A Touch of Evil

IPL

2010-04-25T14:54:00.002+05:30

Just a bit of complaining is due after yesterday's torturous IPL game. Anyone who thinks watching an game live at the stadium is a wonderful experience, here are 10 reasons for you to reconsider:

1. It takes at least 90 mins to reach DY Patil stadium. That is if you know exactly where to go. Else you can navigate all around the confusing signboards and VVIP service lanes before figuring out how to get there. And the whole fuss about reaching at least 2 hours in advance is a complete sham. Feel free to come in at whatever time suits you.

2. Your e-ticket needs to be exchanged for a stadium pass. That means waiting in an hour long queue. And that too without cell phones. The organizers take special care to hand out passes as slowly as possible. Do you remember how staff passes were dealt out at Mood I?

3. Security - i was thoroughly frisked four times by various cops standing in a line with barely 15 feet separating each of them. I understand the need for security but four times pretty much amounts to groping! And the cops seem to love this frisking bit. Something eerie about this whole business.

4. Cell phones prohibited. I really wonder what threat could these possibly pose? Cell phones aren't banned at the English Premier league, at the Wimbledon or for that matter any sporting event that I know of. Then why here? What a massive inconvenience!

5. Refreshments comprise of watery cold coffee, mad donuts (i didn't see a single one purchased), odd tasting fountain Pepsi and melted gelato ice cream. So appetizing indeed!

6. The weather at DY Patil. Hot, sweaty and without a hint of breeze. That is unless you have have the rank and reach to get into one of those air conditioned box seats.

7. The view from the stands. 95% of the stadium crowd are at angels where they can't see any of the nuances that make cricket exciting: the line and length of the ball, the batsman's footwork, the spin and swing, the delicate shots. From the crowd cheers, I am pretty certain no one could distinguish between a wide ball, a caught behind and a slash and miss. The screens at the stadium are purely an advertising gimmick. Don't expect any replays!

8. The sounds. 10-9-8-7 countdown after every Max mobile time out. The high pitched pi pi pi pi pi siren thats plays every 5 mins (which for some reason elicits a roar every time from the crowd). The retarded MC with his cliched attempts to get the fans in a frenzy (ganpati bapa?).

9. The squabble for seats. Doesn't matter what seat number is printed on your ticket. Where you finally sit is entirely a function of what time you arrive at the stadium. Most people accept this reality and sit wherever they find a spot. Some decide to exercise their birth right and spend a good half innings creating a scene over their seats being occupied.

10. The game itself. There are certainly more one sided games in IPL 3 than in the first two editions. It took us 6 hours to get to our seats (starting from finding tickets, driving to dy patil, collecting stadium passes, finding a car park, grabbing a bite, security, etc) And Deccan Chargers rewarded us with a 35-5 within the first 25 mins of the game. We hoped in vain for some fireworks in the Bangalore innings. A 6 to 7 over finish would have brought in some excitement. But kallis took 32 balls to make 19 runs and Bangalore took 14 overs to win.

If you are really smart, you may figure out a way to get box seats. And if you are still smarter, you will just watch the game at home.

Europe calling

2010-04-19T10:26:00.002+05:30

For many years now I have harbored a desire to go backpacking in Europe. Looks like this summer it will finally happen. 4 long blissful weeks :)
Here is the current draft of the itinerary. Suggestions are welcome. And if you can join in on any leg of the tour, you are even more welcome!

Jul 12 (Mon): Arrival in Frankfurt early morning, evening flight to Madrid
Jul 13: Day in Madrid, evening train to San Sebastian
Jul 14 - 15: San Sebastian beaches etc, maybe day trip to Pamplona to catch the festival of the Running Bulls
Jul 16: Evening train to Barcelona
Jul 17-19: Barcelona, Overnight train to Seville on 19th
Jul 20-21: Seville, maybe Granada or Malaga
Jul 22: Flight to Milan, evening train to Florence
Jul 23: Florence
Jul 24-25: Cinque Terre - a set of 5 villages built on the Northern Italian coast. Great for hiking
Jul 26 -27: Rome, Vatican
Jul 28-29: Naples and maybe day trip to Pompei, evening flight to Nice on 29th
Jul 30-31: Nice, perhaps Monaco
Aug 1: Train to Paris, evening in Paris
Aug 2-4: Amsterdam. Train from Paris on Aug 2 morning. Departure to Berlin on Aug 4 evening
Aug 5: Berlin
Aug 6: Prague
Aug 7: Back to Frankfurt
Aug 8: Flight to Mumbai

Essentially 9 days in Spain, 8 days in Italy and another 9 days scattered around Nice, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague. One month seems like such a short time!

Here we go again...

2010-04-18T15:46:00.006+05:30

Yes I'm back and will hopefully linger around here for a bit. While the whole world seems to be migrating towards twitter (i fail to understand why?!), I still prefer good old blog format. Where have I been all this while? Here are month by month highlights from the last 9 months (in the hope that someday I may look back at this blog post and get overwhelmed by a sense of nostalgia :P)

July 2009: Having spent the past 7 months at CMS, my stint there was almost coming to a close in July. I was pretty much swamped with work for the whole month, running circles trying to solve union issues at CMS, interviewing over a 100 EA candidates for Rajiv, and going back and forth with our Investment committee on two deals. I made my first trip to Kerala as part of the CMS offsite. Amidst all this, where is the time for a social life!

August 2009: We had our annual Blackstone India offsite. The Wildflower resort at Simla was spectacular - an open air jacuzzi at the edge of the valley, all night poker games, tennis, fresh air and getting away from the madness of Mumbai (which honestly held little attraction for me in those days). I also enjoyed the convoluted term sheet negotiations and structuring that took place on one of my deals - my first hand experience in the intricacies of private equity buyouts. Besides tons of further interviews for Rajiv's EA, I pretty much pulled out of CMS in August. August also saw me getting serious about the whole essays and application business. Some personal life disappointments aside, this turned out to be another high octane month.

September 2009: September was all about essays. And recommendation letters, CVs and all that jazz. I spent countless hours at every possible coffee shop in south mumbai trying to figure out "what matter most to me" blah blah. I think I would have been the biggest customer for Tea Leaf and Coffee Bean in September. Not that Cafe Coffee Day, Barista and the rest had any reason to complain given they were seeing plenty of me too :P Then there was frantic diligence activity on my deal. This deal had every possible complication we could think of: legal, structure, tax, business issues, fraud, environment, management, ego conflicts etc! Managing over 10 consultants on a ridiculously tight deadline was bloody intense. September was also when that crazy phase took place which Ravi and I can laugh about in retrospect. But what haunts me most about September is receiving that most vicious, fatal personal blow in my life. A single phone call is all it took to shatter my conviction (I still get occasional nightmares...). So much action for one month! Professionally stretched, emotionally quite distraught and with the application deadlines looming ahead, this was indeed the most testing phase of 2009.

October 2009: So my first deadline was comfortably met (HBS). And then I put in a mad dash to get my Stanford application ready in the less than a week. Day and night I grappled with that cruel "what matters most" question, writing up notes in the morning only to scrap them by the evening. Not having someone to brainstorm with and review my Stan essays in that critical week only made it much harder... No sooner was Stan submitted than there was another rush to put together the materials for the investment committee meeting on my deal. 8 days in office where I seldom left before 2 am. Only after Diwali did things start looking up again. The HBS interview call came in and with it, a much needed quiet phase at work. Some breathing space at last!

November 2009: More diligence, more calls, more meetings. Final investment committee meeting on my deal was due in another 20 days. In parallel, the first half of November was about preparing for the HBS interview (no word from Stan). Many more hours at Coffee Bean. Or just strolling aimlessly at Marine Drive, punching in bullet points on my blackberry in preparation for over a 100 potential questions. The interview was smooth. I remember being asked over 25 questions in the space of merely 30 mins. Almost a rapid fire round! But what I remember most fondly about the interview day was the comment that Mr. Arun Nanda (director at Mahindra & Mahindra) made when he walked past me while I was waiting at the lobby. The one month long wait for the results then began. There was also that memorable dinner with Helmet and gang at the Tasting Room which set the tone for a crazy December.

December 2009: Still no word from Stanford. Check mailbox, check spam and check forums.. and then repeat all over. That was my daily routine for the first two weeks but the interview invite never came. December was the most peaceful month at work in all of 2009. In parallel began that crazy little phase which took off after Teng's bachelor party (and that incredible cake). 700+ lines a day! Dec 15 came and my world changed. HBS admit :) Next day was the Stan reject but it didn't really matter! Work took a backseat. Tote's happened. Goa happened. After a rough 2009, the year ended in style.

January 2010: New year came and with it came new resolutions. Economist subscription, tennis lessons, regular visits to the gym. I also made my second Kerala work trip as part of diligence on a new deal. My weekends ended up again sitting at Coffee bean - this time supporting PJ with her essays. Here was a phase in life when everything seemed to be going just great. Work was in cruise mode, personal life was at peace and fitness levels saw dramatic improvements. Only regret was losing an old friend with whom I had spent so much time in 2009. I don't know what got into him!

February 2010: I guess the preceding two and a half months had been too good to be true and peace could not sustain forever. There had to be some surprises in store. Attended Chetan's wedding in Hyderabad. Well not exactly the wedding but the youngster's party that preceded it. Hyderabad trip however ended up in a disaster with some painful discoveries. Again the mental toll! Grrrrr. My long standing weakness playing up again. Work also picked up after the lull in recent months with an investment committee meeting at the end of the month.

March 2010: Mad weekend in powai with a dozen old timers converging at panch leela on a Saturday night. I am surprised Ravi hasn't received a notice from his flatmates for all the ruckus we created. And then there was an incredible trip to Sri Lanka. On some wild impulse, mota, me and ravi packed our bags and took off for a 3 day holiday to the pristine sparkling Lankan beaches. The trip left us with some amazing memories and amazing photographs. March also saw some wonderful nights at bandra, marine drive and panch leela that were so reminiscent of the old times (late 2008, early 2009). The pendulum had now swung the other way. A new deal moved forward at work and this one should probably be my last real piece of action at Blackstone.

So that's a long post. Being a bit more regular from now on won't really hurt :P

Probability

2009-08-21T14:30:00.004+05:30

Once when stepping out of home in the night to buy bread from downstairs, I wondered what would be the odds of me crossing paths with my dad who would be on his way home from work.

This presents an interesting probability puzzle which I have laid out below.

Assume I have to go from A to C and my dad has to go from B to A as per the diagram above. I am equally likely to take the route ADGFC or the route ADEFC. My dad will always take the BGDA route. My dad walks at 100 meters/min while I walk at 125 meters/min. What is the probability of us meeting on the way if my dad is equally likely to start from B anytime between 9.00 pm and 9.30 pm and I am equally likely to start A at any time between 9.10 pm and 9.20 pm?

Treat assured to the first correct answer... :)

I can't hear you

2009-06-16T01:54:00.003+05:30

Did you say something?
It sounded very sweet
I want to hear it again
Could you please repeat?

Hello are you still there?
I want to hear it again
Yes, those very lines
That you've been sayin'

Could you speak up a bit?
Silence makes me tense
I still can't hear you
This isn't making sense.

Wild Goose Chase

2009-05-05T10:44:00.000+05:30

I chased a red herring
And quite lost my bearing
I searched my way back home
In the narrow streets of Rome

Pulled an arrow from my quiver
Loaded my crossbow with a shiver
Aimed the arrow at her head
I wanted her in my bed

But the arrow hit her mom
Oh my! She raised a storm!
She chased me with a broom
I couldn't be the groom

I had nowhere to run
So I stared into the sun
And sang a sorrowful song
Where O Where did I go wrong

The sun couldn't wait all night
He soon got out of sight
The stars took up his place
Casting their light upon my face

Now I need a cot to sleep
Some place warm, cosy and cheap
Tomorrow I resume my quest
But first a good night's rest

Time the Slayer

2009-04-23T00:18:00.001+05:30

Time kills love
Time kills youth
Time kills desire
Time kills joy
Time kills grief
Kill time before it kills you...

Mumbai

2009-04-12T12:01:00.002+05:30

A year back when I was posted in Manchester on a McKinsey assignment, I often yearned to be back in Mumbai. I was willing to forsake the pleasant English summer for the heat and humidity of my hometown. After all, this city played host to all my friends. More than I could ever keep in touch in with. No dearth of them. Every weekend I was spoilt for choice between the number of possible people I could meet. In fact, there were so many of those with whom I even made several plans to catch up that never materialized due to lack of time.

And now I long to be back in Manchester.

Suddenly this bustling metropolis seems emptier than it has ever felt. One by one, I seemed to have lost almost every one of those persons I had the option to hang out with. Most of them have left the city. Some have drifted out of touch into their own circles. Some refuse to talk to me. Another couple of months and I expect to lose the remaining few as well. Office has become lonely. Weekends lack their sheen. Powai seems so distant.

Now I yearn to be back in Manchester - crazy weather, Picadilly gardens, Trafford Center, Deansgate Locks, football obsession, the lure of London and all the wilderness...

Five years ago...

2009-01-27T23:44:00.002+05:30

I wasn't too hopeful. The rumour mill had pegged my chances to be pretty low. There was scandalous talk of secret affairs and underhand dealings. There were intense discussions at the canteen each night, analyzing and dissecting every clue we picked up each day - the stray words we heard them speak, the deceptive looks they gave us.

But I was wrong. They called me up one weekday afternoon and asked me to come to the coffee shack. I was excited and yet nervous when I got there. I had an inkling that I would be greeted with good news.

Instead, I was greeted with an indecipherable smile and a piercing glance. It didn't take long for them to come to the point. They sought a commitment. And the commitment meant a sacrifice, it meant taking a chance with something that had shaped my identity for the past 20 years. They were sitting there gauging my reactions to check how sure I was. It was a sacrifice they sought in return for placing their confidence in me.

I wasn't sure at all. Yet they had made an offer that I had no heart to refuse. At that moment, I decided to take the plunge. I pretended to be sure when I said yes. And then there was no turning back.

Five years have elapsed since that unforgettable afternoon at the coffee shack. I shudder to think back at the sheer magnitude of the impact my decision has had on my life in the years that followed. Everything that followed - most of my friends, my work, my love, my ambitions - all sprouted from that one moment when I stopped thinking and took the plunge.

2009-01-15T13:18:00.001+05:30

A blog is sometimes the ideal way to relieve stress... Especially when its not about work. And even more so when you are helpless.

But what the hell, we will still prevail.

ZZZzzz...

2008-10-04T11:28:00.002+05:30

A three day long weekend is usually enough reason to be excited and offers potential to do a whole bunch of new and crazy things. But mine has been dull, dreary, sleepy, boring, lonely.... ZZzzz..

Storm

2008-08-28T18:25:00.002+05:30

There's an eerie silence in the air
Maybe I heard a faint rumbling in the distance
Or is it just my imagination?
Feels like the lull before a storm!

Preconceived Notions

2008-08-27T23:10:00.000+05:30

Human beings love to simplify. One way to simplify is to create a structure, a rule, a generalization... Some framework which would allow them to be able to explain things around them and predict future outcomes (consultants particularly love frameworks!)
And its in this love for simplification are born stereotypes... and even worse - preconcieved notions!
Why take the effort to understand complex human behaviour?
Why care about the reasons underlying a person's actions?
Why bother to observe that things change and people evolve with time?
Isn't it much easier to judge (Note: humans also love to judge) on the basis of a simplistic preconcieved notion?

Unusual weekend

2008-08-25T11:32:00.002+05:30

Here is why:-

1. Spent saturday night at home - Can't remember when that last happened

2. Worked a few hours on Saturday and Sunday - Can't remember when that last happened either!

3. India won, Chelsea won and Arsenal lost - Something to cheer about

4. Finally found true love - Catherine Zeta Jones after watching The Mask of Zorro :P

5. Actually enjoyed a vegetarian chinese meal - The most shocking of them all!

Keep Talking

2008-08-21T19:36:00.002+05:30

It doesn't have to be like this
All we need to do is to make sure we keep talking...

Today's playlist

2008-08-19T10:53:00.002+05:30

1. Stadium Arcadium - RHCP
2. Space Trucking - Deep Purple
3. Afraid To Shoot Strangers - Iron Maiden
4. Layla - Eric Clapton
5. Estranged - Guns N Roses
6. L. A. Woman - The Doors
7. Snow (Hey Oh) - RHCP
8. Iron Man - Black Sabbath
9. Mama Said - Metallica
10. Jeremy - Pearl Jam

Such are the times...

2008-08-16T20:26:00.001+05:30

When mindless banter
Forms the bulk of my rhymes
And deafening silence
Is a verdict on my crimes;
I have to exclaim
Such are the times!!

The Painting

2008-08-16T11:06:00.003+05:30

Give me a palette full of colours
And a canvas to splash them upon
Watch the strokes of my paintbrush
On the canvas, its innocence gone!

Give me shades of grey
And a few drops of red
I see a fountain of colours
Exploding in my head

Give me a box full of matches
And I'll set this painting ablaze
Hungry flames engulf my canvas
While I sit back and watch in a daze

The Clone

2008-08-04T21:24:00.002+05:30

For years I thought I was alone
Until I discovered my clone
Who can tell what I think
Who knows when I'll blink
Whose responses are the same
But responds to a different name

Phew!

2008-07-23T00:41:00.003+05:30

At first there were windows
With beautiful views
Of flowers and valleys
Of skycrapers and alleys
Of rain and the sea
And we would stare at beauty

Now there are windows
In which I see you
In tiny little chat boxes
With icons and toolbars
Exclamations and colon-stars
And then I say Phew!

Indifference

2008-06-27T15:21:00.002+05:30

I think I know how to enjoy love and how to rationalize hate...
What I struggle with is indifference :(

Bad times for men in blue

2008-05-29T16:58:00.003+05:30

First Chelsea lose the Premier League on the last day and a nail-biting UCL final
Then Mumbai-Indians lose three consecutive last-ball matches

Blue uniforms are jinxed.

Nonetheless, here is a pic from my trip to Stamford bridge last month (Chelsea vs Bolton). Thats Lampard taking a corner kick. Nothing beats the atmosphere of a football match in a packed stadium!! I hope to own a season pass some day....

2008-05-27T21:38:00.000+05:30

Ppl, plz play ur moves on scrabulous!

Stadium arcadium

2008-05-26T17:39:00.002+05:30

Discovered this song by accident... must say it is one RHCP's best ever! Catch it on:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsSb-oX3ffo

Crazy lyrics...

No pain - No gain

2008-04-23T18:29:00.002+05:30

If you get things quite easily in life, you might almost start to believe they are your birthright.

Who is to judge?

2008-04-02T20:53:00.003+05:30

Who are we to judge others when are own lives are full of selfish lies, ulterior motives and foul intentions? You may call me a cynic, but tell me: Are there any saints out there?

2008-03-31T07:20:00.002+05:30

I heard this over dinner last week:-

When you look back in your life to the times when you were extremely sad, disappointed or the times when you were extremely happy and delirious... more often than not you will see that things weren't as bad or great as your first impressions of them at that moment.

The hunter and the farmer

2008-03-26T12:04:00.002+05:30

There were two hungry men. One decided to hunt. The other decided to farm.

The hunter tracked his prey. He had to be swift, spontaneous, accurate in taking aim and lucky as well. He was competing with several other capable hunters in the same forest area for its scarce resources. He had also to be wary of the numerous traps and pitfalls that lay in the forest. Despite all his efforts, he often came home hungry

The farmer built a fence around his little piece of land, sowed some seeds and watered them regularly. He waited patiently. Soon he had food in abundance.

Moral of the story: stop hunting and start cultivating.

Food

2008-03-18T11:29:00.001+05:30

I am getting fat! Not many ppl can even imagine this happening. But its true :(

Need to do something!

A chase

2008-03-16T23:45:00.001+05:30

Life is a continuous chase. Stop running after one thing to start
running after another. No end in sight. :(

Forbidden Fruit

2008-02-07T09:41:00.000+05:30

O sweet little fruit, hanging low
Tempting me with your fresh glow
You stand out amongst all fruits
I want to pluck you from your roots

Good sense tells me to steer away
But I try to pluck you every day

You hang there, tantalizingly close
Bring cheer to me, repel my woes
To grab you I reach out my hand
In vain, as I sink into quicksand

Outside

2008-02-05T14:02:00.000+05:30

Circles etched on the playing field
Some intersecting, several isolated
Some with thick circumferences
Some faintly visible lines

Dots scattered on the playing field
Some in the intersection of several circles
Some encircled by merely one
And some with none

Dots moving vibrantly
Closing in on one another
Some moving away
And some on the outside
Lost for words to say

Mumbai Traffic

2007-09-26T09:53:00.001+05:30

10 days of Ganesh festival and not once do I find myself stuck in traffic.

On the 11th day, its the indian cricket team victory parade and I take one whole hour extra to reach work.

2007-09-24T09:59:00.001+05:30

The question is:-
Are you Bianca? How would I know if a Muffet came by?

As things stand...

2007-09-11T10:45:00.001+05:30

Job: Steady. Easy on lifestyle. Makes me a bit restless sometimes. Wondering what to do next year when I leave McK. Starting up is top preference! Non profit would be next.
Guitar: Can play "Happy Birthday" fairly well! :P Should practice more! Lessons from Pona are most helpful.
Car: Doesn't start on turning the ignition key. Haven't driven it for three weeks. All thanks to Ravi's new car.
Books: Completed "The Name of the Rose" Brilliant novel. Must read for those who would like a mix of history and suspense. A murder mystery set in a monastery in the 14th century.
Movies: Watched "Dhamaal". Was surprisingly entertaining. Might end up watching it again.
Physical activity: Occasionally climbing up and down the staircase at the client's office.
Women: None... :(
Vacations: Plans of a trek in Himalayas, a roadtrip to Goa and beach vacation in Andamans are floating around
Music: Whatever plays on FM radio

Nothings gonna change my world

2007-09-05T23:09:00.000+05:30

Nothings gonna change my world
Not you
Nor your deeds
Not my fears
Nor those times
Not mirages
Nor sand castles in the air
Not the things they say

I can feel the road ahead
It beckons me to venture forth

Inertia

2007-07-31T10:00:00.001+05:30

So often we know exactly what to fix in our lives. Then we make elaborate plans to solve for them. Make resolutions. Derive excitement from the pursuit. But in the course of time, the passion falters. The resolve weakens. Lethargy sets in. Schedules slip by.

And suddenly you are back where you started! Alas. If only you knew there never was a problem.

There is no need to fix our lives.

Back on the street

2007-07-21T18:11:00.000+05:30

You were right... always were :) I didn't like the tone but the content was spot on! Now I'm back. And wiser. A little aged too :P

Growing up

2007-07-17T15:40:00.000+05:30

Come on fellow, be a sport! Take things in your stride. Grow up. :)

evolution

2007-07-09T13:36:00.000+05:30

From Crichton, Christie, Townsend, Tolkien ..... To mounting stacks of unread books
From Tennis, Squash and 5km runs ..... To the occasional walks within malls
From craving outside food and treats ..... To getting fat on expensive food
From Metal, Rock, Grunge, Fusion ..... To foot-tapping Bollywood hits
From old tshirts, rugged jeans, floaters ..... To full sleeve shirts, ironed trousers, boots
From numbers, equations, theorems ..... To charts, synthesis and jargon

And then there are times...

2007-06-12T14:01:00.000+05:30

... when there are no answers. Only fears and hopes. Only blurred and confused reality. Wishes and dreams, interspersed with mistrust and despair. When there are so many roads to take and yet none beckon. When fog is thick and chill is near. When thoughts swing like a pendulum from end to end but never settle down. Circles and circles. Layers beneath layers. Visions and memories. And yet again, I don't have a fuckin answer

Top 10 peeves about Bombay

2007-05-31T20:07:00.001+05:30

1. Spam SMS:- Click here to see hot wallpapers, click there to get free hotel stay, click this for ringtones, click that to find a date!

2. Parking lot attendants:- Forever complaining about spare change, about the rate, about the duration of parking... every 1 rupee with them is a battle!

3. Traffic:- Bumper to bumper traffic no matter where you go in the evening. Bandra, sion, prabhadevi, powai.. everywhere

4. Humidity:- Dripping sweat within 5 minutes of leaving home..

5. Moral Police:- Shut down everything by 1, don't hold hands, hate v-day, blame it all on western culture

6. Eunuchs:- Roll down your windows at a traffic signal and you'll find a eunuch groping you all over

7. Local trains:- Packing density of persons comparable to the trains used by the Nazis to drive off Jew to concentration camps

8. Bandwidth:- Areawise monopoly of broadband service providers, terrible speeds, frequent disconnects and even zero service

9. Autos and Taxis:- Empty taxis slow down traffic by crawling around looking for customers. Hired taxis break all traffic rules and signals

10. Litter:- Maybe in my lifetime I might see a clean city?

working hard?

2007-05-31T11:37:00.000+05:30

Look at the intense concentration
The strained eyes, the slight frown
Am I really working hard?
Or just posing for a snap! :)

Big words

2007-05-25T13:39:00.000+05:30

I heard someone being described as an unctuous, pretentious, punctillious bastard! And my immediate reaction was... "Where is the dictionary!!?"

Discussions, arguments, confrontations, fights

2007-05-24T20:07:00.000+05:30

Can you identify the fine line between a discussion, debate, argument, fight and a confrontation!! And they all take root in simple disagreements. So often at the end of a conversation, I have no idea which of the above forms did it take?!!

So confusing...

Johnny Crash'ed

2007-05-23T19:23:00.000+05:30

I just read an Asterix. Perhaps only the second one I've ever read. Its too kiddish. Dunno why mota starts drooling at the thought of them.

I waste too much time playing on my cell phone :( Its bloody addictive and mind numbing. Every once in a while I get inspired to do something interesting with my life, every once in a while I get infused with energy and creativity. And then it wears down while I make my eyes sore over stupid Johnny Crash surpassing the high scores.

This week has been remarkably quick. Can't believe the weekend will be here in 2 days. Something to look forward to at last. I can't remember doing anything exciting on my birthday in the past 10 to 15 years. It always falls in the middle of summer when people are home for vacation. Hopefully this one would be memorable.

Tonight is the Champion's League finals. Hope AC Milan wins. Am confused as to whether I should I stay up and watch the match or just go to sleep. Since I proudly claim to be an avid football follower, this is the least I could do to prove the same.

And talking about work.... Somewhere the sting is missing. I plan, I get excited, I can see solutions in the horizon, but I really hate to sit and finish things. I am growing lazier by the day. Feeling wholly unsatisfied with my work over the past few months. Feel like blaming it on the client, the problem statement, the people around, the constraints.... and yet there has always been a part of me which has been reluctant, holding back, lazy perhaps...

I should go to the gym... the headache will just be an excuse. For the nth time, let me not break the habit.

People are two faced. There are some who overwhelm you with their charisma, their energy, empathy and wit. You start adoring them and want them as your friends. But sometimes I think their show of care and enthusiasm, their humor and apparent interest in you is but an act. Deep inside, they are shrewd, scheming and entirely driven by selfish motives.

and then there were none...

2007-05-19T20:15:00.000+05:30

there weren't much to start with. but then came many. many and many more. but one by one they go. some overseas, some to far off cities, and some have evolved so much i scarcely recognize them anymore... time, distance, priorities have changed.

what of those left behind? what of new leads?

Stupid tendency

2007-05-07T18:05:00.000+05:30

Sometimes things are going really well and then I have this incredible propensity to do something stupid and find myself in trouble. Now I sit and await the consequence.
And I am lost for words...

View from office

2007-05-07T11:14:00.000+05:30

A good enough reason to go to work? :)

The Shadow

2007-03-12T12:56:00.000+05:30

Long time ago.. I stood up to watch the view before me. There were forests, lakes, mountains and rivers... everything they said that formed a part of paradise. But amidst it all I saw a hideous shadow before me. I closed my eyes in fright. But after a point of time, I imagined the shadow was never there, or perhaps it had left. I found the courage to open my eyes. Alas! It was still there. Macabre and taunting.

Once more I shut my eyes. Hoped and prayed it would go. But no, the next time I open them, it loomed before me as big as ever. Not remotely diminished, not even slightly faded. It mocked me with its glowing red eyes. I stumbled, bled and burned.

The shadow was always there. All the time. Every time I opened my eyes, I saw it stare right back with its piercing eyes. Every single time. I think it will never go.

I just need to turn around and change my view.

Thought for the Year

2007-03-11T19:32:00.001+05:30

"make lots of money"
"enjoy the work"
"operate within the law"

choose 2

Lawyer Joke

2007-01-22T18:56:00.001+05:30

How does an attorney sleep?
First he lies on one side, and then he lies on the other.

2-1

2007-01-21T23:30:00.001+05:30

2-1
Haha! Henry rocks. No one denies ManU can beat lowly teams and gather points. But when it comes to the top teams, they still have a long way to go :)

Its 12.30

2007-01-19T12:53:00.001+05:30

Its 12.30 pm. Coffee Shack time. Time to have Iced Tea and Bonda at someon else's expense. Time to check out MI and Techfest posters. To get the latest update on scandals, controversies and gossip from all over the campus. Time to say hello to around 50 different people whilst avoiding eye contact with the random professors who stray into this area. To rush into the STD booth with this air of self importance to make calls for some fest or activity. To beg and blackmail every passerby for 50 paise. To make frantic efforts to complete your lab journals before 2pm. To gather company for lunch at SP or Gulmohar.

Music and Mood I

2007-01-05T19:59:00.000+05:30

I've been witnessing MI for the past 5 yrs. My mind is full of myriad images and strong memories from each year of the fest. But the things I connect most with each MI are the songs that became part of the memories.. song performed in the pronites or songs played in the stalls:-

MI 02:-

Breathless by Shankar Mahadevan. Still remember him repeating the track twice on audience demand
Smells like teen spirit and Another brick in the wall by Pentagram. They played some weird techno remixes of the songs but the memories still stick in my head

MI 03:-

Aa bhi jaa and Jaane kya dhoondta.. by Lucky Ali. Never seen a more packed OAT or a more engrossed crowd!
Niladri instrumental piece. It became my ringtone for nearly a year
The Trooper, Fear of the Dark by Livewire finalists. Here were sown the seeds of my lasting affair with Iron Maidens
Like a Stone by QED. And here began my craze with Audioslave and anything remotely Grunge

MI 04:-

Dhol Vajda and Don't be Shy. Every stall playd these songs some fifty times a day. Quintessential dance tracks.
Flute Song, Pyaar to hona hi tha... and other Remo numbers. Still remember the whole team gathering near the marketing gate entry to OAT and dancing together
Run like hell. The song that Parikrama played during the sound check on the day Livewire got cancelled. Never seen emotions run so high on campus.
PSP 12", Lucy, But it Rained, Yellow... Tsunami Livewire.. What a high!

MI 05:-

Aadat. The standard song on every stall and then recreated by the Mantra finalists
Suno Naa... Shaan makes the crowd go ecstatic. The tense moments preceeding his late arrival and the high that followed thereafter are unforgettable.
Bandeh. In the aftermath of a forgettable PAF, Indian Ocean set the night afire with their brilliance. Still remember stealing a minute to sit in the crowd, watch them play this song and watch her dance by the sound box
Smoke on the water. Vayu provides the perfect end to the craziest four days of my life.

MI 06:-

Tauba tauba, Teri Deewani, Chak de phatte. Kailash Kher made me dance like never before :P
Niladri once more. The same tunes and the same effect once again!

I guess there would be some precious songs with beautiful memories attached that I would have missed out in my list. Would be great if someone pointed them out.

Interesting Quote

2007-01-05T11:03:00.001+05:30

We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the complete works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know that is not true.

The best piece of advice I got for 2007

2007-01-04T11:43:00.000+05:30

Bright sunny mornings always follow dark gloomy nights. Highs and lows are a part of life, enjoy the highs and be patient during the lows. It would be unreasonable to expect every day to be perfect. Do not over react when things look glum, they have always gotten better eventually :)

Edit: Advise changed to advice on someone's advice

11 crazy days

2007-01-02T20:07:00.000+05:30

22nd Dec:- A visit to MI office, sight of nervous tired CGs, egg hakka noodles in hostel canteen, a new resolution
23rd Dec:- 600 kms drive to Goa, close escapes on the highway and ghats :p. 2 hourly stops. hotel hunting. souza lobos
24th Dec:- Garden restaurant for breakfast, Baga beach, frisbees, topless women, sun bathing, couple entry, rave party (almost) :P
25th Dec:- ROTK - Wat say U? , parasailing, more topless women, more frisbee and tennis balls, panjim and delhi durbar, ice creams
26th Dec:- 600 kms back into Bbay, resolution broken. MI night (dont remember anything abt it tho), Laughter show, clay courts, 353
27th Dec:- Work, 2 hr drive to MI, KK, canteen room, backstage, campus drives
28th Dec:- Ms. MI interviews, bunking work, sound checks, Adaa, main gate security, Niladri, Kailash Kher, dancing like crazy, nite out making ppts for work
29th Dec:- Random work, Sion pav bhaji, 2 hr drive to campus, parikrama, MI gossips, cack sessions, some good sleep :p
30th Dec:- Refreshing bath, Far east, Marine drive, Ming's Palace, Polly esthers
31st Dec:- 160 kms to Murud, Appy fizz, lays, crackle, sand castles, para sailing again, horse rides, something green, backstreet boys :P, firecrackers
1st Jan:- Car repairs, afternoon nap, lots of phone calls, and 10 hrs of sleep at last!!

Now u know why I didn't blog so long :)

funniest limerick i've seen

2006-12-22T10:46:00.000+05:30

There once was a couple named Kelley,
Who lived their life belly to belly.
Because in their haste
They used Library Paste,
Instead of Petroleum Jelly.

the view

2006-12-21T19:36:00.000+05:30

Its dark outside, pretty cold and very quiet. Not a good sight at all.

all the places to eat

2006-12-19T22:29:00.000+05:30

I think I am eating out a lot these days. I'm gonna list some of the places I've been to lately:-

1. Kandahar (at Hilton Hotel, Nariman Pt) - Delicious North Indian food, small menu but mouth watering stuff
2. India Jones (another one at Hilton) - Oriental food, gr8 ambience, unpronouncable menu
3. Frangiapani (again Hilton) - Italian food, lovely pizzas.
4. Khyber (at Kalaghoda) - Rich mughlai food, good ambience. But no where close to Kandahar in taste
5. Indian Summer (next to Churchgate) - interesting lunch buffet comprised of chaats, dosas, pastas, chinese, mughlai, north indian food and good desserts
6. Bombay Blues (kalaghoda) - Avg lunch buffet, worth going once, gets repetitive there after
7. Chetana (kalaghoda) - u chose between gujarati, rajasthani and punjabi thalis and get flooded with a mind boggling variety of options
8. Cafe Samovar (inside Jehangir Art gallery, Kala ghoda) - awesome parathas and mango lassi
9. Cafe Mocambo (Fort... near the Citibamk branch) - wide variety of pastas, lasagnes and desserts. personally prefer it over Churchils
10. Tendulkars (Colaba) - Looks more like a museum with all his memorabilia, ok food
11. Sports Bar (Colaba) - hot crowd, huge screens.. cant figure out whether to stare at the football match or the blondes
12. Far East (in Rodas, HN) - cool Thai lunch buffet, nice place to laze on a saturday afternoon
13. Noodle Bar (bandra) - black pepper flat noodles... worth every penny
14. Kobe (bandra) - same old sizzlers...
15. Yokos (HN) - no better no worse
16. Not Just Jazz (Marine Drive) - who cares abt the food, the live music rocks!
17. Thakars (Chowpatty) - typical Gujju thali, supposedly very famous
18. Hard Rock Cafe (Prabhadevi) - Sad food, gr8 crowd, ok music
19. Zenzi (Bandra) - Mind blowing crowd, exotic weird food

Suggestions for newer places and company for anything is welcome...

Dunno what to write

2006-12-07T16:49:00.001+05:30

Have been trying to figure what to blog on for the past one week, but somehow nothing comes to mind :-S What are the options anyways:- random poems? neah, thats depressing. daywise update of life? who cares what happened yesterday anyways. interesting things coming up in the future? i can't think of anything worth mentioning. football? have been out of touch with it. politics or social issues? they are better off being discussed in conversation. people? i cud prolly rant and rave a lil abt ppl :P but it wudnt be too nice if they read it.

cud someone help me out here?

The Rising Temperatures

2006-11-29T17:24:00.001+05:30

Do you ever groan when someone mentions that life is beautiful? Are you aging quickly and losing zest for life? Are you struggling to get aroused or stimulated? Do you find yourself surrounded by frigid and uninspiring faces? The solution is as simple as spending a few hours at the Barista at Colaba. Trust me, no other place in town could make you half as ecstatic! Its as HOT as it can get out there.

Rock on

2006-11-27T16:20:00.001+05:30

long long time ago
i knew not where to go
but the bustle around
and the crazy loud song
lead me straight to the show

California and Coffee

2006-11-27T12:09:00.001+05:30

I heard the following songs back to back while driving to office this morning:-
California Dreaming
Hotel California
Californication

After a long time I have had a fair dose of coffee shop cack sessions. My weekend comprised of two trips to Bandstand CCD, two trips to HN CCD, one trip to Colaba Barista, and one trip to the international airport.

Bored?

2006-11-24T12:18:00.000+05:30

I was in a coffee shop last night. In the midst of the dim lighting, the heavy choco shakes and the bustling crowd, there was this round of informal feedback. And the one comment I got from all on the table was that as of the present, I am bored in life!

Am I bored? Is there some dearth of inspiration? Is there a lack of purpose? Perhaps... Some soul searching might yield the answers to me.

I hate aeroplanes

2006-11-23T00:41:00.001+05:30

I hate aeroplanes. I hate flights. I hate airports. I hate the cramped up seats in an aircraft. I hate the pounding roaring deafening sound of the engine. I hate the crappy miserable food they serve. I hate claustrophobic, suffocating cabin. I hate the long security queues. I hate the unnecessarily early check in requirements. I hate the air hostesses with their excessive make up and false smiles. I hate the delays and technical snags.

Or maybe it was just one horrible horrible flight last night.

The Rat

2006-11-22T00:04:00.000+05:30

There is a rat in the system. It gnaws at the wires. It squeals when there is silence. It rattles when there is order. It scurries when there is peace. It chews at all the circuits. It leaves a trail on the board. The circuits are malfunctioning. The output is erroneous. The logic has been defied. The integrity has been compromised. The purpose has been defeated. The sysad is here. He sets a rat trap. The rat is caught. The circuit works. The output is sane. The world is bright. But then the rat comes back...

i had a dream

2006-11-17T11:16:00.000+05:30

But it was only fantasy
The wall was too high, as you can see

Whats a dream but a spectrum of your inner desires, a parade of your deepest fears and a signpost indicative of your sanity?

Whats worse:- a deceptively sweet dream that can never be true but leaves you yearning for more or a nightmare that mimics reality?

Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

dunno why i am quoting floyd today!?

shotgun

2006-11-16T15:48:00.000+05:30

i picked up my shotgun and blew the hell out of the fuckin ant that crept into my dreams.. i then entered a time space vortex and crossed over to the other side of the galaxy..

the world is not enough

2006-11-15T16:08:00.000+05:30

I started my day by chasing the dwarf soldiers of Xesus through the snowy slopes of the Tartan mountains on a horseback armed with a long black whip and a cunning frown. By the time I had slain four of these vile bearded goons, it was time for breakfast.
I feasted on the golden harvest of the Eastern corn and drank from the springs of Werna. The refreshingly cool water quenched my parched throat and set me up for my next challenge.
It was time to unveil the truth, it was time to deliver the malicious cheiftains of the north into the hand of justice, it was time to rescue Goldilocks, it was time to shear the darkness of the Fallen Realm of Denethon and bring the jewels of Princess Sara back to the royal treasury.
Time was of essence, time was precious. The tolling of the bell tower broke through the silence of the marshes. The sweet song of the water nymphs intoxicated the beasts and birds of the empire.

And then I woke up.

and how do you go back in time?

2006-11-09T14:34:00.000+05:30

...
let go off all those words
fired in a fit of craze
lets go back to what it was
those mystic beautiful ways

heal forgive forget
its not over yet

tring tring

2006-11-07T20:41:00.000+05:30

tring tring
tring tring

no answer.. anybody home?
oh no.. never mind. we shall talk on another day

i think...

2006-10-30T22:51:00.000+05:30

american woman is NOT a song by CCR
rodas is the perfect hangout to bump into old friends
bandra is full of sizzling women
bowling is a great sport
table tennis is even better
if u don't have a car, u dont have a life
life just got a lot better

insomniac ramblings

2006-10-27T01:10:00.000+05:30

binary variables rock. optimization rocks
listen to stone temple pilots:- creep, interstate love song, plush
listen to def leppard:- hysteria, pour some sugar on me
manitoba is a place in canada... who could have ever guessed
pay phone bill on time
orkut is a scam... bloody jerks
new audioslave song:- one and the same. average sounding, interesting solo piece
cheese pav bhaaji:- model lunch
bad cold... refuses to go
sleep?!... refuses to come
slow net.. what a pain
i need a car
what will i do this weekend??

the colours

2006-10-26T00:31:00.000+05:30

when i feel no red why should i see green and think blue?

simple remedies to big problems

2006-10-25T23:21:00.000+05:30

Problem: Mental block, creativity stalled, ideas getting repetitive
Remedy: Read a MAD mag

Problem: Hot day, throat is parched, sweat dripping
Remedy: Glass of chilled sweet orange juice

Problem: Relationship woes, girlfriend troubles, petty fights, irritable mood
Remedy: A few Bob Marley songs

Problem: Lack of energy, drop in motivation, general sense of laziness
Remedy: Watch a high profile football match

Problem: Stuck in work/study, can't figure out the answer, don't know whom to ask
Remedy: An eclair followed by a short walk

Problem: Boredom, severe need to pass time
Remedy: Yahoo messenger

Problem: Loneliness
Remedy: A Blog or a phone call

traffic lights

2006-10-24T13:55:00.000+05:30

the red traffic light stares at me. i ought to slow down. i ought to downshift. i ought to take control. but i can't get my foot off the accelerator.

i am closing in towards the crossroads. its now or never, i ought to slam the brakes! but i am pushing on. the lights are whizzing past me. the headlights are blinding, the sounds are deafening....

How many more signals will I break before I crash?

the road

2006-10-24T00:26:00.000+05:30

its a dark highway. there are hardly any vehicles on the road. the street lights are throwing their beams on the vast stretches of tarmac. in the distance the road curves and then disappears into nothingness. flyovers and hoardings mark the horizon.

and i drive on.. everyday. theres a different person each time for company. theres a different song on each drive. there are lorries and trucks around, there are crazy bikers, there are swanky mercs and rash cabbies. vehicles of different makes are few and sparsely distributed.

i dunno where the road is taking me. i am stepping on the accelerator. i can hear the wind hit my car. i can hear the engine buzz. i think i am in control but am i really? or am i just racing away unknowlingly into blankness and unchartered territories? i feel as though a spell has been cast on me. my senses are enslaved by this greater will thats urging me to press the throttle.

the people besides me are changing. the song is changing. the road is winding. and i still don't know where i am heading...

nevermind

2006-09-30T22:06:00.000+05:30

Hold your head high
Don't gasp or sigh
Block the punch
Avoid the hunch
And soon you'll find
The joy of nevermind
To land your kill
Whenever you will

balance

2006-09-18T16:32:00.000+05:30

i saw four movies recently all with a common theme:-
1. Corporate:- Ambitious woman caught up in a storm inside dirty and corrupt corporate politics and screws up life
2. KANK:- Ambitious woman neglects her son and husband and ends up with a divorce while trying to promote her fashion magazine
3. Click:- Ambitious man screws up health, loses hot wife and is alienated from his parents and children in the pursuit of his career
4. The Devil wears Prada:- Ambitious budding journalist splits from her loving boyfriend and loses her integrity in keeping up with a ruthless employer

Its a scary thought that someday I might have to set my priorities straight between work and family, will have to chose between success and honesty, will have to sompromise between health and promotions. Its gonna be tough to balance.

However, none of this is relevant today. Neither is the work too much nor anything else getting neglected.

being silly

2006-09-16T18:30:00.000+05:30

sometimes you want things to be perfect
then you try to align everything to reach that state of perfectness
and a few things wont budge
so you go berserk and lose your head
and even though nearly everything is set right
the small things that wont budge appear like a glaring fault
and you fret and fume over them to no avail
and then in retrospect you realize
there was no need to make such a deal about them
but you could just as well have been happy all along
then you realize how silly you have been!

the return of the blogger

2006-09-14T13:40:00.000+05:30

back after ages.... where was I all this while?

job, joblessness, express towers, taj president, convocation, pune, lonavla, polly esthers, insomnia, v lounge, home, munna bhai, super ex gf, click, kank, omkara, colaba causeway, marine drive, bandstand, juhu beach, iit bombay, mocha, barista, ccd, adrain mole, bringing down the house, cryptic crosswords, coupling, hustle, gym, walks, bus, volvo, taxis, tata indigo, salary, more salary, ups, downs, phone calls, sms, sunshine, sunset, love, hate, churchils, noodle bar, celebor, indigo, saffron spice, mallaka spice, thali, wondering, wondering, wondering....

the nonsense rhyme

2006-08-08T23:29:00.000+05:30

the wind is blowing
the water is flowing
filling in the gap
i 'm writing crap
i think i'm bored

the shining star in the eastern sky

2006-08-06T19:04:00.000+05:30

the shining star in the eastern sky
twinkling with mischief up so high
sometimes i see the rain drops
but the buoyant spirit never stops

i see it in the darkest night
glowering in its pristine light
the green eyed monster of envy
sets turmoil deep inside of me

i want to put you into a box
secured tight by mighty locks
but you continue to shine afar
O mischevious little shining star

tales of loneliness

2006-08-04T19:09:00.000+05:30

picture yourself:-

scene 1. you wake up at 6, go thru some ambitious morning routines, work all day like crazy, wind up at 9 and come home. you feel lonely!

scene 2. you wake up at 11, bathe an hour, have lunch, sleep again, laze the evening and soon its 9 and you are still home. you feel lonely!

doesnt matter what you do. you always end up lonely. then you reach out to ppl you think can help you out. you hang out with them till 11 and again return home. you thought you had a great time. but all the while, you still feel lonely.

a new resolution

2006-08-04T12:29:00.000+05:30

...

words

2006-08-03T01:16:00.000+05:30

words...
and actions....
always contradict.
say something, mean something, do something. so many inconsistencies!!

paradox of time

2006-07-25T21:44:00.000+05:30

when u are busy, u can think of so much u wud love to do if u had the time.
when u are jobless, u just feel terribly lethargic and dont do any of the above.

lament of a sleepy head

2006-07-24T14:49:00.000+05:30

what is at stake
when u can't stay awake
what is there to loose
if u shut ur eyes and snooze
take a giant leap
simply fall asleep

all that heavy food
it was tasty and so good
now my poor eyes
inspite of many tries
won't stay open any more
i will drop asleep for sure

i want to put my head
onto a cosy bed
i want someone to hug
not sleep with a bed bug
floating thru myriad streams
lost within my dreams

i shud...

2006-07-22T20:49:00.000+05:30

sleep less
read more
think less
eat more
waste less
save more
care less
blog more

the lesser evil

2006-07-14T00:50:00.000+05:30

trespassing or looping ... which is the lesser evil?

concealing or exclaiming ... which is more fatal?

madness?

2006-07-10T02:47:00.000+05:30

a single moment of craze transforms a demi-god into a maniac.
control? balance? peace?

strange deja vu

2006-07-09T11:39:00.000+05:30

vaguely familiar... somewhat predictable. i think i have seen this before!
sigh!
veiled in intricate designs or exposed in sheer simplicity? whats next!?
strange dreams?

minutes

2006-07-02T15:37:00.000+05:30

one minute u r sitting cold in a broken down car with foggy windows
one minute u r lying warm tucked into a blanket listening to deep purple on ur laptop
one minute u discover an unexpected 10K from some unheard scholarship in ur bank
one minute u lose 200 bucks in the most uncanny fashion
one minute and a winning goal sends a shiver of delight
one minute and a little slip plunges a nation into gloom
one minute u give into ur impulses
the next u hold back and wonder why

coffee

2006-06-28T14:24:00.000+05:30

i am sitting in office
getting a lil bored
and really sleepy after a heavy delicious lunch
coffee?? :)

Esc

2006-06-25T18:13:00.000+05:30

On a 104-key standard keyboard, here's one key to rule them all. One key to banish all your troubles and restore peace and joy. Try it for yourself. It works!

Les Blues

2006-06-24T13:22:00.000+05:30

After much ado, France
Have managed to advance
Into the second round
Playing somewhat sound

With Zidane on the bench
Impressive were the French
Vieira showed the way
On his 30th birthday

Next up they face Spain
I hope this win isn't in vain
Time will only show
How far the French can go.

sounds

2006-06-23T23:18:00.000+05:30

something dear
something to fear
a feeling queer
now i can't steer
from my head
the things said
should have fled
but instead
hear the taunts
and so it haunts

recent things

2006-06-22T22:50:00.000+05:30

off late :-

1. i went to school. what a nostalgic experience! seeing lil kids chewing ties and getting dirty rolling in the mud, 30 kids after a single football, big boys roughing the little ones, playing rounders, the old canteen, assembly lines, announcements, long break and the much hated bell that would end it, trying to squeeze the last few shots on basket even after the bell, indiscipline in the lines.... etc. i felt privileged that a several teachers i saw after 6 yrs actually recognized me themselves.

2. first experience in an operation theater. something called a chalazone (sort of pimple) on my lower right eyelid had to be surgically removed.. needles, anaesthasia, blue hospital clothes, pills, bandages etc.

3. football fever.. all the teams i root for keep getting screwed :( the czechs! idiots had a good team. first the injuries and then the red cards they keep picking up. the french are another mess. i guess i'll have to find new heroes. Nedved and Zidane are exhausted.

4. townside... went alone to townside, saw a movie in cinema all by myself. thats how bored i got today. MI-3 has an amazing first half and a very disappointing second. And the yellow lamborghini they blow up... i took a pic of an identical one on my eurotrip :) Townside bookvendors have vanished.... some BMC cleansing move ahead of the President's Mumbai tour. Townside has a lot of memories attached.. churchils, gateway, westside, sterling, marine drive, etc...

5. internet access denied for past two days... felt like some sort of blackout. so used to being connected and checking mail a dozen times. thankfully net is up and running at home once again

6. soundgarden.. spoonman, the day i tried to live, rusty cage, fell on black days, pretty noose, outshined, black hole sun :)