Blocked!

Seems Google has problem with 'virtual' me. It has partially blocked my buzz and G+ profile :(. It sucks, was enjoying the interaction with some nice people!

Mr. Gentleman

Mr. Gentleman

Couple of my new friends (whom I met after coming here), tell me I am real gentleman. How do I explain them that I am no gentleman, its just that I am too afraid to do the wrong thing! Basically, I am just a coward, being gentleman is just a side-effect, and probably undesirable one!

Awesome Weekend

Need to write this down. Last month had problems with visa and was sad. Now on 16th June got call that the visa thing will be sorted out. Then had awesome weekend. Had nice dinners with friends, went to pub with carefree mind. Danced like hell, that too being sober. Got my first kiss :). Got calls from couple of girls (well as a matter of fact from one guy too!) But as I am a nice person, let the calls go. After returning from pub had a nice talk with friends. Found a really big TV in garbage, which is working great. When woke up, had smell of girls perfume all over me :P And today, got a big salary increase, effective august. 

Could this get any better ? Well, I hope so. 

Such innocence

#childhoodmemories is treding on twitter. Reminds me that when I was child, and was watching Hindi movies, the frequent use of 'main teri jaan le lunga' had some effect on me. I thought when we kill some one, we have two lives to live (literally, jaan le li), one ours and one of the person whom we kill (like a second life in video game). Could not imagine any other reason why people would want to kill anyone. Ah, such innocence!

The Crush

So, this crush of mine, she is awesome!

Let's Gloat

I have now surpassed my expectations of me at cooking. Cooked pasta today  differently (and with a bit of imagination) and they turned out to be awesome!

As my mother puts it, my wife is really going to be lucky to have me as a husband :)

Crush(ed)

And I have a new crush! I haven't met the girl, but we have talked on facebook. Our common friends have been pushing us to talk with each-other. After much resistance and overcoming my shyness, I messaged her on orkut and then on facebook.

Can't figure out what I like about her. Perhaps its nothing, perhaps its just our friends pushing us thats making me infatuated! But for sure, she had got some good qualities. She teaches 1-5 grades. Got impression that she is very kind and thinks a lot before saying anything! Most importantly, she is very very well read. Infact she is so well read, that she intimidates me! 

Spit and Drink (!)

Most of the people must have experienced how thinking about past memories can bring out an involountary smile on one's face!!

One such thing happened to me now! I don't know if this is worth sharing to 'elite' world outside. During college days (most of the worth remembering memories are from that time), we bunch of friends would sit in canteen most of the time. We were what people say in India 'Lukkhas', nothing better to do. The rush in canteen after the exam would be akin to the one we find in a fair. Also, we had only 15-20 mins time, as straight after our internal exams in morning, we would have lectures (oh yes, we dont need to read for next day exam. We are born geniuses!). 

This incident happened during our 3rd or 4th sem internals. After the exams we would wait eagerly for getting tea in canteen. As the rush was too much, and we students didn't believe in queuing the end result was chaos. Now one of my friend, too small in size would pass through the maze of people and would invariably get a hand on tea owing to his small size. But the thing did not stop there. As we were back then, intolerant to defeat, we would try to sneak his tea if and when he places it on table. Owing to his small size, he would not be in position to challenge us. 

So he comes up with this brilliant idea of 'spitting' in his tea cup before putting it to rest on table, so that we would not grab from table and drink it!!! This idea, he thought was his way to eternal bliss in canteen! We were dumbstruck. We did not mind drinking someone's 'joothi chai', but to drink tea someone has spitted into was awful to imagine. And so this little friend of ours behaved like a king, drinking his tea peacefully while we all waited for ours. As soon as he got his cup, he would spit in it and then drink it leisurely. He would also challenge us to have a sip from his cup! This continued for almost a week. 

I was annoyed at his public display of triumph. Was not sure what to do and how to deal with it. Now one day, after exam as we were sitting in canteen, he got his cup early, spit into it. Kept it on table. Challeged  us to drink from it. Me, at the spur of moment, took the cup, with everyone on table watching me. Took it near my mouth and voila: spitted in it too. Then challenged my little friend to drink it!!!

I was ecstatic for my solution for weeks to come! Such were the days, simple things were enough to make us happy!

why does every drunk think he is not drunk

On names

Someone called Sanyogita started to follow me on Twitter. I really liked the name. So started thinking of all the beautyful names that I have read in the novels of Ashwini Bhatt (very famous author in Gujarati language). Some of the ones which I like are below:

1. Lajja Sanyal

2. Shailja Sagar

3. Aaska Mandal

4. Sachi Mainak

The first three are the titles of his books too!!

Beauty and Brains

I do not know if this is true, but heard someone say it (probably my father) and it was damm funny. As you might be aware, Mr. George Bernard Shaw, considered one of the most intelligent person in England was not the most handsome of the person. The story goes like this, once in some party a very (I would like to think it would be a very very) pretty lady told Bernard Shaw that perhaps they should get married. Perplexed Shaw asks for the reason and the lady answers, it would be perfect, with me so beautiful and you so intelligent, we would have perfect kids, the ones which are most beautiful and intelligent. Now the response of Shaw is awesome. He says, pardon me lady, I dont think the risk is worth taking, what happens if our kids have my beauty and your intelligence!!! 

The Fountainhead and other things

Cover of The Fountainhead

Finally have got hang of twitter (or so I think). Its nice for some content discovery, chila chalu flirting and knowing what is around. The Indian Political Scene is full of surprises. Just when I thought it cant get bad than this, they surprise me and come up with something more mind-numbing. Self-evaluation and self-respect seems to be words alien to Indian-political personnel. 

As, such, I avoid commenting on things/people untill I feel I have reliable information to make a decision. As such, I hear people scream about things after having few facts, and feel a bit amused. For me, it has been always diffficult to criticize anyone until there is no possibility to avoid it. I mostly try to be happy with/around things/people I like. So, why should be this space any different. Let me talk about something which I liked a lot.

The book (yeah, m not called bookbluff for nothing) is called 'The Fountainhead' and its written by Ayn Rand. Was introduced to it during the last year of under-graduation exam. We had a viva during one of the practical exams. Me and my college crush, were having viva together. The professor who was taking the viva and us 3 shared common passion for reading. The questions during viva drifted from science to literature. One of the questions that our Prof. Dr. Vyas asked us was have we read The Fountainhead. I said no. My crush S said yes ( I still think that is one of the reason she got more mark than me and topped the university). We discussed the book for quite a bit of time. This lead me to buy one and read it. 

The book was amazing. Didn't agree to entire Philosophy of Ayn Rand, but liked parts of it. It describes selfishness as a virtue. The thing I liked most about the book was the character of Howard Roark, the Hero. He was sure of what he wanted to do since childhood Do what you like. Be a master of what you do. Do things you own way. Don't give a damm about what people/world say. (come to think of, I am not the perfect disciple, at 27  yrs and some months, still not sure what I want to do with life). 

The book is sort of a magnifying glass. There are some simple things which are not acceptable in society or considered anti-human. One such is selfishness. What book does is tries to take the things to extreme and shows a society/characters which are self-less and poses it against the ones with selfish and brilliant. 

There is one particular dialogue which I still remember after 4 years. Howard is asked by the anti-hero (forgot his name), what he (Howard) thinks about him. Howard says, but I don't think about you. 

The book was awesome. Its quite a long book, and by the time I completed it, I was under its spell. Tried some of the things mentioned in the book, and was immediately hated by people around me. It was then I realized that how difficult it is to be a minority. One has to drop one's intelligence to the level of majority or become Howard Roark. 

Intoxication

I remember the day when I first lay my hands on Harivanshrai Bachchan's Madhushala. I was having conjunctivitis so missed college and stayed at hostel. Borrowed the book from a friend. Cant tell was it the simple language, the sharp digs at social lacunae, or just the musical nature of his work, I just got addicted to it. Me and my friend from UP had this recitation competition, which went on for days (not that great for my roomies). 

I felt similar intoxication when I read Pablo Neruda. I have only read few of their works, but felt that both write about different things, but somehow their style felt similar (well I am not that great at writing/thinking why I like some things, I just like them). As opposed to  Mr. Bachchan, who writes about social values (especially in Madhusala), I felt Neruda is great in talking about love and pain. Some of the best lines that I like from Madhushala and some random lines from Neruda are below. 

Neruda:

• Love is so short, forgetting is so long. 
• Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer
  and these the last verses that I write for her. 
• I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.

From Madhusala

1. मुसलमान औ' हिन्दू है दो, एक, मगर, उनका प्याला,
  एक, मगर, उनका मदिरालय, एक, मगर, उनकी हाला,
  दोनों रहते एक न जब तक मस्जिद मन्दिर में जाते,
  बैर बढ़ाते मस्जिद मन्दिर मेल कराती मधुशाला!

2. मदिरालय जाने को घर से चलता है पीनेवाला,

'    किस पथ से जाऊँ?' असमंजस में है वह भोलाभाला,
     अलग-अलग पथ बतलाते सब पर मैं यह बतलाता हूँ -
       'राह पकड़ तू एक चला चल, पा जाएगा मधुशाला।'

3. एक बरस में, एक बार ही जगती होली की ज्वाला,
    एक बार ही लगती बाज़ी, जलती दीपों की माला,
   दुनियावालों, किन्तु, किसी दिन आ मदिरालय में देखो,   
    दिन को होली, रात दिवाली, रोज़ मनाती मधुशाला।


Tried my hand at writing a poem after writing this post...and i was terrible. Dropped the idea for time being. 

Pather Panchali (Movie)

Satyajit Ray Image via Wikipedia

Wanted to watch this movie since ages. Finally watched it couple of months back. Satyajit Ray has been one of my favourite authors. Practically learned English to read his translations of Feluda and Professor Shonku. A major person responsible for my fascination towards Kolkotta and Bengalis. Anyways, wanted to to see what kind of cinema he created.

I like fast paced movies. Hence, I was a bit bored in the initial part of the movie. While most of the fast paced movies are full of dialogues, Ray uses silence as an important tool to convey moods and feelings, and to me he really seemed very good at doing so. The story is very simple, no 'filmy' dialogues. The artists who play the character are chosen very wisely. Read somewhere how much trouble Ray went through to find right actors for characters.

What stood out for me were 3-4 scenes which made movie really worth watching. One of them was when the child character Apu is being readied to go to school by his mother and sister. The expression at around 10:20 tells it all. NO WORDS NECESSARY. The scene where Durga and Apu chase the sweet selling guy was also brilliant. After watching movie read its review and was very happy to find that both of those scene were specially mentioned.

In conclusion, though I love fast paced movies, this slow poetic movie did leave a lasting impression on me. If I was given a possibility to have dinner with a person across ages, I would choose Ray. Want to watch the remaining two parts of Trilogy, read that Apu trilogy is one of the most famous one in history of cinema, each outclassing the previous one.

Nice one...

Liked this one. Original post here http://www.google.com/profiles/sreenath253#buzz


The large amounts mentioned in the scams have given rise to an idea- new words to refer to large numbers- such as ::


a) Rs 1,00,000 crores= Rs 1 Raja
b) Rs. 10,000 crores = Rs 1 Radia
c) Rs 1,000 crores= Rs 1 Kalmadi

It will be easier to converse and comprehend large numbers. A few examples:

>> Anil Bhai’s home in Pali Hill will cost Rs 4.5 Kalmadi
>> ONGC’s annual output is Rs 1.2 Raja
>> India’s loss in G2/G3 scam is about Rs 1.7 Raja
>> India’s total annual subsidy on Kerosene is Rs 2 Radias
>> Poor Pramod Mahajan left behind only Rs 1.4 Kalmadi


Three cheers for Raja, Radia and Kalmadi !

Winter

Its a long time since I wrote anything. I just got the feedback form some of my friends for the story I wrote. Like I felt, it needs major re-writing.

Anyways, I have got a job for the time being (alas, its in the lab). But that has prevented me to write thesis. By the time I come back home and cook and eat, m too tired to do anything else (except of course, watch series). Watched The Practice, a series based on courtroom. Was nice. Felt some of the storylines/episodes were pathetic attempts to preach authors thinking to masses. Watching Bones now, it is OK for time kill.

Also, the winter is here in full force. It has been snowing like hell. The idea of walking to the college makes me sick. Couple of the pics (Blackberry rocks!!!) I took walking back from college. 

Miss going out with friends and having tea at local shop at 3 in night during cold winter nights. Miss being out of cash during month ends. Miss sitting in hostel canteen for hours, without purpose. Miss being cared for by room-mates. Miss having right to be angry on friends for minor things. Guys, the work life is over-rated. The only good thing is I am earning (well, for the time being atlest). 

After note: The dimples of Tamara Taylor, playing  Dr. Camille Saroyan in The bones are worth looking over and over again. 

A short-sweet story (not mine)

 A couple of my friends are in the middle of (messy) break-ups. Seeing their condition I feel glad that I am not in any of that kind of relationship. I wonder, how can a person be in love and don't know the simple basic (and irritating) stuff about the other guy. Makes me think what they seem to claim love is indeed love.

I read this short story somewhere and it was not credited. Have told it to many friends and most of them have loved it. Increase in the frequency of broken-hearts around me has reminded me of the story and would like to share here. As, I don't have the original story, which I read, I am putting my own imagination to the basic narration that I remember.

There was this guy from a village. His parents had died when he was unable to understand what death was. His grandmother raised him. He turned out to be good at studies. He completed his school and went to a city for attending college. As it often happens, he fell in love with one of his class-mates. And again, as it mostly happens, the girl rejected him. The guy was broken hearted. He did not speak with anyone. He even stopped going to college. He felt dejected. His friends were worried about him. They tried to cheer him up. Taking him to movies, introducing to other girls. But he remained sad. Smile seemed to have ceased to exist for him. His friends thought that perhaps if he moves away from college for a while, it may help. So they pursue him to go to his village and stay with his grand mother for a while.

Well in the village his grand-mother was happy to see him, but started to worry about him seeing him so sad. She asked him many times what was wrong, but he said nothing. Time passed, and one day, suddenly the guy asks his grandmother, 'nani, how much time does it take to forget about the First love', and the grandmother replies, 'beta, how would I know, I am just 70'.

Barkha Dutt and Twitter

I have created an account on Twitter, just to follow the Barkha Dutt controversy, as apparently, there seems no other way to get information on the subject. Could not find anything on regular news sites that I follow. Seems, that the media has decided to go stand by their rotten apples. My impression of NDTV has taken a big set-back. Now wonder, whom should I turn to to get a fair coverage of what is happening. 

I have often thought that people who are in position to mould the opinion of millions have a social responsibility irrespective of their profession. But, I have seen atlest some journalists, who have used their power of Pen, to threaten the system and get an unfair advantage. However, I thought that this rot was restricted to the lower portion of the journalist, and the elites were all Mr./Mrs. Clean. But this controversy has made me think again. Although Ms. Dutt, keeps saying that what she did was just sourcing information, the words used on tapes and tone seem to indicate that there was more than just sourcing. But, lets forget what she was actually doing. I am more disappointed at how the media has avoided to even report it. If it was some politician who was caught on tape, there would have been demands for his resignation from the same people, but now that one of THEM is caught, they don't even feel the need to report it. Apparently, it seems NEWS (north, east, west and south) media, takes it for granted that it is not responsible to report what lies within.

I also wonder, how appropriate it is to give the power to mould the opinion of millions into the hands of these few (corrupt or otherwise) people. 

Thinking: can't live with you, can't live without you

I have been told many a times by my father that I think too much. Put too much of mental effort on every problem. According to him, I am so much afraid of being deceived, that I am not enjoying life per se.

Recently. I have been thinking (haha) that he is right. Like someone said in response to define poison, that excess of anything is poison, I feel right now, too much of thinking is injurious to one's health.

Mr. Advice

My advising gloves were on today. There is this friend of mine, whom I first met on internet and today in person. She is facing a problem with her breakup and I gave some advise and lend an ear for more than hour and got a compliment that perhaps I should seriously take up counselling as a profession :). Made me happy. Especially since my online career counselling thinks that I am no good, except for being a librarian or lab technician (which apparently I am).