Solitude...

It seems like ages since i've come to this space!

I got my first member for Xelf today! Feeling great :D

The good news is that I've been fairly busy- what with work and personal life taking up so much of my time... :)

The bad news is that I really need to learn how to keep the two separate... when I'm working, I keep thinking about him...and when I'm with him, I keep thinking about work!! :D

Am I going crazy (or was I always crazy?)

What's in a name?

I remember attending a seminar @K, where this marketing guy from ITC had come. Someone asked him what was the most difficult things they faced when launching a new brand- and pat came his reply- coming up with a name for the brand!

I am at a similiar stage. I am about to register my company and have not been able to come up with a name that I am happy with. At times I think that if someone can name computers after a fruit and actually make a brand like Apple, well then- it won't matter what I name my company :)

But then I think that I want something different, something stylish, something which will make people sit up and notice. Shakespeare and Steve Jobs might not agree with me, but the name is definitely important...

What is the effing matter with me...! I am supposed to be smart, sensible and a mature individual (at least in my eyes!). Ya, I'm engaged. That's cool. But is that any excuse for completely forgetting everything else that matters to me and just letting my days waste away dreaming?

I can't believe that I've just let myself get so caught up, that I'm forgetting my priorities. Yes, I'm painting the town red.. I totally am! And I'm loving each and every moment of it... it's simply amazing :)

Ok, cool... but c'mon I can't just forget all the other stuff that means so much to me... and for which I have invested so much time, energy and emotions. But lately, my mind seems to have completely moved onto a different plane and I just don't feel like working... this will not do.. this will not do at all... All I need is some patience and self control and some common sense and some sanity... sigh..

What's the effing matter with me??

I read somewhere that Time is like a fistful of sand.... the more we try to hold on to it, the faster it runs out... Suddenly that's how my life seems to have become... like Time is just running out and there is soooo much to be done...

I'm sh*t scared...

I might as well say it out loud- I'm engaged! :)

Pride March in Kolkata on this coming Sunday. Similiar marches will happen in Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai etc. Please look up the location in your city and do participate.
Be Gay! :D

Date: Sunday, July 5, 2009
Time: 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: College Square
City: Kolkata, India

A smile is hovering over my lips... there's a general feeling of well- being... it's as if God wants to give me another chance :)

Status Update

Hmmm well... had a long conversation with Am yesterday... the signs are good... very good in fact... let's just see how things go from here... hmmm... surprisingly I'm still feeling pretty blank... the words just don't flow... maybe once things settle down a bit, I'll write something more concrete... for the time being I'm satisfied with laying back and enjoying each day as it comes :)

p.s. Good to see myself smiling like this again :D :D

Are you feeling gay?

The gay parade in Delhi took me quite by surprise...but in a good way. It's heartening to see that the government is finally at least looking positive about repealing Article 377 of the IPC. To bring clarity to people who don't know what this law is about, let me explain. Basically it prohibits intercourse against "the order of nature". Which means that if you belong to, what is commonly known as the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community- it a criminal offence in our country. Such unlawful sex can land you a heavy fine and even a 10 year sentence!

The question then is that if a person is born like this, then isn't it Nature's doing? And so, how can you be against the order of nature? What is funnier is that in a democracy, a person basically does not have the right to choose his life partner. When I hear politicians, clerics, maulvis, priests and pundits say that this is a sin or that it is against their scriptures- I wanna give them 1 tight slap (MTV style!)
a) Because we all know that these people just want power and have never been modern thinkers. They will hardly support any idea of change.
b) Stop the crap about how this is against Indian culture and how we Indians are so culturally rich etc etc... The country is bursting from its seams because of its uncontrollable population- which means that somebody is getting laid. So just cut the pretence of being seedha-saadha...
c) We keep hearing stories about young boys and girls being abused by priests and pundits. Now that's unnatural!

Every time a discussion has been started about this law, the ministers from the concerned ministries have themselves been orthodox thinkers and have not been able to even come to a consensus regarding at least modifying Article 377. (But this time around I'm hoping we'll see something concrete happen).
I know it will take a long time for the LGBT community to become a part of the mainstream community in a country like ours. But it's definitely heartening to see that there seems to be a positive change and acceptance and more and more people have the courage to come out of the closet.

Stop Child Abuse

A woman comes and tells me that she is worried that her father-in-law is sexually abusing her 2 year old daughter. Read it carefully- 2 years old!! She doesn't know what to do; her husband has so far placated her fears by saying, "It's not possible!" But now she is more or less sure. Expecting support from her mom-in-law or the younger brother-in-law is out of the question. What should she do now, she asks me. Should she confront him, should she move out of the house, how should she stop the man's access to her daughter? He is after all the kid's grandfather, and as far as people are concerned, a very doting grandfather!

I dont have answers for her. I have learnt how to handle queries, how to give comfort, how to be sympathetic.... but I don't have answers to questions like these. There are just so many threads to each situation like this. There are so many people/family members involved....I'd like to think that I explained the importance and urgency of the situation very well to her... and also convinced her to talk to her husband. But everytime I come across cases like these, I get more and more frustrated... I don't get the feeling that I'm doing any good in the world (or not enough at least). I'd like to see Elaan have a full-fledged intervention cell, where we can actually protect victims like these... but I know that's not happening any time soon... and that's what scares me... there are so many children out there and no one to listen to them, support them or stand for them...

p.s. Photograph by Paromita Deb Areng

Lessons learnt from Life

a) Never work on a business with friends or relatives

b) Keep professional and personal lives mutually exclusive

c) Don't trust people

d) Your family is the only one to stick with you in times of trouble. They will always be there for you and will always have your best in mind.

e) Never trust men, where business is concerned. They are far more manipulative than women can even imagine!

f) People come alone in this world and go alone. This journey of life should be travelled alone and with supreme self-confidence

g) Writing stuff like this in a blog won't help. What will help is to go back to the drawing board and learn from your mistakes and move on. A couple of knocks in life shouldn't bog you down!

I don't remember when was the last time I laughed so much...! I had thought that I would leave latest by 9 pm, but I finally reached home at 11 :P

Some observations about life- 

*Harmless flirting is the most amazing and healthy thing in the world

*It's great to meet old aquaintances after a long time- you have so much to talk about :)

*Laughter is the best medicine

*It's surprising how you can somehow meet people after 2-3 years and yet, just pick up the threads from where you last left them...

All in all, a great party- I'm really glad I decided to pull myself out of bed for this one :D

I am soooo tired I can't believe it... don't remember the last time I felt this exhausted... and I mean a good exhausted- the kind that makes you feel happy and satisfied... sigh :)

To all people reading this blog- the best thing you can do for yourself is to quit your lousy jobs (if you find them lousy, i mean.. if you're loving your work- then this advice is not for you :P) ... so as I was saying- just quit your job and dive head-first into your own venture- do whatever excites you, what you've always wanted to do... don't wait for opportunities to knock on your door... go create your own opportunities :)

The Taliban is back...

The new Shia Family Law passed by Afghanistan comes as big blow to any progress towards gender equality. The fall of the Taliban might have been welcomed in Afghanistan, but they surely don't seem in a hurry to let go of their philosophies..! The law stands against the most basic rights that a woman can ask for. 

She cannot leave the house without her husband's permission and cannot get education or employement or even medical help without his consent. The wife is supposed to submit to her husband's sexual demands- which basically means that whenever he gets horny (sorry about the language), she better be ready or he would be well within his rights to rape her (after all it is one of his rights as her husband!)

It is heartening to see that the women of Afghanistan have not given up...about 200 of them took to the streets in a protest march against the law...only to be faced by a mob of angry men who spit on them and threw stones at them!! And these same men say that this Law has been passed to protect the weaker sex (though I wonder who they are being protected against?) 

And the roller coaster continues...

I sometimes wonder why I cannot be as proffessional in my personal life as my proffesssional life. I wish I could just treat myself like a colleague or a job to be done or deadlines to be met... would just be able to become a task-master and just do what I need to... Just go about Life as if it were part of my job and take up whatever comes my way- whether I like it or not... 

I mean, I know I'm going round in circles... but sometimes I wish I could just be more content with life... I wonder why I keep getting this feeling of dissatisfaction every now and then, like there's so much I'm missing out on... I sometimes wish I hadn't gone to K at all... bcoz the days spent there have shown me how much more one can get out of life... and how much more I can expect from life... and when you raise your expectations, then obviously you won't be satisfied in life..! (pout)

GiST

Came across this site called Grace in Small Things. The concept is just soo simple that you'd be surprised you never thought of it. It's just about being thankful about the small things in life. We all find it so much easier to crib about life, work, relationships, families etc... but how often do we feel thankful for the good things? So this site gets people together to fight against embitterment, against sarcasm, against cribbing.... :) 

All you have to do, is say thanks for 5 good things everyday...It's not going to be as simple as that though... bcoz we are conditioned  in such a way that we cannot see the good in people/situations/life... frankly- when I sat down to write, I really couldn't think of a lot of things to say grace about. But that  doesn't mean we can't try :) 

I'm flying my helicopter to SA

The power of imagination is the best thing about childhood. It can make you into whatever you want to- a pilot, a doctor, an actor, a model... it changes everyday :D You can make as many imaginary friends as you want...you have to hear my 4 yr old nephew talk, to understand what good, vibrant imagination is :D 

He has 2 imaginary friends- one is Rahul (he is supposed to be a doctor) and the other is called Kashyap (!!??)... and apparently both of them are his colleagues from office! :D I get to hear stories about how Rahul picked him up in the morning and how they went to office together... everyday, he talks to them on my mobile... gives them details about his daily activities... tells me about how they are all going to South Africa to watch the IPL matches... he will apparently take his helicopter there and park it somewhere outside the stadium.... hehehe.... and the best part is when I tell him that I can't come to SA with him, coz I have office... he says, "Bad luck! I'll just have to leave you and go" :)) 

Kids! :D

Combating Child Sexual Abuse

For those who still don't know about my association with Elaan and the fight against child sexual abuse (CSA)- here are some things I'd like to share. 

Elaan's mission is to reach out to as many people as possible and create awareness about CSA. We hope to empower victims, help them in the healing process, create dialogues and reach out to survivors...you can read more about them on their blog. 

I'd like to tag my fellow bloggers- Shekhar, Sheeba, Paro, Suma, Nitai, Neeta, Ami, Jayesh, Karra, DB- to write about CSA. Whatever little you can write would be great. Do make a mention of Elaan and paste the link to it's blog. It's all for a cause and I'm hoping to reach out to as many people as possible. If anyone wants to contribute to the cause in any way, please feel free to ping me :)

I envy people who have a real talent.. I mean the kind of thing you can actually exhibit... to be able to dance or sing or paint or something like that.... That's what I call real talent. 

Went to M's house and saw the recent portraits she has done- and I just wish I could draw like that.. Do check out her blog and you will see what I mean...

http://maryamys.blogspot.com/

Like a rose, life was meant to have its thorns.

Read this somewhere and well, I thought why not- I'm anyways not writing much original stuff these days...and it's a nice, simple statement... and gets the message across very simply :) 

It's the time to Disco... na nana nana... it's the time to disco... :D 

On the pure relationship of a father and daughter...

For those who still believe that this does not happen in "our" society or to people "like us"- wake up! 

2 very very similiar incidents have come into the media glare in the last week. One was the case of the Austrian, 73 year old Joseph Fritzl who kept his daughter imprisoned in his house cellar for 24 years, and physically assaulted, abused and raped her and even fathered 7 children with her! He has been sentenced to life imprisonment and the woman and her children are undergoing clinical help. 

Now, for all of you who are smirking and thinking that this is what happens in Western civilisations and that we Indians cannot even imagine something like this happening here- read this.! The same thing can happen and does happen in India too. It's simply that we Indians like to live like ostriches, with our heads buried away from the truth. 

My only incentive for writing this is that there needs to be a stronger punishment for incest cases like these, because here, the guardian, who is supposed to be protecting his child from this very thing, is the perpetrator of the crime. There needs to be very strict laws to protect children against abuse. Is anyone listening??

Live life queen size!

I will never understand how the human mind works. 2 incidents occured yesterday- and they both make me realise the same thing- that your life is in your hands. It's up to you- what you do with it and how you live it. No one is to blame for your sorrows, miseries and troubles. You need to have the confidence to stand by what you believe is right for you! 

Mukhtar Mai has got married and I couldn't be happier. This lady has been a source of inspiration for me. It would be fairly easy for people like you and me to stand up for what we believe in. But here is a woman- barely literate, born in an oppressive society, never stepped out of home, financially dependant on her parents... and she had the guts to stand up against her oppressors and shake the entire administrative and judicial system of her country! 

Cut to 2009. A young woman in her early thirties, born and brought up in Calcutta, received good education, had a loving family, got married, had kids (the younger one is less than a year old!)- and she commits suicide (or was it?) because she cannot stand the torture of her in-laws anymore. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that R is no more. My question is that why didn't her parents and brother do anything about it when they knew of her dismal relationship with her in-laws? And why didn't she have the courage to step out of the marriage? How can a smart, educated young woman continue to live in the humiliation and torture and not have the guts to say, "Balls to you!! ^%$#@$" 

As long as women continue to live in an oppressed manner and think that there is no hope for them- our society will not change. Take your life in your hands- don't wait for someone to come help you... otherwise it may be too late! 

Random

I have decided to take on the issue of online privacy very seriously. I had had issues with this earlier also- but this time I am adamant. I have deleted my Orkut, Facebook and Linkedin profiles and have made my blog personal. But now the problem is that, if I know that no one can read it, there's no fun in writing it. So I'm still trying to work out some way in which people who I know can read this- but strangers cannot look me up via google or something. 

Morning cuppa

5 o'clock in the morning is the best time of the day. Any day, any month, any year- there's no time better than 5 am! I confess that I have been a morning person my entire life (that's until I went to K and become and owl overnight! :))
But truly- for peace, quiet and serenity- there's nothing better than getting up at 5 in the morning....you can hear the birds chirping (and I mean it- they actually chirp- the sparrows i mean, not the crows)... and the pigeons go about with that weird sound in their throat.. like they were gargling.. there was this really cute white pigeon on the terrace today. Our gardener has put a row of small yellow flowers and then a row of orange flowers (which have brown centres) and there were bees on them (of which I am generally scared)... the best part is that there is NO one around... I like that... I like being alone at times... though there is a big eagle (or maybe it's a hawk- i don't know the difference) hovering overhead.. which is a li'l scary... but you just can't help that tug on your lips which comes from the quiet of the surrounding- and you break into a smile when there is that sudden breeze which gives you goosebumps :)
Good Morning to the world :)
p.s. I'm contemplating getting another tattoo- ideas are welcome :D

Hori khele raghuveera awadh mei... hori khele...

Yesterday's holi celebrations were awesome fun..! One of the perks of staying in a HUGE joint family is that every festival becomes that much more special and fun :D  

As usual the start was simple- with people being drenched with buckets of water,  being pelted with balloons and smeared with abeer and gulaal. Then obviously the entire gang (read 30 ppl) started targeting one person at a time and he/she would be thrown to the ground and basically left in such a beggarly state that even their parents wouldn't recognise them :D

The best part was the expression on R's face when A smeared her with what we call "keechadd" (and not just once- every time she got a little cleaned up, he would come from behind and smear that horrible muck on her) :D It's not gross if it's not being put on you and you can stand and laugh at someone else's plight :D 

Well after a while, people got hungry and gorged on the amazing food (paani puri was awesome!)... but but but... the second round of playing got worse! Soon people were pelting food on each other (that was my cue to disappear quietly :D) 

But all in all- the festival was celebrated in its true spirit- with elders and youngsters joining with equal gusto... and the kids were amazing.... they just couldn't get enough of the fun :)

When you really really need someone to be there- you'll find yourself all alone. Believe me... you'll not find a single friend online... most people will be busy and other won't pick up the phone... ! When you need a friend- believe me, there will be none. So my suggestion is that just be your own friend! Don't expect the world to stand by you when you're down and out. 

Random random random stuff

Reading has become theraupatic for me. Earlier I read simply coz I enjoyed it... now I also read coz it helps me calm down and does not let my mind stray... There was a time I loved dancing for the same reasons... that it helped me just live in the moment.

For those who think that Harry Potter is just for kids- I used to think the same at one point of time (it was also partly due to my loyalties towards Enid Blyton). But, when you actually read it, believe me you'll realise the fun of reading a children's book again. It's a magical world and I don't mind believing in witches and wizards and goblins and elves for a short span of time- until you break out of that mood and come back to earth :)

The papers had a story of a young girl from Kolkata who went to a guy friend's place for a party where the guy's friends gangraped her! Along with the instant reaction of anger and shock, came the realisation that I could have easily been in that girl's place! For the first time in my life I find myself questioning my sense of judgement about my friends. How many nights have been spent giggling, joking and partying with friends on campus... how many outings have been made with the guys- to far-off places in Kerala... how many times have I been to friends' places in Mumbai...?? This girl did the same thing- she went to a 'friend's' place... what is sad is that one incident makes everyone stand back and re-look and question their own circle of trust. The next time a friend asks me over or some friends plan an outing- I'm gonna think twice about it. I'm sorry that it's like this :(

One of my longest posts! (Book review)

Dear Mr. Adiga,

Next time you attempt to write a novel (which i fervently wish you don't!) please keep in mind, the sanity of the readers. As is obvious from your book, The White Tiger- you have no great writing skills, you don't know how to play with words at all and have completely no story to tell! I don't know whether to label you as a communist (why else would you support "killing your boss to make it big in life" simply because one has had a difficult childhood, in poverty?)... or maybe you are one of those people who think that just by being sarcastic and talking about India's drawbacks you can conjure up a good novel- well, you're wrong!

No part of your description of the protagonist's difficult village life, was even remotely moving. If you want to be so bloody sarcastic about this country- well then first go and do something for all these poor villagers that you seem to care about! You've lived a major part of your adult life outside India, in comparatively developed places like Australia and the US and then you have the gall to actually come back and be so damn critical of this country!

I would suggest that you read another well known book called Shantaram, where a foreigner gives his perspective about India, it's villages and life in Mumbai...Believe me you will learn a lot!! I do not have a problem with the fact that you've spoken mainly of India's backwardness in the villages (in the first half of the novel), but rather with the condescending attitude that you have used.

In the end, it is my personal request that you please explain to me why the character is writing a letter to the Premier of China, telling his life story to him??? I'd really really like to know what made you think that this guy should write a loooonnng letter (the entire novel!) to the Chinese head, giving him his life story?? Yes, you wanted to write it in first hand- I got that! But writing a letter to the Chinese Premier??? What, why? why? You are a crazy person. QED.

I have spoken about his earlier also and now once again I am wondering about the secret behind life and death. I have started believing that there is some algorithm behind this entire cycle. There is some Power, trying to maintain a balance on the planet. Which is why, sometime last year, I was only hearing of new births... in my extended family alone there have been 3 births and I have heard of some 4-5 other people  who've had babies last year. In the beginning of last year there were 3 deaths in my family and I heard of some 3-4 other deaths. 

Now again in the last 2 weeks I have already heard of 3 deaths... some of them really freaky- like a sudden haemorrage or a road-crossing accident..! And again I think that some supreme being is trying to create a balance of some kind by equalling the total number of births and deaths.

Emosanal Atyachar

Sometimes I like being melancholy... I don't know what it is about this feeling.. but sometimes you just enjoy feeling this weird mixture of sadness, nostalgia, pain... and somehow it feels nice.. I don't know why but it feels nice.. maybe I'm the only one who likes this feeling? 

To make it clear, I'm not wallowing in self-pity or crying my eyes out... I'm just feeling like you feel on a rainy day... when the sky is cloudy and you feel lazy and somehow old memories stir up from some corner of your brain... :D

You just like listening to songs that you know have a certain effect on you... you like looking at old pictures of family and friends...some people like having a nice strong whiskyand a nice comfi sofa to be in...sigh...I don't even know what I'm saying or what I'm about to type... it's nice... weird but nice...

p.s. In K's words, "Such is life. Tougher than we ever imagined it would be...makes you wish you'd never grown up and could stay a kid for life, eh?"

The past is lost to you forever, and the future isn't yet yours. Now is the only time you own. Use it well...

Nithari Serial Killing

I am so so so damn happy I cannot explain... Pandher and Koli have been handed the Death Sentence in the Nithari Case...I seriously doubted that our judicial system could deliver such judgement- but it has... god it has!! :D

Moninder and Koli have been charged with rape, murder, abduction- but the one thing that I still see missing in this list is the cause of child sexual abuse. All the victimes were between the age of 5 - 16 and were lured into the house and abused sexually... so what I would like to bring to my readers' notice is that how come there is still No Law against Child Sexual Abuse? We are living in 2009! I mean c'mon- at least recognise the fact that there is a need for a law for cases like these? 

I pray for the victims and their families and hope that they find it in them to forgive and move on with their lives...coz closure is the best thing they could hope for... 

Pitter Patter of Little feet :)

I have just received some very good news. A very good friend of mine is going to become a father. What is surprising is that of our entire gang- he was the last person you could imagine in a father's role! In fact he is still like a kid.. like a little kiddo who would do a lot of masti :D

Well, anyways here's wishing the couple a very happy future...and may his kids make him tear his hair out like he used to do to us :D

Justice will prevail...

The first thing my eyes fall on as I open the newspaper today morning is that Pandher and his servant Koli (from the Nithari case) have been declared guilty of rape and murder...Believe me, there couldn't have been a better way to start my day :)

For 2 whole years, the CBI kept saying that Pandher was not guilty, but today the special judge pronounced both master and servant guilty. I just hope that both these guys are given the death sentence! I know that a lot of people are against capital punishment- but given the kind of crime they have been charged for (I mean they actually hacked the bodies and did stuff which I don't think I wanna write about here... ) I am totally in favour of giving them the death sentence...! I know the dead children will not come back- nor will the pain of their parents get reduced in any manner... but the only good that will come out of it would be that there will be Justice and the families will finally get closure.

Gucci, Prada and the whole jingbang...!

I have a problem. I don't understand fashion. There I admit it..!

I have never really been "fashionable" by general standards and frankly, I don't give a damn. :D Hmmm... now the point of this post is that I believe that if I can carry the right attitude and have enough confidence and pride- then I can go anywhere and not feel like all eyes are focused on me. I once went to a TOI party in Mumbai- one of those page 3 types... with ladies in slinky dresses and gentlemen in proper formal attire... and you know what I was wearing? I went in jeans and a tee-shirt with a broad blue headband on my head... I remember being in sneakers and wearing one of those Lance Armstrong bands around my wrist...! :P

No, this is not my way of rebelling to society's norms or of making any kind of statement... But, I reiterate- I cannot be bothered about wearing kajal or gooey lipstick every time I step out of the house... I don't care how many men turn and give me a second glance or how many women feel threatened by my presence :D Frankly, I feel that mainly bimbos need to go out of their way to doll up- coz we geeks are happy with our curly hair and freckled faces :D

Advertisement! ;)

I am currently looking for old/ second hand books for some reason... now the thing is that I have realised that I HATE taking obligations from people. I somehow find it very very difficult to ask people to please give away their books for free...I find it difficult to say, "look, this is what I need- do you think you could help?"

So all I'm gonna do is put it up on my blog (this request) and if people read it and feel that they can hand over some books to me (maybe for a small price if they want) ... or get their friends to give away some- well then I'd be obliged. Other than that- I don't think I'll be able to actually go up to someone and ask for help :(

My best score at basketball- 110 in 150 secs! Awesome! :D
My worst score in Bowling ever- less than 30! :(

Life has its best and worst moments... and all can happen within an hour!! So if you're happy- don't be too happy and complacent coz you don't know what's aroun' the corner... and if you're sad and depressed, don't be too worried, coz things will get better soon :D

p.s. Note how philosophical I have become these days! :D

Pissed off..!!!

Okay... I am ssooooo PISSED OFF right now... i can't believe it... just.. no one come near me for the next few hours...!! I know I keep saying that I will not fly off the handle easily (it was one of my new year resolutions also!)... but I just can't help it... Sometimes you just get so damn frustrated with people and life... and you just wanna take out ALL your anger out on something... right now if I had a punching bag- that would be great!!! I mean how... how can people be like this? how can they just say anything and get away with it... I am sorry.. i do not have the patience or inclination to take crap from anyone!! Don't care who they are or how old they may be!

You Know You're a Bookaholic When...

-You've figured out a way to read books in the shower without getting your book wet.
-You pack all your books for a trip but forget your underwear.
-You're packing for a romantic weekend away with significant other and you give more thought to which books to take than to which nightgown is your sexiest.
-You become murderous when you discover a friend lost a book you loaned her.
-Your twin sons' names are Rhett and Ashley. (I'd never name my kid after Ashley!)
-You call in sick so you can finish reading a book.
-It's 2am and you think "just another chapter" and do the same thing at 3am when you know you have to get up in 4 hours and work.

All those who read this and felt they could relate to it... and can feel a small smile coming up as you admit to being a bookaholic- ping me! I have a venture in mind and I'd like tips from people who are as big geeks as me :D

Random musings

Resentment and bitterness over past wrongs are like rocks that drag your spirits down. Only when we let go of the rocks can we regain the freedom of spirit we once knew.

Spent a large part of the day working on my latest B-Plan...what I realised was that when you're working on something that excites you- you don't give a damn about what time it is or whether you're tired or not.. somehow you keep working, keep coming up with new things and your fingers just fly on the keyboard. Lunch time is not important, even having to pee is not important coz you don't wanna be pulled away from the screen... :)

Breathtaking!

Class of '99

This one's inspired from Sheeba's blog. She wonders about how much we've changed in just the last 2 years... I went back and looked at the testimonials I received on Orkut and wondered if those  adjectives still hold true for me.. will they hold true for long? 

It's been 10 years since I passed out of school... and I'm organising an alumni meet... planning to get back in touch with my classmates from school...all those people who we were so close to... who we shared our childhood with... who we grew up with... I wonder how much they would have changed in the last 10 years... how much change they will see in me... 

It's a great feeling to get back to your roots... sigh... 

p.s. I wonder how many people can place me in the picture below :))

When God has some plans for you- who can reverse it?

An undated pic of Obama- somewhere in Africa...!

To-do List (In no particular order) ;)

Quote of the day

If you don't expect anything from life, you'll be happy...

~ NK Agarwal (My dad).

 

Mr. Python and Moi

A perfect end to a lousy year :P

As you can understand from the title of this post (and my train of thought in the past few months), 2008 sucked BIG time for me... though actually maybe not... but in the last few months I experienced the lowest of lows possible... I didn't even know I had it in me to be sooo low :)

But thankfully (and very surprisingly) I was able to end my lousy year on a pretty high note! I am glad to announce that I had the chance to hold (and caress) a live Python in my hands... and in case you're wondering- Yes, I'm bragging! :D It was such a high that it was unbelievable... I hate snakes and I have never ever even wanted to touch one in my life... but as usual, I have no clue what got into me... :P and before I knew it, I had jumped the barricade and volunteered to hold the snake in my arms.... and it was sooo nice to feel that adrenalin again... sigh... I felt just sooo satisfied... like somehow I had managed to salvage something out of the past year... like it had not gone a waste :)

p.s. And if I was not scared of a python, then WTF am I doing, getting scared of small decisions of life... if I can hold a bloody lethal snake in my arms, I can do anything in this world... I don't have to worry about not being brave enough... I'm doing pretty all right :))