Changing Times ...

Surprising that the Anniversary for Reliance marks the death of Journalism.

Yesterday Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. Today Times of India ran the front page advertisement of the Reliance Empire.

Did not know that the front page news cannot be changed at last minute if important enough news comes up. Not getting into the debate of what she did and what she did not, I feel it is not the way for anyone to die. For sure it bears some importance upon the political scenario of Indo-pak relationship.

Isn’t it the duty of supposedly the “best” newspaper to flash the more prominent news for the nation on the front page? The soul is not saved in spite of the poor attempt by the editors to print the “Times of India” on both the pages.

I think she deserved page one.

And what do we do? Celebrate the success of an empire? Feel sorry for Benazir? Or just mourn for the death of journalism?

I Did It My Way.

Recently I heard the once famous masterpiece by Frank Sinatra. I did it My Way.

Stoical and Inspirational. Someday as the end nears, let me be able to sing this song standing tall.

For those who have not had the chance of hearing it, here are the lyrics.

And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain.
My friend, Ill say it clear,
Ill state my case, of which Im certain.

Ive lived a life thats full.
Ive traveled each and evry highway;
And more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Regrets, Ive had a few;
But then again, too few to mention.
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption.

I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway,
But more, much more than this,
I did it my way.

Yes, there were times, Im sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew.
But through it all, when there was doubt,
I ate it up and spit it out.
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way.

Ive loved, Ive laughed and cried.
Ive had my fill; my share of losing.
And now, as tears subside,
I find it all so amusing.

To think I did all that;
And may I say - not in a shy way,
No, oh no not me,
I did it my way.

For what is a man, what has he got?
If not himself, then he has naught.
To say the things he truly feels;
And not the words of one who kneels.
The record shows I took the blows -
And did it my way!

!?

As one steps into the second quarter of life, one word hits you quite regularly. And more it hits you, more you fear it. Commitment.

Last month I attended one of my closest friend’s marriage. He is only 24. Watching him there in that mandap all dressed up in bridegroom’s attire. (it’s a different story that south Indian males hardly wear anything for their marriage) But that was the “Eureka” time for me. Committment!

I mean I have already crossed the first quarter of life. I have no clue as to when is my turn for it. I am hoping it will be somewhere near 28. Age I consider nearest to ideal. What I fear is what Ragsi could commit at age of 24, will I be able to do it at 28?

Adjustment if the name of the game dude; someone told me. Ideally. Will I find someone? Hopefully!

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

JuSt CrUsH iT…

Learning from relationships never seems to stop to amaze me. Only a few days back I was amazed to see how boys and girls can perceive the meaning of crush differently!

For me (and I am speaking on behalf of the male fraternity, call it self proclaimed spokesperson….well at least a very large percentage of it) word “crush” means that you like a girl. That’s it. Full stop. It does not mean that a guy is in love with the girl or he would like to have a romantic relationship or he wants to marry her or for that matter he is her fan! And yes, crushes can change many times in a day.

For girls (it comes from some of my well informed friends of fairer sex) it essentially involves a romantic angle in the whole matter. I don’t know if that changes that often but I am pretty sure in this sense they are not much different. So even if it changes, for whatever little time it exists, they got to perceive some romance in it. (And I have no clue why as even the dictionary points towards something destructive with that word.)

I was confronted by a friend of mine a few days back by a question “so….how is your sweetheart doing?” These are the times when I feel happy, confused, suspicious and mad at the same time. Happy to think I am capable of having a sweetheart. Confused because I did not know I had one. Suspicious because what on the earth this person wants from me and mad because that hardly the first sentence to greet a friend. So back to story and I had no clue who she was talking about. With all the politeness in the world I said, “well, she is doing fine…..by the way whom you are talking about?”

“Common now, don’t you know? The whole group thinks you are mad after her.”

“which group?”

she let me out on the information with a look similar to the one Alice must have had after tumbling through that tunnel. Piece by piece it came. And slowly but surely it fit like a jigsaw puzzle.

Suddenly I was able to make out the meaning of all the quick glances exchanged and small laughs shared amongst the members of the “group”. It was quite appalling to know that I can be thought of as a most loyal fan and nothing beyond that. Even a “label” of friend would have sounded better to ears. Not that I do not like someone but its quite different to be made fun of on entirely different imaginations.

So, just to make it clear, crush means only the fact that one likes a person as a friend and likes to spend time with her and that is all there to it!

His name is "Today"

Some lines I really liked....

Ours by Choice
We are guilty
of many errors and many faults
but our worst crime
Is abandoning the children,
neglecting the fountain of life.
Many of the things we need
can wait. The child cannot.
Right now is the time
his bones are being formed, his
blood is being made, and
his senses are being developed.
To him we cannot answer
"Tomorrow."
His name is "Today."

- Gabriela Mistral

Lost

I am sad.

I think I used to be a better person.

Don’t remember when.
I only remember me then.

Lately I have dried up.
Of emotions. Of friendships.
Of some close relations.

I have failed everyone I think.
I have succeeded enough.

I have become cruel.
I can’t cry anymore. Even if I wish to.

I feel like I am walking towards the success with me facing my past.

I want to cry.

I don’t know if I have friends left.
I mean the old ones.

I want to grab all the happy moments.
I want to escape.
Why do I have to face it all?

I can maintain two faces.
One of Dr. Jekyll and other of Mr. Hyde.
I hate both my faces.

I only like my curly hair. Straight as arrow they are.
Unlike me.

I have become selfish.
I despise myself a lot of times.
My behaviour is turning obnoxious.

Losing it.

Time to fight.

A spoonful of advice - from a friendly neighbourhood

“More money and only more problems to take care of J” One of these days before sleeping, I was chatting with my mom. We are searching for one more and a bigger house.

I have started inquiries. The other day I asked the builder who is building right across my house. 1000 sq. feet and 1.2 crores! This essentially translates into 12k per sq feet. Hmm….

Well, had it all been white money, I would have thought of (well, honestly only thought of J) applying for bank loan. But then this 70-30 ratio kills me. So back to ground realities and I started thinking of other possible alternatives. Say like searching a good house at some other place. My parents are not so cool with this option. Inertia may be. Mom actually told me that at this age she just cannot think of settling into any other city. Other suburbs she might think of, but then probably I should think again!

I am too cool. So I was totally ok with the other options. Till today evening.

I came back today to find aunty staying next door sitting and chatting with my mom. Since I landed earlier than usual, I wasn’t much tired. Also in some time I hadn’t said hi-hello to any neighbours and so I sat there. What followed was amazing fun for next hour or so!

“These guys were just waiting! Whose number is it first!” (I entered middle of a conversational thread. What number? Who was waiting? I had no clue! Later I realized it was about who has the first appointment with god or for that matter devil :P)

“Nahitar kay”

“The idea that all of us could be benefited never touched their minds. How my decision is elected final against yours……that was the main concern. Had it not been for that; all of us would have got bigger and architecturally better flat. There have been some stupid pillars climbing right in the middle of house such that you can’t even renovate the house the way you want! (Ohh….topic close to my house, I mean my heart. Or is it that I have started listening selectively?)

The above line of conversation followed for some hour or so J. Long time I had seen my mom engrossed in such kind of gossip. My mom is not much of a gossip person. But it was fun to see her enjoying herself. My presence in the whole conversation was restricted to say “huh?....eh?.....err…….oh yeah……what are you saying bits. But more importantly what I realized was how important could be the factor of neighbourhood in house selection! You never know how much the neighbouring uncle and auntys can mean for an evening chat. Strange realizations stupid things can lead to….

I love my neighbourhood. And I am not so cool after all!

Dosti ka naya funda

1. You should not have friends who are committed
2. If you have then you should not meet the person your friend is in love with
3. If you do then you should not become his/her friend as well
4. If you ignore previous 3 then get ready to get jacked!

Did I hear you asking why?

Simple! Current make’n’break statistics in love stories suggest that the probability of breaking the affair now or in near future is much higher as compared to yesteryears.

So prepare yourself for the eventualities. If the anticipated break indeed happens (high probability mind you; nothing has changed from previous sentence!) then you want to lend only one shoulder to crying friend. You can shift the weight from time to time you know and you won’t have any joint ailments.

Consider where both were your friends. Both your shoulders are gone and orthopeds and shrinks are having a gala time! Orthopeds coz suddenly you have developed a shoulder pain and shrinks because you are going mad emotionally (what did you think, for the break-up couple…you fool what did I get the shoulder pain for??)

Got it now? Yeah well only one case where you can ignore the initial advice….

Only when you yourself are in love with the person your friend loves! Just kidding…!

I am single. Thank god for small mercies!

Life in a Metro…..where was I living all this while….??

Movie starts with something like this….. A has affair with B… B has with C……C has with D…..D has with E who in turn has it with F……and to complete the circle……F with A!

Then everyone starts sleeping with everyone…..that is cool in a way…..but I just wonder if a pornographic gangbang would have been a better time pass….:P

Then there come the characters in the film……unbelievably weak……Shilpa Shetty is like the forgiving “abla” naari of 60’s where she is ready to forgive her husband whatever he does….

KK has got the best deal…..no limits to infidelity…..sleep with everyone…..come back home…..wife is always there!

Kangna and Sharman are confused…..one is acting like a slut and another like a pimp…..ain’t clear what they want from life…..apparently it’s the race of life why they are acting so….

Shiney Ahuja is the biggest loser…..everyone dumps him…..his wife…his career in acting…..and finally Shilpa Shetty!

Nafeesa Ali and Dharmendra are the old age lovers……again Nafeesa forgives someone who stood her up years ago…….watching her and Shilpa Shetty it seems that there is serious lack of dignity in metros for women….

Dharam paji……getting old….his crying makes audience laugh in the theatre……what else do I say??

Saving grace…..Irfaan Khan and Konkona Sen….had they not been there I probably would have walked out in half!

And of course the singers……come out cool first time……but as the movie progresses……there presence becomes increasingly creepy……(songs are nice though)

I think I should put a full stop to watching Hindi movies unless someone really recommends it……I mean look at me…..all I have done after watching last few is writing these reviews of crap movies….! Not that anyone read them here…..but then it’s a country of free speech ain’t it?

Overall…..its a CRAP movie…..and if u read this and still see it then just drop your contact number in comments because I assume you have shit loads of money to spare….!

Please Stop Singing; Noen ain’t no good

“Yudhdha Taryanche, Swapna Suranche”

That’s the program that is currently going on like a TV series. All the supposed self proclaimed who’s who of Marathi television are invited to participate in a singing competition and display “the other set” of talents!

I happened to watch one of the episodes the other day. It was a tired evening after office and I switched it on with some expectation of listening to pacifying melodies. What I actually got….well, why don’t you experience for yourself? After all its “the other set”!

I am not trying to make a point here about their singing abilities however. It sucks big time. And then there is further complication. After every round I think last 3 are eliminated and remaining reach the next round. So basically considering their singing, those who have really decided to watch should thank their stars that the annoyance level surely goes down per level.

There was one shot displaying the emotions of participants while the results were announced. The “stars” that feature in last 3 are apparently so broken that it seems like they were super confident of making to next round and now they can’t become great singers! I am sure its not only these stars however. It all comes across as a coached performance. You know…..when camera comes; show that you are dejected kinds.

But for what? Do producers/directors really think that they are increasing the interest levels by letting stars manifest “real life reactions”? and on top of that do they think audience is fool enough?

Rather than such stupid star fight, may be a chance can be given to some people who can really sing. And if they can’t manage that then put that money in producing something good for Marathi industry.

Being a Maharashtrian it hurts to see nothing good, nothing of quality is coming out!