Pensieve

A Healthy Dose of Amnesia

2011-06-11T11:57:00.000+05:30

Maybe I'm not a dreamer,
but I'm not the only one.
Twenty summers now,and I can tell
The heart's been squelched,the mind has won.

March on soldier,keep your head on
Lest you fail to hear the beats of the drum.
Foolish ponder shall not haunt you,
Trite talk cannot shake the future that is come.

But no,wait,I must confess,
Over the drum sounds a faint cry.
When it comes to you,I take
A healthy dose of amnesia;I cannot lie.

I rebel against what is,
I forget the rules by which I abide.
I forget how good things don't last,
I simply forget..when I'm by your side.

You and I could never be,maybe.
And yet these crazy dreams,I do not deny.
For when it comes to you I take

A healthy dose of amnesia; I cannot lie.

Part Deux

2011-05-23T16:27:00.000+05:30

Second chances.
Everybody's a criminal.
Everybody's a perfectionist.
Everybody wants second chances.

How many of us have actually lived a life devoid of regret?We always hanker after a second chance,a second innings,if you will,where we will play bigger and better.
What's fishy is that even though we all have this hunger for redemption within us,we're not very keen on granting others second chances.
Before you Freudians dissect this theory and declare it to be a vote against capital punishment,let me assure you that I am a simple twenty year old whose range of thought does not extend beyond my family,my friends,my home and my college;and yet,within this tiny world I live in,I see so many closed doors in place of welcoming thresholds.

We're quick to judge and slow to forgive.
I think part of this deep rooted desire to divide the world into black and white comes from watching the infamous and typically Indian telly serials-no kidding,the saas bahu serials ,where the heroine is always modestly dressed in pastel colors,and the evil mistress always wears shimmery eyeshadow and bindis of gargantuan proportions (even to bed).Like my friend V says-"If it's bad,it's all bad."
What I'm trying to say, is that we have been conditioned to judge people by their appearances,their first lapses,or something as trivial as their choice of entertainment or their favorite color.Ok,scratch that last.

Oh,and woe betide someone who's in the Bad book.
Even if he proved be a heartwarmingly generous fuzzball later,he'd always be "the shark that didn't pay for all of us when we drunk ourselves silly on HIS birthday at the bar.Imagine.HIS birthday. Tsk. Tsk. )

While part of my rant maybe directed at what my friends deem a "craven" taste in music-( because I'd pick Buble over Black Sabbath any day of the week and twice on Sunday.) ,this is about so much more than social isolation and clique wars. This is about creating an atmosphere so vile that it cripples an individual's ability to be himself.
Spare us the trouble of waiting to see if you can emerge like a phoenix from the ashes,we'd rather just sweep the remains and prepare for next Sunday's barbecue.

A second chance is something you should campaign for if any of these things have happened to you
- lost a loved one over an argument
-fallen out with friends because of one misunderstanding
-been kicked out of a team because of one match you fouled up
-earned a bad name because of that one thing you said
-been put down,and unfairly so, because of that one stand you took
- been asked to go home even before the show began

Chances are,all of these things have happened to you.

Second chances!
For sequels are almost always good*.

*The almost in the above sentence was inspired by a particularly melancholic afternoon spent trying to watch Superman IV.

Khuda Jaane aka The Song Tag

2011-02-16T13:19:00.000+05:30

1. If someone says "Is this okay?", you say:

Do dil mil rahe hain,magar chupke chupke.

Sabko ho rahi,khabar chupke chupke.

2. What would best describe your personality?

Yeh jo des hai tera,swades hai tera,tujhe hai pukaara (ooh,patriot).

3. What do you like in a guy/girl?

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear.

4. How do you feel today?

Hey baby,hey baby hey!

Girls say,boys say hey baby,hey baby,hey!(repeats times infinity)

Yes,I get that all the time.No really.I hear Megan Fox is feeling threatened.

5. What is your life's purpose?

Keep holding on.

At last,one that fits.

6. What do your friends think of you?

Gardens in the Rain

(Ok that doesn't make sense,unless they think I'm as refreshing and pleasant as gardens in the rain.Aww.Thanks Debussy)

7. What do you think of your parents?

Jaana let's fall in love!

Replace parents with Tom Felton. ;)

8. What do you think about very often?
Saiyaaaaaan.

(So much for feminism).

9. What is 2+2?

If you're not the one (Lol.Well 2+2 certainly isn't one.)

9. What do you think of your best friend?

Chappa chappa charkha chale Chappa chappa charkha chale.

Again,what?

10. What do you think of the person you like?

Kahin aag kage,lag jaave.

Kahin nag dase,das jaave.

Kahin gagan gire,gir jaave.

Chaahe kuch bhi ho jaaye,

Is toote dil ki peed sahi naa jaye.

So there's a broken heart in store for me ?Perfect.Just what a skeptic needs-a bummer prediction.

11. What is your life story?

Main yahaan hoon,yahaan hoon,yahaan hoon,yahaaaaaaaaan.

Heh :D

12. What do you want to be when you grow up?

The way you look tonight.

(Gaah.)

13. What do you think of when you see the person you like?

There's gonna be one less lonely girl

One less lonely girl.

(Whoa.I'm in no hurry.)

14. What do your parents think of you?

Ek din
Ek din teri raahon ,bahon mein,
panaahon mein,aaunga.

Err,I love you guys too. :D

15. What will you dance to at your wedding?

Yeh honsla kaise jhuke,

ye aarzoo kaise ruke?

Manzil mushkil toh kya (Marriage.well said.)

Tanha yeh dil to kya (tanha?I'm getting married,for God's sake!)

Ho!

6. What will they play at your funeral?

Alvin and the Chipmunks-Christmas Songs.

Aah well,at least it'll cheer em all up.

17. What is your hobby/interest?

Coz I remember sharing lips with her,

The coming weeks were to be a blur.

Huh?

Ok,moving on.

18. What is your biggest secret?

Tum paas aaye,yoon muskuraye,

tum ne na jaane kya sapne dikhaye.

Ab to mera dil,jaage na sota hain.

Kya karoon hai,kuch kuch hota hain.

Sigh.People should just be able to read minds.Sometimes. ^_^

19. What do you think of your friends?

So you never know, never never know
Never know enough, 'til it's over, love
'Til we lose control, system overload
Screamin', "No, no, no, n-no!?

(Love Lockdown -Kanye West.To be fair,my friends and system overload sort of go together.)

20. What should you post this as?

Khuda jaane!

True to my word.Look at my title :)

21. What do you think about this tag?
My love...

I tag Say,Rach,Nishant, Ambi and any other bloggers that want to do the tag.It's a free world!

Cheers.

Hello Stranger

2011-01-20T21:40:00.006+05:30

Hello stranger.

What a beautiful day.

Yes,I do go here.

Well,it’s nice to meet you too.

Oh.Pleasure.

Hello there!We meet again.

Nothing much really.Just a bit of trouble.The usual.Whatever.

Why,thank you!

No,there’s really no need.

Oh,well if you insist.:)

Hello!How’ve you been?

Sure sounds like a good weekend.

Wow!

Well maybe we can go together.

No,I don’t like pink at all.I like blue.

Hello.Ooh you’ve got me something.

And it’s pink. :/

: |

: )

: ) )

: D

:D :D :D

Hey!Wait up for me.

Missed you too.

No,I’d like that,actually.

At seven then?

Hello,and thank you.

That was lovely.

Oh!Let’s get us some banana milkshakes.

Well they’re my favourite too.

Oh no,you did not.

You did?

Haha,well it sure was worth it : )

Hey,I saved you a seat.

Well,I can come with you ,if you like.

No I’m not scared of walking back alone.

But you can come with me too.Not that I want you to (but I do).

Hello!Yes,I did call you last night.

That’ s strange.

No,go ahead.

No hard feelings.Really.

Hello.

Long time,no see.

I beg your pardon?

Did you really just say that?

That’s not true.

I can’t believe you would hold that against me.

Fine, then.

I saved you some banana milkshake but I’m guessing you want to pass.

...well,I was always a good guesser.

Hello.

………

……..

Well,bye then.I’ve got to go to…..

Oh yeah,you’ve got to go too,to that….

Cya.

“Hel…um”.

That was harder than I thought it would be.

I can’t believe this is it.

Hello,stranger.

~~~~

P.s : I just got this picture off Google search.I'm not sure if it's from a Flickr stream,but if it is,I'm sorry.Please let me know.I shall credit you or have it removed.No copyright infringement intended.

Calling all Sinners !

2010-11-15T21:50:00.001+05:30

People turn purple with rage, red with shame, and green with envy at least once a day, and more than a handful of times a week. It’s statistically proven. Ok, maybe it’s not, but that doesn’t make it untrue, and I’m sure you could vouch for that. Shades of these emotions certainly make life more interesting, but while no one wants to lead a boring life, maybe living sinfully isn’t the solution. It’s one thing to talk about the evil effects of these …! GASP! vices, and a whole another thing to live with them.

Envy.

Something we’ve all befriended, ever since we saw our neighbor propping his Mac Book against the dashboard of his BMW, or ever since we secretly wished we too,could put away a cheeseburger and fries along with a chocolate latte, and still look like that amazingly fit friend (everyone has one of these friends, everyone).

Envy.

It’s never pretty, and sometimes, it gets downright ugly. Although it might be a bit of an ego boost when you know someone secretly envies you, it’s not so much fun when above mentioned person decides to indulge in a little behind- the- back slander or _______(insert backstabbing activity of choice here). After all, ‘Greatness inspires envy, envy engenders spite, and spite spawns lies.’

Unless your skin is as thick as dragon hide and you are unaffected by the petty crimes the world and its denizens commit around you, you might want to square your shoulders and learn to deal with it.

Look for the good in everything, and also teach others how to do it. More often than not, green eyed monsters are usually big warm marshmallows inside, but with a baggage of low self esteem attached. Counting our blessings and remembering that each of us is unique is an amazingly simple gift we forget to give ourselves. We tend to get so involved in marking our win against the others on that giant imaginary scoreboard, that we forget that we aren’t even in a race.

This season, we stop the sins.

This season, we turn our wasted minutes into useful ones as we finally join that salsa class, or get that A on our report card because we’ve kept ourselves busy and wonderfully so.

This season, we lock up our envy, and give that friend of ours a high five while falling into step beside her during her morning jog. Maybe we even pass Mr. Hotshot neighbour and his car, enroute, and flash him a smile. And just maybe, that classmate who always picked on us for being a Harry Potter nerd will ask us if we’d like to go watch Deathly Hallows: Part 1 with them next week. After all, what goes around comes around.

This season, we shed the green.

Colour Me Blue

2010-11-07T17:12:00.003+05:30

Everyone has a favourite colour,and most of the time,mine is blue.Here's why :

Note : When I say blue,I mean the standard-palette-classic blue.I also like navy blue and other shades,but you know the colour that pops into your head when someone says blue?Yeah,that one.

Ok just..just go read the list.

Turqoise gems are the best . Um,yes,that would make me a girl.

Oceans are blue.

Dreamboats often have sea blue/green eyes-case in point :Tom Felton.

Blue cloudy skies look like they stretch and on forever .

Blue is bright without being obnoxious.

Nothing says mellow like blue.

Blue is funky.Blue sneaker yay.Blue sweatshirt yay.Blue hair,ok,maybe not so much. Kate Hudson would definitely disagree.*

I have this theory that your soul is painted a certain colour ,one that is in sync with your personality. It does seem to me,that romantic souls are blue (not pink or maroon ) for reasons I can’t fathom.

Blue is so awesome that there's an entire music genre that is its namesake .Ever saw a music section called Pinks?Naah,didn't think so. And also,God forbid.

Even things that aren't blue like being called blue - Bands,for example,or blueberries.

Add to the list? :)

*Anne Hathaway dyes Kate's hair blue days before her wedding in Bride Wars.

A Fresh Start

2010-10-27T22:29:00.002+05:30

I''m burned out.I'm not tired,but I'm not exactly brimming with joie de vivre either.

I feel stale,like a baked good that has been sitting out of the fridge for too long (pardon the analogy).

I have nothing distinctly new to share with the world,and that makes me feel a little insignificant,a teeny bit invisible,and rather impatient.

I'm waiting for something big to happen...but what?That's what the goddamn problem is...I don't know,do I?

Maybe I'll wake up well rested tomorrow morning, smiling and motivated,like I'm in a musical or something.

Or maybe I'll just countdown to HP 7.Yeah,I like the sound of that.

Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus,but not if the Dormien-ing period is too long.Nuh-uh.

I'm ready to wake up,pal.

Pages from Summer-1

2010-09-24T13:40:00.007+05:30

A while ago,Say,Rach,and me decided to do some serious blogging regarding our favourite cities-ones we've been to and loved,and ones we'd love to be in someday.I'd planned to write an unofficial tourists' guide to Singapore,where I spent summer vacation this year,but I'm not Taurean by zodiac alone.A little on the lazy side,I think cataloging my experiences and making chronological posts about what I did there might require some nice thinking,a little free time and some spirited enthusiasm,luxuries I cannot afford right now.

What I'm going to do instead,is upload this diary entry I made at the airport,just minutes before leaving Singapore.

I'll leave you with the first post under Pages from Summer.This is my first attempt at writing a series,so wish me luck :) .And yes,also,read . :D

Warning : Goodbyes are very hard for me.There might be bits of unnecessary melodrama here and there,which you are advised to ignore.

27 June,2010

8.00 A.M

I am homeward bound,after a long vacation in Singapore.The past five weeks have been too good to be true-and now I simply cannot believe that this holiday has come to an end.

However I know that we are not to cry that it's over;instead,we must smile that it happened.

So,I shall revel in the last few minutes in this strange and wonderful land.

Changi is a starry oasis-glitzy,imposing,beckoning.

My flight has been delayed,giving me a few minutes to reflect on my trip,(something I admit I have done only fleetingly this past one month,as I was busy being thrilled to the very core)

and so...here we are.

Green.That is the first impression I had of this city.Not the verdant dark green that we see back home,but a very tropical shade of shiny,healthy,sparkly(that's not a word???What gives,Blogger?),pale green.The green stays with me,from my first view of this island town nine years ago and from ten thousand kilometres above,to my rushed cab ride to the airport this morning watching fields,lawns and road signs shoot past while devouring last midnight's blueberry muffins and today's peanut butter and toast.My last indulgence this summer.

The morning is perfect,as mornings ought to be.Grey skies.Just the way I like them.The infamous noiseless Singapore drizzles descending gently-I've become rather fond of them-besides,Bangalore's sudden storybook thunderstorms are only three hours and a few oceans away.

The airport terminals are decked with white (I think they must be) orchids..Splendid.

I'm wearing midnight blue. :)
And,I wasn't charged for the excess baggage!

The only thing that seems wrong is that I have to leave this place.Bummer.

We are well matched,this dear city and me,for what could be as perfect together as bread and cheese,

as a tropical island set in the sea and a shutterbug?

As a country of living miracles and the eternal romantic?

As a shoppers' paradise and a closet shopaholic waiting to be awakened?

Amma says,and so does Dumbledore,that it does not do good to dwell in dreams and forget to live,but here's a pickle.

What if one month of somebody else's life is your dream come true?

How do you return to living yours-cast the memories aside like a magical midsummer dream?

The guard's asking us to move to the gate.

More later.

Bye!

*************************************************************************************

It ends there.

I was thinking of maybe doing a post or two on all the blatant gluttony I engaged in ,or the nice nature trails I spotted there.Let's see how it goes.

Cheers everyone :)

Gesundheit

2010-09-03T12:02:00.005+05:30

Having the flu puts the dampers on nice long weekends.I just finished my first set of internals and was looking forward to some quality me time.Well,my nasty cold hasn't stopped me from living the nap -snack -read cycle,but what it has done is banish all splendid fancies of early morning jogs in huge gardens and bouts of listlessness lovingly nourished by floating about aimlessly in the pool.

Darn you flu,fly away asap.

My to do to mend to buy list is getting longer and longer,and I fear the time has come to get my bottom off the couch and hit the city's burgeoning markets again.I love shopping,but I hate planning,or making budget lists ( saving is an icky word!)...alas,I'm no Trump,so I'll have to scour the streets for a good bargain,and all of this simply cannot be done when a stupid little cold and fever come a-visiting.

There are a lot of benefits to being les sick invalid though,and I'm milking it for all it's worth.Breakfast in bed , delicious "for the convalescing" meals ,cherished books and dvds are making their way to yours truly.Additionally,Mom,me and my Nani got around to listening to some Carnatic music that my uncle gifted my mom for her birthday last week,and rounds of banana milkshakes helped digest the whole thing...quite a decent morning,I must say.

Waiting to return to my normal hyperactive self though,and unleash the Tarzan within! :)

Happy weekend,y'all!

My personal Goddess...

2010-08-24T17:39:00.004+05:30

is my mother.

Come this Thursday,she will be celebrating her 53rd birthday!

I intended to write her a lovely blog post on her birthday,combining my love to celebrate other people's birthdays and the need to do something light and fun on my blog for once (ask Say and Rach ,they'll vouch for the Saawariya-esqueness of this blog,and that's not the best thing to be, really).However,in a world where nasty internal exams and annoying tests ..and procrastination abound,one can never do anything too soon,and so I find myself celebrating Mom's birthday earlier than I'd planned with all you lovely people in Blogsville. :)

This one's for my one talisman,my personal favorite Goddess,my Amma.You are awesome because

1)You accept me the way I am-moody,silly,angsty,extra cheerful,or at my emo best.*Terms and Conditions never apply.

2)You support my identity,you help carry the weight of it..and when I wear an extremely gaudy and ridiculous gift wrapping ribbon on my hair and pose for the cameras,you take a picture and look at it adoringly. :|

3)You provide for me-and not just in the Earth mother kind of way yknow. Not to belittle The World's Best Dosa you make,or your perfectly seasoned Morekali served with double pyaar (that's a family adjective,btw :D ) , but the way you meet my every little need,and most of my little wants, simply overwhelming.I applaud you,because God knows shopping for indecisive teenage girls needs talent.

4)You share with me.We can exchange gossip updates,discuss favorite bits of poetry and how not to forget to watch award shows on TV, indulge in some lighthearted bitching (what?It's good for the soul :D ),and what not.You are my BFF and hangout buddy. I love that I can watch the Sound of Music,Mary Poppins,the Devil Wears Prada,Kal Ho Naa Ho,DDLJ,and Alaipayuthey with you a gazillion times,and yet you do not sigh when I recite the dialogues along with the hero/heroine at breakneck speed. I love that you lend a ear to my ahem..musical renditions..err :D ,attempt to make sense of my muddled creations,and dance with me to Marriage of Figaro when I play it on whimsical evenings,and do outrageous things that we can snort about later.

5)You guide me.Through times of darkness,and into the light.I don't know what I'd do without you,you great ol' cuddly angel. You give some scary ass lectures,but you make up for them with the best Good Morning hugs ever.

6)You inspire me.Your thoughts,opinions,decisions,gestures,your kind little ways,your anecdotes,your sarcasm, your belief in the power of sincere hope and prayer,even your childish rejection of Tom Felton (though I do love him so..dear me..:P ),everything you do...
teaches me a little something about the world.

7)You love me like no one ever could.I can always be The Princess with you,and that one tiara I'll always want to wear,like a tattoo etched into my skin.When Monica tells her two baby boys that she'll "love you so much no woman will ever be good enough for you",she surely took a leaf out of your book! :)

Here's to one dear little woman nestled in a corner of India,a woman with amazing strength and unconscious grace,and a will to change the world and learn to make the perfect Garlic Bread.

SRK
Deewana Hua Baadal
Roshagullas from Muh Mishti
birthday cakes shaped like cricket pitches and the Powerpuff girls
Cab rides to everywhere
The Big Fat Pancake and other stories
Impromptu photoshoots
Dedications written while gifting books
"Cornflakes Milk" @ 11 p.m

and a world of other things will always remain special to me,and you know why, Amma.

Thank you.Have a wonderful birthday,and a great life ahead.More power to you,and lots of sunshine as well.
Cheers and hugs from the daughter.
:)

Teach me how to Be.

2010-08-10T01:05:00.005+05:30

Taureans don't like change.

It's true.Even the corny zodiac coffee mugs say so.

And yet I have battled my inhibitions to change....for you.

And now that you do not want me anymore,I do not know to change back.

I have lived to dream ,now I dream, I wish,I yearn to live.

It is funny how you think you're having the worst day ever,and suddenly,what you've been waiting for happens.

It's not so amusing though,when you have prepared for, rehearsed,anticipated,and waited for today,only to find out that today wasn't what you thought it would be at all.Sometimes it bums you out.Sometimes you brush it off and prepare,you dreamer you,for tomorrow.

What if you don't know what to think anymore?

Or what to say,or do,for that matter.

For better for worse.I see a pattern there.It feels like every single time I try to become your idea of a better person,I end up alienating you a little more.I'm driving you away,one improvement at a time.

I have tried and tried,and tried,but those smiles you bestow are harder to earn than a pleasant afternoon in May.Or a warm December night.

It's easy to be evil.

I do Ridiculously Happy once in a while too.

Tears drop thick and fast,occasionally,without waiting to be bid upon to do so.

I can manage to be humorous and funny every now and then.

You obviously can't stand any of this though,can you?

How then,ought I to be?

So I ask what is rightfully mine..a lesson from you.

Teach me how to Be.

Teach me just how to Be to be so I can attempt,yet again,to be one of the people you accommodate so easily in your life.

Teach me how to Be,so I can reassure myself that I'm not working in vain here,and that acceptance will come,someday or the other.

Teach me to Be,for I don't remember how to anymore.

You are my undoing;surely you owe me this much?

Of beauty and such.

2010-07-11T11:42:00.003+05:30

Forms are many and beauty is one.

Beauty that is eternal,perfect even when undone.

We all crave beauty,so much it is true,

For whoever wrote a sonnet for a bad tempered shrew?

Or a twenty page thesis on badly written prose?

Who turns away from beauty that is tangible,that is close?

Helpless in our addiction to perfection are we.

I admit I like,in my garden , a well pruned tree.

Yes,I revel in writing under unruly oaks,mostly,

But putting that in my backyard’s quite a task,don’t you see?

Pictures of orphaned kids doth make the heart bleed.

Whose pictures do you Like though,who’s tweeting up your feed?

We all enjoy bouts of temporary divinity,

Then resort we must to normal comforting insanity.

Quite the liar I am when I preach.

Damn.I even want my verse in sizes of four lines each.

Who isn’t guilty of liking beauty? Why talk of blame?

Beauty is the drug,quite the rule of the game.

Thought for the day # 4 aka Truth and Liberation

2010-05-16T18:45:00.002+05:30

Veritas Vos Liberabit.
The truth shall set you free.

HAPPY 105TH ! :)

2010-05-11T12:27:00.003+05:30

I owe an apology to my loving ,ever receptive space in Blogville.My blog,my only ,The Pensieve.
I'm generally one for celebrating every occasion ,be it a weekend,my friend's birthday,December 31st,or the fact that I found my phone after having nearly lost it (yes,again).
Somehow though,I've missed out blog birthdays,and other such blog affiliated paraphernelia. I thought I'd celebrate 100 posts,but Blogger tells me I already have 104 of these babies.
So ok then, * draws biiig breath *....
HAPPY 105TH POST!

'I solemnly swear I am upto no good.'Nor is Pensieve here. :D
Throwing loadsa blog lou around ! :)

Love your blogs people.Take pleasure in the little comments,stick your tongue out at the nasties that occasionally show up, fill it with music and your thoughts.

Coz,quite plainly,no one else is waiting to fill their space with your crap.:P
Cheers!

I belong with the Flintstones.

2010-05-01T11:39:00.005+05:30

I know that teenagers are supposed to remain un-fazed by technology,but hello!You just hopped onto the blog of the exception.

I'm not saying I don't like impressive new gadgets.It's just that I'll need more than a user manual and a crappy customer service agency to figure out how to get it working.

Which is why I like MS Powerpoint,and Post its on my dresser's mirror.

And good ol'd email,or maybe even posted letters,if more people cared to send em around.

I do like Facebook,it's true,and may have borderline OCD about checking my updates everyday,but since when has FB been the new kid on the block?!Old news right?

I like it when people call me to tell me something important,rather than sending a teeny lil text that screams IMPORTANT on its first line.

I simply can't wake up to an alarm clock.I never hear it,honestly,I don't see how anyone expects a tinny, shrill,possibly ultrasonic weird noise to rouse them from the deepest REM cycles.

I need a human to jolt me awake,and oh,if you have a cup of tea in your hands awaiting,brownie points for you :)

I love watching reruns and old movies,speaking of which,I also do not watch movies online if I can avoid it.

I like my 3 hour sappy surprises in the cinema halls or at least playing on my tv in the bedroom.

Salads with a generous drizzle of olive oil are yummy indeed,but I''d rather grab a bowl of curd rice and pickle instead of a low fat wrap.

There's something about the comfort of an old blanket that a new pashmina bedsheet can never achieve.

Old possessions do bring a lot of bliss,and that's the reason I hardly ever clean out my closet.'De cluttering' is a nasty little word.

Like Phoebe says,they(I mean the old stuff,can you try to keep up?!) remind me of a simpler time,and that's a good thing right? :)

PS-I'm blogging a lot nowadays.Wonder why that is ?I have a lot to say to world,apparently.

Hope you're listening.

Cheers!

Random Tag :)

2010-04-30T16:09:00.005+05:30

Picked this tag up from Shanu's place while I was indulging in some random blog hopping!

Enjoy (or not ..but.. you'll have to read to know that ,won't you?)

Read on!

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn on page 18 and find line 4.

"Come to think of it,maybe I don't need three pairs of boots."

- Shopaholic Abroad,TheShopaholic Series,by Sophie Kinsella.

2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can & catch air?

Yep.Nothing else around!

3. What is the last thing you watched on TV?

Uh oh.I can't remember!!I rarely watch the telly these days because it's getting pretty yawn inducing.Maybe I'm not watching the right channels. :P

4. Without looking, guess what time it is?

4 p.m.

5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time?

4.08 pm.

Cool!I have an inbuilt body clock (which apparently doesn't function when you want to get up early for a bit of exam mugging).

6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?

Birds chirping-there's a huge flowering tree across the street :) ,

my maid dusting some cushions,

the voices in my head (no don't leave.i'm no freak.i like to freak people out.i also like uncapitalized sentences.)...

7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing?

Last evening.I was sitting on the swings in the park and chatting with a friend.

8. Before you started this Q&As, what did you look at?

I'm assuming you meant 'look at 'online,coz otherwise ,a question like that would probably elicit really silly answers(not that it ain't doing that otherwise..still).To answer the question,I was looking at this funny funny site I came by,called Oatmea l. Check it out,it's a laugh!

9. What are you wearing?

A black and maroon top and sweatpants.

10. When did you last laugh?

A minute ago.Again,thanks to Oatmeal. :) Wow,I'm really plugging this site,aren't I?No I don't work for it/them/whatever.

11. What is on the walls of the room you are in?

A lamp,a portrait,nails,plug sockets,photos,y'know ...the usual suspects.

12. Seen anything weird lately?

Yea..look in the mirror pretty often,I do.LOL.Sorry, lame sense of humor and a need for self depreciation,do not,a good joke make.Clearly!

13. What do you think of this quiz?

It eez my savior!!I was getting bored to death.Yea,sorry Oatmeal,despite all the funny you've got. :|

14. What is the last film you saw?

Hmm...HP5 ..did one of those HP movie marathons.I do OD on Harry Potter a fair bit,and I like it :)

Do you?

15. If you became a multimillionaire overnight, what would you buy?

Woohoo!A house in Paris,Tom Felton (kiddin :P ), gifts for everyone I know,a grand piano,a convertible,ok let's stop before it becomes a full blown catalogue with links,pictures et al! :D

16. Tell me something about you that I dunno!

Hmm ok.I'm weird.Wait,you knew that,dintcha?

Ok... I'm left handed.

17. If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?

Poverty.I wish no one had to worry about where their next meal was coming from.Also,I'd make people less superficial (is there a mutant superficial gene?God,I hope Evolution gets rid of it!).

18. Do you like to dance?

Very much :).Not so much with an audience though.

19. Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?

Tara!

20. Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?

Aryan!

P.S.-regular blog readers ought to have known the answers to these 2 questions.

21. Would you ever consider living abroad?

If abroad=London or New York,then yes,I would. :) Oui!

22. What do you want GOD to say to you when you reach the pearly gates?

Ok,get your silver tiara and attachable wings on and let's partayy!

That's all folks! :)

Tune in later!

Value based education :the whats,the whys,and more

2010-04-27T14:24:00.001+05:30

Education.

One word, whose presence or absence in one’s life can dramatically alter his/her destiny.

Education.

Widely accepted as the art of elevating its receptors from ignorance to awareness.

Education.

A device meant to teach young students how not to merely exist or survive, but to live.

Alright.Alright.I’ll stop with the definitions.

Assuming then, that we indeed live in a world where everyone knows what education means, why is it that in this same world, education needs to be specifically described as “value based”? Surely the concept of value is so integral to education that one could not possibly dream of an education system without it!

However, discussions on the relative merits of value based education systems abound, leading one to realize the gravity of the situation the world of academia finds itself in.

A value based education system, simply put, is one that aims to inculcate moral and ethical skills in students, besides enriching their knowledge. Values lend purpose and direction to knowledge, much like oars do to a sailing boat, leading to a holistic development of the human mind.

Ah, human. Possibly one of the most abused words in the entire dictionary.Abused, because being human is easily overlooked definitely underrated. To be human, one must learn to recognise the true spirit of humanity. To do so, one must be acquainted with values that instruct one on how to develop oneself so that he could truly be part of a harmonious, progressive liberal, and just society.

This is where value based education systems come in. By combining formal education with virtues like impartiality, compassion, non violence and freedom of thought, and life skills like good leadership, emotional maturity, perceptiveness and independence, a value based education endeavours to create a better society.

In this one little world, many worlds of terrorism, corruption and injustice thrive. Why? Is it because the perpetrators of these problems are unintelligent? No, it is because they failed to understand how to put this precious intelligence to good use. Knowledge is but a double edged sword.

We must act,and act right!

The debates about curriculum can wait,the firm etching of values on these souls must come first.

The surgeries can wait,the medicine must come first.

A pen,a sword,a stethoscope,an axe, a paintbrush,or even a gaming console,take your pick.What you must possess though,is the ability to ensure that your actions uphold the unspoken law of morality,and achieve what we may call,an honest success.

I quote my hero,Dumbledore.In times of darkness, one must simply remember to bring in the light.

Roughly translated to Mugglespeak,this means :

Students must be introduced to both the theory and the practice of leading a value based life. This would translate to learning and imbibing values, and participating in social service, donation camps, character building workshops, self introspection and myriad such activities of the like,for how oft is it said,we are what we do!

In today’s youth ,we must reaffirm values that will help prevent the misuse of technology, that will break any existing barriers of race and faith, that will help encourage fairness of opportunity, that will protect the environment, that will help retain the inherent wisdom of the ancients and paint us a better tomorrow.

So make a change. Embrace your values. Pink Floyd did ask, why be another ‘brick in the wall’?

Why I read

2010-04-25T19:10:00.003+05:30

Spin me some fantastic tale.

Let me escape the mundane world,just for a little while.

Worry and regret claw at my door,

but don’t worry,I’ve latched it real tight for now.

If you’ve only an hour,

tell me a sweet story about a little girl in pink who gathered yellow daisies by the brook in Box Hill.

If you have two,

recite an ode or two for the braveheart who salvages storms and hungry nights while he guards a lonely border.

If you have three,

make them an eternity,

as you narrate a saga of love, light, life and death,woven mysteriously into one soft blanket,

that descends on me... swift and powerful.

For butter and bread may save our stomachs,

But 'tis the tales that will save our minds,

our souls;

And from the very depths of imagination,

ignite the sparks to create a world so magical,so arresting,

that one wishes to dwell within its realms forever.

So then,

Make it a grand tale.

Make it a story.

Make it a good one.

Thought for the day # 3 a.k.a Misnomers

2010-04-16T23:01:00.003+05:30

You are my melody.You are my lullaby.You are my dirge.

In pursuit of happyness...?

2010-04-12T18:32:00.004+05:30

We all love it.We all need it.We all seek it.
Happiness is that one thing that sometimes eludes us as disciplinedly as garbage chuckers in India avoid dustbins.
Odd,isn't it,how happiness seems to get harder and harder to find as we grow up?
Coincidence?
I think not.

I remember,as a kid,when my dad was posted in Calcutta, (yes not Kolkata yet) and trips to the South could be made only once in a year;we would gather our mattresses and suitcases and board the train to Madras(bcoz somehow,all Tamilians have to go to Madras : ).
More often than not,we stayed at this little motel called Tourist Home,which was nestled in its own cozy corner,right opposite the Egmore Railway Station.I don't quite remember who made the decision to stay there everytime.I never questioned it,though.
It was one of the truths of my 7 year old life.
I always enjoyed the stay at Tourist Home.It was our family's thing! :)
We would trundle up the hotel to one of the rooms on top after the train deposited us in the early hours of the a.m. Then,after a quick shower with Hamam soap (yes,another one of those "must do,don't ask why" things) we would all rush down to an early bird breakfast.I always ate Dosa.Wow,I sound like a fussy little kid .don't I ?But no,I wasn't. really.I merely loved dosas way too much.
Dad would always eat a variety (and a lot) of things for breakfast while Mom would cast murderous looks at him,whilst he unconcernedly told the waiter exactly how he wanted his oothappam to be made.:D
My Nani,on the other hand,was an absolute delight.She was my playmate,whom I most definitely drove to boredom with my never ending stories,and yet she listened.Always.Uncomplainingly.
And this was only breakfast. :)

Relax.I'm not going to narrate the entire itenary here.I do want to mention those evenings though.If we weren't at the beach,then I would perch myself near the window and gaze longingly at the huge white-grey domes that topped the station,and watch both the noisy pigeons that flew atop it,and the noisy crowd that jostled beneath it.
I would count the number of train whistles I heard,and I'd feel strangely happy each time my tally increased.:D
My point being,it was so easy to be happy then.Easy,effortless even.
Now,it's a whole another story.I have lived for eighteen years now,and I suppose I must have gotten wiser,but I still don't know what exactly happiness is and where and how one must seek it.
So,for now,after a whole evening of some soul searching,I declare ...
Happiness is a day at Tourist Home.
Later .
:)

Time to rhyme ? a.k.a thought for the day # 3

2010-04-10T10:44:00.003+05:30

Melancholy brings with it,the poet.
Atleast in my case.
Wonder why that is?

On friendship

2010-03-16T15:53:00.004+05:30

Friendship is a concept everyone has an opinion on.
And rightly so. While the comforts of luxury are not everyone’s privilege, a good friend is everyone’s birthright.
Or is it?
Sometimes, we find that certain people tend to make friends rather easily.
Some of us call them outgoing.
Some call them fun.
Some of us ,with a case of sour grapes, are content to label them social whores.
When you ask yourself why a certain person makes friends almost everywhere, pat comes the reply “ Just the vibe they’ve got”.

So?

I mean, if you needed that vibe to make friends, that just nullifies the whole concept of your friends being there for you despite your personality (or lack of it thereof ) , doesn’t it?

Assuming that you’re lucky enough to have a few really good friends, whom you get to see on a frequent basis, answer me this?
What kind of friends do you make? Do you have different categories?

The party friends…the ones good for a drink, a party, and a night out,...whenever you want it.

The mellow ones, whom you can share a cuppa and redecorate your room with.

The intellectuals, who are perfectly at home discussing music and will not regret spending a good hour arguing the merits of the latest bestseller with you.

The cushioners,who always have a friendly shoulder, a sympathetic smile, and a duvet on which you can camp the night, when the world does a gloomy on you.

Or are your friends a wonderful amalgam of all these shades, rolled into one brilliant and original combo,
people you would give your right arm and leg for,
souls you’re so relieved to have found ,that you’d never let 'em go ? :)

What if you had to let go?
What would you do then?
Would you resign yourself to endless hours of Skype,frequent travels,the occasional email,
and look around in other places and settle for a little more accessible,albeit less cherished friendship?
Pardon me if I’m wrong, but friendship requires more than a friendly face and a clean parole record.
Much like love, friendship requires certain chemistry. If it didn’t, the whole world would be one big ridiculously happy family.Not that that’s a bad thing. Or not. Whatever.

What if letting go was too painful to handle? Would you choose to live in a dream, and end up completely cranky and disillusioned when the dream ends (oh and it will).

Maybe I'm being a bit of a damper.

Maybe friendship doesn’t require this much thinking over. Maybe it should be more light hearted, with a lot more je ne sais quoi and a lot less of “what if” and” but”.

What then, is the secret to a wonderful friendship, and how did it reveal itself to you?

Like they say, the world’s a stage,and everyone’s a poet ! Expound your theories please,your friends await your presence on the dais,one hand clutching a coffee,and the other,holding a barf bag.
Because they know you. :D :p

“A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails."— Anonymous

P.S –The above post was written when I was half asleep.Just pounded out everything that came to mind out on my keyboard.Feel free to wade through the rambles and share your opinions :)

Update

2010-03-13T14:04:00.002+05:30

This is just to say that so far,12345 people have come by this blog! (12345..really do like that number :) )

Love you people-->readers,friends,relatives,people whom I ~~forced~~

sweet talked into visiting,fellow bloggers,and the random people in the universe who've chanced upon this space!

Thanks guys!You fuel me.Keep visiting :-)

Thought of the day #2 a.k.a Recipe for a Smile

2010-03-10T22:54:00.003+05:30

Everything tells you a story.

Like your iPod, for your instance.

Tell you what?

1)Switch to the shuffle mode on your player.

2)Jot down stuff abut the first song that you listen to and like ,or just dwell on it.

3)Think about when you first heard the song,when you first fell in love with it,who the source was(Youtube,Ryan Seacrest,THE Music Obsessed Maniac friend everyone seems to have),when you first grew sick of it,and when you came back to it,like the prodigal son,and the song took you right back in its wake,engulfing you like always, within its magic.

4)Let it fill your head,your heart,your soul(not for those "omg that's what happened to me" breakup songs we all have and cry over though!).

5)Watch it work its way through you..and you'll be smiling in no time!

Try it now,if you'd like,and comment and telll me what you thought of!K?

Fast fading.

2010-03-07T21:11:00.004+05:30

We're a cliche,you and me.
A habit done to death.
A song on the last note.
The strains are fast fading,come quick,
And maybe,we can sing along for one last time.

We're a story,you and me.
Deliciously unpredictable.
Yet,how ironic,that we must end how most stories end,
Quietly.No fanfare.A clean break.
A few sniffles.
Maybe,for old times' sake,we share a cuppa,for one last time?

We're old news,you and me.
The magic ain't there no more.
Or maybe,they make better fireworks in the world nowadays.
Whatever.But before the small talk sets in,
Surely we can grant us one last conversation,for one last time?

One last time just slipped away,didn't it?Or did it?

Unfinished sometimes=complete

2010-02-23T21:43:00.003+05:30

Everyday at 1 p.m. ,this past one week,I've been doing something soul-stirring.I've been having lunch up on the third floor of an unfinished building on the college campus.

Not what you expected is it?

No scintillating conversation,no beautiful music.Well,unless you count the sound of the wind blowing in your ears, at once fierce and frenzied,at once soft and soothing.That ,and the heartbreakingly beautiful silence that resonates within that unfinished space.

I love this building.It's like the agony aunt I never had,the shoulder that never was.This is where I pour it all out,not the usual hair tug-teeth gnash inducing stuff,but also some anguished wondering.It's not a place to vent frustration or something though.Sometimes I also unwind,listen to something Coldplay,and write a bit,like I am now.

What makes it a good retreat is that everything-every emotion that you throw at the stone walls rebounds and returns to you.You would think that this kind of a boomerang sounds plain awful,but it isn't like that.You just have to sit there and drown in the thought that's plaguing you till it engulfs you and you finally learn to accept it.Then,then, the pain,the resentment or whatever it is that's bothering you,ceases.
Quiet.
Eternal,evasive,unattainable quiet.

People aren't usually crazy about a landscape of stone.Not me though.Spare me your rolling hills and your bloody bloomin' flowers.

Give me some raw wet cement,some bare stone, swirls of dust clouds flying about the place and a patch of endless sky to watch.All of it.
Give me a place that's comforting in its constancy,etched irremovably on my course, as if in stone.
Give me a place that is as soulful as it is simple.
Give me a world with no mirrors,save the ones you find in other people.
Give me a world with music everywhere,like an orchestra on autopilot.

And that's why,everyday,at 1 p.m,I have my lunch up on the third floor of an unfinished building.

The best tunes

2010-02-06T10:29:00.003+05:30

The best tunes are always the old ones :)
The very wise DJ on 94.3 FM ,Radio One (Bangalore's local radio station) says that people like oldies music because it isn't all electronic. I totally agree.
Music that reeks of synthesizer and voice edits is starting to bore me.It all sounds the same...one goes blimp blimp blimp and the other is a tic toc tic (yes Kesha,I'm sorry honey,i can't bring myself to like tik tok.)
The reason I posted this was because I'm celebrating Train-one of my favourite pop bands.They're not really old (depends-would you call late nineties old?...oh preteens,this question ain't for you. :D) but they make really nice and soothing music->not acapella ,but still...they don't sound very different when they sing live.Im' sure everyone's heard of their single Drops of Jupiter...and if you haven't ...listen now,you'll thank me for it :)

We watch.We wait.

2010-01-31T19:15:00.007+05:30

When is the end?
Everyone faces trials.Trials test people,and reward them with pure unadulaterated joy at the end.The survivor is crowned and all is forgotten as he catches up with long sought peace.
The question is : How long do these trials last?

All of us pay.Pay for our foolishness.Pay for our sins.Pay for our "free" lunches.Pay in exchange for any small glory.No more.I'm broke.I can't pay anymore.

I want to know where my redemption is ,and when it will come find me.

I want to know when the present will become the past and rest ,closed, as an unceremonious chapter in history,forgotten in the wake of a great new beginning.I wait for the day my trial ends,and the jury acknowledges my survival and makes suitable compensation.I don't want to consider the possibility that this day will never come,for hope ..I must.

Hope is all that I have.How pitiful it is that I hope,even as the night fades into a cold dreary morning.Cold mornings are pretty only in Jane Austen's novels and in books about hiking expeditions to Antarctica.Sunshine is what I want for my life.

I want to go ashore,or sink in the deluge.Staying afloat amidst the currents can be very tiring.
Watching and waiting as of now,is passe,and how we all hate anything passe.

Thought for the day #1

2010-01-15T09:14:00.005+05:30

Well,this is not so much my thought as it is Stephan Gellet's.I remember seeing this on a poster just outside the Headmistress's office of my old school.It came back to me today out of nowhere and I just had to post it.

"I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I
can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let
me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again"
It is a lovely thought,one which prompts lovely action!:)
Alright,that's all for today.Breakfast awaits.
Toodles !Have a good day :)

Pretence.Not a fan.

2010-01-04T10:24:00.004+05:30

All of us,at one time or another,have faced double standards.And doled them out too.While people may have reason to mask their real feelings from time to time,constant pretence is just...annoying,

Sometimes,I wish people would tell me what exactly they think of me.However,they never do that,so I have to play mind reader and lemme tell you;it's really hard to filter out true emotion from all the socializing crap;
but a part of me wonders if I'll be able to handle the truth.Dependent creature that I am,I don't really know if I'll be able to digest the idea that a friend or a loved one prefers not having me around.

Sure,no one can hope for universal popularity,to borrow a phrase from Dumbledore.All one can hope for is a little honesty,some patience,and a tinge of reality in the farce that are some relationships today.

Ah hope!

P. S : I almost forgot...HAPPY NEW YEAR folks!Keep your spirit soaring and make 2010 your best year yet :)

Incomplete is a bad thing.

2009-11-29T22:48:00.003+05:30

So I was idling my time away online as usual.I logged into Blogger as per routine,and accidentally navigated to the drafts section of the posts.Intriguing titles and dangling phrases led me to take a closer look,and I unwittingly stole a few glances at the past me.

I found a couple of unfinished poems.They weren't anything the world would miss(or even things I would miss for that matter,...naah!I'd be lying if I said that.I am narcissistic enough to miss my own verse,anyway,that's quite besides the point,isn't it?).I really couldn't tell what I was trying to say through the poems though.Somewhere,I think I was on the verge of getting hold of the soul of the poem.With sweet irony though,that beginning brought with it the end.Poof.Draft over.

I also observed a gradual change in my writing style.My older posts were more formal sounding,with attention to grammar,attempts to pay attention to punctuation,with proper and non silly sounding words.With time,I have begun to shy away from attempting poetry,and have stuck to writing post after post about my mundane life sparing the occasional bursts into melancholy,because I'm ashamed to rhyme,afraid to break out,and too busy to spare a few minutes for pondering.

I wonder if micro blogging sites like Twitter, and Facebook updates,have anything to do with my.....impatience.No other word for it.I try to return to my old self,at least when it comes to thought patterns,but it's impossible.That was me then.This is me now.I can't really seek out a past identity of mine and hide beneath it when I'm definitely not the same person underneath anymore.It would be like effectively making null and void whatever's happened to me in the last few months,like erasing a sizeable chunk of my experiences in life.And that's not what I intend to do.

The second best thing I can think of then,is to have a record of what I was like earlier,so that I can look back at some old memories and paint a picture of things as they used to be.Then,in bitter times,I can live on a bit of borrowed sentiment from the past.And that's where old post come in.To me,they are the key to unlocking my younger self.

That's why the sight of unfinished drafts frustrate me.The leave me wondering about what exactly I was thinking then.Sometimes,I remember the circumstances in which I penned a draft,but I do not remember my reactions to that situation.How unfair is that?!

That's why I 'm going to take this moment to remind you all to finish your thoughts.At least whilst you're on Blogger.You might not feel like writing just then,but endeavor to make your thoughts a little more lucid,so you can always come back to it later.Don't deceive yourself :your mind isn't an impenetrable bank,time gets through to everything.You eventually will forget.You might lose a moment of your life in the sense that you will not be able to remember what that moment revolved around.

Sorry if I sound half crazed,but I just want to impress upon you that your identity is the most important thing you can ever own,and so, a ManU vs. Arsenal showdown definitely does not justify leaving your thoughts unfinished.

I'll talk more when I'm not being strange rambling girl (which is what many of you must have begun to call me in your head,I'm sure).

'K bye!

Not your typical musical night

2009-11-13T15:02:00.005+05:30

My semester has come to an end.You know what that means--->end semester exams.Sob!Anyway,I was about to tell you that I have my linear algebra paper tomorrow and that I began preparations in earnest last night,hoping to appease the rather stuck up gods that control the fates of all victims of mathematics.

Despite the honorable intentions,I fared miserably in my attempt to study.Deciding music would help clear my mind,I fetched my CD player and plugged it in(no,I do not like listening to music on a pod or mp3 or any other device which requires me to use headphones,earphones or anything of the like).I got further pissed when I couldn't locate my CD collection.Going with the desperation the hour demanded,I hit play,resigning myself to listening to whatever was in the blasted thing.

Imagine my pleasant surprise when some lovely Hindustani music notes filled the air!Frankly,I don't listen to much classical music myself.That's not to say that I don;t enjoy it,it's just not my first choice.The music was slow.Non distracting.It remained in the background.Mightily please,I went about my cramming.Every now and then however,I couldn't help but devote my attention completely to the music.There was some soulful raag alaap before every song.I particularly enjoyed the one set to the raaga Hamsadhwani. Some of you Carnatic music enthusiasts may know of the raaga Kaanada,it's my favourite,coz it inherently seems like a twang of melancholy.Last night,I discovered my second favourite--Bhoop. :) I couldn't help but digress,and spent some happy moments humming along with the CD.

It's true what they say,isn't it,about classaical music being one of the purest forms of music?My mother says that is among the few forms of music that can manage to pull anyone away from what they're doing(not that my case counts,coz almost anything manages to pull me away from math...still).

The tunes;they rose,they fell,they meandered,and they never failed to amaze.Aw shucks,I'm rambling here.I wouldn't know.

What I do know is that last evening,I got some good studying done.This might even be the first time in living memory that I enjoyed algebra,and that definitely is something to celebrate!

Alright,I've got some nasty exams lined up for me.Till later,then. :)

Q&A

2009-11-01T13:34:00.003+05:30

Q.How foolish it is to want something very badly and then push it away,not knowing whether it would ever be in your reach again?
A.Very foolish.
Thunk.Thunk.That's me whacking meself on the head (like that's going to help) . :

Masquerade

2009-10-31T21:10:00.003+05:30

I am never thankful for a few moments of silence.Strangely,that morning was one of consequence.

Morose and unseeing eyes rode up and down the black roads,staring,as if to wrangle answers to everyday sorrows out of the black tar.

Pause.Rewind.They wound back to a puddle on which floated a fleet of a most curious sort.

A pretty and tattered shoe with rhinestone edges headed this parade.

It had laced the delicate feet of the bar dancer last night,I whimsically imagined.She must have run away in the pitch of the night.Do not interrupt and ask me to fathom why she ran,not when what we do in most of our spare time is run away from realities.

Not keen to return to the mundane bus stop,I moved on to the next oddity in the puddle.

A tie stuffed into a cola can.

I could almost see the snot faced kid that had celebrated his afternoon after school with the school boyish gesture of discarding his tie.Not having found a suitable dispenser,the kid had decided to stuff the tie into the nearest object in sight.

Who said kids weren't resourceful?

Masquerading third in the puddle was a dirty scrap of paper.

A page out of a phone book,yet another slice of someone else's life.

10 digits repeated themselves over and over again;keys to a stranger's obsession,maybe that of a lovestruck lad's ,nursing his first heartbreak.

His lady had refused to answer his call,he'd vented his desperation and tossed the scrap away after overcoming it.

I laughed a little sadly at this boy's (?) plight,and then decided to make things better.After all,stories need happy endings,don't they?
Yes,our boy must have bumped into our running bar dancer wearing one pretty rhinestone shoe,and the two would have shared coffee and a good laugh over the craziness of their encounter.

Sighing wistfully,I shut the book that lay open on my lap.

Later,Mr.Maupassant.

I had other stories to know of.

My eyes left the queer masquerade on the eventful puddle.Once again,they moved up and down the black roads,only this time they weren't wrangling the tar for answers to everyday sorrows.

It was storytime,yes indeedy.

Shauk hai!

2009-09-02T11:57:00.002+05:30

These are the lyrics to one of the most soulful songs I have ever heard.It's a song called Shauk hai (I desire) from the movie Guru.The music has been composed by Rahmanji and sung by Soumya Raoh.

The song is sung by a girl who is on the verge of death.As she leaves,she sings of the simple things of life which she loved and cherished.

The icy clouds,the earthy silence of the night,the brilliance of light,amlas,dewdrops,and the craze that is emotion.

A wave of regret and pain stealthily washes over the listener.Yet,there is not much lament,only simple beauty.
Wanted to share it with you all (if you aren't familiar with it already) ...:)

Here goes.

Raat ka shauk hai
Raat ki saundhi si khamoshi ka shauk hai
Subah ki roshni ,bezubaan subahon ki aur gungunati
Roshni ka shauk hai, ho.... shauk hai.

San sani naawlon ka
Ishq ke banwlon ka
San sani naawle
Ishq ke baanwle
Barf se khelte badolon ka ...shauk hai!

Kaash ye zindagi khel hi khel mein kho gayi hoti.
Raat ka shauk hai
neend ki goliyon ka,
khwab ke loriyon ka,
Neend ki goliyan ,khwab ke loriyan

Bezubaan aus ki boliyon ka...Shauk hai

Kaash ye zindagi binkahe binsune so gayi hoti

Subah ki roshni
Bezubaan subahon ki aur gungunati
Roshni ka ....
Shauk hai, shauk hai...

Tagged :The ABCs of me

2009-08-26T15:03:00.003+05:30

Hello all!
I tagged myself upon reading this particularly delightful tag on Misty Rhythm's blog.
So,without ado,here's presenting-the ABCs of me.

The rules of this tag are :
1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share the ABCs of you.
4. Tag 3 people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.

A- Available/Single : Very much single,but...not available.No further questions.

B- Best Friend : Sakshi and Aks...my jaans! :)

C- Cake/Pie : Cake!I don't fancy them crusty pies with weird sticky syrup on the top much. Gimme a handful of sinfully rich chocolate pastry,and I'll be a happy gal!

D- Do you want anything right now? Hmm...you don't look like a genie,but I'll tell you anyway. A burger and fries from McD.I haven't had lunch yet,no one's home,I'm too lazy to fix something myself,and I'm too lazy to move my ass off this couch.

E-Essential item you use every day ? My glasses.The rims are a pretty icicle blue and they convince me to stay away from contact lenses.

F -Freedom to me is ? To be able to live life the way I want to ,without having to tread on anyone's toes.

G- Giggle/Laugh ? I've always wanted to produce a feminine,lilting giggle,but my chords resonate with rather unladylike bursts of laughter and snorts .Hmph!I don't like G so much anymore.

H- Heart/Brain ?Heart! :) Jo bhi ho,dil se ho!

I - Indulgence/Addiction : Brownies,the Web,and solo karaoke sessions (there's a reason they're solo :D :P)

J- July or July? Me not likes July much.It always signals the end of the holidays ,and the start of early mornings. :(

K- Kids and their names ? Whaaa...? Have nevvver thought about that!Oh...err..emm...ok let's just be embarrassingly straightforward about this.
Aryan, if it's a boy,and Tara,if it's a girl. *turns crimson

L- Life is...?Life can be an adventure,a fairytale,a horror flick,or a gamut of all these.It can be anything you make it out to be.It's outrageously unpredictable,uncontrollable and thrilling.And that's what makes it an addiction.Whoa!!!I dunno what about this word reduces tough cookies to pools of poetic phrases.

M-Mistakes - Made plenty.Moving out of Hyderabad was the biggest one.There's no point on analyzing them over and over again though,nobody's perfect eh? (and nobody's me!! lol...yea,the kindergarten kid in me is very much dominant.Hah!)

N-Number of siblings ?N for none.Do my (once beloved)dolls count?

O -One thing I hate to accept ?The fact that you can't change the past.That and the concept of low cal.(BLEH!)

P -Pictures/Reality? Pictures.I'm a sentimental fool most of the time;besides, reality can wait. :)

Q -Quote for today? "Just do it."

R -Reason my brain is working these days : Oh,this is news to me! :p

S -Season ? Winter.I think reading too many Enid Blytons as a kid may have brought about this choice,but I honestly,believe winter is a season of pure beauty.The chill,the food,the celebration...,it's all good!

T- Tag 3 people ? Ok,I tag Devika,Sayesha and ,,,you!Now go do this tag,sucker!!!;)

U-Unknown fact about me ? I act like rude comments and names don't affect me at all,but they do.A lot. Also,I own a hell lot of "lucky" possessions,and woe betide you if you happen to lose one of them !

V -Vegetable I don't like ? Beetroot.*sticks tongue out* Why would anyone want to eat something which makes your plate look like it's been given a blood bath (beetroot lovers,sorry!)

W -Worst habit ?I forget where I put things very easily.It's gotten me into cartloads of trouble,and I still can't seem to stop.

X- X-rays you've had? Enough x rays to give your bedroom some hideous looking wallpaper.

Y -Yes/Yuck ? Yes or yuck to what? This tag?In that case, yes!

Z- Zodiac :One stubborn Taurean.

Now run along,you!Have a nice day :)

coz...Love don't cost a thing

2009-08-11T17:42:00.002+05:30

Money can't buy you happiness.Certainly,it can't buy you love either.Still,can you blame all the rich and sad souls for trying?

Umm...just scroll down,will ya?

2009-08-08T19:25:00.005+05:30

I haven't had a room of my own for years.
Dad's moved all over the country for the last eighteen years,so I've never lived in a place for too long ,my last house being the exception.
I've always lived in rented spaces.My own home,waits patiently for us,nestled away in a quiet corner,while it accommodates some unknown faces,who eventually move out,and make room for more unknown faces.
Thus,I have,every time, been granted four walls in which I can,as Dad puts it "Do whatever crap I want to"(he didn't really say that,but hello!I can read minds very well.)But that's not the same as having your own room is it?
I've always wanted a room that says "me" all over the place.My brick and mortar twin.
A sanctuary where I could listen to Norah Jones and Maroon 5 endlessly,fill the walls with nails on which could rest some happy moments,captured in sepia tones.The room would definitely be blue or pink or or a combination of both.I'd have a tall mirror with the fancy studio lights.The balcony would be constructed just the way I want it.It would face some open land,so people could stand there and look at the night sky,I mean really look at it; a view so unobstructed that it feels like all those stars are only a leap away.

There would be a secret closet tucked away under some random piece of furniture,and I'd keep valuable junk locked away in it.Nothing very interesting(to you,at least.Smirk!)Every time I sat quietly in my jhoola,memories would play inside of my head.Of good times.Silly times.Waltzing times.Awesome times.Plain times.They would have one thing in common.They'd be testaments to my relationship with my abode,my room.

It would be the room where I once daydreamed,while pretending to read History,or doodled while attempting to solve equations.
It would be the room where my friends and me first danced to Hips don't lie when it raged across the whole world.
It would be the place where Mom and me sat for hours and explored Bollywood music via Youtube...
The place that sheltered me while I watched the rain,or the birds.
The windows I looked through when people whined my name from the parking lot cum playground below.
The place that helped me nurse my first heartbreak,
the place I hid in while avoiding pesky kids and nosy guests,
the place that sang,laughed cried,celebrated,brooded and lived with me.

I'm hoping it will become a reality once Dad retires and I graduate( which is three years away and gives me a lot of time for posting sentimental rambles like this).

Thanks for listening , you guys!I feel a lot more hopeful now :)

Sweet child o' mine...

2009-08-02T17:50:00.005+05:30

A combination of listening to the famous Guns and Roses track on loop,and being caught in an unexpected evening rain shower have resulted in this verse. Read on....

Another day ,another story.
Cast it aside,for it will certainly not uplift you.

Instead walk back with me to the moment when I felt like a child again.

I'd like to say it was a beautiful,breezy evening,replete with music in the background.cheerful birdcalls,laughing , happy and shiny people.
It wasn't.Nuh-uh.
It was a hot,irritating evening,and it included a broken down bus , a lost wallet,a sudden downpour and some sheets of meticulously written homework being turned into trash.

Why then ,do I attempt to record in rhyme that evening?
Yes,because that evening had one sparkling,endearing moment when I felt like a child again.

As I trudged down a muddy road,I looked around to check if anyone was watching,and proceeded to descend into a gloriously muddy puddle.
The leap was intentional.The slip wasn't.That made it even more enjoyable.

Around me,wisps of pristine white floated down to the ground.
Yes,you are quite right.It does not snow in the plains of India.

They weren't snowflakes,they were sheets of algebra,which did not make sense
(anymore ?).

I almost frowned,but something stopped me.The sight of the freshly prepared butta,or rather,its divine scent.

I rushed forward,scrounging in my slingback for my moth eaten wallet all the while.Sadly, my fingers did not encounter the familiar feel of shredded denim.

With no money came no care,and I playfully grabbed a freshly done butta,bit into it with enormous self righteousness and ran,yelling "Kal paise le lena ,dada!"

I must have looked a sight,muddy,unexplainedly gleeful,clutching soggy sheets of paper,with a little corn in my bushy locks.There is no other explanation for the way the neighbour looked at me.

However,I met her alarmed pair of eyes with a smile,and a song rose to my lips.

"She's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything Was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I'd stare too long
I'd probably break down and cry
Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine..."

Familiarity breeds...

2009-07-08T14:13:00.002+05:30

If you guys don't know I love being in Hyderabad already,well you know it now!:D
I don't know what it is,but seeing familiar faces all day does wonders for one's mood.
(Don't put nazar yaar....itne dinon ke baad mein ITNI khush hoon :D )

I find I'm able to handle minor disappointments (I still sulk for the big ones) and changes relatively well.I'm smiling at random strangers,and I'm singing out loud.I'm also writing,blogging and talking to people a lot more actively.After quite some time,I'm feeling a different sort of happiness-not the rush you get when you see Robert Pattinson or SRK posters,not the relief that floods you when you're done with a nasty assignment,but the sort of happiness that doesn't ebb in a few moments,but emulsifies into a comforting satisfaction that stays with you for a while.

Treaded on the old lanes,
Went to the forgotten balcony to watch 'em planes.
Fed on the deliciously oily chaat,
Revisited things close to the heart.

Cracked old jokes ,
chatted up many an old friend,
Hummed those forgotten tunes,
Finally,the scars did mend.

Some buildings waited in welcome,
some had already gone to their grave.
Some people didn't (thankfully) change,
And that helped me face the ones that did,it made me brave.

If people need holidays,
don't souls need one too?
If you knew your brew of life was available at that one place,
Wouldn't you visit often too?

I know people say that familiarity breeds contempt.But y'know what?
Sometimes familiarity just breeds smiles.All day long. :) :) :)

Enough said.

Rise up!

2009-07-07T17:12:00.000+05:30

Rise up!
No,I'm not talking about the latest song that's got everyone in such a tizzy!
I wanna take a moment here to remind everyone to rise up.Simply rise up,beyond all the difficulties,beyond all the barriers,physical,emotional,or any other sort.Face the challenges,brush away the insults,and turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to all the negativity around.

Remember to rise up and I promise your day will end with a smile :)
There,that's better!

Cheers !

No,I'm not a Legilimens!

2009-06-26T12:31:00.001+05:30

All of us,at one time or another,have faced double standards.And doled them out too. And while people may have reason to mask their real feelings from time to time,constant pretense is just …annoying.

Sometimes I wish people would tell me what exactly they think of me.But since they never do that,I have to play mind reader and lemme tell you ;it’s really hard to filter out true emotion from all the socializing crap.But a part of me wonders if I’ll be able to handle the truth. Dependent creature that I am,I dont really know if I’ll be able to digest the idea that a friend or a loved one prefers not having me around.

Sure,no one can hope for universal popularity,to borrow a phrase from Dumbledore.All one can hope for is a little honesty,some patience and a tinge of reality in the farce that are some relationships today.

Ah hope!

99.part silly,part sober,pure paisa vasool

2009-06-04T22:19:00.006+05:30

A hot Sunday afternoon in Bangalore with little cash leaves you with little options of leisure activity.So my friends and me hit the mall to catch a flick and do some quality tp (for people unfamiliar with Hinglish vernacular,tp=time pass).

Fueled with desires of watching some Matthew Perry-Zac Effron humor,we reached our destination,only to find that 17 again wasn't being screened.With the oh-so-frustrating multiplex strike that was active countrywide,we didn't have much to choose from.In the end, we decided upon 99.

To be honest,we didn't expect much.The reviews were very mixed, and we were in a very Hollywoody mood,so we just accepted the afternoon as it unwound and settled in theater #7 ,waiting for the "part fact. part fiction.pure fun" to hit us.

Fun was an understatement.I loved the movie!!!We were treated to a good three hours of wholesome,cheerful,childishly wicked,and entertaining cinema.Everything about the movie impressed (me).I don't know squat about screenplay,cinematography or any of the finer details but what I do know is that if you are a part of the typical young(or young at heart) crowd and are blessed with an open mind,you will love this casualand humorous look at the lives of two petty crooks who meddle their way out of a sticky end.

The characters were fresh,the actors... wonderfully real.The humor,irreverent and unflattering.The message,well,there were none ..but that's the whole point really.This movie doesn't preach ,nor does it resort to any cinematic "formula".It simply offers you a slice of life's roller coaster rides,and a delightful slice at that.

What to watch out for? The Kunal Khemu-Cyrus Broacha duo.Wow!It reminded me of the famous Chandler Joey chemistry.The crooks offer lots of gyaan throughout the movie though they blunder through their own lives :)
Soha Ali Khan,pretty and powerful,shows us she can carry off a goofy joke as well as 5 inch stilettos with impish charm.Boman Irani ,as versatile as ever is the chronic gambler who battles his creditors with wry laughter and smart maneuvers.We couldn't have asked for a better cast.
Another interesting fact is that the movie is set in the pre millenium era,with fads,jokes,cellphones,and incidents from the years 1999-2000,which makes for an interesting background.

This is not an average afternoon no-brainer, but a lighthearted attempt at an intelligent film.And needless to add,a successful attempt.Kudos to the team of 99!There were so many moments when you will just have to turn around to look at your friends and share an anecdote or two because somewhere the movie strikes a chord.Yes indeed. Do watch it if you get around to it.
Cheers!

Truth and falsehood are next door neighbours

2009-05-16T10:09:00.002+05:30

I'd like to believe that truth and falsehood are neighbours.Although there is clearly a world of difference between the two,overcoming that difference can be done in a fraction of time.

You see,when you stop believing in something that is true and real,it doesn't hold any value for you anymore.It doesn't represent any entity that you set store by.In other words,it isn't true anymore,not to you at least.

It also works the other way round.Once you start believing in an abstract,imaginary or unreal idea,concept or person,you start to function as if that idea/person/thing is an integral part of your existence.No matter how ridiculous it may seem to others,you're still going to set store by it ,aren't you?
It's a truth you've acquainted yourself with.

There's a fine line between truth and falsehood,my friend,and that line is you.

A plateful of art,with science on the side?

2009-05-10T17:46:00.004+05:30

This is an oft-repeated complaint,and yet it needs to be voiced,because no solutions have been discovered yet.It started when I caught some of the Step Up! movie while doing some mindless matinee television surfing.As I watched the dancers fret over their showcase dance performance and have dancing companies come and scout for talent at their art school,I wonder why we haven't seen much of that at home,here in India.Art generally plays second fiddle to science or inevitably bows down to the craze of the nation ,"engineering".

I know that movies aren't exactly a parameter of life ,but it is common knowledge that the West takes art seriously.We hear about colleges offering a major in dance or music and many students actually going for it.There apparently are many scholarships offered for such programs too.Art is given its rightful place,and respected as a form of expression that requires as much creativity and genius as any other field does ,both at the workplace and at home or in society.

I hate to criticize, but can you tell me honestly if you haven't heard conversations like this before in and around your neighborhood?

Aunt/Uncle/Parent : "So tell me beta ,what are your plans for the future?

Son/Daughter/some teenager :"Yeah,I've always been interested in painting or photography or some visual medium like that ."

Parent :"Woh sab toh theek hai beta,but let's get serious.What do you plan to do for a living??

Kid:"Yes,I mean it seriously.I've found I'm good at it,it's not just some new hobby.

Parent: "I don't understand why you always go off on a tangent like this.Can't you be a grown up about your career?Look at [Fill in name of elder sibling here].Look he's a doctor now!Can't you..."

And so it goes.I've been a victim of it myself,when I wanted to major in Economics or English Literature. The worst part of it is ,no one is wrong here.You can't blame a parent for wanting to look out for their kids.In an extremely competitive land of the Indian junta ,you sometimes have just one opportunity to make it big,and they just don't want you to mess that up.In a family where financial troubles loom large,and insecurity becomes the topic of discussion at the dinner table,people tend to veer others towards tries and tested careers like engineer,doctor,banker,etc.

Ironic isn't it though?That this kind of prejudice should exist towards art in an era where our nation's pride ,A.R.Rahman wins global recognition for his music?Where reality shows are held every hour of the clock to discover the next singing or performing sensation?Where Carnatic singers' concerts are booked solid during the "Kutcheri" season?Where millions of dance schools select students from hopefuls every year and introduce them to the professional industry?

What's the problem then?Is it a fear of the unknown,a instinctive desire to stick to family tradition?Or a mere battle of wills?Whatever the reason maybe,the result is that kids have to lock up their precious ballet flats and ghungroos,or give away their electric guitar,and erase a shining dream from their eyes as they stick to the..what is it? the "conventional" route.

We've got to do some attitude improvement folks.Unless you want to unknowingly extinguish a spark even before it got a chance to burn brightly.

So,the bottom line is... I'm hungry.For once ,can you serve me a plate full of art,with science as a side dish for a change?

Best rainy day songs

2009-05-03T18:07:00.000+05:30

Rainy weather and music go together like Bollywood and drama,or like summer and heat,or like food and me....there,you get the idea.
Today's semi-hailstorm got me thinking of some of the tracks I absolutely love to play or listen to ,on rainy days.Since logic never governs me,my choice is spontaneous and may seem irrational.

1)Chak dhoom dhoom -Dil Toh Pagal Hai

Keywords-rain,madhuri,srk,delightful kids,dance sequence,foot tapping music

2)Chaiyya Chaiyya-Dil Se

Keywords :Lovely forest locale,Darjeeling's choo choo train,shahrukh looking delectable,lovely dark tunnels

3)She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5

Keywords: Great vocals,simple beat,universal emotion

4)Colourblind -Darius

Keywords :Vivid.Colourful.Cliched.Yet makes you smile

5)Queen Of My Heart -Westlife
Romantic.Pretty.Tinge of sadness.

I'll add more to the list as I recollect them.Do you have any favourite rainy day songs?What are they?

Yum

2009-04-14T12:44:00.000+05:30

It's the Tamil New Year today,so happy vishu people!
I'm celebrating , yes, with an absolutely yum cup of payasam,and a long day stretched out in front of me,unperturbed by the idea of three class tests tomorrow.Cheers!

Confidence

2009-04-08T19:09:00.000+05:30

Listen up kids,to the most truthful truth of recent times.
The ingredient X that everyone is looking for is confidence.

Master your fears.Perfect your skills.Highlight your strengths.Don't sweat your weaknesses.To quote a slogan that has been done to death "Walk not like you own the road,walk like you don't care who owns it."

It's a little disheartening to realize that you can ideally have everything it takes,and still not be the victor,simply because you don't believe you are.So be your own PR person.You don't want to blow your own trumpet,but you don't want to forget to vote for yourself.

Confidence is an amazing thing.It erects trees where there were once no seeds,forms oceans where there were no seas.And despite the corny lines I've written here,I urge you to understand that confidence is key to getting where you want to be!

So stand tall,walk proud! :)

Bubbly!

2009-03-15T10:22:00.000+05:30

Ok,so I know I'm really behind on this one,but I've just about discovered the beauty of this well known song "Bubbly".It's sung by Colbie Caillat,and if you've heard it,you'll know that it's the best alternative to sitting in the sunlight...:)

The lyrics are simple,the only accompaniment is the occasional guitar pluck and a steady drum beat.It's a wonder how the song manages to fill the place with this pleasant,resounding noise.Kudos to the artist!Meanwhile I'm going to dawdle all I can this Sunday,

while singing,

"... 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..."

P.S: I've taken to quoting songs now,wherever I go...music is everywhere, on my Facebook status bar,in my room,in my ipod,wafting out of the speakers,and now on my blog too.Dunno how long this phase is going to last,but I sure am enjoying it.
Toodles!Till then,hum a bar or two ,won't you?

Untitled

2009-03-10T01:46:00.000+05:30

"Laakh sambhalo paagal dil ko,
Dil dhadke hi jaye..."

Tissue paper

2009-02-28T14:18:00.000+05:30

Your warm hands envelop me,
You pull me to your side.
I try real hard to dry your tears,
Disinfect you from inside.

But then crumpled,I come down.
Laugh lines gone,I wear a little frown.
And then the equation sinks in,
I'm tissue paper headed for the nearest bin.

I bet you've heard of phoenixes,though
And how they rise from the ashes on the ground.
I fancy I'm taking on that colour myself,
I prepare to be used again ;the tissue paper waits to be found.

Then why has something changed today?
Some strength has come along!
I'm sorry,but orchestrating to your song
Isn't gonna work for long.

So don't get me started
On your silly lil insecurities,
Our unfathomable disparities.
The sinking realities...

I know you push me down one minute
And give me a hand the next.
I also know you try to apologise
By sending me some hilarious texts.
I know you cried last evening,
When he didn't return your call.
I can sense when you're feeling euphoric,
I try to help when you fall.

I don't know if I'm eligible to be called your best friend.
But all i know is I've been one,from the start to the end.

Why won't you acknowledge my shadow,
I know who you are inside.
Face it ,I'm not tissue paper.
I just might be your real guide.

Awkward silences

2009-02-02T00:16:00.000+05:30

Silence is never soothing.Not for me atleast.
When there is something happening,there is sound.
When there is nothing left to happen,that is when there is deathly,hollow and numbening silence.And the thought scares me.

Tell me something new.Tell me something old.
Narrate.Recite.Sing.Laugh.Cry.Whisper.Mumble...just don't offer me that scary silence.

Goddamn it,is it so hard for you to say something to me?
I find it hard to believe that friends can suddenly disconnect.

As a last resort,please tell me you were friggin' kidding me. :|

Tere naina

2009-01-31T13:09:00.000+05:30

It's been quite a while since I saw a fantastic bollywood move visual....and when I say fatastic,I mean just that...straight out of a person's fantasy....floating,childlike,with pixiedust flying around.

The visual in question is the song Tere naina from Chandni Chowk To China.
Though the movie did bomb,the music in this song really needs to be appreciated and shared.Check it out...:)

She's all that...

2009-01-04T16:45:00.000+05:30

Eyes that haven't been bought off time,
Beauty that isn't so bewitching it ought to be a crime.
Hair that probably won't pass for a silken sheet,
No radiance that would launch a fleet.

And yet she wins the world over
With a soul so warm it could blow your cover.
Wanna fight?Bad idea,run for a mile...
Coz there she goes,with her disarming smile.

Pink,not from roses,but from the shyest blush,
Red,not from her gowns ,but her righteous anger.
Blue,not from elixir,but stolen from the bemused sky.
Green,not from envy ,but from that wreath of fallen leaves.

So go say sorry,or simply say hi.
No need to be wary,no disquieting urge to pry.
Put some cookies in your basket,and some flowers in your hat.
A lil magic into your life,coz yeah...she's all that!

I don't like tall buildings

2008-12-27T22:33:00.000+05:30

I don't like buildings,
They scare me.
With their awe-inspiring heights and tizzying grandeur,
They make me want to run for safety.

When I stand on a tall tower,I know I can reach out to them clouds.
Feel their delicious softness,bask in the dappled sunlight they nestle in their midst.

But when I stand on the roads,I don't stand alone.
I see other heads ,just like mine,peering up at the unseen heights above.
With hungry eyes and bated breath,we watch the heavens crossing by.
And yet,we know,they will visit again,with stories that enchant,inspire motivate.

Yes,I like the roads more than the skyscrapers.
The familiar roughness of asphalt lends more support than the enviable smoothness of marble.
The mediocrity of dust is safer than the uncertainty of glitter.

I like the roads,because they lie at the bottom of that abyss from where you can sight the elusive sight that is a dream!!! :)

Dil se Hyderabadi

2008-12-18T16:40:00.000+05:30

Six months of separation.And one glorious week of reunion.Bound to bring about an upsurge of emotion.
I want to cry,laugh,sing,dance,cheer,whoop,yell,taunt,rejoice,sigh,celebrate.

I choose to blog.

This post is dedicated to my favourite city in the whole world,Hyderabad.And my friends who live there.The ones who have,yet again,taught me to love and love life like never before.

Where is my Hyderabadi dil?

In a heady auto ride,through narrow gullies,while pesky schoolboys run helter-skelter.

On a riotous swing,nestled between the madhumulati bushes that dot my home.

On the seat of my faithful scooter,that has led my friends and me to many an afternoon of adventure.

In the whirlwind of motion that comes with every step that one takes in Hyderabad,I seek refuge.

Where is my Hyderabadi dil?

In the SRK songs that Abhi and me chant,at regular gappe ke sessions at the local
adda.

In the soulful clanging of the bells ,announcing the evening aarti at the shrine of the West Marredpally temple.

In the rythmic beats of Timberlake's vocal chords,as he croons "Apologize" into my ears,everytime I walk at 5:OO a.m,in a futile attempt at exercise.

In the melody of sounds that play ,like a beautiful accompaniment,when you listen to the soul of Hyderabad,in the melody,I seek refuge.

Where is my Hyderabadi dil?

In the chocolatey,gooey delight of pastries at CCD,Begumpet,listening to Sakshi talking her heart out.

In the meetha of the puchkas of Ratnadeep Chaat,which are like amrut to a parched throat,like Utopia to a parched heart.

In the tadka of the subzis at Utsav,where I have feasted,whilst celebrating birthdays,get-togethers,succeses,and maybe even failures.

In the bittersweet melange of tastes that descend upon my taste buds,every time I grab a plate in Hyderabad,I take refuge.

Where is my Hyderabadi dil?

In the promising blue of Saturday mornings ,bits of which can be spotted from the windows of FIITJEE.

In the smiling green of Friday evenings,that used to soothe me as Dad would drive through Necklace Road.

In the ambitious white of the lights at our loacal outdoor badminton court,underneath which Aks and I would wait,armed with raquets,patience and weird jokes that only both of us understand.

In the panorama of colours that paint the surreal,fascinating mystical city that I used to inhabit,I seek refuge.

Dear dear city,it pains me to realize that everytime I meet you,it is only to depart again.
Everytime I wave hello,it is only to wave goodbye again.

Everytime I run about ,gathering old memories,reliving old friendships,and buying lost time,it is only to wake up to the fact that time will never be the same again,because I will never be a real Hyderabadi again.

Phir bhi apun bolega,hum dil se hyderabadi hain,aur hyderabadi rahenge.

I would rather not end with a pompous salaam,in a desperate bid to mask all sorrow.

I quietly slink away...

Last time I was here...

2008-12-18T16:15:00.000+05:30

You know what?
When I'm in a place I visit frequently(when I say frequently I mean more frequently than I would visit the toilet,and less frequently than I would visit the gym),I think about the last time that I was there.
Right now,I'm sitting at the same cafe that I was ,nearly a year ago.Though I don't live in the same city anymore,I'm actually visiting some friends there now.
With no homes to invade on a scorching Thursday afternoon,I'm whiling time away at this coffee cum broadband cafe,and thinking about the last time I was here.
Judging by what I posted then,I was high on coffee,jobless and happy.
And I suppose now I am pensive,nostalgic,and ...yes,jobless.
Anyway,take a look at what I had to say.

Bleak mornings

2008-11-27T11:05:00.000+05:30

I.hate.overcast.mornings.

This is quite a change.I used to love the sudden rain showers which are something of an acquaintance to people like me ,who live in the Deccan Plateau.However,all the monsoons have been doing lately is ruining my plans.Plans to go out.Plans to meet for lunch.Plans to take a walk in the shopper friendly Brigade road.Plans to raid the panipuri stalls that dot my locality.Basically,all plans which do not involve me sitting morosely at home ,playing Scrabble with myself.Yes,I am aware my life is sad as of now.Big picture please!!!:x

Whatever happened to the rain showers which would last for quarter of an hour,and then vanish quite nicely,leaving behind an optimistic rainbow or two?
Guess the weather is quite keen on imitating the economy,seeing as both have decided to come crashing down.

However,I'm a wee bit thankful to this bleak morning.It's given me a chance to blog,and is that kheer I smell in the kitchen ?

Well...maybe bleak mornings aren't half as bad as I thought they were.
I sincerely hope this foul weather clears up though.I want to be able to resume wandering aimlessly around the city,with my best buds in tow.

2008-11-04T22:06:00.000+05:30

Extracted from a conversation with the friendly neighbourhood third grader.

Me :"So,Rini,you seem to be awfully busy on the comp these days,why don't you try doing something else....like read your science book...do you know what environmental problems we have???"

Rini(busy playing a shoot the aliens game) :"Suuure I do .Global warming,endangered animals,oil spills,deforestration,...blah blah."

Folks,if a third grader can rattle off about such a topic while playing a "pressing many keys on the keyboard simlutaneously" kinda game,then it really is a red flag... :|

Dear Dad,

2008-10-31T20:08:00.000+05:30

Dear Dad,
It is very difficult for me to write a letter...not just to you,but to anyone in this world...and I think part of it is because I am impulsive.I think impulsively...no wait,scratch that out,because impulses hardly ever go hand in hand with though,do they?
I suppose I act,react,feel and express at an alarmingly quick rate,that sometimes,emotions tumble over.Musings that brew at the very back of my mind come out,all in a stutter.Petty spite and short lived resentment flare up and burn some fragile threads of conversation...and sometimes these threads can never be reattached.
I am too scared to lose the people who are a part of my world,and this prevents me from being downright frank and genuine with them.Hence,...the long silences.

Of course,losing people is something I've become used to.It's almost routine now.Moving out of Hyderabad meant saying Goodbye to so many lil friends,formal friends,"jus-for hanging out" friends and the ones whom I can talk to till two a.m.
Moving out of a familiar circle of faces was like leaving the pleasant Australian seas behind to sail out to the cold,gloomy lonely Antarctic shores.
The difference is that I know that I mustn't sail back,even if I knew I could.

I always hated your job,Dad.Yessir,living out of the suitcase for months together can douse the wanderlust in anyone.Moving to a new place every three years ,fitting into a cozy group of your own only to abruptly leave again,and always having a different house,a different school,a different identity is something I cannot,and probably will not ever understand.That's just the problem though,isn't it?
I didn't understand.I didn't understand that it wasn't all just about me.I did not even meander around the possibility that there probably are bigger losses in the picture.Deeper disappointments,stronger regrets,or more wistful expectations that float around in your mind.

And yet, you haver never let me remain with a frown on my forehead for too long.With hot cups of cheerful coffee(with the chef's special ingredient:double pyaar), sincere apologies,earnest promises,warm smiles,and even more warm words,you wipe away my tears,and bring in a little more hope,a little more light.
You are the best pick me up drink Ive ever had the fortune to taste,Papa,and I will always be glad that I was picked to be your daughter.

I know ,that like you,all Dads,try to be the ideal "man",completely involved in dressing others' wounds,while their own blood trickles unnoticed.I admit that I sometimes took this for granted,secure in the thought that there was always one person whom I could fall back on,my cushion,my infallible barrier from all things that are big and bad,cold and cruel.I remember ,in a flash,a conversation we once had,back when the world was a happy riot of colour.You asked me:"Always be with the people in your life.You can buy everything in the market,heck even hearts,but not people."Only,I've never had the need to reflect upon these words,until now.

However,I've opened my eyes to the fact that,barriers shatter too.
Mighty oaks sway,houses of brick start to shake,and the bravest of hearts shudder.
And that is when the willows sway too,trying in vain to block the oaks from the gusty fiends.That is when the humble powdery cement tapes the red bricks onto the foundation,and that is when little hands soothe the hurt,pieces of bravehearts.
If prayers can move mountains,then surely prayers can carry my heartfelt sentiments across the borders to you ,Papa.

My father.My hero...
I pray for your mental and physical strength and well being.May the angels watch over you.

Peace,
Your loving daughter.

Happy diwali!!!!!

2008-10-27T17:44:00.000+05:30

The new Macbook

2008-10-09T11:02:00.000+05:30

Apple,the king of all all things tech savvy,has updated its Macbook,and how!
With intel core 2 duo microprocessor technology,finger happy keypads and much much more,this new notebook is sure to rocket to the top of the Indian consumer's shopping list.
Enjoy!

For a quick dekko
at the features,go to http://www.apple.com/macbook/features.html

Tagged!

2008-09-23T01:18:00.000+05:30

Ok,so I've been tagged to write down 6 quirks of mine..they could be funny,scary,cute or just plain moronic...And so here are my honest- to -goodness answers.

1)If I ever happen to think about something I don't want happening in the near future,I feel sorry for having even thought about it and I say "Cancel"aloud.

2)I don't like "ssup?" I don't mid Waddup or even the lame-o what is up,but ssup is just too ...i dunno..weird...i think this picture of someone hissing pops up in my head.:D

3)I always sleep with my legs in one position,like an L...just cant sleep any other way.I remember being yelled at by a nurse in a hospital I was admitted in,when I refused to lie straight despite understanding that not doing so could cause some serious damage to the i-v tubes...ok,,,judge all you want!

4)I try my best to wear blue clothing on Sundays..blue pajamas,blue salwar,blue tee,,oh and yes blue jeans!

5)I often turn my cell off...not that people message me 24*7,I'd rather turn it off for a coupla hours,and then switch it back on to see if anyone's texted or called me.
Not that I'm a loner,or even an introvert.

6)If I'm sitting on the PC chair(the one in front of the pc,you wise thing) and yakking on the phone,I pull out the keyboard andtype out what I'm saying,for the heck of it,and maybe to improve my amateurish typing speed.

There!I'm done,And I hereby tag every blogger who reads this post.

Where's my hammock?

2008-09-22T00:00:00.000+05:30

"Sometimes in the winds of change,we find our true direction."

When you're in your comfort zone,you never ask if this is what you wanted for yourself.Face it,epiphany and enigma aren't exactly our best friends when we're well settled in an idyllic,lazy,cozy spot in our lives.
But what happens when you're pushed out of the hammock?
You'll fall down..Maybe you'll bruise yourself.You might even earn yourself a few deep scars in the process.You'll want to lay in the mud for a while,because you're scared if you'll be able to walk again.
But,eventually you will dust the dirt off your hands.You'll shrug,and walk away with a little of hurt pride,a grain of defiance.Slowly,you'll walk across other lawns,and see other people there...living their lives.And before you realize it,you'll be glad you decided to walk again...glad that the one tear you shed didn't prevent a thousand smiles from coming your way.And just when you've made peace with life,you'll find an empty hammock,of the right height,in the right spot,with the right amount of sunlight and breeze around,just right...right for you right then,anyway.
So..what if you fall out again?
Go back to line 1 and read...:)

Epic dreams

2008-06-20T21:20:00.000+05:30

Googling random words is something of a pastime with me.It's the second most interesting thing you can do on the net.(the first is blogging!D'uh!)

So when a Google search on "dreams" threw up a website dedicated to dream interpretation,I checked it out.To my surprise,dreams are actually dissected,analyzed and interpreted in myriad ways till something interesting and tabloid worthy comes out of them (and to think we're asked to live in reality!)

Now the most interesting of all these dream categories is The Epic Dream.

The Epic Dream
Very few of us are fortunate enough to witness epic dreams .This is a title given to dreams which are large in proportion,magnificent in detail,grand in occurrence,and spell binding in entirety.The are expected to last for a good few hours of your sleep ;which is quite a rarity for a dream anyway.

I wonder if I have ever had one of these fantastic things unleashed across my unconscious mind;I never would know though,because I hardly ever remember my dreams.

But I can't help wonder what kind of epic fantasy would capture my Inner Eye,what I would dwell on ,what kind of elements this phenomenon would incorporate.

Scenario one
I'd be walking across a large,rolling green meadow,with blades of grass rippling in the wind.The hour would be that of twilight,and the sound of the sea crashing onto the haughty rocks would be the ideal background score.I'd commune with the powers of the heavens,ponder about life,death and everything that falls in the abyss between Life and Death.Stormy clouds would race across the tinted sky ,and Nature would be at its best...fearsome,wild and wacky.

Scenario Two
Colonial Rome.The Rome of Julius and Octavius Caesar.The Rome which was caught in a conflict of political ideologies,and shimmered with the pixie dust of change.Adorned with a befitting armour and helmet,armed with the finest ruby encrusted sword,and
pumped with the adrenalin rush that precedes action,I would march across a vast battleground to parley with the opposition.
Later I would lead my men into battle,and with me ,my army would seek their justice ,their truth ,their dawn in a whirl of movement.I would be the triumphant princess who led the land to freedom.

Well,these are the only two ideas I've had which come close to being my idea of an epic dream,but that simply is because of my limited horizon.Your epic dream would probably involve seas,mountains and the like.Or maybe even an unimaginable exploration of other galaxies.Or the much sought after chocolate factory tour,competing with Willy Wonka's version for first place.You never know,do ya?

Be your own rainmaker

2008-05-25T23:45:00.000+05:30

Destiny is too powerful a concept.

There's something about it that reduces life to an irrefutable math equation.

Can life really be preordained?Do you simply ride it like a roller coaster,cheering at the turns and screaming during the loops?

Naah!There's more to it than that.

Subconsciously,you know what you want from life.
You also have a rough idea of what you need to do to keep yourself satisfied.
You occasionally spot potential opportunities that might unlock the door to your very own personalised ultimate achievement.

You simply need someone to tell you what to do step-by-step.A person who'd reproachfully glare the moment you strayed away from The Path.
A teacher,a guide,a trail,a map,take your pick.

For that,you certanly can help yourself with a self -help book,a chat with your agony aunt,a tete-a-tete with your inner self, or some focussed meditation.

Do you really have to work up a frenzy by reading too much into your horoscope?
Do you want to turn a perfect match into a train wreck of an interaction because the two zodiacs weren't compatible?
And pray tell me, do you have to parade hideous assortments of gemstones on your anatomy?

Brown

2008-05-01T21:23:00.000+05:30

Brown.AAh,delightful,earth,soothing brown.
I was always a blue person until now,all of a sudden,I've taken a liking to brown.
I must confess ,nothing in brown ever appealed to me except chocolate(people who don't fancy chocolate are simply not worth being called people).
But,as I look around,I notice there's lots of brown beauty,waiting to catch the eye.
Like wood.Deep brown mahogany coffee tables look dreamy ,with proper lighting.It's almost like when you're writing on such a table you want to do a good job of your assignment,coz the table merits it.

Also,brown nail polish.Now this is for the ladies,(unless you're a guy who gets all excited about nail polish??}The tiny bottles with cocoa coloured glossy liquid put you in the mood for the fun side of life.

Brown,wet earthy mud.Honestly,how many of you haven't gotten muddy at all?
All of us have squealed with impish glee while jumping into brownish puddles,and chortled after making mud pies and whisking it at innocent passers-by.
Remember the surf ad(daag achche hain?) where the brother pummels the ground for having made his little sis's uniform messy?Aww,how cute was that?

Brown.Coffee!(I'm sure you must have observed that my mind runs in the food circle most of the time.)Anyway,obvious observations aside,mocha truly is the ambrosia of today's elite,of today's youth,of today's....what the heck,coffee is everybody's drink today.Upward spiraling growth rates in cafe culture are an indication of how addictive a cup of this brown something can be.

Brown.Brown hair.Wow.Whether it's a horse's rippling mane or a head full of haor,brown that way is beautiful.Sometimes I wish I were a brunette,instead of it being the Indian stereotype,raven black.

Brown.Cute little dachshunds with their shiny brown coats or stout little pugs with their "adorable pools of brown " eyes.Darn,if only my mother wasn't allergic to dog fur.Could a kind blog reader gift me a dog of my own?(blinks innocently)

But there's also another brown.The brown of poverty,the dirty brown of slums,where a perennial cloud of gloom reigns.Does this brown remind us of our moral duties,does it evoke a desire to participate in eradicating this curse?It certainly does,only some of us choose to direct this energy towards that fab brown jacket,a la Abercombie.

Wow,brown sure is a lot of things.

Muffins and cookies,and all things brown.
Sometimes leaving a smile where once sat a frown.
Reflections of life in these waters of brown.
Patches of reality in these daubs of brown.

Later ,
till then,
yours sincerely,
Me.

Wishlist

2008-04-27T22:14:00.000+05:30

The most motivational ideas about doing certain things come to me when I'm doing other things which are very important,and I end up losing focus in the task at hand.

Like today,i was writing my AIEEE entrance,and halfway through a question on Organic Chem,I began wondering why I haven't given myself enough time in a long long period.

There are lots of things I'd like to do right now...

1)I want to hit the pillow without having to set an alarm fr tomorrow morning.

2)I want to go for a long jog in the park with my jogging buddies (an assorted group of people who need to lose as much of lard as moa) (sheepish grin)

3)I want to download every song that Norah Jones has ever sung ,learn them all by heart and sing myself to sleep with them this very night

4) I want to locate my school yearbooks and leaf through my articles in them,my class photos,and relive that classroom euphoria.

5)I want to watch HP movies 1 through 5,kinda like a movie marathon ,non stop.

6)I want to drink a glass of melted Dairy Milk (I told ya I was a lardy person :) )

7)I want to ride a comet to the moon and sit on a cloud whilst watching you poor earthlings satisfying your selves with reading blog entries of adventures!(now don't be offended or anything)

8)I want to go for a drive with my Dad,(who lives in another city,btw,)times,like earlier times, singing "Mein shayar toh nahin "at the top of my voice,with orchestral accompaniment courtesy Dad.

9)I want to persuade my Mom to go for a medical check up.She says her left arm feels spasmed,and she's just not looking into it(Between you and me,it's parents who are the kids sometimes)

10)I want to think of more things to say on this list of mine.I fear I'm coming off too non-ambitious ,what with a mere ten-point list and all...

However,as always...

You took the words right out of my mouth,Calvin. :(

Not-so-desperate housewives

2008-04-18T12:17:00.001+05:30

Alright!So I decided to finally watch a bit of this overrated soap on star world.
I was expecting a bunch of pretentious women who didnt really have problems,but were bored enough to solve imaginary ones.
And boy,they didn't fail to deliver.

To be fair,the soap is shot beautifully.The coiffed residents may have financial problems once in a while ,but it looks like their friendly manicurist and hairdresser always lets them in on credit..;).The dialogue is smart at times,and the actors do try to bring substance into an otherwise dreamy world...but the script could be a little better!

If the show intends to mock at idyllic life in the world of the wedded socialites ,it deserves a 10 on 10.

I loved the voice at the beginning and the ending,(Brenda Strong,is it?)It's a cute way of bringing the viewer back to the bird's eye view.

On the whole,in my book,it gets a 6 on 10.

P.S:This is just my opinion ,as is this just my blog.Never take me too seriously;I once thought my mother was actually asked to admit me to Hogwarts,but panicked and refused...I think I spent a day or two looking fot the "letter" from Dumbledore too..[blushes in embarrassment].

Toodles!

2008-04-18T12:17:00.000+05:30

Spelling it out

2008-04-03T15:33:00.000+05:30

I just wanted to share a list of my favourite spells from the Harry Poter series with you .They're not necessarily the best spells in history,but they're the ones that appealed to me,some because they were powerful,some because they were fun and some coz they sound so darn good.

Accio-simple,helpful,handy,easy to pronounce .Summons objects.

Expecto Patronum-in a way,it generates hope!

Point me-I love the simple wording...HP readers know what it does.For the others,it makes your wand act like a compass.

Wingardium Leviosa-Apart from the fact that you can make things fly about,it's memorable to me coz there's a Ron-Hermione dialogue associated with it.

Ron -"Wingardium Leviosaaa!"
Hermione-"It's Leviooosa ,not Leviosaaa.Make the' gar' nice and long."
Ron-"You do it then,if you're so clever.

Peskipiksipesternomi-Can you guess the inventor of this (fake)spell?Hint:It's five times winner of Witch Weekly's most charming smile award!

Muffliato-Keeps eavesdroppers away by creating a weird buzzing noise.

Incendio-Starts a roarin' fire.

Silencio-Shut just about any Muggle up!

Alohomora-Opens most locked doors.A boon for any wannabe Sherlock Holmes.

Lumos -You could,in Yellowcard's words,"LIGHT UP THE SKY"...

Avis -Makes birds shoot out of your wand(.Pretty ,ain't it?)

Imperio-Control people.Just think of the possibilities.You could convince the richest man in the world to leave you his property,or convince SRK to visit you at your place( ok,il admit im a Srk fan!)

Tarantallegra-Makes your opponent dance .LOL!

That's about it.

Oh,and I almosr forgot,JKR,i love ya.Thank you for Harry Potter!

FRIGGIN' CRAZY!

2008-03-30T14:05:00.000+05:30

HI there,umm....to whoever out there.
This is just to inform you that I am officially freaking about the upcoming exams and I will not be posting anything for quite a while!

Well,that was a cheery post,eh?

Survivor ,are ya?

2008-02-22T19:03:00.000+05:30

"Latte"ral thinking...

2008-02-21T20:08:00.000+05:30

If there's anything good about the cafe culture that's rampant today,it's the coffees they serve!Who said you can't have your cake and eat it too?If you're done with the first cup,go get a refill!
For the sweet-toothed undercover angels out there,there's always somethingwith butterscotch,caramel syrup or whipped cream in it.For the reality check guys,there are fiery espressos with a dash of cinnamon.For the busy businessman or your average corporate honcho,you've got a reliable black coffee,while for the kids,there's always something full of chocolatey gooey goodness.

Out of the many things,I'm thankful for,cafes figure high on my list.
Cafe made coffee is one of the many little things that makes life in the city a lil more bearable.Worried ,angry ,sad or disappointed,I find I can always drown my pleasures in a cup of good old mocha! :)

Cheers to all the coffee lovers out there.Let the magic last forever!

P.S:Yes,I did make this blog entry after a particularly delightful cup of Cappucino.

Later!

Nikle Hum,Bike Pe Sawaar...

2008-02-17T18:55:00.000+05:30

MTV ROADIES 5.0!

Well,I'm pumped up on this Roadies thing man....the crazy thing,is though,four earlier seasons of this show have come and gone,I've never even watched a single frame.Always one to be wary of these...well..."reality" show,I shunned Roadies like the plague.

Well,i recently rethought this anti reality show kick,and I'm glad I did.I've temporarily rediscovered entertainment...aaj ke youth ki ishshtyle mein!

Roadies is a prefect mirror of life in the inclement metros of India...a lil of sugar,a lil of spice,but a lllllooooootttttt of ATTITUDE!It's basically an impromptu sketch of how 13 people came together to pit mind ,body n soul(well designer jackets)...against each other,and in the end,the toughest warrior,the ultimate survivor is crowned Roadie!(i know i keep using the term Roadie in every term,but hey this post is about Roadies....n plus i think the word ROADIE has a nice ring to it!)

Wannabes,glam dolls,and wiseguys are asked to take a hike,while the roadies are put through a row of tasks that challenge their basic instinct,passion and emotion....You could be asked to goof around on a banana boat or perform asanas on a mallakhamb when you're drop dead tired...it all looks unbelievably simple, but man,50 + people and crew cum cameramen watching,the pressure of exposing( i mean like showing who you are,pervert!)yourself on natinol television....it all adds up,dunnit?

So...sound right up your alley?Tune in to connect wid Roadies ....it airs every Saturday at 7.00 pm on MTV.

Till then ,leavin you wid a lil of adrenaline...

Presenting,the official MTV Roadies 5.0 theme song:
Ghar Se Hum Chale, Bas Ek Backpack Aur Ek Guitar

Paison Ki Fikar Nahi, Bike Pe Hum Sawaar

Raahon Ki Hai Khabar, Na Manzil Ka Hai Pataa

Phir Bhi Chal Diye, Jaane Ab Hoga Kya

Oh Oh, Oh Yeah, OK

Jeet Lenge Yaar

Ghar Se Hum Chale, Bas Ek Backpack Aur Ek Guitar

Paison Ki Fikar Nahi, Bike Pe Hum Sawaar

Oh Oh, Oh Yeah, OK

Jeet Lenge Yaar

Gaali Sunna Acchaa Lagta Hain Na Tere Ko

Looks Nahi Hai, Personality Bhi Nahi Hai

You’re Not Interesting Dude, You’re Just Boring

Yaar Aisa Kar, Main Bahut Thak Gaya Hoon

Apna Gaal Zor Se Mere Haath Pe Maar, Please

Bhag Yahan Se

Hai Yeh Aadhi Par Cutting Hai Zindagi

Kal Thi Easy Ab Kathin Hai Zindagi

Ghar Pe Baithe Doston Ko Kya Mila

Hai Safar Yeh Puncturon Ka Silsila

Jaane Kahaan Le Jaayega

Khwabon Ka Hai Yeh Karvan

Jo Chal Sako Tum Bhi Chalo Yaaron

Apni Hi Dhun Mein Main Chala

Oh Oh, Oh Yeah, OK

Jeet Lenge Yaar

Yeah,so???

2008-02-08T17:48:00.000+05:30

Yeah,so???

There you have it.Pure indifference,spelled out in two simple words.
Over the years,we have incorporated this particular gene which helps us to ignore all things sad and pathetic around us.This immunity is so efficient that it acts like a metre thick lead wall,shielding every piteous sight and muffling every anguished cry.

The other day, I was taking a break in the park.Merrily swinging on the metal jhoola when this little kid of about four walked up to the swing next to me and clambered onto it.
After a few minutes of silence broken only by the rhythmic squeak of the swings,with innocent curiosity ,the kid,let's call her Chhoti,began a friendly interrogation.

"Where are you from?" "What did you say your name was?" "What do you do?""What is your name?" "Is your favourite colour pink?" "Your favourite colour is blue?Really,blue?"
"Shall we play something?" "Err...what's your name?"

In spite of my miserable mood,I soon became engrossed in this conversation.After a minute or to,a young servant maid of 8 or 9 years joined us in the park.She was the bai or the caretaker/playmate of Chhoti.She shot an inquisitorial glance at me.After assuring her that I lived in the same colony,and that I wasn't some weirdo who hung around the swings despite not being a toddler,she stood beside us demurely.

"Which class are you in ?"

I reverted back to the conversation and proceeded to satisfy Chhoti's eternal thirst for facts about my life.

"I'm in college."

"Well I'm in kindergarten; and this girl here...",Chhoti said,glancing at the 8 year old caretaker,"..she isn't in any class."

"What do you mean?"I ventured.

"Oh ,she's not in any class,just at home.All the time."She concluded in a cool,indifferent ,superior voice.

Reality bit me,hard.Well,...I dont blame Chhoti.The kid's probably seen the young caretaker around the house,doing odd jobs and cooing to her,all the time.The kid accepted her partially as her "friend" and in the same breath,seated her on a lower pedestal because the elder one didn't,and probably couldn't afford to attend school. Albeit unintentionally,this kid had become one of the grown ups who categorize people based on their stand in education ,wealth or family status,rather than trying to connect to a person's emotions or personality.
Attitudes like this might retard the rise of the wave of change that is slowly beginning to take shape in society.

So wht've we gotta do?
We gotta correct the error of our ways,retype the code in our heart and reprogram ourselves to wake up to a barrier-free world!

I'l have a slice...

2008-02-01T15:57:00.001+05:30

2 WEEKS ,4 DAYS , 12 HOURS AND 36 MINUTES....
have elapsed since I stopped trying to be fit....as in ,stopped hitting the gym,or started hitting Subways or McDs.Blame it on the exams.To top it,my chemistry paper today did not go well.After a few nerve wracking hours where I just watched other people sketch ink over their sheets(commonly referred to as kaagaz kala karna in Hindi),I gave in.I could here the burgers and the lattes beseeching me to come ,wine ,dine and forget all about Chemistry...Always the impulsive one,I grabbed a pal and a fork,some scrawny 50 rupee bills and set off to the land where phenomena like eating disorders or words like diet were unheard of.

I blissfully devoured a Happy Meal.God,I can just picture those nasty little calories setting camp inside my body....pure evil fat.:(

And now three hours later,here I am ,laziness personified,perched comfily on a bean bag,blogging away my trouble,without actually mustering up the energy to get into my track pants and do some serious damage control.

I've read enough articles about self motivation,cholesterol,early obesity,fitness and waking up to a new "you" .In short,I've a degree in your average Fitness for Dummies manual.Knowing what detox food is however doesn't guarantee a body like Sharapova.Working along that path truly is something else...

Well,anyway I'm feeling a slight bit better,after all that moaning.Guess I'll log into the real world and bother some more suckers...err..people with my troubles.
And do NOT forget to thank me for this dose of medicine for insomnia.

Thanks a ton again ,readers!

One more slice?

2008-02-01T15:57:00.000+05:30

Mum's the word!

2008-01-27T19:18:00.000+05:30

Of all the people in the world,i never thought my mother would actually cover as a pretty good BFF(Best Friend Forever)....ok, so the mood was pitch black:my best friend had canceled on me,after weeks of detailed planning for a food tasting spree(Little Italy or Amore ice creams or Bowl o' China)...!
Amma graciously offered to fill in as gal pal 4 the day,and out of sheer boredom,coupled with an unnatural rush of gratitude ,i agreed!

I dreaded this outing because i was well familiar with the routine....the evening would begin on a high note,descend into a mid range pitch,and hit flat bottom soon...with Amma lapsing into frequent rapid fire Q&A sessions about my homework,tests,room cleaning ,application form posting schedules ....but boy,was i in for a surprise....

We went to Hyderabad Central first,where we caught the matinee of Taare Zameen Par and successfully exhausted our tear duct reserves...Then we lunched at Noodle Bar ,where Amma was even brave enough to sample a weird looking seaweed green sauce!
Dur.ing a rather languid hour of window shopping,Amma and me tried playing word association,with some hilarious results!

Me:Sound (thinking of Julie Andrews from Sound Of Music )
Mom:Vessels(thinking of our extremely noisy maid )

Me:Shopping(zooming off to Hogwarts with visions of luxurious eagle feather quills )
Mom:Refills (can't blame her really....it always is on the weekly bazaar list...i manage to lose stationery extraordinarily efficiently!)

But what I really loved was...

Me:star (thinking SRK)
Mom:SRK(also thinking SRK!)

P.S:Amma ,thanks for the srk fan genes!

As we winded our way back home,we gleefully chortled at some of the callers on a radio talk show.Amma played entertainer and regaled me with tales of her school days and of annual day plays she'd been in .It felt truly rejuvenating talking to someone who knew to enquire about your life with words other than "ssup?"

Well,I don't have enough words to describe it ....An air of joie de vivre marked that day.

Someone said : "Friends are God's way of making up for family".
Are you sure it isn't the other way round?

Jab Cupid struck...

2007-12-26T13:54:00.000+05:30

Jab We Met!

Truly delightful!The sight of that yellow board bearing these three words sends me into a frenzy.Every part of the movie washes over me like a pleasantly frothy wave.
It had everything a GEN-X movie watcher could ask for.
Alright,so isn't the most practical or sensible movie in the world.
But since when have we been sensible?

Right from the time the effervescent Geet boards the train to the "oh how cute" moment when the adorable Aditya spots her running towards him,the movie has a spirit of its own...so much so that I've actually coined an adjective:Jab We Met-ish!
Adventure,friendship,hope and love have never blended together so naturally,not atleast fr da last coupla years in Tinselville.

Like a musical with several moods and tones,this story took me on a trip about relationships .It read me a fairytale so perfect that magic seemed but normal here,
a place where sunshine broke through every haze of grey,right when we met...jab we met!

"Aaoge jab tum saajna
Angana phool khilenge
Barsega saawan, barsega saawan
Jhoom jhoom ke
Do dil aise milenge...!"

It's that time of the year...

2007-12-24T22:18:00.000+05:30

Time grows short, though the hourglass stands still,
Here visits the unmistakeable chill,
Snowflakes arrive ,carpeting the weathered floor,
Melody’s in the moment,could you ask for more?

Vibrant greens and royal purples do retreat,
Cascading curtains of white we greet.
Lo! Footsteps are now pristine blue pools,
Every man’s a dreaming,humming fool!

Beckoned again from dusty old corners,
Cheerful bulbs of light ,quite an audience garner.
Bitter coffee conversations take a vacation,
Cheerful cups of chocolate hapeen,the cafes are quite a location.

Feisty snow creatures rise forth from the garden,
Brownies and pies ensure that plates are scraped till they’re barren.
Oh and you could just join us for a carol,we’re a merry flock,
Waltz away your troubles as you celebrate round the clock.

I know not if moonbeams stand guard over my dreams,
But powerful cheer is in the air,so it seems.
And every step I take,I ask myself
Did I walk into a fairytale?

-Vidya

Hello...any body there?

2007-12-15T17:17:00.000+05:30

Guess what?
I haven't gotten one decent scrap in five days!!!!

Well,i most certainly do know that gettin upset just bcoz your friends haven't scrapped you in a goddamn site shouldnt upset ya,but ,you know ,what ,sometimes it does!

It's actually like no one has actually thought of informing you,or sharing with you,or asking you anything about anything in the last five days,,,that's 120 long hours!!!

I know that it might sound, at this point,like i have a case of a swollen head or 'summat,but really,how come long lost friends,acquaintances,juniors,far flung relatives or fellow bloggers have'nt wondered wht u're upto at all???

Ah well...if that's the way the cookie crumbles,i better sweep up the crumbs and move on...

The Sis Act...

2007-12-14T15:22:00.001+05:30

After many years,well,months,more likely,my cousin ,Aparna ,came visiting.
It was right after the first exam of a particularly scary test series,and i was overjoyed!What better way to unwind than with an enthusiastic lil sis who has the same taste as you?

That one week was like a huuuuuuuuuuge slumber party!Everyday,i came home at noon from college,bolted down my lunch and got ready to partay...
My humble room,with its eclectic cozy cushions and its ever beckoning endeariness served as the perfect backdrop for our shenangians!And for some reason,Dard-e- disco(yes,the same noisy,six pack thang)became our anthem.And boy,was it perfect!

I've always wanted to ,what's the phrase,"hang with a gal pal", and do all the stuff that happens in Princess Diaries...nd sixteen years of wishful thinking finally paid off!

We ate out every other night,laughed ourself silly at almost every Disney animation flick,and scared every inmate of the house with our karaoke sessions(hey, i didn't say i sing well! ).

I blissfully neglected my homework and study sessions that week.I'd somehow lost the key to reality,and i was happy lost in a maze of adventure.

Now ,i find i've been thrown rather unceremoniously across the hedges,right back into REAL LIFE.baah...

Still ,i've no complaints coz ...someone once said..

"One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name."

Yeah!

Operation redecorate....

2007-10-29T16:32:00.001+05:30

All right folks...it's offical!
Operation redecorate has officially begun.I,proud (well not so much)owner of my room,hereby declare that I shall attempt to improve the quality of my room to match human living standards,and do everything in my power to bring about this change!

That said,I quote "Easier said than done".
How much grey matter does one require to redo an average sized room belonging to one of them (sigh!) teenagers,really?Not much,right?

Wrong! You'd be surprised at the amount of thought and careful planning that goes into the process,and the number of improvisations that,though marvellously Picasso-like at first,tend to go horribly wrong.

So, I thought,for the kind souls who have plodded through the above text,I'd reward them with a handy how to list on room renovation,that's powered by bittersweet memories of my experience.

(Written keeping teens in mind...)

First things first...Do you really need to do it?

Or have you just demonstrated how to suucesfully put your foot into your mouth?

Coz if you don't ...don't bother .It really is as taxing as Archie of Archie comics fame claims it to be.

Alright,alright,you're not easily dissuaded,are you?

1)THEME :
Pick a theme.
It could be as monotonous as pink,or as vibrant as a "living in a rainbow" look.
As earthy as tones of olive green and chestnut brown,or as hgh maintenance as electric red . As long as it matches your outlook.As long as you don't fail to connect with it,even in the dreariest of moods.You don't wanna be living in a room that reminds you of (gasp!)Trigo class,do you?

2)SHOP/GATHER
If you can afford to shell out enough time and dough,try going to some new age furniture or accesories store.You could amybe rethink what you want.Also,browsing helps you to strengthen your ideas and draw that fine line between fact and fantasy(no...You will NOT get a bed that sprouts chocolate at IKEA!!!)
Things you'd probably want :

Bright bedspreads
Comfy rugs
softboards (to pin fun lists,photos and to do reminders to)..
Fusion or lava lamps(love 'em)
Posters of your favourite band

You could even scrounge up stuff that has "pretty junk" potential..from your closet,your storeroom,your garage and so on.

3)SHAKE IT UP!
I'm not talking about taking that eternally extending break from any chore.
I'm talking rearrangement.Sometimes a mere moving around of your furnitiure does a good deal of change.Do it keeping the furniture's primary function in mind.Don't push your study desk(use one,don't you?)to some dark ,dingy,corner.
Try aligning your bed /bedside table in some other direction,put posters up in new places,et al!

4)STAY ON TOP
Never let things get the better of you.When long formulated ideas surface from the recesses of your brain,you might get a bit too enthusiastic.While having a sunny "anything is possible "aura is not particularly harmful,it might just obliterate the big picture. Set a deadline,filter the changes you want done, and sccomplish them professionally enough

5)MAINTAIN
Though your ideal room may house a thousand ambitious devices and articles,keep your room realistic.It should be easy to set right.After all,where's the time?
School,sports,extra curriculars,group hangs,South Park, must-watch TV...can't do without it people!If you're going all out and grabbing a paint brush,choose washable distemper and colours that camouflage cracks or dust,if any.
Keep enough space in your closet for new buys or temporarily discarded clothing.
Don't ignore your

Remember you're a star...................... everyday!
your room should be an ideal retreat for you,everyday!

Precisely...

2007-10-10T16:25:00.000+05:30

Precision adds beauty to reality...it makes it acceptable,comprehensible and hence ,recognizable.

It's in the seamless filtering in of light in the Orissa temple through the shaft made...

It's in the way techies( read programmers) whip up windows of smart program code...

It's in the amusing way your tummy can tell it's chow time...

It's in the sprightly visit of the Halley's comet ever seventy six years...

It's in the mind boggling phenomenon of flowers having a number of petals belonging to the Fibonacci sequence...

It's in the way a thousand,a hundred ,a ten and a one absolutely make 1111,nothing less,nothing more.

It's probably also in the way my readings in the lab go completely haywire,every darn time!

'Something to think about,eh?'

Tricklin' away...

2007-09-06T21:20:00.000+05:30

Hmm...i guessi should've paid more attention when my math teacher spoke of progressions....how seemingly insignificant numbers like two and four grow to giants like 32768(dat's 2 power 15!)....seems not only math works like that ...time does too!!!

This truth hit me like a Tsunami this evening as i sat doodling on my home assignment.
My actual day after college begins at 3 in the afternoon and ends at eleven in the night...that's EIGHT whole hours of your own time which you are free to invest in your homework,or in pursuit of the most jobless person award (which i'm contending for ,by the way),right? WRONG!!!Before you know it,that darn hand has moved over the face of the clock eight times,and you find yourself turning in rather discontentedly at night...

Of late,this situation has become way too familiar with me,so i'm wondering ,where does the time go?

Time's one wily prisoner...so i've learned the hard way.It can stretch itself to infinity when you're struggling with boredom,but it can also sprout loadsa legs and run away when what you need more than anything else is time!

So....i'm gonna solve the enigma of my disappearing time in true amateur detective style...

CASE UNDER STUDY : mystery of vanishing time

VICTIM: Me

VICTIM'S STATEMENT : " I dunno what to do and when (whine!)There's way too much to dos....(whine!).... The only possible explanation ...something's not right!(self-satisfied whine !)

COMMENTS : Dad : OH no,not again!!!

Mom :Its simple,face it.You waste time mercilessly .
[note:statement rebutted on account of unfair nature of comment with out ample
evidence]

ANALYSIS : 3 O CLOCK : Began Physics assignment

3 15 :Answered the door,chatted with a friend

3 40 :Physics ahoy!

4 00 :Did a problem on temperature coefficient.Remembered hearing
Sean Paul's TEMPERATURE on friend's ipod...not to be outdone,added temperature on my ipod too...coupla others too

4 45 : Physics,resolutely return to my task

5 00 : Developed sum kinda allergy ...incessant coughing...wouldn't you know it ...just when i was making headway ...decided this was reason enough to rest
600 : Driven out of bed by a phone call

615 : Go fr my daily walk

7 00 :Wow! That was one helluva walk...right,now im hungry

730 : Done with dinner and a rerun of F.R.I.E.N.D.S (multi-tasking you see...)
800 :Bored of Physics ...switch over to math,read daily notes

8 20: Unable to decipher handwriting (mine) ....wonder why..remember reading an article about graphology

845 : Done with the article....satsified after having discovered that bad handwriting merely indicates indiscipline and lack of order,,,(heck,i knew that!!!)

900 :Listen to the top ten hits on my fav radio channel while doin math

9 15: Tired ...i woke up at 530 ,man!

945 :Blog on how time disappears.

CONCLUSION : Puzzling case.Victim is totally blameless and action s of the victim are justified .
CASE UNRESOLVED

Care to help me out ?

The "END" in friend ...

2007-08-05T18:53:00.001+05:30

On the joyous and excessively commercialized occasion of "friendship day "...I feel obliged to that little voice inside my head which prompts me to ponder aloud.So here goes...

Yeh dosti ...hum nahi todenge,
Todenge dum magar,tera saath naa chodenge...

On many happy ,sunshine in your eyes,candy in the sky days, i have felt like humming this familiar tune with moi extended family,my friends!!!
Whether we were digging into a scrumptious apple pie at a cafe,or groaning because the miserable net on the tennis court had given way,i always sensed a feeling of togetherness,which strangely,though built on trivial grounds,seemed like it would last for eternity.
But illusions are shape shifters,aren't they?
As I search for a familiar face, I observe that I've lost touch with soooooo many people over the years,it's hard to keep track.
Faded telephone numbers scratched in fast fading ink,
Worn photos in tiny albums,
Gifts exchanged on birthdays,
...sadly,these are the remnants of some friendships in my life.

Why?

Thanks to the giant hoardings of Bollywood ,I've seen many reel life situations where old friends from bygone days reconnect in an instant .So why is it so different in real life?

I irresistably am reminding myself of Peter Pan,the Boy Who Would Never Grow Up.
Still,as a bid to support my stubborn Taurean self,I bite.Can two people outgrow their friendship?Can Time,the deifant warrior uproot weathered plants of carefully sown friendship with such astonishing ease?

If it can,what is it in the moment,then,that leads you to believe there is much more to this bond than common jokes,get-togethers and idyllic group hangs?

Maybe we choose to alter reality in a way which soothes our lonely selves choosing to ignore the blots of reality that appear on the pages of the fanasy book we are crafting...Maybe we think that the days spent hangong out will evoke memories powerful enough to be significant for a long time to come.

I read this paragraph penned by Tagore,with sinking dismay and horrifying familiarity...

Oh poor unthinking human heart...error willnot go away,olgic nad reason are slow to penetrate.We cling with both arms to false hope, refusing to believe the weightiest of proofs against it .In the end it escapes ripping our veins and draining our hearts blood; until regaining consciousness we rush to fall into the snares of delusion all over again "
...

Something to think about,I know I will.

The

2007-08-05T18:53:00.000+05:30

Of sticks and stones (and cloaks too...)

2007-07-24T14:00:00.000+05:30

What's it feel like to play a dangerous game of hide and seek ...knowing that losing the game can mean losing your freedom,your loved ones and most importantly, your life?

Ask Harry.Or better yet,read the book that's sent us all into a frenzy.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is the seventh and final book of the popular series penned by J.K Rowling.We catch up with our favourite teenage wizard and his faithful friends Ron & Hermione ,only to find that Evil has cast its murky shadows on the magical world .The Dark wizard Lord Voldemort has wasted no time in establishing his reign,which means that war clouds are gathering on the horizon.

The trio of Ron,Harry and Hermione is on a mission :to uncover the hidden horcruxes of Voldemort.Together with them,we travel all across England in search of these elusive containers of Voldemort's soul when we stumble across the legend of "the deathly hallows",an alternative formula to mastering death.The plot thickens considerably as Harry reaches the cross-roads:Hallows or Horcruxes?

While the pieces of the puzzle come together,jkr takes us on an emotional journey of beautiful friendship and inspiring courage.Characters are explored to their depths.The victorious nature of love is truly the central theme of this book.

The story is fast-paced ,with quite a few hairpin bends. From the start to the end,we are treated to non-stop entertaining magical action ,with a few breathers where we rejoice and repent along with our protagonists.With true genius ,Jkr seals every loose end that sprung up in the earlier books .

The growing tension ends in a grand Apocalypse:a battle of virtue vs vice.What lies beyond: an era of peace and prosperity or a graveyard of shattered hopes ?That's for you to find out.

With smart humour and compelling mystery,this book is a must read for all fantasy and fiction afficionados.
Don't miss the end to one of most exciting sagas of fiction.The Deathly Hallows is a 608 page adrenaline rush that is sure to be enjoyed by kids,teen and adults alike.

Shuffled...

2007-06-09T17:29:00.000+05:30

I've been wondering, ever since I got to know that I passed my 11th boards ,about leavin for college next year.....COLLEGE ...I can almost see an arrow pointing towards that coveted destination..where dreams come true,when you are finally in the "real" world(whts up wid dat real stuff anyway???),when you are able to translate every hazy idea that ever resided in the recesses of your mind-into concrete action,when you are matured enough to know that friendship need not necessarily follow the idylllic Californian style (read THE OC ...;) ..),
when the zones of education,interaction,innovation,discussion,fun,leisure,activity and inspiration fuse together like a musical masterpiece!!!
Is leavin home going to be as easy as dreaming about college,though?A well rehearsed "NO "
forms in my brain,,,ok,let's be adventurous and say it will be easy..coz you'll just be swept away in that tide of change....but what happens when the dust settles ?When fresher parties come to an end,when hostel life nightmares take center stage, and when the glow of independence dims in view of the security you had at home?And i'm not talking about padlocked doors here...but about knowing that help is just two three letter words away (MOM ...DAD)...Don't get me wrong ...it's not a rhetorical statement,i know tons of young people who are strong enough to deal with all this and more....my question is :How do you know if YOU are of that type?

It's during such troubled times that I fondly wish that Madam Trelawney were for real...what wouldn't i give to cut across the threshold between the present and the future,watch the future me unravel,and get back in good time to make decisions to that effect?If you think about it,that might almost definitely guarantee you a perfect life....and as far as I know ,not even EBAY has got deals like that!!!

So I'm trying to devise an alternative formula...I'm going to work hard in the subjects I've got a n apitiude for,prepare myself this year for a latchkey life ,apply for possible colleges and contentedly graduate in the one that will accept me,without seeking solace from 101 different counselling sessions from the people around me ...believe me ,the less you obsess,the more the probability of your obsession coming true!!!
I know it sounds like i'm giving up,but it's not .It's a theory that's simple and that's bound to work for me ,and the reason i know it will work is that it's simple and straight from the heart.

What is happiness really?
It's pure ,untainted contentment ...

sounds pretty simple doesn't it???

Of colours and chameleons ...

2007-06-03T10:19:00.000+05:30

I'm back refreshed!I spent a lovely weekend with my family in the beaches of Puri and the metros of Kolkata ,and i'm raring to get back into gear!!!
Iwas staying at this lovely little cottage in Puri,and one wet morning,i noticed a tiny chameleon right on the window ledge...true to its fame,ithad turned a grainy pebbly brown , and sat in wait of...its morning meal,probably.That's what i was doing too,and so...i didnt give much thought to it and hit room service on the dialing pad!!!
After a mouthwatering breakfast and a languid lunch,i noticed this chameleon had set up camp in the lawn .Dwarfed by the tall blades of grass,it lurked unnoticed in the dewy sea of green...and i probably wouldnt have noticed it if i hadn't been looking for it ,subconsciously .
The shadows lengthened ,and soon it was evening.In true beach parlance,our little friend was dressed in the fiery red of sea- corals ,enjoying a siesta on the rocks.

It's funny how i thought to myself"Here I am,quite caught up in the devilishly wonderful ability of being able to blend into your surroundings,why im kinda chameleonish myself."

I'l admit,i'm pretty anthrophobic.I'm scared of people's opinions of me ,my ideas and anything remotely connected with me,my ideas.....So i tend to adapt or change myself into what the people around me percieve me to be.That 's quite a ludicrous loop i've got going there,coz how will people ever percieve me to be anything at all,if i decide to be something only based on their percievings...but well,that's how it is with me.

So I see myself shrinking from taking out my workbook and doing some li'l sum when all around,my classmates are busy comparing their Louis Vuittons...and i feel very conspicuous when i'm stuck wearing some cargoes and a tee,clutching an ipod in one hand,and a group of of my friends comes back from the temple,asking me why i didn't get up early enough to go pray with them...

I guess, im scared ,like my little friend .I'm scared that the minute I decide to be different,I will be preyed on -preyed on by the little circle of people that i know and,apparently,*understand *.
That's why I've trained myself in camouflage...I would love to be one of those humans with an unwavering sense of self confidence,and a non-erasable streak of courage...
Well,i'm running out of time now,i'l probably want to sleep on this,and ponder over it the next time i unlock Blogger....

That's what I should do.....isn't it?
*sighs in doubt*

Enroute

2007-04-25T16:54:00.000+05:30

Hmm...it's been a long time since i used the word enroute....that's probably because it's been quite a long time since I travelled to any place .Those cold mornings in December I'd always think "oh well, it's all icy madness anyway now..."and today, from the glare on my pc screen,i realized " we're well into the summmer season!My hands are just itching to dig out my suitcase,dump a cartload of clothes and comics in it,and catch a train(or plane too,i'm not complainin..;) ) to just about anywhere!

It's a common but beautiful thought...It's about the journey,not the destination. If only your Inner Eye sets its sights on something ponderable,it could consume your entire time wthout your realising it ...In fact ,when you're actually at all the exotic spots,you're ready to freeze frame every moment of that glorious exploration ,and sometimes an overdose of enthusiasm with the camera does take away a bit of the charm...but when you're just peeping out through window bars,with a cuppa in ur hands and you come across a picture perfect sight and your 6 megapixel friend isn't with ya, that's when your eye does the capturing ,your mind does the recording, and your soul does the connecting .

One of the things I do when I'm travelling with my parents or friends is try and observe different people's reactions to sights or situations around them,and over the years' i 've collected quite a catalog of reactions.Only when we come to know how many aspects are there to an identity do we relate to it like a 3d image,unerring in depth,unflattering in sight,unsummable in entirety...

My favourite journeys are not the ones through hillstations with tall eucalyptus trees or through smoky tunnels of darkness,my favourite journeys are the ones i've embarked upon with my dad.16 years have taught me that the best travel pal i could ask for is my dad.And yes,I believe my dad can transform every mundane moment of a mile into a magical memory .There was this one time we had to travel right from Kolkata down to Madurai (one helluva long journey... )
;my dad and me scripted out numerous tales ideal for blockbuster movies,and played every game of cards known and understood by 7 year olds ...for hours together !!!

I realize that while rambling on ,i've quite shifted away from the original topic of my blog...but don't you see,that's the sheer beauty of journeying through anything ,you never know where you're going to end up,so my wird of advice to you would be,don't plan your journey down to every last detail .You don't have to skim through every page of Lonely Planet .Just enjoy your adventure as it comes.
The better things in life are left unsaid,or as in this case ,unplanned.

Through the Window...

2007-04-12T10:48:00.000+05:30

Separation....it's hard.And when you realize you're on the verge of losing one of your closest friends,you know you don't want to let go...and i'm really going to miss my compaq presario pc!One of those little things you call a virus has decided to take residence in the heart of the program files...so,i guess the mother board is going to crash and goodness knows what else is going to happen ...

Welcome to my room ...a not so pleasant abode which resonates with the yells from the kids' playgrounds,filled with the fragrance of my smelly sneakers,the paths strewn with empty CD cases...yet there's one nook i perfectly love ,and that's the corner with the computer...

Welcome to my computer...not really a state-of the -art gizmo hot off the racks of tech world,but a cozy li'l thing with bright roomy Windows ,fresh colour and an ever helpful...(yeah,tad a nnoying too)Office assistant ...one touch and the lights hit your eye,the dashboard brings forth joyous tidings from fellow Yahooligans and Orkutters, the jukebox springs to life with soothing sing-alongs(uh huh,50 cent IS SOOTHING!!!)and voila!you're in E-HEAVEN(sighs wistfully)...

It all started with an unnecessary gift from the messenger service,and now all sortsa thingummajigs have started dysfunctioning and i'm simply miserable.I'm broke,which means i can't afford a clean up with the help of a software servicer,i simply can't reformat my disk,i do NOT have a cd burner which means i won't be copying any stuff i wanna save...i mean i'm in a WEB ;)

In a few days from now ,when my pc will exist only in the precarious place that is my mind,i will only have the solitary support of this laptop (Dad's ...and he's leaving in a week)...so im gonna say goodbye to the comp here....

Multitasking friend of mine,you are,
Binding me with threads to lands near and far,
My abode of recreation and rest,
My lounge where thoughts flow best...

Meant to connect to revolutions ahead,
You connected with me instead.
And now the cord can stretch no more,
Denial gives way to unvented furore...

Happy memories of memorable days,
Uncomplainedly stored away,
My universe unfolds in your spacious arms,
And now someone has set off the alarms!

Stay with me,in request i plead,
If the hours have to pass, you have to take the lead.
One last click,one last restart,
I step forward with quivering heart...

ADIOS,AMIGO!!!

REMIX...

2007-04-05T10:48:00.001+05:30

Remixes....

Whew!I'm in a whirl! I JUST got around to listening to my cd collection after ages.I really enjoyed the flavoured ,remixed and jazzed up versions of golden oldies.Remixes are always welcome...

I remember when I participated in the Frank Anthony memorial debate competition and my partner whipped up this phrase in all of a frenzy :"old is gold,yeah...but it can't be sold."Too true.

If music in the metros exists to sell itself ,then it's got to come in a suitable package- enter the remix.!A day in the studio with the mix master (dunno what it does,just picked up the lingo)..and it comes out like it's had a Runway makeover (read The Devil Wears Prada)...there's that sizzling beat that was there in that disco song.and there's also that lilting music that ages ago,cured the insomnia you developed before math exam...

I'm simply caught up in the fabulousness of combining the old and the new so delightfully....puts me thinking...How would it be if i could remix my life!!!(grins stupidly).And hey ,while its great to be a teen,to be able to frequent multiplexes and cafes ,listen to music 24-7 ,to shop impulsively ...and explain away anything with the one line:"Hey,i'm a teen!".....I really miss going to Safari park with my dad,making dough faces with Mom,and it's not the silliness I miss,it's the sheer innocence and joy of it...so...I went into the kitchen ,with every intention of foolign around...but Mom's temper was not meant to be tested today...I was sent scampering back...uh-oh i've got myself in a time -warp here...I just can't have 2007 and 1993 together...

so..epople who've got solutions,or kind souls who have taken the H.G.Wells route...'temme what to do,meanwhile I'm just going to go and listen to some more of my cds! REMIXES AHOY,HERE I COME!!!

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

2007-03-06T10:20:00.002+05:30

Spare the rod and...

2007-03-06T10:08:00.000+05:30

Ever get the feeling you need to be punished?
Well, my board exams are going on right now...and here i am blogging unconcernedly ...as if i were on a mission to prevent myself from slipping into permanent oblivion(which im not coz....HELLO!you need to HAVE a defined existence for starters...!!!)....
I know i'm going to regret this when i can't annotate any of the verses in tomorrow's paper,or prove any o f 'em theorems on Friday, but.... *sigh*im just like Jerry ...i have to eat that cheese cake...even though i know Tom and his friends are out their having a "kitty" party(pardon the pun)...
My mind knows this blog does not justify my wasting time....but I don't know it yet...;) yippee!!!

I'L HUFF AND PUFF AND BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN........

2007-02-18T11:18:00.001+05:30

The only ever book that i've read upside down and known inside out is "the three little pigs"!I love the part where one reads about the different materials the three pigs used to build their houses ..At first,I'd just mumble"Have'nt they heard of Lego?"....but gradually I discovered that i kept on perusing that page ,and then began my obsession with architecture (i think i said bob the builder first....of course, i didnt know any two dollar words then..)

Then, when I moved from the roaring streets of Calcutta to the humid lanes of Madras,I happened to be kidnapped forcibly(i was bound by the seat belt) and taken to a buiding with beams, columns and makeshift tents...a.k.a "The annual architecture exhibition"....
and i realized that i'd found where i belong ...What began as a reluctant peep into the pages of Inside Outside , gave way to innocent questions at the may-I-help-you counter with the smiling lady,which led onto a stealthy feel of the floorings at the exhibit,and before i knew it ,i'd been there for four hours,thrown a tantrum when we had to leave ,and made my dad pinky-swear that he'd bring me back every day.....

When i was in class six ,my aunt and uncle built a lovely place of their own called "Crystal",and i remember breathlessly exploring every nook and corner of the house..that was my first inside glance at a house with a distinctive and well -planned look ,or theme, if you will,to it...the house looks like a woodland abode ..with ivy like walls, multicoloured ganeshas, leafy thingummajigs,and beautiful woodwork...

and then onwards i used to set my room everyday ,trying to project ot myself a different haven, on a lazy Saturday it would be my Hawaaian retreat... with high ceilings,mud walls ,and a pebbled patio... during the cold and rainy months ,it would be my Victorian escape in true London style -with pretty balconies and spires.... during the puja ,it would take on a traditional feel, with a low brick roof and an inner courtyard ...

When me and my gaggle (oops ;) )of friends entered middle scholl and we were asked to talk about our career interests, i listened to my friends say doctor and civilian and miss world and what not ,and i suddenly became a Chandler Bing(even Ross does't know how or where Chandler does the job he does ...remember Rachel saying "transponster'..hee hee..)...i used to be overwhelmed at the choices ...

Days and weeks have grown into months and years and my dream has grown into a vision ...i'm going to be a builder yes, that's why i've chosen the math-phy-chem combo, but to what extent i'l be an ARCHITECT in the true sense of the term, that remains to be seen....
I'm not sure of anything right now , of whether architecture is really what i've thought it is, or whether i've just painted a rosy picture on an imaginary canvas(and ......before i slip into a BLACK HOLE of plunging doubts that only Harry and his friends can rescue me from (oh....yes, i will write to Hogwarts about space exploration,believe me)....let me just say that turning earth to stone, stone to homes , and homes to havens is what i want to do ...im not going to be a Howard Roark( li'l old dreamy me does know to draw a line between fictitious glory and stark reality)... but i hope i can be a perfect version o fwhat i want to be.... so wish me good luck , people!

I'L HUFF AND PUFF AND BLOW YOUR HOUSE DOWN........

2007-02-18T11:18:00.000+05:30

The only ever book that i've read upside down and known inside out is "the three little pigs"!I love the part where one reads about the different materials the three pigs used to build their houses ..At first,I'd just mumble"Have'nt they heard of Lego?"....but gradually I discovered that i kept on perusing that page ,and then began my obsession with architecture (i think i said bob the builder first....of course, i didnt know any two dollar words then..)

Then, when I moved from the roaring streets of Calcutta to the humid lanes of Madras,I happened to be kidnapped forcibly(i was bound by the seat belt) and taken to a buiding with beams, columns and makeshift tents...a.k.a "The annual architecture exhibition"....and i realized that i'd found where i belong ...What began as a reluctant peep into the pages of Inside Outside , gave way to innocent questions at the may-I-help-you counter with the smiling lady,which led onto a stealthy feel of the floorings at the exhibit,and before i knew it ,i'd been there for four hours,thrown a tantrum when we had to leave ,and made my dad pinky-swear that he'd bring me back every day.....

When i was in class six ,my aunt and uncle built a lovely place of their own called "Crystal",and i remember breathlessly exploring every nook and corner of the house..that was my first inside glance at a house with a distinctive and well -planned look ,or theme, if you will,to it...the house looks like a woodland abode ..with ivy like walls, multicoloured ganeshas, leafy thingummajigs,and beautiful woodwork...

and then onwards i used to set my room everyday ,trying to project ot myself a different haven, on a lazy Saturday it would be my Hawaaian retreat... with high ceilings,mud walls ,and a pebbled patio... during the cold and rainy months ,it would be my Victorian escape in true London style -with pretty balconies and spires.... during the puja ,it would take on a traditional feel, with a low brick roof and an inner courtyard ...

When me and my gaggle (oops ;) )of friends entered middle scholl and we were asked to talk about our career interests, i listened to my friends say doctor and civilian and miss world and what not ,and i suddenly became a Chandler Bing(even Ross does't know how or where Chandler does the job he does ...remember Rachel saying "transponster'..hee hee..)...i used to be overwhelmed at the choices ...

Days and weeks have grown into months and years and my dream has grown into a vision ...i'm going to be a builder yes, that's why i've chosen the math-phy-chem combo, but to what extent i'l be an ARCHITECT in the true sense of the term, that remains to be seen....
I'm not sure of anything right now , of whether architecture is really what i've thought it is, or whether i've just painted a rosy picture on an imaginary canvas(and ......before i slip into a BLACK HOLE of plunging doubts that only Harry and his friends can rescue me from (oh....yes, i will write to Hogwarts about space exploration,believe me)....let me just say that turning earth to stone, stone to homes , and homes to havens is what i want to do ...im not going to be a Howard Roark( li'l old dreamy me does know to draw a line between fictitious glory and stark reality)... but i hope i can be a perfect version o fwhat i want to be.... so wish me good luck , people!

The "ROCKSTAR" charm..

2007-01-10T23:02:00.000+05:30

When i first heard the term"rockstar" it seemed...magical! That one prefix which gives you the wonderful power of making people dance to your tunes (both literally and...) !I remember on laundry day ,i'd wrap the curtains around me and croon into a bottle and hit the demo key on my keyboard.....and make my mom act like a star struck fan..(poor mom,she did do the part quite well)..
When we first began doing proper literature in class 7, we were ushered into a world where to quote quotes quite quickly(pardon the alliteration) was not to sound "cliched" but to sound well read,..when i used to blow up into an undeflatable balloon of content just because i knew who Mozart was and my neighbour did'nt ...,that was when i officially crossed the toll gate and stepped into "sophisticated sistah' city.. i thought rocker chic was for the wannabes and that anybody could top the blockbuster charts if they could shout out loud.......that was when my gang of friends and me wanted to know what Beethoven's fifth (or was it the 7th?)was...

Today... i came back drop dead tired from college and hit power on the tv remote
..and up came a familiar face,a sweet smile.. a sing along tune.. a cuppa of confidence..and before i knew it ,i was waltzing in the hall..crooning into my bottle again....

yeah, i officially went back to that toll gate and jumped back into the other side today..bcoz anyone who can generate so much of fever with a few syllables is worth applauding....yes,rock is decidedly addictive..not because it's something youre supposed to dance to.. but because it's something you want to dance to!

Farewell to a friend..

2006-12-19T21:41:00.000+05:30

FAREWELL TO A FRIEND
The king was harsh,the heat scorched my face,
It was the reign of the sun,relief was not to be faced,
the fiery truth blinded me,I couldnt see beyond,
I refused to accept the absence of a friend so fond.

Opened the latch ,with dreams of balmy air
That was so often there, but now seemed so rare.
No wind greeted my disappointed stare,
No cool blankets where i could hide my despair.

The afternoon was hot and friendless,as it was meant to be,
Zephyrous gusts, were thy once there for me?
My heart had sung with the promise of a friend.
But what had seemed like a start was really the end.

My friend wasn't one who'd crave for a shopping spree,
She wasn't one who'd jog a mile and climb a tree,
She was one who's advice i d get for free,
Fate told me today, 'There's going to be a fee".

Misery seems to have seeped in through the window sill,
Making the warm air even blazing still.
But i don't have time to regret or amend,
I have to head out to bid goodbye to a friend.