"Playing the role of a Film Critic..."

Yeah I was bored with being the regular movie goer (not that I was a regular at that) so I decided to don the role of a Film Critic... I saw two movies over the period of two weeks at our very own Infosys Adlabs Multiplex (where else can you watch a movie for 45 bucks and enjoy true dolby experience on BOSE AV systems...lucky me).

I went with a lot of scepticism for Casino Royale. I was not at all convinced with the idea of Daniel Craig mouthing that immortal line..."The name's Bond, James Bond". With all the bad press the movie had garnered I would be lying if I said I was not biased while watching the movie, but thats exactly where he gained points. In spite of all odds stacked against him he still managed to shine brilliantly.

He reminds me of Sir Sean Connery in his hey days, the same charm, cockiness and smooth style. The movie has managed to give a more humane dimension to Bond. There is less emphasis on gadgets (I still miss that part) with the demise of Q but nevertheless Bond manages to make the best use of resources available to him in a convincing manner. Both the Aston Martins were definitely what I was yearing to see more of . And in the very end Daniel Craig mouths those lines which signifies that this is just the begining of what is yet to come. (Oh yeah I failed to mention that I watched this movie twice.)

Dhoom2 was the most eagerly awaited release and I must say it was pathetic. You should really love any one of the lead actors that much to shell out even those 45 bucks. Its all style and glitz. Ash should stop trying to act as well as trying to look cool. Abhishek shouldn't dance (unless its steps similar to what he did in Bluffmaster).

Hrithik was good enough (except for those intense senti scenes). Bipasha has loads of oomph and no one can deny that. I regret to say this but it was Uday Chopra's humor that made the movie a bit bearable. Somebody please tell our film people that we do watch Hollywood movies and if they are trying to imitate stunts then please add some element of sensibility into it.

"The Fast and The Furious : Mysore Drift..."

No I didn't get the title wrong... Actually we went go-karting yesterday at a place called Planet X just 4Kms outside Mysore. Its supposedly the biggest go-karting track in Karnataka. It sure is big and cheap too, just 120 bucks for 10 laps or 10 mins whichever is earlier. Of course with the lap times we clocked, we were on the track for a little over 7 mins (this meant that we had to do it for a second time).

It felt so good to lay my hands on something gasoline powered after such a long time (3 weeks is a really long time for a speed junkie like me). Now to the fun part... we were drifting in the carts. The track had really nice curves (the concrete surface and the bald racing tires further helped the drift). The best lap time for the track is 35 secs and we got to only about 42 secs. So you know what this means... We'll be back there the next weekend to better it .

P.S: If you don't know what "drifting" means then this post isn't meant for you...

"I'm still alive..."

For those of you who have been scouring the newspapers for my obituary here's some pleasant (or unpleasant, as per your choice) news, I am still very much alive and kicking ass. I am here in the Infosys campus at Mysore, where my fast track training has started in full swing.

The trip from Mumbai to Mysore was pleasant and uneventful (except for the arm ache I got by lugging the heavy suitcase around). Mayank was at his usual best in terms of punctuality and hence I told him not to come to the station. After two days of induction sessions (boring presentations and lots of forms to be filled) we had the screening test which sealed our fates. Milind and I got into Fast Track. Rest of the DBITians are in the Long Cycle.

"Cycle" reminds me to tell you about the campus. Its awesome, huge, extremely well maintained and environment friendly to say the least. Every bit of land is covered with lush grass, Buildings are spacious with water bodies around to avoid the formation of heat islands. The house keeping staff is very meticulous in its work. My shoe soles are still black, I guess this conveys the message clearly. There are cycles to go about the campus. The terrain is hilly and I am sure to have well toned thighs and calf muscles by the time I return.

Week days are hectic and most of the time is spent in the Global Education Center (also known as the University of Infosys). I come back to my hostel room only to sleep. Rest of the time is spent in the 3 Food Courts and the Employee Care centre which houses the recreational facilities, 24X7 laundromat, Hair Salon and yeah the supermarket (and like a fool I lugged everything from Mumbai). Weekends are meant to enjoy and I am doing just that. I am sorry about not being able to post pics here.

On the training front everything is great. I am getting so comfortable with the LCD monitors that I won't be able to go back to the CRT monitors. Bose AV systems are everywhere. Class rooms are huge with a seating capacity of 180 with individual systems. Two projectors make sure everyone gets to see what the Facilitator is talking about. I finished my Programming Fundamentals module last Thursday and barely managed to score 97%...Looking forward towards the next module.

Last weekend I had been to the Bangalore DC (Development Center), which is also the corporate head quarters of Infosys. We were celebrating the 25 years of Infosys. The Sa Re Ga Ma little champs gave their performance followed by Sonu Nigam's concert but what enthralled me was the talk by our Chief Mentor NRN (Mr Narayan Murthy). Also I was mesmerized by a sweet angel by the name of Gunjan Singh (of Bally Sagoo's Noorie remix fame) who sang just three songs and left me wanting for more (again I regret not clicking a snap while I had the chance). Had a ball of a time with Mayank and his friends. Couldn't meet Utkarsh though (even Mayank has just met him once and he has been there for about 4 months now).

I also came to know one more interesting fact about myself... I walk at a speed of about 20Kmph... How did I realize that? Well thats a long story which is better kept for some other time.

"Branded Jeans..."

Today I bought the first pair of branded jeans with my own hard earned money and boy I love the feeling. Till now most of my branded denims were courtesy of my bro (and I thank him dearly for that). I didn't actually go with the intention of purchasing one but then the moment I laid my eyes on it I knew it was the perfect pair (also the Doom 2 cargos which I wanted were ridiculously expensive).

Coming back to the jeans, its a new line from Pepe called "Seventy three". These aren't antique jeans from the year 1973 but they have managed to stone wash them to attain that look (and I must say they have done a darn good job). Even the borders of the pockets and legs have those worn out look.

Needless to say it attracted the ridicule of my folks who insisted that I shouldn't have wasted money on a used piece of clothing. All said and done, I just love this pair...  

"Nostalgia..."

I walk back in time, towards the large gates.
Walk past the lifeless canteen, with no one to shout.
Peep into the empty classes, missing the screams of joy.
Stand at the tree, where a hundred love was declared and broken.
The sleeping drawing halls and reading rooms.
Looking at the dead PCs and the silent printers.
A single tear escapes my eyes,
And falls on the emptiness of the long corridors.
My mind races in thought.
Alone I stand as I realize its all over.
Yes its all over!

- Joel Rodrigues -                              
                               

Saturday was the fateful day when the whos who of BEComps 06 (at least those who are still in Mumbai) chose to go back in time. Yeah we went back to those familiar environs of our college. It was a wonderful oppurtunity for me to catch up with friends before I leave for Mysore and needless to say for those few hours we felt as if we are still students. Many of you, dear friends, were terribly missed. Hope you too can make it the next time around.

"How much for a Head..."

Before I go any further, I would like to let you know that I bought my helmet due to my father's insistence and it was stowed away for almost a year (during this period many many long distance rides had been undertaken) before the Helmet rule came into effect and I started wearing it.

The astounding rates of fatalities in accidents involving two wheelers and a PIL forced the HC to take notice and implement the Helmet Rule. This is not a new rule but one that has been around for years (only no one usually bothers about its actual implementation though). People thought of it as just another trick of the Helmet manufacturer's lobby and the Traffic Police to rake in some extra moolah (and indeed they did earn handsomely in the process).

Its been almost two years now and still I see majority of the riders without a helmet and even the ones who have, dutifully leave it hanging on the handle bar. As if the handle bar needs the protection in case of an accident, not their head (on second thoughts people who do so probably won't be having anything inside worthwhile to protect). You can always go the shop and ask for a new handle bar to replace the busted one but what will you do for your head?

I have heard all sorts of crazy excuses for not wearing a helmet but I have just one to counter all those..."Its your LIFE at stake buddy!" Think about it and ride safe. 

"Child Labour..."

Everyday I see advertisements on the TV declaring a ban on Child Labour from October 14, 2006. Although I don't support exploitation via child labour I am forced to think from the other side of the fence too. Its true that children are being forced to work under inhumane conditions in numerous sweatshops across the world. This exploitation must definitely be stopped by all means possible. Their innocence and childhood must be protected.

But then is a total ban the right solution? People tend to mature faster when faced with emotional turmoils and harsh realities. So is the case of the homeless children. They need employment to earn and thus sustain themselves. There are plenty of cases where such children have worked hard and reached great heights. There are employers who make sure that these chidren attend nightschools. Plus earning a livelihood contributes to the building of character and self respect.

Whats gonna happen now is that those children who have been earning a livelihood till now will suddenly be jobless. Chances are very high that they'll take the easy way out and turn to crime. "Criminals are not born but forced by circumstances". Do we really need this to happen?

If the government wants to ban child labour go ahead but make sure they have alternate solutions in place. Proper foster homes and education facilities are the top priorities. Decrease the age limit covered by the ban and better still monitor the juveniles and their employers to make sure they are not exploited.

A knee jerk reaction decision is not the need of the hour but foresight, planning and effective implementation.

"Oops I did it again..."

I had made it a point to post atleast once a week but now its been 13 days since my last post. Its not if I was too busy with work and all but I simply had no work to do. The people at Vistaar are too busy with a scheduled release for the 19th of this month and hence they seem to have forgotten about us freshers. Its for the same reason that our tech training has been postponed indefinitely.

So you may ask "What the hell have you been doing all this while?". Well we have a 2Mbps connection over here with no domain or site restrictions of any kind. They trust us not to violate their confidence (movie downloads are definitely out of the question). So I have been checking my mails, orkutting and gobbling up article after article on wiki (some technical articles but mostly about cars, movies, sitcoms and other tech stuff). And yeah some tutorials on Java as mentioned in my previous post.

Finally after more than a month of fiddling around (and getting paid in the process) I was assigned to work on a project for our sister concern Row2 Technologies. I was excited (since this would be the first time I would be working with JSP and EJB) and all geared up to begin work only to be let down to know that I was not granted access permissions to the server. So yesterday I dashed off a mail to the concerned persons and am still waiting for the feedback.

Looks like I am not destined to begin actual work in Vistaar coz just day before yesterday I got that well awaited email from Infy asking me to join for training in Mysore on November 20, 2006. And its not just me, there is a whole bunch of DBITians coming down to Mysore with me... Bosco, Prajakta Jabade, Lyceca, Roshan, Sneha Abraham, just to name a few. Looks like I'll be back in college again.

"Practical vs Impractical..."

Its normally agreed that women listen to their hearts whereas men are ruled by their brains (though that doesn't always imply rational thinking). Men won't bargain (atleast not a lot) but women do. That seems practical enough considering that you want to save money. But then again they will bargain for (and buy) stuff that they don't require at all. I have seen scores of females spend fat amounts to buy stylish handbags (hardly large enough to accomodate their wallet and mobile) and then lug around polythene covers to carry their books to college.

Does that mean that men are not impractical? Not at all... Men lust over the latest gizmos and powerful cars. If your primary need is to get from point A to point B then a Maruti 800 will do the job but then we always eye a Porsche 911. (I am still wondering how a motorhead like me can comeup with such a ridiculous sounding statement). Men will never stop and ask for directions while driving but will prefer to drive around till they exhaust their fuel supply (so much for being practical).

I know this post has an abrupt ending but I really have to get back to work...So catch ya later.

"Letter to Dad..."

A father passing by his teenage daughter's bedroom was astonished to see the bed was nicely made and everything was neat and tidy. Then he saw an envelope propped up prominently on the centre of the pillow. It was addressed "Dad". With the worst premonition, he opened the envelope and read the letter with trembling hands:

Dear Dad,

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you, but I'm leaving home. I had to elope with my new boyfriend Randy because I wanted to avoid a scene with Mom and you. I've been finding real passion with Randy and he is so nice to me. I know when you meet him you'll like him too - even with all his piercing, tattoos, and motorcycle clothes.

But it's not only the passion Dad, I'm pregnant and Randy said that he wants me to have the kid and that we can be very happy together. Even though Randy is much older than me (anyway, 42 isn't so old these days is it?), and has no money, really these things shouldn't stand in the way of our relationship, don't you agree?

Randy has a great CD collection; he already owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. It's true he has other girlfriends as well but I know he'll be faithful to me in his own way. He wants to have many more children with me and that's now one of my dreams too. Randy taught me that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone and he'll be growing it for us and we'll trade it with our friends for all the cocaine and ecstasy we want. In the meantime, we'll pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Randy can get better; he sure deserves it!!

Don't worry Dad, I'm 15 years old now and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure we'll be back to visit so you can get to know your grandchildren.

Your loving daughter,
Rosie.

At the bottom of the page were the letters "PTO". Hands still trembling, her father turned the sheet, and read:

PS: Dad, none of the above is true. I'm over at the neighbour's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than my report card that's in my desk centre drawer. Please sign it and call when it is safe for me to come home. I love you!

I am sure most of you must have come across this mail before. I particularly like the creativity shown by the girl for putting things into perspective for her Dad. Thats why I decided to share it with you all. Try this with your folks, but soley at your own risk.

"A weekend for Infy..."

The day I was selected for Vistaar, after a gruelling process of aptitude tests and 3 personal Interviews (one hour each), I had more surprises in store for me. Just when I had given up hope of getting a call from Infosys to appear for their test (the recent mails of resume sent to them were bouncing off their servers), there it was, a mail from freshers@infosys.com asking me to appear for the test to be held on 10th September. I was given an option of 5 centres out of which Pune was the closest one.

Saturday: I was still not decided on when to leave for Pune. The first bus from Mumbai leaves only by 5 am and it takes almost 4 hours (as opposed to the 2.5 hours I thought) to reach Pune. And I had to report at the test centre by 8:30. As luck would have it I came to know about a cousin of mine who stays in Pune. A phone call later it was decided I would have to leave mumbai by 2 to reach there before dark (it was already 11 am). I hurried about to get my documents xeroxed and pasport sized photos taken (thank God for instant digital prints).

I packed in the bare essentials, threw on a pair of jeans and tshirt and packed in a formal shirt. I thought the interview would be on the same day or else I would convince them to postpone mine to the next weekend (as I had to be in Mumbai on Monday to report for the training on Monday). Mom asked me to pack in an extra pair of trousers just in case (and I thank her for that).

Went to Thane and caught the Asiad Bus for Pune at 2:30. Travel via expressway is a delight but roads in Pune are no better than the ones over here. Anyways I reached Pune by 7 and my cousin had come to pick me up.

Sunday: Being a Mumbaikar I was confident enough to travel anywhere provided I knew the bus numbers. I had obtained information about the bus numbers from the net. But the ground reality in Pune is very different. The PCMT buses don't display the numbers (at least not legibly enough) and one has to rely on the encrypted names written in red on white background (making them very hard to read).

Anyways I caught a bus to Swargate and a ric from there to the test centre in Bibwewadi. I reached there by 7:30 (much before the stipulated time as usual). At 8:30 we were called to form lines for entering the test centre (It was then that I realised the huge number of people who had come there. There were approximately 1500 people present there that morning.)

There is an application form to be filled with your details. Carry your passport along (if you have one) and also names and details of two "professional" references (this excludes family and friends). I didn't carry any of these with me. The test pattern is the same, 1 hr logical reasoning test (almost 7 out of 10 logical puzzles were repeated from previous papers) and 30 mins english test. I don't know the criteria for selection but at the end of the day only 137 were selected.

The results were supposed to be declared by 2:30 but it was 5 pm when it finally came out (so be patient enough for the long wait). The interview was scheduled for the next day at 1 pm at the Infosys campus in Hinjewadi. This put me in a lurch since I had no place to stay (my cousin was going back to Ratnagiri). Luckily I had bumped into a guy who was from mumbai but had done his engg from Pune University. He was staying with his friends at Anand Nagar and invited me to join him. I readily took up the offer.

This was my first taste of bachelor life and it made my decision of not leaving Mumbai seem even more wiser (but still I guess I need this experience to be more mature and independent. If Infy happens I'll definitely take it up). We made some enquiries about the best mode of transport and decided to leave next morning at 10:30.

Monday: My jeans were totally soiled and my hopes of wearing it for the interview were crushed. Thankfully I had a pair of trousers with me. Strangely Pune was much more humind than Mumbai this time and I was sweating like a pig. This was the third day for my tshirt and it had began to stink (thankfully I still got the luxury of a bath everyday) but still I decided to wear it under my formal shirt (so as not to ruin the shirt with sweat) put on an ample quantity of colonge and dashed off.

The first 8-seater rick dropped us off on the Satara-Mumbai Highway. From there we caught another one for Chandni Chowk (no its not the one in Delhi) and from there another one to Wakad. I was keeping an eye out for roadsigns and had also asked the driver to inform us when we reach our destination. Fortunately when he stopped at one place I happend to see the signboard on the flyover directing us to Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park (our destination). We got down there thanking our luck and cursing the driver.

Now Infy Campus is a mere 1.5 Km from where we got down but the fares are decided based on which firm you are going to. So we ended up paying 40 bucks to reach there (compared to the less than 10 bucks fare we paid for each of the 8-seaters). The campus is huge and well maintained. The interviews had started at the stipulated time and the delay from the alloted time was not much to be impatient about. The interview lasts for hardly 15-20 mins and mostly consists of HR stuff and maybe a puzzle. I was not asked a puzzle (I don't know whether that is a good thing or bad).

I waited for my friend outside and he was finished by 3:30. His interview was the best one any fresher could give. We walked back to the highway. He was going back to his friends place and I had to catch a bus to Mumbai. I was approached by an agent and was about to book a ticket when I caught sight of an Asiad Bus with Pune-Mulund written on it. I couldn't believe my luck. I quickly bade good bye to my friend (I can never thank him enough for all the help provided) and boarded the bus.

Two vada pavs at the next stop stopped the growls coming from my stomach. The stretch comprising of the ghats were a lovely sight with mist everywhere. Next time if I have to travel to Pune, I am hoping to drive all the way. I hope this rather lengthy entry would make my friends, who have the Infy test on 24th here in Mumbai, realise how lucky they are. You have plenty of time so prepare well and hope to meet you all again but this time as Infy Employees.

"Java for me..."

As most of you all know Java is a hugely popular programming langauge and very much in demand in the industry for quite some time now. You must be under the impression that, being a computer engineer who spent 4 years (in normal cases) of his life studying technical stuff, one must be knowing java very well since it must have been an essential part of the syllabus. But Mumbai University begs to differ. It did include Java but only as a lab subject, which means there are no exams (or grades that matter significantly) and hence the students don't pay much attention to it.

There are lots of programming assignments involved over the course of 4 years which can be (or rather should be) done in Java, but alas the students (and even the teachers) prefer C or C++. I was determined to learn java on my own and on several occassions even got down to browsing through the numerous resources available over the net. But then there is so much happening in java that I didn't know where to start. Eventually the college assignments would catch up with me and I ended putting java on the back burner. Still the desire to learn never went out.

Now I've got the perfect oppurtunity. Since the past one week I've been going to office and I've got absolutely nothing to do (since the actual training will start only from coming monday, as there are some more guys coming in). I've been put into the development team which uses C++ and J2EE. So now it has become a necessity for me to be knowledgeable in java and I've stumbled across just the right tutorial. For all you guys who want to learn java I would strongly recommend this one. Its called Java Lecture Notes by Elliotte Rusty Harold. Its divided into 13 weeks, written in plain english with enough examples and excercises to try your hands on.

"Lessons for the teacher..."

My neighbour just bought a second hand car and since he has recently obtained his license, he asked me to give him some driving lessons. I gladly accepted the offer (what better way to spend my usually dull mornings). Now I've been driving since I was 16 (that gives me 8yrs of experience behind the wheel) and I must say I am pretty good. In fact driving has become like a reflex action for me.

The parking space around our apartment building is narrow and hence it takes very precise driving manoeuvres to get the car into its slot. Considering my expertise in this matter, he gladly handed over the keys to me (thinking his car is in safe hands). Now I am pretty careful (most of the times) but who knows what happened. I was negotiating this turn (taking care not to crash into the vehicle parked up front ), when all of a sudden I heard the sound of metal scraping.

Luckily for him (and unluckily for me) it was just a minor scrape and the paint had been scratched (nothing that a touch-up job can't fix). There was no dent or any metal damage. Sadly the only damage was to my reputation. I think its God's way of telling me not to get ahead of myself, to take it easy, never be over confident and always be cautious.

"Sex lies and.... Music Channels"

I would like to profusely thank Ms.****** for taking on the role of our moral custodian, filing a PIL and dragging the judiciary to ban all my favourite movie channels. Thanks to her efforts I am left with watching music channels (since I am not much interested in sports or news) with all its "non adult" content.

Music videos have the morally upright and clean content which is fit for children to watch along with their parents. After all watching sexy bombshells competing to do raunchier dance numbers with their clothes getting skimpier day by day seems to be much better than watching movies like Mrs. Doubtfire or A Beautiful Mind. A few beautiful kissing scenes between couples, where the script demands, in movies are definitely more vulgar than these item numbers where skin show is to such an extent that little is left for imagination.

As far as the shows like Desperate Housewives and Sex and the City are concerned then the broadcasters take care to screen them after 10. Shouldn't that be way past the bed time of school kids? Why only target these shows? As if the story lines of our so called "rooted in indian culture" saas-bahu serials are any better. There is blatant adultery, sleeping around, extra marital affairs and seduction in almost every show. The costumes have necklines deeper than the Mariana Trench showing ample skin (I dare not use the word "cleaveage" lest they should censor it).

Do they really think that kids get their dose of porn from Television? All I can say is I pity them for their ignorance. Anyways the good news is that I've been offered a position at a startup firm called Vistaar and in all probability I'll be joining from September, 1. Hopefully this would leave me with very less time to while away in front of the Idiot Box.

"Held at Ransom..."

This is exactly what it looks like. The police have confiscated the decoders from the cable operators and they in retaliation have blackened out all the channels. Where does that leave us consumers? We always get the short end of the stick in such situations. Almost everyone pays the annual subscription (in advance), so the cable operators are least bothered even if they don't provide the service for a few days. The police have made the cable operators the scapegoats to avoid the wrath of the judiciary. And the judiciary in its attempt to deliver justice had passed an order with no detailed instructions and specifications. The end result of all this is that its been snowing (at least on the television sets) in Mumbai from the past few days.

All this has thrust us back to the days when Doordarshan was the only channel available. What the judiciary seems to have overlooked is the fact that all television sets come with a remote or an alternate mechanism to change channels. God has been generous enough to bless mankind with the ability to make decisions and choose what is good and bad. If the lady who filed the public interest litigation is unable to control what her children watch then thats a problem she has to solve on her own (or other parents in such situations). Blackening out the entire entertainment channels is clearly not the answer.

What we watch on TV is our own concious decision. If a channel is screening adult films, then we do have the option of changing the channel (when else would an option of more than 100 channels come in handy) or switching it off. Nobody is forcing you to view such films or channels. Plus whatever happens is in the closed confines of one's house so why should anyone else be bothered about what goes on. The fact that such films are being screened clearly indicates that there is a demand from the viewers. Why infringe on their freedom just to hide your inability to deal with such reality?

"Freedom means..."

"Freedom means the liberty to pee anywhere I wish." This is exactly what I heard a young chap blurt out on stage at a youth meet some time back. I don't know whether it was his irreverence or total ignorance that made him state this but I am sure if our freedom fighters heard this they would turn over in their graves. Do we really take our freedom and security for granted? Our jawans bear the extreme conditions and put their lives on the line everyday for ensuring our way of life and is this how we repay them, by being totally selfish without even a hint of gratitude.

Over the period of time the meaning of freedom has undergone a lot of change. There was once a time when freedom was more than an ideology. The entire nation was united and ready to die for it. But today it means a politician can siphon off hundreds of crores of the tax payers money in scams and still enjoy z category security (which ironically the same tax payers pay for). Unfortunately the law never catches up with them and they die their natural deaths only to be buried with full national honours. The money sadly is never recovered.

We must never forget that along with freedom comes responsibilities. Exercising one's freedom shouldn't include denying someone else's. The best part about freedom is that I am able to put this in front of you all with no fear. Jai Hind.

"Customer Service"

This is a condensed version of my week gone by (including the misery)...

Friday: I've got the first call from amdocs' recruitment agency and they need me to mail them my marks breakup (very urgent). I get disconnected from the net the second time in the night and the only way to get back online is to restart my PC (yeah this is a peculiar problem with a broadband net connection only I seem to be facing). Since its already 2 am, I sms the friend with whom I was chatting about the situation and doze off.

Saturday: I try to get online but no luck. I call up my service provider only to be greeted with a constantly ringing phone or a busy tone. This continues throughout the day. Still no luck.

Sunday: Its friendship day today. I get up in the morning with an upset stomach. As the day progresses I develop a 101 degree fever. With all the energy sapped out I still make one last ditch attempt to get online, no luck.

Monday: The rain gods have been generous and the trend seems to continue today also. I finally manage to get through on the telephone with my net provider. When I tell the lady that my connection has been down from saturday she yells at me for not calling them before. I am assured an engineer will come by and she takes down my address and telephone number. Its evening now, still no sign of the engineer nor is my connection up. I call her up again, this time she informs me about how they can't get hold of a key to a terrace to check a switch in the network and assures me that the work will be done by tomorrow morning. Again she notes down my details.

Tuesday: There seems to be a break in the incessant rains. I decide to college to complete some formalities. Later we go to a restaurant nearby to celebrate a friend's b'day. The rains have started again, I decide its wiser to head back home and jump into a bus. I reach home with a hope of getting online. No luck. Exasperated I revive my analog modem which had been in exile from the past 3 years. Installation was a breeze, everything was working except for the fact that it was taking forever to load a page and then there were the frequent disconnections to deal with. I give up. There is no use calling my net provider coz their working hours are from 11 to 7 (can you believe that...phew)

Wednesday: I am pissed off. I call them up and this time my tone means business. I am greeted by a male voice (a happy relief from those stupid females who don't seem to know a thing and keep jotting down my details) and he can't seem to believe what I am telling him. He too promises to send an engineer by. I tell him I've heard this lots of time and no one comes by. He assures me there will be someone here in an hour. To my utter disbelief there was indeed an engineer (not one but two) at my doorstep within the stipulated time. He told me that the switch in my building needs to be replaced and that the connection should be up by evening. Its 5 and still no luck. I call up again, they tell me they've replaced the faulty device. Well I tell them the connection is still down. I am promised service within half an hour and surprisingly it happens. After a lot of running up and down, they manage to get it working. I send them off with a thanks.

For the first time is 3 years have I been provided with prompt service from my service provider. Usually the network has no problems (the customer support sucks) but then when it does develop a snag, it takes forever to rectify it. I still remember once I had to wait for over a month (that too during the vacations) when all they had to do was replace a switch in the neighbouring building (they didn't realise this because inspite of the promises the engineers never came).

So this prompt service comes as a welcome relief and a surprise. I hope they could and would read this to understand how much trouble it caused me and how much I appreciate what they did today. I hope they keep up the good work.

"The Green Eyed Monster..."

Have you ever observed a burning log? When you ignite the sparks, it catches fire and you seem to enjoy the warmth it provides. You slowly realize the log is turning into charcoal and you put off the fire. This charcoal can again be set on fire but then it reduces into ash. Once you've got ash there is nothing you can do with it.

Jealousy is very commonly used to bring out inner emotions and spark some fire into relationships. What one needs to remember is that just as the log turns into ash so does the human nature undergo transformations. Once it turns into ash you cannot obtain the old log back. You are gonna get your fingers burnt when playing with fire. So beware of the green eyed monster!

"Redemption... at last!"

Yup, I am officially a Computer Engineer now (at least academically if not professionally). For me this is the end of my long lasting college life (no more further studies). I won't claim to be absolutely ready to enter the big bad corporate world but yeah I am ready to test the waters. It feels so good to be out of the college but then I'll definitely miss it a lot. To all my friends reading this, I have a humble request, keep doing so and stay in touch. 

"Yet another demon slain"

 Yeah you heard that right, I've, by God's grace, slain another demon. What else would you call something that just doesn't let go of you, no matter how hard you try it always comes back to haunt you. Thats what Maths 5 was for me.

This subject can be very deceiving, it looks so simple just simple statistics and stuff. But when the paper comes you don't seem to understand what to do. You start forgetting formulas or as in my case, interchange them. You try to maintain your calm but when you realise that time is against you, you panic.

Even after the paper is over the suffering doesn't end there. Till the results come out you left hanging between the devil and the sea. Finally when the verdict is out you are in a state of disbelief. God has finally taken heed of all your prayers and granted you victory. Relax but be on gaurd, you never know when the next one will rear his ugly head.

"Resume... Whew!"

I never thought writing a resume would be so challenging. After spending 23 years on this planet with 18 years spent in education you think one would have enough material to fill a telephone directory. Think again coz I barely managed to fill two pages. As an afterthought it is better to keep it short and sweet (others don't have enough time to read unnecessary details about you) and to the point.

How do you make yourself presentable on paper? When it comes to selling myself, I fail miserably. Thats one of the reasons why I still have to depend on my bro to get my comp upgraded coz I just don't have the skills (or the patience) needed to convince my Dad to shell out the moolah.

And why do experts keep on suggesting to remove the "I" from your resume. I understand that using too much I's in the resume will make me look like a strong selfish individual with no regard for teamwork (so much for the psycho babble). But its MY resume and it should be about ME. There are only so many ways in which you can rephrase the use of I in a sentence. Writing a resume really tests your skills at rephrasing. Trust me on this one.



 

"Don't mess with us"

 Why don't these so called terrorists take a hint and leave us Mumbaikars alone. How many times do we have to prove our mettle and show them that their tactics don't stand a chance when it comes to breaking our indomitable spirit. Sure they managed to bring the Western Railway services in the city to a halt (shedding lots of innocent blood in the process... May God have mercy on their souls) but then people here didn't panic and take off instead they risked their lives and helped the victims first (and the world has the nerve to label us rude).

I'm sure when the services resume (probably today it might have), people won't even think twice before getting into the first class compartments and get to work. Mumbai is a city that goes on forward. No matter what transpires, the city and its people bounce right back.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder"

I am not quite sure whether it is absence or distance but then both have the same effect. Why is it that we tend to value people more once they are gone? Why do we reminisce the good times we shared when they are not near but bicker about anything and everything when they are? It's a common known fact that works of art fetch greater value (running into lakhs and crores) when the artist is dead, whereas he would have have died of poverty coz he couldn't manage to sell even one of his works.

Why can't we cherish our loved ones when they are right here with us? Why can't we leave all our bindings and just live the moment? Why is it that we realize true love only when we bid farewell? I know these a lot of unanswered questions and frankly speaking I have no clue. But then if I had all the answers what would be the point of living? Life is a journey, we learn along the way right till the very end.

"Rain rain go away, Come again another day."

Rains are back and with a vengence. That might be too harsh a word to use but the fact is that after 26th July 2005 the people of Mumbai (including me) are psyched out. The rains received so far are well within the normal limits considering the previous years, but the effects are worse. People have become more cautious. Even at the slightest hint of heavy rain, they don't prefer to get out of their homes. Schools, colleges, offices and other institutions close shop early.

But then one fact still exists, the problem of water logging due to infrastructure planning without foresight has started to cripple Mumbai like never before. The city with a "never say die" attitude has started to think twice. What can they do when the very life-line of the city, the railways, starts limping. Population will keep on increasing. The railways have already gone way past their intended maximum capacity.

Its high time we start investing some thought and lots of money in setting up alternative modes of public transport. Mumbai Metro is a start in the right direction but it has to be completed much more faster (35 years is ridiculous) in order to provide us with value for money.

Till that time, think smart and stay safe. 

"Mumbai Metro is coming our way!"

 Woo hoo! Finally after years of speculation and anticipation, the first stone has been laid for the ambitious Mumbai Metro Project. Even if all goes well (lets really hope so) it will take at least 2 more years (thats the official estimate) before the first phase is completed.

Metro master-plan

* Phase I
Colaba-Andheri-Charkop: 38.24 km
Bandra-Kurla-Mankhurd: 13.37 km

* Phase II
Charkop-Dahisar: 7.5 km
Ghatkopar-Mulund: 12.4 km

* Phase III
Bandra-Kurla Complex to Kanjurmarg via the
Airport: 19.5 km
Andheri (East)-Dahisar (East):18 km
Hutatma Chowk- Ghatkopar: 21.8 km
Sewri-Prabhadevi: 3.5 km

The transition period is going to be really tough. The roads are gonna be dug up again resulting into traffic snarls. Lets just hope that when the project is completed travel within the city is eased up a bit. But just the metro isn't gonna solve all our problems. Simultaneously we should improve our existing railways and public bus transport. These 3 should complement each other.

Another ambitious project still to be completely realised is the Bandra Worli Sealink. The hovercraft project was started a few years back but then I guess it was a few years ahead of its time and it failed to take off as expected. But now with the metro around the corner it would be the right time to give the hovercraft another shot.

"Raindrops are falling on my head"

The monsoon has arrived in Mumbai although a bit early this time. The rains arouse mixed reactions among the people. We have sort of a love-hate kind of a relationship with the rains.

We love it for giving us respite from the scorching summer months, for filling up the water bodies which ensure smooth water supply through out the year, for the fresh smell of wet earth, the grilled corn (bhutta) with the roadside vendor, the idyllic afternoons spent at home sipping tea along with piping hot bhajiyas (personally I don't drink tea or coffee but I love the bhajiyas). We love the rains and it is the perfect time to spend some quality time with your loved ones. Going for long drives to scenic waterfalls surrounded by lush mountains tops my list.

But then we equally hate it when the trains are late and the roads are filled with muddy potholes. We hate being in damp clothes (although getting wet in the rains is a thoroughly enjoyable experience) not to mention travelling in crowded local trains, getting late for appointments, the vehicles passing by splashing muddy water all around, etc. The rains have a peculiar knack of showing up exactly when we leave our house and stopping when we reach our destination and vice-versa.

When we are tucked away safely in our houses shielded from the rain and the wind, we tend to enjoy it. But what about the people who live on the streets of Mumbai. They have no shelter to protect them from the lashing rains or the howling winds. What about the fishermen who risk their very lives in the choppy seas to earn a living. What about the building collapses and the water borne diseases that plague us. We tend to look away from these harsh realities of life.

Like any other stuff, Monsoons too have their share of good and bad things for us. Life is too short too be spent cribbing and complaining, so enjoy it as much as you can. 

"Road Manners in India - A distant dream"

The other day our Prime Minister commented that building good roads alone ain't enough, it should be complemented with better road manners. I thoroughly agree with him. In India Road manners are virtually non existent. As with any other case, there is no one single party to be blamed.

The RTO officials are corrupt only because we are ready to bribe them. How else could I manage to get a license at the age of 16 (the official age here is still 18 unlike most of the western countries) without so much as even giving a driving test (the officer just asked for my name and that was it).

The so called Driving schools are a scam. They don't teach you about lane discipline, how to parallel park...heck I didn't use the reverse gear even once during the entire duration of the course (which by the way is 1 month). Sometimes they are not even bothered whether you really know to drive or not, but you will get your license as long as you pay up their fee.

The infrastructure in most parts of india really isn't meant to observe road manners. The signals don't work most of the times so do the street lights, there are no lane markings and no crosswalks. The pedestrians occupy the roads since hawkers occupy the sidewalks (if there are any). The pedestrians don't give a shit about the motorists and the motorists reciprocate the gesture. It may sound funny but I was on my bike and suffered a minor wrist injury because a man, blindly crossing the road to catch a bus, dashed into me instead of being the other way round.

Truckers on the highways are much well behaved inspite of being illiterate, its the spoilt rich brats in their flashy cars who cause all the mayhem. Autorickshaw drivers are in a league of their own. They'll cut in front of you, make U-turns, stop in the middle of the road without a warning. I won't even start with the incessant use of the horn (very irritating).

But then all this has its (sort of) plus points too. Where else can you drive without the fear of being pulled over by cops for speeding. Burn rubber on the highway, weaving in and out of traffic as if you are runnning a race. My brother used to drive here in India but being used to the US roads he now shudders at the very thought of taking over the wheel here.

Before leaving I would like to mention that road infrastructure is being improved to world class levels on the major highways and the newly planned cities. Its just us people who have to catch up. 

"Is Mumbai really rude?"

I for one don't think that Mumbai is rude or very polite either for that matter. It treats you the way you treat it. Its just a matter of "as you sow, so shall you reap". Mumbai can be indifferent and apathetic at times but really generous and selfless at other times. The never say die attitude is typical of Mumbaikars and it makes Mumbai the wonderful city it is. It welcomes every one with open arms. For every cheat in mumbai we will find atleast 10 honest people.

Its really unfair to measure Mumbai by western standards coz our culture is totally different. First of all english is not our mother tongue and we aren't raised according to their culture. So forgive me for supporting the mumbaikars who don't mind their P's and Q's. Its the warmth and love that these people have to offer that counts. Which other country lives by the saying "Atithi devo bhava" (The guest is an incarnation of God).

And to top it all New York is supposed to be the most polite city in the world according to these so called researchers. Do I need to present any more arguments in punching a hole in the credibility of the report? I really don't think so. I rest my case. Its upto you to decide. 

"15 seconds of fame"

People are ready to do anything (and I mean ansolutely anything) for their 15 seconds of fame. There is no limit to how low they can stoop to achieve it. All this for what, to share a bit of the limelight only to be pushed into the darkness of obscurity when someone else comes up with something even more scandalous.

Case in point is the recent ruckus created by one Miss Rakhi Sawant. It seems as if this girl and scandals are inseperable. No longer does she get out of one than she steps right into another. I won't elaborate on this coz the media has already discussed it more than required. One look at the series of photographs and any sensible person with a little bit of common sense can understand that it is nothing more than a cheap publicity stunt. The female was, shall I say, over friendly with him.

There were a lot of factors in play the item girl tag, the booze, the media, etc But this does not justify whatever he did. He should have been smarter (I think he is smart considering the amount of publicity they got). Now Miss Rakhi Sawant forgot the saying "What goes around comes around". A few months earlier she had caught someone else by surprise and kissed that person. But then it was a female and she didn't press charges. That female later on went to declare that it was sudden and she felt embarrased. Although the pictures show her puckering up and kissing with her eyes close (what a surprise).

What surprises me though is the extensive media coverage provided. For one entire week I couldn't go through any news report, paper or magazines without stumbling upon this topic. Is there a dearth of serious news in this world or has the reader lost all intelligence and self respect that he has to put up with this mindless shit (please don't mind my language). Only one question comes ahead "Whatever happened to responsible journalism?" 

"Retirement...?"

How's this for irony, all through the college and exams I was actually looking towards the vacation. And now that it is finally here, I am already bored. We have been so used to our daily routine that now we don't have a reason to get up in the morning anymore. How long can one watch television? Even the movies from the previous night are repeated in the morning. Catching up with old buddies is a great idea but it too lasts just for a few days.

Is this what retirement feels like? I really gotta find something interesting to do in the meantime or I am gonna go nuts. Any suggestions?  

"Last Exam..."

 Giving the last exam arouses in us mixed feelings. You are tensed preparing for the exam and at the same time you are relieved that after this you will be free for a while. But this anticipation of the vacations can cause some trouble. Being the visionaries that we are, blessed with foresight, we often start planning stuff to do during the vacations even before the exams get over thus causing a lax in concentration. That is why we often score less marks in those papers (not necessarily true for everyone).

But giving the last paper of engineering is a whole different experience. You know that this is perhaps the last time you will be giving an academic paper. The college won't be reopening after the vacations. No more submissions and assignments (to be copied and completed at the very last minute). No more xeroxing the notes. No more bunking the lectures and hanging out in the canteen. No more doing mischief sitting at the last benches (or any other bench, in my case).

The tension (this paper can make or break your life) and the anticipation (of the future) can be nerve wrecking. I am going to miss college life a lot. But it is an experience worth remembering.

"True Friend...!!!"

A girl asked a guy if he thought she was pretty,

He said...no.

She asked him if he would want to be with her forever....

and he said no.

She then asked him if she were to leave would he cry,

and once again he replied with a no.

She had heard enough. As she walked away, tears streaming down

her face the boy grabbed her arm and said....

You're not pretty you're beautiful.

I don't want to be with you forever, I NEED to be with you forever.

And I wouldn't cry if you walked away...I'd die...

I got the above story from a friend of mine (it is a different case that it was a chain mail) and I thought I'ld share it with you guys. For me this story captures the two different aspects of friendship that I identify with, naughtiness and sensitivity. Inspite of the guy's blunt responses to her queries, he came through when it mattered the most (making a girl cry doesn't always necessarily mean that you are insensitive or mean).

Men always need to be tough on the outside but give them a little time and understanding and you'll come to know the real them.

"Technology and us..."

Internet is one of the greatest inventions of mankind. It has found a variety of useful purposes in almost everyfield. It wouldn't be wrong to say that it has greatly influenced the way we live and think. Almost anything and everything you need is readily available to you within a few clicks and that too free. "Free" thats a word we Indians love.

Music, we all love music and what we love even better is free music. There was a time when sites used to host music files for free downloads, but then they had to be shut down due to strain on the resources and issues with copyright infringement. Then a college kid came up with a brilliant idea and application based on P2P (peer to peer) technology called Napster. It was a big hit, so big that it made the music industry sit up and take notice. They somehow managed to crack the legal whip on such applications.

Now, the human mind comes up with the most ingenious solutions when faced with such tight situations. It was not long before we were presented with something known as "torrents". It is a wonderful protocol for file sharing of any kind and it also manages to circumvent the legal copyright infringement issues. So if you wanna download anything from the net for free (movies, music, games, ebooks, etc) then torrent is your best friend.

Download a client like Azureus, Bit Torrent or Bit Comet and log onto sites like www.thepiratebay.org, www.mininova.org or www.desitorrents.com and believe me your life will never be the same again. 

"Old habits die hard"

It's true and I was made aware of it once again today for the umpteenth time. No matter how bitter your past experiences, no matter how many times you've vowed to yourself never to repeat it again, the basic goodness inside you never dies and you inevitably end up making the same mistake again.

Men are such fools (more so when females are involved). They'll do anything (well almost anything) for a female irrespective of the compromises that they have to make. A very good friend of mine from the past 3 years calls me up and says that she needs a favour from me (these things normally begin like this). She needs to xerox my notes since she has misplaced hers and just 3 days are left for the exams. I tell her that I'll meet her in college around 10am. She sounded very desperate and asked me to make it by 9 to which I replied in positive (what else is a guy supposed to say in a situation like this?).

Anyways, I got up early, caught the heavily crowded 8:31 train (which by the way was 10 mins late), huffed and puffed my way to college and made it by 9 am. Now let me tell you a small secret about my dear friend, she always has late nights (studying) and seldom gets up before 11. A voice inside my head was telling me that she won't make it on time and that I am wasting my efforts. But the eternal goodness inside me made me think that atleast today she'll make it on time especially since it was her need. Boy was I wrong.

As predicted she came late and she had found her notes (I am happy for her). She thought that I would be late (which was highly improbable and she very well knew that) and seemd very apologetic upon realizing that I had made it on time. Well now doesn't that prove what a sweet heart I am. On the contrary, how could I be such a fool?

Do you feel sorry for me? Don't. Because what I am going to reveal next will make you getup and hit me through your monitors, for being so naive and gullible. The same female asked to get along to college another set of notes (just last week). She showed up neither on the designated day nor the day after that (coz she got another friend of hers to courier them to her). Needless to say those notes were in my bag, till today (coz informing me about the same was not a priority).

Living in Mumbai I need to be much more smarter than this, right? Well this is the way God has engineered me and I guess that little bit of goodness will show through my actions no matter how much I try to supress it. And no this is not a case of being blinded by a female's charms coz similar situations have occured where the other party involved were boys.

"Need For Speed Most Wanted"

I know this isn't the time (BE 8th sem board exams are going on) but this definitely is the place to write about it (it's my blog so who's gonna stop me). I know I am ages behind but it was only yesterday that I got to lay my hands on EA's "Need for Speed: Most Wanted" title (due to the generosity of my friend Anish, we spent the entire day playing it) and I have to admit that I am hooked (I even get dreams about it now).

The game is mind blowing to say the least. In true EA tradition the attention to detail is immaculate. Every thing about the game from the graphics to the sound, the cars, their handling, the storyline, the tracks,etc simply rocks. I had been watching the previews and articles about this game even before its official release and now that I have actually experienced it, it has managed to surpass all expectations.

Now the sorry excuse for a machine, called my computer, can't handle this truely awesome game and I don't think I can buy a new machine sometime in the near future (a variety of "rational and logical" reasons come in the way). So if anyone is kind enough to lend me some playing time on their computers or better still their PS2's (I know that's asking for a lot more), I would really appreciate it, so much so that I am even ready to kill for it (just kidding).  

"Have mercy..."

The other day I was on my bike with a female friend (name withheld for protecting the physical health of the author. Getting beaten up by a female ain't something that I look forward too) and I spotted two girls outside a cafe. "Wow nice girls!" Did I just say that out aloud? Shit what will my friend think about the kind of a guy I am. It was then that I realised that it was she, and not me, who had mouthed those words. What a relief or is it?

Wasn't it bad enough fending off other guys while vying for a girls attention that now I have to deal with other girls too. I barely manage to hold my own against other guys but to compete with a girl (and that too in this matter) is a strict no no. Girls have all the advantage they are sensitive, on the same emotional wavelength and not to mention definitely better looking than I am. They can openly hug and kiss in public without being subject to ridicule or the fear of being termed gay (you have no idea how incredibly jealous that makes us).

Now if I tried to do something like that with a girl, the public will beat the crap out of me (thinking that I am trying to molest her) and if it were a guy, then he will beat the crap out of me (thinking that I am gay). So sticking to the good old handshake is the best option left. Girls there are a few good straight men left on the face of planet earth. Just remember this before you take any drastic decisions (although girl on girl action is every man's fantasy).

God made Adam and Eve (not Adam- Adam or Eve-Eve) and thats the way it's meant to be. I believe in Womens liberation and their capability to do (almost) everything that a man can (sometimes even better). If you take away our necessitiy in the process of procreation (which by the way is the last straw we are hanging by) then nature will no longer deem us straight men fit and the next phase of evolution will skip our species (like it did with the dinosaurs, the dodo and the apes).

This is a plea from a good straight guy who happens to be your friend "Please have mercy!"

"What is life?"

Getting up everyday to go to a job you hate,

Grumble and complain about it to everyone,

Come back home and sleep,

Continue the above routine for the next 30 years of your life.



If this is life then I rather die today!

 Lucky is the man who finds work in the field he loves. There is no other matter of greater joy or satisfaction for him. Many of us find ourselves stuck doing something that we hate but still we continue due to a variety of reasons. Most of us have talents which if nurtured and guided in the right direction could lead us on the path to greatness (ok I got carried away a bit but at least we would be much more happier if not successful).

Ask any parent what they want their child to become when they grow up and pat comes the reply, "Engineer" or "Doctor". Its as if these are the only two professions left on the face of the earth. Ask the child and they will come up with, "Fireman", "Chef (or rather Bhelpuri wala)", "Ice cream man","Astronaut","Actor","Miss India", the list is endless and gets much more creative. But a few years down the line they also seem to adopt their parent's views. What happened to their own dreams? Have they stopped dreaming? Certainly not! Then why this change all of a sudden?

The answer is simple, Consumerism. Everywhere around them they see people living a lifestyle consisting of big brands, dining out, having fun, spending money as if there were no dearth of it. To fuel this trend new age banks and financial institutions make it easier for us to spend money that we don't have by luring us with credit cards and all sorts of loans that we don't need. To sustain such a lavish lifestyle people need money and these professions, we aim for, are just right. But money gained at what cost? Is it really worth sacrificing our dreams?

Let me bring your attention towards something. Take a good look at some of the multi billionaires of the world. How many doctors and engineers can you find amongst them? Most of them are self made men and women who strived at something they love, had that brilliant idea in a crazy moment and had the persistence to make it big. They all worked towards achieving their dreams.

Whatever it is that makes you tick, I say go for it. Let others say whatever they want. Chase your dreams. The going definitely ain't gonna be easy but its better to live your dream rather than not to dream at all. I admit that I wanna be a computer engineer to make big bucks so that later on in life I can provide economic stability for my family (Woah! I can't believe I am actually writing this down. What's wrong with me? I am too young to be even thinkin about a family) and splurge on my true passion "Automobiles". Who said dreams are gonna come cheap anyways?

"A rumor spreads like wild fire"

Why is human kind so obsessed with forwarded messages? Why can't they keep certain stuff to themselves? Humans are meant to be selfish by nature but when it comes to gossip and useless stuff (I mean stupid senseless senti stuff) there is no end to their generosity. Tele-marketeers apart, its our very own friends and acquaintances who are behind this menace. 80% (approximate) of the total email traffic on the internet consists of forwards and spam.

Till now I only had to deal with such forwarded messages in my email account (spam is automatically taken care of by the spam filters, God bless those developers). Mobile phones too have their share of spam but it is manageable (the other party can also afford to waste so much money). Now there is a new incarnation. People must be familiar with the concept of "scraps" on Orkut (a community building site thats all the rage now-a-days). Yeah you guessed it right. I've officially received two such messages in my scrap book (which met the same treatment at my hands as any other spam message would have - deletion) so far.

Please don't tell me that people actually enjoy receiving and reading such messages all the time. Please don't get me wrong, some of the messages are really good and worth reading but the others (don't even get me started on those) simply stink.

Don't just blindly forward these messages because someone dumped them on you. Your friends would really appreciate it if you were considerate and sent only those messages that really count. Time is precious for all of us alike.

But then this habit of ours has been around since long. There are plenty of sayings reflecting upon this. Its just that now, with improved technology, people are finding out new means and methods. Technology is a double edged sword, so use it carefully.

"Time and Tide waits for none"

Many among us have experienced the consequences of the above adage but we still refuse to abide by the lessons learnt. IST was coined as an abbreviation for International Standard Time but we Indians, in our peculiar trait of adopting things our way, have conveniently changed it to Indian Standard Time (which by the way is a minimum of 30 minutes behind IST). So if a friend asks you to meet at the station at 11 am, the earliest you can expect him or her is by 11:30. And remember even the delay added is adaptive. Go on increasing 10 minutes to the delay for every hour before 9 am (ie if the meeting was scheduled at 7 then add 20 minutes to the 30 minute delay to make the total delay 50 minutes).

The above calculations are based upon the minimum results obtained (not even the average) during research, actual delays are much higher and not declared here for preserving national pride. You must be wondering "Why is this guy raising such a stink about it? If everyone observes IST then the delay should balance out." My dear friends, inspite of being a minority community there are still some stupid Indians left (including me) who actually consider punctuality as a virtue worth preserving (what were they thinking or rather were they thinking at all?).

So if you find me standing alone (the one thing I hate more than waiting for someone is waiting for them alone) at any of the classic spots (bus stop, railway station, college gate, movie theatre, mall, etc), please don't ask me, "What are you doing?". I'll, by all means, be waiting for someone or the other. Now if I am so intelligent, then why don't I adopt IST and get rid of this "waiting" hassle. I did try that more than once and miserably failed over and over again (as expected). I used to show up more than 30 minutes late for my appointments but I am still baffled how they managed to outdo me and still make me wait for them.

I guess being fashionably late is one trick I'll never learn so I just have to deal with this demon of mine called "Waiting!"

"A typical conversation"

Girl: Do you have a girlfriend?

Boy: No.

Girl: Come on, a guy like you must surely have a long list of girl friends.

Boy: Believe me. I don't have a girlfriend.

Girl: That can't be true. You are blah blah blah (launches into a lengthy description of his good           qualities, some of which even he is not fully aware of)

Boy: Alright then. I like you very much. Will you go around with me?

Girl: Please! You will find someone much better.

Do you have any idea what just happened here. On the top of things it seems as if the girl really admires him and doesn't wanna come in the way of his bright future prospects. But what really happened is that the boy got smacked right in his face and he didn't even realise it.

The last line says it all. The guy thinks that whatever the girl just said is all true and he has a hope of finding someone even better than her. But what the poor guy doesn't realise is that the girl has just let him off easy. What she really meant was "Jeez! have you taken a good look at yourself in the mirror. I wouldn't be even caught dead with you let alone go out with you. Get a life loser."

Its the basic difference in the way men and women communicate. Men will just blurt out whatever is on their mind (and this is exactly what lands them in trouble most of the times) whereas women can never ever tell things the way they are. They always mean something totally opposite to what they say. For example, if you ask a woman, "What's wrong?" she'll say "Nothing" whereas what she actually meant was "All hell has broken loose on me. What am I gonna do now. I need someone to talk to.". The same answer "Nothing" coming from a man in a similar situation actually means "Nothing". Men can only understand whatever is stated clearly to them (so the next time you feel the urge to call us insensitive jerks, just remember this).

Women always have to find out what's going on in a man's head but then they are not prepared to listen to stuff revolving around sports, cars, business or sex (not particularly in that order). Seriously girls what else do you think goes on inside a man's head.

Many a times my female friends ask me to suggest gift options for their boyfriends. I wanna make this very clear, whatever you give them is absolutely fine coz they do not expect gifts in the first place. And one more thing don't expect them to jump with joy when they open your gift (unless you are gifting them a car or a laptop or something like that). "Its nice" coming from a guy translates to "Oh my God! It's lovely. I absolutely adore it. You are such a darling. I love you honey" coming from a girl. If you gift them a shirt (or any accessory) and they haven't worn it even once in the next three months means that they hate it. Don't make a big fuss about it. It's still lying somewhere in their closet (which encompasses the entire room) coz its a gift from you and they don't wanna hurt your feelings. But they still won't wear it. So for a smooth sailing don't push them to. 

"Let us decide..."

From the past few Sundays I get to hear the priest urging the people not to watch "The Da Vinci Code" as protest in his sermon. I can't seem to figure out why they are creating all this ruckus for. Personally I haven't read the book (coz I am not such an avid reader) but from whatever knowledge I've gathered from various sources, I know that the author, Dan Brown, has made some pretty shocking claims about Jesus and his teachings.

But why is the Church getting so worried about? Does it not have faith in His teachings which have withstood the test of time for more than 2000 years and even greater prosecutions from whole empires? Does the Church not have faith in the faith it instills among us. God has given us the gift of understanding (this is what primarily differentiates us from the rest of His creations), to decide what is right and wrong. I am not anti-Church and I am not urging you to disobey its teachings. All I ask of you is to decide for yourself, have faith. Don't stop from watching the movie just because someone asks you not too. After all it was the same Church that had put Galileo behind bars for going against popular belief (and we all know now that he was telling the truth).

I am not implying that dan Brown is right. Keep an open mind. Enjoy his work as a work of fiction.  

"Have Patience..."

"Manzilen bhi uski thi, rasta bhi uska tha,

Ek mein akela tha, kaafila bhi uska tha.

Saath saath chalne ki soch bhi uski thi,

Phir raasta badalne ka faisla bhi uska tha.

Aaj kyun akele hai hum, dil sawaal karta hai,

Log toh uske the, Kya khuda bhi uska tha?"

Yeah life can be cruel at times. All seems to be going well when all of a sudden (for apparently no fault of yours) you get kicked on your butt. But chill & relax, its not the end of the world (although it seems that way for quite some time). Its a wakeup call from the Lord Almighty (no relation to Bruce Almighty) to get your act together and move ahead in life. Just have faith in Him (He definitely has better plans for you).

"Duniya mein teen cheezo ke peeche nahi bhagna chahiye,

Bus, Train aur Ladki.

Ek jaati hai, doosri aati hai."

Doosri zaroor aayegi! Just have a little bit patience man. 

"I was born intelligent. Education ruined me."

Although I do agree that formal education can be quite detrimental to one's creative growth, it is not entirely true. What ruined me I guess is our dependency on technology. We strive hard and accomplish things with bleeding edge technology to make our lives easy but then these very fruits of our hard labour impend our growth in some way or the other.

Earlier we could and would compute complex calculations using just our brains and write down the result on a piece of paper. But now we find our hands reaching out for the calculator even if we have to do a simple math like 17*3+9 (the answer is 60, for your convenience ). Even small things like finding out the date of next week's saturday finds one punching keys on a cell phone. All this is causing our brains to relax. Exercise is as important for the fitness of the brain as it is for the body. But we seldom "find time" for it. Even after having such efficient machines (claiming to save our precious time), we don't have time. I hope you appreciate the irony of the situtaion on our hands. I feel as if I am growing dumber day by day.

Our advancements in the field of telecommunications is said to have shrunk the entire world into a small global village yet how many times do we find ourselves lonely in the midst of a crowd (probably with earphones blaring music into our ears).

How many times do we find ourselves sitting next to our friends but instead of chatting with them we are busy blabbering away into the cellphone. Then we beam with pride of being able to communicate wirelessly with a person thousands of miles away and save time. But what use is the time thus saved if we do not communicate with those who are with us right here right now?

Call me old fashioned but I do miss the time when people used to write letters (maybe that explains why I love to write so much). It was an art. It had a personal touch to it. You could feel the paper and instantly connect with the writer knowing that he too had held it with his very own hands. Electronic media (no matter how advanced) can never achieve that. Those were the days when love letters were written with utmost care & love and treasured for ages, unlike today's instant SMS'es (I literally hate them especially with that wierd lingo. You can tell how much he/she cares about you when they don't even take the pains of writing full words).

"Keep in touch" had a very different meaning once upon a time. Nowadays most people think that dutifully forwarding mindless chain messages (only God knows when and where they originated) serves the purpose. Let me be the one to tell you "It's absolutely wrong". It is not only impersonal (I hope people still remember and understand what "being personal" means) but very rude. So the next time you get a chain message, no matter what dire consequences it threatens you with, just hit the delete button. I've survived many such messages so far and I know you will too. 

"Do unto others as you wish to be done unto you".

A cool dude who went by the name of Jesus uttered these words more than 2000 years ago and it still holds true. You don't have to be a great visionary (or in this case the Son of God) to understand it. Its basic human nature. But then we humans are very selfish and often tend to forget the above mentioned rule.

The other day I was wondering "Why isn't anyone commenting on my blog? I know people are regularly visiting it (as the visitor count keeps increasing). Why don't they write their views?" Then I realised that I myself don't comment on anyone's blog. If I am reluctant to express my view anyplace else then why should you all be any different. I would be such a hypocrite to expect otherwise. Thats why I made a resolution to follow the above mentioned verse. Its not limited to the matter of putting comments on blogs but extends to other areas of my life.

Think about it. I am sure you'll find the concept interesting too.

"Live to ride & Ride to live"

Harley Davidson's marketing catch phrase has evolved into a legend with a deeper meaning. Ask any biker (a real biker) and he will tell you how incredible it feels to be cruising along on the open road, to be one with the elements, to hear the wind whispering in your ears over the roar of the engine a few cms beneath you. The adrenaline rush that you get as you negotiate those curvy bends on an equally curvaceous bike. The thrill of leaping forward as you accelerate leaving the rest of the world behind. Words fall incredibly short to describe the relationship with a bike.

I catch a lot of flak from my friends (especially females) for my obsession with these beauties. I can go on and on about bikes remembering every tiny bit of detail but forget to get a set of notes for them even after being reminded time and again. Then again, often they end up thanking me and my bike (Mahek. Yes, I've named her) for getting them out of tricky situations (like reaching home on time after a late night out). Even they love the ride (obviously I have to be extra careful and cannot pull off stunts like braking hard and weaving in and out of traffic).

If you ever get the good fortune of taking your love (referring to the girl here, bike is implicitly understood to be your first love) out for a ride, I would suggest you do so during the night (don't get any naughty ideas). The roads are clear, very less traffic, cool atmosphere and the street lights along with the skyline look absolutely beautiful. I had to drop off my KCGF at her place after attending a reception. Thane to Vashi - 40 minutes and the return trip to Mulund was 18 minutes flat (see I told you I've to be extra careful). Now a days it is the only time we get to chat coz she takes her studies very seriously (and as most of you all know, I don't).  

"The College Library"

Coming to the Library has been a whole new experience for me. I was never capable of sitting at one place and study continuously. But I am now aware that I can. Moreover there are less distractions than what one can find at home...Computer, TV, Kitchen, Radio, Window, Plants, Ants, etc In fact any damn thing that I previously didn't use to care about. During the study leave normally others tend to loose weight coz they are tensed and study a lot. I on the contrary tend to gain, courtesy of the numerous snack breaks I take, while at home.

Plus if I am home I get wierd ideas like to clean out my room and shelf,repair my bike(even though it was in perfectly good condition), download and install Linux, learn about new softwares, (I actually did all these during the 6th sem exams). Also in the Library you meet like minded people who have come to study. Listening to their stories assures me that I am not the only nut case. Even they have come to the Library due to similar reasons. I have also got to know many of them better during such sessions coz I can't keep my mouth shut and I keep on pestering them.

"Just good friends?"

Why can't a Guy and a Gal just remain good friends? Is it always necessary, that if they enjoy each others' company and have a certain chemistry, that they gotta "fall in love" (its such an old cliche). Its obvious that they do have a certain level of attraction and fondness, otherwise they wouldn't be friends in the first place. Whenever a Guy and Gal share a good friendship, there is always one question on everyone's mind "Is there something more than what meets the eye?"

I am not saying that friendship can't mature into love, in fact thats the best thing that can happen to anyone. But if things turn sour, you lose the two most important people in your life (friend and lover) at once. In a normal relationship you only suffer a heartbreak, but you still have your friend's shoulder to cry on. Just imagine what you'll do if you lose your friend! How will you cope up with the emptiness? Even the mention of such a thought sends a chill down my spine coz I, for one, value true friendship above most things.

As if dealing with such an inquisite crowd wasn't enough, you are really in a fix when a certain special someone (ahem!) is also of the firm opinion (bordering on the edge of accepting it as a fact) that you are more than just friends with your best friend (Point to be noted:referring to your best friend as your "kaam chalau girl friend" doesn't really help your case). In this case your only refuge is God himself. 

"Stick to your guts"

First of all "Jai Maharashtra!" I am not saying this to appease anyone but it comes from the bottom of my heart. I was born and brought up in this wonderful state and I am as much of a Mumbaikar as one can be.

Now carrying on the business of the day, have you ever felt so out of place that you wish you could turn invisible or melt away into the ground or be teleported to hell coz that seems to be a much better place? Well I just had that today. Throughout engineering I have been told (by my friends) that notes are our best friends and to stay away from textbooks. But being in the 8th sem causes strange reactions in people.

I found myself to be the only guy clutching onto his notes while the rest of the gang were flipping pages of Tanenbaum. Even the most staunch supporter of notes (name withheld for privacy) tells me to switch over to textbooks coz this is the last sem. But what's the difference after all? Notes are nothing but badly printed (and then xeroxed) text excerpts from the textbooks. You get what is required (or even less) sans the good old stories and jokes that Mr.Tanenbaum is famous (or infamous) for.

In the end the external will definitely ask you something that you've never ever heard of or something totally unrelated. The moral of the story is "Be true to yourself. If you have never ever touched a textbook in your entire engg life, don't break the trend (atleast not on the eve of the exams)." 

"Mars vs Venus"

 Why do some people behave the way they do? Why are men from Mars and women from Venus? And if that is true then why the heck did they have to come all the way and co-exist on Earth? Its really hard to figure out whats going on in a woman's head especially since they don't say what they really mean (Sometimes they say nothing at all. They expect us to be some kind of mystic mind readers). And the poor hapless guy has to bear the brunt of her mood swings.

One thing is for sure never keep any kind of expectations from anyone. Only if you have expectations will they be not fulfilled and will you be disappointed. If there are no expectations then whatever happens will be more than you ever hoped for.

"The very first one"

"Arguing with your external during viva is like wrestling with a pig in mud, after sometime you realise that you are getting dirty and the pig is enjoying it."

Rightly said and thats why I never argue with my external. The safest way out of such a tricky situation is every engg. student's favorite line "I am not quite sure about it" or "I don't know mam/sir"