Tangents

Graffiti in Dhaka

2012-02-06T11:32:00.003+05:30

I had to get to Bashundhara from Gulshan in Dhaka and I spotted this very deep question on the wall that has remained with me ever since I have seen it. It is an amazing thought and I am very impressed by the question itself. It brings forth the assumptions and boundaries we hold on to or surround ourselves with. Do I have an answer to this? No.

I managed to click a photo of the same and here it is.

The graffiti artist - Guerilla (check their website, they have some amazing work!) couldn't have come up with a more relevant question today that we all should ask ourselves. The answer need not come the minute the question is asked, but, to keep this question at the back of the mind definitely makes the world a lively place to live. Doesn't it?

The Auto drivers in Mumbai. Something is wrong.

2012-01-09T02:52:00.002+05:30

What is with the auto-wallah's in Mumbai? If I have to pay them 33 rupees as per the meter, the auto driver smiles and tells me 30 is alright! I am seriously worried, especially because, yesterday when I asked an auto driver for the route to a mall, he said he would drop me half way as he is heading in the same direction. The most painful part is that he didn't want money for it! When the point where he said he would drop me was reached, he refused to take me money because he was only dropping me at a place he chose and failed in his duty to drop me at a place I wanted to go to. No, you don't understand. It went to the extent of me trying to push money into his pocket and he was laughing and pushed my hand away!

The other day, when I had to pay 28 rupees as per the meter and neither the auto driver nor me had the exact change and I had paid 30 rupees, the auto driver refused to acknowledge to my pleas of 'let it be and keep 30' and got change after getting it from fruit vendor at the other end of the road!

I tell you what, something is seriously wrong with the world I live in these days.

Communication from Buzz, the Mosquioto

2011-08-07T13:49:00.002+05:30

You there who calls himself Sleepyface,

I have a name and I'd rather you address me by my name. I'm not just any mosquito you'd meet on your food. I deserve some respect and I will not tolerate this treatment from you. If you want to fight, confront me instead of whining in your blog.

As far as the desk and the boundaries that you have whined about are concerned, I am well within my boundary. You place yours on the chair, the desk part is mine.

Sharpening my knives
Buzz

An Open Letter

2011-08-03T15:04:00.000+05:30

Dear Mosquito on my desk,

The two of us may share the desk and the view from the window, but, it does not mean you can cross boundaries at your behest. The cold coffee kept on this table is for me and not for you. Presently, I have covered the mug with a paper and I can see you are walking all over the paper searching for the froth. I don't know if it is written on which wall or which stone, but, I do know that it is written on this blog that I will not part with my coffee with you. That coffee is for me.

Your accommodating desk mate,
Sleepyface

Intermission on the Jaipur Delhi Route

2011-04-07T23:40:00.003+05:30

The bus stopped at RTDC Midway and the bus conductor announced that the bus would stop only for 20 minutes. I was secretly hoping the bus wouldn't stop anywhere between Jaipur and New Delhi as I had to catch a flight that same night. There were a lot of shops next to each other housed in a big complex. There were shops selling toys, memorablia from Rajasthan. One especially notable was the shop selling the katputli or the puppet. It is also the name of a place bang in the middle of the line drawn from Jaipur to New Delhi. And, this line happens to be National Highway 8.

All my fears of missing my flight were pushed aside as soon as I saw the colourful shops selling colourful things. I really wanted to buy, but, posed with the fact that I had to lug it around for another 5 days before I reached home made me decide against buying. I even asked the price of a Rajasthani doll hoping he would quote very high so that I can reject the idea of buying. The price he quoted and if I bought it or not is a mystery which you will never get to know.

Five minutes passed thus and I realized I was hungry. I rushed to the cafe and ordered for a sandwich. The place has many things on offer - all kinds of Dosas, ice creams, rotis, rice, soft drinks, even soups and hot chocolate! The options were too many to process in the given time. I took the easier route of ordering what the person in front of me ordered. I also had seen a couple of people eating sandwiches and I had made up half my mind as I saw them when I was walking to the counter. The Delhi guy behind the counter who was issuing the tokens was quite rough and rude. The conversation went thus:

Me: Ek sandwich dijiye (Give me a sandwich)
He: *kd8e9*? ( I didn't understand what he asked)
Me: Haan. Veg. (Pretending to understand)
after 30 seconds
Me: Grilled sandwich milega? (do you get grilled sandwich?)
He: Aap ne toh nahin bola! (You said you don't want when I asked before!)

And the bill that you see is the result of my pretending to understand. A bill with the original order corrected. After a full 5 minutes, I enjoyed my sandwich watching Australia lose Ponting's wicket with 144 on the board against Zimbabwe in the 2011 cricket world cup.Wait. That didn't come out right. I enjoyed Zimbabwe getting Ponting's wicket while eating the sandwich.

The Bed That Called in Kandy

2011-04-03T02:37:00.000+05:30

We were in Kandy and we were looking for that bed that we were destined to sleep in. As soon as we reached Kandy by bus and just randomly started walking the city. We were guided to a small place run by this woman who was very friendly to us. Also, there was a backpacker from a far eastern Asian country. The room was quite compact and the toilets were not particularly clean. We had to take a call between settling for this one and search for another not knowing where to look, especially difficult choice as it was around dinner time. We chose the latter and walked and walked. We passed by a young couple sitting by the lake. We accidentally walked into a police station thinking it was a road leading to a certain hotel as mentioned in Lonely Planet, Sri Lanka.

There wasn't anyone who we could ask for directions. All that was going on in our minds was that, there will be a bed that is waiting for us and we will not be left room less. We finally found our way to Olde Empire, which is listed as a backpacker's paradise and the one that was the closest to the tooth relic temple. The place looked very uptown as there were pizza hut and a levis store (that I remember as of today). Most importantly, when I stepped on the road to cross, the vehicles approaching me in the road stopped without me having to wait for it to pass. The latter being the default in India. I was super thrilled about what I experienced when I crossed the road.

We wasted no time in selecting the spacious room that was on offer for the three of us and the shared toilets. It was a lot more than what we had bargained for and perhaps one of the best stays in Sri Lanka. It reinforced that there will be a bed for us to sleep every night and it will call out for you. Even tonight, the night you'll hit after you read this blogpost.

The Second Cup Of Tea

2011-01-20T08:29:00.000+05:30

I realize after having 3/4th of my second consecutive cup of tea that there are some sediments of sugar at the bottom of my cup. This is mildly disturbing as I already said that this is my second cup of tea and that both times I poured boiling hot water into the cup. I added one cube of sugar, at the beginning of the first cup and none added at the time I made the second cup. Speaking of the cup, it is white in colour and contains - to use the expression - black tea, which is actually brownish in colour. But, let us not digress. The sediments of sugar must have dissolved at the very instance it came into contact with water. Doesn't it happen that way? Why is this happening to me?

In other news: the water in the shower must be very hot by now. Lets see what that hot water is incapable of doing.

Slowly She Crept In

2010-12-11T14:02:00.000+05:30

She was as slow as it should have been., if not slower. There was no need for any drama of any kind. I really didn't feel like even reaching out for the mobile phone. There was silence all around. Nobody shouting, No honking, No noise of any kind. Things did not seem important that I had to rush and be like a maniac. The legs stretched, the arms stretched, taking its own time. I played hide n seek with the her and when she did happen, I felt very refreshing and energizing. The first refreshing morning I woke up to, in a long time now.

Applied Geometry

2010-12-10T09:29:00.004+05:30

(click to enlarge)

Once

2010-11-28T16:29:00.000+05:30

A very simple story and lots of music. As I watched the movie, I got quite irritated by the lack of maturity of the characters, but I realize, that is the whole beauty of the movie - they are ordinary people who are struggling to make a living. It was very refreshing to watch the movie in a language that may not be grammatically perfect and of simple things. I was surprised by the IMDB rating of 8 for this movie. The simple characters, the simple lives, some wonderful music definitely makes it worth the watch.

And this trivia I quote from IMDB:

Bob Dylan was such a big fan of the film that he arranged to have the two leads, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, open for him on part of his world tour. Hansard and Irglová also covered Dylan's song "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" for the I'm Not There. (2007).

what happens now?

2010-11-08T15:59:00.001+05:30

I have been with this feeling from the last three or four days. Something seems to have changed. I couldn't articulate what, neither could I point it out. The poem below, by William Thomas Moore captures the feeling perfectly, to the T.

what will happen
now? she asks.
now, i say,
now,
the dishes will pile
up in the sink
and there will
only be one
pair of shoes at the door.

The Climb

2010-11-01T15:11:00.001+05:30

It was the highest point in the locality. The top of the overhead tank above the pent house, was not humanly reachable at 2 am. So we settled to the terrace of the pent house. In the midst of speaking about how fantastic the documentary on the moon mission is and the advancements man has made in the space, we realized we were really high. In what we spoke, the part that stands out significantly in my mind is when I was told that there is a rope on the ladder and that it will take me to Sikkim. I would rate this climb as the best ever climbs I have done in my life. Nothing takes precedence to this. (I know what you're thinking. The climbing of the Sigiriya rock in Sri Lanka comes a close second, but we'll talk about that later)

Little Pleasures

2010-10-17T07:21:00.001+05:30

*sitting in a Shatabdi, traveling from Chennai to Bangalore and discovering that there's free WIFI in the train. And, blogging from the train.

*receiving a call from the person who you were just thinking of

*itunes picking up exactly the song you need while on shuffle

When you smile

2010-10-06T16:46:00.001+05:30

Creation, originally uploaded by Shermeee.

this is how light I feel

Exit Through The Gift Shop

2010-10-01T10:40:00.000+05:30

This movie is all about Street Art and Street Artists in US and Europe. I came to know through this movie about some supposedly "big players" in this field. It has been written that this is the first available documentary on this form of art. This movie tells a story of a film maker who intends to make a documentary film on Street Arts. Artists of international reputation like Banksy, Shepard Fairey, Space Invader, Mr. Brain Wash and their work is featured in this movie, perhaps for the first time in such detail. I was impressed by the graffiti itself and I remember seeing some art before - at that time not knowing much about it. To have seen behind the scenes and the artists themselves was an education.

I found the movie a tad dry in the beginning with the film maker giving an impression of having lost the plot. It gets interesting in the second half and I was left thinking, why this movie was made in the first place. It could be as an answer to someone, it could be a need to show the true story and set right certain basic assumptions. However, what mattered was that, the director takes a neutral stance and the narrative is told from an observer view point. This movie also provides a great view from the inside in the field of street art.

IMDB Link

The Bike Got Serviced

2010-09-24T21:00:00.000+05:30

And so, just like that the mechanics arrived with their tools and did magic on my bike. It now runs like it used to run when I bought it, 5 years ago. Riding a bike that is serviced is a joy and having ridden it is even more. My only appeal to you is please get your bike serviced. The joy is only to be experienced.

In a seemingly unrelated topic, nothing much is happening elsewhere.

What happens next?

2010-09-22T15:36:00.004+05:30

Every minute. Every second. We want to know what happens next. In the Akshay Kumar flick. In Moment of Truth. In The Weakest Link. In the book I'm reading. In the choices that are made. In a much larger context. In the CWG athlete's mind. In the news channels... You get the drift.

A case in point is the boy's photo here, "what happens next" is in its exaggerated state and only the answer to this question can save him. In my conversations with this boy, I am surprised the extent to which he has internalized the bewilderment this question leaves people. ~~In its extreme cases, it can give birth to a sense of confusion which propagates internally, externally and cosmically.~~

The "One" question that nobody can answer, but, can only know by surrendering to the flow and the events. What Happens Next?

Wink & A Smile

2010-09-06T14:54:00.003+05:30

Fairies dancing on dew drops.

high pony tails, pointed feet.

Gurgling waves

like five year old girls who know about magic.

Notes hanging from the strings of my heart

out to dry

The tips of my fingers and space

make music

Toothy grins

dancing eyes

No beginning and no end

to me and you.

- A

Note: A is Anonymous Guest Blogger. This is by a Guest Blogger who chooses to be anonymous. This is the first ever guest blogpost on Tangents and I am extremely glad this blog has a post by this person. I wish I could say more about A, but, I can't.

Very Later Man, Very Later Story

2010-08-26T01:48:00.005+05:30

Very Later Man wakes up to a reality that later is not done. Later exists in his dictionary only as a suffix to the word very. Wide speculations suggested that he never procrastinates his action. In reality he procrastinates his committed start dates. Probing him deeper reveals he never commits to anything and the question of procrastination doesn't arise at all. He avoids commitment as much as possible. Another dimension to his personality comes out beautifully in his story. It will be shared Very Later.

Everyday Man, Everyday Story

2010-08-09T12:58:00.004+05:30

Everyday man woke up 30 minutes later than planned and the mobile phone had no new messages. He then went to complete his morning rituals and checked his email. There weren't any new emails other than spam. He started singing his favorite tune - the unforgiven by metallica and grabbed the two slices of bread - his breakfast, and listened to the usual "shouldn't do" things his mother and granny had to say.

Everyday man, with his lunch box, has to kick start his bike thrice to get it right. The mornings are always like this. He faces the red at every signal and has to stop before proceeding. The buses don't give him space. He mutters this and that and continues singing "Here I am" by bryan adams tune. Reaches office and finds that there's no parking space. Finds one and has to walk half a kilometer. Enters office wearing his helmet and sits in front of his cabin. The colleague wishes good morning without looking away from her screen. He starts typing away and hopes to complete the report at least 12 hours later than what he had promised.

Anti Hero in Waiting

2010-07-26T12:53:00.002+05:30

Man in black coat, I
cold winter evening
a tea called venom

empty chair across
I had a book to read
And a knife to kill

foot tapping music
second glance by the damsel
I sensed the escape

I smiles, turns away
with a lighter heart
I belongs right here

The Hero in Waiting

2010-07-25T21:20:00.006+05:30

Man in black coat, I
cold winter evening
a tea called elixir

empty chair across
I had a book to read
And one to write

foot tapping music
second glance by an angel
I wanted to dance

I smiles, turns away
heaves with a heavy heart
I belongs elsewhere

unfinished and incomplete

2010-07-21T17:22:00.000+05:30

the half read book. unfinished conversations. feeling misunderstood. unsure of actions. wanting to draw a line but not wanting to draw a line. feel the void that is not there. refusing to see the void that is here. the blogpost left incomplete. wait. unfinished now. left incomplete forever. doesn't make sense. unfinished sentenc

My Boyfriend Strongest

2010-07-19T12:37:00.004+05:30

It was the battle of strength. Either the bisleri 1 liter bottle cap or him. It all began when her slender fingers couldn't open the cap of the new bottle. She turned at her man who was smiling at her attempts to open the cap. The bottle found its way to his hand and he opened it in a jiffy. Only that it didn't open. He tried a second time. Fourth time. He tried drying the hands and opening it. With a cloth. Ugh. Slowly, with the face of defeat, he turned to her. She was beaming. It was her turn to rescue him. And she opened it in a jiffy and said "My Boyfriend Strongest"

He and She ("Classic" Alert!)

2010-07-14T00:04:00.003+05:30

He:
Questions on the future
Ghosts of the past
Steal the here & now,
not letting the moment last

She:
Questions are meaningless
The ghosts lead me to you
I live in your arms
And this is true

Union

2010-07-05T00:03:00.002+05:30

The fire that binds, originally uploaded by Aditi Patnaik.

The romance in the ritual
Making of two smiles into one

The music in the chant
Timeless wisdom in the here & now

Her unflinching love
His fear of being held captive

Oppression gets registered,
Beauty goes amiss!

(thanks Aditi for the photo)

Will you join me?

2010-06-29T19:36:00.001+05:30

Summer, originally uploaded by sleepyface.

Now that the water is out,
I rest my role as the container

I'm just a pot,
making music and dancing

Looking at you
straight in the eye

Will you join me?

Coffee, Cupid and the Verse

2010-06-15T22:05:00.004+05:30

On the table, there's order for coffee,

under, his knee almost touched hers

an exhale, a sigh, a call to be

he writes poems that are stupid

she smiles, puts up with it and

blames it on cupid

his struggle is to make the verse rhyme

she loses herself

in the moment sublime

in being who they are,

he fails to see the verse they make

beautiful... not rhyming by far!

The Immortals of Meluha

2010-04-24T02:04:00.004+05:30

I avoided buying this book from a long time. And then it happened. I started reading it the day I bought which is very rare from my side. And, I haven't been able to put it down from the day I started reading it.

Having born in a family that is Vaishnavite (followers of lord Vishnu), Shiva is one God (lack of a better word) who I had least known about. Ignorance, laziness, a general feeling of "not mine" when it came to Shiva, this book has been a revelation. The book looks to be a period fiction, but, nevertheless. The content is something that I've been missing all my life.

The book narrates the story of Shiva and the human side of his. I feel the language used when the characters communicate is not really "period" but, could well be the language that is used today and makes it sound casual. This, to some extent, takes the "period" away from the book. And yes, the cities in Indus Valley civilization comes to life which is a delight.

Amish (the author) promises two more books as this is the first of the trilogy. I'll surely look forward for the second book. Shiva inspires me.

Mughalsarai to Varanasi

2010-01-17T15:39:00.004+05:30

I have always wanted to go to Varanasi. I knew there was something about that place. I reached Mughal Sarai and the station was surprisingly clean. As I stepped outside the station, the mess was staring into my face. I found my way out and was surprised to find nothing less than 27 "Marwari Hotel". Within a span of ten minutes. It was amazing to find each one of these buzzing with activity. I walked into one of them and shared a table with a couple of people who were complaining by the minute. A plate of Puris, a couple of jalebis and a chai later, I found a bus introduced by the JNNURM which was headed to Varanasi. It was amazing to travel in the bus and it costed 12 rupees. The bus was washed just recently and had clean seats.

It took me to the Varanasi bus stand. The journey was about 40 minutes. Mughal Sarai is on one side of the Ganges and Varanasi is on the other side. There's a bridge - Malviya Bridge - that connects the two places. The interesting things it that it is a two-tier bridge. There's road, below which is a railway line.

Having gotten off at the bus stand, I took a cycle rickshaw to reach Assi Ghat. Lonely planet informed me that it is a good place to start a walk and I was all set to walk along the bank of the river, across all ghats.

The Girl Who Was A Dream

2010-01-05T11:28:00.003+05:30

"Can you give me a window seat towards the rear of the aircraft?" I asked. The pretty woman behind the counter made a face. Before she could say anything, I asked "window seat anywhere in the aircraft?" She smiled. I smiled. Seat 4A it was.

Joy has its own reasons. Sometimes, it comes when you notice who ends up sitting next to you in the aircraft. This time, the occupant of seat 4B. She was like heaven sent. It was 0530hrs and I had spent the night at the airport. Food or water wouldn't have been as energizing as the sight of this beauty, for this 28 year old single man.

She didn't smile. She had a long nose, yes and in my imagination, her smile was the single most beautiful thing to have happened to me, for a long time now. The black sweater and the shawl she wore, made her look like a queen. I was sleep deprived, had no energy to smile or even lift my hand. The subconcious took over and the next thing I know is in the next stanza.

She started talking
She asked me to sing
I refused to stop
She let the idea drop

She wanted to keep her head on my shoulder and sleep. Pune to Nagpur is a 75 min journey, but, what do you know, my friend, with her head on my shoulder, it seemed infinite. And then we spoke, spoke, and spoke. The stewardess brought things to sell. To my surprise, she didn't ask either of us. Neither did we bother to look up and say "No, thanks". We drifted off to sleep.

I woke up. She was still sleeping. I found that she was more beautiful than I remembered. She was still wearing the black sweater. There was a certain sense of poise in her that seemed to say "nothing of what you think happened, happened". I was aghast. It was because, I couldn't distinguish between the dream and reality. Just as you couldn't distinguish between prose and poetry earlier. I had to tell myself, it was all a dream. I had a very tough time in trying to think what was a dream and what wasn't. She didn't even notice you, let alone talk.

And it was time for me to go. The aircraft was headed to Delhi. I realized I had to wake her up for me to get off the aircraft. I barely managed "excuse me" which didn't even reach my years. I then sat down, brought myself in what I thought was an audible area for her. I feared I'd say "you're beautiful" aloud. I heard myself say "excuse me". Thankfully, she heard too. She saw me and stood. I did the same, left and didn't turn back.

An Open Letter

2009-12-18T18:59:00.004+05:30

Dear World,

Each day just goes so fast
I turn around - it's past
You don't get time to hang a sign on me

Love me while you can
Before I'm dead old man

A lifetime is so short
A new one can't be bought
And what you've got means such a lot to me

Make love all day long
Make love singing songs

There's people standing round
Who screw you in the ground
They'll fill your head with all the things you see

I'll make love to you
If you want me too

Warm Regards,
Sleepyface

p.s: this is the lyrics of a song by The Beatles which echoes my thoughts about the world. I deeply feel about the world as mentioned in the lyrics. Don't get me wrong. But, make love singing songs? yeah baby. I'd like to!

Youtube video of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa4h27nL4r0

(crossposted on www.oooligans.blogspot.com)

The Hanged Man

2009-12-10T11:52:00.001+05:30

You are the Hanged Man

Self-sacrifice, Sacrifice, Devotion, Bound.

With the Hanged man there is often a sense of fatalism, waiting for something to happen. Or a fear of
loss from a situation, rather than gain.

The Hanged Man is perhaps the most fascinating card in the deck. It reflects the story of Odin who offered himself as a sacrifice in order to gain knowledge. Hanging from the world tree, wounded by a spear, given no bread or mead, he hung for nine days. On the last day, he saw on the ground runes that had fallen from the tree, understood their meaning, and, coming down, scooped them up for his own. All knowledge is to be found in these runes.

The Hanged Man, in similar fashion, is a card about suspension, not life or death. It signifies selflessness, sacrifice and prophecy. You make yourself vulnerable and in doing so, gain illumination. You see the world differently, with almost mystical insights.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Ashish Nehra Totally Rocks!

2009-12-09T21:11:00.001+05:30

He is a very strategic fellow. He would keep the batsmen guessing till the last ball of his spell, in a strategy reserved for the T20s. The first 3.5 overs, he would let them hit boundaries and sixers. The 24th ball, his last in the game, he would bowl a beauty of the delivery and claim his wicket! Who would've thought? Not the batsman, at least...

And then, he is sent 7 down, when the whole world thinks India is losing it. In a swift swish of the bat, he sends the ball packing over the boundary. Two back to back sixers. Back to Back! Believe it or not. Just when he's got control of the game, fearing his strategy will be exposed, his original agenda which is to keep the whole world guessing, he gets out!

I think we are blessed to be living in this era, to see a batsman with such a firm technique and more importantly a strategic player in our side. Hail Nehra!

The Night Sky At Ella

2009-12-07T19:10:00.002+05:30

"I can see the square root symbol" Sleepyface seeing the stars and trying to make patterns out of it

"I can see planet earth" ... alien from one of the planet-which-we-thought-to-be-a-star

"Fucker, that's not a square root symbol, its a man's thing which is very big" ... Oneiro on Sleepyface's comment

We sat gazing the night sky from the wall-less dining hall at Hotel Ravana in Ella (if you're at ella, please stay at Hotel Ravana). The owner was gracious to offer tea (for free) for the three of us and we, for a moment hoped that would double up as dinner.

The walk from the railway station to the hotel was nothing less than a trek. No lights, no road. We had to wade through jungles. After walking through 73 such jungles, I strayed and found myself at a massage place which was closed. Doel and Oneiro refused to stop for me and I had run helter and skelter to find them. Thank God, Ella is not as big as Paro, Bhutan (which only has 4 streets and an airport)

I found them and we quickly settled in the dining hall. We spoke about this and that, drank to heart's content, ate a little bit and saw a lot of firangs. In my dream that night, to my utter disbelief, I took the square root symbol and was hitting Oneiro on his head. Perhaps to have brought the abstract symbol in relation to something as real as the man's thing.

I wish I could die now

2009-12-06T15:59:00.003+05:30

Oneiro, Doel and me, walking around the lake in Kandy. Its close to 2000hrs. We still don't know where we would be staying that night. We're looking for a budget hotel to stay. The lake itself is quite big and as we approach the Tooth Relic Temple, Oneiro suddenly stops and says, "I can die now". I totally understood what he said. It was understandable. We were coming back from Sigiriya, having visited the Sigiriya rock and creating drama wherever we went. I volunteered to push him into the lake. Doel suggested, he's been doing the reading about the hotels, lets find the hotel first and then we could push him to death. Logic worked. Oneiro survives, even today. As I write this, he is in Bhutan.

*********

Three LIONs down at Unawatuna near Galle. 2300hrs. We stayed in the most 'frugal' place right beside the beach. We had traveled from Kandy to Ella in a train. One of the best train travels ever. It has to be traveled to witness the beauty of mother earth... the train curves, winds up and winds down (and on rare occassion, flies) amidst breathtaking beauty. This being witnessed already and finding myself at Unawatuna, after emailing six or seven of my friends saying this is the best place on earth, I subscribe to the idea of death. My job on earth is over. I wish I could die now. The first sixteen times I said this (over an hour and a half), Oneiro and Doel were trying to convince me against it. It was the next 33 times that they saw the pointlessness in it. After this, I said only once and the two of them ran to me and pushed me into the water with all their might. (Spiderman came and saved me, but we'll save that story for later)

********

After a futile attempt at reaching Phajoding, we return after trekking 0.3 times the original one-way distance. I must say, it was a great trek in the hot sun. A lot of songs, biscuits, bread with biscuits, dairy milk sandwiched between two slices of bread, water, yaks, a few games of UNO happened during the trek. Meeliya, on the way back, suddenly bursts out "I can die now" Meeliya continued her onslaught, "I'm a very content person, I have everything I asked for in my life"... Just as I began to say "I identify with your feeling", she flew from the cliff and reached the foot of the hill. I saw her only 90 minutes later.

*****
postscript: I still am with the "I wish I could die now" feeling. It is not that it is suicidal, but, more of, enough. I've seen enough, I've met the best people, I have the three +1 readers on my blog active.. but, you'll never know, there could be a next blogpost happening as swiftly as you wouldn't have imagined.

Pennyless in Sri Lanka (or, the return of Oneirodynic Spurtan)

2009-11-15T22:59:00.004+05:30

"This is ridiculously expensive man!" ... Oneirodynic, in Sri Lanka

"I wonder how much they'd pay for our lives" ... Sleepyface, in retrospect

"Fuck. I think they've stolen the money I had kept in my backpack" ... Sleepyface

"What kind of a moron are you to keep your money in your backpack?" ... the other face of Sleepyface, on his previous statement...

So, my dear three readers of this blog. Please look out for the label titled, the title of this post for a recollection of stories and experiences in Sri Lanka. The author of this blog was accompanied by the well known (to you as well, I hope) Oneirodynic.

Oneiro, who accompanied me, was thanking me with all his might for agreeing to travel with him to Sri Lanka. We recreated the magic, we created a couple of years ago (here, here). It is totally unfair not to mention the third person who joined us. Please note that Oneiro and I tried as much as possible not to maker her "the third person". Doel, who goes by her first name in the stories, or D at times, made us the "trio".

Watch out!

12 hrs, Chilli Ice Cream and Imtiaz Ali

2009-11-14T16:27:00.005+05:30

1730hrs: shared taxi to mumbai. turns out goes only until vashi. 120 bucks. vada pav at a pit stop. fight between old man and driver. get down by mistake much before vashi.

1945hrs: travel by local bus to vashi bus depot. 8 bucks. get a seat after standing for twenty minutes. conductor announces my stop.

2040hrs: long phone call. frantic search for a taxi cab to Sion. finally finding one. reaching Sion railway station.

2230hrs: finally meet friend. drive to pot pourri. order a sizzler and a pasta. long dinner follows dessert.. may be he thinks only one of us on this table drink water ... finding laptop bag safe in car. am shown salman's residence and then shahrukh's residence.

0030hrs: the walk along "land's end" disrupted by police. seeing "pick up"s in progress. chilli ice-cream on marine drive (!!!). water in eyes. smoke from ears. burning throat. water water water. seeing cafe mondegar closed. seeing leopold closed. sitting on the parapet in front of Taj. Almost tripping and falling off on the other side of the wall (ocean). In alpha state (more later).

0130hrs: caught by police for driving in the wrong way. get out of trouble by age old Indian trick. drive to Trident coffee shop.

0230hrs: enter coffee shop. blah blah blah blah ..... ya da ya da ya da ... she said this .. he shouldn't have ... oh? I din't know this! ... I think quite the same about her .... No, I see it differently ... do you think there's a pattern ... ya da ya ya da... wow... That's Imtiaz Ali sitting there... may be we should go sit with him ... cafe americano please ... and an espresso con panna ... blah blah blah ... the education system of India ... (sees the time) what!

0455: lets go. the maid will be here by 6 am. how 'bout watching the sunrise? ... Ooh I'm feeling sleepy ... Usually it takes 1.5 to 2 hrs to drive, at this time of the day, only 40 mins...

Lest you forget

2009-10-21T22:33:00.002+05:30

Lest you forget what happened during i17d, I hereby bring snippets to keep you refreshed. Okay?

Day 3: Ahmedabad:

After having a good gujju thali at a restaurant run by Gujarat Tourism (opposite to Gandhi Ashram), we waited for mode of transport to Akshardham. There are lots of jeeps available. You just have to wait and stop them. Stopping the jeeps is a trick which only people of Ahmedabad can do. Rocket Science

Day 4: Bhuj:

The image I saw in the morning of Day 4 was quite disturbing. Filth greeted the early morning eye, right at the entrance of the door in the train. The autowallahs mobbed us, as if we were film stars. After assuring that we only looked like them, they treated us as customers.

5 minutes into the bus journey to Koteshwar, Oneiro and I felt as if we were in a bus in Pakistan. Whatay people. Whatay journey. Un-ignorable stench. To add to that, rain. Boy. Four hours and thirty minutes spent in sitting in the same position, in such a pleasing ambience and sweet sweat.

That's only a sample from two days. Imagine 17 such days. In sweet sweat, filth, film stars, stench, a whole lot of fun!

When She Came..

2009-10-19T19:42:00.003+05:30

I sit in the balcony,
with the stick lit

talking to the hills
in deep silence

along she comes
calls out my name

completes the picture
with her beauty and life

When Life Found Meaning

2009-10-19T19:27:00.003+05:30

....As we entered Meghalaya, the view outside was like a dream. The greens, the constant drizzle, the clouds, it was in this setting that life found meaning. I had dairy milk chocolate in one of the most pleasant places on earth – Meghalaya. I probably couldn’t have asked for more....

That was Day 14 in Meghalaya - home for clouds. I bet you've forgotten all about it by now! It was in August 2007. Nothing is still lost. You can read all about it here.

And the entire 17 days account here..

Today's Moments

2009-10-10T20:31:00.003+05:30

The books at the British Library Pune are a much better collection than their Bangalore counterparts. Oh, and, the library has a living room, a reading room, a room for books on business, a room for books for children, a room for DVDs, a room for your complaints, a room for generosity and a room for anything else you may want to share with them. Its a "home" for books. I could spend a whole day there. And I'm looking forward for that day.

The good looking woman behind the counter at Vodafone store in one of their stores in Pune (nope, I won't tell you which one) does think in the best interest of the customer. And yes, she works at the "customer service" desk. The connection got re-activated the same minute the bill was paid. (Oh and on a related note Reliance needs a minimum of two days to generate their bill after the end of the billing cycle)

Having coffee Barista, Mocha and Cafe Coffee Day within a span of eight hours is my vengeance for living without coffee for a week.

When your favourite sister says "I know the bachelor's life, get your unwashed clothes over, I'll get it washed by the maid who comes over", it is music to your ears. (Er., the premise being you are a bachelor and you don't have a washing machine near you)

Sitting on the seats on the roadside on FC road and thinking about "what could have been", "what was" and "what would be" didn't really take me away from "what is". The pleasantness of watching the vehicles go by is like witnessing a "train of thoughts".

Reliance Netconnect reaching 250+kbps download speed consistently is like living a dream. Mine does.

Well, tomorrow is another day. Lets see what that brings.

I told you so

2009-10-04T23:37:00.003+05:30

Ever heard of the phrase "I told you so"? In my experience its not a very good thing to be at the receiving end of this. I think it is a disrespect to human-ness to say it. It represents and carries the culture which believes in imposing one's thoughts on the other. Whenever someone says "I told you so" what that person is saying is "You should've listened to my thoughts instead of disregarding them. Your thought process is not all that great. You shouldn't have decided and acted for yourself."

"I told you so" mocks the person's choice making, experiencing, failing and learning by himself. It has the potential to block the individual to act on his own the next time he faces a situation. Why would you want to deny him that? Where is your respect for his choice and decision? How 'bout the line of thought that says 'he/she can think for himself, in the same capacity as I can think for myself'? While thinking for the other is one thing, imposing the same on the other is unacceptable. What do you think?

This Mundane Morning

2009-10-03T09:36:00.001+05:30

It is on this mundane morning that a quest for meaning emerged. The earnestness of the quest, threatened the mundane-ness of the morning. It was either meaning or mundane-ness. I saw the uniqueness of this polarity as I sat on the couch, keenly observing the cobwebs near the window. It was apparent it needed cleaning, but, I didn't want to introduce a third variable and destroy the polarity. (Yes, a triad makes an interesting geometrical figure, but, the moment it gets interesting, mundane-ness is taken away. See?) So, I continued to sit there watching the cobwebs, living somewhere in between the polarity, refusing to find meaning. What finally made sense was the beauty. The beauty of the mundane-ness. I guess, we all have to see this one day or the other. You don't need a tree to realise this. A couch will do.

Oh, and its a crime to destroy the mundane-ness. Live it. Not many are privileged. We could compare notes once you're done. In the meanwhile, I shall return to the you-know-what and watch it turn itself into an afternoon..

Memory (microfiction)

2009-09-26T00:09:00.003+05:30

Sleeping., originally uploaded by Daniel Morris.

She can't get that tune out of her head as she watches him sleep. The one he woo'd her with, seventy years ago.

(Fiction inspired by Tiny_Fiction)

At Leopold Cafe, Mumbai

2009-09-21T10:38:00.004+05:30

The security guard pulled my backpack as I was entering. I felt like a school kid pulled by the head master for getting late into the class. It was for a security check. I felt it was worth it. Since 26/11 - the first time I heard of this place - I've always wanted to visit this place. Having obliged the security, I realized a table for one was very difficult to get. The place was not very different from what I had imagined. The staff was very helpful and very proud of their place. I was asked to go to the first floor and I settled on a small table next to the aisle.

The 70 odd minutes I spent with my pint was most satisfying. There was a firang backpacker reading lonely planet India. The couple sharing a pitcher were trying hard to explain to the staff that spicy food is not something they would prefer. There was a business meeting. I did nothing, but sat with the sounds, with the pride in the staff, with myself.

Almost picked up artifacts - mugs / tees, but, stopped myself for artifacts are just a currency ain't it? (yes, let us debate about this, perhaps in the next post)

You got to hide your love away!

2009-09-14T09:04:00.008+05:30

I sit by the phone
disguising my wait
with work

To hear your voice
and your laughter
outside my head

And outside my head,
I hear The Beatles*
comforting me

*this song

A dialogue with a house

2009-07-19T01:19:00.005+05:30

A house talks. It talks in a language that is a monologue. It is up to you to make it into a dialogue. It is when this dialogue happens that the house becomes a home - a space which you'd like getting back to. The dialogue also happens when you put everything back in the place created for it. The space created for the little things show the investment made - time and energy.

I stayed at one of my very good friend's house in Pune and it was this place that made me feel inspired to write about. It is here the dialogue happens. It is here the monologue could happen. And the owner - my friend - seemed to have such a nice dialogue going that I could do nothing but admire the beauty of it.

He & She (Standing under the shelter)

2009-06-29T22:27:00.001+05:30

He: How 'bout me dropping you in my bike, in this drizzle?
She: I'd love that, but, do you want to trade standing here under the shelter, watching the drizzle with that?
H: hmm.., thats also true... and you're looking beautiful...
She: *smiles*
He: that smile, and the little curve it leaves on your cheek, makes it just perfect.
She: ....
He:...
She: Its so nice when you hold your gaze like that...
He: very few people in this world understand what it is to stand under a shelter when it is drizzling
She: I agree. And as if to reinforce, that guy there walking with his green umbrella obviously doesn't know what he's missing...

My Green Umbrella.

2009-06-26T16:01:00.003+05:30

It is at times like today, when there is an unexpected drizzle, I take pride in my decision to invest in an item as rare as an umbrella and deciding to bring it with me this morning as I left home. While it keeps me from getting wet, it also makes a statement about my planning capabilities and intuition (that it may rain), especially to people standing under the shelter without carrying one.

As you're reading this, it might be easy for you to misunderstand me as a boastful person. The mistake you're making is the 'misunderstanding' part. I am very modest and am surprised how easy it is for people dismiss this in a trice.

Do I care what people dismiss and what they confirm? All I know is me and my green umbrella. One happy family. How nicely it sits in my hand, spreading its web above me, protecting me with its might. Its a sight one can only stand (under a shelter) and watch.

Happy Birthday Rabi, who sang the Upanishad.

2009-05-07T21:39:00.004+05:30

I am reading this wonderful book called "Travels with Herodotus" by Ryszard Kapuscinski. I was reading the fourth chapter titled "Rabi sings the Upanishads". I found the title interesting before I started reading it. Only after reading the first paragraph did I realize the author is talking about Rabindranath Tagore, who read Upanishads with his dad at Sunrise and that how Tagore relished this activity of his childhood. The author refers to Tagore's life and draws paralles with Herodotus (which, we shall discuss on an another day). I finished this chapter and went ahead with the day.

Before I left to the office, someone near my house wanted to know where Rabindranath school is located. I corrected him saying it is Tagore School and not Rabindranath school and directed him.

On my way to Office, I remembered I had to inform my colleague about Rabindra Sethu in Kolkata and how Tagore is made to remember through symbols such as these.

I reach office and log on to google.co.in to find that Google's logo has rabindranath's sketch today. I click on it to discover that today is his birthday! I thought it was a nice way to give him a tribute.

It is when one comes across things collectively like this, that he/she is more eager to appreciate rather than find deeper meaning.

Myself Ashish Making A Billion Friends!

2009-03-31T15:58:00.007+05:30

No, I have not changed my name. You don't have to worry. Who is Ashish, then? By the time we get to that, you'll so wish you were doing what he is doing. And, I promise you that.

Now, how would you like it if you were to travel all over the country, not just the four corners as Oneiro and I did in the July of 2007, but, really all over the country?

If you thought we were crazy, you must meet Ashish and know what he is up to.

To start with, the map here indicates the places he's traveling to.

More, he travels around with gadgets and updates his stories, while he is on the move.

Ashish’s journey is an evolving story, powered by the curiosity, the need (in the ‘traveller’ in all of us) for vicarious experiences and a sense of déjà vu among those of us who’ve been where he’s going.

Ashish Gupta is a Software Engineer. He left his job a while back, to pursue his other dreams, one to travel.

Even more, he is hosted by the members of OK Tata Byebye in the various cities he is visiting. These members also show him around their cities and towns. And the people behind this website are the ones who have helped Ashish in making his dream come true!

And, after hearing all this, you tell me, don't you want to do what he is doing now and make a billion friends?

Why do you seek categorization?

2009-03-15T13:31:00.005+05:30

Is it to keep like things together (inclusion)? Or is it to keep unlike things away from each other (exclusion)?

If you seek exclusion, then, you are progressing towards a goal and don't want to waste your time unnecessarily on things that are not related to the goal and hence, you are excluding.

If you seek inclusion, then, you could be exploring options in order to set a goal, which you don't know or haven't been able to arrive at earlier. Or, you could be plain confused and don't know where to go and hence are collecting information from every place possible and hope to act on it.

Categorize to "Exclude", if you want to go ahead. Categorize to "Include" if you want to ponder.

For example, I cannot imagine the amount of information a person following 356 people in twitter and having a reading list which generates about at least 100 unread items per day. Add to this, emails and links being suggested in twitter.

How much of this information is really useful? How much of this can actually be read? I can categorize by labels like sports, entertainment, tech, blah. But, what is the whole point?

(cross posted on oooligans)

Sixty Days and Six Posts

2009-02-20T22:08:00.002+05:30

It has been sixty days since I blogged and I experience resentment towards myself. To ease this, I present to you, six posts, all handpicked, until I post again.

1. The tag on 8 different points of my perfect lover. I can't believe I wrote this and, would I still live by the 8 different points mentioned? I may. Yes.

2. A poem on my first participation in a short run in a marathon

3. A revelation. I love this poem. I composed the second two paragraphs. The first two were a part of a forward by SMS. I like the way it has turned itself out.

4. Mud Tea (which I miss so much now!)

5. An accidentally arrived formula. I feel this deserves some recognition for the way I have put it. Today, I can't believe I came up with this, I blogged about it and did nothing about it!

6. Now, I can't decide between: A dialogue (because its original); Four is just a number (because its true) ; Fate of the chocolate that laughed (well.,) ; Saccharinated Edibles ; He & She ;

I really like the ones below as well, but, since they are in the first page, I'll let them be. I would have loved to add more, but, I said six and I have given 10. So, I'll stop.

Hotel Shivam

2008-12-18T23:57:00.004+05:30

"See, in the road opposite to the Maha Kaleshwar temple, there is a restaurant where they speak kannada. I don't exactly remember the name, but it is next to a garment shop where they have on display some salwar kameez and sarees. The hotel is right next to it"

Ask a woman for direction and you'll only find it in relation to a garment store. But, my friend, what do you know! This direction was impeccable and I found it as had been imagined by this good friend of mine, directing me from Bangalore. I was hungry and lunch had to be had. If lunch wasn't available for some more time, then I would have had to eat the person who was walking in front of me.

Ten more steps and there the saviour stood. No, not the man who was walking in front of me, the building. Next to the colourful salwars and kameez-es that were on display. It bore the name Hotel Shivam. It had a cellar and that is where the restaurant is. I had a long look at the menu card and ordered for "Ujjaini Thali" and a lassi. Thirty minutes later, I was a man who could have bought you whatever you asked for. Oh, you should've been there to ask.

One of "them"

2008-12-18T23:41:00.003+05:30

In order to be one of "them" I have to do what they do. They travel in bus. If I take the auto, I'll become the tourist. I can walk, but, not 10 kms! At least not when I have made plans for the day and walking doesn't feature in it. So, I travel in the bus.

Its so satisfying to travel in a bus in a city that is entirely new to you. You are one of "them". You get to know the pulse of the city, first hand. Not to pass judgments, but, to adjust yourself to the kind of language they use, or, the way they talk to strangers of their own land. Its so much fun. You speak to the unsuspecting neighbor how far is the stop, you get to witness the fight for a seat. You'll meet a varied bunch of people at the same time. There will be old men and women. There will be kids. College students. Business men. And then, people who stand up and offer their seats to the elderly and the needy. People who keep eternally smiling. Or even cribbing about the lack of facilities provided by the government. People wanting to be woken up. People ready to help. Like when I had to reach to the Indore railway station from Modern Dental College in Indore, no sooner did the railway station appear at a distance, the gentleman sitting next to me almost pushed me out, fearing that I would miss the stop. I mean, HE was getting worked up!

Or when I traveled from Indore to Ujjain in a journey that lasts or about 3 hours, I asked the young boy next to me to wake me up in a while. That guy in fact was preparing for a national level law test and wanted to come to Bangalore to study Law. The gleam in his eye was hard to miss when I said I was from Bangalore. But, being a Bangalorean, at that point of time, I was accessible to him! I was one of "them" for him and that is what mattered to him.

(Where was he going? He was going to his granny's place which is in a village near Indore, on the way to Ujjain, so that he could study peacefuly and not get disturbed!)

You know I love bus travel, don't you? Oh, c'mon, you know. I've told you about it here. Or even this post, for that matter. Heck, I've even traveled in buses in Chennai. I'm sure you don't want me to remind you of what happened in Manali.

Choti Line

2008-12-18T23:14:00.003+05:30

I go to the railway station to enquire when the next train to Mhow is. I am told, "choti line pe jao". Now, having traveled in a local bus, I have to be one of "them" and not show so easily that I am a tourist. So, I pretend to understand and nod in approval. I walk three or four times in loops that are not exactly circles, but, can be approximated to. I search for faces that tell me "I can help you, my son". I go back to him and ask him "where is choti line counter". I can't ask him what is choti line. I have to figure that out myself. And then, he tells me exactly how to go there and reaching there, I find that its a ticket counter too! I am now irritated that I don't know what choti line is. I peep from the counter while the man behind tends to the person in front of me and voila! Choti line is the meter guage line that runs in parts of MP! The rail is only 1 meter wide and the train looks like a toy train! Choti indeed!

Streets of Ujjain

2008-11-26T20:20:00.002+05:30

Falling In Place (How it started)

2008-11-02T21:59:00.002+05:30

There must be at least one thing that works in your favour. No? You don't know how lucky I was until you read the rest of this post.

One hour before the scheduled departure from Bangalore to Pune, it started to pour. It was as if the roads would be washed away! that heavy. 60 minutes for the train to depart and I had not even packed my stuff for the backpacking at MP. The commute time to the railway station is 7 minutes from home so, I took all the time in the world to get ready. Mom made a cup of coffee which I happily sipped and started to pack. 30 minutes went by.

And then, as casually as it could get, I glanced at the ticket. A closer examination revealed that the scheduled departure was 20 minutes ahead of what I thought it to be! I realized there was exactly 10 minutes for the train to leave. Wasting no time, I rushed outside without properly saying my goodbyes.

Luckily for me, the first auto guy said yes. I must've asked with a face that had "please" written all over. Great. 8 more minutes to go by. I prayed all known Gods that there shouldn't be a traffic jam. I told the auto guy to go as quick as possible. He murmured something which I couldn't comprehend. The second signal was green. Second instance of luck favouring me. I called Ash, who was incidentally traveling in the same train as me to check the platform number. Ash wasn't aware of the departure time either! So I had to update her first. She was entering the station and she said she'll call back. The platform number would decide which gate of the railway station I should head to. I learnt from her it was Platform number 1. The very first one! Third instance of luck favouring me. I asked the auto guy to stop the auto at a particular angle so that I could not just get down and run, but avoid the traffic also. No traffic at the time I ran across the road. I later realised I paid ten bucks extra for the auto. At that time, it didn't matter at all!

Two minutes for the train to depart and I was at the gates of the railway station. Frisking, Ticket checking would follow as a norm. I began to lose hope. Lucky again. No frisking, no checking of ticket. I had to look for the coach B3 on platform 1. Turn left or right? Instincts said left. Legs turned left automatically. Ash called a minute later to inform I had to turn left! Lucky again.

It was now that the train started to move. I increased pace. Someone at the platform shouted "chad jao, yaheen chad jao". I jumped into S7 and was a much relieved man! I made it! I felt like high-fiveing someone.

Called Ash to break the good news. Called home to say proper goodbyes. Slowly found B3 and found Seat #8. I needed 15 minutes to compose myself.

All that was running in my mind was "What if the train was in any other platform other than 1..."

Ujjain: Rebirth & Rediscovery

2008-11-02T01:16:00.003+05:30

"In your last birth, you were a rajput in Avanti, that is Ujjain today"

I was amused. The accuracy & the confidence with which the nadi shastra guy told my past (in this life - name, age, everything), made me want to believe what he said. This was May 2008.

October 8, 2008, I found myself in the streets of Ujjain.

The city gave an impression of being dry. Lonely Planet(LP) India said "Watch India at prayer". I promise you, you wouldn't see anything of it. It may be true on some days of the year, but it doesn't hold good to describe Ujjain. The people seemed helpful, like when I asked for directions they ensured I took the directed route. It was difficult to believe it was here the students killed their professor in 2006.

The look of the shared autos caught my attention. When the auto is approaching towards you, it can be intimidating. Its as if Moe of calvin's class is walking towards you to take revenge.

Ujjain looks like a place which still is not spoilt by commercialization, but the moment I saw a hoarding that said "mall with multiplex coming soon", I knew exactly where Ujjain was headed.

I walked in front of Mahakaleshwar temple, Har siddhi temple about four times hoping I'll remember something from my previous birth (yes, I did and if you're squinting an eye, read this). I looked at a lot of people hoping to see someone familiar (like it happens in indian cinema - Karan Arjun, Om Shanti Om, etc.,).

I had to see everything in relation to the instance of my birth. I called my "this birth's parents" to inform them that I didn't yet find people I could relate to my previous birth. They were, thankfully, jovial about it. I hailed a cycle rickshaw and asked him to take me through the inner roads in Ujjain. 45 minutes later, I told my friend (who I suspect I know from my previous birth, but she denies, anyway) that the chances of me living in Ujjain was remote and even if I had, I was ready to shed all the ties. She brought to my notice that I had no choice. Seeing that as a divine intervention, I decided to end my quest for previous birth in Ujjain and got into the next available bus to Indore.

I partly dozed through the journey and in a flash, I saw an old woman who reminded me a lot of my grandmother (of this birth). I didn't read too much into it and simply went back to sleep. All that I discovered was that I enjoyed exploring a city all alone and nothing more than that.

Back

2008-10-15T19:05:00.003+05:30

Yes, from this trip. Stories* will come, right at the same place where you are reading this. They will be accompanied by photos. Watch out for them.

*Yes, not a travelogue, but, stories is what I'm planning to write, rather than day to day account of what happened.

Until then, you could read about whats happening on Indian cricket or bollywood if you like.

About Me

2008-10-05T00:02:00.005+05:30

Yeah, I discovered this quote that best describes me and this particular moment:

“I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.” -Rosalia de Castro

This source of inspiration often irritates others around me who care for me. Very few understand what I try to articulate, but most of them think I'm nuts. As I read the above quote, I was like, hey, thats me!

Answering The Central Area's Call

2008-10-02T20:31:00.004+05:30

No, Its not what you thought. Its Madhya Pradesh thats is calling me. It was Indore that called first and then for a specific reason - Bhopal. But slowly, Mhow, Mandu, Gwalior and Jaipur (yes, the one in Rajasthan) did the "filling in" in my itinerary.

The departure of the Lokamanya Tilak Express from Bangalore on the 5th October marks the start of the 9 day long trip, that comprises of
(a) 3 train journeys, one bus journey, and one flight,
(b) 5 cities, 3 towns (/ villages) and
(c) yours truly

I do hope to catch up with Ash, Aps & Mukesh, Medhini & Shashi, Vipula & Kapil, and finally, Rampi - all good friends and relatives - and bug them to no end.

I mayn't blog during these days. Yes, I hear your heart skipping a beat, for which reason, I would 'tweet', that gets logged in the side bar of this blog. Scroll a bit and find "MY TWEETS" below the "Carbon Emission Stats" you'll find what I'm saying.

(Thanks for your wishes)

The White Tiger

2008-10-02T19:33:00.003+05:30

Dear Aravind Adiga,

Thanks for writing "The White Tiger". It has not only captured the unsaid about India but also makes a statement that Indians are hungry and go to any extent in order to satisfy the same. I liked the White Tiger, the man himself, as he helped me get in touch with my own anger. The book was 'unputdownable'.

I especially liked the following sentences:

"Now to explain to you what was going on with all this shouting from the trucks, I will have to tell you all about democracy - something that you Chinese, I am aware, are not very familiar with"

"It was election time. People sipped tea and discussed the same things again and again. Like eunuchs discussing Kamasutra, the voters discuss the elections in Laxmangarh"

Wish you good luck!

Warm Regards,
Sleepyface

Tangents Law of Dimples

2008-09-23T13:27:00.005+05:30

If you want to know if she gets dimples when she smiles, say something that'll make her smile.

(photo by: kalndrakas, hop on for more beautiful ones)

God, I've to wake up!

2008-09-16T06:53:00.002+05:30

The clock showed 0509. "Good, the train needs 31 more minutes to reach the station and I can sleep for another 20 minutes", I thought. After what seemed a 2 minutes, the clock said it was 0525. I decided to help myself by another three minutes. It was only when the old man in the side lower berth started picking all his luggage, (after turning the lights ON) did I realise that the time was 0600 and that, the train was running late by 20 minutes. I started admiring the old man's discipline of waking up early, helping his wife pack her stuff and this and that. I also knew I was forgetting something. When everybody else started doing the same did I realise, if I don't do the same, I wouldn't be able to get down at the station I want to!

Four Is Just A Number

2008-09-03T02:03:00.004+05:30

Yeah, for you, since you read this in a google reader, this blog has nothing new to offer. Oh, even you, who are reading this in the blog, sorry. I can't magically transform myself into a crowd pulling (three's a crowd, in case you're wondering) blogger overnight. For that matter, I mayn't do so even in ten years. So what if you checked this yesterday or the day I posted my previous post? So what if you are going to see this tomorrow? You'll find the same tangents that you've been finding. Pandemonium still pours.

So what if this blog has turned four years? I'll continue to provide the same kind of stuff that first got you interested in this blog. Four is just a number and this is just a blog. The same blog which made you come back, if you're coming back.

That reader who earnestly follows every post in this blog will fail to recollect a previous mention of the age of this blog. This is the first time in four years, because this blog leaps. what?

Elvis Presley's Last Concert

2008-08-24T23:18:00.003+05:30

I've always loved some of Elvis' songs. "Are you lonesome tonight" is one such. When I listened to it for the first time, it had caught my imagination. I listened to it again and again and learnt the lyrics by heart. I shared it with friends, gifted them CDs in an attempt to continuously let them know that a song like this exists.

Below is a video of that song, but it perhaps did not come out as Elvis would have wanted it, but, this particular video when he forgets the lyrics and makes it up somehow, has made me admire him even more. I was completely moved by this footage. It is hard not to.

(His death anniversary was on the 16th August. He was 42 when he died and is 31 years since)

The Worst Evening in My Life

2008-08-18T23:42:00.006+05:30

Worse follows bad. Everything went fine that dreaded Thursday. Little did we (me and a colleague) know when we thumped each others backs for the value we had added. The client was happy too who went on to say that it was a great day and some good work was done.

Someone up there had it all plotted for us. We set off to Rajajinagar from Whitefield at 1630 hrs. It was just beginning to drizzle and we ignored the sign and rode the bike singing "yeh shaam mastani.." and all that. We somehow reached the airport road and at Marathahalli, the traffic came to a standstill. We thought, with so many factory outlets (shopping options) around, we shouldn't get too bugged up and just like that we entered Woodlands show room. Out came four tees and a pair of shoes after forty minutes. The rain had subsided and the traffic was just the same.

We decided to move ahead and the drizzle graduated to a downpour and chose to remain that way for the rest of the evening! The traffic didn't reduce. It was the long weekend and every one in Bangalore had to reach the city railway station or the bus stand (which are opposite to each other).

On one hand, the rain was relentless, the traffic was in a state of high that I had to accommodate a wheel of a two wheeler on my right leg and a car rear view mirror constantly rubbed my ribs. (To help your imagination, I was on a motorcycle). Frustration built to extents unimaginable and I started talking with myself and others around me- the auto driver, his passenger (who was a malayalee and it was funny he said 8 O Clock in kannada, to which even the auto driver laughed). I spotted some one talking to the rain, turning skywards. The pillion, my colleague was abusing the bus driver, who in turn was abusing the conductor, while the conductor stood there absolutely clueless.

And then Krishnapavan came out of nowhere, like he always does. We chatted for a while, inching in first gear. We discussed the implications of Musharaff being impeached and the impact it could have on oil prices. All this and we had just reached MG Road! We had to stop for a snack. Rain water trickled on my back and when this was happening, I just couldn't stand in one position.

After we departed from MG Road, every road we took was crowded. It was as if it was the end of this world. Rain, traffic and one thing that we didn't want was puncture. No, it didn't happen.

I reached home at 2130, resolving never to touch the bike for another month.

Two Bad Days

2008-08-15T09:37:00.002+05:30

Two days after the beautiful evening in Pune, I landed in Chennai. I have mixed feelings of this place. I like this place for the birth of On Our Own (travelogue - part 1, part 2, part 3) - the blog that was, the orkut community that was, and the many nice people I came in touch with. I liked the place for it had the beaches that Bangalore doesn't have. And for the white chutney (Coconut chutney), which is, according to me, world class! And then, there are reasons that I don't like Chennai.. the reason being the latest one.

The hotel stay was a bad experience. The food this place had to offer was bad. There was a powercut in the hotel for an hour! (no, it was'nt on the day when Chennai went batti bundh). I had nightmares in my dreams. Waking up in the mornings made me feel sick. This visit wouldn't stay in my memory for a long time, except for what happened during the return journey in Lalbagh Express.

Unable to withstand the power cut in the hotel, I meandered forth to Odyssey store near Thiruvanmiyur and thought I spend some time there. I must say, they have a really good collection of books, even though the number of books they stock is not anywhere near Landmark or Crossword. I have found this even in the Odyssey outlets that I've visited in Jayanagar & the one in Cosmos Mall in Whitefield (both in Bangalore). This collection had me hooked for more than an hour and I ended up buying Shashi Tharoor's The Elephant, the Tiger & the Cellphone, Moshin Hamid's The Reluctant Fundamentalist and a couple of DVDs, just in case I find the books boring during the journey back to Bangalore. Even though Shashi Tharoor's book was tempting, I decided to start The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Four hours later in the train, I had finished the book! This one sitting finish is what it makes me not forget the journey for long.

More about the book, later, but, for now, that were the two bad days in Chennai.

The Evening In Pune

2008-08-09T23:29:00.002+05:30

Pune was fresh, mainly because of the drizzle that had just stopped, and, because of a large number of young faces. The drive from the airport to the hotel was filled with a dialogue on the knowledge transfer session I was going to anchor, the next day. The driver of the Sainath Taxi spoilt the mood by refusing to drop us near the hotel, but, about a 100 meters behind. It is surprising that such a large number of people who directly come in contact with the customer don't know the concept of how handling a customer could affect the business. Its not just here or in Bangalore or Chennai, but in every single part of India.

The colleague was talking about the morning walks he had taken at the Fergusson College and the PYTs that abound in the city. After check in, and tasting the best 'sabudana vada' in the world, I was surprised to see the menu card offer Neer Dosa. I gave in after which the world's best buttermilk found its way inside my body. The stomach indicated that I may have pampered it with food.

With the continued drizzle and lack of assistance from the auto drivers, we had to walk to Prabhat Road through one of the most pleasant roads. The colleague knew these gallis well and took us with such expertise that only a Puneri can boast of. After 15 mins of walk, asking a person who seemed to be shocked at a human interaction, we landed up at another colleague's house on Prabhat Road. I don't know if it was the walk or the weather, water tasted so good that you just don't know.

Once the discussion about tomorrow, today & yesterday ended, we headed back to the good ol' hotel, through the good ol' pleasant roads, including the 15 minutes and taking directions from two very helpful people. Once back the bed invited with open arms and the mind made a note of how beautiful the city is and wanting to stay here at some point in life.

The next thing I knew was it was morning.

Liar Who?

2008-08-07T17:30:00.003+05:30

he: Finally, you sent it!!! I had to ask you a thousand times for you to send it.

she: no you didn't ask a thousand times

he: yeah, 1126 times to be precise, thanks for correcting me.

she: you've now earned the title "Big Liar"

he: Big Liar. Thats you. My computer screen is also shocked and it went blank for a while. I had to sprinkle cold water on it to work properly. Please don't make statements like these okay. It will send the world into a spin. I'm sure because of your tall claims, there must've some natural calamity happened on the other side of the planet.

she:because of ur lies this side of planet is in danger :-P

u r a BIG LIAR ( yes i'm shouting )

and if urs screen fainted mine is already in coma and on life support system :-P

all because of u and ur lies !!!!

he: Yes, please feed hot coffee to the life support system. It is unable to bear your shouts and is communicating with my laptop that it is in deep troubled environment. Please don't make the life support system need another life support system!!!

she: :-P

he: Only a smiley came all the alphabets have evaporated. See? Its already happening and nobody can stop it now. Please stop the lies!!!

she: it was not a smily

thats was the only reaction to ur big lies

:-P is my tongue out to ridicule you ha ha

he: All those who ridicule me with their tongue outside are LIARS.

Travel, The Beatles & Movies

2008-08-07T02:27:00.002+05:30

I've been traveling like crazy in the last eight weeks. Its not going to end any sooner. The things at the top of my mind right now, is that "I'm the walrus" is the best song by The Beatles & if you haven't watched the movie Persepolis at the cinema yet, you're wasting your time reading this post on my blog. Go!

BIAL is good for Bangalore

2008-06-09T14:44:00.002+05:30

Dear Bangalore,

How long would you have liked a bus stand double up as an airport? (no, figuratively) Airports also need to grow up and be on its own. The decade you are headed into needs you to drop your conservative image and let airports and bus stands be on its own. If not anything else, this will only do you a lot of good and you can sleep more peacefully.

See, I am writing this letter from the airport, using the free wi-fi service these nice people are offering. You might not have visited, but I would like to bring to your notice about the last time I blogged about the free wireless internet at airports, which could be found whence you click here. This is just one of the many good things this airport has to offer.

You may ask what else. To begin with, besides being an airport, BIAL also offers itself as a huge shopping mall. The vastness makes the number of people seem so small and suddenly I find a lot of corners to sit and read or work.

And then, there is no baggage screening as soon as you enter. The approach, which you have spoken so much about is smooth. From my house in Rajajinagar, I took exactly 60 minutes to reach here. Yes, thats the same time I used to take the old airport.

The visual control is so efficient that you needn't ask anyone a question about where what is located. I'm sure you'll remember how cars and people alike used to hustle for space just in front of the airport. Once you visit here, I promise you, you'll want to forget that.

Anyway, I hope you'll visit here soon and see the development (against the entertainment you are used to) by yourself.

I remain yours,
Sleepyface

At The Library

2008-05-29T20:16:00.003+05:30

Dravid and his men are losing because of

2008-05-20T22:46:00.006+05:30

the RedSkins Cheerleaders.

No, I'm not talking about their skin show and that they are distracting the players, not at all...

I gather from the commentary in cricinfo that, the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders always jinx the team they cheer for. And also further added that Mallya should've checked track records of his cheer leaders before selecting. So, that will be some respite for Dravid and his men. The whole world thought they are not playing well. Now the world is proved wrong!

Update: This fact was shared by Harsha Bhogle and here's the link

A Letter

2008-05-09T22:43:00.002+05:30

Dear Rahul Dravid,

In Twenty20 (or T20 or the likes) cricket, technique is not important. One doesn't get brownie points for playing the shot as per the book. It may be very important in test cricket, but not in every form of the game. And, by the 20th over, if you have 8 wickets on hand, your team wouldn't get any extra points. Losing wickets is not a concern when runs are coming by. Not losing wickets and not scoring runs is. I hope you get the message.

Wish you good luck.

Warm Regards,
Sleepyface

Radio One is in (as of now)

2008-05-08T19:08:00.003+05:30

The only time I listen to the radio is when I'm riding my bike. And I travel quite a bit over the week. Atleast 12 hours. The radio channel I used to listen to was Fever 104. I loved the combination of 2 Hindi + 1 English and they had carved a niche. They weren't playing all the Hindi songs released. They had a particular inclination to Indipop-ish kind of music and the goings was good.

Until someone decided to introduce Kannada into the combination, instead of English. That spoilt everything, not the kannada songs by itself, but it didn't fit into the kind of music Fever was playing. And so the radio was tuned to catch a different frequency, who call themselves as Radio One.

Now, these people are good. I'm going to listen to them until they do something foolish and change the offerings to match its competitors. What the radio guys should actually do is to listen to its listeners rather than get scared and copy what other radio stations are doing.

what happened between my last regular post and now...

2008-05-07T16:59:00.003+05:30

1. Goa happened. It was my first visit and bloody hell! I wanted to be a hippie, sacrificing everything. The one thought that held me from becoming one was you, yes, my dear reader, I thought, if I did have to sacrifice my blog, what would you read? So, I had to choose tangents. Then, if I have to blog in the middle of the day, or the middle of the night, I need resources. So, I decided to stick to the office and home respectively. So, not becoming a hippie was a tougher decision to make and it won't be happening. but Goa will be happening again.

2. Herbs & Spices in Indiranagar happened. My friends (1, 2) - who I hold in high regards for what they do (except their taste in food and music) - and I went to this place Herbs & Spices. The food was exquisitely Italian and most of the firangs in Bangalore dine here. The saying one man's food is another man's poison came alive here. It seems Sri (since he didn't like the place) will choose this place for his break up and I (since I liked the place) will choose the place for a make up. If by coincidence Sri chooses the same day for break up as I choose to dine there alone, the subject of the break up and make up could well be the same.

3. IPL - I think this is by far the best thing to have happened to evenings. The time period between your arrival at home and the arrival of sleep couldn't have been spent better (it could've been with some special people, but IPL is more interesting) I have purchased tickets for the match on the 19th of May (between Royal Challengers Bangalore & Delhi DareDevils) when the four semifinalists would have been decided and the stadium would be empty. (Just like my blog, low readership)

4. Tiruvottiyur near Chennai happened, but I will talk about it only when we meet for coffee.

5. Coffee happened, but she insists it was tea. I'm still clueless about it, so, will elaborate when clarity comes.

bringing life back..

2008-05-07T15:46:00.002+05:30

the break was unintended,
it happened nevertheless
many roles he attended
as he earned his bread

he now brings tangents alive
for the six who read
which now may be five,
but the blog will thrive

The Video that'll make you Smile :)

2008-03-28T20:50:00.001+05:30

Adventures in toothbrushing from Veggie Girl on Vimeo.

Mobilizing It!

2008-02-29T17:42:00.003+05:30

The other day, I was passing in front of a multiplex and wanted to know which movies were playing. All I had was a mobile. Yes, calling and knowing is one. I really wished if I could book tickets using my handset.

A couple of days later, I get a sms from bookmyshow.com informing me about an application for my mobile, through which I can not just know which movie is playing where, but book tickets too! (I'm yet to book tickets through the application)

*********************

The Gmail App (which can be downloaded from your mobile phone, point your browser to www.gmail.com/app) is a great tool for checking emails on the go. I can not just read them, but reply, search and compose new mails as well. Its quite fast and a very useful app.

*********************

Markets on Mobile is another such app which is by TV18, lets me do my own research while waiting for this or that (or him or her), here and there. This is available at moneycontrol.com, though I'm unable to find that now. I got a sms from them on a promotion and I had downloaded that.

*********************

And, Cricket! yes, live scores at your arm's end. Nothing can be more easier! When Cricinfo announced their mobicast, I was delighted. (Here: http://www.cricinfomobile.com/mobile/)

*********************

What I'm hoping for is a facebook application through which I can play scrabulous. I sure hope the makers are reading this. I skim through google reader and read up on all the posts that are waiting for me.

Mobilizing is surely IN!

(scoop: Linkedin goes mobile - finally)

This blog is GREEN!

2008-02-28T00:43:00.003+05:30

Me: Ok, Tangents, do you have any clue about Carbon Emissions? What are you doing about it?

My Blog: You've been talking about that here

Me: So, you do know something about it.

My Blog: Yeah, so what about it now?

Me: My friend, you're going become more greener!

My Blog: As in, green with jealousy?

Me: Ignorance, Ignorance, Ignorance! Go and learn everything about it here: http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html

My Blog: Ok, I'll do that, but tell me, whats in it for me?

Me: You'll be an overnight star! Because of you going green, more trees will be planted. Imagine, my dear friend, fame is just waiting for you outside!!

My Blog: Yay! I'm all for going green! Green is in!

Sigh, sometimes, you've to stick with the carrot to get things done.. And, yes, now, you can breathe easy and not feel guilty when you read this blog. The energy you're burning to read what I write is being offset by the good people here: http://www.co2stats.com/?rs=43984

There's a widget to your right and it keeps you informed of how much emissions have to be 'offset' is the number that you read there.

Have a Green Time!

Wild and the Wonderful

2008-02-12T17:33:00.002+05:30

My blog: Where have all the wildlife gone?

Me: So you haven't been reading what I write, huh?

My blog: Well, not that waaay, I was, kind of luring you-know-who...

Me: Reasons, Reasons, Reasons!

My blog: Ok, are you going to answer my question or not?

Me: First tell me if you have read this post of mine?

My blog: There's nothing much to read there, only some fabulous photos and a link to a blog.

Me: Right. There's a website now and he has showcased all his work there.

My blog: Where? Where? Where?

Me: Go search for yourself, pah!

(aside, dear reader, here's the website: http://www.framesfromwild.com/ hop, skip and dance for some wild and wonderful photos)

p.s: don't tell my blog about it

Wonder whats the Operating System...

2008-02-02T08:57:00.000+05:30

...of the computers in the video.. I mean, I'm just wondering.

As I hopped to this link from India Uncut, I thought, it must be in my blog. Its way too funny. (In many ways, it gives me ideas to express my feelings better, at work, ofcourse)

glumbert - Bad Day at the Office

Coffee, Bus Travel and Carbon Emission

2008-01-31T22:57:00.000+05:30

The price of coffee in Bangalore is hitting the roof. No, I'm not talking about the coffee days or the Baristas or any such cafes. Its the Darshini hotels and the places where you can sit. Karthik explores the reasons for high pricing at one such place where you can sit and sip as well. (Don't forget to read the comments!)

And so, the economics of coffee is delved into with glee. Talking about economics, if you remember this post of mine, where I've outlined what I'm gaining by the act of traveling in buses. I've begun to feel that its getting more expensive. No, not the ticket prices, but the very fact that, I am now stopping more to sip a cup of coffee, to bite into a small snack, peek into the magazine store and ending up buying one, or the worst thing that could happen - take the auto if no bus in sight for twenty minutes. While I'm able to grapple with ground realities of the city (the kind of people who travel in buses, the kind of conversations they have, people's patience in waiting for the bus at a bus stop, blah), I'm also burning my pocket. My bike, which is at home, catching dust, is begging me to take it out. (Its another fact that it needs a wash), but, boy! its getting expensive than I thought it would be!

(Oh, when my bike begs me to take it out, I tell the bike that he's doing some good towards the planet's carbon emission. He smiles. I blog)

Fabulous Scrabulous, Don't Go!

2008-01-23T20:27:00.000+05:30

Adam Baer in his article about Scrabulous, sums it all up. The para I stand by:

But but no one owns the game. I find that an impossibility. Maybe certain companies own the rights to Scrabble's name and certain words for techniques used in that game. But at this point in time, this word game we're discussing should be considered a public-domain challenge. Much in the way a crossword puzzle isn't owned by anyone. Scrabble is a form--has become a form. It isn't just a product. And you can't claim ownership to a form. Well, you could try, but that just wouldn't be cool.

Its not yet removed from facebook as I'm typing this and I have 8 games in progress. My rating is 1506 as of now. Oh, did I tell you I'm totally addicted to it? I have mentioned Scrabulous in my previous posts but what you don't know is the time I spend on it.

When founders Rajat and Jayant started the scrabulous application on facebook, the popularity grew leaps and bounds from what they had with this website.

Here's the techcrunch report on it, and, as a scrabulous fan, I am at exactly the same predicament as anna is.

(Thanks Preethi, for the link)

A Dialogue

2008-01-13T22:08:00.000+05:30

O limerick, why did you desert me?
I spent time, i didn't invite you for free
I just sit and wait
the screen my bait
not a single appearance made by thee

O sleepyface, you're such a moron
with your vocab you can't go on
a limerick needs humor
yours is just a rumor
Sit in front of the screen & I'll be gone

Limerick again!

2008-01-08T19:41:00.000+05:30

I lay my hands upon the limerick again,
my once golden egg laying hen
it had gotten killed
as I had not willed
and all the attempts had gone down the drain

Again I sit in front of the screen,
searching for words that once had been
the limerick's goal
and food for soul
bringing peace & happiness that was seen

And I churned limericks as if it were treason
I looked for people who would listen
some said nay
others did say
"your limericks are available dime a dozen"

Kite Runner

2007-12-30T12:33:00.000+05:30

There are very few authors who have the power to move the reader. Move the reader beyond words. Khaled Hosseini is one such. I finished the book yesterday and was glad I read it.

It ranks right up there, along side Life of P i, Siddartha, ZMM and such like.

The brilliance of his writing takes the reader into another world - the world in Afghanistan. The protagonists' narration takes the reader through the tragedies, celebrations and intimate moments.

Makes a great read! And one to own.

(the movie site is here: http://www.kiterunnermovie.com/ will have to wait until it releases in India)

Okay, time to solve world hunger

2007-11-24T11:10:00.000+05:30

So, I've been promising to talk about solving world hunger in a lot of posts (such a s this). Thanks for your patience. This is what you can do: play the vocab game. The faq section is elaborate. This for instance:

If FreeRice has the rice to give, why not give it all away right now?

FreeRice is not sitting on a pile of rice―you are earning it 10 grains at a time. Here is how it works. When you play the game, advertisements appear on the bottom of your screen. The money generated by these advertisements is then used to buy the rice. So by playing, you generate the money that pays for the rice donated to hungry people.

(~~Critics of my blog~~ Those readers who are not satisfied with this post on World Hunger, please go here)

(via: i7)

Bus Travel & Bangalore

2007-11-22T23:30:00.000+05:30

I've always endorsed bike travel. There are blogposts, driven by biking experience, be it in Chennai (with the man who forgot the point that was), or Bangalore, or the great road trip. All that has to come to an end, at least temporarily.

Less said about the Bangalore traffic, the better. In my effort to reduce one bike from the roads, I've begun to travel by Bus. Yes, sleep, reading and seeing my city gets more attention than ever! There were times in my college days, when I used to dream of traveling in 'my own' bike, as I was sitting in the bus. I have lived that dream and am back to the place to dream more than before!

(Of all the things, the bus brings in discipline. You've to do it, to know it)

Scrabulous & All the lonely people

2007-11-22T23:01:00.000+05:30

I'm the Scrabulous fan you're looking for. Either I'm playing Scrabulous or my computer is switched off. This too shalt pass, but, while at it, its a great game. You should try it out sometime.

And so it happened, that I was playing scrabulous and listening to The Beatles' "All the lonely people". Today, I think, most of the lonely people are playing scrabulous. Any time, you'll get atleast a dozen people to play with and you can play multiple games too which can go on for days.

So, until I find something more interesting, Scrabulous it is!

Its like George Bush preaching Non Violence.

2007-11-13T17:46:00.000+05:30

"There must be two Justin Langers in the world I think ... I know the little fella was never too far away from it if something was going on."

- Australian cricket captain RICKY PONTING on reports that his recently retired team mate was worried by the amount of sledging in the game.

read this

Cheeni Kum is like a Sunday

2007-11-11T22:37:00.000+05:30

When it comes, it comes bright and promising. The moment in time when you're not under any sort of authority. You are the authority. As it progresses, there's a mournful silence that demands to be executed. Thats Sunday.

As I was thinking this through, I begin to realize the same emotions flow, while watching the hindi movie, Cheeni Kum. Bright and promising at the beginning, slow and mournful at towards the end. If you haven't watched it yet, you know what to expect!

Amit Varma wins Bastiat!

2007-10-26T08:53:00.000+05:30

The blogger who provides non stop entertainment (and suchlike), has won this year's Frederic Bastiat Prize for Journalism.

Congratulations Amit!

all the wrong 'uns

2007-10-23T11:48:00.000+05:30

I don't know how many of you are aware of the other blog of mine, which deals with Shine boards. A Shine Board is a signboard which has a wrong spelling or a glaring grammatical error. Work capturing these has been going on for a long time and the results are collated in the blog being talked about.

And, shine boards are in existence since a long time. Mr. Paul Fernandez, who is the founder of "Shine Boards" as far as I have known, is a cartoonist and a source of inspiration for my other blog.

Hop on, have fun!

(This is a post on information and sharing (rather than marketing my other blog as some one mailed me about) and there's some activity happening!)

My Books. My Library

2007-10-19T20:09:00.000+05:30

Here's one blog widget I've been looking for : library thing

If you've noticed the side bar, two new members have surfaced: my books and search my books. While my books section tells you all the books I have (rather, I have cared to add to my catalog), search books will help you look for a particular book that you might want to borrow. (now, lending is up to me, right?)

About library thing itself, I think it has been one of the best website designed with the end-user in mind. How many websites allow you to register by entering only in two fields? (username and password; no email ids asked, no confirmation). This is a delighter for me. Next: it shows how many more people have the book in their catalog, which is a great value add for me. (For example, the book Yajnaseni is owned by one other person, which took me by surprise!) The design team has done a great job and I recommend to all the 5 (which was 6 earlier) readers of my blog to use it. You may use the search widget but again, lending is upto me. okay?

Travelogue goes to its place

2007-10-12T14:10:00.000+05:30

Having completed the India in 17 days travelogue, it has now moved to its rightful place and will remain there. The other blog created for it earlier will now cease to exist.

This is the new location. (If you haven't read it yet read it up a s a p, there's a quiz coming :P)

I cycled to work today

2007-10-11T10:58:00.000+05:30

Yes.

For a long time (since I read this blogpost) I wanted to cycle to work. Its only today that I've acted on the plan. It has been a very exciting 10 km ride. The inclines in Bangalore are merciless. So are some motorists. I was constantly reminded of the following comic strip. Believe me, the words in the second frame are so true.

Thankfully, what didn't happen was this.

Tomorrow's plan is for tomorrow. But what I do expect is more frequent cycling. And, thanks Sri, for lending the cycle!