too ooh ooh nyn

They say that how your year will be is partly decided by what you're doing at 12 AM on 1st of January. If this were true, then 2009 should have been a year filled with action and drama. On the contrary, unlike the past 3 years before, 2009 was different. I like to term it as the year of tranquility.

I sat with Smokey for a bit yesterday and went over the entire year that has been and realized that it hasn't been as tranquil and/or boring as I had first assumed. I went month by month and came up with these:

2009, the year that was; my highlights

- rode a rodeo bull... couldn't walk straight for 2 hours

- karaoke'd for the first time; Coldplay - Yellow... was too drunk to remember how terrible I was

- first Hard Rock cafe visit in Bangalore; spent a bomb on drinking... got drunk again... friends got pissed, some still are; spent another bomb on a HRC T-Shirt

- had my first pool Birthday party; threw the party with my bestest friend and celebrated it with all my other besties; drank for the first time on my birthday... didn't get drunk

- gave my final year college exams without studying much; graduated with awesome marks; Bachelor of Arts with Majors in Economics now

- went out of the country for the first time; backpacked across Malaysia; saw the Petronas towers and was amazed by a structure for the first time; trekked in the oldest rain forest of the world, Taman Negara... survived on tuna, bread and stream water... got bitten by flying ants and at least 4 dozen leeches... thought wasn't going to come out alive... made a mental will... did survive, had 5 glasses of Milo; saw the most beautiful place yet, Perinthian Islands... had a lot of beef burgers and some beer... snorkeled for 2 days, fed fishes and sharks... got stung by jellyfish... tried to learn diving, couldn't... jumped off a pier... saw Manchester United lose to Barcelona amidst a bunch of drunk locals

- went to Singapore from Malaysia... got interrogated in a room with one light, a table, a good cop and a bad cop for not having a print out of my return ticket; had some more beef burgers; had a chocolate tequila shot; danced on Hindi music in S'pore till 5 in the morning... witnessed a Chinki-Indian brawl; got my first ink; spent 15 days with my best friends

- saw Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 5 times... got goosebumps on Prime's entry and resurrection every time

- flew kites on 15th August in Delhi in a very intoxicated condition; came back to Ahmedabad with something unexpected

- threw my first house party... got everyone drunk, made Sahil puke... met someone... got over my 8 month old demon in 3 hours

- sang at BBQ nation with Sahil; had dinner there 5 times that month

- talked on Skype a lot

- one ended and started another; long distance one with Sahil

- became best friends with Jack Daniels

- worked 2 jobs for 3 months; earned in dollars; met 20 IBMers from every part of the world

- got a BlackBerry... got an iPod Touch... got a Superman Sweatshirt (5 years in waiting)... got black glasses like Clark Kent's... I'm broke now

- completed 2 years at Norquest Brands, the 'bag place' as many know it as... realized that I've an awesome boss... a Subway treat... she'll comment after reading this post

- met someone... slept in the morning many nights... chipped a nail, hospital visit at 2 AM... lived like an item boy dancing around at 3 places for awhile... talked a lot... got the biggest phone bill yet, still paying...

- kept up this blog... thank you to the few who do read and care to comment

OK, so all of it may not be interesting for everyone, but has been for me. Might have missed out on somethings, will update if I remember.

Try doing this, I had a ball thinking about the entire year and listing all this down.

gadget junkie

I haven't studied engineering or anything remotely technical and I'm not really a narcissist (not a big one) but I've always been really good with gadgets. From learning how to operate a computer at a time when they were alien tech to everyone around to breaking my PlayStation and then repairing it all on my own, I seem to have the know-how of how gadgets and things alike work. But, I studied Economics, unfortunately going against my grandfather's wishes, who was quite keen on me following his mighty footsteps. Whatever wished and done, I still retain my 'smoothness' with technology and no matter how much I like to self-learn or read or keep updated with the latest in the tech world, there is little that compares to the thirst of owning gadgets. It comes right after my want for collecting anything and everything Superman; unfortunately, either of them aren't cheap obsessions.

To cut a long story short, I love buying gadgets. I had a PlayStation II (the one I broke and then repaired :P), I've a PlayStation Portable, a BlackBerry (I know... I'm awesome) and I just added an iTouch to my arsenal. Besides the fact that its a 3rd gen 32 GB version, I'm really proud of it because this is the first gadget I've bought on my own and hopefully, its the first of many (Dad, I really hope you read this).

So, even though I harvested the 'green' seeds I sowed for the last few months in one go, the feeling is parallel with a German farmer's condition during Oktoberfest.

PS - I've my eyes set on Android now... the PSP Go looks promising too :p

a whim... and a fancy too

My patience is good as long as your impatience gives me a chance to use it.

21 grams

"How many lives do we live? How many times do we die? They say we all lose 21 grams... at the exact moment of our death. Everyone. And how much fits into 21 grams? How much is lost? When do we lose 21 grams? How much goes with them? How much is gained? Twenty-one grams. The weight of a stack of five nickels. The weight of a hummingbird. A chocolate bar. How much did 21 grams weigh?"

In 1907, Dr. Duncan MacDougall propogated a theory stating the existence of the immortal human soul by recording a small loss of weight immediately after death; loss of weight indicating the departure of the human soul. He tried to prove that the human soul existed by measuring it. His methods were unscientific and were refuted by the Scientifitic community at large. 21 grams is an abritrary figure, used in a movie with the same name.

coming soon

Ever wondered what to do after that extra drag or after having had one shots too many.

The answer is here.

Sharpen those pencils, refill them pens and keep a stack of papers handy.

coming soon...

public enemies

DC's latest direct-to-DVD feature. Need I say that its awesome.




















Batman: The kryptonite is near your heart. I don't know if I'll get it before the wound closes.

Superman: Where's The Flash when you need him?

Batman: Do me a favor and lose the sense of humor.

Superman: Do us both a favor and buy one.

must love dogs

The dilemma of having a dog who insists on sleeping on your pillow and eating from your plate is whether he loves you so much that he wants to do everything with your or just that he thinks he is your master rather you being his. The fact is that no matter how funny I try to make it sound, taking a canine not as a K9, but as a son and as a brother has its own set of pros and cons; pros more than cons I'd say. Quite similar is the case with Smokey; the only difference being that we never got an option of exerting or even trying to exert our masterly influence on him, he became the third son/brother from the time he pooped on the carpet, peed on the table leg and vomited on my bed. Just like any other parent would start "looking around" for a son who comes of age, the search for Smokey started the moment we realized that he started using the pillow for purposes beyond tug and catch.

Considering the 7 point multiplier for how old a dog is, Smokey comes to around 13 human years i.e. puberty has hit and is leaving its signs on legs, elbows and pillows. Unfortunately, the search that started 3 odd months back didn't yield any results. Apparently, being a basset hound in Ahmedabad is quite a rarity. But last week, we come to know that there is a dog show in town. What better place than a woof convention to pimp your dog. So he gets a bath early Sunday morning, a bell on his usual empty collar and a red scarf around his neck, which was kinda gay, but Mom's wish it was and her wishes trump my disgust. We head to the venue; a place that I really really loathe, and we're stopped at the entrance cause our guy isn't registered with the Kennel club (needs an entire different blog post to relay), the one which is hosting the show. Now being an unseen breed in town, our guy is already gathering up a crowd and pulling a lot of attention and so dad insists that I go in and have a look around the show and look up for information on getting Smokey registered, while he'll stay out with him. Fortunately, I didn't have to be registered with the Kennel club to enter.

It was like Diwali all over again. From Optimus Prime like Rottweilers, even taller Great Danes, the chubby Labradors and of course, the Dobermans; they were all there. My stars were in a really good mood I think and I was fortunate enough to get a chance to meet my first Saluki and fall in love at first sight with a Siberian Huskey. The Huskey had a coat smoother than silk and sky blue eyes. His eyes hypnotized me and I couldn't, rather didn't want to let go off the stare I was stuck with. I'm generally very critical of people who get dogs like St. Bernards and Huskeys to a place like Ahmedabad. Being the absolute heat pad that the city is, its almost next to torture for these canines who've been made for temperatures below 0. But for those 4 odd minutes looking at his pearl blue eyes, I lost all sense of critique for the owner; in fact, I think I lost my senses, the few that work in me anyways.

Still a bit disassociated with the then present and completely intoxicated after meeting the Huskey, I had little clue that the fun was yet to begin. I soon run into my Dad who managed to sneak Smokey in. I take over dog-sitting duties and ask Dad to go and have a look around. Sitting there with him, I had 8 people come up to me with their children seeking permission to get their kid clicked with the guy. So as it seemed, many had come their with the cameras just to get their kids in the frame with the many canines around. Though a bit flustered with so many humans, our guy seemed to have enjoyed every bit of the attention he got; oddly though, everyone thought that he was a Cocker Spaniel and for some smarter ones, a Beagle, I enjoyed seeing the huge question mark on their faces when I said that he is a Basset Hound. Mom also tried to buy him a sweater which he refused to wear, an over-friendly German Shepherd smelled his butt for a second too longer leading to a nasty snap back at the Shepherd, a Great Dane refused to acknowledge our guy's presence and all his attempts to befriend the Scooby were futile and something about a St. Bernard seemed to scared the nuts out of our guy, so much so that his tail was stuck between his legs till the time we got back to the car.

Being the only one of your breed definitely helps to grab a lot of eyesights but isn't too good if you're looking for a girlfriend. Though by the end a bleak hope did emerge. We did manage to find a trainer who informed us that there is this female Basset who is looking for a partner as well, but is located at some farmhouse outside the city and we'll have to take our guy there. Before I could even talk about making both of them meet at a neutral venue, Dad had already agreed to take him there. I don't think I've seen Dad so eager. We're still talking with the trainer and I really really hope that Smokey does hit it off with this dame 'on the farmhouse', but the entire incident made me wonder, would Dad be willing to put in the same efforts to get me laid?

P.S. - Sorry for the lack of graphics in the post; I couldn't have picked a worse day to forget my camera.

revisiting practicality

It is a forced trip down memory lane, actually more like deja vu; one of those which leaves a bitter taste and negates the gladness of the thought "this has happened before" or just "I knew this was coming". Anyways, the trip was not nothing like what the green stuff sends you at.

The P word still seems distant and it sucks when it comes around so often that every time I try to look it up, I realize its still missing in my dictionary. I did try to put it once in my oxford, but it just didn't fit with the other words there. It seemed too out of place even after adjusting it with words like pure rubbish and pretty big piece of turd, but still it couldn't fit in and so I said "to heck with it" and I let it go, hoping never to see the likes of it again. Apparently I didn't know better.

They say that G man up there created everything left it on us to decide how'd we want to run the world. So evidently the green stuff (not the same as the plant), the lines we see in the Atlas, the arguments fought over whose line is bigger, the people who're selected to manage the space within those lines and so on were created by us; so G man doesn't have to be blamed for anything and it can be put all on us. Pretty convenient and smart I'd say. Similarly, he created us and whats inside us. So the heart was made and so was the mind for a reason. Now, practicality suggests that I should ignore what the heart says and listen only to the brain cause this is what'll lead me to eternal happiness and may be even salvation. This IS quite attractive, but... yeah right! Unfortunately (or may be fortunately) I've yet to understand this phenomenon. The heart was made to beat and circulate blood and beat harder when you either have a gun in your face or may be a chick without clothes; but thats it. The dual medium of thinking doesn't exist. Employing both your organs to do your thinking and selecting one of their decisions means you're just pissing off one of them and you've a serious problem of disguised unemployment. One does not rule the other, but rather compliments it. One is not a superhero and the other one a nemesis; but rather fellow members of the justice league or the avengers.

I've been called immature, a Superman wannabe, a 20 year old with a superhero complex and at times even funny... and yes, guilty as charged. Being p would invite retribution and revenge to settle and satisfy the mind, thank god I'm not. This is a complete rant I know, but whoever cares to give this a glance would agree or at least think its bull shit; and it is the thought that matters, even if the post reminds you off human feces or animal dung.

Being of the non-practical kin sucks most of the times... even deepthroats at times; which literally does feel amazing, figuratively doesn't. But if being a control freak, if ignoring the red beating organ, if being practical pays, even then, no... I'd rather be a heart following entrepreneur earning my own profits. The epitome of joy still trumps the depth of numbness.

untitled

"I'm as funny as the number of times I can make you smile when you're feeling explosive... and you're as witty as the number of minutes it takes me to understand some of your messages"

on a shoestring

Its 3 months too late I know. I was relying on Ahmedabad Mirror to publish it; but as they never bothered too (*@#&#), I might as well do it here.

A last minute plan, discounted air tickets, a tight budget, 2 other friends and just a backpack. It was my maiden international trip, one for the foremost pages of the memory books.

A holiday in Malaysia isn’t obviously unheard off. A lot of people do it; a lot of acquaintances have in fact. Everyone knows about Genting and Langkawi. For us, besides the fact that we were on an extremely narrow budget, we wanted to avoid the usual holiday crowd and of course get a taste of backpacking. A 5 hour flight to Singapore followed by a 6 hour bus ride bought us to Kuala Lumpur, the capital and of course the city with the twin towers. As we had only one night to spend in KL, we quickly got ourselves a tiny room, dumped our packs and were off to witness the city Lonely Planet has told us so much about. From the China Town market, where we found knock offs for every mighty brand under the sky, to KL’s premier shopping street, Butik Bintang, we travelled through the city with wide eyes and an open mouth. After getting lost in a mall for a few hours, an over-whelming visit to the Partonas Towers, a dreadful foot massage and a tummy-full dinner the day was already over and we were back to our tiny room. It was the first and near-perfect pit-stop towards the long trip ahead.

The next day was an early morning bus out off KL and on our way to Taman Negara, the oldest rainforest in the world. A bus from KL to Jerantut and another from Jerantut to Kuala Tembling, from were we along with 12 other people squatted in a tiny boat and took off for a 3 hour boat ride to Kuala Tahan, the village right opposite Taman Negara. Kuala Tahan is a small village with a few chalets and dorm rooms to stay at and a few floating restaurants. Right opposite these restaurants across the river was the mighty rainforest, Taman Negara. We were completely mesmerized by the beauty and vastness of the rainforest. But we had never imagined that Taman Negara was to be the adventurous peak of our trip. Among the various activities one could do there, a night trek in the jungle as it read, seemed very interesting and caught our attention immediately. We met an English guy who was also on a backpacking trip and decided to tag along with us for our stay there. The night trek wasn’t disappointing. A 2 hour walk into the mild exteriors of the jungle amidst heavy rain, a few snakes, a tarantula, shining deer eyes and glowing mushrooms, our first encounter with the forest was a pleasant and an enjoyable one to say the least. We returned to the village, completely drenched but with high spirits and an eagerness to go back and so we decided go further into the jungle the next day. The next morning with a day sack packed with a couple of bottles of water, bread, canned tuna and a sleeping bag we set off for a 12 km trek inside the jungle to a viewing point where we’d be staying for the night. We were given a map and were told that we’d reach our point in about 6 hours, but the jungle had something else in store for us. It took us 14 hours to reach our destination. By the time we reached there, we had leaches all over us, we had been bitten by flying ants, bruises and scratches everywhere and a particular stench that I still have in the t-shirt I wore that day. We survived on stream water, damp bread and tuna with a very weird smell. We were pretty scared by the time it was getting dark. Now this was a forest where the trek kept going up and down and where once couldn’t sit for 2 minutes without being covered with leeches and our destination was still nowhere in sight. We thought we weren’t going to make it. Though it was 12 kms on paper, we travelled more than 16 going up and down the jungle trek. Though we did reach the dock just about as it was getting dark, the stay at the observation dock wasn’t any better. Out of food, but fortunately tired and sleepy enough not to even think about hunger, we crashed onwooden bunks into an uncomfortable stupor as the worry about completing the same trip the next day was a feeling all of us shared. But as before, there was something else in store for us. A 3 hour trek through an alternate route bought us closer to the river and in reach of a boat which took us back to the starting point of our trek in 20 minutes. Though the irony of walking 14 hours one way and returning back in 20 minutes is ridiculous and unjust, we were much much more than relieved to get in touch with civilization again. After 3 huge glasses of milo, an hour long shower to wash away the blood, the mud and everything that we had carried along with us from the jungle and a failed attempt at laundry, we sat and reminisced about the previous day, about being alive, about having survived it all, about having blood clots and leech teeth still logged all over our legs and about the trip ahead of us. The next morning we took another bus back to Jerentut and then another to Kuala Besut. From here, we took a speed boat to the Perhentian Islands.

A tropical island, placed to the North east and around 10 miles off shore from Malaysia, it was a complete contrast and a much needed rest after the pit-stop over at Taman Negara. We settled our sacks in a dorm, again on a beach chalet, managed by a Pakistani. Conversing in Hindi never felt so good. Perhentian can’t really be described in words. It is a quintessential paradise which could woo and mesmerize anyone; be it a group of German girls on a vacation, a retired Canadian couple, an Englishman who had been staying at the island for more than 10 days, another who re-joined us after our brief meeting at the rainforest, a Canadian girl, who decided to stay back and work at the island or just a bunch of Indian boys. Our 3 day stint on the island was mostly spent underwater, snorkeling around feeding fishes and baiting sharks, chasing turtles, being stung by jellyfish and diving off piers. The food was finger licking good, something that I direly miss. If not underwater, we spent our time with expensive liquor and eating all that we could. We also spotted a 6 foot iguana, played volleyball, had a crazy intoxicated encounter with 3 drunk British guys on a trip very much like us and caught the Champions League final at 4 in the morning amidst the frenzy and jubilant atmosphere the drunk locals created. Taman Negara took us closer to the end; Perhentian bought us nearer to bliss. 3 days went by in a flash and we were soon on an early morning speed boat back to Kuala Besut and from there a 10 hour bus back to KL. A brief stay at KL and we were on a night bus heading towards the last pit stop of our trip, Singapore.

4 days in Singapore were all out fun. The highlight was obviously the food scene. We tasted an array of sea food which included tiger prawns, crabs, squids, octopuses, stingray and our last night when we consumed more than 7 animals at a Brazilian stake house. We danced on Hindi music bang in the middle Singapore’s entertainment district till the wee hours of morning, visited the Singapore zoo and returned with a kiss from a sea lion, came back from the majestic Sentosa Islands after patting and playing with Dolphins and most notably marked the entire trip with black permanent ink on our arms.

I went through Malaysia on a shoestring and slinged through Singapore with 2 best friends on a pocketful of cash and got a taste of how adventurous backpacking can be. It was the trip of a lifetime, the best graduation gift I could have asked for..

self-centered (for a change)

"I'm not a prophet or a stone aged man, just a mortal with potential of a Superman. I'm living on" - David Bowie

revenge of the fallen

It can't and it doesn't get better than this. I had expected nothing else but to love the movie and I did. So much so that twice in two days and I still haven't got enough of it.

Ccritics worldwide haven't really spared the movie; they can go tickle themselves all they want. They tend to do that to all Michael Bay movies, all of which turn out to be big hits, much to their desire I'm sure. I do understand Americans criticizing the movie on part of a few inaccuracies here and there and its runtime (2 and a half hours without an interval can get excruciating for people who're used to 90 minute movies). But I fail to understand why the heck are Indian critics targetting the movie on its length; they're talking on behalf of an industry which makes 4 hour movies, which has 2 hours of songs. I read quite a few reviews on national papers and sites and it really grinds my gears to see people who won't be able to name more than 2 Transformers rating the movie!

Moving away from these nincompoops, the movie is better than amazing. Its typical Michael Bay; massive toll of deaths, explosions all around, out of bounds action, extreme heroism... It sure has to be difficult to get emotions out of robots who convert into vehicles and even more to get the public emotionally attached to them. Very few can do it as good as him.

I hooted when Optimus skydived... I shouted everytime a Decepticon fell... I went beserk when Optimus took on Megatron, Starscream and Grindor alone... I cried when he died... I screamed when he was resurrected; I yelled when Optimus tore up the Fallen! I was there for all of it. Optimus Prime is the new Superman.

Anybody interested for it; I'm game for a 3rd time as well ;-)

addiction

These days, my message balance gets exhausted even before my cell phone's one time battery charge.

Thanks a ton bimbo!!!

more than meets the eye

Tickets already booked. 30 hours to go...















"Fate rarely calls upon us at the moment of our choosing" Optimus Prime

2 more days

The last 5 months after the first teaser trailer seemed to have passed in a flash; the last 2 days feel like 2 years now


Agrhh!!! I can't wait anymore...

this is what they think about us

An excerpt from a conversation I recently had with a couple of Dutch people:

Indian guy: So, what do you think about Indian women?

Dutch guy: Yea, they're good. Haven't seen too many hot chicks in Ahmedabad though!

Indian guy: Yea, that is the story here... you'll have better luck in Mumbai and Delhi. Delhi for sure!

Dutch guy: Ah! I hope so. I want to take some stories back home...

Dutch girl (blonde): But tell me (holding a strand of her hair), why are Indian men so fascinated with blonde girls?

Indian guy: They are???

Dutch girl: Thats what I've heard... and seen too!

Indian guy: Probably the forbidden fruit thing

Dutch girl: May be...

Indian guy: But its highly subjective you know... I personally find redheads really hot... though nobody beats Indian women at being pretty

Dutch guy: Really? are they so pretty? do you know any?

Indian guy: Sure! I should make you meet a few of my friends then. One of my really close friends, (name edited) is really good looking and I'm sure she'd love to meet you as well

Dutch guy: Done then. Give her a call and I'll meet her tomorrow!

Indian guy: Sure!

Another Dutch guy: But you know, whenever I see an Indian girl, the only thing which comes to my mind is, how much hair!!!...

the world ends... again!

I've seen it happen so many times on screen and I've loved it each and every time. Right off the top of my head I remember Deep Impact, Armageddon, Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, War of the Worlds, Godzilla and most recently Cloverfield. Be it alien invasions or huge mother freaking asteroids, it has always been fun seeing Liberty losing her head or going under water, the Empire State and the White House getting totalled in seconds or humongous alien motherships and ever bigger asteroids getting nuked. Though some of the scientific inaccuracies and the fact that all Indians do is sit and pray in front of the Taj Mahal is difficult to digest, they're still worth every rupee spent; just for the sheer excitement of seeing some alien butt kicking or Bruce Willis nuking the asteroid (while on it) a millisecond before it hits the zero barrier.

If you've liked Independence Day, Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow and 10,000 BC, then Roland Emmerich is your guy. And the reason to like him even more is 2012. Based on the Mayan prophecy of the world ending on December 21st, 2012, for a change one his movies is based on an actual prediction. Its actually really scary to think about and even more so to see or read. Check out the trailer and read this below and you'll know what I'm talking about:

7 reasons why the world will end in 2012?

1. Mayan Calendar

The first mob to predict 2012 as the end of the world were the Mayans, a bloodthirsty race that were good at two things:

Building highly accurate astrological equipment out of stone and Sacrificing Virgins.
Thousands of years ago they managed to calculate the length of the lunar moon as 329.53020 days, only 34 seconds out. The Mayan calendar predicts that the Earth will end on December 21, 2012. Given that they were pretty close to the mark with the lunar cycle, it's likely they've got the end of the world right as well.

2. Sun Storms

Solar experts from around the world monitoring the sun have made a startling discovery: our sun is in a bit of strife. The energy output of the sun is, like most things in nature, cyclic, and it's supposed to be in the middle of a period of relative stability. However, recent solar storms have been bombarding the Earth with so much radiation energy, it's been knocking out power grids and destroying satellites. This activity is predicted to get worse, and calculations suggest it'll reach its deadly peak sometime in 2012.

3. The Atom Smasher

Scientists in Europe have been building the world's largest particle accelerator. Basically its a 27km tunnel designed to smash atoms together to find out what makes the Universe tick. However, the mega-gadget has caused serious concern, with some scientists suggesting that it's properly even a bad idea to turn it on in the first place. They're predicting all manner of deadly results, including mini black holes. So when this machine is fired up for its first serious experiment in 2012, the world could be crushed into a super-dense blob the size of a basketball.

4. The Bible says...

If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn't bad enough, religious folks are getting in on the act as well. Interpretations of the Christian Bible reveal that the date for Armageddon, the final battle between Good an Evil, has been set down for 2012. The I Ching, also known as the Chinese book of Changes, says the same thing, as do various sections of the Hindu teachings.

5. Super Volcano

Yellowstone National Park in the United States is famous for its thermal springs and Old Faithful geyser. The reason for this is simple - it's sitting on top of the world's biggest volcano, and geological experts are beginning to get nervous sweats. The Yellowstone volcano has a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years or so, and we're many years overdue for an explosion that will fill the atmosphere with ash, blocking the sun and plunging the Earth into a frozen winter that could last up to 15,000 years. The pressure under the Yellowstone is building steadily, and geologists have set 2012 as a likely date for the big bang.

6. The Physicists

This one's case of bog-simple maths mathematics. Physicists at Berekely Uni have been crunching the numbers. and they've determined that the Earth is well overdue for a major catastrophic event. Even worse, they're claiming their calculations prove, that we're all going to die, very soon - while also saying their prediction comes with a certainty of 99 percent- and 2012 just happens to be the best guess as to when it occurs.

7. Slip-Slop-Slap-BANG!

We all know the Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that sheilds us from most of the sun's radiation. What you might not know is that the magnetic poles we call north and south have a nasty habit of swapping places every 750,000 years or so - and right now we're about 30,000 years overdue. Scientists have noted that the poles are drifting apart roughly 20-30kms each year, much faster than ever before, which points to a pole-shift being right around the corner. While the pole shift is underway, the magnetic field is disrupted and will eventually disappear, sometimes for up to 100 years. The result is enough UV outdoors to crisp your skin in seconds, killing everything it touches.

Taken for here.

I wasn't kidding when I said that it is scary. Everything seems to be pointing at that same date and that really makes me wonder. I've put my 'Things to do before I die' list into 5th gear.

So many times have I heard "Dude! this movie is not worth it man. This is wrong and that is inaccurate and that can never happen! Don't go for it". Yes, there indeed will be a time when I can watch it for free IF and WHEN any of this actually happens; till then, I don't mind spending 100 bucks to see America getting leveled. 2012 should be no different.

and now I'm high

I've been wondering the past few days, what and how exactly is being happy. Not really going through a mid-life crisis, mid-life is still lightyears away, its more like a post teenage dilemma when the attractions and comforts of being a teenager are too difficult to shed and the gravitational pull of an adult life, with thousands to fret about and millions to plan ahead, is impossible to escape. And thinking about this got me thinking even more about what the duck actually makes me happy, or high!

General consensus would state that its not the same. High would be 'intoxication experienced from drugs' and happiness would be 'a state of mind such as contentment, pleasure or joy'. I do agree, yes they're a bit different and given a choice I'd rather prefer being high than happy because I believe happiness doesn't necessarily mean high as well; but high guarantees happiness. But this is not the high one gets after skolling 3 shots of absolut or by smoking up 50 bucks worth of grass; its a feeling no intoxicant offers. It can't be commercial, cause if it is, its happiness and that is the one prime difference which separates either of them. Happiness is commercial; it can be bought, you can carry it in your pocket, you can roam around in it, you can listen to music or play on it... High is different and I decided to separate these two.

Yes, the post is indeed part rambling, part frustration and part reflection and realization. I had taken a lot for granted the past few years; I could afford to do that where I was, but its different now. Though commerical, happiness is expensive. No doubt, it will keep coming in various shapes and forms (hopefully a chiselled one ;-) but for now, high is where I want to be; its free and right in front, if one's eyes are open.

Listening to a new song that you just can't seem to get enough off; or for that matter, listening to an old favorite, the feeling after watching a movie you've waited for over an year, no matter if it turns out to be worse than the worst hindi movies, receiving a mail you've been waiting for, iPod, headphones and ample amount of gas in your bike, sharing a smoke with old friends while talking about school and the crazy stuff we did, solving differences with an old best friend and being as close and as abusive as before, sharing your bed with a snoring dog who just refuses to let go off the blanket and then being woken up the next morning by the same creature standing on your chest, licking your face wet, having a best friend who has been one for over 10 years, coming across an old toy you used to play with when you were 8 years old, being ambushed by a litter of pups biting your feet and trying to climb up on you, sharing a drink with your dad on Father's day... Its all right there. This and plenty more. I didn't even need to go looking out for it; smack! it just hit me.

Though it is a bit rough, I kinda like this situation right now. Its like sitting on top off an open pressure cooker blocking it with your butt while smoking weed. You know its going to blow any second but who the chuck cares, you're high ;-).

There was once a Canadian film on it, James Blunt and plenty others wrote songs on it; I tried to define it. Its a feeling that takes you to another place for a few moments of heaven on earth.

movieman

The movie list finally comes around. There are 300 + movies; and it'll keep growing.

Here is the link, check it out.

holmes

A childhood hero

+
Robert Downey Jr.
+
Guy Ritchie
=
a 'holmes'tatic christmas

my daddy strongest

I spent so much time trying to find an idol is people around me that I never realized I had someone to idolize right in front of me. I've yet to meet a person more simple than him. Extravagance doesn't have a place in his life; no needs, no demands, if we're content, he is too. I was a fool to go around the world looking for a person to idolize. I'll be lucky if he has rubbed off on me and I can even be 10% of how he has been with his family.

Overtime I realized that its not just a crooked nose that comes with his genes, but his temperament too.

Never being one to celebrate 'days', I changed things a bit yesterday on Father's day. Showed him some movies, gifted him a mug (which read SuperDad) and took him out for dinner. Its was a pretty good day; one of the best Sundays I've spent in sometime.

I've always been said to be a 'Mumma's boy'. I like 'daddy's boy' better. He is and will always be my SuperDad.

You will travel far my little Kal-El. But we will never leave you. Even in the face of our deaths. You will make my strength your own. You will see my life through your eyes as your life will be seen through mine. The son becomes the father, and the father, the - The son.
- Jor-El (Superman)

afterglow

Here I am,
Lost in the light of the moon,
That comes through my window.

Bathed in blue,
The walls of my memory divides,
The thorns from the roses.
It's you and the roses.

Touch me and I will follow,
In your afterglow.
Heal me from all this sorrow,
As I let you go.
I will find my way
When I see your eyes,
Now I'm living,
In your afterglow.

Here I am,
Lost in the ashes of time,
But who wants tomorrow,
In between,
Longing to hold you again,
I'm caught in your shadow.
I'm losing control.

My mind drifts away,
We only have today.

Touch me and I will follow,
In your afterglow.
Heal me from all this sorrow,
As I let you go.
I will find my way,
I will sacrifice,
'Til the blinding day,
When I see your eyes.

Now I'm living,
In your afterglow.
When the veils are gone,
As I let you go,
As I let you go.

Touch me and I will follow,
In your afterglow.
Heal me from all this sorrow,
As I let you go.
I will find my way
I will sacrifice,
Now I'm living,
In your afterglow.

Bathed in blue,
The walls of my memory divides,
The thorns from the roses.
It's you who is closest.

graduation

Another milestone crossed. I'm a graduate now. Though there won't be any graduation ceremonies, college ending emotional speeches nor any hat flingings, much thanks to our dear university, it is still a big deal. Graduating makes it 2, the first being passing from school.

I'm now a Bachelor of Arts with majors in Economics and subsidiary in Statistics :).

jana gana rann

After Sarkar and the much awaited Sarkar Raj, when Ram Gopal Verma was asked why not 'Sarkar III', he said that it'll be easier to answer 'why didn't he?' rather than answering 'why did he?'. After the opposition he faced pre 'RGV ki Aag' and the ridicule he underwent post the movie's release, you can't really blame the guy. Who wouldn't be cautious before making a movie after all of this; possibly being over-catious and practical for RGV.

A 3rd Sarkar does seem highly unlikely, but RGV is back. 'Rann' a multi-starer about media wars is his next. The initial promos and the posters, which seem really interesting, do not give away a lot, but do suggest what the movie is based on. RGV has a tendency to pick off-stream actors in his movies and he continues to do so with this one too. Amitabh Bachchan has experimented beyond his limits in this one it seems. The Woody Allen specks, not really working! But where Big B's new looks have failed, Ritesh Deshmukh has picked up the batton. His new look and a role completely different from his usual comic ones, are quite intriguing.

Though, inspite of the big ensemble and the many new looks, including Paresh Rawal's 'lungi bearing wannabe PM' avatar, the spot light has fallen on the background score heard in the promos. It is claimed to be and does surely sound like a modified version of our National Anthem. Not completely aware, but I guess there is a law or a legislation forbidding any modifications to the Anthem, in the lyrics as well as the duration.

If my memory serves me right, then I think A.R. Rahman was caught up in a similar controversy few years back. As a friend said, there is a limit to creative freedom, but what I fail to understand is why do we have to be so uptight about everything. Everytime someone dares to go the unconventional way, an agency or department seems to crop up out of nowhere vehemently standing in opposition. Do these so called self righteous individuals know that 'Jana Gana Mana' was first sung to welcome King George V to India or when people were pinned up against their Radios at the time of Jawaharlal Nehru's first address at the UN, eagerly waiting for him to speak, they heard "Ladies and gentlemen" instead of something in our own national language. When a diplomat from the smallest country in Africa can speak in his own dialect, then why does every politician/national representative or diplomat say what they have at International forums like the UN, in English and not in Hindi. Why don't these institutions do something about that? I agree that rule and order is required. They're inevitable and the rule of thumb can't really work, but then why this dichotomy for some.

'Rann' is not the first movie to get mired into a controvery pre-release and it surely won't be the last either. Whatever might be the outcome of this controversy, the movie will get sufficient publicity for it; deserved or undeserved, that'll be decided when it finally hits the screens I guess.

Meanwhile, you can have a say of your own. Is it really time for a change? I think it is! But not the change Obama talks about or neither the change which will come if 100 more 18 year olds go and vote. Its a change to decide the limits of creative freedom. If kissing scenes, smoking or showing animals in movies (even scenes where animals are not being harmed but are JUST being shown) are to be kept under the wraps, then the UN better start preparing for a software which converts Hindi to English. Have a look at it yourself, http://www.janaganarann.com/.

i'm confused

Are they trying to say "look! we just voted" or...

ode to Economics

Studying Economics for 3 years, I studied a lot of theories. Some were easy to understand, others took sometime for logic to kick in, while the rest went completely over the top. Some of these theories, simple and complex alike, make a lot of sense. Being based on general consumer and market behavior, one could really apply these and conclude that yes, they actually do fall true. But a lot of them failed to make sense (at least to me). They felt like forced efforts on the part of the economist to just get done with it and put a theory forth. I couldn't comprehend many such theories; but it did end up making me realize what the general 'anatomy' of a theory is. It isn't that complex. Start by selecting a variable/phenomenon. Pick up any random consumer behavior (your own for example), study it, analyze it for sometime till you can convince yourself that it is pragmatic enough, add a few Utopian assumptions to it, garnish it with a cause-effect relationship and spice it up with a few exceptions. There you have it, your very own Economic theory.

I'm not preaching without practicing. I did apply this too. I came out of the last TY exam, earlier than the others as usual, and started wondering, why... why did I opt for Economics? The answer was too vague. It did give me a sense of contentment though. I'm happy with what I did, no regrets whatsoever. But I had to give something back; try to return a part of what I learnt to the field which taught me so much the last 3 years. And I realized there couldn't be nothing better than a theory; my very own theory, analyzed, studied and proposed. Hence, I put forth, The Theory of Universal Application of Economics OR simply The Theory which gives Economics one up over Science.

Any and every element/thing/substance, living or non-living, physical or abstract, can be expressed it terms of its demand and supply. Lets start with something known and usual, jobs for example. Demand for work and supply of jobs available. Similarly education, demand for schools/colleges/universities and supply of the same. Entertainment (movies, plays, musicals, dramas, TV shows, sports etc.), their demand and the amount available i.e. supply. Something a bit more complicated, getting laid for instance. The demand for action and the relative opportunities one gets (supply). Suggest any thing, and I mean, ANY THING you can think of, and I can (even you) can put it in terms of demand and supply.

Exceptions, not many, but specially those which can be self-achieved. Taking the above into consideration, you can self-employ yourself, you can be home-schooled and similarly you can entertain yourself too and entertainment that can cover the need for contentment as well as that for pleasure.

Taking this ahead, I began to think, actually how universal is Economics? What is its real scope? The theoretical definition I've learned says that Economics is a Science as well as an Art. Economics is an art cause there lies a major scope for creativity and personalization (what you're reading right now). But why a science, I could never get my head around it. Science has been accepted as a term which stretches across various fields and branches of education. Why this universal acceptance and how it came about is something I can't answer. What I do know is that instead of 'science' why can't everything be pegged to 'economics'. After all, isn't everything directly or indirectly connected to money and its management. Medicine, aeronautics, law, biology, psychology... all deemed as 'Sciences' per say are connected with money, earning or spending likewise, which is invariably Economics.

Think about it! It is simple logic. Science is all about money and so in a sense, Economics is not a Science, but rather Science IS Economics.

i heart movies :)

I'm looking forward too,

1. The Soloist - April 24th
2. The Informers - April 24th
3. Mutant Chronicles - April 24th
4. X-Men Origins: Wolverine - May 1st (yes, I'm going to wait for the BETTER print on the big screen)
5. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past - May 1st
6. Star Trek - May 8th (YEA!!)
7. Angels & Demons - May 15th (DOUBLE YEA!!)
8. Terminator Salvation - May 21st (DOUBLE TRIPLE YEA!!!)
9. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian - May 22nd
   
10. Away We Go - June 5th
11. Taking of Phelam 1 2 3 - June 12th
    
12. Year One - June 19th
13. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - June 24th (UNLIMITED YEAs!!!)
14. Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs - July 1st (need I say something for this one :)
15. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - July 17th (They better not delay the release any further)
    

Phew! Its going to be a helluva summer.
I just hope most of these release simultaneously in India as well.

insomnia

Sleep has never been a necessity for me. I'm not the conventional sleep lover who'd be proud that he can sleep 'anywhere, anytime'. If there is something interesting on the rack, I'd skip sleep without a 2nd thought. Perhaps, this is where I undermined its importance. It has been next to impossible to get even a few hours of sleep since the last week. Lying down with the lids shut for hours together has generated more anger and frustration than anything else.

It may be a blessing for some who face this problem when exams are going on. Till the last spell of examinations I couldn't visualize anything other than the bed for most of the times during the day... now even that seems far fetched. The satisfaction of waking up after even the shortest of naps seems so overwhelming; a sensation I direly miss now.

No! its not because I'm in love. Its not because I'm tensed about exams nor is it because of worries about the 'future'. Its not because of any of the million and one reasons that I've thought off. I just need a cure for this; more urgently I need some hours of deep slumber before the freaking International Trade & Public Finance paper!

the 3 years that were...

"If someone says that school is better than college, then that someone has never been to college". Its pretty ironic how you can't wait to get out of school and once you're in college, you don't want to get out of it. Not implying that I had a bad school life or something; it was in fact pretty decent through out and got even better by the end. But then who doesn't start thinking about college the moment they land in the 12th standard; many even in the 11th. I guess its pretty normal to do so. Looking forward to a massive change, hopefully a pleasant one, and I was no different.

I puked in the college bushes on the first day, fell sick and missed the initial 3 days which are the orientation days when you get acquainted to your seniors and get to know your classmates. Besides these, college began as it should have. A complete new world with new people all around. I was the only one out of school who had changed streams and chosen Economics, so none of my school friends were with me. I hung with 2 guys for the majority of the first 6 months and got to know some more new people for the rest of FY. First year was mostly new friends, new places to go too, new things to do, lots of early morning and pre-noon movie shows and a lot of time to waste. It was like switching worlds. From a fast paced, relentless school existence, where there wasn't a minute to waste to a completely subdued, merciful and jazzy college life. It was a transition that didn't take time to happen. Second year came along pretty soon. SY wasn't much too different from FY. Acquaintances became friends, good friends became best friends and girlfriends, animosities grew with some, professors became more involved and Economics became lengthier and tougher. When the going gets tough, the tough get going they say. TY was undoubtedly the toughest, from all ends; studies, friendships, the other ships... The last year, much like the 2 previous ones, passed quickly. Things went from good to bad, bad to worse, worse to excellent, round and round the same cycle kept repeating. But again, all's well that ends well and it did end well. All the three years did actually.

3 days away from the finals, this lazy rut of sleeping late, getting up even later, unsuccessfully trying to study all day and ending up having done nothing has crept in. It makes me realize how adventurous and more desirable college was. The last mile, as I like to call it, is here. Its always the slowest. It creeps along at a pace that is both irritating and at times pleasing. I really want the exams to end in a flash but then that will be it. No more lectures getting bunked, no more morning movies, no more economic summits to go too... and a million other 'no mores' that make me realize that I'll really miss college...

The three years did pass by in a flash, but certainly left their mark. The examination ordeal went by every now and then, the annual cultural fest got better every year, friends on Facebook kept growing, messages and calls got longer, gossips kept getting more interesting, many 'ships' were made, more got lost and done away with... sitcoms became real life, hugs became more familiar, shoulders got nearer... It should aptly take 3 different posts over a period of 3 weeks, may be even months to do justice to the college life I've seen. This is just a jist of the 3 years that were...

gujjuland

you know you're in Gujarat when you read this...

friday the 13th

It hit me when the better half of the day was already over that today is Friday the 13th. Now I always knew that there is a scary movie with the same title and that this day is associated with bad omens and wrong luck but I never knew why. Being more inquisitive and not at all superstitious, I googled 'today' and came across some really interesting facts. Some of them:

1. Fear of Friday the is 13th called paraskavedekatriaphobia as well as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.

2. Many hospitals have no room 13, while some tall buildings skip the 13th floor and some airline terminals omit Gate 13.

3. President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic, with an abnormal fear of the number 13.

4. Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party. A friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," Twain later told the friend. "They only had food for 12." Superstitious diners in Paris can hire a quatorzieme, or professional 14th guest.

5. The number 13 suffers from its position after 12, according to numerologists who consider the latter to be a complete number — 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 days of Christmas and 12 eggs in a dozen.

By what I've read, the cause of such a strong association between this supposedly satanic duo seems vague. The cause might just date back to Biblical times as the 13th guest at the Last Supper betrayed Jesus.

If Friday the 13th is indeed unlucky somehow, then 2009 has more than its share as it'll witness 3 such days during the year. The first was in February, the second being today and the later in November.

With the global recession and terrorist activities managing to capture most of the limelight and headlines these days, it shouldn’t be long before economists, politicians and even exponents of this "Friday the 13th" and other related phenomena, deem 2009 as a euphemistic year.

But seriously, being at the place we are right now, talking about all the progress and advancement that we seen around us, shouldn't we being drawing a curtain over this belief which since the Middle Ages has considered both Friday and 13 as bearers of bad fortune. Isn’t it time enough that we give Friday (a day of the week people look forward to even more than the weekends) and 13 (poor number, after 12, happens to be at the wrong place at the wrong time) a much deserved break!!!

whats the big fuss about birthdays anyways...

For firsts, they're really good for you; the more you have the longer will you live. Second, they're supposed to be pre-decided optimistic days; for a change, we don't need to do anything to be happy, our parents have already done the needful. Thirdly, if you're turning 18, it opens a whole new world for you, that is only if you haven't already seen, drank, experienced or lost it. And then there are the hugs, the kisses, the gift, the surprises... now who would not want that! So I guess, the question shouldn't be 'whats the big fuss about Birthdays?', but rather 'why can't I get more than one birthday?'

They're amazing days. Even more if you've friends who are there to wish you at 12, those who'll spend the entire day with you 3 days before their exams, who will make the most amazing hand-made cards and gifts, who will beg, borrow or steal to make sure that the 'dryness' of our state doesn't affect the party, who will study for 3 days before so that they can attend your party, who will play the same song over and over again on his guitar just because it cheers you up, who will reach your party half an hour after landing from another city, those who actually make you feel like Superman, who in spite of being your senior refuse to let go off your side, who're always there to share a pint while watching a Man U match, who has been your dancing partner even though you dance like a monkey, who has always been there and worked even for your past birthdays to make sure each and every birthday is as perfect it can get (best things do come in the smallest of proportions) and who will delay his birthday by 20 days just because he wants to celebrate it with you.

The place might have been beautiful, the water would have been just the way it should be, the cake cutting couldn't have been better, the weather was awesome, the party wasn't dry ;), the gifts couldn't have been better... but for me, you guys made it perfect. Thanks a lot for being there.

drinks anyone?

walküre

Much of how many of us feel about wars, they haven't ceased; they probably never will. The world has witnessed 2 world wars, the later one much attributed to a Chaplin moustached individual.

Based on one of the 20 known & failed plots to assassinate Adolf Hitler during the II World War, Valkyrie, directed by Bryan Singer (off X-Men & Superman Returns fame), shows that all of Germany wasn't Hitler. There were a bunch; probably more, who did resist and tried to stop the Führer in his quest for world domination and ethnic cleansing. I saw Valkyrie last night. Not really being a movie critique but more of a historical enthusiast, I really liked the movie. Having tit-bit knowledge about the II world war and Germany's involvement in it from what my Xth standard Social Studies taught me, it felt good to see all off it and ever more on the big screen. The Pianist, Schlinder's List and Der Untergang had had the same effect; and as I sat scanning one Wiki page after another post seeing these movies, I discovered a whole new section of German history after yesterday and a browser-full of Wikipedia pages as well.

If one is even remotely interested in history specially that during WW II and German history, Valkyrie is a must watch. Apparently, Germans not only have a cool accent but an interesting history as well.

The night didn't end there. On our way back from the theatre, we were hauled up twice by policemen and asked for identification. All the crossings were covered by barricades and by 10-12 policemen stopping and checking every vehicle that passed. Whether this sudden awakening of the local police was to check for alcohol, dope or because of the recent global events (see: to the left of India), Krishna only knows. The deserted streets occupied by uniformed figures verifying identifications all around, seemed pretty similar to how Germany was shown in Valkyrie.

P.S. - Love the movie poster!

smokey & me

A random visit to a nearby book store started at all. When I came across a golden lab pup staring at me through a book cover, I couldn't stop myself from picking it up. The puppy looked at me knowing that he had managed to get my attention and yet, was craving for much more.

Marley & Me, by journalist turned author John Grogan is a memoir about his dog, Marley. The book gives an account of how the Grogans lived with the "world's worst dog" for 13 years, as their family grew, situations changed and as they realized why a dog is a man's best friend.

It didn't take me half a thought to decide to buy the book, but certain budgetary constraints held me back. With my birthday around the corner, I was keen to make everyone around aware how much I really wanted the book and sure enough, with full credit to a bright friend, I got a gift-wrapped Marley & Me on my birthday. The paperback said that the book tells us how Marley changed the author and his family’s life. Little did I know at that moment, that it would bring about a drastic change in my life too; a long waited, pleasant change.

Since I can remember, I had been trying to convince my mom to get a dog. Each and every attempt, haggling, crying, anger and all other sorts of emotional blackmailing and even hunger strikes had been met with a stiff and never-changing no. Just when I was about to give up hope and pacify myself with being just a dog lover, she picked up Marley & Me. The puppy’s look did the trick and she decided to give it a read. What tons of efforts and endless emotional blackmailing couldn’t accomplish, a 300 page memoir did. I finally got a nod for a dog. It took me 15 years to convince mom to get a dog and 15 hours to decide who was going to be the newest member of our family.

Whoever first said that dogs are a man’s best friend, couldn’t have put it any better. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, whether you live in a lavish settlement or a rundown quarter, a pat on the head and one belly rub a day will make him your best friend. They may be messy, sloppy, loud, smelly, and dumb at times; some may never realize when the fun stops and the biting starts; but they are best companions one can ask for. That’s what Smokey has been to me. Unruly, aggressive and disobedient, my 1 year old basset hound can give Marley a run for his “world’s worst dog” nomination. There are times when I really wonder whether getting a dog was a good decision or not. They are a big responsibility. Adjustment takes time, sacrifices have to be made, training has to be done, popping and peeing has to be taken care off and a lot of time and attention has to be given. The broken furniture, the torn socks, the chewed specks, the food flicked off the table, the soiled rugs and bed sheets are just a few of the green damages that come along in the mutt package. I guess one can be excused for having one and a half thoughts about his decision to get a dog… and I do, many times. But then there comes the part when every morning I get a wake up call from a 30 kilo mutt standing on top of me licking my face, a short dog welcoming me back home by trying to jump as high as he can to lick my face, an over-excited dog jumping all around the house the moment he sees me picking up his leash, and then paying a visit to each and ever car in the parking lot to lift a leg and let it spray, a dead-tired dog snoring away to glory in my lap while I’m studying or watching TV, a hungry k9 more than happy to share my food when I don’t feel like having any, a possessive dog snarling and snapping at people who haven’t been on the best behaviour with me… its overwhelming; better than having a girl friend ;). They form a bond, expecting the least and giving back the most.

I’ve been a dog lover since as long as I can remember. I’ve never been sacred of them, even as a kid and have always wanted to be with one. It was because of Marley & Me that Smokey is now a part of the clan. The book is very special to me. The one year wait for the movie was totally worth it. Anyone who has a dog, or has ever had one, or has ever patted one, or has ever played with one, or has ever even been around one; it’s a must-read for them… and now even a must-watch. Keep a kerchief with you while reading the book and 2 while watching the movie. If there is anyone who doesn’t end up with wet eyes at the end of the book or at after the movie, God help him.

They’re the best of friends that there can be, who might seldom bark without a reason but always love without a condition. Ask them how to live life; they live 7 years of our joys and sorrows in 1 year of theirs.

a step towards practicality

A wish for happiness, a wish for joy, a wish for stability, a wish for success, a wish for 100 more wishes... wishes never cease, neither do dreams and hopes... The person who has everything will wish that nothing changes. The attraction that the forbidden fruit offers is like none other out there. One is human enough to wish for it and one is more of a human to not know where to stop wishing. You wish and you hope... and then pray what Coelho wrote was true, if you really want something, if you pine enough for it, the universe will give it to you... and then leave it up to others to decide whether its practical enough or not.

Its a feeling of being in control of yourself what practicality offers. Its the family, the friends, the acquaintances, the peers who judge what is right and what is wrong for you and thus try to make you more "practical" because they think they're of the same kin. I never understood how can one get so distorted. Good for those who can and even better for the enablers. What is deemed as practical is what makes one happy or at least what one make believes. Its classis mind over heart I guess. That is why practical beings are the happiest I guess. The fear of loss is nowhere to be found.

For the non-practical kin, its the total opposite. What takes one to the epitome of joy, also pulls one down to the depths of numbness. But then thats how one selects to be, and that is how one shall face the daily, with a lot of wishes, an ample amount of expectations, a handful of desires, may be a pinch of practicality here and there and a smile and/or a frown by the end of the day. To restrict, to obstruct, to use will power... to be practical... if that is how many pine to be, good for them...I don't. The battle of mind over heart or vice versa never arises... that is even if there does exists this dual medium of thinking, I personally think it doesn't.

Melodramatic and emotional beings are the ones who make the daily interesting and worthwhile... I'm proud to be another such being.