Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Laugh The Walk

Photo by jenny downing on Flickr.
Well 2 long months and no post. A bit busy and a lot more lazy. Anyways out of excuses now and I have a lot of time and some nice stories. Here comes one that happened today morning...

A rather long night sleep, whole 10 hours of it, to leave the whole body sore and lungs out of Oxygen, the only remedy could be a morning walk at 10! Its another usual walk on the same path carved using Eco-friendly fly-ash bricks, I am admiring the early winter greenery and the ultimate bright sunlight that baths every fig and blade of grass and helps the mud dry down only to be wet again tomorrow with the slight dew and water supply from the municipal tube well.

Bored of MP3s I switch to radio and find it interesting as it is more life-like, unpredictable and out of control. It makes you seek and then teases and torments you lest you are exhausted clicking the only button you got to control (make objective choices!!! :O WTF am I writing!), somewhat like suppressing an itch! And while browsing you come across songs and plays, which you like and dislike. In haste you press the button and the next moment you regret it, but you got no choice to rewind but you can take the longer and tedious and a lot much frustrating route and get back to the same place when it comes the whole way around. You missed a bit, but you learnt to be a bit cautious... (but you never learn not to be philosophical, it's so easy to get dragged along and chatter the same set of dreamy things while being in the flow of things!!!)

Suddenly you strike gold. A radio-jokey is carrying on with his usual business of engaging audience in providing Delhi with real-time traffic situations. On this particular occasion this guy, I don't remember his name, calls up this radio station and advises not to use a road beside Talkatora Stadium. The whole things blows out as jokey suggests widening of roads (ofcourse to get rid of not so existing traffic problems, half of them are made up in mind.) and the guy gets enthusiastic and wishes to share his lovely life. He paints it fancy like this -

"सर हालत इतनी भी बुरी नहीं है. मैं बहुत मज़े करता हूँ. और ट्रैफिक भी ठीक ही है, एकदम स्मूथ! पुलीस भी काम कर रही है आजकल.  पर सर मैं अपनी लाइफ को शेयर करना चाहता हूँ."

And then he goes -

"ओह! बॉस मेरी लाइफ बहुत ही मस्त है! एकदम फंटास्टिक! मैं बहुत खुश इंसान हूँ. Happy-go-Lucky! मैं रात को किसी की भी शादी-पार्टी मैं घुस जाता हूँ. मैं अच्छा सूट-बूट पहनता हूँ और बिल्कुल भी नहीं शर्माता. एकदम नोर्मल बिहेव करता हूँ. Decent. मैं पार्टीज में जम के खाता-पीता हूँ और फुल मज़े मारता हूँ. और-तो-और ऐसी ही एक पार्टी मैं मैंने बंदी भी पटा ली! Love Is Life. (...poetic!!!) उससे ही शादी की और अब हम एक छोटा और सुखी परिवार है!!!"

He blurts  it out so innocently and in such a funny way that it's impossible to control that laugh and I even want to share it with more people.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Punjabi Baroque

While browsing Wikipedia for things like 'Framed Structure', 'Green Architecture', 'Avante Garde' , 'Fiscal Deficits' etc I drift into (give into the habit of) searching a bit more, ignoring the grasshopper's advice, "Ideas are dangerous!", in the animation movie 'A Bug's Life' and learn about a person called Gautam Bhatia.

He happens to be an architect who authored a book called 'Punjabi Baroque and Other Memories of Architecture'. Having heard words like Punjabi, Architecture, Baroque together I had (was, once again, tempted) to search a bit more putting my curiousity about 'Cyberpunk' (though it will not take long before I am talking 0s and 1s once I kill some 150 Nazis, am not particularly opposed to them lest they put a bounty on me, in my computer game) at the back burner for some time.

Here is what I found -


What I learn is that this person thinks a bit like me (Proof am not unique! :)). He doesn't like the way cities lose their identity, even though it happens in compliance with 'Organic Evolution' (one theory that fits all, 'Natural Selection').

Going particularly about Delhi, I feel it is now 'New Delhi' (going by current trends it will certainly shrink or fall prey to a different kind of global warming having been converted into an island enshrining the sheer architectural marvel Delhi was designed to be, surrounded by greedy, excessively high-profile and flambouyant but particularly apt to popular taste; style of glass and steel 'mirage' architecture of the 'metropolitan Delhi and it's exceptionally mismanaged millennium sub cities'), 'remaining Delhi' (slums, socialist, we-fulfill-needs-of-society, architecture by DDA and better-than-you-neighbour designs by private minds at work, can we call the later 'Capitalism'?) and 'suburbs of Delhi'.

Certainly we need to cater to rising population pressures, but the stakes are needed to be considered sensitively. For example, I wonder how it helps to rename certain boulevards. Be it Willingdon Crescent (now Mother Teresa Crescent), Ring Road (Mahatma Gandhi Marg), Connaught Place (Rajiv Chowk).

Moreover does it serve the purpose by building haphazardly, being blatantly disdainful of the legacy that has been bestowed upon thee? The reasons can be many including it being magnet to masses who do not associate with the city, vote bank politics (let them encroach, let them vote), oops we are a free country everything British is slavery (who cares Commonwealth itself proclaims bondage or put correctly reminiscence of associativity to British legacy)!

1/3 Punjabi, 2/3 Cosmopolitan the city lacks an identity and especially it lacks people who can relate to its history. Facing an identity crisis post-partition, everyone in the city - either is an immigrant, a tourist or a wage-earner or in a worse situation a refugee. It certainly has metamorphed well into a consumers’ paradise keeping tandem with global trends for it has to live up to the reputation of being the capital of world's largest yet somewhat immature democracy, still somehow trying to safeguard what it originally is.

I and many more people happen to be in love with this city for it gives form to the ideas of acceptance, it doesn't contradict, it simply never dictates, remains unbiased, doesn't wish you to be ideal yet it itself is perfectly idealist. In true sense it smells and breaths freedom and thereby we must preserve it, can you see something you love dying without complaining?

In general these are ideas about and situations every major Indian city is facing. Mumbai's (Bombay's) deteriorating infrastructure and culling of mill lands while Maratha maniacs become chauvinists calls for immediate attention lest the city comes to a halt. In Kolkata (dear Calcutta), a newly elected chief minister elicits cheers from masses fed on communist subsidies (which actually left whole West Bengal bankrupt) for over 25 years vying to transform 'City Of Joy' into 'East London'. I certainly think it as a cause of shame when our greatly patronizing leaders take pride in announcing their grandeur plans of transformation whether it is Bombay into Shanghai or Hongkong, Delhi into Paris or Calcutta into London. Bengaluru (Bangalore) transforms into a megacity and all it does is feeding silicon chips to job-seekers from all over the country. These are some names that tell in all glory the tale of urban decay that arises out of un-intelluctual planning which in general is disregardful of bequest it needs to preserve.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

A Sunday Morning Rain

A Shikara in a lake in Kashmir.
Courtesy: BOMBMAN on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0


He suddenly wakes up at 3:45 AM after a 'once in a while' timely sleep, following a dream sequence probably echoing some scene from the early mornings of hostel life. Soon he is enjoying a not much anticipated rainfall, while reading, browsing, munching; waiting for hands of clock to spread apart vertically.

At 6 he takes to the street to go for his morning walk. Sky is perfect azure, winds blow mild, figs cover the drenched asphalt, yellow and green alike. Sun efforts hard to break through the rebelling wet cotton puffs scattered through the sky. Pink-purple Bougainvilleas shudder to the breeze, while water drips down the asbestos roofs across the yellow walls of a secluded primary school and Moneyplant clings to the shoots of an overgrown shurb. A gunny bag flies down the 4th floor house. In the garden, green carpet entices the eyes as a young ladette wiggles hips; circling the track, pacing ahead of a large crowd of wailing elderlies and lame fat con mans carrying their own weights!

All the while he is eyeing beauties, trying their hands on steerings of some hatchbacks with a red-tape 'L' pasted across pretty sizeable portion of the windsheild, he is still not able to get off his mind some lines he came across in a Facebook note, about Kashmir encounters, earlier. Here goes a part of it -
"...Kids carry death in their school bags
Evening brings news, always
A white shroud, blood smeared
Like the blood of a slaughtered lamb
On the virgin snow
And a school bag
Inside, a report card

Teacher’s remarks:

This kid has a bright future
....
....
....
Kam gul-badan, metzchi andar ...
What tulips! One with earth, six feet under ...

Desolate mothers sipping heart attacks
In their pink tea
Fathers breathing cancer in their tobacco
Trying in vain
To accelerate the time..."
You may be able to access the complete text, by Mehran Qureshi, at the following link - Kashmir Is Taken!

Back home the guy tries to form an opinion and have an insight into things of higher order. What makes Maoists rise against the state? Why do people rebel at a G20 meet in Toronto? Why does China faces conflicts despite spectacular growth rates? What makes Thailand come to street?...

Anyways he is normal soon, digging Earth of a potted plant and asking it if it needs cold water, even after rain it is contnuing summer in New Delhi. Would a mud-pack heal its cuts or beautify it? Looking at Facebook responses, he is happy to have got 6 likes for his status and is looking for a mild afternoon nap post a Star Wars clip, since fantasy can be fascinating...

Some of you may like this - "Audioslave - Be Yourself".

Monday, May 10, 2010

Cha(n)t

Bird on the branch.
Courtesy : Rob on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0
There was never yet an uninteresting life. Such a thing is an impossibility. Inside of the dullest exterior there is a drama, a comedy, and a tragedy. - Mark Twain

A fantastic chat with a stranger! (I have many.) Like to talk, learn, discuss...

You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!
Stranger: hi
You: hi
Stranger: Have you been in love?
You: y?
Stranger: just like that
You: don't know actually
Stranger: dont know?
Stranger: how old are you
You: 21
You: u?
Stranger: 26
Stranger: where are you from?
You: cool
You: india
Stranger: me too
You: m/f?
Stranger: whats ur name?
Stranger: m
You: manik
Stranger: you?
You: m
Stranger: okay
You: actually i don't like taking abt love
Stranger: why?
You: it's like every 6 months one can fall for different girl
You: just his wish
Stranger: well
You: biologically designed like that
Stranger: i guess thats not true of everyone
You: thats what m saying
You: one can choose to stay loyal
You: or one can simply choose to slip away
You: be loyal = love
You: strange
Stranger: if what you are saying is really true or many people, then there wouldnt be so many people who are depressed because they lost their love. they could easily find someone else.
You: they are actually trying to defend themselves
You: by being depressed
You: it's like they liked someone who didn't care for them
You: and they are depressed coz they are like lost
Stranger: im not only talking abt someone who dint care, maybe someone cared, but they died
Stranger: ofcourse you could be 'attracted' many people because its biologically designed that way, but loves way more thatn that
You: hmmm
You: died is a diff case
You: thats sad
You: m not denying existence of love
You: but it is rare
You: very rare
Stranger: well maybe
You: in general i feel people exaggrate
You: may be i do
You: :O
Stranger: haha
Stranger: yeah maybe
You: so for a guy like me
You: it is more of learnng
Stranger: but i guess love needs exaggeration, whats love without exaggeration!
You: learning
You: it's kind of telling urself that you like some1
You: again and again
You: and then u hate yourself when you find yourself lone
You: :O
You: crazy thing
Stranger: hmm yeah i guess
You: but then u r determined to do better things with new zeal
Stranger: yeah
You: as if u r doing it as a revenge
You: lolz
Stranger: haha
You: to show them that u can do without them
You: and they lost a great thing
You: haha
Stranger: but its perhaps better to have ups and downs and extremes, rather than have nothing
You: yeah
You: when u get some thing easily
You: u miss a lot more
You: and u do not get to try
You: compare
You: check out
You: evaluate
You: haha
You: m going to save this chat
Stranger: haha
Stranger: why?
You: will put it on my blog
You: show off
Stranger: nice!
Stranger: it was interesting for sure
You: http://sign9.blogspot.com
You: will put it here
You: check if it interests you
You: :D
You: in which city are you?.
Stranger: sure
Stranger: Bangalore
You: oh kool
Stranger: you can check my blog too blog.**************.com
You: my friend is visiting bangalore for training
You: nice
You: will check it
Stranger: ok
You: u do web designing?
Stranger: not designing
Stranger: why?
You: i do
You: :)
Stranger: thats nice
You: and ur blog layout looks professional
You: and domain name told that you have a site
Stranger: thats the standard layout of nucleus
Stranger: yes
Stranger: i do
You: and i got it
You: :)
Stranger: got what?
You: that site
You: what is nucleus?
Stranger: the blogging engine
Stranger: which ive installed on my site
You: ohk
You: tell me about some places to have fun at
You: in bangalore
Stranger: depends on what Fun means to you
You: we are young
You: so fun means anything and everything
Stranger: haha
You: culture art
You: rides
You: everything
You: bars pubs
Stranger: where do you live?
You: delhi
Stranger: okay
Stranger: you can find pubs and bars in Delhi as well so i guess thats not much use
You: well actually i don't visit them
Stranger: haha
Stranger: ok
Stranger: neither do I
You: k
You: but it's like
You: my friend and i were sitting in a restaurant
You: and he told me
You: that first time is best time to do anything
You: and i agree
You: so when in bangalore he would like to do everything
You: that's why
Stranger: yeah
Stranger: right
Stranger: thats true
You: Life is like software, one bit turned, one small thing missing or one broken link, and it can go horribly wrong. But even when nothing seems to work, you can, with perseverance, make it work and make it beautiful.
You: very true
You: just what i said
Stranger: haha
Stranger: yeah
You: but in a different way
Stranger: yeah
You: Trying to make my life interesting....Or is it already?
You: and this is 100% genuine question
Stranger: are you asking me that question?
You: nopes
You: it is very personal
Stranger: yeah
Stranger: maybe
You: today i started gardening again
Stranger: again
Stranger: ?
You: yup
You: in hostel i can't maintain plants
You: but in my home I can
Stranger: yeah
Stranger: thats good
Stranger: gardening is nice
You: yup
You: just mom has trouble
You: cleaning
Stranger: haha
Stranger: yeah
You: but when i will be in hostel
You: she will have to takwe care of the plants
You: she doesn't get a choice
You: even on mother's day
You: lol
Stranger: haha
Stranger: yes
You: u work in what kind of company?
Stranger: i work at amazon
You: awesome
You: today i met a honda emplyee
You: and amazon guy
You: and an australian navy officer
You: great day
Stranger: haha
Stranger: thats good!
You: they all are lucky
You: that am so free
Stranger: haha
You: anyways one thing
You: do help me if amazon doesn't pay me
You: :)
Stranger: haha
Stranger: sure
You: m just too scared after seeing your profile
Stranger: why?
You: have to work a lot
Stranger: haha
Stranger: whats scary?
You: so many big names
You: and qualifications
Stranger: haha
You: how much time it took to get them all?
Stranger: what do you mean by how much time?
Stranger: do you mean how much work?
You: mean so many associations and work
Stranger: I think i havent worked too hard
Stranger: but i have always done what is necessary, no shortcuts, thats all
You: u mean smart work
You: good
Stranger: smart work yes
Stranger: but more than doing what is necessary
Stranger: even the small tihngs
You: but tell me one thing
You: do you believe in enterpreneurship?
Stranger: yeah
Stranger: ofcourse
Stranger: im trying to start something of my own
Stranger: lets see how it goes
You: yeah
You: thats great
You: full freedom
You: :)
Stranger: yeah
You: wish you the best
Stranger: thanks
Stranger: Wish you the best too!
Stranger: in whatever you do
You: thanks
You: yup
You: i will revolt
Stranger: against?
You: against many simple people
You: like my teachers
You: :D
Stranger: India needs people who revolt
Stranger: in the right way
You: they are good and knowledgeable
You: but they don't know how to teach
Stranger: yeah
You: doesn't affect me
You: but revolt is kind of fun
Stranger: yeah
You: and must do some good
Stranger: yes
Stranger: India needs change
You: happy doing my bit
Stranger: yeah
You: k time to leave
Stranger: ok enjoy!
You: have fun and enjoy
You: :)
You: bye
Stranger: Have a goo dlife
You have disconnected.

Monday, March 08, 2010

Check Mate


A rather distinct and beautiful Chess set.
Courtesy: Martin Lopatka on Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0
The most imaginative people are the most credulous, for them everything is possible.       - Alexander Chase

Eight by eight board of blacks and whites. Sixteen pawns, twelve face members, two queens, two kings and two players contemplating moves to win the game - necessarily making brilliant moves as well as excellent mistakes.

Some questions though. Why shall not pawns try to become king? Why can't they define their own destinies? Why player acts God, isn't it monopoly of a sort? Further if the game has to be so uncertain, why can't there be a third influential force, which can be manipulated by two main players through treachery, bribery, emotions, affection and all those add-on tactics? It might be the case that this third party overtakes and blows the lid off both the major parties! This way a plain game be more interesting or probably more straining and intriguing.

Fundamentally the element of uncertainity drives fun, more essentially it focusses you and gets you freedom from thoughts and that is 'entertainment'. Right?

But I feel eight by eight is a small field, if the game has to be strategy, and third party influences will surely add to the taste. Just suggestions for may be a newer 'Chess extended'!

As I complete this post I realise that their exist strategy games like 'Age Of Empires' which give some of these options, but a board game can also be devised. Sad I never played 'Monopoly' like that.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

For Sake Of Corridors


A school corridor at night.
Courtesy: Kevin Dooley on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0
The future bleongs to those who believe in power of their dreams. - Anna Eleanor Roosevelt
I admit that I have a lot to write but that's not the reason I am writing. This time the reason is that I have got thousands of things to do, but am not able to determine what to do, besides logging in and out of many of my profiles and I write to give myself 20-30 minutes of nostalgia, free from thoughts of pending submission and due exam results. Anyways here is another story...

An annual function and he is there with his friend. He has not planned anything but she happens to catch his attention. She is tall and slim and wears a Saree. And she is full of energy, as she moves through whole of arena with her friends and other important people in her life, stopping just once to greet him.

He passes time looking at the performances and meeting many other friends, customary to be courteous. But it is evident to his concise that his mind is adamant at catching another glimpse of her. But he definitely is not crazy, probably he should have been, and therefore does not bar himself from the pleasure of an ice-cream on that wintery evening and the fun of tresspassing the stage area while performances are going on.

Later he happens to walk through corridors of the stadium. Camouflaging his intents of creating multiple chances of meeting her. Later the quest proves immaterial as he happens to enjoy a lot with guys, causing small troubles and tit-bits of humour outside the changing rooms as the whole performing teams took their times managing themselves. But usual prime target, that is she, was missed very well, probably by choice. Was he mad to follow her whole way, simply not to speak any special word out?

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Kicking Asses!

A graffitti disobeying the laws.
Courtesy: Wrote on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0
There are only two forces in the world, Sword and the Spirit! In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit! -Naploean Bonaparte

You get up late. Dress nice (...it was taught to you in last semester, on one of the days when you were not feeling well, sick you too fall buddy!) and go to the class you like, more than any other class (... being precise it is an elective course in Renewable Energy Sources...)

On day 1, you were 9 minutes late and as you had crossed the 5 minute buffer given by teacher you decided to track back to hostel, without even making an attempt to get into the class.

Day 2, you are 7 minute late (...a nice improvement of 2 minutes...), you try to make a silent entry but are gestured out (...the guy, he is a professor, on podium is man of his words, will not let you in even a second outside the prescribed buffer...). So once again you make a 180 degree turn and join walk with some guys who would proxy for you the whole semester, for simple fun of checking out girls of your department (...must say though starved of the feminine wafts to the core, these are some really cool people I have met; for a change they are actually alive and do not act programmed zombies...).

Later in a 4 hour session, cut to 1 hour 30 minutes (...am ecstatically glad about that...); your spirits are (...sorry your spirit is, got only one spirit though it is very random and miss directed...) raised thinking about steel, nuts, bolts, glass, overhanging yellow lights, poker tables, sail boats and thought of a multi-story club house with exclusive graphic exteriors (...one has a pole dancer clinging to the extended tall column you plan to make into an elevator shaft...), while much touted about teacher fails to faint even the most frail soul in the studio...

Written enough of it. Bye Bye personal Blogging for a rather long spell (trying to do so but this habit is addictive and therefore this announcement does not come with a guarantee...) :) :D :P ;) Meanwhile friends, sworn enemies and non-descripts learn to blantantly disobey with a sly and wicked grin, make people pant and get a spicy life. And yep am not going to stop web-logging for the very precise reason of it being the only perfect platform for me to give away my exhibitionist tendencies with little harms done.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Why Read Horoscopes?


Some Chinese Horsocope!
Courtesy: AndWat on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0
Life is a box of chocolates, we never know what we get!

Well I don't believe in horoscopes (lest they promise me good things, that chick of my choice, a Porsche 911 (wouldn't mind a Suzuki Swift or Chevorlet Beat), but still I read them. Why? Entertainment, timepass (got enough of it... ...a lot of time is with me.) and yup why not appreciate the efforts of some people putting excellent effort in creating such fluent and nice master-pieces of literary work. No harm in going through daily horoscope coloumns of magazines and web-magazines (my favourite - Shine by Yahoo, specially when you know that you will forget it in next 10 minutes.

Here are two days of horoscopes for Piscean people and am pleased to see the efforts put by the people in co-relating the two days...


Jan 18' 2010

Try to take care of yourself today -- you have exactly the right energy to give yourself almost anything you need, and you've been plenty attentive to others lately! Make a move and see what happens.


Still got those tissues handy? Well, you've got one more day of sniffling to get through, so you'd better be sure you're all stocked up. The stars are turning up the volume on your already tender heart. It's like walking around wearing a t-shirt that says 'Can't Stop Feeling.' You can't change your feelings, but you can take precautions. Like wearing a second layer to protect against the cold, so to speak. Protect yourself. Get out your emotional long underwear.


Jan 19' 2010

Even before your coffee, you've got plenty of good energy today. Make the most of it -- you know you can do almost anything you want! Create a situation that suits you better than yesterday.


Prepare yourself for a flood -- a flood of emotions, that is. You're quite ready to talk about that certain issue that's had you baffled for a while now -- but are your dear ones ready to hear it? Better warn them before you get going, because getting you to stop will be next to impossible. Fasten your seatbelt. It could be a bumpy ride. But it certainly won't be a boring one.

Monday, January 18, 2010

A Forwarded E-mail


An electronic mail.
Courtesy: henry chilcott on Flickr | License: CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
World is a fine place and worth fighting for. - Ernest Hemmingway

In the evening I log into my e-mail account to find a forwarded mail on top of the inbox heap (actually it is the only one recieved today). The e-mail contains a speech by Chetan Bhagat, a guy who studied at IIT and IIM, served at several multinationals and wrote sexy novels (...all four of which I like, because they do not preach...). The speech was delivered by him at another great institute called Symbiosis. I read it and later forwarded it and a little more later regretted doing both the acts. Though I recieved two replies telling me that it was nice speech still I differ. Because I liked view of a close friend of mine - "Who this guy is to tell us all this blah blah? We know what we actually want to do, this guy just gives us crap, forcing an idea on us. And this in turns kills diversity of thoughts. The worst part is we kill our thought." Anyways I usually forget whatever I read in 10-15 minutes, any amount of things (leaving the useful bits) and so I did this time also, after I was in a rather lovely chat. And yup all those who recieved that forwarded mail, ignore it if it causes trouble...

Signing off. Liking the rock beats being played in some room of hostel, some alien tongue though or may be hybridized english...

Friday, January 08, 2010

Zip Zap Zoom - VI : Pink Ecstacy


A 500 CC Royal Enfield Bullet
Courtesy: nwflightdesign on Flickr | License: CC BY-NC 2.0

There is no spring without winter, there is no life without death!

Have numerous rides in mind and want to write about all of them. But this time I am writing about today's ride! It started with a call last night, it's true am made enough to waste 30 minutes talking to a guy, planning a bike ride next day! No offense, becuase I believe only good starts happen automatically, but sustaining good things need effort on our part. So that 30 minute long call ended in me influencing Pawan to join me with scooty today. He must be at my room at 12 but as usual no one cares for time, me included!

He calls me to join him at main-gate at 2 in noon. I go to the place, and I learn that he got a Hero Honda Splendour and I am not pleased (...because this means I will not be riding, pillion again)! Anyways, we see off Priyanka and zip on J.L.N. Marg. We decide to visit the only Royal Enfield showroom in Jaipur City! It's on Ajmer road and instead of going straight to the location we move towards Crystal Palm and delibrately ask a couple for the location, and the guy is smart - he doesn't embarasses himself and directs us in wrong direction. Well we are quite understanding guys, we know one must not give any hint to her girlfriend of his own ignorance!

We ask a few more guys and they are grown up folks! Been through life they prefer not to dupe us and give right directions. Once to the showroom Mr. Pawan has to set his hair up (we are going to have a photo session on this royal ride!). I too am wearing a new shirt, well this means I don't have to worry about my hair style. People will be more interested in bike and shirt! We shake hand with the showroom guys and give all hints that a potential customer throws!

Showroom is glass panels, posters of bikes, some models on display, an office table (a big one) and a whole wall with a poster giving timeline of Royal Enfield history. Being a cult, we know quality is prime concern for these guys and the way they exhibit professional eloquence a person understands what their work means to them. We get all the details we need, we had the info but we wanted to know how much the people their knew. And they knew a good deal. Two similar bikes give different experience because one has rear view mirrors and the other doesn't, and to add to it the one with mirrors had 18" tires and other one had 19" ones. We click pictures sitting on bikes and Pawan gets a test ride. At a minimum price of 86 grands, the bike is an experience worth living for.

Back on road we move towards M.I.Road and visit a Bajaj showroom. The experience is not worth telling. It was just visiting a general store and grabbing some grocery items (...brats rarely go shopping grocery!) Pawan drives to SBI branch in the area and wishes me to see girl of his choice! He doesn't accompany me but she being the only girl in bank I am able to recognize her, she is nice (...I must not label her an eye-candy!), but she doesn't gives me any heed!

In Bapu Market we have some street food, all three flavours available on the stall. I have to pay for it, oh bad idiot doesn't even gets his petrol tank re-filled. You will not be able to fool me next time! We ride fast on J.L.N. and talk about things very vague and random. An uncle in Santro is big time nymphomaniac and drives rash to chase a girl sitting pillion to his boyfiend (...he could be his brother or friend also!). Anyways important is too take care of the poor guys who break their leg in mishap just in front of our institute. We call 108 and feel free to leave, people are good and are acting paramedics to the injured.

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

The Economic Times

Money is powerful.
Courtesy: poolie on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0

If we don't find anything pleasant, atleast we should find something new.

Was reading a book and got this idea of economics in modern times. I am studying in a college and will certainly get a job - a nice paying one, 40 months from now, given I complete all my assignments and pass all my exams with good grades. But what is more fascinating to me, currently, is the idea of cutting the wait short and getting to earn a bit earlier, oh yes the path here also is no easy, but it gives you quick bucks quickly. This tells me to jump into a home grown business scheme, while continuing the degree as an option (double-minded, multiple choices always!).

I am interested in this idea more because it assures me a busy and packed schedule and therefore, little time to think (drone living). Some suggest me to sleep in free time, but it never happens. Sleep is an option only after a hectic day. Back to the topic, some bucks in pocket would mean a boost to spendings and savings and yup figures, rising balance sheets are always nice to look at (...try making excel spreadsheets and graphs of your bank balances!). Looking at examples all around I find this idea quite appealing. We would not be having Bill Gates, Hillary Duff, Asin and likes, if they were busy mugging those boring lectures in extremely boring lecture halls with teachers nagging and students hurling abuses behind their backs (...say it in face, it is more fun and entertaining)!

Got another point of view. A stable job would certainly be boring (though it would definitely be soothing and comforting, close your eyes. What you see? Well, you are a black coat-pant wearing guy with a red tie around his neck and yeah that lovely chick, oops she is no longer a chick - 24-25 something but still got that oomph, in floral skirt waving at you, why doesn't she joins you? [Nothing a bit of chauvanist taste, she might in some feminists writings! LOL]), no uncertainity! How can a person live a life where he knows what he has to do in next hour! Hey, am not talking about schedules (those are good, discipline has its worth!), here am talking about being a recruit, who just has no fear! He is certain of a fixed income (a large part of which will be eaten away in taxes and craps), he stops aspiring for more and doesn't like taking risks! I don't find writing this amusing at all, my parents have lived like this only and many of ours' parents are such hard-working people only! But what I think is (...its boring when Manik talks big things!) that this generation has opportunities and means, our dads and moms are supporting us! Why not take advantage of the situation and make a jump to become enterpreneurs (...talking big things, do it asshole!). Why shall we rely on big brothers to get us a job and then spend a life which is marriage, babies and attending those pomp-and-show social gatherings, with aunties and uncles weighing your purses!

Well, I live in dreams. I know how to formalise my dreams. I am aware that my dreams cause hurt to many. But am cheap, am shallow and I got one life and I don't want to compromise on it (...talking crap! Are you really like this?). My Mom and Dad will never ask me to do anything as per their will (...they never ask me to!) And I know only few ways of proving myself to them. One way is making it big, bigger. Sorry got a bit personal, the thing lies in being adamant and strong-willed. Money certainly is important. I don't want to be that black-coat pant guy. I want to be a guy, who wears a blue denim (rugged one, better washed!), a loose V-Neck with sleeves rolled, showing that nice tattoo I want to have! And my girl shall wear smart googles, black thick frame, white shirt, brown skirt or jeans and shall stand beside me!

Don't you think a guy in black-coat pant is extremely smart? Probably too good to exist! Answer it to yourself and have fun. Was nice fun commenting using my impulsive and almost zero-effort (anything, other than love, without effort is vain) thoughts after reading first 20 pages of the book - 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad!'.

Friday, January 01, 2010

Good Start!


Chapter One - A new start!
Courtesy: Kate Ter Haar on Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0


Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do!

It was a perfect start to 2010. I was at my romantic best, with parts of me stopping me from being like that. Oh you know what it was a sunny and cold day, so it had to have an azure sky. Early morning wake up, a lovely morning walk, Paranthas in breakfast and a deadline (flunked, for good's sake) to meet. Bank people are always good, reliable with your money! Got another site escalated to pagerank 1. Many good things happening on the same day. And I am sure whole year is going to be sexy like this, simply because I have goals to achieve, deadlines to meet. Earliest of them being Jan 15. It was an excellent start like last year and therefore this got to be equally exciting, but this time I am excited so it is going to be more flamboyant.

And yes with this post my 31 posts consecutively challenge is complete, though I had my share of leniency from Shri Krishna.