2007... and all that

Curtains fall on an eventful year. Certainly the most eventful one for some time now. For me that is.

And while I cannot be sure whether it made me strong, it certainly made me stronger. Slight difference between the two.

The stuff that I learnt cannot probably be put across in a single blog post, it is more of a single chapter of my autobiography, if and when I decide that I would have enough readers! But here is the brief overview of what I felt:

a. Never take your loved ones for granted. NEVER. This one I learnt in more than one ways, and both the times, it made me think. Now while I am certainly not an extreme case while taking people - especially close ones - for granted, I could definitely improve. All of us can. Some, much more than others.

b. Death happens. It pains. And there is no solution to it.

c. Don't care for them who don't do the same for you. I am getting there on this one. Almost there.

d. You cannot please everyone. Learnt it the hard way, and experienced it the second time in three years. Time to infer from the same.

e. Post retirement plans could be made before you start working. And can be worked towards. It just gives you motivation to work on things you don't like.

f. Watching cricket matches in a stadium, especially when they go real close gives unparalleled joy. Especially when your girl accompanies you and wants to sit there even after India has almost lost the match.

g. Alibagh may be a decent place for a day of holiday, but Chandigarh rocks. I hope it remains the same for years to come.

h. I also learnt that I detest Delhi even more than what I did earlier. And not without reasons.

i. The myth that people like me who are very skinny and thin, and sporty (er, I mean who played a lot of sports as a child), cannot really become fat, is just that. A myth.

j. I am not a movie buff and can just not appreciate classics like 'Jab we Met', 'Guru' or the rest of the pack. Nor do I get impressed by awesome actors like Kareena Kapoor or SRK. I always knew this one, but this year, there's a resigned finality to it.

k. 'Grass is always greener on the other side' and that is because someone 'moved your grass'. Invariably, that someone is oneself. Don't worry if you didnt understand this. Nor did I.

l. Chewing gums if not chewed properly, and hot cups of tea or coffee if drunk carelessly, could nastily scald or cut one’s tongue. Chill karo. Especially the tea or the coffee, before you drink ‘em.

m. Cannot wake up for a nine o'clock lecture on a regular basis to save my life. Probably cannot do the same even to report to office. Can wake up at 5 regularly to watch matches. Will need to stay next to office. No two ways.

n. Some people invariably would think they can never be wrong. Then there are some who think that the whole world is wrong. It's best to leave both these categories of people alone. There are many others who do not fall in these two.

o. They say that whatever happens, happens for the best. It couldn't be more true. I can count atleast 4-5 such happenings happening to me, that in the hindsight were a relief, although I didn't quite enjoy 'em at that point in time.

May continue if I recollect any more such realizations, if and when they dawn upon me.

An hour to go. The wait cannot get any more excruciating.

But it should be worth the wait in gold. No doubt about that.

I wait.

It is is 4 a.m. currently.

The Long and the...Long of it!

Festive season. And a season for records.

Was a part of a group that made a presentation. On powerpoint that is.

It was all of 165 slides. Give or take a couple of them.

One hundred and sixty frikking five slides in a ppt meant that the duration of the presentation was as long as that of a soccer match. Without extra time that is.

It also meant that, unlike the rest of the times where only the audience snores, the presenters were also taking turns in dozing off.

I still cannot get over the fact that we managed so many.

This one goes into the 'Achievements' section of my resume.

"Made a ppt. that was 165 slide long on an IT company for a subject called Strat. Management. It helped in cancelling all further ppts."

lectures + ppts + assignments + dance + housie = life's good!

I am tired. Exhausted to the hilt. The bones ache.

But the mind's fresh and alert. And the life's awesome. It is better than good. At least.

The day begin with the carryover of last night's cricket quiz, was as awake as an owl at dawn, finished it off quickly, gulped the glass of warm water (yeah, bad cold and all that!), and rushed out to get into class before 9.

Third consecutive day I have had to reach college so early. A record for this trimester, three days in a row. Almost feel like raising my bat to the crowd after having scored three tons in three successive matches. Or as if I have just bowled the bowling spell of my life and taken a hat trick. But anyways, they say life ain't cricket, and vice versa, and that, in essence, gives me the chance to move on to what really happened today.

Reached college, bleary eyed due to the insomnaic me, living out of just 3 to 4 hours of sleep - and with the Aussie matches starting at 5 in the morning, God save my soul. I wont comment on the lecture too much, because, people who were already there, know what happened, and people who weren't, don't need to. Basically nothing. Or at least nothing much.

1230 was a break, but only turned out to be a figment of my imagination. Had to finish off my presentation, and needed to make a submission, to a cricket editor. So, that gobbled up most of the time, reducing the lunch break to a mere 45 minutes. Which is still 5 more than what the Indian team gets between innings. Hurried my thoughts and sat through the next lecture, on Infotech Marketing.

A Guest Lecture. Attended by 11 of us. Yeah, I counted, found it difficult counting, because my hands have only ten fingers. had to use the neighbour's pencil for 11. And then a presentation, followed by another Guest lecture, this time on Ethics in Knowledge Management.

Moral that we got from that lecture: Don't stick your pics up Orkut. Even if you feel the urge, put someone else's. Paris Hilton would be just fine. That is, if you are a woman. And if you are a man? Probably Mahendra Singh Dhoni for guys. He is famous.

But then back to the library, back to another assignment. This time - as always - the assn. did NOT make any sense to me. Anyways, finished it off. And then danced.

Yeah, we dance in all possible places, us Mumbaikars. Paucity of place you see. So if discotheques are full and brimming and expensive, we dance in pubs. In autorickshaws. And in college quads. And we disguise it under the name of playing Housie. The botomline was...is...that it was fun. And it was more fun in college than many of the preceding days spent there. Till it got almost spoilt...but naaah, I wont talk about that. They say it pays to focus on the good things. I may be getting a pay cheque soon.

Came back, and was off to another assignment/ppt. before I decided that it is time for me to pen this down. Using my keyboard. Paradox there.

So that was that. Eye lids are almost exhorting me to allow them to meet the outer surface of my eyes, like a paramour wishes to meet his girl. God knows where did that example come from. But yeah, that's the point. Need to listen to the paramour. Or whatever the covering on my eyes is called.

Basically I am sleepy. Making no sense this time.

Night.

Aise hi...

I was going thorugh the previous blog posts on this blog. That was because a friend asked me to explain some of the things I have written. Came across something I had typed about six months back, feel like filling up the questionnaire again! So here goes...

I am thinking – about how to spend the rest of the day

I said – a lot to a lotsaff people today, basically have been on phone for more than a couple of hours. Sorry Dad, just a coupla more bills before I should be able to pay my own!

I want – to sleep, but too lazy to do that. errr.....well!

I wish – that the spirit of cold that has exorcised my body departs it...and soon!

I miss – kaise kahoon...sharam aati hai :P

I hear – someone sing the title song of Dus Kahaniyan!

I wonder – when would I start gymming. When would six pack mean more than the set of hankerchiefs that mum bought some days back. Or the bottles of beers that dad got. When?

I regret – almost nothing. This one remains the same as what I had answered earlier!

I am – more or less enjoying my life, to the fullest. Touch wood!

I sing – Hare Raam Hare Krishna from Bhool Bhulayya.

I dance – every now and then, but the last was at Enigma, and I realised it was much better than dancing in autorickshaws. Well...almost.

I am not – no...I am Suneer. Knott was an English wicketkeeper I guess.

I write – because I find it therauptic.

I hate – people remembering you only in the times of distress. Yeah, this is another thing that has not changed over the period of time. Simply hate such people.

I confuse – between bus numbers, directions and geographies of places. And birthdays, and anniversaries and names of professors, and their lecture schedules; and between Pamela and Raakhee, and Saif and Bobby, and a huge list of things otherwise.

I should – a. watch more Hindi movies, cannot get any better stress busters than 'em, b. watch more Kareena Kapoor movies, which would mean three hours of life spent laughing, best medicine they say for mental diseases caused by the point a above...c. watch Jab we Met a dozen more times to understand it's deep, inner meaning of the same/attain nirvana, d. go for a plastic surgery to get a plastic smile, like that of Shahid Kapoor, would probably make gals call me "chho chweet"...

My handwriting - Blogthings!

This is a test I took for my handwriting. I don't really understand how does my perception of my handwriting tell me that I am what they say I am...but still...!

What Your Handwriting Says About You

You are a fairly energetic person. You know how do pace yourself, and you deal well with stress. You are very extroverted and outgoing. You are loving, friendly, and supportive. However, you are also manipulative and controlling at times. You are balanced and grounded. You know how to get along well with others. You need a bit of space in your life, but you're not a recluse. You expect people to give you a small amount of privacy, and you respect their privacy as well. You are a free thinker. You are unique, open minded, and artistic. You don't care what other people think. You are a decent communicator. You eventually get your point across, but sometimes you leave things a bit ambiguous.

What Does Your Handwriting Say About You?

Why we met? :-(

So people have been raving and ranting and deriving unparalleled pleasures out of 'Jab we met' and given that I cannot remain insulated from these 'Voices of the People', I had no option but to take the plunge. Naah, before you get it wrong, I haven't decided to marry yet (good news for my females fans :P), only took the well thought of decision to view the movie - on my laptop that is - and decide for myself.

For starters, I found the movie ok. Or if I could rephrase that, I did not, not like the movie. Just that I do not think I would be able to watch it again. For me, it was strictly a one time watch. And I think I could probably attribute that to the amazing reviews that I got about it from some of the close people around - CP and Kangana Rangawat, this one is for you guys - it simply did not live upto what my ears had heard.

The thing that probably worked for the movie was it was a very simple movie, hassle free, no strings attached, and clean. And probably that was precisely what worked against it, it was a plot that could be seen in many of the previously aired movies, something of a culmination of Dil hai ki Manta Nahi and Pyaar toh hona hi Tha, and if I were to be a movie buff, I am sure, there would have been more coming out of the closet. Probably the treatment of the subject was different, but the feeling of deja-vu always remained. Throughout the movie.


Kareena. Kareena Kareena Kareena. People have called this her best effort ever, as a lead heroine in a Bollywood flick. I don't quite know. In fact, I do not agree. And again, I am not sure what irritated me more, her acting, or the character itself, granting her the benefit of doubt, and accepting the fact that it is her character, I would still put out my neck and give her a 5 on 10. Nothing more. It just felt like a bout of over acting, more so in the second half, when Kareena needs to give up on her cherubic self.


There are two shades of Shaheed Kapoor - not only in this one, but generally in movies he has acted thus far - one is that serious, ponderous, "mai duniya ka bojhh uthata chala" man - with a pair of glasses to make him look older than he actually looks - and the other, a carefree, 20 something boy, who feels this strong urge to crack unnecessary jokes and show off a sense of "taking life as it comes" and a "happy-go-lucky" attitude. For me, he comes good in the former role, the more serious one of the two. The latter is no different from any of those actors the slapstick shows that one comes across on the telly, nothing special to be called anywhere near good. But coming back to the serious looking Shaheed Kapoor, there seems to be that sense of potential that he could do well to fulfill, fits into the character perfectly well.


My biggest problem with the movie was, and this is a problem with many of 'em, it seemed as far from reality as, probably Shaheed from Kareena, currently. And that, for me is the biggest bane. That, and the fact that the movie has been over hyped beyond comprehension, makes this a movie worth watching for the sake of it only. Nothing more.

An Obituary

Today is a sad day.

Dr. Shastri, my family doctor (and also Ravi Shastri's dad) is no more. He passed away this morning, after an illness.

I would be wrong in calling him my family doctor. He was more of my doctor, my sinus doctor, and his medicine took just two days to work it's magic on my unseasonal cold. The last I met him was three days back, and the reasons were the same, a bad cold that had been inflicted on me by the weather. Had a brief minute long conversation, and then proceeded on to get my magic potion. That was that.

But it was not only his medicine that I would miss. It was his larger than life persona, his ability to be cool and composed and as one says, 'bindaas' about everything in life that stood out. Cricket discussions were an obvious when we met, but if there was one person I would think of when one spoke about 'living life one's own way and allowing others to do the same', it would be him. Even without being really close, there was a kind of a trust, a respect - and if I could take the liberty - a bond that had formed over the years.

Now, it has all ended.

Miss you doc.

Just...

If I were to write a book on my MBA, the most suited could very well be on "How not to attend college and then deflect questions on why one's a Cheshire Cat?"

It may probably sell. Sell well. Everything remotely MBAish sells. No reason why this should not.

Probably the title of the book seems a bit longish. But I like the Cheshire Cat bit. And while I am no Alice (or a Malice...or for that matter even Kallis), NMIMS has surely been a wonderland. Don't want to reduce the potential buyers for my book by enlisting the reasons, but suffice to say that it has not been one shred less than wonder.

Yes, you got it right. The feelings just sinking in. Still not in fully, but seeping in all the time, each minute. The focus thus, now has gone to meeting people, planning to meet people and planning on how to plan to meet people. Well, I just made the last one up, but you get the drift, don't you?
So, it was a friend I met yesterday for the first time, met my long-lost cuzzin today (and it seemed like it was a first as well!), planning to meet another tomorrow...and amidst all this planning for a trip to Jaipur with someone very soon. Now that I think of it, the planning for the planning part also holds true, because I plan to plan for the New Year's party as well, with a couple of really close guys, and hopefully make it work.

And with the year fast wishing to finish itself, the resolutions would have to come out equally rapidly as well. So, I would need to plan for that too.

But coming back to where I began from, the Cheshire Cat story. The title is definitely a little long. But then what the heck, someone had also written 'How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life.', which gained more publicity than any other novel, despite been partially plaigarised and possessing this long a name.

My only wish is that my book contains more characters than those in the title.

5th December, 2007

The temperature was approximately 100 degree celcius, the nose leaked like a tap dripping away through the night. Sonorous, amongst others was the words that described it. Aptly. The situation did not change much on getting the good news. Nor did it change much three days later. Cold and me go a long way. That’s for another day.

He asked, “Bad cold, too much partying?”

“No sir. Preparing hard for this one.”

“So, now you can party.”

“Yes.” Could not think of anything more intelligent.

So much for conversations with people who select you in their companies.

Out of the negotiation room, someone hugs me. I don’t think I even knew who the person was. Apparently he knew before I did that I had been selected. The four of us, congratulated each other. Don’t think it even stuck to any that we were done and dusted.

The motivation of getting out of a plush, fat-paying-cheque job, into a B-school, had been fulfilled. End of story. In the chapters of the story of my life, this one would be one strange one, one with many more lessons than the ones preceding it.

The feeling’s sinking in. Just like Tiger Wood’s golf ball in that big, black hole.

Where are you, oh sleep!

So at these wee hours of the night, the sleep's totally deserted the deep recesses of my eyes, and the mind tosses between the thoughts of gulping down a valium or two and the impending Logistics Management lecture at equally wee hours of the morning. Random thoughts get entertained by the mind, and like unwelcome guests, refuse to leave the coziness of the cerebral. Realistically speaking, the thoughts are not all random. Some are those that have permanently decided to reside there, like tenants gone bad, and nothing can be done about 'em.

Absolutely nothing.

But to kill this bout of temporary insomnia, I try to think something good, something that would not strike the mind like an earthquake measuring 8.4 on the Richter Scale, and my friend's reception immediately strikes my mind. It was yesterday.

And the best part of the reception was that, I was the only one from Mumbai to be there, the rest had already remained present for the Bangalore leg of the same. So, needless to say, I spent quite sometime alone. Looking around at people, observing mannerisms, and amidst all this, couldn't help but appreciating the fact how pretty my friend looked in the wedding dress. It was really good to see the two of them together. And it was even sweeter to see that my friend actually made her brother sit with me for almost the entire duration of my visit. So that I do not get bored. :-) Appreciated. Greatly.

And as I walked upto the stage, to meet the couple, the first thing she says is, "You put on so much weight."

Yeah, that is true. Couldn't be more true. Probably start gymming once I am done with placements. Probably next year. Probably once I resemble Adnan Sami and my girl friend also decides to disown me like his did. Probably.

But that, and my perennial cold problem, did not deter me from having a large slice of ice cream. Not one of my favourites, which usually is the special Malai Vanilla from Naturals', but then butterscotch ain't too bad either.

Anyways, coming back to the wedding, it was really a nice, simple affair, and something that I thoroughly enjoyed and cherished, amidst the so-called placement fever. The exit from there was rather abrupt when a phone call from folks told me that they had been locked outside without any keys to enter. Rushed back to get home.

Tomorrow is a short day, a lecture and couple of pieces of cloth to be 'shopped' for the interview day after. Apaprt from that, a potentially exciting match in the offing, for which I should be glued in front. Some preparation for the another potentiall explosive day...day after, where the grey cells could just be tested beyond the realms of cricket.

But I guess, the high from watching an India-Pakistan match may just help me. Or at least I hope it does.

For now, the bed beckons.

Mumbai.

The lady graced this city by her presence, and made me think.

For a change that is.

Now, while I am not 'politically-inclined', I do have an upper storey that ticks, and chugs along, and thinks about issues that are in no way connected to me. Or at least directly. And yes, when one speaks about Mumbai, getting graced by a lady, and politics in the same breath, it is all too evident that I am alluding to Mayawati's trip to the land of dreams.

The land that is going to the dogs. The land which is bursting at it's seam. The land which was once a heaven to live in (yes, it was, not so long ago), but now, with the invasion of some 'aliens', it has ceased to be one.

And natives of this city would know what I mean. Probably people who haven't seen this city earlier would shrug off the claims of making it a Shanghai, which I quite laugh at as well. This city has no longer remained what it was, and the reasons are quite aplenty, none more than political.

Vote banks have led these guys - read politicians - to 'invest' heavily in them, and in absence of any 'regulatory' body, the innocent have suffered. And it was all too evident in Mayawati's rally, or the idea behind it. You can, for that matter, substitute her with anyone else, it does not matter. There are people by the hordes that join such rallies, most of them, if not all, frm the not-so-affluent class. Get swayed by the talks, by the promises, by the assurances and by the rest of the inspirational talk. And to add to this, i.e. to the vote bank, there are more such people who get encouraged to join the brigade, from the different parts of the country. And they make it their home.

Now while it is alrite for people to enjoy their slice of pie from this city - after all there are no visa norms to shift cities - the demand is far outstripping the supply, and at a rapid pace. Uninteruppted Power, Clean, potable water and last but not the least, something that resembles a faint definition of pure air is all dwindling. And no, I wont talk about roads or the traffic, because it has been spoken about far too often. But yes, with passing years, I can barely think of something good about the city, something that I cherish and can boast of. To my friends from the different parts of the country. And that is sad. The times that I try not to be indifferent to this, my heart bleeds.

In the end, an anecdote that keeps repeating so often, that it's often become a joke. When asked what Mumbai has to offer it's tourists, a sightseeing location, most of us answer, 'have you tried the local trains during the peak hours?'. Probably people are just being funny. Or sarcastic. But one rendezvous with the trains could be enough to last the life time, it is definitely not for the faint hearted.

I feel for the city. I really do. And the only thing I could probably do is take it (the shit) or leave it (the city). Something tells me that the second option could very soon become reality.

Well.