Separable? Na!!! Just stretchable

So here's a post from the self proclaimed Ultra-Procrastinator. Much has changed from the previous year. After quitting my keyboard music classes (all of a sudden without even informing my instructor Aditya), I dont know why I did that, just happened, I have hardly been practising the instrument regularly!

I happened to subscribe the Hindustan Times newspaper for an entire year as the yearly discounted rate was almost Nil compared to other dailies. The columns I savour on are the ones by Vir Sanghvi (that man speaks on the figs he chews and the Sakis he gulps in different restaurants across the globe.. good for him) and another corner which is hovered by the well known 'sexologist on books' Khushwant Singh. I am more impressed by the way Singh puts the words. His one peculiar style in his columns on the sunday edition is that the article is usually a mix of more than 1 subject. He reminds me of GB Shaw who wrote even in his last few days atthe age of 94! (Remember Shaw's famous quote - "I write for the same reason a cow gives milk"?) And this is when I feel that being 25 I have a whole of Everest to conquer.

So here is my first instalment, impressed by Singh's style. Guru Aashirvadichaalum
(Bless me, Guru) .

Recent Addictions

Facebook: You utter the word and the conversations go abuzz. Today the whole of one's life's events is clearly found to be reflecting on his or her facebook wall. All thanks to the dedicated hours on this networking platform for updating even the most private happenings in their lives! I started immitating them for a few months. Then all of a sudden, I realized why do it? I can still live a normal life with having a circle of limited friends. Of course I do have a few online friends but I still have them in my friends list(and they have me in theirs) because there's conversations happening on subjects of common interests. I have given up on adding more of any online friends. I just thought its better late than never - not to make facebooking an addiction.

Switching jobs: Yes, I have changed 3 jobs in the last 7 months. And this due to just one reason - choosing the wrong option for undergraduate studies at the age of 17. As I always tell the younger ones to be superconscious about choosing a certain course, and if possible undergo proper counselling so that they dont land up wasting a huge sum on a subject which would finally lead to boredom in their graduation .. and finally a work life filled with dilemmas. Thanks to the dilemma which made me take these drastic steps. I hope switching jobs dont become an addiction. After all which employer would like to hire a guy who boasts of having worked with the top 10 brands in a span of just 2 years?

On the Ultimate Male Fantasy

So the viewers of MTV India are discussing more on the series MF 101. A show where four hunks are given options to fulfil their fantasies, but yes they come with a price tag as well. Some top celebrities were asked by a journo on their male fantasies. Some blurted on sailing on their private yachts to the Mediterranean. Others speak on having a Buddha's life on a Greek mountain top. A few others want to imbibe all the qualities of Amitabh Bachchan and date Elizabeth Taylor. Hmm not bad! So I happened to question myself on my fantasies. I think it would be just spending a life teaching students English and Music (in the years to come) on a calm and isolated corner in Kerala - my birth-state and my native land in South India. After having spent almost 20 years in Mumbai which has only honking vehicles' buzz and corporate hell to be offered on the plate. Male fantasies, I would say, are not separable but they are only stretchable. Once you fantasize, the fantasy just starts widening on its own. Its just a modern coinage for the term desire. But I pray let fantasies not be a root cause of all evil. ( do i see the Buddha laughing at me!). Im all smiles.

To be continued on the next instalment....

Some Pluses and Minuses – year 2009

Glasses clinking to bid adieu, the fizz symbolizing a welcome to 2010






At the end of every year we tend to ponder over the happenings from the month of Jan that goes on to complete the twelfth.

A few such moments of which I had a vague picture, I decided to put them on paper. I don’t know where the pluses and minuses fall. Here they are…

1) Post 26/11 Mumbai: Ten people came, they killed, they got killed, and finally attained posthumous fame. Media channels hogged on more than 1000 hours covering the facts and fiction on the terror trail. A year had passed and if we try scrutinizing the current security measures taken in public places, there isn’t much in addition.
The first Anniversary of the tragedy was made grand, thanks to the 24/7 news channels. A big chunk of taxes collected from people wasted on preserving the bodies of the nine gunmen, and the lone Kasab caught alive. As the year is to end, there’s a new cartoon character called David Coleman Headley (Mr.Conspirator) who’s got his name reserved for daily headlines. I would have considered the FBI to be fake as well, had I not heard of them before or watched the X Files a decade ago.

2) Of scrapping, facebooking and tweeting: Chat facilities enabled by Yahoo and MSN, years ago, gave birth to the many “net nannies” and “cyber gypsies”. Chatrooms were instantly occupied, pseudo names created.. and went along the endless pings till late night. Then in the year 2004, came a rage of social networking sites with Orkut taking lead in India. Users could blatantly add whatever photos and reveal all background information they want to the rest of the cyber world, they’d post scraps on other anonymous profiles. Following this were the competitors Facebook, My Space. Orkut did lose some loyal fellows to these. Finally came to picture this year Twitter where one could go on tweet-tweet, twitter-twitter. Some celebrities got their blogs monetized, while others who were famous became infamous with their “controversial tweets” (take Dr.Shashi Tharoor as the finest example). All of this would be short lived. How long will the social animal be stuck to confined spaces interacting with online aliens?

3) Himesh Reshammiya – A Saga: A leading newspaper while recollecting a few nightmares spoke about him, “ .. his ill-matched baseball caps were worse than his nasal twang..” so true isn’t it?
(un)fortunately I’ve had the opportunity to speak with him on phone some time back. Then I was undergoing my training program in a hotel in its In-room dining services. Himesh had a concert on the 31st (what a start to New year!) there. He rang to place his order, “Won Blank Cafe” – he meant one black coffee. He rang up twice later, I knew the third time what his order would be – Blank Cafe. One who’s single handedly assaulted the whole concept of multi-tasking in hindi cinema, which was once graced by veterans. Year 2009 was not spared again. We can only pray, “Man ka radio band kar u zaraa!”

4) Men armed with “the first real six string”: 2009 saw some new faces in the Rock circuit in Mumbai. Aura – a resto bar which is a few blocks away from our office has been giving opportunities to upcoming bands. Also post these fortnightly concerts, I’ve got to see many guys hanging a guitar on their shoulders and walking around. I place it – half of them had it because of some momentary attraction.
If you were to visit any music store here, there’s one thing that’d behold your attention. Many young eyes are inclined to guitars, a little lesser towards drums, further less to other instruments. Many have resorted to the strings thinking that its easy to strum and succeed. A Steve Vai pose can be choreographed in 2 minutes but it takes more than that to master the instrument. What say guitarists?

5) Breaking the V-day conventions: Fearing that the moral police would create unnecessary trouble in coffee shops and other regular hangouts, many decided to choose a different way in making 14th Feb special. Coincidentally the Kala Ghoda festival was in full storm in Mumbai hosting various events, concerts, exhibitions at the same time. There were many couples who turned up for the concerts this day - by the multi-instrumentalist Raghav Sachar which was followed by the master trio – Shankar Ehsaan Loy. Five hours of pure fun!! Celebrations for many of these thus resulted in havoc free, mesmerizing moments filled with absolute romance.

6) Rise of Entrepreneurship: Recession was the one word few liked, many others hated. Some used it as a perfect rescue word to save costs, while others feared it since this could be used as a weapon to cut their jobs. Two of my friends recently quit their jobs: one from a leading Spanish chain selling sculptures, other from a leading Telecom company. They have decided to start with individual ventures. The gene of entrepreneurship is getting active in tough times! May this tribe increase…

7) Too much of Reality: Realty industry was hit to some extent as a result of recession. But the reality show industry has seen itself moving just the way north in the graph.
Last year saw reality shows eating up most of the television channels’ time. The chosen few would perform, judges would sit and give occasional comments like programmed dummies, and all this would follow with the contestant asking for audience’s votes (more than half of them perhaps who didn’t even know what the task was all about!). There’s bombarding of Smses in the air. I fear if all this would result in a time when one’s worth in the family would be known by the number of Smses he or she gets from the rest!

8) “Aal izz well”: While the older Khans were crooning along with the younger Kapoors in bollywood an antithesis could be sensed in the immediate surroundings. It seems, from a rough poll I conducted last year, that there has been a plausible rise in the number of men magnetized towards females who’re a little older than them. Reason why, hmm! I don’t know. I wish I were Sigmund Freud. To be honest I would vote for Jhumpa Lahiri to find the Celebrity With The Most Sparkling Eyes, and Shobha De for Celebrity With The Most Infectious Smile than voting for some clone of an anorexic supermodel. All is well. Na! “Aal izz well!”

Some nightmares from last year would follow this year too. Here’s wishing you a year filled with blessings and strength to make your dreams come true…

A poem on a birthday

This was written last year on a quiet Friday evening. Nothing much at work, so I took it as a good passtime. Never knew I can sound the least romantic while addressing the verses to some girl. Ah! this girl who works in my office, I had a crush on her but never really took the pain to confess (her gujju boyfriend would make Theplas and Khakras out of me if I did that!). That saturday it was her Birthday, and I thought why not pen something and silently place it on her desk once she's done with her shift. She would have read it, discarded that paper on which it was written.. and forgot about it. I knew that I gues. Some feelings turn waste when inked. Still that poet in me couldnt resist, you see (winks)

The moon will be replaced by the morning star
And this weekday will diminish into a weekend
As I tend all other thoughts to a distance far
Thinking of new ways to sing "Happy B'day, my friend!"
The most beautiful day of this year to dawn
When the clock chimes a rhythmic twelve
With darkness, be all your mind's obstacles gone
Bringing a fresh bouquet of thoughts to delve
may the early sunlight not wake you for a while
let it allow you to be in a world of dreams
So when you rise up late, you have a rosy smile
And in intense happiness your face beams
A morning prayer, blessings of all dear ones
To be followed with an exquisite brunch
for a second, you might wonder why time runs
The present would seem a cookie to munch!
The lazy noon’s meant for a weekend movie
So for which one do we go ahead?
When all friends gather, mind turns groovy
Whatever’s in plate, we watch instead
The sun turns crimson, call for a pizza bite
We’d vroom to the nearest Hut
A quick gaze of menu to have something light
We’d enjoy this quick fare but
That wait is over, time to head back home
There would lie an expected surprise
A raspberry cake shaped like Colossus of Rome,
Fancy shaped candles around, what a disguise!
A clink of martinis, all dear ones around
Angels showering good health on you
Could time wait and this day go round n round?
As we sing “Happy B'day to you!!!" 