"I'd rather burn out than fade away"

Brand New Day!!

2010-07-25T22:33:00.000+05:30

And I start off once again. This time with a lil story that happened not so long ago in our very own country.

Nothing historical about any of the characters in this; all of them came from well educated families and were quite the sort of people you would expect to find in a movie theater or a bar. The story revolves around one particular character called Akansha, who was scheduled to go into foreign land for a period of time, and that period in her life just before her journey.

Things haven't been going quite Sameer's way and if you asked him, he'll tell you that his life was just a set of incidents, with each subset having a priority of 1. Which means, you could not possible remove any incident and sum up the set. He was on the valley of that upward curve life takes, still trying to figure out how steep the curve is and how tough it can get.

One find evening, Sameer lands up in this tavern. Nothing different about this day either. Same old faces portraying the misery of being choked in traffic jams, getting stuck trying to squeeze in your vehicle and the mild headache from the constant blares of horns from behind. But little did Sameer know that this day would mark the beginning of a drastic change in his life.

There was this one face that stood apart, one that gave the feeling of freshness, that of a bright new day. Curious by this astonishing sensation, Sameer decides to probe further. It was pretty easy considering the fact that this particular face belonged to one of the people on his own table. He soon found out that her name was Akansha and that she was one of those types who could literally tear your heart apart.

To be contd...

Photos

2009-09-30T11:18:00.002+05:30

And as promised, I have collected a few photos and uploaded them here.. Please let me know what you think about it..

Cheers!!

PS: Click on the heading to go to the photos page..

Deadline

2009-09-22T00:17:00.003+05:30

I have decided to make a deadline for some things I need to do. And one of them is organising my photos and promising that I'll post a link right here.. Okay, so lets say 1st October is the deadline.. Time starts NOW!!

4 legged humans

2009-09-08T00:27:00.003+05:30

The cows in Bangalore will never cease to amaze me. From trying to comprehend a the "50% SALE" hoarding on the road to their expertise in cowntering traffic, these cows are one of a kind.

I don't know how many cows have actually dined at a restaurant, but plenty of them sure have gone in to find out the specials. I once even saw a cow entering a medical store, probably the chilly chicken it ate at the restaurant, didn't quite agree with it.

And why suddenly about cows? Coz today I saw one trying to get onto a fly over which had this sign on it.

Location, Comfort zone and Culture..

2009-08-13T10:20:00.007+05:30

Yes. The heading does contain 3 distinct words but very closely related ones. Everyone has his or her own comfort zone and most likely than not the comfort zone is limited to a couple of cities, at the most. Some cities make you feel awkward and some people feel awkward in every other city. Why so? Is it because one does not have the same social circle in every place? Or is is because one does not know where to find what in a new place?

I have been thinking about those questions for the last couple of days now and I think I know the answers. It is the culture and only the culture which makes one feel awkward in a new place. Having lived in several cities so far, each insanely different from the other, I think I know why some places still make me frown. And why I am longing to go to some places even though its crowded and the the weather sucks. And why natural characteristics of a place have very little to do with one liking the place.

The activities, hobbies, interests and passions of people from different regions vastly differ because of natural conditions. And because people have different hobbies and passions, they behave differently in different situations. Which makes them different people with very different outlooks in life. And this is where culture starts. And this is why one probably does not fit into another culture so easily, because his vision, his outlook is different from the others.

Every time I travel to 2 of my favourite cities, I realise why they are my favourite cities. It is because I get to do what I want in those cities more often than what I don't want. If you love what you do more than what you don't, I guess your life is pretty much successful.

Well, this post was to inspire myself to move to one of those cities I love. And hopefully, if things go well, I'll see myself somewhere there in the next 2-3 months. Fingers crossed.

Solar Eclipse

2009-07-21T08:22:00.004+05:30

Supposed to be the longest solar eclipse of the century, I got up at 5.45 to witness it. And yes, for the second day in a row. By now most people would have known that I did the same thing last morning too. Anyway, enough making a fool of myself.

But yaay, this time I did see it. I drove down a couple of kilometres expecting to see groups of people in parks and nearby places waiting to take a glimpse of the eclipse. But nope, it was more deserted than usual. The superstitions surrounding solar eclipses still make their rounds. And its high time that its changed.
Here is my pic..

Wish there was a science club here. A group of people who keep track of such things, who are interested to know whats happening above and below us, maybe observe weird cloud patterns, organise solar and lunar eclipse events et al. Need to make a start somewhere. Any takers?

The TATA Nano and the FIAT Cinquecento - A comparison

2009-07-20T12:02:00.002+05:30

Had the chance the attend the ceremony marking the 50th year of the 50cl Cinquecento and also witnessed the launch of the TATA Nano. And thought the Italians made a much better impact.

The Cinquecento was nothing great or different from the existing models nor was it a breakthrough in any field as compared to the Nano. But we sure lack in our skills to market ourselves. The Nano has failed to make the impact it should have made. And TATA has failed to get the idea across as well as it could have. Probably they need to learn a lesson or two from their Italian counterparts.

A small question here. There was a TATA Motors display outside of Torino, Piemonte one day, showcasing the Indica and the Indigo, and I must admit, it was pretty well done. Haven't ever seen anything like that in India. Was the difference because of the location or was it just because non-Indians executed it? If yes, why so? And why not atleast an on par performance in showcasing a Nano, which has created waves all across the Automobile Industry? A lot to think about, I say!

Kick Start

2009-07-15T00:17:00.002+05:30

Finally kick starting work in my new company.. Its been quite a while and things have been moving slowly, mostly because of outside forces.. But a lot can be attributed to the lack of initiative on my side as well.. Apparently there were too many negative things happening simultaneously and I was not used to it..

But here we are now, laying the foundation for the building.. And so far, it looks good.. We are getting ready for a big launch, probably bigger than I thought I would ever do. But its coming closer each day.. And each day things are looking brighter.. So, yaay!!

Have decided to write more frequently from now on.. Just feel that if you give up on your hobbies, you are giving up on everything.. And in my case, it has been true.. So, let me fight back and keep writing non sense.. Yaay again..

My fav joke

2009-07-13T23:23:00.002+05:30

The following is my favourite joke..

Farmer: Herd of cows.
Senator: Sure, I have heard of cows.
Farmer: No, a cow herd.
Senator: What do I care what a cow heard? I have no secrets from a cow.

The chickens are finally retreating

2009-06-16T15:32:00.003+05:30

Finally after 2 weeks of having a poultry farm on me, the chickens have decided to leave. Its been a horrible 2 weeks at home, with absolutely nothing to do, nowhere to go, no good food to eat and nothing good to read (Of course except the newspapers which go on publishing hyped up news about cricket and its captains).

I don't know why I suddenly decided to re-start my blog again. Its just a tad over 2 years since I wrote my last post. But yeah, it had to happen sometime. And let me hope its going to continue. Cheers.

End of a chapter!!

2007-07-05T14:54:00.003+05:30

The 5th of July, 2007. An end of a chapter in my life. If I remember right, my first exam was for admission to the 1st standard, when I was barely 5 years old. And now at 25, its all over.
Writing exams had become a habit, especially in the last year. Well, it had to become a habit, else I wouldn't be writing my last one now. And the best part is my last exam is about 6000 miles from my first one. And a likely question would be, "Did I 'write' my way here?". A question which remains best, unanswered.

Cin Cin Cinquecento

2007-07-04T22:56:00.000+05:30

50th year of the 50cl car. The tiny little cinquecento is turning 50 this day and its birthday being celebrated by an entire nation. The whole city, where this miracle was born, is gearing up for its birthday; rather, has been gearing up for the past 10 days. Torino, the T in FIAT, is all prepared to wish this automobile on its golden anniversary.
The design of the new 2007 Fiat 500 is based on the 2004 Fiat Trepiuno concept. This car will feature a distinctive retro-look just like the Volkswagon New Beetle and the BMW Mini but may well be substantially cheaper than those cars, with a projected starting price possibly about €7500.

Waste of time

2007-03-24T17:16:00.000+05:30

A nation of 1 billion people, and they are represented by 11 actors turned cricketers at the World Cup of Cricket. Supposed to be the richest cricketing body and among the richest sporting bodies in the world, the BCCI is still inefficient in their functioning. The selection procedures, the domestic cricket circuit and the activities of the BCCI (primarily based towards monetary benefits) need to be reset and thought and structured all over again. Carrying the hope of 1 billion people is not an easy task, but failing to satisfy even 1 in that 1 billion, is not easy either. A well hyped up team, the expectations collapsed after the very first match. The supposedly great players in the team, could not get India 2 victories out of 3 matches. People will continue writing about Indian cricket and the great players which emerged, but these miserable performances always leave an indelible mark in one's mind. And these so called greats will always be remembered for letting the team and the country down. People are called 'great' when they perform for their country when others fail. After this, I think 'great' needs to be redefined after whats happening these days.

Priorities..

2007-03-19T02:53:00.000+05:30

Europeans in general have a sense of pride, towards their country and towards being european. Some of this pride results in arrogance, especially in a few countries. I cannot generalize on any country from the very little contact I have, but the people you interact with on a day-to-day basis, represent the average person of that country. This makes it easy to form opinions.
Living in Italy for the past 1 month now, I can now differentiate between people from certain countries with precision. Even though the accent with which they speak, the clothes they wear and the physical characteristics make it easier, it is the body language and the attitude which finally give in. And strangely, this difference is also clear in the case of people from different states in India. I attribute it to the priorities which different cultures give, to different values in life.

Journey to Torino

2007-03-07T00:19:00.000+05:30

22nd Feb 2007; My first trip to Europe. Don't know whether I was excited or anxious. Mixed feelings I should say. Only thing I was looking forward to that time was the business class ticket that I had. And to say the truth, it crossed all my expectations. Thanks to a cousin of mine.
The journey to frankfurt was enjoyable for the fact that I had a lot of champagne. But nothing extra ordinary to see from the aircraft. Did not even get a glimpse of Europe till I landed as there was heavy fog and visibility was poor. So, even though I was in frankfurt, I hadn't seen europe as yet.

Part II of the journey; Frankfurt to Torino. Was during the day, and so all the fog had vanished and the sky was pretty clear as you can see. Must admit, the best view I have ever had in my life; The alps from above. Some peaks above the clouds and the others below it. Only Hell can be more beautiful (Heaven I heard is boring, so going by that theory).
Always wanted to see the alps, but never thought will see it this way.
This was the last memorable moment of my journey to Torino. But on my way from the airport, there was one more incident which immediately made me like Italy. The people. Though we never spoke the same language, and there was no way we could understand each other, a man guided me to the place where I was supposed to stay, which I think was amazing. He took the trouble to understand me and was going on emphasizing that I need to use more sign langauge so that he could understand me. Got onto the same train as me and got down where I was supposed to get down and showed me the place. He then waited for the next train and went where he was supposed to go. I think thats one quality you won't find in people of any other country. And so far this experience has just been getting better. You find more and more nice people each day. Bravo Italiano.

Restart

2007-03-06T22:00:00.000+05:30

And by these words I am gonna start writing again. Life's not been so smooth so that I could spend time on this. But now life is. And guess this is the best way to let people know whats happening. And I also noticed that my typing speed has gone down a lot. So 3 benefits in one.

Nightmare !

2005-11-28T09:38:00.000+05:30

Bangalore, IT city, rather IT hub of India, a dream place to be in. Fantabulous climate and fat pay packets from companies make it an even more desirable detination. Well, thats the impression one gets from outside. You tell me, no matter what, I will enjoy life here as much as in any other place, and there's one bet I am ready to keep. The initial response one gives, after getting a glimpse of the roads here, when one comes from a lesser city would be something like 'Wow, so many cars; I have never seen half this many cars at one time'. It hardly takes any time for that to change and become 'Crap, what traffic. I hate this place'. Traffic is not much of a bother, IF its orderly. What you have here is called chaos, and I don't know why, but it seems to happen everyday. There is this popular adage, People learn from mistakes. You can question that by asking 'which people?'. Let me explain. Everybody has to reach someplace at sometime, rather, at some fixed time. Being the IT hub, I guess the IT people tend to approach this the "logical way". Its called the shortest route. It doesnt matter to a programmer how he completes his assignment. Be it copying, looking up archives, downloading, what all (I can't comment much on it). Same applies on road too. Wrong ways, bouncing off other vehicles, staring others off balance to make your own road, flexing your tongue, using the horn as an explosive device and finally,the well known I dont care attitude (Generally found in people with big cars and truck drivers). For proof of all the above mentioned properties of drivers, refer to the body of any running automobile. Hard to find a non-adventurous vehicle. Somehow, miraculously, the drivers of these poor slaves, most often than not, escape without a scratch AND continue the learning process (any doubts??).

2005-11-23T22:37:00.000+05:30

Erasing past memories of my very unsuccesful attempt at blogging, I have decided to take a brave step forward. And hope this is just the beginning.

Initially blogging was like this impossible thing which, only people who 'understand' the language, would be able to manage. But now, I realised, if every Bush, Mush(arraf) and Laura can write one, why not give it a shot. First thing I realised is, its very tough to just write something, which people might feel like reading. See, again that word 'might' haunts my blog. What if people don't want to go through torture? What if they stop half-way and then post a comment, "Aah, good. Welcome to blogging", or something like "Well said, but I donot completely agree with it". You take pains to reply to it, explaining why you thought so, and why this has to be seen from a different view point or whatever. But, take my advice, what you should actually do is, IGNORE. Blogging is meant for the author. So, that he can post his thoughts, not sit and try to convice some B,M and L, why it was said. Blog is defined as an "online diary", not as an online 'black board'. Especially, not a black board where some B,M and L come, scribble and leave.