The Lioness

Mixed Veg

2011-06-25T21:50:00.018+04:00

Ingredients:

To serve two

1 tomato, cut in big chunks
1 onion, chopped
½ cup peas
1 baked potatoes, mashed
1 tsp each ginger-garlic paste
1 green chilly, finely chopped
1 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking

For garnishing

Shredded cheese
1 tsp cream
¼ cup fresh coriander leaves chopped

Method:

Heat the oil.
Add the cumin seeds, chilly and asafoetida.
Now add onions and cook till golden brown.
Add the ginger-garlic paste and mix it up.
Add all the vegetables, cover and let cook
When the vegetables turn soft, add all the spices and mix well
Let them cook for a few more minutes on low flame
Garnish with the cheese, cream and coriander.

Serve hot as an accompaniment with bread or rice.

Where the washermen do the laundry

2011-01-22T22:19:00.004+04:00

Can't make my mind up about Dhobhi Ghat - about whether its good or bad - its a very different movie even for the genre of hyperlink cinema. The casting is great and so is the cinematography. A lonely acoustic lends its solitude to the background score just as beautifully as the myriad emotions that have been portrayed by the various (and somewhat lesser known) actors. The movie expects distinct taste and a certain level of maturity from the audience. Yet holds you to it in the 95 minute relentless relay of a vaguely outlandish but strangely familiar story. While the plot is interwoven well and shows you the two sides of the coin that Mumbai is, it ends abruptly and in fact, the end of the story is left to one's imagination.

Post scripts
For the non-Indian readers Dhoby Ghaut (as it is pronounced) in the Indian language of Hindi (in which it it written as धोबी घाट) refers to the place where the washermen do the laundry.
This has nothing to do with the movie per se but the name reminds me of Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station in Singapore (near Mustafa from where we used to hoard up food stuff for the many mid-night nibbles) and the many trips to and from Harbourfront MRT station. Ah, college days!

Purde mein rehene do, purdah na uthao?

2010-02-21T17:55:00.007+04:00

Remember watching the movie Veer Zaara in which this young woman overcomes all difficulties of discrimination, suppression and prejudice to get to the court room to fight her first case as an advocate? Well, it no longer remains a tale, but has now become headlines. A recent legislation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia allows their women citizens to appear in court on domestic cases and to argue cases in court. It would also permit women some marginal independence as they can fulfil some elementary legislative procedures on the grounds of their ID card alone and not a male family member’s ID. The KSA (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) doesn’t allow its women half as much freedom that we quite take for granted.

Imagine what it would be like if we were told we couldn't travel without a father, husband or son for company. Or for that matter, even live alone in a hotel. Or that the only job we could undertake was one that allowed no contact with other people, especially men we’re not related to. Imagine being told that we couldn't drive or enter a restaurant just because we were women. Imagine requiring male guardianship even for your education, let alone employment. Imagine not allowed any interaction with the opposite sex because it was considered taboo, evil and a great unpardonable sin.

I've heard so much about the treatment of women citizens in KSA that I can't thank my stars enough for my birth in a family that never imposed any restrictions on me, a country that has usually never deprived me of any fundamental rights or any means to a living and in an era that has granted me and thousands of other women like me the liberty and the independence that we so cherish.

Vegetable Biryani in the microwave

2010-02-16T23:00:00.004+04:00

Recent merger

I recently merged all my 3 blogs and transferred the admin privileges to my new ID. It made more sense to me this way – because it wasn’t getting easy to manage 3 blogs. So now, even my articles on cooking will be posted on this blog itself rather than on my other blog, What’s cooking? I’ll see if I can add the tags to all the food related articles so it should make navigation more blogger-friendly.

An amazing evening

This evening, I made one of the best turned out recipes of my tenure in Dubai – Vegetable Biryani. I painstakingly procured all the ingredients from City Super market, Mohideen and Auchan ensuring that I had the best vegetables and rice for it. Took me really long – I started at around 6:30 and was done by 8pm. But I think, if you have a more powerful microwave and a skilled hand at chopping vegetables, you’d be better off.

Ikshu had joined me for dinner. And despite being a compulsive non-vegetarian, he thoroughly enjoyed the biryani. Well, that’s what he made me believe! Pooja and Santosh also tasted it and they too said that it had turned out well. But don't just fall for the image insert because I lifted this one from the internet (I know its bad manners). Next time on, I'll remember to click a pic to post it with the article. You can try to make this preparation (I’ve given the recipe below) and do let me know how it turns out! I hope you enjoy it as much as we all did.

I'll continue posting these 'bachelor' cooking recipes for anyone who loves to try his/ hand at the wonderful art of cooking.

À la prochaine!

Recipe

Ingredients

• Oil, about 3 tbsp.

• Jeera (cumin seeds), about 1 tsp.

• Potatoes, 2 large ones, diced

• Onions, 1 large one, julienne cut

• Tomatoes, 1 medium sized one, chopped

• Capsicum, half, diced

• Mixed frozen vegetables, about 100g

• Yoghurt, about 200g

• Chillies, about 2 long ones, chopped

• Turmeric, about a quarter of a tsp.

• Garam masala, about 1 tsp.

• Chilli powder, about 1 tbsp.

• Biryani masala, about 1 heaped tbsp.

• Ginger garlic paste, half tsp.

• Coriander leaves, to garnish

• Salt, as per taste

Method

1. In the meanwhile, heat the oil in another bowl

2. When it’s hot enough, add the jeera and let it splutter (yes, it does splutter in the microwave too)

3. Add in half of the spices - the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala, biryani masala and the ginger garlic paste

4. Add the potatoes and allow it to cook till it’s about 70% done

5. Add in all the vegetables and microwave-sauté it till it’s about nearly done

6. Add the remainder of the spices

7. Mix the yoghurt with the vegetables till they are well coated with the spices and yoghurt

8. Cook the rice separately

9. Add the rice with the vegetables along with an appropriate amount of salt

10. Add in the green chillies and mix well

11. Microwave for about 5 minutes

12. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve!

Is the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports fair?

2010-02-12T15:37:00.002+04:00

The sweet taste of victory

I recently won the first at an inter college debate competition held here in Dubai. There were 11 teams in all from a variety of colleges and I was the only girl among all the participants. The topic for the preliminary elimination round was the same as the title of this post. By the draw of lots, I got to speak against the motion. Fortunately, it didn't conflict with my own thoughts. But the other speakers had spoken so brilliantly, that I developed cold feet and butterflies and dragonflies in my tummy.

I went to the lectern, cleared my throat in a desperate attempt to find my voice which by now had reclined deep inside my alimentary canal. I finally took one sweeping look at all the faces in the auditorium, paused at the faces of the judges and with a nod of my head, began to speak. I can't explain what happened to me, but my brain unusually reduced its processing power from 4.8GHz to 800MHz. I missed a few points that I wanted to make, blabbered something that sounded quite differently in my head and before I knew it, I had concluded my speech! As I returned to my seat, I drowned in the sinking feeling of under-performance. The aching feeling of knowing that you could have done so much better, the despicable feeling of not meeting standards you set for yourself. My colleagues from my college said I'd performed well, but it somehow didn't make a big difference to me. But I told me to trust in myself and the last minute thinking I'd done on the stage.

I patiently waited for the results to be announced. And I can't mathematically express to any degree of certainty, the ratio in which were mixed my feelings of euphoria and pleasant surprise. The subsequent rounds went off a bit better as the initial success had boosted my morale and confidence in me a bit. And of course, we brought the first prize back home. I can never adequately thank Ashutosh for being there with me throughout , the win wouldn’t have been possible without his support as a team mate - here's to him!

I've penned a near reproduction of what I'd spoken that day, just for reference.

The words that cast the magic

Muhammad Ali, the legendary American Boxer once captured the spirit of sportsmanship in very profound words when he said that Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them -- a desire, a dream, a vision.

International sports have always been a medium of international solidarity, a way of replace international conflict with a platform for friendly competition. It salutes the greatness of the human spirit. In a world where wealth and prosperity have not been distributed equally or fairly, international sports provide that superior prospect for countries to contest each other on a level playing field. Consider the types of obstacles — racial, economic, social, political, etc. — that different athletes, from the plethora of countries that participate, face in order to get to the international arena.

Increasing competition between countries, to save their national pride, has time and again propelled society's demand for excellence from its athletes and sports persons. This has caused athletes to seek alternative means to enhance their performance. In this world of instant email, instant messaging and instant coffee comes modern day science offering for those seeking an edge over one’s opponents in the form of the use of performance-enhancing drugs as a part of athletic competition. Today's athletes face an increasingly difficult choice: to use drugs to enhance performance or to accept what could amount to a competitive handicap. It is a choice, which carries significant considerations, not only ethical but also political, social, technological and economic. Should athletes be permitted to make this choice, or should society, through the medium of sports' governing bodies exercise control and strictly enforce the ban on performance enhancing drugs?

Some argue that the choice should be left to the athletes in order to respect their individual choice above any ethical considerations. Others choose to ban performance-enhancing drugs with the intention of protecting the athlete against the potentially harmful consequences of his or her own actions. Athletes who are caught using illegal drugs are often exposed through the media and negatively discriminated against by the sporting community. The result is that the athlete faces a double bind conflict: he or she is pressured to produce superhuman performance, yet must remain ethically human while preparing for them. The ramifications of cheating in sport are numerous and all negative in nature. Beyond the negative aspect which cheating in sports presents, are dangerous physiological and psychological side effects, which the athlete faces when using performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic and androgenic steroids.

If performance enhancing drugs were permitted in all sports competitions, contend purveyors of the drug ban, it would no longer be a factor of competitive advantage as each athlete would have an equal opportunity to make use of PEDs. They argue that drug use is one advantage among many, such as access to superior coaching or training facilities that athletes may or may not have at their disposal to sharpen their competitive edge. The fact that all athletes are not starting with the same set of advantages discredits the notion that a “level playing field” can somehow be restored if drugs are eliminated. According to this view, performance-enhancing drugs are simply making up for an athlete’s natural deficiencies or quality of training. Not only would this make athletes increasingly dependent upon performance-enhancing drugs to help them produce higher quality results than what s/he is capable of delivering naturally. But, more importantly what they fail to assess is that the athletes would have to become virtual guinea pigs in the hands of biotechnological advancement in order to remain competitive. And because athletes regularly take larger doses of steroids and other drugs than medical patients, the long term health effects of such drug use remain largely unknown. Health reports from some athletes exposed to performance-enhancing drugs offer more than adequate reason for caution.

Performance-enhancing drugs have subverted this ideal of sportsmanship in two distinct ways.

1. First, many athletes have abandoned self-restraint in this regard, resulting in a crisis of conduct

2. Second, the scientization of the athlete, either through drugs or other biotechniques, also involves a crisis of identity. To what extent can the emotional experience of competition be truly shared with an athlete who has transformed himself with drugs? Once the athlete has abandoned self-restraint, drug testing becomes the sole guarantor of the ‘integrity’ of sport.”

Sports authorities and fans have come to understand that biotechnology would inevitably provide athletes with an endless array of pharmaceutical enhancements. Controls have had to be placed on doping in order to prevent sports from becoming a science laboratory where the human spirit played second fiddle to pills and injections and man is pitched against technology.

Athletes are making more money in today’s society and they often feel the continual pressure to produce for the fans leading them to long-term addiction. Corporations the world over pour in pots and pots of money over the training and victories of the athletes. Athletes today are brand ambassadors, of not just their sports fraternity or their country, but of multinational enterprises. The use of performance enhancing drugs thus isn’t restricted to being just a reflection of the athlete’s decision but of the organisation s/he represents as well. And the victory isn’t restricted to just the gold medal but expands to include millions of quids. Allowing the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports would make it a high-risk-high-returns venture inviting inevitable power play, gambling and bookie-business.

But far more reaching is its impact on our future generations. Many of these athletes are role models to younger athletes and influence decisions on how to overcome their own obstacles. There are many examples of athlete’s using Performance-Enhancing Drugs, as they find themselves trying to break records. The generations of today and tomorrow shape themselves on the ideals of myriad sports persons who are regarded as icons of endurance. But with athletes setting examples of blatant drug (ab)use, what message would be sent out to the youth, the pillars of our societies, our nations and our future. Would we want to waste our future generations to the lame exploits of biotechnological insanity.

At the heart of anti-drug use in sport debates, lies the theory that drugs sabotage the true intention of sport. The continuing saga of drug use in sport is not only unethical but also negatively impacts the athlete and the entire sporting community.

(Phir) Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

2010-01-31T05:17:00.002+04:00

We've had a remake of the old mile sur mera tumhara. The videos are up on youtube (links given here : 1998 Video | 2010 Video). Each is good in its own way. I especially liked the use of instruments in the new one. Here're a few of the other thoughts that crossed my mind when I watched the two videos

Amitabh is one lucky old man to be in both the videos - to still be so much in demand. I
'd have liked to see the kids of the stars who were casted in the old video to have been casted in the new one. Like Sharmila Tagore was in the old one, the new one could have roped Saif in (and I'm not just saying it for his hot-bod!!), Esha could have been casted in the new one where Hemamalini was in the old one, etc.
Unlike the old one, the new one has given Goa no airtime. In the old one was Mario Miranda, in this one? There could have been Remo or the football clubs or something else. But the lack of representation of Goa was a disappointment.
The old one included both Tulu and Kannada in a unique combination; I'd have liked to see that in the new one too.
Besides, we have transformed a million colours since 1988 - bringing with it new achievements and new issues. The new video could have done some justice to that. Especially on the achievements front. One saving grace, of course, was the Taj, Mumbai in the beginning of the video, representing 26/11.
The new video has tried to ape the old one in a few ways and has tried to reinvent itself in others, but it ends up being a celebration of urban progress and westernisation than anything else.

All in all, I think it’s a good effort, the collaborative efforts of a number of artists. Perhaps measuring it with the yard stick of the earlier video is unjust and unfair. There is no doubt in the universal truth that music binds people. And our country can just never have too many songs to sing together.

Jai hind.

A Free Country. Indeed?

2010-01-16T05:40:00.000+04:00

The world around us

The Freedom House has recently published its ‘Map of freedom 2009’. As per the findings, both political rights and civil liberties have suffered around the world for the fourth consecutive year in 2009. This signifies the longest uninterrupted period of decline since the report was first published. Here’re the facts for us to reflect upon:

Electoral democracies dropped in number from 119 to 116, the lowest in the last 15 years or so.
Half a dozen countries have been demoted: Lesotho has been reduced to ‘partly free’ while Gabon, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan have descended into the ‘not free’ category.
Over a third of the world’s population still live in countries that have been deemed as ‘not free’ and not very surprisingly, over half of them come from behind the Great Wall of China.
In the Middle East and North Africa 70% of countries are not free. This includes UAE, where I live, though Dubai may give one a feeling of considerable warmth.

On the brighter side, though freedom was on the ascent in 16 countries, notably in the Balkans, where Kosovo is partly free and the Black Mountain of the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro, is now considered free. Singapore, received a downward trend arrow due to the politically motivated handling of defamation cases, which cast doubt on judicial independence. Not surprising at all. I remember interviewing Singaporean citizens about the health facilities in S’pore and Singaporean establishments about HR practices and they just wouldn’t be read to say a thing about the government for fear of being turned in! Like they say, Singapore is a fine city, there is a fine for most things! UK continues to remain ‘free’, not surprising at all again. That country gives its people so much space and independence that I just fell in love with it since I first put foot on its concrete (well, I can’t say soil, there hardly is any soil exposed!) some four years ago.

Incredible, its India

But closer home, India has been marked as a ‘free’ state on the map. But is it really ‘free’? If so then how do our citizens exercise their civic freedom? On the same day as the publishing of the Freedom report, the national newspapers in India read ‘moral police against advertising lingerie’ with activists being offended by the display of women's lingerie on the mannequins in shops, calling it ‘obscene’. Perhaps the country has been rid of other problems such as corruption and theft that these purveyors of culture must now turn to more ‘engaging’ problems such as women’s undergarments?

This is a country that shelters about half-a-billion sexually repressed men. While they prevent their women from exposing anything over the knee, they remain immersed in watching porn and patronising dance bars and other places I consider demeaning to even mention. Such double standards. If obscene ads will not be allowed in Madhya Pradesh, will the Government demolish the Khajuraho temples too? Will they stoop to serving the same fate that was met out to the Buddhas of Bamyan? One of the most astounding forms of ancient sculpture and Hindu culture, the Khajuraho temples, are a tribute to the most beautiful gift of God – the union of a man and his woman. Isn’t this a part of Indian culture? Aren’t these the same temples that help MPSTDC and Incredible India earn revenues and forex from throngs of tourists? The pseudo Taliban that patrols the shops in an attempt to protect a culture, doesn’t even know let alone understand and respect what our culture is about. In a country plagued by more serious issues to tackle, isn’t this surreal. All this in the state that figures in the top ten list of sex crimes in the country. Perhaps it is this ground reality that the state governments would be much better off addressing. So much for Indian culture.

I can understand that attitudes towards sex remain conservative by western standards, particularly in rural and provincial areas. But removal of condom ads for reasons that they are ‘against family values’? What poignant irony given that this is a country with the largest population. Proliferation is so much a part of the Indian culture that not only do we have the largest growing human population but also the largest cattle population, the largest pig population and the largest goat population. Gimme a break. We might be free from colonial rule, free from oppression and free from slavery to superstition. But are we free only superficially? Will our children live in a better country or will they too be troubled by the same problems? How long before our country comes out of the closet and sees the light of day, the light of knowledge?

For further reading:

The Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports the expansion of freedom around the world. Freedom House supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights. Freedom is possible only in democratic political systems in which the governments are accountable to their own people; the rule of law prevails; and freedoms of expression, association, and belief, as well as respect for the rights of minorities and women, are guaranteed. Freedom ultimately depends on the actions of committed and courageous men and women. We support nonviolent civic initiatives in societies where freedom is denied or under threat and we stand in opposition to ideas and forces that challenge the right of all people to be free. Freedom House functions as a catalyst for freedom, democracy and the rule of law through its analysis, advocacy and action.

I’m feeling lucky @ Tiananmen Square

2010-01-14T20:54:00.000+04:00

A tale of misadventure in a strange marriage

Change of heart : google.cn

Google was mesmerised by China’s rapidly expanding internet market. This was well over 4 years ago. But China, till then, had kept Google at arm’s length by intermittently blocking Google.com and making even that intermittent access snail slow. Baidu wooed and dominated the Chinese market, laughing (at Google) on its way to the bank. Google courted China with a pruned and ‘more decent’ version of its search engine. Apparently, it must have thought to itself that better something than nothing at all. Throwing caution to the wind, it set forth to milk the Chinese cow.

The elders met, the horoscopes were matched and the marriage was fixed. Was it meant to last? Or was it just mAdSense? Google penetrated the Chinese search engine market with a view of being the leading search engine in China in the long haul. Now, it announces its threat to review the future of the relationship and possibly pull out of the Chinese search engine market. It has cited infection by the plague of hackers and woes of the ‘finger-on-the-lip’ policy to have agonised it. Even Uncle (Sam) Obama had obliquely deplored the Comstockery, when he toured the country in November. But China wouldn’t listen. Eventually pushing Google to separate the master bed, or maybe even, leave the bedroom for good.

China is no cow; it’s a fire breathing dragon. Google risks scathing its private parts.

China: being the nasty in-law

Why? Check this out :

China blocked Youtube when it hosted some videos of Chinese law-enforcers brutally beating Tibetan monks.
China banned access to Picassa shortly after.
China wouldn’t let anyone access Blogger from its communist land
China made a huge hue and cry about violations of copyrights in its Google Books venture
China is also said to have made “highly sophisticated and targeted attack” on its corporate computer systems “originating from China” in December.

But Google isn’t the only one in the sorrow-ship

China pretended to open its arms to these sites in the build-up to the Beijing Olympics in August 2008 as it tried to project a more open and liberal image to foreign delegates and visitors. But no sooner did the lights go off at the stadium, that restrictions have been amplified to unprecedented levels
China has prevented the masses from any access to the world wide web, forget any access to uncensored news, in the regions afflicted by ethnic disturbances.
China met Twitter and Facebook with the same cold hostility.
China wouldn’t hear a word against itself and proceeded to block leading international newspapers such as the Guardian, the New York Times, even the Economist, for days at length.

Google would perhaps be among the first of the big brands and heavy weights to openly attribute its withdrawal to the lack of freedom of expression. While Silicon valley praises Google for taking some guts to make such bold statements, the White House pats Google’s back assuring its (Washington’s) support. Even if standing up against China is part of its long-term interests, there is no discounting the fact that Google has ‘the balls’ to walk away from the world’s largest potential market.

A broken family?

We must remember, though, that such direct finger-pointing isn’t going to do down very well with China. Even while it buries news articles about Google’s threat, it seeks to portray the entire event as a hollow gimmick and a narrow commercial dispute rather than a pressing political one. It even shies away from taking Google’s name directly reminiscent of rural Indian women refusing to take their husband’s name.

What about the future?
Will about the 700 or so people whose families earn their daily bread because of Google?
Will the backlash lead China to impose a Great Wall on all Google services and block it in its entirety?
What about the sale of Google’s merchandise?
What about the Google android and its younger sibling that is still in the womb?
Will they do well in the renminbi markets?

In all probability, the Beijing may not vent the fire of their anger directly on Google because of increasing public sentiment of sympathy among the Chinese netizens for Google’s spasm on censorship, among other reasons. Beinjing may instead choose to turn the fire elsewhere by stirring up a little nationalist and (the suppressed) anti-American sentiment on another front (Taiwan?).

A real life MBA case study - Dubai World

2009-12-25T22:25:00.000+04:00

The fall of Dubai World

With the Sheikhs of Abu Dhabhi allowing Dubai to slip and Emirates Airlines on the line, one can only guesstimate what the repercussions will be on the GCC. To some extent, I think the property debacle was imminent. Not only because Dubai’s property market has been built on sand and dry oil wells, but also because of the sentiments in the world markets. While Dubai was looking up at the 200 storeys of Burj Dubai (the tallest man-made structure ever built ), the man-made wonders of the Palm Jumeirah and the Dubai Waterfront; the world was looking at Dubai in silent speculation. I think sentiments are like self-fulfilling prophecies; if you think that the market will collapse, it most certainly does! Personally, it’s untimely as it might affect my prospects of finding myself a suitable job opportunity when I graduate in March. Nonetheless, I’m staying optimistic, hoping that sentiments can indeed turn the world around!

The present queen is of Scottish descend!

2009-12-14T14:40:00.000+04:00

Well, while the English dont like to acknowledge that fact, there was a time when the Monarchy at the English throne changed over from English to Scotting blood. I researched the 'lost' link between the monarchy of Scotland and England and here are my findings:

Mary, Queen of Scots, gave birth to James (on 19 June 1566 at Edinburgh Castle). James Charles Stuart was the son of her second husband, Henry Stuart (Lord Darnley). He was a descendant of Henry VII of England through his great-grandmother Margaret Tudor, older sister of Henry VIII. Mary's rule over Scotland was insecure, for both she and her husband, being Roman Catholics, faced a rebellion by the Protestant population.
Her son, James, became King of Scots as James VI on 24 July 1567, when he was just thirteen months old, succeeding his mother. Being born in Scotland and having spent the first 36 years of his life in Scotland, James had an advantage which his mother lacked. Mary had been baffled by the deviousness of her times and the warring factions of the Scottish nobility. James, on the other hand mastered the art of keeping his options open at all levels.
On 24 March 1603, as James I, he succeeded the last Tudor monarch of England and Ireland, Elizabeth I, who died without issue and James was naturally proclaimed King. He then ruled the Kingdom of England, Scotland, and Ireland for 22 years, often using the title King of Great Britain. So, he was James VI & I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scots as James VI from 1567 to 1625, and King of England and Ireland as James I from 1603 to 1625. From there the lineage takes us to Charles I of England (who is buried at Windsor).

And this was how a Scottish Monarch acceded to the English throne and hence my statement that the present queen is of Scottish descend.

Random lines

2009-11-21T23:40:00.000+04:00

Just scribled this out on a friend's blog last night, somehow managed to get something to rhyme!

Its trying times for them,
yesterday and tomorrow are all the same.
I pray that they win over wait,
Not yield and become bait.

Quotable Quotes

2009-10-11T21:22:00.000+04:00

This is in continuation of another post. Here's what I sounded like when my wisdom spoke...

"An international students life comes with a small pocket with just enough room for a tight budget and a few coins that even vending machines look down upon!"

Lord of the Dance

2009-07-29T23:13:00.000+04:00

A brilliant performance... Lord of the Dance is an Irish musical and dance production that was created, choreographed, and produced by Irish-American dancer Michael Flatley, who also took a starring role... the music is a 19th century celtic tune... its adaptation for the dance is astounding.. and the synchonisation is exemplary... makes me wonder if I'd be able to perform something like this someday.

Watch it on youtube :

Hon'ble Member of Infosys

2009-07-23T20:14:00.001+04:00

An adaptation from somewhere on the world wide web is this chronicle of how Nandan Nilekani turns a Politician from an Infoscion.

The House was in pin drop silence. I was brimming with anticipation and excitement!!!! Manmohan had informed me that my introduction was one of the important points of the agenda. I hoped that I will be able to make my speech properly. After so many interviews and conferences, I was nervous today!!!! After the Speaker indicated that the proceedings of the House could begin, Manmohan formally introduced me to the entire House. He mentioned that as the head of the Unique Identification Authority of India, I was responsible to ensure that each and every Indian had a digital smart card as a proof of his existence. Manmohan spoke about why I was selected and also some references to the various projects executed by me in Infosys were mentioned. The House listened with rapt attention. I was asked to say a few words and I did exactly the same!!!

I thanked the Government of India for having given me this opportunity and I assured the House that I would strive to successfully deliver this project. The Speaker then formally inducted me into the House and before the proceedings could move any forward, there was a small commotion on the other side of the hall. It was Minister of Textiles who had a comment to make before the next point on the agenda. He made a request that I should be attired in a more austere way instead of a flashy suit. It did not go well with the image of a minister who should live to serve the common man and should be less ostentatious in his habits. I stood up to reply. I offered my apologies to the Honourable Minister and assured that I shall be in a more acceptable dress next time. I felt that he was right. We also used to have corporate dress code in Infosys. So it's here as well!!!!

I sat down and felt somebody nudging me. I turned around and to my surprise; it was the former Indian skipper and one of my favourite batsman Mohd. Azharuddin. I remembered that he had recently won the elections. I smiled at him and mentioned to him that I used to like his game very much, shaking his hand. No Rolex, I noticed. Azhar told me that he would “fix” me an appointment with an Italian designer who had designed his dapper Kurta suit. An Italian designer in Milan doing Kurtas!!!!! I made a note of this and reminded myself to give this example to Friedman for his next book,” The World Markets are flattened”. Since there was no doubt about the “Fixational” capacities of Azhar, I told him to give me the details and I would consider.

The proceedings of the House went on with numerous bills being debated and passed as I sat as a passive audience waiting for my project’s turn to come up. After the lunch break, it was the moment for me!!!! MY PROJECT”S FIRST REVIEW CAME UP FOR PRESENTATION. I was at sea. My laptop did not have any reserve power. I went to Manmohan and apprised him of the situation. I was sweating. He calmly replied that this would not be a cause of concern. I was flummoxed!!!! The Speaker asked me to explain to the House on what were my plans for the Unique Identity Project. I replied that I have a plan prepared for 30-60-90-120 days’ milestones and I have presentation to make for which I need a power socket, a projector and a screen. I had no idea what was going to happen after this. The next couple of minutes were a complete jolt for me. I was completely in a tizzy.

Let me just summarize what happened. A Joint Cabinet Secretary Committee was set up to judge the feasibility of my request. The Under Secretaries for the Ministries of Power, IT and Broadcasting will prepare a Viability Report after scrutinizing National Security threats to my request. This was because the power socket comes under Power, laptop comes under IT and projector comes under Broadcasting. I have also been told to reconsider my timelines of 30-60-90 days and start thinking in terms of years. Probably, they are right. I did not have the foresight in this matter.

The summary of the issue is that I need to come up with a more inclusive, democratic, comprehensive long term plan for this project to be executed over the next five years. I have also been given a presentation slot 3 months from now (by which the issues related to the power cord etc will also be resolved). I am filled with mixed reactions. I was planning for a quick resolution; the management wants a strategic solution. I come out of the House and text Murthy. “You won’t believe it but these guys work just like us. I am on a NATIONAL BENCH for the next three months!!!!!!!!”

Writing speaks

2009-07-19T22:08:00.000+04:00

Have you, like me, always wondered what all your handwriting can reveal about you? Does it surprise you when people tell you facts about yourself just from your handwriting? I’ve always wanted to learn this art or science, what ever you’d like to call it. And people who manage to read facts about other people’s personalities just from their handwriting, astonish me. It was only yesterday that I learnt that two of my very own friends are extraordinarily good at this. Each read a page from my class notes and I was zapped at their accuracy of deduction. Here’s what I was told:

Himanshu said that I was :

Hardworking
Poor at lying
One to abstain from wrong doing
Self dependent
Puts her heart into what she takes up
Does not forgive the ones who get into my bad books
Wouldn’t say something bad on the face of the one she doesn’t like

On the other hand, Deepti said that I was :

Someone who’d complete what she takes up
Creative
Focused
One who was clear in thoughts
Flexible and adaptive

I swear it all over again

2009-07-15T22:54:00.000+04:00

Love this song by Westlife, for the music definitely, but for the picturisation as well. The music has a low tempo, with prominent keyboard notes which is subtly drowned by the vocals. The picturisation, if you observe closely has a theme of only 4 colours; namely, black, white green and (an occasional but heavy) red. Its amazing how they've wielded just four colours so powerfully. Watch the video on YouTube, I'm quite certain it will bring back a few fond memories.

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T19:26:00.000+04:00

The name two generations across international boundaries and barriers of language associated music with. A singer, an entertainer, a businessman, the ‘King of Pop’. When I think about Michael Jackson my mind is flooded with images of a ‘white’ face, long black locks, flicks falling over his eyes, thick lashes, red lips, a thin lanky figure, pants just short of the ankles, white socks and black shoes tapping the dance floor and spinning on his toes. Although he may have been traumatised in his childhood by a violent father, though his life may be plagued by a zillion sex scandals and accusations of child molestation, though he may have been surrounded by controversy about his plastic surgery and his obsession with himself, though media may claim that he has scant regard to how to world perceives him, though I’d like to describe his life as self destructive, I, or for that matter no sane person, can never discount what he did to taking music international. We may have had the Beetles and the Abbas, but the contribution by one single westerner like Michael Jackson is overwhelming. His music enjoyed unparalleled popularity across all continents, something nobody before him enjoyed. Imagine being one of seven children with no god father in the music industry and then making it so big. It isn’t possible unless one has the mettle and that he most certainly did. No one can point a finger at him the way they’d point at Anu Malik, for lifting tunes. Every song of Michael Jackson’s, every dance sequence and the moonwalk are all his original contributions. As far as the accusations of his being oblivious and unmindful of people’s perception of his behaviour is concerned, I think the media victimised him to a large extent too. He chose to live far away from New York in his amusement park resort Neverland. He chose to continue to nurture the child within him, never refraining to succumb to his childish desires; be it taking a ride on the merry-go-round or climbing a tree or his continual belief that he was Peter Pan himself. Despite all these dark spots on this behaviour, his fame is unmatched. So much so that the news of his death spurred an worldwide Internet slowdown. Online activity heated up both Twitter and Google. Both sites registered a reduction in speed. Google recorded Michael Jackson as most searched item today. The TMZ website, where the news of Michael Jackson’s death news broke, crashed. The circumstances surrounding his death may remain controversial right now, but he will continue to live in his numerous songs some of which I will never forget:

Blood on the Dance Floor
Man in the Mirror
Black or White
Remember the Time
Stranger in Moscow
Bad
Heal the world
They don’t care about us
Billie Jean
Earth Song
Dont stop till you get enough
Beat It
The way you make me feel
Shake your body

May his soul rest in peace

The Singapore batch should be named...

2009-05-12T20:11:00.000+04:00

Amigos
Phoenix
Titans
Archians
CorpoGenies
Tycoons
Legends
Les Audacieux
Alchemists
Eagles
Recessionites

These are a few names that people in my batch came up with for a batch name! Any guesses, which one was put forth by me? Its tres facile! :-D

You're The Inspiration

2009-05-03T09:36:00.000+04:00

A song I'd long forgotten was heard recently on Radio Classic in Singapore. We used to have this song at home, but I dont even know where it is now. But I'm glad I heard it after all these years and I was chatting with Dad when it played, so the timing was jsut perfect; I dedicated it to him...

You're the meaning in my life
You're the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You're the inspiration

Quote me!

2009-03-08T19:58:00.000+04:00

Even while I type this post out, I’m chatting with a friend I’ve got acquainted with recently. And I’ve come up with some good quotable quotes. Here they are.

There's just one version of me, the baselined version. So, what if the baseline changes everyday.
Those who have blogs are not creative geniuses, they just have vella time and an internet connection.

It starts in my toes...

2009-02-26T12:49:00.000+04:00

I've been awake for a while now
You've got me feelin like a child now
Cause every time I see your bubbly face
I get the tinglies in a silly place

It starts in my toes
And I crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go

The rain is fallin on my window pane
But we are hidin in a safer place
Under covers stayin dry (*safe) and warm
You give me feelins that I adore

It starts in my toes
Make me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go

What am I gonna say
When you make me feel this way
I just........mmmmmm

It starts in my toes
Make me crinkle my nose
Where ever it goes
I always know
That you make me smile
Please stay for a while now
Just take your time
Where ever you go

I've been asleep for a while now
You tucked me in just like a child now
Cause every time you hold me in your arms
I'm comfortable enough to feel your warmth

It starts in my soul
And I lose all control
When you kiss my nose
The feelin shows
Cause you make me smile
Baby just take your time now
Holdin me tight

Where ever, where ever, where ever you go
Where ever, where ever, where ever you go
Where ever you go, I'll always know
Cause you make me smile here, just for a while

This is a ‘bubbly’ pop song by 24 year old American signer-songwriter Colbie Caillat with arm vocals and a gentle score on the acoustic guitar for accompaniment. This song featured n the iTunes Store as the "Single of the Week" and has been viewed on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWfB4lurT4) over 27 millions times. Caillat is also remembered for having recorded the dreamy ‘Kiss the girl’ number from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. She has also worked with, among others, the Goo Goo Dolls and John Mayer.

And the Oscar goes to...

2009-02-24T16:42:00.001+04:00

Oscar winners 2009

Here's a summary of who won what (wow, an alliteration after a long time); sourced from
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/film/article2266066.ece.

BEST PICTURE:
Slumdog Millionaire - Christian Colson

BEST DIRECTOR:
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire)

BEST ACTRESS:
Kate Winslet (The Reader)

BEST ACTOR:
Sean Penn (Milk)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Dustin Lance Black (Milk)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire)

BEST ANIMATION:
Wall-E - Andrew Stanton

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM:
La Maison En Petits Cubes - Kunio Kato

BEST ART DIRECTION:
Donald Graham Burt & Victor J. Zolfo (The Curious Case Of Benjamin
Button)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:
Michael O'Connor (The Duchess)

BEST MAKEUP:
Greg Cannom (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Anthony Dod Mantle (Slumdog Millionaire)

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM :
Jochen Alexander Freydank (Spielzeugland)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE:
Man On Wire - James Marsh and Simon Chinn

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT:
Smile Pinki - Megan Mylan

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:
Eric Barba, Steve Preeg, Burt Dalton & Craig Barron (The Curious Case Of
Benjamin Button)

OUTSTANDING FILM EDITING:
Richard King (The Dark Knight)

OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING:
Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke & Resul Pookutty (Slumdog Millionaire)

OUTSTANDING FILM EDITING:
Chris Dickens (Slumdog Millionaire)

JEAN HERSHOLT HUMANITARIAN AWARD:
Jerry Lewis

BEST MUSIC (SCORE):
A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire)

BEST MUSIC (SONG):
"Jai Ho" - Music by A.R. Rahman; Lyric by Gulzar (Slumdog Millionaire)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:
Departures: Japan (directed by Yojiro Takita)

Landscape Photography

2009-02-24T09:31:00.001+04:00

We've all had the experience: Driving through a beautiful landscape, you stop at every scenic overlook to make photographs sure to capture the grandeur of what you see. You get home, look at the pictures, and find them flat and boring. All the elements that enthralled you at the time are there, but not the feeling. Why? When we look at a landscape, our eyes travel over it and selectively focus on the elements that we find appealing. Our field of vision encompasses a great deal of the scene, but our eyes and brains have the ability to ignore all except the most alluring details. Lenses and sensors or film cannot do this by themselves. They need help.

Time is the most important investment you can make in getting good landscape pictures. When you arrive in a place you've never visited before, spend time scouting—driving or hiking to different locations, finding different vantage points. Carry a compass to figure out where the sun will rise and set, and imagine how the place would look in different kinds of light. This can take some practice because you also have to look at where the light will not be falling. Photographing a canyon, for example, you might see that the west wall will be beautifully lit in the early morning, if the canyon is deep, however, the east wall will be in such complete shadow that your camera will be capable of rendering it only as a great black blob. Unless this is the effect you want, you'll either have to modify your composition, shoot it later in the day, or plan to return on an overcast day when both sides will be photographable. Below are ideas about how different landscape subjects can be turned eternal in still pictures.

Flowing Water

If a river or stream flows through the landscape you are shooting, think about the character of it and how to convey that character in the image. A big, slow river looks and feels different from a fast-moving mountain stream. The water can be the center of interest in the image, or it can serve as an element in your composition—as a diagonal or other leading line, as a horizontal line, or as a shape that complements other elements in the frame.

Look carefully for reflections in the water. You can use some reflections to enhance the image—the colors of reflected autumn leaves, for instance—but others may just be distracting. You may have to move around a bit to include or eliminate them, or return when the sun is at a different angle. Use a polarizing filter to eliminate some of the reflection and increase contrast; rotate it until you have the effect you want.

Forests

Photographing forests presents a different set of challenges. First, think about the character of the forest you want to shoot and the feeling you want to convey in your image. Should it feel dark and brooding, or light and airy? Are there any special features that will help express how you feel about it?

As with any photograph, find a point of interest. It might be one slightly different tree trunk, a path winding through, or a splash of color on a flowering vine. Whatever it is, compose in such a way to lead the viewer to it. Look for shafts of light penetrating the canopy or one spot on the forest floor directly lit by the sun.

Whether you are shooting toward a forest or shooting from inside it, look for patterns, lines, and other compositional elements you can use. Try both wide and telephoto lenses. A wide lens looking up at the trees will make them soar; a telephoto will compress a row of trunks. Lie down and look straight up through the branches; climb a tree to look down the path.

Plains and Prairies

Wide-open spaces such as plains and prairies are among the hardest landscapes of all to photograph well because often they lack an obvious point of interest. In most cases, the huge scope of the scene is one of the things you're trying to communicate. Even so, remember that viewers need something on which to focus. Look for an element peculiar to that place and use it as a point of interest that says something about the scene and imparts a sense of scale. You don't want the viewer's eyes to wander aimlessly around the frame, so use whatever might be available to lead him into the image—a winding road, a stream, or a fence line, for example.

Like every forest, every plain has its own personality, so hunt around until you have found an angle and composition that reflect it. What is the most important feature of this particular place? Think about the sky. Do you want a lot or a little of it? A clear blue sky might best reflect the character of one plain, a brewing storm another. Remember the rule of thirds. If the sky is important, place the horizon along the bottom third division of the frame. If it is not, put it along the upper third.

Deserts

Look for ways to show the rugged nature and the beauty of deserts. In the middle of the day, find waves caused by the heat. Using a long lens to compress them, you'll get dramatic shots that really say "hot." Deserts are also great places for pictures of stars. There is no humidity, and usually no terrestrial lights to interfere, so stars seem more numerous and are unusually brilliant. Watch the way the color of the sand changes throughout the day with the angle of the sun. Think about ways to capture the characteristics of the desert. A wide shot might best portray one desert, while a close-up of one plant struggling to survive on the side of a dune might best represent another.

Think about including the sun in your photograph—it's one sure way to say hot and harsh. But shooting the sun is tricky. On a clear day, the sun is so bright that your camera's meter will tend to underexpose everything else in the frame. Shoot in manual mode, or take a reading without the sun in frame, depressing the shutter button halfway to hold the exposure, then reframe before you shoot. If you're shooting film, bracket a lot to make sure of getting the exposure you want. With a digital camera, check the images as you shoot. Wide-angle lenses tend to work best because the blown-out sun takes up less of the image, but they are susceptible to lens flare. The advantage of SLRs is that you can see the flare when you frame the image.

Seacoasts

Consider these different scenes: a tranquil tropic isle with turquoise water lapping at a white, sandy beach; storm waves pounding a rocky New England shore; a densely packed vacation beach. What kind of shore are you photographing, and how can you best convey it? What time of day, what kind of weather, and what season is most appropriate for showing its character? These are the kinds of questions to ask yourself while scouting for the right vantage point and composition before shooting. Every shoreline is different in some way. Show the difference in your images.

Once you have thought about the character of the shore, look for elements you can use to reinforce the feeling you're after. Palm trees make a good frame for a tropical beach; a spray of water shooting over rocks adds drama to a rugged coastal scene. As in the desert, be careful about sand. If it's windy, be sure to protect your camera and lenses from blowing sand. Don't open the camera back unless you are in an area that is well sheltered.

Mountains

Are the mountains you're shooting rugged or worn, threatening or enchanting? What feeling do you get from them? Look for elements that will reinforce your feeling and convey it to the viewer. What composition, angle, light, and weather seem most appropriate? Look for the telling details that reflect the spirit of the mountains, too.

THIS ARTICLE IS FROM The Ultimate Field Guide to Landscape Photography (A must-have resource for stunning landscape photography).

Destination Nalagarh

2009-01-28T11:23:00.001+04:00

I had heard my Dad talk oft about Nalagarh but this tiny but lovely town piqued my interest were a few pictures of the town that a friend recently shared with me. The locale is as mesmerizing as the heritage resort where they had put up. It brings visions of Rajahs holding court, his ministers seated in the plush and exquisitely crafted furniture. Visions of the splendour of India at the time of the British Raj. The many rifles adorning the walls of the palace floods my mind with imagesof the His Highness hunting in the surrounding thick evergreen forests. I'm so enchanted by the beauty of this place that I'm consideringpacking my bags and going back in time. Just the sort of place I was looking for to unwind over a weekend.
Here's something that I discovered while scouring the internet for facts to wise up to:
Nalagarh (also known as Hindur or Nawalgarh) is a city and a municipal committee in Solan district in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. It was the seat of the eponymous princely state during the British Raj, and known in medieval period as the state of Hindur. It was founded by the Chandela Rajputs in 1100AD. At present Nalagarh is an emerging town for industries as it hosts Production units for leather, steel, chemicals, thread mills and breweries, thus air pollution is quite a concern here. It is situated at 65 km distance from nearby major city Chandigarh Nalagarh is a gateway to Himachal Pradesh in North India, 300 km of north Delhi and 60 km from Chandigarh. The Fort which was built in 1421during the reign of Raja Bikram Chand is located on a hillock at the foothills of the mighty Himalayas affording a panoramic view of the Shivalik hills beyond River Sirsa. In the early twentieth century, Nawalgarh was one of the Simla hill states, under the government of the Punjab. The country was overrun by the Gurkhas for some years before1815, when they were driven out by the British, and the raja was confirmed in possession of the territory. Grain and opium have, in the past, been main agricultural products. Nalagarh was ruled by the Chandela Rajputs who originated from Chanderi in the Bundelkhand regions of central India. Fort Nalagarh surrounded by endless acres of greenery, with all modern amenities is an ideal retreat away from the madding crowd of metropolitan cities.

In search of happiness

2009-01-27T09:16:00.000+04:00

We all seek happiness in our lives. Fortunately, it's not an onerous task. You don't need to go searching in far-off lands, or engage in expensive recreational activities to find happiness and peace. All we need to do is realize that everything we need to make us happy is inside us. Find joy in simple pleasures. Find your smile in delighting in the nature around you. Smile at the Sun, the Moon, and the trees. Find joy in the wind blowing though your hair, in running up a flight of stairs, in greeting the milkman, the driver and the security guard. Discover the beauty all around, not just in expensive objects in antique stores.

A drop of pure honey

2009-01-22T08:59:00.001+04:00

This morning, I’ve just put together a tiny verse in the rhyme scheme abab. It goes like this:

It's like honey when it washes over me
Because SugarFree was never ever so sweet
Now it's hard to wait till it's you I see
When at the arrival lounge, we will greet and meet

Living together

2009-01-20T13:14:00.001+04:00

Here's a brilliant song that I've come across today on Sky.fm. Fairly
well expressed. Rendered beautifully by Amy Dalley, an American country
music singer-songwriter, in a punchy country tune.

Pay the bills
Cut the grass
Someone forgot the trash
All the talks we've had about the toll the saved
A few anniversaries, fights and apologies
Sometimes what love needs is a good referee

I'm his best friend, I'm his room mate
I'm his partner, I'm his wife
He's standard date for dinner
That stays over every night
Being married aint the struggle
You could stay that way forever
The hardest part is living together

Stack of plates
Whose turn is it anyway?
That frozen chicken aint gonna cook itself
How much did that cost?
Who forgot to walk the dog?
Ones about to freeze to death
Ones about to melt

I'm his best friend, I'm his room mate
I'm his partner, I'm his wife
He's standard date for dinner
That stays over every night
Being married aint the struggle
You could stay that way forever
The hardest part is living together

It's beautiful it's ugly
It's passionate its don't touch me
Its being stubborn it's giving in
Waking up to do it all again

I'm his best friend, I'm his room mate
I'm his partner, I'm his wife
He's standard date for dinner
That stays over every night
Being married aint the struggle
You could stay that way forever
The hardest part is living together

I'm his best friend, I'm his room mate
I'm his partner, I'm his wife
He's standard date for dinner
That stays over every night
Being married aint the struggle
You could stay that way forever
The hardest part is living together

The hardest part is living together

She wouldn't be gone

2009-01-19T22:55:00.001+04:00

A peppy country song by Blake Shelton. I enjoyed the music and the lyrics, kind of makes you feel sorry for the guy and yet you tell yourself, 'serves him right'! Here it is:

Red roadside wild flower,
if I'd only picked you,
took you home and set you on the counter,
oh at least a time or two,
maybe she'd have thought it through.
Yellow sunset dippin in the rearview,
oh how she loved to sit and watch you,
I could have done that a whole lot more.

[Bridge]
If I hadnt been so stubborn,
been so selfish,
thought about her more,
thought about me less.
Joked to make her happy,
held her when she cried,
a little more of that, maybe i..

[Chorus]
Wouldnt be drivin like hell,
flyin like crazy down the highway,
callin everyone we know,
stoppin any place she might be,
goin anywhere she might go.
Beatin on the dash,
screamin out her name at the windshield,
tears soakin up my face.
if I'd have loved her this much all along,
maybe, maybe, yeah maybe,
she wouldn't be gone.

She warned me it was comin,
said if I didn't change she'd be leavin.
I just didn't believe
she'd ever really walk out.
God I believe her now.
Called her momma,
cried like a baby to her best friend,
if they've seen her they ain't sayin,
they ain't sayin.
Now I'm cursin like a fool,
prayin it ain't too late,
all i wanna do is fix my mistakes.
Find her, beg her, for one more try,
untill then damnit I'll..

[Chrous]
Be drivin like hell,
flyin like crazy down the highway,
callin everyone we know,
stoppin any place she might be,
goin anywhere she might go.
Beatin on the dash,
screamin out her name at the windshield,
tears soakin up my face.
If I'd have loved her this much all along,
maybe, maybe, yeah maybe,
she wouldn't be gone.

I wouldnt be beatin on the dash,
screamin out her name at the windshield,
tears soakin up my face.
if I'd have loved her this much all along,
maybe, maybe, yeah maybe,
she wouldn't be gone.

Red roadside wild flower,
if I'd only picked you,
took you home and set you on the counter,
oh at least a time or two,
maybe she'd have thought it through.

For you ..

2008-12-31T17:18:00.000+04:00

Here's my wish for you for the new year:

If thy deeds are good and thy heart is pure
From resoluteness thou are not demure
To thee, if it means that much too
Thy dream would most certainly come true.

Where have I been? On a whale ship!

2008-12-14T20:18:00.000+04:00

You haven’t read from me for many weeks now. Yes, your sources have conveyed the true picture; I have been working day and night. You see, I am trying to keep the world from sinking because I believe that in these hard times of recession, telecommunications (alone) can save the day. If you missed the link between the two, then you’re probably just a bored surfer who landed at my blog accidentally and didn’t get to know that I’m into the telecommunications industry and that I specialise in interstellar communicational devices that are powered by the thermal increases causes by microbial growth. Makes perfect (non) sense, n'est-ce pas?

Anyhow, this is probably one of my first weekends when I've not been saving the world from drowning into the depths of the recessional darkness. And decided that my blog-baby needed mumma's love and attention and so I'm sitting here cross-legged since the last 2 hours, trying to write about the things close to my heart, read social reform, but have been constantly pulled away from doing so by random friends who unreasonably fume. So, what if I haven't been in touch for months and have appeared to have vanished by being hit by some mysterious asteroid? I still remember them once every financial year! Oh ok, if you don't fall into the category mentioned above (bored surfer) and happen to be one of my close friends then you've probably going to want to punch me in the tummy! Alright alright, I accept I'm bad at keeping in touch. Hmmm, that’s me what else can I say.

Somebody stop me from digressing from the subject at hand. Sitting cross-legged for two hours isn’t exactly very comfortable to my seat. Coming back, I wanted to tell you that occasionally, while we travel to work and back, we talk about the happenings in the human infested world. And my knowledge about the world around me is probably a little more that what I know about ancient methods about surgery. They read the newspapers and watch the news before they start for the day and they have an opinion about everything that I don’t know about. And all I do is wish that I had vanished in a puff of smoke. Then there is Tonu. She makes me wonder if she is talking about the same world I live in. Its almost as if I live on an uninhabited island. Why? Oh, she talks about corporate social sciences and world financials and other subjects that I think sound good only in the creamish yellow-white documents that are called newspapers in the more populated parts of the world. So, enthusiastically I decided to keep myself up-to-date with the latest happenings on the globe and read the Times and watched some CNN IBN online. Wandering around browsing news site to news site, I felt disinterested. I love reading and I love learning about the world. But tales of political manipulation and financial jugglery absolutely leave me feeling depressed. Truly, that is not the sort of stuff I enjoy reading about.

And then I happened to start reading about the whaling ship Essex. I bet every packet of maggi in my house that you didn’t know that she sailed the South Pacific hunting sperm whales till one of those toothy giants decided to strike the 240 ton ship till it sank. Anyhow, I felt my brain craving to know more, I read all about it. About the whales, the ship and the sailors. A few of the crew escaped in life boats and landed on an island. Feeding on fish, birds and vegetation, they soon exhausted the islands natural resources. As the island could no longer sustain them, most of them decided to move to other islands. Excessive sodium and a deficiency of magnesium in the sailors diets resulted in blackouts and bizarre behaviour. With food supplies running short and sailors dying, those alive not only resorted to cannibalism, but also started to draw lots to determine who would be sacrificed for the survival of the crew. Only a few remained after all the desperate measures of survival. Meanwhile attempts were on to rescue the survivors at sea and the few that stayed back on the uninhabited island. A distressing story, perhaps an inspiration for a movie, that has left me wanting to miss dinner. So much for my yearning for current affairs. Well, I cant write anymore about this, guess, I’ll need to close this post here. When I wanted to write an unorthodox post, this wasn’t what I had in mind.

A run away from the gym

2008-09-25T11:31:00.000+04:00

In the last 10 days that I’ve been home, all I’ve been doing is eating and lazing around. And hogging and more hogging for fillers. In all probability, I’ve put on some 5-6 kgs already. And I am in desperate need of some toning down. But unlike most young people my age, who rush to the gym for solace, I run away from it. What I previously thought was a lack of initiation to gym has revealed itself differently. Over all these years of being in gym-crazy-company and the knowledge of having fully-equipped-high-tech gyms in our own apartment complex has not pushed me to do the grinds on the treadmill; rather I’ve become increasingly sure that I’m averse to concept of gymming. I’m no less of a fitness freak, but I just prefer to stay away from the gym. Why? The reasons are many:

1. The body benefits more from sports and activities that involve physical exertion than working on machines that serve to help only certain muscles. Swimming or running, badminton or baskie – count me in anytime.

2. An hour’s work out in the park also helps us stay closer to nature. Oh, the myriad colours that the trees were dressed in during the onset of autumn and the melodious tunes the birds sang love songs in in spring - they were such a treat to the senses. And perhaps an apt solution to William Henry Davies' long open question - What is this life if, full of care, we have no time to stand and stare!

3. Physical activity helps in breathing and regulating blood circulation far more than does working on sophisticated equipment. Apparently, that’s because natural movements require more contribution from more muscles enabling better circulation and moderating breathing.

4. Burning out outdoors than doing the same within the enclosures of a gym has the added advantage of helping the body burn more – when we’re outdoors, the body has to burn more fuel to keep itself warm. I remember enjoying (which means my body felt healthier) running in Cassiobury Park more than I did burning out in the elite Centreway Gym.

5. I prefer working out with company than with a lonely iPod or a solitary television blaring out. Dancing with friends or wall climbing with buddies is so much more fun.

6. Lastly, but not least-ly, we can do our bit to conserve fossil fuels by not driving down to the gym and conserve electrical energy by not spending it on the gym equipment.

So, what say, gym-nahii-sium?

Irresponsible journalism

2008-09-24T23:06:00.000+04:00

Was telling a friend earlier today that practically, every news channel worth its salt was covering the Delhi serial blasts in detail.

But I felt that the news channels were fairly irresponsible in their reporting. I noticed that they were unnecessarily sensationalising small things and showing the same things over and over again with special effects. It wasn't crisp journalism at all. I thought that they were blowing up smaller news pieces so that they could increase their viewership ratings. On one occasion, they interviewed a little boy who is believed to have witnessed 2 of the accused. They kept showing his video and kept repeating that he would be able to identify the terrorrists. I thought that by making his identity so public, the boy's life was greatly at risk. I think that as responsible news channels, they shouldn't have done that. Aargh. (Controversial comments here - but couldn't resist!)

Censor Scissors

2008-09-22T23:02:00.000+04:00

Here's what I wrote about 'whether or not the govt needs to censor content on television and radio'. I think its not comprehensive, but this is what I could write in the time limit specified.

In my view, governments and regulatory bodies should be allowed to moderate the content on television and radio programs.

Television and radio content are a reflection of the society and vice versa. The programs are greatly inspired from real life in order to make them more relatable to a majority of the audience. Likewise, people try to imitate reel-life as it is often ‘glamorous’. Thus, any inappropriate content broadcasted over these media will be mirrored by society. For example, in the absence of regulation, a family soap may exemplify giving and taking dowry in Indian marriages, sending out the wrong message to the (usually less discerning) audience. This leads to the setting of wrong social conditioning and expectations; the consequences can be as grave as bride burning.

Television and radio also have a huge impact on children who are the future pillars of a nation. Newspapers are filled with pages of incidents where children use dangerous arms and weapons against their parents and teachers. In most cases, interrogation has confirmed that the inspiration in such crime was taken from (often uncensored) television and radio programs that glorify violence and vengeance.

Television and radio are media that reach the masses, both urban and rural. They have a wide audience that comes from a plethora of different backgrounds, unlike the Internet or Podcasting that requires technical knowledge and may be out-of-reach of most people in lesser developed countries. Hence, the content that is broadcasted on television and radio has a more far-reaching impact. This makes it crucial for governments to regulate the content that is broadcasted over the radio and television.

Kanda Poha

2008-09-03T22:27:00.001+04:00

The taste of Maharashtra

Ingredients:

1 cup poha
1 kanda a.k.a onion, chopped
1 potato, chopped
1 tbsp urad daal
1 tbsp chanaa daal
1/2 tbsp mustard
1/2 tbsp red chilly flakes
1/2 tbsp kadipatta (curry leaves)
1/4 tbsp turmeric (halad)
salt to taste
oil for cooking
coriander for garnishing
lemon for garnishing

Method:

Wash and drain the poha
Let it stand for 5 mins
In the meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan.
Add the mustard, chanaa daal and urad daal.
When the urad daal turns to a hue of brown, add the onion. Fry.
Add the chilly flakes and the curry leaves.
When the kanda turns golden brown, add the potato pieces and fry.
Loosen the poha with a fork and add it.
Add the turmeric, salt and a little sugar. Mix well.
Garnish with finely chopped coriander, grated coconut and lemon juice.
Relish!

Pepped up at midnight

2008-09-01T03:25:00.000+04:00

It is half past midnight and I am busy completing some work. To help me from struggling to keep awake, I listen to the music on my iPod. The songs play on and I continue to complete my work. A while later, I unintentionally turn oblivious to the music playing in my ears and my eyeslids become too heavy to be kept open. Soon, I turn unmindful towards the other things around me too. I tell myself that the most fitting plan of action would be to tuck myself in bed or else waking up fresh and early next morning would only be a sweet dream. Comme il faut, I yawn.

Almost as an innate reflex, my iPod plays a song that makes my senses spring back to life; I feel the blood flowing into every part of me. Not only is it a fabulous song (which in ma langue means that it has good chords on the guitar) but it is also one with which I have some amazing memories attached, which make the song even more special. Instantly my mind is flooded with vivid images of a very cold winter morning in North Wales. Of listening to this song on full volume in our car. Of us stopping the car on the sleet covered hard shoulder of the motorway just to dance on this number. Of 14 young people breaking free of all inhibitions and soaking in every drop of fun that there could have been. I still remember how hot my body had turned after the dance, despite the freezing temperatures. I can still hear each of our voices as we sang as if there was no soul in a 10 mile radius. This was the song, the very same song. That was the December of 2006.

Drowsiness is wiped off clean. I find myself increasing the volume and turning the equaliser on. I find myself getting off the chair. I find myself dancing. Spontaneously. I again feel my body temperatures rising. I start singing the song. Again oblivous to my surroundings. Oblivious to the Maritan time of the night. I feel turned on and I ask myself, is it just the song or am I in love? Kya mujhe pyaar hai? Kahisa humaar

The song is Kyun Aaj Kal Neend Kam Khwaab Jyaada Hai from the soundtrack of the movie Woh Lamhe.

kyun aaj kal, neend kam khwab jyada hai
lagta khuda ka koi nek irada hai
kal tha faqir aaj dil shehzada hai
lagta khuda ka koi nek irada hai

kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai
kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai

Oooh, oooh, oooh
Oooh, oooh, oooh

paththar ke in raston pe
phoolon ki ek chaadar hai
jabse mile ho humko
badla har ek manzar hai

dekho jahan main nile nile aasmaan tale
rang naye naye hain jaise ghulte hue
soye se khaab mere, jaage tere waste
tere khayalon se hain, bheege mere raaste

kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai
kya mujhe pyar hai
kaisa khumar hai

Oooh, oooh, oooh
Oooh, oooh, oooh

tum kyun chale aate ho
har roj in khwabon main
chupke se aa bhi jao main
ek din meri baahon main

tere hi sapne andheron main ujalo main
koi nasha hai, teri aankhon ke pyalon main
tu mere khwabon main jawaabon main saawalon main
har din chura tumhe main lata hoon khyalon main

Parler français

2008-08-30T15:47:00.000+04:00

I stumbled upon a site for French students while trying to get back in touch with a friend, Alex, a Parisienne who often visits London to meet our common friend Karen. Now, the challenge was that I needed to introduce myself in French! After years of being out of touch, I tried to build complete sentences and realised, how much I'd forgotten. I was struggling to join the words together and could only say those things about myself that I knew the words for! Literally, at a loss for words! Alors, Here's what I wrote about myself:

Bonjour tout le monde!
Je suis Indienne mais maintenent, j'habite à Londres. Je suis ingénieur des télécommunications. Je parle anglais, hindi (la langue nationale de l'Inde) et quelques autres langues régionales de l'Inde. J'aime apprendre de nouvelles langues et j'ai étudié un peu de français à l'école. Je voudrais parler bien français en bon accent.
Voila, à la prochaine!

Est-ce que tu pret pour Bournemouth?

2008-08-25T23:15:00.000+04:00

Padma asked me if I was game for a day on the beach and I didnt sound convinced when I heard it was Bournemouth. Nevertheless, since it was my darling sweetie who was so looking forward to it, I yielded. "Good", she said, "be ready, we'll pick you up at 7 tomorrow morning".

I took note of the time and told myself not to delay the trip. Slept early that night so that I could be up and bright early. But was so exited that I could hardly sleep and my eyes opened at 6AM itself. Was unbelieveably ready by 6:30! Cant understand what happens to me on weekdays, hehe. So, while I waited for the clock to tick, I did some menial chores around my house.

7:00AM - no sign of her
7:30AM - no sign again. I get impatient and gave Padma a call. And what do I get to hear? Mademoiselle answered my phone with a yawn and asked me what time of the day it was! Can you believe it? I wondered if the trip was for this weekend or the next!

... to be continued

Mania Olympia

2008-08-23T13:24:00.000+04:00

Whoopee!

I'm so glad that India has won 3 medals this time at the XXIX Summer Olympics in Beijing. It’s 1 Gold and 2 Bronzes in our kitty already. This is also the highest number of medals we’ve ever bagged in any Olympics. I remember that it was just a solitary silver last time around in Greece (that too was in shooting) and none in the Winter Olympics in Italy. I hope we perform better in the the London Olympics in 2012! Fingers (and batons and javelins) crossed, hehe.

Mera Bharat Mahaan!

Lays of continuity

2008-08-22T15:48:00.000+04:00

Its been a pretty dry week for my blog but not in my life; its been at its most happening best! Sunday was my birthday. Monday was a lot of work. Tuesday and Wednesday were a lot of fun with my friend who was visiting me in UK. Thursday was sleeping for 12 hours as I hadn’t slept the previous two nights. And I don’t know what Friday will be like. Hmm. I haven’t had time to talk to Mom and Dad. I haven’t been mailing my friends (in fact one of my friends thought that I was upset with him or something like that and called up from India to enquire, hehe). I haven’t been having dinner and breakfast regularly and havent cooked in the whole of last week! So, by those standards, I guess no blogs being churned out is quite permissible.

Based on the nature of the facts above, I hypothesize that there exists an inverse relationship between the occurrences of events and the blogs written during the sample time window. But I’m pretty sure this is true. And can prove it too. In the following way. When the number of events increase, the time spent on them increases. As the amount of time in any stable system is constant, consequently, the time available for blogging reduces. Since the amount of time available is a determining factor for the number of blogs churned out, subsequently the number of blogs decrease. Therefore, it can be inferred that more eventful the week, lesser the blogs written during that time. Mathematically stated, if E= number of events in a given time period and B=number of blogs written during that time, then EB=k (where k is a constant). This is a universal rule that holds true for all lethargic instances of class homoSapiens. I am contesting the next Nobel Prize.
Shoo, I sound like a geek*!

Voila, jusqu'à la prochaine!

Addendum:
· A geek is defined as ‘A person who is single-minded or accomplished in scientific or technical pursuits but is felt to be socially inept’
· The title is adapted from the ‘Laws of continuity’ that my not-so-contemporary Bernoulli had once stated, that the discharge at each point in a pipe or channel is the same at every other point (assuming the there is no sink or source). Mathematically : Q1 = Q2 = A1 V1 = A2 V2.

Meri Bindiya Re, Re Ay Hay

2008-08-16T04:57:00.000+04:00

We had traditional attire day in the office today. I was quite at sea as I hadn’t packed anything ethnic in my suitcase when I flew from my des. Anyhow, I wore my creative hat and concocted an ensemble that would fit the occasion. It consisted of this lovely Kurti in citrus couleurs (courtesy Lifestyle, Pune) and a chudidaar. To complete the look, I decided to give myself a bindi (we call it Ticklee in Marathi at home; amusing name, naa?). Nothing elaborate and in fact, not even a Bindi, per se. On the contrary, quite elementary, it was a simple vertical line with my eye liner!
But it wasn’t easy to accomplish, mind you. It was only on the third try that I managed to get a straight line, equi-spaced from my brows and of uniform width! I guess the last time I had adorned my forehead this way was way back in 2006. That was for Lohari in Pune and again when I had draped a saree in Mysore. I still remember that I was never fond of Bindis when I was a little girl becase I thought that it was very rustic. To the contrast of today, when I consider it symbolic of my Indian-ness. Someone was recently talking about 'Coming of age'.
Jokes apart, here are some wisdom capsules. Found this on Wikipedia, ‘The Hindus believe that a red bindi should be worn by women who are married and a black bindi is worn by single girls. A black bindi is also believed to keep the evil spirits away’. Suits me perfecticklee!
Anyhow, here's a picture of what my Bindi looked like:

The importance of being Calpurnia

2008-08-13T18:56:00.000+04:00

[11:41:31] Desai,K,Kaus: hello pavan
[11:41:39] Shinde,P,Pav: heylo
[11:41:47] Shinde,P,Pav: were you trying to call me yesterday ?
[11:42:16] Desai,K,Kaus: no
[11:42:23] Desai,K,Kaus: my phone did, though
[11:42:26] Shinde,P,Pav: ok
[11:42:47] Shinde,P,Pav: :)
[11:42:57] Desai,K,Kaus: just wanted to tell you
[11:43:00] Desai,K,Kaus: i got my money
[11:43:04] Desai,K,Kaus: persistence
[11:43:22] Shinde,P,Pav: Good !
[11:43:29] Shinde,P,Pav: (Y)
[11:43:42] Desai,K,Kaus: pig-headed persistence
[11:44:05] Shinde,P,Pav: :D
[11:44:32] Desai,K,Kaus: you need to appear to be stupider than the other guy
[11:44:51] Desai,K,Kaus: then take down their statements one-by-one
[11:45:07] Desai,K,Kaus: then let them think they're geniuses
[11:45:29] Desai,K,Kaus: that feeling however, lasts only until you tell them "see?"
[11:47:45] Shinde,P,Pav: :)
[11:50:54] Desai,K,Kaus: that is what i call the 'albert einstein' moment
[11:51:12] Desai,K,Kaus: There comes a time when the mind takes a higher plane of knowledge but can never prove how it got there.
[11:51:20] Desai,K,Kaus: to quote the man himself
[11:52:07] Shinde,P,Pav: hmm
[11:52:59] Desai,K,Kaus: or Julius Caesar, Act IV, Scene III
[11:53:48] Desai,K,Kaus: if you've followed shakespeare
[11:53:57] Shinde,P,Pav: I dont thnk this was there in julius ceas
[11:54:05] Shinde,P,Pav: caesar*
[11:54:15] Desai,K,Kaus: no no, the first quote was einstein
[11:54:40] Desai,K,Kaus: the julius caesar line is perhaps better known
[11:54:57] Desai,K,Kaus: Brutus: There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their life
Is bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,
Or lose our ventures.
[11:54:58] Shinde,P,Pav: nobleso fall
[11:55:02] Shinde,P,Pav: noblest of all
[11:55:37] Shinde,P,Pav: I dont remember these lines
[11:55:52] Shinde,P,Pav: I remember what the soothsayer says
[11:55:56] Desai,K,Kaus: no?
[11:56:04] Shinde,P,Pav: and i rememer his wife's deream
[11:56:17] Shinde,P,Pav: and i remember brutus being called the most noble
[11:56:21] Shinde,P,Pav: dats it
[11:56:41] Desai,K,Kaus: yeah, chlamydomona or something like it
[11:56:53] Desai,K,Kaus: cassiopaea perhaps
[11:57:07] Desai,K,Kaus: or cauliflowa?
[11:57:23] Shinde,P,Pav: I'll got with option 3
[13:22:39] Desai,K,Kaus: ah, no, i've got it
[13:22:45] Desai,K,Kaus: calpurnia!
[13:22:57] Desai,K,Kaus: i thought it was california or something
[13:23:14] Desai,K,Kaus: not the RHCP album
[13:27:57] Shinde,P,Pav: that is californication
[13:28:06] Desai,K,Kaus: yes, exactly
[13:28:08] Shinde,P,Pav: or were you thinking of eagles ?
[13:28:19] Shinde,P,Pav: you can chk out any tiem
[13:28:26] Shinde,P,Pav: but you can never leave ?
[13:28:39] Desai,K,Kaus: no no, i got confused about california and cauliflowa and californication
[13:28:53] Desai,K,Kaus: then i remembered
[13:29:48] Desai,K,Kaus: it seemed illogical why julius caesar would call his wife cauliflowa
[13:30:05] Shinde,P,Pav: I cant see why he cant
[13:30:17] Desai,K,Kaus: or california, because it hadn't been discovered then
[13:30:23] Shinde,P,Pav: I can clearly imagine him saying ..
[13:31:00] Shinde,P,Pav: "Oh beloved Cauliflowa, thy bushy hair resembleth the vege of the same name"
[13:31:17] Shinde,P,Pav: or just like augustus ceasar gave the month his name
[13:31:26] Shinde,P,Pav: and julius himself named another
[13:31:45] Shinde,P,Pav: .. he might have wanted to name a vege in memory of his wifey
[13:31:50] Desai,K,Kaus: :D no no, but then it would be more relevant if he called her californication :P
[13:32:00] Shinde,P,Pav: perhaps that's how the vege got its name!
[13:32:04] Desai,K,Kaus: maybe
[13:32:40] Desai,K,Kaus: and her full name was calpurnia pisonis
[13:33:11] Desai,K,Kaus: so it would be unfair to call her cauliflowa pisonis
[13:33:20] Desai,K,Kaus: or californication pisonis
[13:33:29] Desai,K,Kaus: so it had to be calpurnia

My Stupid Mouth

2008-08-08T10:16:00.000+04:00

There is this amazing construction of chords on the acoustic guitar in this brilliant song by John Mayer with the same title as this post. I was listening to it last morning as I was walking to get my bus to work. The prelude has such a catchy rhythm that I found myself walking in step with it. And you know me, give me a song with heavenly chords on the acoustic guitar and I’m on board. This song has made it to my Top Charts on day one!

The lyrics are extremely relatable. At least for me! There are so many times when I’ve ruined my own chances, courtesy my stupid mouth. Not with any date, but with colleagues and associates. I can’t prevent myself from speaking my mind out and sometimes, people do get offended. Then, comes the awkward silence, in which I wear my fake smile and start looking around, 360 degrees, searching desperately for a subject change. Like Sangeetha Aunty once remarked that I speak first and then think. My stupid mouth.

There are also those occasions when I keep ranting away to glory. With no brakes and no lower gear. And it could be on absurd social issues to the latest development in Bollywood to the life and miseries of Mary, Queen of Scots. Which is perfectly fine with close pals (they dote on me, touchwood), but catastrophic for a new relationship. Particularly, if it’s with Indian men (about whom I will write in a separate post, aargh). Like Tanu puts it, ‘One will have to be a little more courageous to stand through all the juggernaut of talk Pavan may throw at first, so that it does not rip off one's memory of one's name’. My stupid mouth.

There are also those occasions when you’re trying to be part of an existing group who’ve already got some standard jokes they crack on the next readily available victim. And you try to be jovial and humorous, but they say something really minor and insignificant and the tables turn. And you tell yourself, ‘I tried to be funny, but looks like the joke's on me. Call me Captain Backfire!’. My stupid mouth.

Something else that I noticed about the song is that the line ‘I’m never speaking up again’ appears, albeit in a very subtle form, in his other creation, ‘Your Body is a Wonderland’. That’s another song that I love and it makes me want to be in love; however we will not discuss that in this post and which we will save for another post.

So, here’s to this awesome number (cheers!):
I'm never speaking up again
It only hurts me
I'd rather be a mystery
Than she desert(ing) me

The chords of the prelude progress in the following way :
D - D/C# - D/F# - G - Bm - D/F# - G
Source :
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/j/john_mayer/my_stupid_mouth_crd.htm
You can listen to the song on youtube too :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Tg-0Yy0M94&feature=related

Getting high

2008-08-07T13:42:00.000+04:00

Kaushal's funny lines of the day:
[10:35:47] Desai,K,Kaus: hello?
[10:35:57] Shinde,P,Pav: hi - on a call
[10:36:35] Desai,K,Kaus: i used to get hi when i used to drink a bit too much
[10:36:43] Desai,K,Kaus: never heard of getting hi on a call
[10:37:03] Desai,K,Kaus: besides, it's not socially acceptable
[10:38:09] Shinde,P,Pav: Social casualities are quite commonplace for me these days

Land Ambassador

2008-08-06T00:05:00.000+04:00

I nurture an unflinching love for my beloved motherland; but I’m not to be mistaken for an eccentric flag-waver. Over the last two years of my life that I have lived overseas, I’ve grown to believe that I am an ambassador of Indian culture. As a young independent lady, I feel that I’m an icon of a positive and progressive image of modern India. And unknowingly, it has been my endless endeavour to educate people about ‘India Shining’. To shred the ugly garbs of sati, superstition, dowry and communalism that veil our many achievements.

During each of my escapades to the countryside, I’ve found people talking to me with awe for India. I have been asked queer questions and have been given unexpected compliments. I’m reminded of this one afternoon in May ’07. I was waiting for my friends on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, soaking in Scottish hospitality. A well dressed elderly gentleman walked up to me with a faint, yet welcoming, smile on his face wanting to know which part of the world I belonged to. I had travelled from London where I had been living for the previous 8 months; even so, I said aloud that I was an Indian. I still don’t know if it was my response or the pride that was evident in my voice when I spoke about my nationality that sent him into a brief length of senile silence. Recouping, he asked me various questions and we discussed my opinions on Scottish history, people, tartan and spinning mills and some other related subjects. Since these subjects did not visibly pose any impending threat to international security, I remained vocal about my views.

After we had had a long talk, with an impressed look, he asked me if it was common for young girls in India to travel overseas alone. I tried not to look startled and explained how different India is now and how much freedom we girls get. We went to discuss more about women’s oppression in India and I elucidated the circumstances that existed a few centuries ago, reminding him of witch burning that was widespread in this part of the world and which even had royal sanction. In fact, I’d like to tell you as well, that the beautiful gardens at the foothills of Edinburgh Castle has

... to be continued

Berozgaarie blended with poetry!

2008-08-05T17:02:00.000+04:00

One of my friends pinged me today while I was busy work. I was absolutely tied up, yet, the persistent bugger wouldn’t let me work in peace. Here’s what transpired :

srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:19]:
       howdy?
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:20]:
       Goody
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:20]:
       busy?
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:25]:
       thodi
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:25]:
       Ghodi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:25]:
       lambe race ki
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:25]:
       bina shoe lace ki
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:26]:
       aur pencil heel ki
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:27]:
       ankhein hain cheel (kite) ki
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:28]:
       tareef ho rahii hai .. bade der ki
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:36]:
       so now u know main hoon kitna free
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:38]:
       par kaam hai mujhe abhie bhie bahut saari
srivastava,G,gaurav,DKL C [12:38]:
       uff yeh tumhari roz roz ki beemari
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:56]:
       beemari to lagi hui hai pehele se hi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:56]:
       shayad 20-Feb-06 se hi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:57]:
       ilaaj hai iska sadhaaran si hi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:57]:
       update karo apna CV
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:57]:
       aur daalo ek site par jiska naam hai naukri
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:58]:
       nahii hai vikalp aur koi
Shinde,P,Pavan,ANP1 C [12:59]:
       batao, samajhdaar hai na davai humaari ?

Doomsday Conspiracy

2008-08-04T21:13:00.001+04:00

Arguably, I think the worst time to find a life partner or get into a relationship is soon after a break-up when you are at an all-time emotional low. You struggle to suppress the maelstrom of feelings and the whirlpool of thoughts so that you can pick up the pieces of your life and move on. You fake a smile at your colleagues and associates so that they don’t get a peek into your morose and melancholy life. You lie when you say you’re doing fine but you know in your heart of hearts, that you desperately long to turn the pages. The overbearing void begins to engulf you but you continue your solitary battle against dejection.

It is in such a state of mind that you tend to become vulnerable and manipulatable. Inevitably, you find yourself drawn to the first person who shows you sympathy (whether it is heartfelt of not). Sweet words are what you want hear and a shoulder to, maybe not cry on, but at least to rest your head on is what you need. And no matter who it is, as long as you get to hear sweet expressions of love, your heart will get filled with joy. The once overwhelming vacuum diminishes. So does your abiity to distinguish true from fake. You overlook any signs of imitation; convincing yourself that what you have found is best for you, most true to you.

If, God forbid, the person intends to use you, then you have conveniently let yourself walk into doom’s lair. Giving the reins of your life in the hands of another, you allow yourself to be manoeuvred. Obviously, to not to suit your better interests but to serve someone else’s. After the initial charm wears out and you see the true layers, by the time you return to senses, it might just be too late.

Coming of age

2008-08-03T23:37:00.000+04:00

Off late, I've begun to certify several things as having come of age. I'm not sure if it is actually the object in question or it is purely my perspective that has come of age. Anyhow, the latest to be certified in this category is the Indian advertising fraternity. How exactly they have managed to please me is what I'm about to tell you.

I stumbled upon an Indian commercial today that casts my heartthrob Abhishek Bachchan as a Sarpanch. (For those with limited knowledge of Hindi and/or Indian democracy, a Sarpanch is the head of the local self governance body in rural India.) The ad goes like this: a village is torn apart by riots between rival castes. The Sarpanch restores peace by advocating that everyone be known by their phone number and none by their caste.

I must say that I am quite impressed at the choice of such a sensitive subject. It portrays the contrast between the volatility of caste co-existence and its prevalence in modern and progressive times in a country where even the illiterate and the poor can enjoy the comfort of a cellular phone.

I’m also impressed with the ingenuity with which the ad makers have comfortably maintained political correctness and averted enraging any regional groups. Not sure where I’m coming from? You wouldn’t have noticed it but the accent in which the Sarpanch speaks has a Rajasthani / Haryanvi touch to it. The set and villagers in the ad give you a distant feel of UP / Bihar and the music at the very end of the ad has the distinct Maharashtrian beat. Subtle. Uncontroversial.

Nothing about the ad as such, but I can’t hold myself from complimenting Abhishek for his distinct style which keeps me asking for more. You will notice the soft, yet powerful expression that he gives at the fag end of the ad when the punch line ‘What an idea, sirji’ is spoken – nearly tending to superiority and dominance, I’m sure he means to say, ‘I’m innovation’. And the unshaved look does kill!

You can watch the video on youtube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp-Zc1X_9_4

Conversations in poetry

2008-07-31T16:31:00.000+04:00

From: Pavan
To: Tanu

     Chorii…

     Tumhaari P gayi landoon,
     Kiya hai wahan se teliphoon,
     Tumhaari yaad satatii hai
     Par tu call naa uthatii hai :-)

     Phuun kiya tha maine abhie abhie
     Tumne receive na kiya tabhie tabhie
     Gaana sunn rahii hogii Rabbi Rabbi
     Bol ab call karuu kabhie kabhie?

And in response Tanu wrote:

From : Tanu
To : Pavan

     Sweets phone vibrate mode me tha
     Mainey aaj subeh hi dekha
     Main maangti hoon tumse kshama
     Humsey rooth tum na jaana
     Kya aaj baat karney ka time hoga ???

Ambigram Magic

2008-07-22T20:07:00.000+04:00

Have you ever tried searching for yourself on Google? I just tried today and surprisingly, I found 2 search results that were indeed related to me! There are some comments I’ve put on the Yahoo! Widgets page; that makes up the first search result. But the second is more interesting. Its an ambigram that Rajdeep Paul had made for me years ago; and has posted it on his blog. It was very interesting to find Google tracing me down!

The one in which the laptop gets fixed

2008-07-12T17:44:00.000+04:00

Guess what, my laptop has been fixed now and a few folks have just enjoyed platinum privileges being the first people to know about it .. the motherboard was fixed yesterday and the display is now working fine... I wasn’t able to connect to the internet though .. because there was some problem with the network card ... so I’ve been busy trying to fix it ever since I woke up (and did some basic tasks, of course) .. the fan is blowing on full speed for some Toshiba-alone-knows reason ... I'm now searching for ideas (read recipes) for breakfast.. or brunch, because it’s nearly noon now...

I read a story written by a friend last evening and I must tell you that he’s got a gift. I, on the other hand, am not very good with fiction, so it pleases my ego to believe that I am better off with travelogues. That too, I must confess, I’m very sporadic at. I’m gonna find out what the URL of his blog is because I am not entirely impressed yet

My agenda for today includes, apart from the unavoidable cleaning chores, a trip to the post office to send a bunch of bills on behalf of my friend (who’s busy wooing his girl). Since these bills (of his Munich trip) total a jaw-dropping figure and now that the fate of the reimbursement totally (or, greatly) depends on my making a trip to the post office (and sending the bills in time), he has offered to buy me chocolates. I strongly believe that it is sinful to refuse chocolates and so I have persuaded myself and agreed to this arduous job

While I am enjoying the joy of working from my laptop with the comfort of uninterrupted (by VPN timeout) broadband, my stomach has escalated the request it raised this morning for food. So if you would, please allow me to cater to the needs of my 1500cc tummy which is rumbling a storm now!

Adam-teasing

2008-04-22T19:47:00.000+04:00

TANU : Breaking newz!!! Anoop has colored his hair !!!
PAVAN : Florescent pink like a punk?? Send me a pic !!!
TANU : No it was more of a jaded brown like junk :P
ANOOP : Hehe.. tanu’s been seeing a whole lot changes in me everytime.. Right Tanu ?? Once it was double barrel Moustache :P
PAVAN : Seriously ???? Gosh!! Anoop are you deciding on what looks best on you before you fly to McUSA?? ;-)
ANOOP : Well.. next I’m gonna shave my head and burn a tattoo on my head :P And keep a double barrel moustache. What Say ?
PAVAN : You’re attracting some ‘Adam-teasing’ for yourself ;-)

A song we sang on Radio!

2008-04-13T19:29:00.000+04:00

This is one of my favourite patriotic songs .. composed by Jayashankar Prasad

Courtesy:
http://www.anubhuti-hindi.org/gauravgram/prasad/himadri.htm

My Love Bhavishyavaani

2008-03-02T23:58:00.000+04:00

A light hearted post for a change! I was aimlessly exploring the different applications on Facebook and hopped from one to another till I landed at an interesting one - my Love Bhavishyavaani (fortune in Hindi)! Whether its true or not, time will tell and my partner will testify but reading it was so amusing that it instantly made me feel good :D

Here's what it said:

Profile:

You are very protective about your beloved. You are totally indulgent and like to woo the opposite sex in style. Candle-lit dinners, flower bouquets, mushy greeting cards, chocolates are your weapons of choice. You are a very passionate lover. Pleasure is foremost on your mind. You know how to make your sweetheart feel special. At times you get jealous in your relationships.

Bisibelebhaat

2008-01-21T23:53:00.000+04:00

Habbadoota!
Karnataka is the land of recipes of rice. Talk about 'chitranna', 'puliyogare', 'vangibhaat' or or even the candid 'anna-saaru'. You have an 'anna' for every 'habba'! And while we're talking about rice preparations, one cannot afford not mentioning 'Bisibelebhaat'. One of Karnataka's signature dishes, Bisibelebhaat is a favourite with the young and the old. 'Bisi' means hot in kannada; 'bele' means daal and quite explicably, 'bhaat' is rice. An extraordinary combination of spices. Like most traditions, the blending of spices to form the masala used in bisibelebhaat changes from family to family as the secrets of the winning combinations are passed on from mother to daughter. And like you must've guessed, my bisibelebhaat masala comes from my lovely mother. Though, traditionally served on large plantain leaves with 'Kosambari', a lentil salad and some 'Palya', a vegetable side dish, or even 'mosuru', that's yogurt, it goes extremely well with potato crisps, especially Pune's 'Budhani Wafers', an all time hit with my Dad!

Ingredients:
1 cup of rice
1/2 cup of toor daal
1/2 cup of potatoes
1/2 cup of peas
2 tbsp of tamarind pulp
5 tbsp bisibelebhaat masala
1 tsp red chilly powder
2 tbsp ghee

Method:
Boil the toor daal. When nearly done add the potatoes and peas to it.
Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract its pulp.
Cook the rice.
Add the daal, potatoes and peas to the rice.
Mix the bisibelebhaat masala with a little water, stir and add to the rice.
Add the tamarind pulp, the chilly powder and salt to taste.
Serve with ghee.

Pasta

2008-01-15T23:15:00.000+04:00

Apparecchia la tavola!

Let's revive our Italiano
Apparecchia la tavola! (literally, set the table): (ah-ppah-re-kee-ah la ta-vo-lah)to prepare the table that will receive yours friends.
Gira il sugo (literally, turn the sauce): (gee-rah il soo-goh) say this when making a sauce which needs to be stirred with a spoon.
Buon appetito (have a good meal): (boo-on app-èt-it-oh) before a dinner with friends say this to the whole company and expect the same answer in return. it is a blessing for the meal to come.
Complimenti alla cuoca (compliments to the cook): (com-plee-men-tee alla coo-oka)after enjoying an excellent meal, say this to compliment your hostess and (female) to demonstrate your appreciation of her efforts. The male version is "com-plee-men-tee al coo-oko".
La specialita' della casa (the restaurant specialty): (le speh-cee-ah-lee-tah della ka-sah) use this expression to ask for the dishes characteristic of the restaurant.
Pizzeria: (pee-zzeh-ree-ah) very common restaurant where you eat the most famous Italian dish, pizza. We especially recommend pizza margherita, pizza quattro stagioni and pizza capricciosa.
Ristorante Italiano (Italian restaurant): (ree-stoh-ran-teh ee-ta-leea-noh) has an elegant atmosphere where one can enjoy typical soups, pastas, gnocchi, risotti and interesting meat and fish dishes, and where every dish is accompanied by the appropriate wine.
Antipasto (the appetizer): (an-tee-pah-stoh)it's an excellent idea to begin the dinner in the best way.
Primo piatto (the first course): (pree-moh peea-ttoh), generally it consists of pasta, soup or rice.
Secondo piatto (the second course): (she-kon-doh peea-ttoh), generally it consists of meat or fish.
Contorno (side dish): (kon-tor-noh)i is the food usually served with second course, and is usually vegetables.
Cena a lume di candela (light candle dinner): (Ce-nah a loo-meh dee can-deh-la) a romantic tête-à-tête with a special person…
Ho una fame da lupi (literally I'm hungry like a wolf): (oh oo-nah fah-meh dah loo-pih)) if you feel especially hungry, say this as a little joke about how hungry you are.
E' una buona forchetta (literally he is a good fork): (éh oo-na boo-oh-na fork-eh-ttah)an expression used to describe a gourmet, someone who enjoys eating well and appreciates high quality dishes.
Sono pieno come un uovo (literally I'm full like an egg): (soh-no pee-eh-no ko-meh un oo-oh-voh) say this when you've just finished eating and you want no more food, as an excuse for not eating anymore. It actually means that you are full, literally, "as full as an egg".
Ho l'acquolina in bocca (my mouth is watering): (hoh lah-ck-ooh-oh-lih-nah in boh-kah) say this when you see a particularly inviting dish.
Pasta al dente: (pas-tah al den-teh)when pasta is well cooked and seems almost hard and dense. This is the best way to eat pasta.

Ingredients:
2 cups pasta
3 cups water
1 cup milk
3 medium onions, chopped
3 chillies, chopped
450g tomato puree
peas
broccoli
cauliflower
salt to taste
oil for cooking
cheese for garnishing

Method:
Boil the water and milk. Add the pasta and bring to a boil. Continue to boil till the pasta is well cooked.
Meanwhile, pour some oil in a pan. Allow it to heat.
Add the onions and fry.
Add the broccoli, cauliflower and peas. Fry for a few minutes.
Add the tomato puree and stir. Add a pinch of salt.
Add the chopped chillies.
Add the pasta to this sauce and stir well. Allow it to boil.
Add salt to taste.
Buon appetito!

2008-01-14T23:12:00.000+04:00

Punch line

Ingredients:

Method:

wash and Boil masoor with 2 kanda and 3 tomato

separate excess water and mash

oil

heat

jeera - fry till colour change

curry leaves

ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp amti powder
1/3 tbsp chilly powder

fry for one sec

add daal to this

turmeric

coriander

1/2 sp cutneypudi

salt

toop

Chole masala

2008-01-13T00:53:00.000+04:00

Spicy and hot!!

The other day, I was lunching with my collegue who has never been to India in his entire life and yet knows 'chole', the better known name for chick peas in Hindi. And that made me think how big a small-town dish like chole masala had made it! So, here's to chole! Served with rotis, batures or rice, but necessarily served hot.

Ingredients:

1 cup chole
4 medium sized white onions, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped (alternatively. tomato puree)
3 potatoes, chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard
4-5 curry leaves
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp amchur powder
2 tsp chili powder
salt to taste
oil for cooking
coriander for garnishing
lemon for garnishing

Method:
Soak the chole overnight. Boil for an hour with a bay leaf.
Meanwhile pour some oil into a pan. Allow it to heat.
Add the mustard. When it starts to splutter, add the cumin seeds. Saute.
Add the curry leaves. When it turns crisp, add the bay leaf. Saute.
Add the onions and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste.
When the onions are nearly done, add the potatoes and fry.
Add the tomato (or puree) and fry.
Add the masalas (garam masala, chilly powder and amchur powder).
Add the salt to taste. Add water to match the required consistency.
Garnish with coriander leaves and lemon
Savour!!

Misal

2008-01-10T09:00:00.000+04:00

Self Torture !!

Ingredients
200g matki
3 medium onions, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp kanda-lasoon masala
1 tsp red chilly powder
½ cup water
salt to taste
oil for cooking

Method
Soak the matki overnight.
Drain the water and keep aside for (12+12+12) hrs so that it sprouts.
Boil the matki.
Pour some oil in a non stick pan. Allow it to heat.
Add some ginger-garlic paste. Stir twice.
Add the onions. Fry till it is half done.
Add the potato. Fry till it is half done.
Add the tomato. Fry till it is half done.
Add the kanda-lasoon masala. Follow with the chilly powder. Top up with the garam masala.
Add the matki. Add the salt to taste. If required, add the water till the consistency is satisfactory.
Relish.

Varan

2008-01-09T09:00:00.000+04:00

It doesn't get any better than this!

Each day, I suffer the phobia of answering the question 'What shall I cook today?' and each time, Ma comes to my rescue. I still have the emails which she'd sent me in October 2006 explaining how to make Varan. And guess what, it also included tips like when to turn the stove on and off. I still remember one of her mails instucting me, 'Sona, don't eat the cardamom pods - keep them aside while eating'. That's how caring my mother is. And she gives importance to even the minute details!

Serves 4
Time taken 60 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup of toor daal
3 medium white onions, chopped
5 green chillies, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp of jeera
1 tbsp of mustard
4 corns of black pepper
5 curry leaves
1/4 tsp of ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp of turmeric
1/4 tsp of garam masala
salt to taste
oil for cooking
coriander for garnishing

Method:
Boil the toor daal till it is soft and nearly melts into the water. This should take around 30 minutes. Once done allow it to cool. Separate the daal from the water. Mash the daal.
Meanwhile, pour oil into a non-stick pan. Allow it to heat.
Add the jeera and mustard. Follow by adding the pepper corns and curry leaves.
Add the chopped onions and chillies. For for about 3 minutes.
Add the ginger garlic paste and fry a little more.
Add the chopped tomatoes. Fry.
Add the mashed daal. Allow it to boil.
Add the turmeric, garam masala and salt to taste.
Add the coriander for garnishing.
Serve piping hot.

Picture unclear. Title unclear.

2008-01-07T17:33:00.000+04:00

Someone mentioned today that the problem with me is not my work or my ethics. The problem is that I do not know what I am going to be doing tomorrow. True. The picture, honestly, is not quite clear to me. But more than that, i was told that I’m not stong. That I don’t always stand for what I believe in. Rather, I don’t believe very strongly in many things. Particularly, those that are related to my life. Strange, that I have very strong and clear pictures and ideas about how the world should be or what other people should do, and yet at that same time a very poor picture about what I should be or what I should do!

I don’t plan my work. I think, I can do with organizing myself a bit. I’m quite loosely held in terms of my tasks for the day. Lets see, this is day 1. From historical data, not sure if I will even see day 2! Its time to go to sleep. Can I wake up at 0540? Well, when I had to write the J2EE certification, I could! I was OK to sleep for 3½ hours that night.

Or maybe it was just a moment of weakess in which I must have appeared to be miserably disorganised. Or, maybe the picture really isn't clear. Damn. Whatever.

Edinburgh

2007-12-23T04:00:00.000+04:00

0740
After a night journey of 8hrs 40min fron London Victoria, we arrived at the central Bus Station at St. Andrew Square. After some hot coffee and a light refreshments, we locked our haversacks away in the lockers and geared up for the day ahead.

0900
Hmm, the first views of Edinburgh! As we stepped out of the bus terminal, we found then unfamiliarly bright December Sun shining down at us. Telling ourslves that we knew the weather better, we strode toward Princes Street passing by the Royal Bank of Scotland (Incorporated by a Royal Charter, 1727). As we arrived at the intersection of Princes Street, it was difficult to miss the towering Walter Scott Monument or the magnificient Edinburgh Castle. Built in the years between 1841-44, the Scott Monument is a victorian gothic monument in the honour of Scottish author Sir Walter Scott (remember 'Ivanhoe' and 'The Lady of the Lake'?)

Statistics for u :)....

2007-09-21T19:40:00.000+04:00

TANU:
Why INDIA is in trouble?
Population: 100 crore
9 crore retired
30 crore in state Govt
17 crore in central Govt
(people in both categories don't work)
1 crore IT professional (don't work for India)
25 crore in school
1 crore r under 5 years
15 crore unemployed
1.2 crore u can find anytime in hospitals
Statistics says u find 79,99,998 people anytime in jail
The Balance two are U & Me.
U are busy "checking Mails /sending fwds.. "..!!
HOW CAN I HANDLE INDIA alone?

PAVAN:
Bharat mata ki jai !!!

ANOOP:
Bharat mata ki jai for being in trouble ???

PAVAN:
Noooo .. for being the only soul leadin her country, even though she is herself in another continent (and I’m busy replying to mails …damn these journalists) …She doesn’t let anything come in the way of her motherly feelings .. truly Mother India .. bharat motors ki jai .. sorry for the typo .. bharat mata ki jai .. ;-)

TANU:
no motherly feelings yet ... just plain patriotic ;)

PAVAN:
She's just being so humble ...

ANOOP:
No motherly feelings yet ?? Tanu !! congrats :P .. when will u have the motherly feelings :P???

PAVAN:
Anoop … what do you say, will it be pink or blue ?? :-D

ANOOP:
Wat.. the baby ?? I thought it was boy or girl .. when did colors come into the picture ( except for black or white)

PAVAN:
Technicolor …

ANOOP:
Wat bout rainbow colors :P ….hehehehee

TANU:
i had not done family planning in this detail yet...thanks for the novel ideas though!!! we have made lots of advancements in genetics and it is alwayz a thrilling idea to have it experimanted till the time u r not the one who is called mom or dad by such colourful kids

ANOOP:
Make sure it fluroscent color kids.. So that they’ll be bright J muhahahahahaaaaaa

PAVAN:
And come out with flying colours :- D

The pain of separation

2007-06-18T04:26:00.000+04:00

1040. I dint turn and look behind when I went for the check-in. Dint want to. Call it superstitious, if you'd like to but i'd rather call it sentimental. Got my check-in baggage scanned. The guys there put a security strap around my suitcases. I headed straight ahead to the Jet Airways check-in counters and joined the queue. The lady probably dint care to weigh my 2 suitcases, at least I couldnt see the weight being displayed. The helperboy who put my suitcases from the trolley to the conveyer belt, was so surprised at the weight of my hand baggage that he couldnt stop himself from asking me about it. I smiled and told him that I was carrying food stuff and some chakli. Perhaps he took me for a little girl who couldnt stay away from maa ke haath kaa banaa khaanaa and just ignored me. Collecting my boarding pass and seeing my suitcases being pushed away by the conveyer belt, I directed my trolley towards the immigration check. With some struggle to heave the cabin baggage on my shoulder, I reached the immigration desk in no time. The immigration officer, Mr. Shinde, took interest in my family origins for obvious reasons. The fact that I was from Pune dint probably go down with him so well as my telling him that my Dad is from Gwalior. After telling him why I was heading to the UK, I was through with the immigration check. I remembered the last time that I had crossed the line and not being able to come back to you both.

1100. I reached the lounge and waited there for no more than 5 minutes than we were called for security check for 9W118 at gate 6. My hand baggage invited a manual check for chilli powder. When it was not found, I got the stamp on my boarding pass. But the lady was surprised to see aata, rice and dal. I sat down next to Navaz awaiting the boarding instructions.

1120. I thought to myself that I should hava started at 1100 from you both, had I known that the entire process would get over so soon. While in the queue for the security check, I got talking to Navaz. A smartly dressed 58 year old lady, probably parsi. She was visiting her sister, 3 nephews and 4 grandnephews in Norfolk. Her plant nursery near the airport was eing taken care of by her servants who would also take care of her 93 year old mother and 95 year old aunt. Being single, she likes it her way, spending time with the sister and then travelling to Vancouver to meet some cousin, before returning to Mumbai via Heathrow. She took a liking to me knowing about my family and my profession. She invited me to her sister's home in Norfolk and exchanged contact details.

1245. When the plane actually needed to take off, we began boarding. Thankfully mine was an aisle seat. I had actually forgotten to ask for it while collecting my boarding pass as I was more occupied with the check-in baggage being over the weight limit. I settled down in my seat 44D.

New twist to the law of conservation of mass ...

2007-05-18T19:25:00.000+04:00

The law of conservation of mass/matter, also known as law of mass/matter conservation (or the Lomonosov-Lavoisier law), states that the mass of a closed system will remain constant, regardless of the processes acting inside the system. An equivalent statement is that matter cannot be created or destroyed, although it may be rearranged. This implies that for any chemical process in a closed system, the mass of the reactants must equal the mass of the products.
You might also remember the law of conservation of energy. In physics, the law of conservation of energy states that the total amount of energy in any isolated system remains constant but cannot be recreated, although it may change forms. In thermodynamics, the first law of thermodynamics is a statement of the conservation of energy for thermodynamic systems, and is the more encompassing version of the conservation of energy. In short, the law of conservation of energy states that energy can not be created or destroyed, it can only be changed from one form to another or transferred from one body to another, but the total amount of energy remains constant.

But in an expected event, an extremely enlightening conversation took place between Vipin and me in May 2007, leading to a new twist in the laws of conservation of mass. Read on to know what transpired.

[17:25:38] Vipin Menon: ping
[17:25:40] Pavan Shinde: CR18243_WLR3 TO MPF
[17:28:08] Vipin Menon: MPF to WLR 3 also please
[17:28:15] Vipin Menon: i know u ar dhoonding..
[17:28:54] Pavan Shinde: you need to hang on from some tree for that..
[17:33:53] Vipin Menon: im waiting only for u to send an important report
[17:34:01] Vipin Menon: important for somebody else
[17:34:07] Vipin Menon: not fro me
[17:35:10] Pavan Shinde: SCR18285 MPF to WLR3
[17:35:25] Pavan Shinde: now jump outta the window please !!!
[17:35:29] Pavan Shinde: its important ..
[17:35:39] Pavan Shinde: important for somebody else not for me .. ;)
[17:35:53] Vipin Menon: wah! kya dialogue hai
[17:36:27] Pavan Shinde: im waiting only for u to jump outta the window .. window(s) XP :p
[17:39:03] Vipin Menon: "im waiting only for u..." why me only yaar
[17:39:17] Pavan Shinde: damn
[17:39:27] Pavan Shinde: dont break sentences in the wrong places ..
[17:39:30] Pavan Shinde: :d
[17:40:09] Pavan Shinde: some joints may get dislocated and some bones may be broken !!!
[17:41:03] Vipin Menon: ur count of bones will increase and count of teeth will decrease
[17:41:59] Pavan Shinde: that proves that calcium can neither be created nor destroyed .. it can only be converted from one form to another .. !!

Yonder The Known

2007-04-08T01:44:00.000+04:00

There is something I know for sure,
Perhaps you know it too,
Our paths that had once crossed
Are gonna part into two.

Would have liked this to go slow
So that neither would feel low
But things just slipped outta my hand
Can’t be changed; its not written on sand.

There is a lesson life wisheth to teach
Some things are better, out of reach

They say
Thou shall reap
As you shall sow
This is a fact
For sure, I know

But why
Have the fruits
Of my pain
Been so unyielding
So much in vain

I have not reaped
As I have sown
Why?
The answer
Remains unknown.
Yet unknown.
Yonder the known.

The pains of love ..

2007-04-08T01:41:00.000+04:00

With remnants of the memories, of our last call
I aint broken, and I still stand tall.
Though your memories torment my mind
And I just wonder, Was it love, or I was just blind
Through the nights and the longer days
Thousands of such questions make me to sway

Love and Relationships are meant to be kept
To offer all and make one Indebt
What did I do, where was I wrong
Why couldn’t I carry this, and make it long
Why did I lose you, when I loved you the most
Why I am writing this to you, In the last mail I post
What did you always wanted me to know
What you wanted to see in me and I could never show

Here its all over and I am all alone
And there is no one to heal me and no one to mourn
There is No one to guide me in what I do
There is No one to say’ Hey I am there for you’

No, I am out of it and I no longer care
Cause you didn’t take a part of the pain, what I wanted to share

Though now, I look happy and pretend to be sane
You got to know me more to feel my pain
To count the tears that have drenched my face
Cause I have wiped them and left no trace

I know I can live, cause I have learnt with time
That I mean nothing for you…not even a dime
With a lock of your hair in my book, and your first love letter
I will live everyday feeling happier and better…

Joyeux Noël

2006-12-26T00:37:00.000+04:00

Vive le vent
Vive le vent
Vive le vent d'hiver

Qui sont va
Sifflement soufflage
dans les grands sapins verts

Vive le temps
Vive le temps
Vive le temps d'hiver

Boule de neige
Et jour de l'An
Et bonne annee grand mere

Last Love ... Last Minute Love ... Lasting Love

2006-07-26T16:03:00.000+04:00

Here are some sweet nuthings that people wrote to me .. wen they learnt that I'd be moving on ...

The more touching ones are compiled here ...

From: Anoop Ravi Thomas
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 11:00 AM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Moving On !

Y do u have to leave ???

From: Geetika Bhagwan Tewani
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 11:18 AM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Moving On !

All the very best Pavan for ur new phase after mysore…
Had real precious times with u dear….
Tk cr tonnes…

From: Indranil Saha01
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 2:41 PM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Moving On !

Dear Pavan,

Yeah sure I made it memorable for you.

My best wishes for you.

Keep in touch.

From: Jairam Rao
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 12:42 PM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Moving On ! Importance: High

Hey,

where are you off to.. :(

regards,

Jairam M. Rao

Team - Facilities,

Mysore

Extn : 70969

M : 98451-80170

From: Maria Shalini A.
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 2:26 PM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Moving On !

Hey…. That’s a nice speech! :)

I can’t write so well, so I will just say it in laymen’s language!

All the very best on your new journey!! :)

From: Mayank Sajjan Saraf
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 2:27 PM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Moving On !

HI PAVAN,IT WAS GR8 TO HAVE YOU AS A FRIEND. THE TIME AND MOMENTS I SHARED WITH YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THERE FOR ME TO CHERISH. I KNOW IT MIGHT SOUND FLATTERING TO YOU, BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN A GIRL SO ACTIVE, SO ENTHUSIASTIC, SO HARDWORKING, OUTGOING, READY TO ACCEPT CHALLENGES, GOOD AT MAKING FRIENDS, ETC……. I MIGHT JUST FALL SHORT OF WORDS. THANKS FOR BEING ONE OF MY FRIENDS. AND YES AS FAR AS CROSSSROADS ARE CONCERNED, LET ME TELL U LIFE IS NOT MUMBAI-PUNE EXPRESSWAY (ABSOLUTELY STRAIGHT), ITS ALL ABOUT CURVES SOME MAY BE SMOOTH WHILE SOME COULD LEAD U TO A NEW ROAD ALL TOGETHER. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS GOOD FOR US AND WAT NOT, WE ARE DRIVERS OF OUR DESTINATION AND YES DO REMEMBER THAT THIS NEW CROSSROAD IS A NEW TURN , A NEW BEGINNING TO A NEVER ENDING DRIVE.KEEP ROCKING BABE AND I KNOW YOU WILL BE A WINNER AT NE PLACE ON EARTH YOU MIGHT REACH.TAKE CARE AND ALL THE BEST.

From: Priya Sambandhan
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 2:29 PM
To: Me
Subject: RE: Moving On !

Hey Pavan…

U left so soon without meeting me..:(

Anyways I never thought this training will end so soon and time to bid a farewell will come.. All the Best da..Its great to get back to home and live with parents..Enjoy dear.. Do keep in touch da…All the best for all your future endeavours,..Do remember me…

It was really great working and studying with you da…Going to miss you a lottttttttttttt……….Already…missing :-( looking at the empty chair next to me…

Take care dear… no more uncooked maggi …ok…??? :-)

With Everlasting love,

Priya

and loads more ... all conveying their best wishes ... and looking forward to meeting again ... these are the times ..I feel .. I wonder if I really am worthy of so much love .. and it also gives me a scare .. which tells me not to ever lose this love ..
I have learned in life .. the hard way.. that earning love and winning hearts can be very difficult in life .. and once a heart is broken .. it may not be possible to ever put it together again ..

The Last Mail Posted from Mysore ...

2006-07-26T16:00:00.000+04:00

There are times in life when we are at crossroads and need to make a choice.
I am at one.
So, I flipped the coin and have made a choice: good or bad I trust time will tell.

I will be moving on from Mysore DC, but I will be taking the spirit with me …
Wish me luck for I am off on a new journey, a threshold to a new life.

And I look forward to the crossroad where we meet again for yet another journey together.
Farewell and best wishes to you and heartfelt thanks to have made this stint a memorable one.

Reach me whenever you feel like on ********** / **********.

The First Blog

2006-07-22T16:24:00.000+04:00

There ... had been hearing about this whole bloggin thing for years now ... but never really felt I should jump onto the blog-bandwagon ... but then as I was comin to office today ... I saw it in the papers ... 85% Indians hooked on to bloggin ... and I wondered ... 85% ?? ... seriously ?? ... am I missin sumthin ?? ... but then you'd never know if you're missin sumthin unless you actually take the plunge and feel the water lashin against you ... so here I am ... pretty lost ... but determined to knock down all apprehensions ... and set this place on fire ... well, just literally ... so fasten your seat belts and hold on ... allow me to steer you thru the happenings in my life ...