Happy New Year

A new year...

a new start...

begin afresh...

chart a new route...

explore new boundaries...

be happy...

learn from mistakes...

and finally...

be yourself!!

Happy new year!!

Solitude.......

Now, the pic below can make you think of a lot of things, and frankly I really don't know what. But, allow me to guide you through what I saw and thought.

Loose slippers, open balcony, half-filled wine glass, a wine bottle, a telephone kept of the hook.... the entire scene makes me yearn for a long weekend where I am totally in touch with myself. And this new year, I might actually that. Loads of running around to do. Quite a few races to be run.... guess it's time to take a rest.. for there's lots to be done.

Let me know what the pics makes you think about...

And then there were stars...........

Do you ever recall the days when as a kid you'd hate to get up for school, hate the exams, hate evrything in this world which came in your way of having fun?? When you were noted all around for being a brat?? Sample this now, what if you were the parent? How would you react? Will you look into the matter or simply subject your kid to the pressures of the rat race.

Much has been said about how in today's competitive world children are suffering, but very little has been done. Take a look around. The next door kid rushes off to tennis practice at 6:00 am, school from 8:30, tutorial classes from 4:30 and finally home at 9:00 pm. The trial doesn't stop here.... there are assignments to be done, projects to be made, exams to be prepared for (you need top marks!!) weeks in advance if not months. In the process, I personally a kid loses out the very essence of childhood fun. Having been part of this rat race for years now, goen through more or less a similar regime, I can safely vouch for its side effects.... I dunno in the process the basic skills, or may be the one which are really special in the kid might be getting lost. Not many are bold enough to withstand expectations and other pressures and still make a life out of what they love and can do best!! And what's more... sometimes the parents are so ignorant of the problems that can plague their children that they fail to look into some genuine problems that the kid might be suffering from attributing the dismal performance on soemthing else.

Aamir Khan in his directorial debut upholds this very problem.... He artfully weaves it around a typical aspiring middle-class family of today. Ishaan, was never good at school. He couldn't understand a word... he was pathetic at his lessons... couldn't clear papers... yet he was imaginative... an artist!! But then, ebing an artist doesn't count does it?? So, given his dismal performance at school he was sent away to boarding school in the hope that he'd be discipline d into performing. It was there, while shrinking into the world of a recluse, that he was meets Nikumbh and then the world slowly turns around.... and Ishaan turns out slowly to be a brilliant boy....

The entire journey leaves you smiling, fuming and at times tearful... for when rational and ata distance from the situation we all do understand the right and wrong of the situation. Along the way we come across papa NandKishore, mum Maya, big bro Yohann and friend Rajan, all lending that essential flavour to the plot making it a story that you'll remember, understand and indentify with at one go.

Darsheel Safary as Ishaan makes a mark that cannot be ignored. Splendid is the word for him. Tisca Chopra (Maya), Vipin Sharma (Nandkishore), Sachet Engineer (Yohann) and Tanay Chheda (Rajan) provide a strong support becoming key elements in the movie and assuming their own importance. And finally, Aamir Khan plays the part of Nikumbh sir, who with his intense charater portrayal sets out to set things right for Ishaan. Another wonderful performance from this perfectionist!!

Taare zameen par... questions everything about the education system. And quite rightfully so... After all, if I imagine starts to be on the ground why is it wrong??? That's my imagination and that is how I like to sketch it.... what's wrong with it???

Or is the title pointing it out to you, that if not handled carefully, we'd lose our kids to soemthing unknown.. and the result would be similar to one fine day waking up to a ground full off stars for they've fallen!!!

Kids are like stars in the sky... please guide them but let them be kids!!!

Pink Flloyd said it right years ago in the song Another brick in the Wall!!

In the end I ask you youngsters who are gonna be parents in the future, have you understood exactly where parenting, depsite the best intentions, is going wrong???

Christmas at work.....

Ah well.. now for the past few days there has been quite some planning going on, what with Christmas approaching and people going on a long extended weekend. So, there we were a bunch of enthusiasts who simply needed an excuse to sing along... got together to put up a few carols.

After much efforts, V. came up with three: "Angels", "Jingle Bells rock" and "Feliz Navidad". And thus started the efforts of the troupe to get the carols together, most of them hearing it for the first time. Work, deadlines and other personal stuff kept cropping up. Yet amidst all that we managed to pull together our act!! Finally, we performed with Santa Claus distributing gifts. All in all a fine time... nah!! a good time!! A few pics to share with you all!! :)

Cheerio!!!

That Thing called Love

Have you ever thought about falling in Love during the rains? At least the rainy season. When the mind races over different matters as you are stuck in a rain induced traffic jam.... and your mind actually wanders freely into zone you had hitherto not visited.. at least for some time.

It was in one such monsoon that Mayank Sahai, met a lady who seemed to fit the bill of his idea of the perfect woman, though he had got engaged to another lady a few weeks back. He went after her even though she was married and finally realised his folly when his contact with the lady was destroying her once strong now fragile relationship with her husband.. to be finally irreparably damaged. Then there are Mayank's colleagues, who have their own set of problems and equations to deal with. Anil and his equations with his wife, which take a turn for the better only after a drastic incident. Vishal's infidelities catch up with him just when he had turned new leaf and decided to be loyal to his wife. Tina the receptionist has a dark secret to hide...... And they all have the Mumbai monsoon to deluge them in their emotions. How the monsoon takes along these characters along with it to reach their true self is what makes the reader to stick around till the last page. Every one has a past that mould one into what they are today.... sometimes...... more than they would ever acknowledge.

I could have told you so much about this book... might have revealed the story. But then, I want you to undertake this journey on your own. Go ahead get the book NOW!!

About the Author:

Tuhin A Sinha has studied at Loyola School, Jamshedpur, Hindu College, Delhi and National Institute of Advertising, New Delhi.
Tuhin is a scriptwriter based in Mumbai. A tele-film called Phir se, premiered on Saharaone last year and based on a Story, conceived and written by Tuhin, won the RAPA award for the Best tele-film, 2005. Tuhin co-scripted Pyar Ki Kashti Mein on Star One. The show, a first of its kind, was shot exclusively on a cruise. That apart, Tuhin has scripted episodic screenplays of several other dailies across channels.
Apart from TV, Tuhin is presently working on two movie scripts for directors, Onir and Subhash Sehgal respectively. He can be contacted at thatthingcalledlove@gmail.com

The Author section is courtesy Tuhin Sinha's site www.tuhin.in

Happy Reading!!

Can't live without..............

Alrighty now, this one is long due. I was tagged by Ashu on this one, and I'm sure she's gonna be like.. "phew!! finally the brat does it!!" :P

So here goes:

Three things I can't live without: Air (the correct mix), water and food!! :P

ok... i know that was bad.... hmmm..... let's see....

1. Talking: Surprised?? Don't be!! I love to talk... I can like go yap yap and yap.. all the time else I'd be so quiet, you wouldn't notice me!! And yes, I believe I can talk about anything under the Sun. I know I think a little too much of myself, but then a fellow is allowed that much of a liberty now isn't it??
2. Listening: Yes..... talking alone does you no good, you need to listen. And it applies not only to what has been said, but more to what was left unsaid. In the few summers that I've been on my own, this is themost important thing I learnt. You've to listen!! No, shortcuts! It helps one in understanding many a things and also makes you one of those on whom friends rely on for some advice, some solace, someone they can turn to when they need to talk, be listened to, and nothing else!! No matter, how long your relationship has been, listening forms a key part to it!! And to understand a woman... well... simply listen to her!! She says more with her eyes than her lips!! :)
3. Being myself: I can't help that... I can't pretend.. unless I need to. I'm a bundle of contractions - wild, passionate, leisurely, lazy, pleasure loving, crazy, sober, calm, stupid, brainy, weird, unpredictable, a hidden funny bone, romantic..... there are so many things.. and I'm everything in a single day!! May be there is more to me than I care to know or reflect upon!!

Honestly, there are many things which would have made it to this category, the most important all not mentioned for that's my Achilles Heel and the rest... well.. they all are important because of the "Heel" :)

Quote:

"True love endures, if it does not, then it was never true."

This is a principle which I believe every idividual should keep in mind. In a time when we all have a propensity to fall for someone, this one line should be there at the back of the mind.
For the future is never clear until it's the present!!

Just for kicks!!

Well... I was working on some other post, just happened to try out something just for kicks and well... it left me quite amused... now this is astro stuff and I'm a cuspian.. didn't know which one to go for, so here I am posting both of them!! :)

So which one am I??? lol...

Celebrating work!!!

Ummm.... not really!!
It's Saturday midnight, and here I am at work supposedly providing production support. But as far as I can see, there isn't much to do.... Thoroughly bored.. royally bugged... blogged... tried orkut, read loads of blogs... am fed up of that entire show now... dunno, what else I can do now.. except wait till the stipulated hours and then finally drop off!!
Jeez.. that means another 4 hours to go!!!!
Damn......
Let's tune in to the music on my phone... maybe that would help a bit....
till then cheerio!!

But, who’ll forgive me??

This is story came about for the same reason as that of the last one. So, thanks again to PS!! :)

I knew this would change everything but as I stood there transfixed, I felt helpless. I could foresee how the future is going to be laid out now. But I had no option but to follow the general’s orders. I fired…...

BANG……

Reload……

BANG……

I would never be forgiven for this. How can I be?? I’m firing on my fellow countrymen, that too when I know they are innocent. Am such a lowlife that I cannot even object to this inhumanity?? All I need to do is turn the gun at the general and he’ll be no more.

“Fire at will…”

Ah!! Now may be I can…. but what next? I’ll be tried, sentenced to death for treason. What would become of my family? But, what of that young boy I just shot down, hardly 21. I hope he wasn’t the only son or the sole bread-winner of his family. Oh god!! Why doesn’t my finger stop firing the gun? Am I not committing treason by firing on these people? May the Lord have mercy!! I can’t do this anymore…. What if I end this now?? What if turn the gun on me? Yes, that would mean one gun less firing on them. Why is has the firing stopped? Where are the people?? Is it all over??

It’s over…. I must seek penance for this act. But, who’ll forgive me??

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This is a fictitious account of a soldier's conscience under General Dyer when the troop was ordered to open fire at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar on April 13, 1919, an incident condemned to this day.

The Night.........

Having taken my cue from PS on this one, I had to write a short story which had to start with the phrase: "I knew this would change everything but as I stood there transfixed, I felt helpless."

---------------------------------------------------------------------

I knew this would change everything but as I stood there transfixed, I felt helpless. If helpless is the word that I seek. Now before I throw you of the deep end and launch into further narration allow me to take you back in time a while.

The current circumstances had one of my closest pals standing surrounded by an entire gang of angry youngsters. But then there was apt reason for all that. This young gentleman was being hauled over the coals, because of our tiff….. I was his protector... the devil’s advocate… he had slaughtered many an image to further his own interests. I had overlooked most of it, for though I knew it to be a part of him… had sensed it rather, never seen him to do that. May be he was clever enough to make sure his closest aide never gave up on him…. But then tables turn.

One winter evening he introduced me to someone… over a few meetings and conversation that someone became the special one for me. The vindictive nature of his bared its fangs… he hurt me… he hurt her… and then I found out he had hurt many other… this fellow who, I claimed to be my friend had done something despicable… Till, a few days when he crossed all barriers of civil behaviour. Shocked to the core, matter had to be taken in hand before they engulfed everyone around me into doom.

And so there stood the one who had failed to value the ones most loyal to him. He was doomed, while I stood helpless, may be by choice, for I cannot stop anyone from launching into him. They say, sometimes it is necessary to amputate your digits if they tend to threaten you existence. I say, is it really necessary, couldn’t that be done in another manner... some other way?? This night, won’t leave us the same again…. The dark shroud engulfs us, as we get sucked into a pit from which no one escapes unscathed… everything seems to be losing itself into the darkness of….. the night!!

--------------- The End ------------------

FMORT

FMORT.. Five minutes of random thoughts...

Well i dunno what I'm gonna type out here. honestly i dunno... ummm... lets see... I'm in a foul mood... yup.. absolutely snappy... kinda depressed may be.... nah!! nothing wrong with my work.. nothing on the personal front too... everything nice and OK.. hale and hearty... and what the hell is this entire thing all about....

Anywyz, the past few days while my girl has been away attending some wedding, i kept getting messages from here, which really made me wish badly enough that I was right there beside here, lending a hand at the wedding. poor girl.. she has to work so hard on a normal day thanks to her professional obligation.. and now this wedding business has simply left her with no time to rest.... crap!!!! but then, i guess that's life, for she seemed happy and that's what matters at the end of the day!!!

Now, coming away from it... lemme see.... wot else.. oh yeah, got my guitar repaired... damn the neck is bent beyond repair... they've raised the bridge somewhat so it'd work for a year more i suppose and then I'd have to get a new baby!!!

Ah.. I love this one man.... my first guitar bought it in September 2005, I think it was on 6th. I still remember when i sang "Dil Kya Kare", "O Sanam", "Can't help falling in love with you" and other such stuff to her with this guitar as my companion.... god... the way she still croons about those moments!!! :D And end of this month I might actually get the chance to play it for her all over again...

Oh btw, the other day I saw on TV about this fine on jaywalkers in Delhi.. mighty good thing that they've done.. I totally agree with it.. and it should levied in other cities too... at times seriously they end being a real nuisance.. but then I blame the civic authorities too.. there are points when one simply has to cross from that end... i mean that's where you should logically cross over.. and yet... there isn't a way that you can do so...... I mean, what were they thinking!!!!

Ah!! the 5 minutes are now up................

So that was five minutes of random thoughts..........

I don't tag anyone, for now I realise that I have let you people in on some real secrets.... ahem!! :D

So, people take it up at your own risk.. and yeah please do be honest!!!!

Hey that's mine!!!!!

Hmmm...... Well.... The reason for such a weird title would be explained in the next few lines so don't raise an eyebrow.

Copyright or creative rights to something which you've created painstakingly or through a moment of brilliance is of absolute necessity. Oft, we post on this world wide web, work or write up which are entirely our own. How would you feel if someone ripped it off you and passed it off as his/her own?? Totally miffed... umm... livid?? Well, I for one would be ready to rip that person's head off!!

Now, this is exactly the tragedy faced by a fellow blogger Cuckoo. Please read her latest post : Copyright ? Plagiarism ? What is that ?

One such plagiarised poem is this one: Bas Aur nahi.

Now, posted in May, in comes Mr. smarty pants Nishant Paul with this one: Bas Aur nahi.

Read compare and then let me know what you think.

This is simply outrageous!!!!!

Oh, btw, in response to Cuckoo's poem bas aur nahi... I had a reply too.. and now going through it again I realised, it really is good.. :D... so publishing it here for your read... do go through it...

filhaal rehne do un mulakato ab,

ke dil ke zakhm aaj bhi na bhare hai,

roz aankhen band to hoti hai ab,

par neend ke kadam unme nahi bhatakte hai,

parchhai se kyu na jaane darte hai ab,

khauff to shaayad ab zindagi se bhi hai......

kuch waqt ke saaye mein rehne do....

rehne do un mulaqato ko ab.... filhaal!!

Translation:

The meetings.. let them be for now,

For the wounds of the heart are yet to heal....

The eyes do close e'ry night,

But sleep seldom does wander in there,

Even the shadows give a scare now,

When fear becomes of Life too...

Now let me heal in the shadows of time...

Please, let the meetings be... for time being!!!

The no. is 6724

Now in case if you are wondering, what the number is about.... well.. that was my bib number when I ran for AIDS Charity at the Pune International Marathon.

2nd Dec, a rather cold morning I groggily woke up at 6:00 am after a night of partying to gear myself for the marathon. Had registered myself for the run the moment we had recieved word about it at work. Full of gusto, I woke up one of my colleagues who was in a rather inebriated state to back home last night. Called up a few others and we met Yerwada. From there on it was a chilly ride to Jangli Maharaj Road. The gathering point for us was in front of the MacDonald's there. So there we were, the entire team all ready to start off.... 8:30 am.... we start....

After jogging for a little more than 500 mts, I realised that I need to walk...simply cannot run the entire 4.5 kms... and so started a saga of walk and run.... and that's how we all reached the finishing line. Nothing much to write here really, except may be the cause.

The point is to show solidarity towards AIDS victim, to display a willingness to help them, to raise funds for their treatment and most important of all to make sure people know how to keep such stuff in check.

What is AIDS??

AIDS - Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome, is caused by the HIV (Human Immuno Virus). The virus attacks no particular part of the body rather the it attacks the Immune System, breaking it down and leaving the patient susceptible to any disease. You may be HIV +ve, but that doesn't mean you have AIDS. It means you are prone to AIDS now.

A few facts about AIDS:

1. It doesn't spread by touching. So don't treat AIDS victims as outcasts.
2. It can spread even through a spuriated syringe or blade... anything that can come in contact with the blood. So, keep a check on that.
3. It can happen to anyone. So, be alert.... just the way you need to wear warm clothings in winter so not to leave yourself susceptible to the effects of winter...

There are loads but offhand that's all I can say.

How it spreads?

1. Through spuriated objects, like a needle at the chemists, or the blade at the barber's.
2. During pregnancy... from mom to child.
3. Unprotected/irresponsible sexual intercourse.

How to control it?

1. Please ensure the hygiene factor of any object like needle or blades which could have been used by someone else and thus be spuriated by their blood.
2. Guys USE condoms. Whether you agree or not, but that's how most sexually transmitted diseases can be prevented. Not to mention it keeps unwanted pregnancy at bay and helps in family planning. Contraceptive pills or morning after pills are not the solution for they are known to have certain side effects on the lady in the long run. Btw, even they have expiration dates so please take care to ensure the quality before you use one.
3. Be responsible towards your partner. Stay true and honest..... this helps in taking precautions as deemed fit.
   

Stay safe... stay happy... stay healthy...

Please do check out the following links and share your knowledge:

1. AIDS on wiki.
2. Hopkins-HIV Guide.
3. International AIDS Society

For more information about the marathon check out their official website: Pune International Marathon

And now some pics from Sunday:

Before starting........

At starting point.......

At the finishing line........