This one is definitely gonna go down as one of the most embarassing moments of my life.
A little background. I have this habit of drinking a lot of water in the morning, else i am not able to "discharge the waste". If it's an important morning next day, like i have an exam or meeting, i hardly eat dinner because i know it will be a problem the next day. I need time in the morning.
Coming to teh incident, i joined this new gym and i used go there early in the morning. Previous night, the night before this incident, i had a sumptuous dinner with my friends at one of the restaurants in Gurgaon.
Next day when i got up, i was feeling a little heavy in my stomach. I thought about drinking water but cancelled that thought considering that i had to go to the gym and i definitely didnt want to "do it" there. So i went to the gym.
I started the usual warm-up routine. Then did some cardio, treadmill for about 10 minutes and cross trainer for another 10 minutes. You sweat a lot doing these and I drank a lot of water alongside. Now i knew i was starting to hit my threshold of containing. But i had to do weights. I didnt want to leave gym without doing those.
So i started with exercises for back and there is a fair bit of stretching involved in them. I was doing the front pull down. All this while there were occasional impulses to let "it" out, but i had controlled it till now. During one of the reps, "it escaped".
I realised it the moment i did it. I fled the crime scene. I moved to the other corner of the gym. Generally its said, "Mujrim apne apradh ka koi na koi surag chod jaata hai"..But in this case, your crime follows you. And you can sense that others know of your crime.
There is twitching of nose, holding of breadth to avoid smell molecules from entering your nostrils, turning away of face, movement away from you...or the extreme case - blatant comment,"Dude, control"..and this from a total stranger.
Now in general you would feel good about being addressed as dude, but not here. Already inceased heart beat due to workout now had hit a max. My face was red; it had never been this red from workouts. During those troturous 60-80 seconds, i had burned more calories than i had burnt from workout.
And then it got worse. That guy, up-tight high society bastard, probably wasnt used to this, or atleast was not used to approving of it in public. He went to the gym instuctor and asked him to use the room freshner. The way the instructor looked at me with a smile on his face, kind of smile that comes on your face when you know other person has done something wrong, made me feel like killing that guy who was spreading "the news".
Anyways the agony doesnt end here. Once a criminal, always a criminal.
And in this case, it's not the society that haunts you..it's your inner self. Now every time i see that guy in the gym, the episode flashes in my mind and i feel that son-of-a-bi*** is smiling at me.
Worse still, whenever the gym instructor is helping me with some weights or other exercises, I am always conscious that i might repeat it.. and this time that poor guy will not even get a chance to escape.
Had that guy not been around that day, nobody would have noticed my crime. I would have gone to the gym with my head high. I hate that guy. He ruined my gym time.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Underworld Theory
There are three types of cities. First, there are big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, etc. Second, are the tier-2 cities like Amritsar(Anurag, Kunal, Nanda, etc.) , Ludhiana(Bhulli) , etc. Then there is the third category, which hardly qualifies as a city and is usually accompanied by phrases like
"Then there is this small village called",
"Oh, i forgot to mention this village",
"Yeah, I know of this this village"...etc etc.
They lie on the periphery, hardly noticeable.
Now people from this category are generally smart enough to understand that they are not big-city boys, but they are not humble enough to accept that they are small-town boys. So they kinda suffer from this identity crisis. They keep looking for reasons/arguments to support their make-believe we-are-not-small-town-boys theory.
Along with this identity crisis is the mis-conception that "Our village is far more developed than your city".
The Underworld theory was advanced when our beloved underdeveloped-village boy BD was suffering from this developed-city syndrome. Though widely dis-credited by one and all, world still deserves to know it, since it is not everyday that BD comes up with a theory.
So kids(Since i have already widely propagated this theory among our compatriots, I am addressing future generations some decades down the line... considering that this might be BD's only legacy left in absence of other means of doing it), it was a Sunday afternoon. I was sitting in our living room with your uncle BD, and a few other friends. We were having our usual bantering session, which in our case was always taking dig at BD. And BD was his usual self, defending every argument and not accepting his village roots, not accepting that his village is still under-developed with no major development initiatives being taken.
Few dialogues..
BD,"Anurag Gupta, tujhe pata hai abhi kuchh din pehle news aa rahi thi ki Ferozepur,(yeah, this is where BD hails from) mein 2700 crore ki heroin pakdi gayi. Aur Anurag Gupta, 2700 crore to disclose kiya gaya hai...actual value to aur bhi zyada hogi. Tumhare Amritsar mein kabhi pakdi gayi hai itni amount".
We all had just one thing to say,"How is this statement related to development of ferozepur?"
Then came the moment of truth....
The Underworld Theory
BD,"Anurag Gupta, kisi bhi developed city, london, NY, Mumbai, Delhi, etc etc ko dekh le. In sab ki development underworld ke aane ke baad hi hui hai. Pehle yeh sab cities normal development dekh rahi thi. Underworld aaya, aur uske baad hi city ki rapid development hui..aur aaj yeh sab cities development index mein top pe hain. Ab Ferozepur mein bhi underworld aa gaya hai..ab tu dekhta ja, Ferozepur mega-city ban ne waala hai. Ab Ferozepur mein development hogi... Aur abhi kuchh din pehle Ferozepur ki central jail se 3 qaidi bhi faraar hue hain. Voh teenon Prison Break dekh ke inspire hue the. Tumhare Amritsar mein hua hai aisa kuchh "
Pin-drop silence for a few moments..and then the usual...loud laughter. While BD tried his level-best to make us believe his theory, none of us was listening.
Kids, i always though that development was about infrastructure projects being undertaken, basic amenities like education, food, etc. being provided to citizens, development of industry and employment opportunities, etc etc
But not your uncle BD. He had a radically different view on development and had to face the same consequences that all radical thinkers had to face.... Not understood by contemporaries and subject to laughter and ridicule...for a long long time..
Underworld theory was not the only development index advanced by your uncle BD.
Along with this, certain other sub-theories related to pointers of development were also advanced..
Border Theory
BD,"Anurag Gupta, hamare Ferozepur mein border kholne ki baat chal rahi hai.."
Anurag," BD, hamare Amritsar mein roz shaam ko border khulta hai"..
BD," Oye saale, mein aava-gaman ki baat kar raha hun. Border khol rahe hain taaki log aa ja sakein"
Anurag."BD, hamare Amritsar mein to yaar border aava-gaman ke liye 1999 mein hi khol diya gaya tha jab Lahore-Delhi bus service shuru hui thi"...
More laughter...
Railway Track Theory
BD,"Anurag Gupta, tum logon ke chote sheharon mein do-do railway track hote hain. ek jaane ke liye or ek aane ke liye. But hamari developed cities mein ek hi track hota hai, ussi se jaate hain aur ussi se aate hain. Two-way tracks."
i didnt say anything..everyone ws rolling on the floor and BD realised this. He tried in vain to make us understand whatever his point was, but it was a tad too late for explanations.
So kids, this was your uncle BD.
Next time when you hear of railway tracks being added to existing ones, dont be happy. And when you hear news of kidnappings, prison breaks, mafia killings, etc dont get sad. Just think of your uncle's theory. You will find hope even in that hour of despair. Who knows, BD's theory might be true.
And i really wish they do turn out to be true...may be he will then rest in peace.
Long live the radical. Long live BD..
"Then there is this small village called",
"Oh, i forgot to mention this village",
"Yeah, I know of this this village"...etc etc.
They lie on the periphery, hardly noticeable.
Now people from this category are generally smart enough to understand that they are not big-city boys, but they are not humble enough to accept that they are small-town boys. So they kinda suffer from this identity crisis. They keep looking for reasons/arguments to support their make-believe we-are-not-small-town-boys theory.
Along with this identity crisis is the mis-conception that "Our village is far more developed than your city".
The Underworld theory was advanced when our beloved underdeveloped-village boy BD was suffering from this developed-city syndrome. Though widely dis-credited by one and all, world still deserves to know it, since it is not everyday that BD comes up with a theory.
So kids(Since i have already widely propagated this theory among our compatriots, I am addressing future generations some decades down the line... considering that this might be BD's only legacy left in absence of other means of doing it), it was a Sunday afternoon. I was sitting in our living room with your uncle BD, and a few other friends. We were having our usual bantering session, which in our case was always taking dig at BD. And BD was his usual self, defending every argument and not accepting his village roots, not accepting that his village is still under-developed with no major development initiatives being taken.
Few dialogues..
BD,"Anurag Gupta, tujhe pata hai abhi kuchh din pehle news aa rahi thi ki Ferozepur,(yeah, this is where BD hails from) mein 2700 crore ki heroin pakdi gayi. Aur Anurag Gupta, 2700 crore to disclose kiya gaya hai...actual value to aur bhi zyada hogi. Tumhare Amritsar mein kabhi pakdi gayi hai itni amount".
We all had just one thing to say,"How is this statement related to development of ferozepur?"
Then came the moment of truth....
The Underworld Theory
BD,"Anurag Gupta, kisi bhi developed city, london, NY, Mumbai, Delhi, etc etc ko dekh le. In sab ki development underworld ke aane ke baad hi hui hai. Pehle yeh sab cities normal development dekh rahi thi. Underworld aaya, aur uske baad hi city ki rapid development hui..aur aaj yeh sab cities development index mein top pe hain. Ab Ferozepur mein bhi underworld aa gaya hai..ab tu dekhta ja, Ferozepur mega-city ban ne waala hai. Ab Ferozepur mein development hogi... Aur abhi kuchh din pehle Ferozepur ki central jail se 3 qaidi bhi faraar hue hain. Voh teenon Prison Break dekh ke inspire hue the. Tumhare Amritsar mein hua hai aisa kuchh "
Pin-drop silence for a few moments..and then the usual...loud laughter. While BD tried his level-best to make us believe his theory, none of us was listening.
Kids, i always though that development was about infrastructure projects being undertaken, basic amenities like education, food, etc. being provided to citizens, development of industry and employment opportunities, etc etc
But not your uncle BD. He had a radically different view on development and had to face the same consequences that all radical thinkers had to face.... Not understood by contemporaries and subject to laughter and ridicule...for a long long time..
Underworld theory was not the only development index advanced by your uncle BD.
Along with this, certain other sub-theories related to pointers of development were also advanced..
Border Theory
BD,"Anurag Gupta, hamare Ferozepur mein border kholne ki baat chal rahi hai.."
Anurag," BD, hamare Amritsar mein roz shaam ko border khulta hai"..
BD," Oye saale, mein aava-gaman ki baat kar raha hun. Border khol rahe hain taaki log aa ja sakein"
Anurag."BD, hamare Amritsar mein to yaar border aava-gaman ke liye 1999 mein hi khol diya gaya tha jab Lahore-Delhi bus service shuru hui thi"...
More laughter...
Railway Track Theory
BD,"Anurag Gupta, tum logon ke chote sheharon mein do-do railway track hote hain. ek jaane ke liye or ek aane ke liye. But hamari developed cities mein ek hi track hota hai, ussi se jaate hain aur ussi se aate hain. Two-way tracks."
i didnt say anything..everyone ws rolling on the floor and BD realised this. He tried in vain to make us understand whatever his point was, but it was a tad too late for explanations.
So kids, this was your uncle BD.
Next time when you hear of railway tracks being added to existing ones, dont be happy. And when you hear news of kidnappings, prison breaks, mafia killings, etc dont get sad. Just think of your uncle's theory. You will find hope even in that hour of despair. Who knows, BD's theory might be true.
And i really wish they do turn out to be true...may be he will then rest in peace.
Long live the radical. Long live BD..
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Make way, the KING is back
Date: 8th Sept'08
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York
Event: US Open Finals
Players: Andy Murray and Roger Federer
Result: As expected, Fed Ex wins.
Now this is not to go through the event again, this is to go over Federer and thinking of one of his biggest fans, ME.
It's one way or the other, either you are Federer fan or you are not. There is no middle path here. Nothing like,"You know, i like him but not that much" or "He is good. I like his game"...Oh save them buddy...answer is clear.
Everybody that i know falls in the above division and i guess that holds true for every tennis fan.
And i think Federer has earned this over years. The way he has dominated this game is simply amazing. 13 grand slams in a period of 5 years. 5 consecutive US opens, 5 consecutive Wimbledons...things cant get better.
Everytime he starts a tournament, its taken for granted that he will reach the final..and he invariably does. And then he takes it one step further. He wins the final. None of the other champions before like Pete Sampras, Edberg, Mcenroe etc had this much dominance over the game and for a such a long time. That speaks volumes about his game.
For such a medium built guy, he has tremendous strength in his arms . The amount of top-spin that he imparts to his forehands is unbelievable. In this final, when Murray hit a ball towards fed's forehand commentators said," I dont understand why people keep giving shots at his forehand. You can hit at his forehand when you are closing a rally, you can serve at his forehand but you never give him a ball at his forehand in the middle of a point."
There is an aura of invincibility around him. When you see him playing and hitting those amazing single-handed backhand returns, you just wanna see him doing that over and over again. You just wanna seee him winning. The innocence on his face, composure throughout the match, respect for opponents and the game overall, crowd-winning gestures,pre and post match comments win a fan completely. Then a person becomes one-of-us, the FED CAMP.
Federer, according to me, is undoubtedly the best player ever in the history of tennis. i am sure he will go pass Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slams.
Keep winning Federer. We all love you.
Venue: Arthur Ashe Stadium, New York
Event: US Open Finals
Players: Andy Murray and Roger Federer
Result: As expected, Fed Ex wins.
Now this is not to go through the event again, this is to go over Federer and thinking of one of his biggest fans, ME.
It's one way or the other, either you are Federer fan or you are not. There is no middle path here. Nothing like,"You know, i like him but not that much" or "He is good. I like his game"...Oh save them buddy...answer is clear.
Everybody that i know falls in the above division and i guess that holds true for every tennis fan.
And i think Federer has earned this over years. The way he has dominated this game is simply amazing. 13 grand slams in a period of 5 years. 5 consecutive US opens, 5 consecutive Wimbledons...things cant get better.
Everytime he starts a tournament, its taken for granted that he will reach the final..and he invariably does. And then he takes it one step further. He wins the final. None of the other champions before like Pete Sampras, Edberg, Mcenroe etc had this much dominance over the game and for a such a long time. That speaks volumes about his game.
For such a medium built guy, he has tremendous strength in his arms . The amount of top-spin that he imparts to his forehands is unbelievable. In this final, when Murray hit a ball towards fed's forehand commentators said," I dont understand why people keep giving shots at his forehand. You can hit at his forehand when you are closing a rally, you can serve at his forehand but you never give him a ball at his forehand in the middle of a point."
There is an aura of invincibility around him. When you see him playing and hitting those amazing single-handed backhand returns, you just wanna see him doing that over and over again. You just wanna seee him winning. The innocence on his face, composure throughout the match, respect for opponents and the game overall, crowd-winning gestures,pre and post match comments win a fan completely. Then a person becomes one-of-us, the FED CAMP.
Federer, according to me, is undoubtedly the best player ever in the history of tennis. i am sure he will go pass Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slams.
Keep winning Federer. We all love you.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Keep of the Grass
Book: Keep off the grass
Author: Karan Bajaj
Plot: A ABCD(American born confused desi) Yale-graduate joins a investment Bank only to realise that he is not very happy. He wants to discover himself. So decides to do an MBA from India which will give him a chance to connect with his roots and in the process find answers to all his questions and self-doubts. Thus he joins IIMB. Plot then revolves around his 2 year experience at IIMB and the way it changed his life...
My views: For those who enjoy light-hearted, simple-written, without any life-altering gyaan fiction cum real life experiences book, this for sure is a winner. The novel starts in a filmi style and then takes you from Manhattan.,Wal-Street to IIM Bangalore's campus life and Bangalore's streets and bus drivers.
Two central characters apart from protagonist are Sarkar and Vinod. Sarkar,funniest chararcter, is an IITian. Always smoking a joint and having a sab-moh-maaya-hai attitude towards studies and things in general. He likes to live life on his own terms. The guy is gifted with an awesome mind and is among the toppers without any real effort.
Sarkar gives you the feel of an IITian. When it comes to numbers and logic, it's his world.
Author has tried to keep it very simple. He has stated his life experiences and his learnings from them, but has not tried to hammer it in a reader's mind. How much a person learns from this novel in terms of listening to your heart and being-where-you-belong is left for reader to decide.
All incidents and IIM life is presented in a very comic style with some hilarious sequences...
Like the one when he is on a summer intership and along with 29 other Management trainees is listening to the HR head of a firm. He is apparently bored by their general gyaan and is looking around when he founds a chap dosing off. Author says," I immediately started liking that guy."..
Or when he tells how during intership he hates the question forms containing questions like "Illustrate an experience where you demonstrated leadership abilities". According to teh author, most of the questions are repeated. His friend Sarkar does a funny thing. To one of teh questions he says," Check answer 2".
Or when an intern is asked, if given an option what animal would you like to be...and the chap replies,"I would like to be Pamela Anderson's lap-dog..because..because..do i need to say why?"
The way a Yale-graduate ends up in the bottom half of the IIM class reinforces one's strong belief in our education system. Novel definitely makes one ponder over life's choices, though not in a serious manner.
Read it for funny guy Sarkar, IIM's hectic but magic life, post quiz parties, joint-smoking with friends, vomits after drinking binge, I-Bank's lure , general reflection on life, confusions of ABCD's and their effort to come to terms with it.
All in all, a good read.
Author: Karan Bajaj
Plot: A ABCD(American born confused desi) Yale-graduate joins a investment Bank only to realise that he is not very happy. He wants to discover himself. So decides to do an MBA from India which will give him a chance to connect with his roots and in the process find answers to all his questions and self-doubts. Thus he joins IIMB. Plot then revolves around his 2 year experience at IIMB and the way it changed his life...
My views: For those who enjoy light-hearted, simple-written, without any life-altering gyaan fiction cum real life experiences book, this for sure is a winner. The novel starts in a filmi style and then takes you from Manhattan.,Wal-Street to IIM Bangalore's campus life and Bangalore's streets and bus drivers.
Two central characters apart from protagonist are Sarkar and Vinod. Sarkar,funniest chararcter, is an IITian. Always smoking a joint and having a sab-moh-maaya-hai attitude towards studies and things in general. He likes to live life on his own terms. The guy is gifted with an awesome mind and is among the toppers without any real effort.
Sarkar gives you the feel of an IITian. When it comes to numbers and logic, it's his world.
Author has tried to keep it very simple. He has stated his life experiences and his learnings from them, but has not tried to hammer it in a reader's mind. How much a person learns from this novel in terms of listening to your heart and being-where-you-belong is left for reader to decide.
All incidents and IIM life is presented in a very comic style with some hilarious sequences...
Like the one when he is on a summer intership and along with 29 other Management trainees is listening to the HR head of a firm. He is apparently bored by their general gyaan and is looking around when he founds a chap dosing off. Author says," I immediately started liking that guy."..
Or when he tells how during intership he hates the question forms containing questions like "Illustrate an experience where you demonstrated leadership abilities". According to teh author, most of the questions are repeated. His friend Sarkar does a funny thing. To one of teh questions he says," Check answer 2".
Or when an intern is asked, if given an option what animal would you like to be...and the chap replies,"I would like to be Pamela Anderson's lap-dog..because..because..do i need to say why?"
The way a Yale-graduate ends up in the bottom half of the IIM class reinforces one's strong belief in our education system. Novel definitely makes one ponder over life's choices, though not in a serious manner.
Read it for funny guy Sarkar, IIM's hectic but magic life, post quiz parties, joint-smoking with friends, vomits after drinking binge, I-Bank's lure , general reflection on life, confusions of ABCD's and their effort to come to terms with it.
All in all, a good read.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Anurag..Anurag...Anurag
Date: 3rd Sept'08
Venue: XYZ company's Office
Event: Weekly progress update involving analysts (from both onsite and offsite teams), client lead and country lead
Details: Before the meeting a progress report document was prepared and circulated to all.
It had project spilt into smaller work streams with colour coding used to indicate the progress level.
Almost all the work streams were either green(on time) or amber(a little behind schedule). One particular workstream was RED. Column next to colour index was labelled Reasons.
Mentioned in the document was "Resource not available".
Now lets do a time travel and go a little back in history. I had applied for US Visa on 1 July and was rejected on grounds of CRAP-CRAP-CRAP. This particular piece of analysis was to be done in Canada and the off-site resource was ME. I had applied for Canadian Visa and as usual, though not rejected, it was taking a greater time than usual. Apparently my smiling face from photograph on Visa form scares the daylights out of Visa guys, or my smiling face reminds them of misery their own life is and they reject / delay my visa outta spite...Whatever be the reason, deal is, i wasnt getting visa on time and so was not able to join the team in Canada. The particular piece in document that was RED was the one that i was supposed to do.
Now back to call. People are happy with the general progress of the project. Important points are discussed. Country head and client lead are both sounding satisfied. Then they come to the piece of work that is red. Cant tell you, how important and dignified it felt to be the centre of discussion for doing nothing. Everyone was taking my name.
"Anurag, so whats the current status?".
"Anurag, can you tell us the expected time when you are expected to arrive?".
"Anurag, we need you on this piece asap.".
"Anurag, can't we expedite the process somehow?".
Anurag...Anurag...Anurag
I had a feeling of Dejavu.
Friends hanging together and amidst friendly bantering, a question pops up,"Yaar, hum logon mein se sabse end mein kiski shaadi hogi?"
Anurag...Anurag...Anurag
Roommates check the refrigerator in the morning and finds out that all the rasgulle are gone. "Who ate them during the night?"
Anurag...Anurag...Anurag
Everytime something like this happens, whereby my name is taken by everyone, i think of the movie AUSTIN POWERS. In one of the scenes of the movie, Austin Powers meets Japanese twin sisters and asks them their names. One of the names was F***-ME.
What if i had this name. Everyone taking my name..F***-ME...F***-ME...F***-ME..
Spoiled for choice :)
Just one more thing. Those of you who have seen the movie might remember, name of the other twin was F***-YOU.
What if i had this name. Everyone taking my name..F***-YOU...F***-YOU...F***-YOU..
Reality bites :(
Venue: XYZ company's Office
Event: Weekly progress update involving analysts (from both onsite and offsite teams), client lead and country lead
Details: Before the meeting a progress report document was prepared and circulated to all.
It had project spilt into smaller work streams with colour coding used to indicate the progress level.
Almost all the work streams were either green(on time) or amber(a little behind schedule). One particular workstream was RED. Column next to colour index was labelled Reasons.
Mentioned in the document was "Resource not available".
Now lets do a time travel and go a little back in history. I had applied for US Visa on 1 July and was rejected on grounds of CRAP-CRAP-CRAP. This particular piece of analysis was to be done in Canada and the off-site resource was ME. I had applied for Canadian Visa and as usual, though not rejected, it was taking a greater time than usual. Apparently my smiling face from photograph on Visa form scares the daylights out of Visa guys, or my smiling face reminds them of misery their own life is and they reject / delay my visa outta spite...Whatever be the reason, deal is, i wasnt getting visa on time and so was not able to join the team in Canada. The particular piece in document that was RED was the one that i was supposed to do.
Now back to call. People are happy with the general progress of the project. Important points are discussed. Country head and client lead are both sounding satisfied. Then they come to the piece of work that is red. Cant tell you, how important and dignified it felt to be the centre of discussion for doing nothing. Everyone was taking my name.
"Anurag, so whats the current status?".
"Anurag, can you tell us the expected time when you are expected to arrive?".
"Anurag, we need you on this piece asap.".
"Anurag, can't we expedite the process somehow?".
Anurag...Anurag...Anurag
I had a feeling of Dejavu.
Friends hanging together and amidst friendly bantering, a question pops up,"Yaar, hum logon mein se sabse end mein kiski shaadi hogi?"
Anurag...Anurag...Anurag
Roommates check the refrigerator in the morning and finds out that all the rasgulle are gone. "Who ate them during the night?"
Anurag...Anurag...Anurag
Everytime something like this happens, whereby my name is taken by everyone, i think of the movie AUSTIN POWERS. In one of the scenes of the movie, Austin Powers meets Japanese twin sisters and asks them their names. One of the names was F***-ME.
What if i had this name. Everyone taking my name..F***-ME...F***-ME...F***-ME..
Spoiled for choice :)
Just one more thing. Those of you who have seen the movie might remember, name of the other twin was F***-YOU.
What if i had this name. Everyone taking my name..F***-YOU...F***-YOU...F***-YOU..
Reality bites :(
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
VISA
Date: 20th march'07. A thorough professional, me, with a smile on his face and confidence in his gait, walks into the den called THE AMERICAN EMBASSY.
From what i have gathered, B1 visa interview ia a cakewalk and i should face no problems.
After waiting in a line for about two hours it's finally my turn. I greet the a suspicious-looking official with a smile and a good-morning. The official in turn nods and says good morning to you too. How has been your day?
Well, thats a toughie? How has been my day... lets see, got up at 6 in the morning, had to shave to look formal, missed my breakfast because cook doesnt arrive till around 9 and i had to leave by 8 to reach on time for my 9:30 interview appointment. Then after reaching there, i am separated from my beloved mobile..two hours spent without her were like a torture.. then an agonizing wait for two hours in a line to appear before a person, going by whose looks you wont even feel like talking to him on any other day...
But anyways i suck all that and with a gracious smile i tell him that its been a good day so far.
He checks my papers, asks some banal questions and after around 5 minutes tell me, thank you sir...your interview is over...but i am sorry, i cant grant you a visa. Suddenly my face is all red and i am perspiring heavily. I ask for reasons and he tells me that he is not satisfied with my documents. I try and squeeze in some more information but he tells me coldly that the interview process is over and i can leave. I somehow manage a smile and greet him good afternoon (thinking not very deep inside, screw you asshole).
Date: 1July'08.A thorough professional, me, with a forced smile on his face and a dejavu feeling, walks into the den called THE AMERICAN EMBASSY.
Last interview is still fresh in mind. There are two windows for B1 visa interviews. Standing there in the queue waiting for my turn, i am trying to guess which of the two interviewers will i go to and with whom do i stand a better chance of getting a VISA this time. One of the guy looks very staunch and cold, lets called him Mr. X, while other looks very friendly and warm, Mr. Y.
Next turn will be mine. There is one person at each window. Person at Mr. X's window had left later. So i was kinda expecting and desperately praying that i be interviewed by Mr. Y. But then chair kills faster than a rope.
The interview at Mr. X's window was very short lived and going by that person's face color, result was easy to predict. And i was asked to cross the red line on the floor and proceed towards Mr. X's window.
A million thoughts were going through my mind. If god had granted me a wish at that time, i would have asked that please turn the red line into a lakshman rekha, so that i am not able to cross it till Mr Y is free for next round. But then it's me. Luck and i love screwing each other.
Same old fake smile, same old greetings, same old questions.....and guess what....same old result...and i am baffled?
WHAT DO THESE GUYS WANT FROM ME?
I ask for reasons and i am told that you are just a week old in your new organization , you have applied for an emergency visa(i had to travel within a week of joining, so had applied for an emergency visa) but you dont qualify for one...so effectively your company has mis-used the emergency visa procedure...also he was not convinced that as a new joinee its absolutely essential for me to travel to US for initial training and some meetings (project i was to work on was going on in 5 different countries for the same client and all the project people were meeting in US for a face-to-face interaction and discuss there understanding and learnings so far).
The verdict was given, i can appeal again (in the same court, probably against the same judge) 120 days later. But i think i am gonna pass.
VISA says in its add.."GO GET IT"
Please tell me how?
From what i have gathered, B1 visa interview ia a cakewalk and i should face no problems.
After waiting in a line for about two hours it's finally my turn. I greet the a suspicious-looking official with a smile and a good-morning. The official in turn nods and says good morning to you too. How has been your day?
Well, thats a toughie? How has been my day... lets see, got up at 6 in the morning, had to shave to look formal, missed my breakfast because cook doesnt arrive till around 9 and i had to leave by 8 to reach on time for my 9:30 interview appointment. Then after reaching there, i am separated from my beloved mobile..two hours spent without her were like a torture.. then an agonizing wait for two hours in a line to appear before a person, going by whose looks you wont even feel like talking to him on any other day...
But anyways i suck all that and with a gracious smile i tell him that its been a good day so far.
He checks my papers, asks some banal questions and after around 5 minutes tell me, thank you sir...your interview is over...but i am sorry, i cant grant you a visa. Suddenly my face is all red and i am perspiring heavily. I ask for reasons and he tells me that he is not satisfied with my documents. I try and squeeze in some more information but he tells me coldly that the interview process is over and i can leave. I somehow manage a smile and greet him good afternoon (thinking not very deep inside, screw you asshole).
Date: 1July'08.A thorough professional, me, with a forced smile on his face and a dejavu feeling, walks into the den called THE AMERICAN EMBASSY.
Last interview is still fresh in mind. There are two windows for B1 visa interviews. Standing there in the queue waiting for my turn, i am trying to guess which of the two interviewers will i go to and with whom do i stand a better chance of getting a VISA this time. One of the guy looks very staunch and cold, lets called him Mr. X, while other looks very friendly and warm, Mr. Y.
Next turn will be mine. There is one person at each window. Person at Mr. X's window had left later. So i was kinda expecting and desperately praying that i be interviewed by Mr. Y. But then chair kills faster than a rope.
The interview at Mr. X's window was very short lived and going by that person's face color, result was easy to predict. And i was asked to cross the red line on the floor and proceed towards Mr. X's window.
A million thoughts were going through my mind. If god had granted me a wish at that time, i would have asked that please turn the red line into a lakshman rekha, so that i am not able to cross it till Mr Y is free for next round. But then it's me. Luck and i love screwing each other.
Same old fake smile, same old greetings, same old questions.....and guess what....same old result...and i am baffled?
WHAT DO THESE GUYS WANT FROM ME?
I ask for reasons and i am told that you are just a week old in your new organization , you have applied for an emergency visa(i had to travel within a week of joining, so had applied for an emergency visa) but you dont qualify for one...so effectively your company has mis-used the emergency visa procedure...also he was not convinced that as a new joinee its absolutely essential for me to travel to US for initial training and some meetings (project i was to work on was going on in 5 different countries for the same client and all the project people were meeting in US for a face-to-face interaction and discuss there understanding and learnings so far).
The verdict was given, i can appeal again (in the same court, probably against the same judge) 120 days later. But i think i am gonna pass.
VISA says in its add.."GO GET IT"
Please tell me how?
Singh Is King
Akshay is king............ true beyond doubt. I no-plot, utter-nonsense movie made definitely-worth-a-watch by our very own Akshay...
But it would be wrong to ignore other performances that made this movie hilarious..
Mr. Udaas with his rib-tickling nostalgic incidents
Jave Jaffery a.k.a Pappi. His almost-blind performance and comic dialogues to hide his apparent inability are great. His dance with a statue at the start of the movie and later during the song SINGH IS KING (where he keeps pointing his finger towrads a wall) were hilarious. This guy seriously is one of the most under-rated actors in bollywood.
Sonu Sood a.k.a Lucky. Guy looks very handsome and post his temporary paralysis becomes a literal push-over...from King to a Ungli-baba. The scenes where he is used as a passing tray between other characters were really funny.
Om puri a.k.a Rangeela with his thed-punjabi accent gives a good performance.
Katrina Kaif is there with her curves and dance sequences. She is looking really hot in thsi movie.
And now to the King.....its amazing how this actor can turn a silly non-sensical scene into a hilarious one. He has become a pro at making people laugh with his gestures and comic timing. No wonder he is one of the top-paid actors currently. He carries the film single-handedly for the first 45-50 minutes, before others arive on the scene. Scenes of panchayat, wedding song are all amazing.
Film loses some grip in last 25-30 minutes as the wedding day arrives but a great first half and a good 25-30 minute run at the start of second half make up for most of it.
All in all a great movie... definitely the best bollywood comedy i ahve watched till date.
P.S: A sincere thanks to my beloved friend BD, who accompanied me to this movie. Two punjabis at a movie about Sikhs.... deadly combo. No wonder we had a hell of a time.
But it would be wrong to ignore other performances that made this movie hilarious..
Mr. Udaas with his rib-tickling nostalgic incidents
Jave Jaffery a.k.a Pappi. His almost-blind performance and comic dialogues to hide his apparent inability are great. His dance with a statue at the start of the movie and later during the song SINGH IS KING (where he keeps pointing his finger towrads a wall) were hilarious. This guy seriously is one of the most under-rated actors in bollywood.
Sonu Sood a.k.a Lucky. Guy looks very handsome and post his temporary paralysis becomes a literal push-over...from King to a Ungli-baba. The scenes where he is used as a passing tray between other characters were really funny.
Om puri a.k.a Rangeela with his thed-punjabi accent gives a good performance.
Katrina Kaif is there with her curves and dance sequences. She is looking really hot in thsi movie.
And now to the King.....its amazing how this actor can turn a silly non-sensical scene into a hilarious one. He has become a pro at making people laugh with his gestures and comic timing. No wonder he is one of the top-paid actors currently. He carries the film single-handedly for the first 45-50 minutes, before others arive on the scene. Scenes of panchayat, wedding song are all amazing.
Film loses some grip in last 25-30 minutes as the wedding day arrives but a great first half and a good 25-30 minute run at the start of second half make up for most of it.
All in all a great movie... definitely the best bollywood comedy i ahve watched till date.
P.S: A sincere thanks to my beloved friend BD, who accompanied me to this movie. Two punjabis at a movie about Sikhs.... deadly combo. No wonder we had a hell of a time.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
The ubiquitous saree
I read this article in Hindustan Times' sunday magazine Brunch. It was about the way sarees are in fashion since almost 3000 years now. Some the figures there really caught my eye.
1.) According to a survey by textile industry, sarees account for more than one-third of total garment sales in india with an estimated value of about 53,459 crores.
2.) Only garment that has recorded a growth rate in sales of 8.8% from 1998 to 2006 when the sales for other garments had fluctuated.
No wonder sarees are considered "Evergreen"
1.) According to a survey by textile industry, sarees account for more than one-third of total garment sales in india with an estimated value of about 53,459 crores.
2.) Only garment that has recorded a growth rate in sales of 8.8% from 1998 to 2006 when the sales for other garments had fluctuated.
No wonder sarees are considered "Evergreen"
The Indifferent "Me"
It happened yesterday evening(arnd 6:50 P.M on 28th July'08). I was about to leave with my flatmate for gym. He was talking over phone and i was waiting close to our bike when i heard a lady shouting,"Arre roko koi. mera purse le ke bhag raha hai. Arre roko"
I was there on the pavement. This incident happened right in front of my eyes about 30 metres away. The son-of-a-bi*** purse-snatcher was coming towards me on his bike. I had all the time on this earth. I could have hit him down, could have noted his bike number..but i did nothing. Instead a minute later, when my flatmate put his phone down after hearing the hullabullo and asked me what had happened, i smiled at him and said "kuchh nahin yaar. koi banda aunti ka bag cheen kar bhag gaya".
My friend said,"Anurag, saaleya koi to reaction de. Tu to aise behave kar raha hai jaise kuchh hua hi nahin."
It was at that moment that i realised my indifferent attitude to surroundings. That lady,in late 40's was frantically crying, asking for help from everyone. Ladies had gathered around her to console her and there i was, a young and gym-attending healthy but in-different person,smiling and talking to my friend as if it was routine.
I dont know but i might have panicked, brain and body might have stopped co-ordinating for those few seconds. So i can tell myself that it's ok if i couldn't do anything. It could have happened to anyone. But what was really disturbing was my smiling and casual attitude after that. And i didn't even realise it on my own. My friend's comment made me realise it later.
This post isn't to showcase that my sense of guilt is killing me or that i feel really sorry for that lady. Its just another day at office for me with coffee cup and SAS. Its just to reflect on how i have been moulded in my attitude like so many others who only care for themselves. It's said that its in these kind of moments that a person's true character is revealed. These moments are a true reflection of one's self. Sadly i didn't get a very good feeling about myself.
I often hear the off-repeated saying,"every single person can make a difference and if it happens, this world will be a lot better place to live". Here i had a chance to do something, but sadly i didn't.
I often look at our politicians (some of them, not all) and hate them for their indifference to their constituency or people in general. I must have spoken this a million times,"In logon ko koi farak nahin padta." I wonder whether mujhe koi farak padta hai. If tomorrow i become a politician or for that matter a business leader, will i care for my people? Will i be willing to put society's welfare or organization's goals before my own?
Just hoping that i will be...........
I was there on the pavement. This incident happened right in front of my eyes about 30 metres away. The son-of-a-bi*** purse-snatcher was coming towards me on his bike. I had all the time on this earth. I could have hit him down, could have noted his bike number..but i did nothing. Instead a minute later, when my flatmate put his phone down after hearing the hullabullo and asked me what had happened, i smiled at him and said "kuchh nahin yaar. koi banda aunti ka bag cheen kar bhag gaya".
My friend said,"Anurag, saaleya koi to reaction de. Tu to aise behave kar raha hai jaise kuchh hua hi nahin."
It was at that moment that i realised my indifferent attitude to surroundings. That lady,in late 40's was frantically crying, asking for help from everyone. Ladies had gathered around her to console her and there i was, a young and gym-attending healthy but in-different person,smiling and talking to my friend as if it was routine.
I dont know but i might have panicked, brain and body might have stopped co-ordinating for those few seconds. So i can tell myself that it's ok if i couldn't do anything. It could have happened to anyone. But what was really disturbing was my smiling and casual attitude after that. And i didn't even realise it on my own. My friend's comment made me realise it later.
This post isn't to showcase that my sense of guilt is killing me or that i feel really sorry for that lady. Its just another day at office for me with coffee cup and SAS. Its just to reflect on how i have been moulded in my attitude like so many others who only care for themselves. It's said that its in these kind of moments that a person's true character is revealed. These moments are a true reflection of one's self. Sadly i didn't get a very good feeling about myself.
I often hear the off-repeated saying,"every single person can make a difference and if it happens, this world will be a lot better place to live". Here i had a chance to do something, but sadly i didn't.
I often look at our politicians (some of them, not all) and hate them for their indifference to their constituency or people in general. I must have spoken this a million times,"In logon ko koi farak nahin padta." I wonder whether mujhe koi farak padta hai. If tomorrow i become a politician or for that matter a business leader, will i care for my people? Will i be willing to put society's welfare or organization's goals before my own?
Just hoping that i will be...........
Monday, July 28, 2008
Retribution, thy name is orkut
Orkut has been a phenomenol success with its extensive use in social networking a.k.a trying on new girls with "i saw your profile and just wanted to be a friend. Would you like to be friend" or "Hey beautiful, wanna be a friend" or the cheesiest one " A look at your pic and i knew i wanted be your friend"....schucks.....grow-up guys....even the dead are rolling in their graves reading this..
But thing that i like the most about orkut is the testimonial part. Express your feelings about another person. Some are beautifully written, others the usual crap like a flower or some weird drawing made with "/" ,"\", "," , etc. God knows where do people get time to think of these designs.
Anyways, when its a BF/GF writing it about the other person, its a tough one. One of the reason being that there is so much you wanna write about the other person that 1024 characters is just too less a space(hence multi testimonials from same person). Then there is a danger of saying too much and thus being too obvious in your testimonial(in case both are not ready to shout at the top their voices that they are in L-O-V-E) . Hence lines like "you know what i mean" or "I hope u understand this :) " or "remember" and so on......
Both will go through them a million times telling the other person how much it means to him/her. That its really very close to heart and will always cherish it as a loveable gift of a lifetime. But then GOD is a funny guy. Few days,months or in some cases a few years and the reality bites.....BREAK-UP....we are on a break....
And then the same testimonial becomes a pain-in-a**. Reasons:
1.) Every time you open orkut and there it is, smiling you in-the-face....if you have difficulty picturizing that laugh then remember Nasiruddin Shah in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (when his son the "Ranjour Ka Rathore" comes back home all blue and black after a fight. So sarcastic).
2.) Emotions expressed in it are now just words which mean nothing.
and most importantly
3.) You dont want your new BF/GF to know about it or if he/she knows about it, then you dont want that poor soul to go through it over and over again and then give him/her constant explanations as to what did you mean when you had written all that. All those expressions "you know what i mean" or "I hope u understand this :) " or "remember" that you had written with so many giggles are now the bane of your existence. In every fight, every argument, they will invariably come up. None of your explanations "Yaar, i didn't mean anything", "Voh to aise hi likha tha", etc. will work. Finally a few tears or a day or two of "BREAK" might work. But then you wont be able to stop yourself from thinking" What the fu** was i thinking when i wrote that?".... ha ha ha
Way out, tried and tested one, delete it. Out of sight,out of mind. Next time argument ho to just say,"Mujhe nahin pata tum kis baare mein baat kar rahe ho, i cant remember" and just pray that the other person suffers from amnesia about the same.
So my conclusion, dont write testimonials if you later can't take a little pain-in-a**. Keep your feelings limited to messages, emails, love-letters,cards,etc. Because beta "Yeh Duniya Gol Hai" and "Is zindagi ke paapon ki sazaa isi zindagi mein milti hai".
Happy orkutting :)
But thing that i like the most about orkut is the testimonial part. Express your feelings about another person. Some are beautifully written, others the usual crap like a flower or some weird drawing made with "/" ,"\", "," , etc. God knows where do people get time to think of these designs.
Anyways, when its a BF/GF writing it about the other person, its a tough one. One of the reason being that there is so much you wanna write about the other person that 1024 characters is just too less a space(hence multi testimonials from same person). Then there is a danger of saying too much and thus being too obvious in your testimonial(in case both are not ready to shout at the top their voices that they are in L-O-V-E) . Hence lines like "you know what i mean" or "I hope u understand this :) " or "remember" and so on......
Both will go through them a million times telling the other person how much it means to him/her. That its really very close to heart and will always cherish it as a loveable gift of a lifetime. But then GOD is a funny guy. Few days,months or in some cases a few years and the reality bites.....BREAK-UP....we are on a break....
And then the same testimonial becomes a pain-in-a**. Reasons:
1.) Every time you open orkut and there it is, smiling you in-the-face....if you have difficulty picturizing that laugh then remember Nasiruddin Shah in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (when his son the "Ranjour Ka Rathore" comes back home all blue and black after a fight. So sarcastic).
2.) Emotions expressed in it are now just words which mean nothing.
and most importantly
3.) You dont want your new BF/GF to know about it or if he/she knows about it, then you dont want that poor soul to go through it over and over again and then give him/her constant explanations as to what did you mean when you had written all that. All those expressions "you know what i mean" or "I hope u understand this :) " or "remember" that you had written with so many giggles are now the bane of your existence. In every fight, every argument, they will invariably come up. None of your explanations "Yaar, i didn't mean anything", "Voh to aise hi likha tha", etc. will work. Finally a few tears or a day or two of "BREAK" might work. But then you wont be able to stop yourself from thinking" What the fu** was i thinking when i wrote that?".... ha ha ha
Way out, tried and tested one, delete it. Out of sight,out of mind. Next time argument ho to just say,"Mujhe nahin pata tum kis baare mein baat kar rahe ho, i cant remember" and just pray that the other person suffers from amnesia about the same.
So my conclusion, dont write testimonials if you later can't take a little pain-in-a**. Keep your feelings limited to messages, emails, love-letters,cards,etc. Because beta "Yeh Duniya Gol Hai" and "Is zindagi ke paapon ki sazaa isi zindagi mein milti hai".
Happy orkutting :)
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Good song, Bad song
"Kabhi kabhi aditi zindagi mein yun hi koi apna lagta hai"...song of the moment. Had heard a lot about this song. I heard it a few times but didn't really like it very much. Today was just surfing net. This song was playing in the background. I heard it once, repeated it..and then repeated it like a million times. I was enjoying it a lot.Song is so simple and it strikes a chord with every heart.
That is the best part about all the simple things in life, like a hug from a friend before a campus interview , late night card games, crouching around a bed and watching movies (every kind :) ), birthday bumps, silly arguments, lewd jokes, biking in rain, opposite sex talks and accompanying release of frustration, sachin's batting with Tony Greig as the commentator, etc...They instantly appeal to your emotions. You dont have to try hard to relate with them. We humans are born with all these innate emotions and when displayed well in a movie or a song, that thing becomes a classic. Think of the best movies that you have seen and you will be able to remember some parts of those movies, be it dialogues or scenes, that you could relate with and thats why you enjoyed them so much in the first place.
Now why didn't i like the song at first. Answer was not tough to find out. I heard and saw the complete song(along with the accompanying crying-girl and loving friend) for the first time while watching the movie itself. I knew it was a sweet love story. Amazing time spent in college, love for the other person in your words, eyes, actions, everything. Love in its purest form. And as the old saying goes,"Doodh ka jala chaach ko bhi phook-phook kar peeta hai".. Right from the start of the movie i was in a rejection mode. Just wanted to watch the movie, because everyone had recommended it, but didn't want to get involved. Any scene where i felt that there was a lump im my throat, i fast-forwarded it.
Today at this hour(it's past 12 at night),surfing the net and listening to the same song playing in the background,couldn't stop my mind from wandering. I can bet that every person who likes this song has at one point or other put himself / herself in the same setting and giggled at the prospect of dancing and singing in front of friends...with "aditi" being "the one" for whom you wanna do all this. You wanna make her smile when she is sad, you wanna wipe her tears and make them yours........
song says, "Rote hain hum bhi agar teri aankhon mein aansoon aate hain"....you think of moments when you were all in tears listening to her over phone or in person and she was telling you why she is sad...
The line that i wanted to hear over-and-over again,"Aditi voh jo bichadte hain voh ik din mil jaate hain"..Because i know that day onwards i will watch movies like Jaane tu ya jaane na and absolutely love them. I wont be stopping myself. I wanna enjoy every movie the way i enjoyed Partner.
"maana kabhi-kabhi saare jahan mein andhera hota hai,lekin raat ke baad hi to savera hota hai"
Its a good song.. :)
That is the best part about all the simple things in life, like a hug from a friend before a campus interview , late night card games, crouching around a bed and watching movies (every kind :) ), birthday bumps, silly arguments, lewd jokes, biking in rain, opposite sex talks and accompanying release of frustration, sachin's batting with Tony Greig as the commentator, etc...They instantly appeal to your emotions. You dont have to try hard to relate with them. We humans are born with all these innate emotions and when displayed well in a movie or a song, that thing becomes a classic. Think of the best movies that you have seen and you will be able to remember some parts of those movies, be it dialogues or scenes, that you could relate with and thats why you enjoyed them so much in the first place.
Now why didn't i like the song at first. Answer was not tough to find out. I heard and saw the complete song(along with the accompanying crying-girl and loving friend) for the first time while watching the movie itself. I knew it was a sweet love story. Amazing time spent in college, love for the other person in your words, eyes, actions, everything. Love in its purest form. And as the old saying goes,"Doodh ka jala chaach ko bhi phook-phook kar peeta hai".. Right from the start of the movie i was in a rejection mode. Just wanted to watch the movie, because everyone had recommended it, but didn't want to get involved. Any scene where i felt that there was a lump im my throat, i fast-forwarded it.
Today at this hour(it's past 12 at night),surfing the net and listening to the same song playing in the background,couldn't stop my mind from wandering. I can bet that every person who likes this song has at one point or other put himself / herself in the same setting and giggled at the prospect of dancing and singing in front of friends...with "aditi" being "the one" for whom you wanna do all this. You wanna make her smile when she is sad, you wanna wipe her tears and make them yours........
song says, "Rote hain hum bhi agar teri aankhon mein aansoon aate hain"....you think of moments when you were all in tears listening to her over phone or in person and she was telling you why she is sad...
The line that i wanted to hear over-and-over again,"Aditi voh jo bichadte hain voh ik din mil jaate hain"..Because i know that day onwards i will watch movies like Jaane tu ya jaane na and absolutely love them. I wont be stopping myself. I wanna enjoy every movie the way i enjoyed Partner.
"maana kabhi-kabhi saare jahan mein andhera hota hai,lekin raat ke baad hi to savera hota hai"
Its a good song.. :)
Friday, July 25, 2008
Human body is 1 cm. taller in the morning than in evening.
One of my friends Rishab Nanda during one of our bantering sessions told us that human body changes in height during the day very much like our weight and that human body on an average is 1 cm. taller in the morning than in evening.
Cant tell you how much fun we made of him ripping apart his stated fact with our illogical and sarcastic comments. Nanda as usual was at his sincere best,moving around his mundi trying to convince us and we were as usual making fun. At the end all he said was, "Maane ya na maano, but it's true".
Then today around 7:30 in the morning i get a call from him. "Haan chotu(he addresses me like that) , uth gaya hai". I had slept at two at night, reason being the usual extended period of "Friends" watching. Anyways i manage to say,"Haan uth gaya hun, bol". He says," TOI(Times Of India) ka Delhi Times section khol and go to page 4." Obediently i do that.
Sitting there at the bottom right is the usual section "Fact of Matter". It had,"Human body is 1 cm. taller in the morning than at night." After reading it only words i could utter were,"Then what". Then he reminded me of that unfortunate day he had to suffer our comments and become the subject of ridicule. I had totally forgotten about all that we said that night but that poor soul was still carrying it in his heart. Boy you should have heard him after he made me read that,"Kaha tha na tum logon ko us din. Maan hi nahin rahe the. Ab padh le khud."
Chalo i was happy that though i had a heavy head when i reached office, with sleep deprivation, atleast someone was feeling light with something very humiliating off his chest.
Good morning nande...have a great day ahead.
P.S: For those interested in facts of this can check the link http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_we_are_taller_in_morning_than_in_evening
Cant tell you how much fun we made of him ripping apart his stated fact with our illogical and sarcastic comments. Nanda as usual was at his sincere best,moving around his mundi trying to convince us and we were as usual making fun. At the end all he said was, "Maane ya na maano, but it's true".
Then today around 7:30 in the morning i get a call from him. "Haan chotu(he addresses me like that) , uth gaya hai". I had slept at two at night, reason being the usual extended period of "Friends" watching. Anyways i manage to say,"Haan uth gaya hun, bol". He says," TOI(Times Of India) ka Delhi Times section khol and go to page 4." Obediently i do that.
Sitting there at the bottom right is the usual section "Fact of Matter". It had,"Human body is 1 cm. taller in the morning than at night." After reading it only words i could utter were,"Then what". Then he reminded me of that unfortunate day he had to suffer our comments and become the subject of ridicule. I had totally forgotten about all that we said that night but that poor soul was still carrying it in his heart. Boy you should have heard him after he made me read that,"Kaha tha na tum logon ko us din. Maan hi nahin rahe the. Ab padh le khud."
Chalo i was happy that though i had a heavy head when i reached office, with sleep deprivation, atleast someone was feeling light with something very humiliating off his chest.
Good morning nande...have a great day ahead.
P.S: For those interested in facts of this can check the link http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_we_are_taller_in_morning_than_in_evening
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Dark Knight:A must watch
Watched Dark Knight last night. True to reviews and box office collections, movie is simply superb. Movie is gripping right from the start. Christian bale(Batman) with his heavier-than-bachhan voice, Heath Ledger(Joker) with his lip-sucking performance, Aaron Eckhart(Harvey Dent) with his awesome two-face, every performance,make-up,stunts are worth a watch...throw in a bat mobile, fancy gadgets, a handsome billionaire and you have got yourself a party.
Joker clearly steals the show. His lip-smacking performance, flowing hair, all painted face gives you smiles throughout the movie. Best part is that he is not the usual con, wanting his share of moolah and in the process getting caught. He wants more than that. He wants to give Gotham City a villain to remember and fear.He wants to bring anarchy to the city. As he says,"Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order and you have got yourself chaos". Line at end of movie is definitely gonna go down as one of the best,"Either you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain".
Funny thing happened toward the end of the movie. While boys at the end of movie were raving about batman and his daredevils, a girl next to me commented,"Kya movie thi yaar,car se bike ban jaati hai"...Stupid girl, he has the bat mobile..it doesnt matter if it's a car or a bike.
I had always heard that girls dont generally enjoy superhero movies. After this incident i am inclined to think whether they understand them. Batman, spiderman, James Bond..is not just gadgets or stuff. Its the whole aura of power that these people carry. As Chandler says in TV series Friends,"James Bond is England’s most powerful weapon. Jet setting heartbreaker on her majesty’s secret service. A man who fears no one; with a license to kill."
All in all, a must watch. 9.5/10 on imdb.com means something. Enjoy...
P.S: Amidst all the beauties that hollywood has, why did they choose this one is a little hard to understand. And what's with this hardly-any-kiss throughout the movie. Hollywood,we love you for what you are. Dont take that away from us.
Joker clearly steals the show. His lip-smacking performance, flowing hair, all painted face gives you smiles throughout the movie. Best part is that he is not the usual con, wanting his share of moolah and in the process getting caught. He wants more than that. He wants to give Gotham City a villain to remember and fear.He wants to bring anarchy to the city. As he says,"Introduce a little anarchy. Upset the established order and you have got yourself chaos". Line at end of movie is definitely gonna go down as one of the best,"Either you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain".
Funny thing happened toward the end of the movie. While boys at the end of movie were raving about batman and his daredevils, a girl next to me commented,"Kya movie thi yaar,car se bike ban jaati hai"...Stupid girl, he has the bat mobile..it doesnt matter if it's a car or a bike.
I had always heard that girls dont generally enjoy superhero movies. After this incident i am inclined to think whether they understand them. Batman, spiderman, James Bond..is not just gadgets or stuff. Its the whole aura of power that these people carry. As Chandler says in TV series Friends,"James Bond is England’s most powerful weapon. Jet setting heartbreaker on her majesty’s secret service. A man who fears no one; with a license to kill."
All in all, a must watch. 9.5/10 on imdb.com means something. Enjoy...
P.S: Amidst all the beauties that hollywood has, why did they choose this one is a little hard to understand. And what's with this hardly-any-kiss throughout the movie. Hollywood,we love you for what you are. Dont take that away from us.
Confidence Vote: Democracy is the loser
Another round of shame, another day of unabashed debauchery on part Indian MP's. From the very halls of Parliament house, place supposed to uphold our democracy and seat the people at very front of it, coverages of MP's waving money bundles given as bribes are splashed all across news channels and newspapers. One wonders how could MP's get them inside the Parliament House in the first place, considering such tight security measures. PM was not even allowed to make a speech, opposition refused to accept defeat as usual, issue of Nuclear Deal was hardly discussed, except at places in speeches of Omar Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi. All this session was about getting numbers in place, it was never about the deal or principles of parties. National interests and Democracy once again lost to party interests and politics.
Silver lining, though their sense of right and wrong may have deserted them,humour is still alive in our politicians as witnessed in speech of our very own Laloo Yadav. I simply adore this man. Has the guts to say what he wants to, the way he wants to and at the time he wants to. Do hell with opportunity, if there is something on his mind, its on mike the very next second. Just the thought of him humming in the Parliament House "Tum hame na chaho to koi baat nahin, tum kisi aur ko chahogi to mushkil hogi" amidst his speech, makes you smile. Throw in oft-used references to Mahabharat and Ramayana, shuddh hindi ka prayog, and you have got a real Indian. Hats-off to this man for giving us something to smile about on this day of national shame.
Silver lining, though their sense of right and wrong may have deserted them,humour is still alive in our politicians as witnessed in speech of our very own Laloo Yadav. I simply adore this man. Has the guts to say what he wants to, the way he wants to and at the time he wants to. Do hell with opportunity, if there is something on his mind, its on mike the very next second. Just the thought of him humming in the Parliament House "Tum hame na chaho to koi baat nahin, tum kisi aur ko chahogi to mushkil hogi" amidst his speech, makes you smile. Throw in oft-used references to Mahabharat and Ramayana, shuddh hindi ka prayog, and you have got a real Indian. Hats-off to this man for giving us something to smile about on this day of national shame.
Reading: Tuesdays with Morrie
Author:Mitch Albom
Plot: This novel is conversation between a dying professor and his student. Morrie Schwartz, a professor is suffering from a serious illness which has no available cure. He is sure to die. But instead of losing hope and dying as a defeated person, he decides to use remaining life helping others and himself and thus dying a satisfying death. Here he gives Mitch, an old student from college, lessons on life,death,family,etc.
My Views: A well written novel with a very good setting. Author has tried hard to extract emotions out of reader, with vivid description of Morrie's deteriorating condition, childhood flashbacks,etc., but sadly enough fails. Most of what is written comes out as "philosophical" and hence cliche. But then this is what philosophy is all about,it always seems cliche till the point one day one of those off-heard "philosophical dialogues" becomes an epiphany and then your world changes. All these self-help and motivational books, catharsis classes, etc start making sense and the general gyaan about life and death becomes part of your daily dose. You start empathising with a dying soul appearing on a talk show, cry as he/she tells the story of his/her life, laugh at his so-called-jokes and so on.
But i guess i am far from that stage as of now.Morrie tried and succeeded in getting tears out of Mitch,but Mitch couldn't get one out of my eye.
My learning from this book was the realisation of my teacher, someone who teaches you a lesson in life that you never forget or never want to forget. Right from the start of this novel, i knew who the real teacher in my life is. In case you haven't realised till date who your teacher is, may be while reading this book you will.
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