make is this - if things are affecting people so much why dont they get out and do something.
If an X personality says that heads must roll and they feel bad about the whole thing - why do they not start a movement ?

Well its time to stop talking and act, is it not ?

It happened on a Wednesday -2

2008-11-28T06:29:00.000-08:00

Today office was abuzz with the events in Bombay.The general feel and attitude was how the terrorists cud plan in such elaborate fashion.
They wanted the police to be stronger effective having more teeth ,how Manmohan Singh is ineffective as a PM who cant motivate and even questioning why POTA is not being implemented..
I liked what Ratan Tata said - its time the govt.learns from its past mistakes .. its been 26 years India has been facing terrorists attacks" (sic)

I think that summed it up all.

It happened on a wednesday

2008-11-27T08:50:00.000-08:00

In the movie titled"a wednesday' naseeruddin shah plans the hostage release drama. It took another wednesday for terrorists to attack Mumbai so dastardly.
Look at them do it so boldly just when we were not expecting it.I was completely clueless about it until my friend from Pune told me in the morning.
I feel sad for Taj Palace- the hotel is more than 100 years old and it always been under terror attacks .The news channells will now start talking about how intelligence failure took place ,blame the govt and the usual blah blah- it makes me not watch TV at all for sometime ( though I dont have one yet).
It eventually had to happen on a Wednesday !

2008-11-26T08:21:00.000-08:00

Suddenly everything has become a bore - my mind has gone for a holiday it is not getting any stimulus intellectually. All friends in banaglore are getting married or have already got married.Loneliness and boredom are staring right in my face.
I have taken up assignments one as a researcher for Greycaps and another as a member of the contributors panel for carpemanna.com (a blog venture started by my closest pal).
But even then suddenly everything has become a bore.

Terrible time with AIRTEL

2008-11-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

Never buy a data card to access internet expecially Airtel.
I had a terrible time to access gmail and send some important mails only becos of the datacard's connecting speed. Efforts to get it rectified is another story to tell..

I am shifting

2008-11-23T05:25:00.001-08:00

to my friend's place in Koramangala- its a good place to be in - quality of life that I seek is just spread all over.

Movie review- Quantum of Solace

2008-11-23T05:21:00.000-08:00

Movie once again is not like the Pierce Brosnan ones- no gagdets only brawn. The movie also shows the emotional maturing of Bond with Daniel Craig in it.

Score- 3/5

Movie review- Dostana

2008-11-23T05:13:00.000-08:00

Its gud - makes u laugh at the theatre .But at the end of it all the storyline has not much depth,it plays on "gay men' theme built solely for the NRI audience.
The second half is dragging as well - the movie clicks only becos of the 3 characters - PC ,AB and John ,with women audience ogling at John and the men at PC.

Overall - 3/5

What MBA does not teach u

2008-11-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

1.Relationship mgt.
2.Doing even the smallest things the sincere way- we learn to google all our projects/assignments.
3.More importantly, how to make our bosses look good.

When I was away

2008-11-17T09:02:00.000-08:00

When I was away..
We were in touch
Every other day
When I am in town
We dont speak to one another
Why are we so distant
When we are so close
And so close
When we are away?
Is it becos
We take the other granted
Or just that we are simply
Busy.....

RSVP

Trying to be in touch

2008-11-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

Whenever I try being in touch with people I get the feeling that I am interrupting their pre destined orbits- that I am not welcome in their pre set path of daily routine.Its like a meteorite coming in the way and colliding with a planet.
Is it partly I am not welcome or is it that people are really busy that they forget to breathe and smell the roses.
Come on, it cant be both the things at the same time - some in fact dont even bother to be in touch and respond to only when they are sought after or an idea is suggested to them to catch up and when they eventually do it appears to be a herculean effort from their side to spend quality time.
For me its a simple case of priority - if its important people will call up amd try remain connected.Unfortunately,when I decide on this I end up doing the contrary-the eternal fool that I am.

The power is back

2008-11-15T23:19:00.000-08:00

and am watching Superman Returns !!

I was watching Superman Returns

2008-11-15T22:34:00.000-08:00

and the power just went off !!

Kishore

2008-11-15T09:58:00.000-08:00

Koi Hota..
Jisko apna
Hum apna
Keh lete yaaron..
pass nahi
tho door hi hota
Lekin mera koi apna

India on the Moon

2008-11-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

Yipee !!!! :)

Orkut

2008-11-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

Guess what, people who I actually care for have not written me a testimonial yet !!!!!!!!!
Why ??
I really dont know and this makes me feel sad...sigh :(

Full text: Obama's victory speech

2008-11-07T09:44:00.000-08:00

Democrat Barack Obama has become the first African-American to win the White House. Here are his remarks to a huge crowd in his home city of Chicago:
CHANGE HAS COME
If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voices could be that difference.
It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled - Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America.
It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.
It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
PARTNERS IN THE JOURNEY
A little bit earlier this evening I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.
I congratulate him, I congratulate Governor Palin, for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.
I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the vice-president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.
And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both more than you can imagine, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House.
And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure. To my sister Maya, my sister Auma, all my other brothers and sisters - thank you so much for all the support you have given me. I am grateful to them.
To my campaign manager David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best political campaign in the history of the United States of America. My chief strategist David Axelrod, who has been a partner with me every step of the way, and to the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics - you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.
VICTORY FOR THE PEOPLE
But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to - it belongs to you.
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington - it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.
It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; it grew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered, and organised, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from the Earth.
This is your victory.
THE TASK AHEAD
I know you didn't do this just to win an election and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime - two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.
Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.
There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for their child's college education. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
REMAKING THE NATION
The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term, but America - I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you - we as a people will get there.
There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree.
And above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years - block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.
ONE NATION, ONE PEOPLE
What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek - it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.
So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers - in this country, we rise or fall as one nation; as one people.
Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House - a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty, and national unity.
Those are values that we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours: "We are not enemies, but friends… though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection."
And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president too.
AMERICA IN THE WORLD
And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world - our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.
To those who would tear the world down - we will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security - we support you.
And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright - tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.
For that is the true genius of America - that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.
A HISTORY OF STRUGGLE
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing - Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin.
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes, we can.
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes, we can.
When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes, we can.
When the bombs fell on our harbour and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes, we can.
She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "we shall overcome". Yes, we can.
A man touched down on the Moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes, we can.
THIS IS OUR MOMENT
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves - if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.
This is our time - to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth - that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: yes, we can. Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

"PS- posted without anybody's permission " I got this text as an email forward and thought should share through my blog

Being a kid - I

2008-11-06T09:18:00.000-08:00

One of the earliest memories that I have from my childhood days is staring at the open Calcuuta sky from my 3rd floor balcony.I can remember the vast expanse of the sky in front of me and me holding on to the grills.There would be nothing beyond and somehow it wouldd keep me captivated for hours.
I also had this tendency of putting my head through the biggest gap in the rails and jutting my head out.It was scary for my mom and I got this incrediible happiness when I proved her fears of my being stuck,wrong.

Another of my early memories was waiting under the big gulmohar tree for my school bus and would often wonder why the tree was so huge? Why did it have these red flowers,aand probably this explains why I love trees today!

Ah,it makes me feel so wonderful when i have a relapse of such kind- why did we lose our innocence ?

The new face of regionalism

2008-10-29T09:45:00.000-07:00

Our country's founding fathers stressed the point of being a secular nation ,with no regional imbalances.Somehow the present "leaders"and we the people never managed to get it right.

But whats heart warming is the "terrorists" ( if thats the right word to use it) in Kashmir managed to get a hang of it and found support in their mission.

Probably ,the rest of us hould offer money to one another so as to see the other's point of view !

End of Dadagiri

2008-10-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

By the time I write this Sourav Ganguly has scored a ton in his last test series.

I liked the way Headlines Today described it as an end of Dadagiri on his retirement.

It was something near perfect description of his exit - well he taught Indian cricket to be aggressive and nearly the entire side who are there presently owe much of their success to him - be it Bhajji,Sehwag, Irfan, Laxman,Yuvaraj.

Anyways ,hope the dada gets a fitting farewell - a la Steve Waugh style..

There's something wrong with the chocolate you gave me

2008-10-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

It was not sweet
It was not sour either
It took its own time -
To dissolve in my mouth.

What could it be ?

Maybe-
It did not have you ??

Tata, Singur and the Left

2008-10-06T10:02:00.000-07:00

All said and done, the Tatas have finally left Singur. The Times of India editorial for today says " Ta -Ta Singur" and also describes it as " a big loss to the West Bengal governement."

All I can say and would like to point out is the Left party is getting a taste of its own medicine through Mamta Banerjee . Surprisingly nobody is pointing out this fact !!

I look forward to the Nano only to see if i am eligible to buy it and more importantly fit in it !!

HI

2008-09-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

I must confess i m a blot on the blogger world.My last update was on july 6th!!!
Well i have moved to bangalore- i wud not call it the "good old b'lore" or "the new b'lore" for the city has stagnated.The "quality of life "that ex new york mayor rudolf guilani talks of in his book LEADERSHIP has completely gone the drain ( well with all pun intended - even the drains are blocked)

Traffic has grown but not the no.of traffic constables!! The new fad that has taken place here is when it rains it floods only becos new construction has ensured fewer places for the water to flow and this also means that public transport just vanishes !! No auto nor a bus to hop onto....!! And the new mantra for auto drivers not to take u to a certain place is becos of traffic jams- well then explain to me why are they are on the roads?

Enuf of bangalore bashing-my friends are slowly moving away to a married life and this in turn means i wud be a lonely monk once again by this time next year.

And more importantly i need to devote time to my blog simply becos its mine !

In the land of Strikes and Hartals

2008-07-06T02:12:00.000-07:00

A democracy is all about giving space to one another. The most commonly used weapon in India to voice your protests is a bharat bandh/strike/hartal.. This does not have any relevance in the present day context. Maybe pre independence they made a point but even today I find ppl use INQUILAB ZINDABAD ( Long Live the Revolution-- what are we revolting against today, I do not know). This is so hilarious...

Does a country say Turkey hold am All Turkey bandh ? Imagine an all USA Bandh..!!

Seriously speaking we need more creative ideas while making a point..

Just a thought

2008-06-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Just a theory in my head--

This society needs a certain number of its inhabitants to be impoverished and illiterate. For only then people would aspire to own wealth ( this would in tuurn lead to wealth creation and asset creation in the long run) as well as sustained food production to feed the impoverished classes. It would also mean a steady supply of manpower at low cost ,leading to sustained production of goods in the economy.

In contrast with this idea - if the society was well nourished and literate,then food production would go down as demand would be there for conspicious consumption only .Supply of cheap labor would be reduced ( another reason for decline in food produce as nobody would want to work in this sector) .Jobs would have to be white collared in nature and if the economy has to sustain it would have to bring in migrants from other regions.

Example - European countries need immigrants to do the blue collared jobs and why our own state of Kerala.Cent per cent literacy means nobody to work in agriculture ( the available labor demands high wages). Labor is expensive and every body wants a house and gold and migranst are more in the state to do the low jobs..

Think about it...

A Zillion Thoughts in my head

2008-06-23T08:52:00.000-07:00

Its been a week now since my first post and my head has been itching to write something more.It was not about the paucity of topics but the paucity of time that I could not blog anything.(Now dont get the wrong impression that I am an extremely busy man its all about time management,something which my MBA was supposed to teach but eventually it did not go the right place.)

Any ways,today things in my head blew up ( I live by my thoughts and my life evolves with the thoughts I am a dead man if I am not thinking) the fact that my review is coming up is slowly beginning to sink in and I realise I have not done anythinmg worthwhile all this time. But then its too late to regret.The only thing I can dio is cover up and thats what is not happening.
The other day I was wondering if it would be appropriate to write about the people around me ( I mean with privacy issues and stuff like that ,) I have voted it out of my mind so it does not matter any more I guess.

Last week was eventful for I saw Dasavatharam .A good friend of mine ( though I have met her only twice) helped with the tickets .It is an OK to movie to watch with a very tight scriipt and camera work ( my roommate who is a graphics artist says that the movie could be better technically). Well the last two minutes of the movie kills the entire pace ( imagine a bullet removing a cancer tumuor of one of the Kamal Hassan's character) and then the question that did Kamal have to necessarily play all the ten roles?
Each role is linked to the other and carries the story forward and this has been well bound into the script and screenplay ( I loved his ex CIA character-his American accent being flawless).I would rate the movie 3/5 purely because of the technical brilliance ( not counting my room mate's view in this for he sees movies in a different way; having worked with a post production movie house) and if you want to see Mallika Sherawat being killed by an elephant go watch the movie !! Kamal Hassan is smart and ensured that the movie first releases in Tamil ( his fans association would make sure that he gets his money back) and then release in Hindi.

I seem to have run out of steam for now..the zillion thoughts just evaporated for I do not know how to conclude this post. I came to know last week through CNN IBN that I cud blog professionally and earn money -- now this is something that I wont be doing for a long time now.. until my next post bye !!

Me,myself and Rohit Nambiar

2008-06-14T23:15:00.000-07:00

David Ogilvy once wrote that creativity is of two types- one you come up with your own and two you borrow from others and present it as your own.

My blog is just that-a thought borrowed from others .I have just realised the power of a blog in terms of expressing oneself especially after I saw my friend's blog..

Writing I believe is my best form of expressing myself- the written word being more powerful than the ones that are spoken (if you belong to my inner circle you would reallise how common it is for me to sit quitely unnoticed with strangers,but by the time you would leave the room i would have drunk in all your unspoken thoughts)

Anyways as I learn to navigate blogspot my posts would be more frequent, meanwhile welcome to my world !!!