Wednesday, September 22, 2010

No comments, please!

Just wanted to rant :

While waiting for my bus, I saw my friend walking with his wife. They were sharing an umbrella, and talking to each other. And then,zip!!! some guy on a cycle commented "Just because you've had a love marriage doesn't mean you have to flaunt it!!!"

What a totally uncalled for comment! To the guy who said it : I don't know who you are. But will you kindly refrain from commenting on what is not your business. What does it matter to you who goes out with whom? And why does it affect you so much? There's so much hatred in the world, that love seems a really precious thing. Please don't go about sullying such a beautiful thing. Maybe you are frustrated or jealous because you are single. But that doesn't give you the right to speak about someone else's happiness. Don't grudge people the little pleasures that make Life truly worth living...

Friday, September 17, 2010

Mind(full) of memories!!!

An year... Time has flown... It's been slightly more than an year since I joined the university. I pause to reflect on what I've got in this year, and what I have learnt :

I met some truly wonderful people, a couple of whom have become really good friends -whom I could trust my life with (maybe they'll know what to do with it, I don't!!! ). Initially I was hesitant. They seemed so knowledgeable and confident, I felt like a stranger. But with the passage of time, I discovered that they were indeed knowleadgeable and confident, but also friendly and genuine people. I'm grateful for the discussions we had (subject-related and otherwise!), the chai and snacks (especially when sponsored by you ;) ), for your valuable insights, for the entertainment you provided... The list is quite long... May we make many more good memories !

Over the past year, I also discovered many places on the campus. And since I have to rely on my own two feet for moving about, I have ; by trial and error; discovered the shortest paths between two points on campus. And again, the distance is relative. If you are in the midst of an engrossing discussion, the longer path would be the obvious one to take. But if you someone you know (but wouldn't want to ;) ) would be taking that path, then you take another one :)

I shouldn't be saying this, but I also discovered that the restrooms of DCIS & SOP are the best-maintained. Maybe SSS and LHC2 deserve a mention too. But not the others. :P

In terms of academics, I made some mistakes, but am working towards doing much better. And what with people around me who know their stuff, am sure it will work out, and I'll manage to work hard enough to do justice to my course :)

There are many more things to mention, many more memories and special moments. But I'll end this now.

(P.S. Couldn't think of a better title :( )

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

10 things

Nice tag I came across on a blog I read :

Please list at least ten things you have ever wanted or done which your gender is not supposed to.

Here's my list:

1. Eating alone - have eaten alone even in restaurants in new cities :)

2. Learning to play the drums : it's awesome & real fun!!!

3. Complimenting: I don't mind telling a guy he looks good (if that IS the case) (I have received flak from some of my friends over this...)

4. Making the first move : haven't always waited for a guy to do it - though haven't actually gotten down on one knee (yet !!! ;) )

5. Experimenting : be it music or books :)

6. Paying for food : it doesn't really matter to me who pays - I don't mind paying for friends at the canteen

7. Dressing down(?) : I just can't spend more than a minute before a mirror - why waste time on trivial matters???

8. Watching TV - no serials for me ... prefer music, sports & movie channels when I do indeed watch TV (which is quite rarely)

9. Bus trips - I usually settle down with a newspaper (crossword) & earphones plugged in - don't even mind snacking on buses (not exactly a trait associated with a girl)

10. Listening : am not a chatterbox - am not a fan of talking and talking ( girls & chatter seem to go together)...

& in the wanting to do part - I'd say travelling all over the world... Two of my friends have what seems a most exciting plan to me - go backpacking alone & explore the world -face the challenge... by yourself.... Sounds amazing... Someday I'll (hopefully) have the time & 'resources' for it :)

It was tough but fun trying to make this list : I don't seem to know any longer what girls are "supposed" & "expected" to do or not... And does it matter, who does what ??? Why should something be labelled "girly" or "boyish"???

Monday, August 23, 2010

How I did it ;)

I was talking to a friend about the reason I had earphones in a shocking colour... I also happened to mention the fate of my brother's mobile after it came into my hands. ;) He wondered how I managed to spoil a mobile. While I silenced him by explaining it's easy if you have years of experience, I felt I owe him a better explanation. So here it is, how I managed to achieve the feat...

1) Making maximum use of your service provider's SMS packages. What are they for??? :)*

2) Making use of every available feature on the phone... The camera - almost every third moment seemed worth capturing ;)

3) Music - how can you miss the numerous radio shows? ** & when the commercials come on... well, that's when you listen to songs stored earlier :)

4) Gaming - push the buttons around - all the anger and frustration and excitement on racing a car across the deserts or through a forest trail, the keypad bears the brunt of it all...

5) Careful handling on the phone - taking care to see that it does not fall on the hard ground ... too often, just now and then.... :P

6) Carrying the phone properly - I usually end up digging for it at the bottom of my bag, alongside a stapler, pens, pencils & what-nots :)

See, it's so easy ;)

And to conclude, that's how I managed to do it :)

* - I used to be an SMS-junkie once upon a time...

** - There used to be great radio shows with splendid RJ's back then, in the city where I used to be.. Don't know the situation now, though...

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Way(s) to wealth???

Just thinking....

So many ways of getting rich...

1. Photo-shop: After seeing the "beautiful" photo taken this morning for an ID card (it would make a good promotional poster for any horror movie), I discovered a good scheme for minting money - just blow up my photo, & sell copies - as protection against the Evil Eye... (I'm pretty sure it'll work ;) )

2. Music(k): Start singing - and threaten to continue unless paid to remain silent. I can see myself on the road to millionairehood.... Alas, my stamina doesn't last that long, so I think I'll settle down for a lesser amount :) :) Like, a thousand thousand :)

3. F(a)iry tales: Write M&B kind soppy stuff - shouldn't be too hard... Except for the dialogues - maybe I can just quickly read a few to decide the amount of 'sentiment'/'emotion' ... And maybe I can get sponsored lunches in the best restaurants where I go to study the 'atmosphere'....

I'm sure I can come up with more schemes , given time...

And if worst comes to worst, I can even WORK :) :)

Monday, August 9, 2010

C(o)urses C(o)urses everywhere???

"... Concept School, class I-X, IIT Coaching"

Another schoolbus caught my eye; and made me reflect. Why does every school need 'IIT coaching'? Time to think again....

Makes me wonder (this reminds me of Stairway to Heaven!!)... Makes me wonder about the future. Will 'coaching for the top institutes' start from Class I??? Or K.G.??? Or maybe, classes will be held for expectant mothers - along with regular checkups & motherhood-preparation classes, maybe expectant mothers will have to join coaching classes - early beginners, start at the womb!!! Everyday, solve a physics/chemistry/mathematics problem along with your daily exercise routines ...

And of course, we do not want our kids to grow up one-sided. Of course not. Why only academic coaching??? Sports & Arts are equally important. So, mother-to-be, attend music & sports training as well :P

But wait, you need to be able to afford all this. So, parents-to-be, work hard. Really hard... (I believe that at this rate, I'll be able to afford my kids' K.G. education, if I start saving up right away :) )

Well, on a different note, I'm glad I had enough free time, to play and enjoy myself. At times, doing nothing. Just sitting on the terrace enjoying the cool breeze. Running around. Lying down watching the stars in the sky. Simple pleasures. No pressure of classes to attend, courses to excel in. Things learnt & skills acquired out of interest, without having them thrust upon me.

I see today's kids. School-home-computer-tuitions-music class-sports class-dance class-homework-projects-studies-& oh, it's already time for the next day at school. And the cycle continues...

Maybe I'm biased. But I sometimes wonder about today's kids. And tomorrow's. Will they ever know the joy of a childhood? The simple pleasures of life. The joys of just running around. Of just lazing around on a hot summer afternoon. (without the shadow of 'holiday homework' looming large over the horizon) And so much more.

I tell myself that I should ensure that my kids should enjoy the simple pleasures of Life as I knew it. But then again, that might not be what they want. And well, if I'm the only one thinking this way, where will my kids find other kids to play with? And will they feel the burden of peer pressure, and be forced to bite off more than they can chew???

Only Time will tell.

(P.S. It started somewhere, ended elsewhere... Like Life - you never know where it starts or where or how it will end )

Friday, August 6, 2010

An update

For those who read my earlier post, here’s something I should add – I have discovered that some people do not pay heed to where they are – they go about their ‘business’ in full view no matter where they are – even within the university when a proper restroom is hardly 10 metres away!!! Even when it drizzles !!! And one guy even made a request to the van-driver to wait for him until he was done…. Shudder! Shudder!

And even standing among dustbins – I’m amazed you can ‘stand the stench’ that long (pun intended ;) )…

It reminds me of this ad with Kamalahassan in it asking a guy not to piss on the roads. (If I come across the video, I’ll post it…) And at times, I’m reminded of this documentary I read about in Suketu Mehta’s Maximum city: Bombay lost and found – a short film called Bumbay – and wonder if someone (alas, I cannot…) should make a similar film on this… (am trying to imagine what it would be called, if it is ever made…) (Piss-kiya??? Kuch kuch aata hai?? Omg!!!! What’s happening to me??????)

May the world be cleansed someday (with water, that is!!!)

And no, I’m not jealous or anything. Am just another concerned citizen. (concerned about myself, mostly ;) ) Can't help it..... (you can't help it either, na??? ) :)

Idiot on the "idiot box" :)

The TV was on when I entered. I am not normally a TV-watcher, but as I was having my daily round of chai-biscuit then and there, I happened to watch what was being aired. And I was glad I wasn't a regular viewer...

A 'family drama' - one of the kinds of soaps you encounter on TV. Mostly it has women crying, occasionally some of the men cry as well. You have these super-good, super-traditional ladies who have so much to bear... And then, there is this super-evil lady... (You can figure out who is who, even if you have never watched an episode of the serial before - if actions speak louder than words, clothes speak louder than actions... see for yourself, I bet you can identify with reasonable certainty who the 'good' & 'evil' characters are...) (I was reading 'The Omen' today - there was a line in it about how everything good had an evil counterpart (or something similar), which sums up what I'm trying to say - but I'm just rambling here...) Who is forever hatching evil schemes. And of course, there is an element of humour (!?)... Plus some more... (You can't make a serial just like that - you need a family sentiment, a love interest, some humour, some tense moments, some suspense...)

Picture this situation : a man beats his wife and throws her out of the house, and she begs him to take her back??? with assistance from her own sister (!!!)... And she knows he'll probably do it all again, yet goes back!!! Now, what kind of 'situation' is that?? What is the message it sends out? You can beat your wife, she'll come back to you. To the women - accept all that you get?? (Reminds me of this Rahul Mahajan episode - vicious cycle - does reel life follow real life, or is it the other way round? I digress again...) Seriously, whoever makes these serials, please send out some positive messages. We have enough stereotyping done already, without your adding to it.

Moving on from serials... reality shows (why do I seem to find either a soap or a reality show on every channel and almost all the time - with exceptions for commercials (longer than the serial episodes) and movies now and then). Reality shows - of every kind. Dance, music, comedy, actiong - name it, you have it... Sorry, but I'm overwhelmed by the sheer number of such shows... One idea works, you immediately have 10 'similar' shows...

Personally, I feel that while some of it is fine, it's sad to see so many people making a fool of themselves on air. Along with long hours of practise, getting camera-ready. Maybe I'm biased, but I sometimes wonder about the extent to which people go for a few minutes of fame. How
hard they try to impress the judges - I honestly wonder how judges are chosen - I think the last qualification needed for a judge is to know something distantly related to the show being judged... And their comments (expert opinions!!!)... Some things are not worth writing about...

I (thankfully) haven't watched all TV channels /shows. I hear that there are some good shows. But some shows I have read/heard about, and haven't felt the need to watch. Ever. Overall, I prefer to continue this way... Maybe someday some show will again be aired, which will make me want to go back to being the avid viewer I was once upon a time, when I waited impatiently for the weekly episode of some beloved serial.

I now go back to the next novel awaiting me...

And, before I end : V, happy birthday. And I do write positive stuff as well, as you probably know. You know where to find them...

Disclaimer : To remind you, this is a very personal opinion. And I know that many of you do not share these opinions. You are welcome to have your opinions, I have mine. And this is not intended to hurt/ ctiticize anyone. Just a few personal thoughts. Sorry for any unintentional mistakes.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

"One, two, three; take" - My take :)

First of all, apologies for the bad title, couldn't come up with a good one even after racking my brains hard...

If books get written about, can movies be far behind?

I'm not a movie buff. Not the avid cine-goer who watches every movie released, but more the just-a-movie-now-and-then type.

My biggest doubt : why are most movies "inspired" by some other movie?? Why are they always "based on", "inspired by", "influenced by", but never just copied or borrowed?

One of the reasons I'm not too keen on watching movies - I don't like movies where the heroines are just eye-candy. Who "act" (if you can call it that) dumb, the only time you get to see them actually doing something is during the dance sequences... There are very few movies I've come across which have women in good roles. Or atleast passably good ones. I don't know who is to blame - the writers , or the women desperate enough for their claim to fame, to agree to be a bimbette. (Sorry, I know too many strong women, that I just can't take it when the female characters act like dumb dolls)...

And the lines they speak.... The heroes speak lines like "This is how a woman should behave", "Good women should be 'modest'"... And our beloved 'heroines' (an irony, this word. the heroines I know in real life are not dictated to), just meekly obey the hero, and change themselves in accordance with dear hero's words. Women, whatever happened to your individuality?? Don't you have a mind of your own? Why do you want to be dictated to?

Another interesting aspect of the movies, if you ask me, is the portrayal of this thing called "love"... The hero sees the heroine in a crowded bus, and falls 'in love'? Or, more commonly, the heroine initially hates the hero, and so the hero takes it as a "challenge" to "make her fall in love with me"... And if the hero and heroine are constantly at loggerheads, it definitely means that they are in "love"... "I'll make her/him love me, give me a week" ?????????? And guess this takes the cake - "I've decided to love her. So I'm going to make her love me". How does one do that? Why does a villain (who often looks much better than the hero, an irony again) always come in the middle, and help the hero or heroine realize their "true feelings" for each other??? And how dumb is a suicide attempt (or a drama like that) to "make her fall in love" with you? How does the hero, who has seen the heroine once in a crowded bus in Chennai, find her in a church in Mumbai???? How does the hero always arrive at the right moment to "save" the heroine, even if he's somewhere in the US of A, while the heroine is in some remote village in South India?

The cloth(e)s the heroines wear are another issue altogether (the heroes are usually more fortunate in this, except for the 'out-of-this-world' (read scary) costumes, mostly in song sequences). I've heard too many people , while watching movies, wondering if the producers were so broke that they could only afford half-a-metre of cloth for making the heroine's outfit!!! I don't want to say anything more on this (it'd then be longer than half the clothes they wear!!)

Song sequences - I find them good and bad. (Though if you ask me, I wonder why many heroines don't feel cold wearing tiny summer clothes on snow-clad mountains, while the heroes are better wrapped-up... ) I have no wish to elaborate further on this right now...

Fights, I don't have to mention :) The hero is usually the winner - depending on the villain's popularity and role-length, the hero comes away completely unscathed, or gets a tiny bruise that can't be seen under a microscope. While the villain, who is seen lifting weights and gymming, collapses on a single hit (or more, depending on the movie) by the hero. How does the hero single-handedly take on so many men? And always win? Even when he's not equipped with anything but his hands, while the villains have weapons of every kind, from a pocket-knife to the most advanced machine-gun? Why is it that the villain can never hit the hero with a machine-gun, while the hero shoots the last bullet of a tiny revolver (at a distance of more than 100 metres) (and on the move!!), and the bullet is right on target??? And how is it that the hero can take on 15 men, and beat them, all before his half-cigarette burns out?

Comedy - some of it is genuine, and I'm grateful for that. But crude jokes, racist ones are not funny. Seriously. Fat people aren't a joke, please. It is seriously not funny when you make jokes about appearances, physical features or colour. And the most pathetic jokes are when you have to actually try and make people laugh. Double-meanings aren't always funny. And no, cross-dressing isn't funny. Neither is calling people names. Or falling down. Or having flour fall on your face from a box on the shelf above you. I have seen some genuinely funny movies, and movies where the comedy is indeed comedy, and at the same time, makes you think about the seriousness of the issues involved. Sorry, I have also seen some of the stuff that now goes under the name of "comedy", and now I shudder every time I hear this word, and if some movie falls under this genre, I try to avoid it.

There are many aspects to a movie. I haven't mentioned them all. And all the above words are my personal opinion. I know that movies are for entertainment, but then, it's a cyclic process - movies do influence people, and people do influence movies. And I prefer getting positively influenced by good movies, rather than movies that glorify violence, which promote stereotypes ("men know best, women should know their 'position'" UGH!!!!!!!); movies which show that you must 'fight' to get your way, which preach that suicide is the 'easiest' and 'only' way out; and a whole lot more. And hoping that positive movies do get made...

(I can already see a debate brewing, so I better start preparing my defense!!! This is only my personal opinion, based on many of the movies I've seen, and as I've already mentioned, I'm not an earnest cine-fan, nor do I claim to be an authority on movies - most of the above is based on Indian movies - Hollywood would need a separate post :) )

Friday, July 30, 2010

An appeal...

An appeal to (Indian) writers writing in english...

I'm writing this, not because I think I am eligible to criticize, and think I can do a much better job (maybe I could ;) ); but after having been disillusioned and disappointed by some recent works, especially the things (for the want of a better word) which go by the label of "fiction" (if it's a "youthful" story set in a college, beware!!! ), I am fervently praying that better times are to come, and that I no longer have to waste time or money on trash...

First of all, dear "authors", you need a story to tell. And if your story is just 3 lines : boy and girl like each other, they have a misunderstanding, they make up & live happily ever after, please donot fill 300 pages with pure drivel, just for the sake of making the book seem thicker - the chapters should carry the plot further, but then, when the plot is missing, you can't do anything but pout drivel...

FYI, students do study in colleges. Lectures do happen, and students do have an academic life - even if it is a novel, it is plausible and acceptable to say that students attend classes. And listen in them... There is no need to mention classes at all, if it is only mentioned as an obligation (it is set in a college, for God's sake!!!); or as the ideal situation for bringing characters together (what's a better conversation starter than a common nemesis??? )

And how many stereotypes do you need??? All Surds are for cracking jokes about? All tam-brahms are traditional? All bong girls wear tight t-shirts and shorts? Guys who study are "uncool" & boring? The 'coolest' gang can't be seen in class? There is a fine line between genuinely funny and crass...

Yes, we know. That sex sells, and so does SRK. We have heard it often enough. But that doesn't mean that it is the only thing on people's minds. It happens, but there is a life beyond. Why is it that most characters in 'fiction' (I don't know what to call it) are forever planning their next encounter / date? Or thinking about the last one. And please, we donot need 10-page descriptions (written in the style of a third-rate movie dialogue). Cut it out, please.

And if you can, please learn some spellings and grammar. Even "Indian English" has some base rules. Mixing hindi words with english (unnecessarily) does not show your 'mastery' of two languages, it often ends up sounding like you are trying too hard to sound cool, and know the 'in' things. Which is a sign of desperation.

Beyond all this, if possible, please create believable characters - like real people, instead of one-dimensional single-faceted zombies with a one-track mind... And who speak lines like in the actual world. (I remember some of the lines I have come across, wish I could erase them from my memory... it's like a bad aftertaste which refuses to leave my mouth)

The descriptions - you donot have to use your background for everything - describing physical appearances in civil engineering terms??????? Ugh!!! (Why do most books about IIT have atleast one 'Disco' episode?? Why do all college students swear every time they say something? Is it no longer possible to have a conversation without an f-word (maybe you feel great using them, of maybe you feel that the *'s used look like a design, or maybe you just don't have enough words in your vocabulary, and fill it up with trash) Why does every college student have to booze, smoke to be popular?)

Last, but not least, please write only if you do have something worthwhile to say... (Save paper and be eco-friendly if you can only rehash the same old trash)... And before you put your pen to paper (or your fingers to the keyboard, in the case of the techno-savvy 'writers' (ugh!) ); have you read some good books? (Not for plagiarising, but because they'll help you 'write' 'better' (they can only help you, they cannot create something that does not exist, as in a story when you have none). And if you do read good books, then why do you write like a digestive system - where all kinds of delicious and good things go in, only to come out as shit. Or is it a case of like-input-like-output???

All hope is not lost, there are still diamonds among the coals. Looking forward to finding a diamond (but what to do, trash is more common than a gem :( )

Disclaimer : This is my personal opinion. You don't have to share it or accept it.

p.s.: This is just about recent Indian writings in english. (Thanks to CB, every third person thinks he/she can write and we the readers are at their mercy - it's enough to put anyone off reading!!!) Not about books in general.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Surviving in the classroom : an alternate perspective

Location :

The front-benches have traditionally been reserved for the nerds. Enough has been said and written on the topic of back-benches as the only place to have fun. What about the middle benches???

Speaking from personal experience, the middle benches are a safe bet, with numerous advantages. For one, when you are in the middle of the middle row, it's highly unlikely that the professors will actually be able to reach you (the amount of work required to get there is enough to put anyone off!!). Moreover, you don't get tagged either a "nerd" (reserved for the front-benchers"; or a back-bencher (often used to mean mishief-makers). Which gives you enough scope to do what you want to without the fear of being labelled. And the chances of you being called to the board to solve a problem are slim. And you can waste a few minutes under the pretext of finding your way out (disturbing a few friends along the way), by which time the lecturer would have moved on to the next target, and you earn brownie points from your friends for providing the much-needed relief...

Classes:

During classes, it's often a good idea to sit with an open notebook in front of you, and a pen/pencil in hand. Just put down your head once in a while and take some notes. (which can be anything from the actual lesson being taught, in case you are a nerd, or a to-do list or some random lyrics, in case you're like me )... If you can keep an expression of total "concentration" on your face, so much the better. You can even nod in your head once in a while (to shake off sleep, as it nears the lunch hour; but an action which can be (mis)interpreted as your earnestness in following the lesson)...

The art of sleeping is one of those things that require patience and experience. However, with persistence, even that can be learnt...

Disclaimer:

This is just a personal viewpoint. Written in a lighter vein. And not meant to be taken seriously.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

The science behind the Leak???

It's been so long since I posted something... The reason being an inherent laziness :)

Now moving on to a serious question (!!!) that has been plaguing me ... why do men piss on the roads / walls ???

Everyday during my bus trips (and even walks to and from the bus-stop and elsewhere), I find the roads literally filled with men attending to their "business". In full view of the public... Standing. Sometimes sitting. With their bikes/scooters parked nearby. (This is often depicted in the movies, where the hero takes a cycle or a bike while chasing the villains, as the owner of the cycle/bike has just gone down to take a leak!!!)

Especially in major bus-stops, where people cannot stand (the stench) while waiting for the bus. But have to...(I'm no yogi, can't hold my breath forever. When I finally do have to take in some air, well, I don't want to describe it)...

Open highways are another thing. Maybe it's a sense of having done some personal civic duty by "watering" the plants and trees lining the roads... (Mineral water???)

The irony is that when there is public toilet nearby, you find more people outside than within .... Saving a rupee to contribute to the economy of the nation???

I never could understand the reason behind this. Saving the water which you use at home??? (I came across an article which claimed that a large amount of water is saved by pissing in the open ... But please do spare a thought to the others who have to bear the sight and stench, without wanting to... Ugh!!!)Or do the open spaces and walls ask you to "water" them??? Or just reluctance to walk the few steps leading to public loo? Or "it's open, it is free, I get to see more out in the open than behind a door"???

Most walls aren't spared either... Except for the few buildings which have a guard outside, or if it's an "important" building. It's pathetic when you have to resort to painting your walls with "Plese don't pas urin here" and putting some religious symbols underneath (here, the clever secular people paint symbols of all major religions, so no-one can claim it's not their God's property!!!)

Why???? Oh why???

I know that not all men do this, but well, next time you travel (not necessrily by bus, be it on your bike/car or an auto, just take a look outside (though not if you're driving!!)... The odds are, you can travel for about 5 minutes without coming across any of the above-mentioned... (I'm assuming you use the general public roads)

Alas, I have another trip to make in a while :(

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Glimpses of a childhood

There is very little I remember about my earliest years, as I was too little to remember ... So half of what I know of myself as a kid is through hearsay - family stories, wedding photos and such sources :)

As I have heard, I seem to have been very patriotic during my Pre-K.G. - it seems I'd sing the national anthem the whole day. And a biiiiig fan of my teacher - my daily report of the day's happenings seems to have been incomplete without a description of my teacher's outfit and accessories :)

After being a student at school, I'd come home to be the teacher of my dolls, giving them homework & correcting their notebooks :)

And then, of course, following my brother around the way the lamb followed Mary... If there was any argument or fight, I'd go complain to mom saying "he pulled my right hand" &mom would ask my brother, "why did you pull her right hand, why not the left?"... And being the creature that I was, I used to believe that mom had indeed scolded brother harshly ... We'd resume our playing & I'd continue my lamb act...

Once, my friend put his finger into a sharpener to see how it worked. There was plenty of blood from his finger. That's one of the things I remember of the time when I was little. We were neighbours and classmates, but after that year, he shifted elsewhere, and that was it, we lost touch. The one reminder of him (apart from the sharpener incident) was his presence in my aunty's wedding photo.

Later, we shifted into a new flat (until then we'd lived in an independent house with a well in the backyard, and a coconut tree in the front). Where there were plenty of new neighbours and a gang of kids. That was one glorious period of mad games on the street, and just running about , creating new games, modifying existing ones ... Then came a period when some new flats were being constructed - and we discovered the joys of playing hide-and-seek in an under-construction building (we even got locked up once, and had to be 'rescued' by the watchman).

Guess I am lucky to have a great brother. From him I learnt so many things - how to play cricket (both formats, not ODIs&tests, but the version played on a ground , and the one played with a book (which again has 2 versions, one where you hit a ball made from a paper role using a book as a bat; and one where you open a random page and the last digit of the page number gives your score), the rules of the game, how to fly a kite, how to apply maanja, how to make paperboats... the list is endless...

With that, I end this post.

(P.s.: as there were some distractions, the post ended up much differently than it was supposed to be)

An intro

Once upon a time, I used to blog. But with changing times, I became an infrequent blogger (maybe my inherent laziness has something to do with it!!). Of late, reading some splendid blogs (&attracting stares from everyone, as I was laughing so hard); I thought of starting a new blog. And post something regularly. (Resolutions are made to be broken,right?)

So, let me first tell a bit about myself:
- I'm one of those "reserved" people, a.k.a. "introverts"
- My interests are varied & my tastes usually include the extremes :)
- I often crack jokes - and end up in an awkward situation where I'm the only person who laughs :)
- I think of the most brilliant repartees & witticisms ; only I think of them hours or days after the conversation has ended
- And then, I'm modest (especially during interviews, when I am actually supposed to speak about myself )

(P.s : this time round, I hope my readership is higher than 1!!!)