Saturday, December 4, 2010

It's a GaY-Les thing

After a series of discussions, coverage, campaigns, movies, and Section 377, the topic of homosexuality is being perceived positively by the seemingly new-age thinkers and revolutionists, and a mere “pass-it-off” by the more traditional lots. But the question is, even if it's legal now, have these so-called new-age thinkers truly espoused homosexuals in their society or were the movements nothing more than a social gimmick?



      Well personally, I work in a place where most of the guys are homosexuals (Fashion magazines, when u come to think of it). Let me be upfront and tell you that it came as a shock to me as well. I have always boasted of my open-mindedness but sadly, I found I was merely doing lip-service in my support for homosexuals while in reality I remained steadfast in my aversion towards them. But that conservatism was to survive only till I became good friends with everyone in my office.

      A couple of questions crossed my mind though: How and when do they realize that they are meant to be with the same sex? Is this tendency by birth? Why do we still see people lower their voices while calling out gays or lesbians? Can a heterosexual not feel drawn towards the same sex ever?

      I asked myself if there are girls I have ever admired. The answer was yes I did; sometimes I had thoughts such as “Had I been a guy, I would have firstly asked this female out”. But the reason I couldn’t ever be open was the fear of being perceived as ’wrong’… the same ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ which have been defined by the conventions laid down by friends and family.

      Thankfully most of my present-day peers and acquaintances are broad-minded and open to discussion. I raised the same question to them,”Have you ever
been attracted to someone of the same sex?”.
The response was the least expected. Not a single person said No.

      “Sometimes I even tell my boyfriend, look that girl is so hot!” one of them said. “And the good part is he doesn’t raise eyebrows or feel insecure at my passing such a comment. He understands that I am genuinely admiring someone,” she added.

      Once a guy in my friend circle broke the news of his homosexuality, and he was admired for his candor and frankness. Without doubt, gays have much better understanding of female psychology, needs, and moods, than “straight” guys. They even come across as friendlier versions.

      So next time when you spot a gay or lesbian, before drawing funny inferences, just try to recall your past same-sex inclinations. Because chances are that you’ll be tongue-tied and zapped at your own sinful indulgences. :-P

So is it just a GaY-les thing? I say Not.

....
....

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Beautiful people - I

You learn and grow each day. Travel to new places. Meet new people. Some get erased with the tide of time…among other faceless people. And some leave indelible imprints on your mind. They may not be part of your family or immediate friend circle…they may not have a dashing striking personality or stentorian voice, but nonetheless, you feel such people make the world a better place to live in. Not just for you, but for the sake of the entire community… you feel god should make more such people!


Here are some I met so far:

Lady in the train
Age: umm .. ..60s maybe

I was in the first year of my college, traveling alone in the Shatabdi express back home. I was hoping to get a seat next to a smart looking hunk but to my “expected” disappointment, I found an aisle seat of a three-seater next to a “greying” lady (who made herself comfortable at the middle seat). The waiter arrived with the first round of refreshments…

He conveniently kept the entire lot on my table as I was near at hand.

She burst out laughing... the people around and I did not get the so-called funny idea… and so we couldn’t help but stare at her.

‘The boy kept the entire lot on her table… poor girl sitting on the aisle seat… now she’ll have to deal with this all through the train journey,’ she tried to explain in her defense.

After many such “wonder-what’s-so-funny” instances, I inferred that she loved to giggle. So everything around her appeared funny to her in some way or the other.

‘Crazy old woman,’ I thought.

I was trying really hard to sleep. But thanks to the kids who were screaming and running around as if the train was their private garden.

After an hour or so, their chirping became one with the train’s hustle. I almost hit the sack, when BANG! A heavy suitcase dropped from the upper rack and fell right on my head.

I could see the kids who had stopped screeching, got amused and started to show their not-so-white teeth. (Kids under 5 years should be banned in trains!!!)

I was ready to fight with the damn suitcase’s owner, when the lady next to me stood up.

‘Whose bag is this?’ she shouted.
‘It’s mine. I am sorry,’ the owner confirmed, a gentleman who seemed like a strict school teacher.
‘What sorry… why couldn’t you put this suitcase on the rack just above you? Instead you had to put it right on top of her head… What if she’s hurt?’
‘Don’t worry... I am a doctor’
‘You may be a doctor, but you just acted like a donkey!’

I could hear the entire coach laughing now :-) even I forgot if anything happened and ‘smiled in pain’…

The train reached the Delhi station. I brought her luggage down from the rack and got down from the train. She took my support and leaped over to the platform.

As we said goodbye, I thought, ‘that’s the old lady I want to be… cheerful yet stern… caring yet bold… vintage yet modern…who giggles and passes it off, and yet takes her stand when time calls for it because sometimes when you’re neutral you’re an accomplice… witty, full of life and immense charm even in 60s!’

She lived in a world of her own. She had her own way of seeing things… I watched her as she walked down the platform towards her husband (a retired colonel; she’d told me) and grandchildren, and gave them a warm hug.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Tete-a-tete with Sonali Bendre

I remember four years back (college, 2nd year), when I took the first interview. It was with "Mr." Dimple Kapadia! (That's what I would like to call Vishal Karwal of MTV Roadies/Splitzvilla). I remember how star-struck I had become - since the day I got to know that I were to interview him (and it lasted for a couple of days after the interview). It's very school girl-ish I know, but I guess I can never grow up. Well, he was the first person to tell me, "Nilanjana dear (LOL@dear!!), that was a superb piece of interview. You should be in media. Why are u wasting your time doing engineering!". Well, to state it plainly, his compliments were pouring as I had unduly praised him to skies in the write-up, and not b'coz the interview was truly superb (HUH!). But I did take his words seriously.

Yesterday, the deputy editor came to my seat, and I was flinching as I could smell even more work. "Nilanjana, you have to go tomorrow to Omega Constellation event at TAJ Palace and interview Sonali". Pat came the reply, "Who Sonali?". Then she made me read an email that stated,
"This is regarding an exclusive interview with Omega Brand Ambassador Sonali Bendre Behl on Wednesday, August 18, 2010 at 2 pm. Let me know if this is feasible".
I looked at the mail once, twice, thrice and then looked back at her. "You mean THE Sonali Bendre?? The actress Sonali Bendre??". I just could not afford to believe that was real! She looked vacuously at me with the expression "what's so great about it! I have taken a hundred celebrity interviews". I was very strenuously holding myself from jumping in wild hysterics! She started explaining me the details of the interview but who was listening. I was trying to hold my smile, but my cheekbones ditched me, and I chuckled and chuckled like an idiot! Her expressions changed from "What’s wrong with her" to "Never mind".

I called up the concerned Omega PR person to give her my contact details. "Hey Nilanjana, Yup you are on for tomorrow. Abhishek is also going to be there. So you can meet him as well." I thought Abhishek would be Sonali’s assistant or something.

Then the deputy ed walked back to me again. “Abhishek Bachchan is coming too. Meet him up and just ask him for a cover story!”

YOU gotto be kidding me! Please, that’s too much for a single day!


And all said, she handed me over a purple invitation card. (The dress code of the event was “a touch of purple”)


Driven by instinct, I told my friends all about it and they all self-invited themselves. :-P Sadly though the card allowed only one entry.

The next day --->

I reached office in a crisp purple shirt (LMAO! I tried to arrange purple trousers and purple sandals as well, but thankfully none of my colour-wise friends had so).

I kept staring at my watch .. it was ticking 10am then… I waited for it to strike 12 am so that I could rush to the venue and first get a photograph clicked with Mr. Abhishek :-). Not that I liked Abhiskek, but so that I could tell my kids … “This is ‘some’ Abhishek, whom I met ‘some’where, ‘some’day ”.

But as fate would have it, 18th of August turned out to be painfully hectic. It was one of the days of the “production week” when we put all hands on the deck.

It was 2pm, the stipulated time, and I still stuck my ass on my seat. Exasperated by the work load and petrified to miss the actors, I just lifted my bag, and sneaked out to find myself at the Taj Palace at 2.20pm.

I never thought I could miss so much in these 20 minutes!!! The PR chick said that Abhishek had left and Sonali had been waiting for 10 mins…!!!

I was flushed with sudden disappointment as the sweet dreams of Abhishek and story-telling to my kids did not work out :( But hang on.. whoa what just happened? Did I really keep a celebrity waiting for me? :-P

So I rushed to the eighth floor to meet Sonali, bypassing all security checks, telling them I genuinely belonged to the press.

She was dressed in a beautiful purple gown, and didn’t look her age at all, given that she has a five-year-old son. I took a seat in the conference room, while she posed for a photo shoot.

Just as the photo shoot got over, “Who is next?”, she asked. I took the seat next to her. I had completely lost track of the questionnaire, and was building up the questions impromptu. After each question, I got pre-occupied with what to ask next.

This continued for around 30 minutes, till I gave up on my ability to cook up more questions.

“It was nice meeting you, Nilanjana! Contact my manager for a beauty shoot”, she smiled as she took off. Her purple gown went brushing against the marble floor and her assistants followed.

I returned back to my office and kept smiling for the rest of the day. Not just coz I interviewed a celebrity, but more so because I made her wait. ;-) So who's next?!

Monday, August 2, 2010

A not so happy friendship day for me

I was sitting in front of the mirror and pondering deep, trying to read my own mind but I couldn’t. I could hear nothing but a deafening silence. .. see nothing but a glaring darkness and ..and feel nothing but a pinching vacuum. ..I felt like an extant nobody that day.

My phone was beeping SMS, one after the other ‘Happy friendship day’ greetings. I tried to smile dissembling my true emotions. I was missing something. Or probably some people. And the ones very dear at that.


I felt like calling them up. But I just forwent. Sometimes the pleasure of missing them is more pleasurable than being with them.


Meko rona aariya si” I made a measly attempt at expressing my feelings in Punjabi, just to imagine
-
Aastha say, ‘You should be BANNED from speaking Punjabi!’


Navjeet say, ‘YEAH right’


Nilanjana, ‘arre sacchi, yeh dekh main crying already


Mayuri say, ‘Ninja kya khaake baithi hai?


Surbhi say, ‘You need help :P


But I really miss you guys ya! :-(
......

Sunday, July 18, 2010

In Hindsight….

There are some things which I have learnt during the last three months when I was in a complete delirium- a break in my normal going office life. I used to maintain my poise from the exterior while actually I was taking somersaults from within. I would like to list them down here and etch them in my mind for times to come:


1. Take your life seriously - It's the only thing that is yours!

2. Avoid taking rash decisions. Plan properly; always try to keep more than one option open - so that there's never a deadlock!

3. A break is much needed in order to recharge, rejuvenate and recognize yourself and your abilities. At the end of it, you’ll be a much better person by all means.

4. This is the time when you should ponder about yourself.
Steve Jobs inspires me for one great thing - He handles the matters in life thinking today is his last day. Never keep things for tomorrow! Now is the time and here is the place.

5. Always think ahead of time. Keep in mind where you want to see yourself after 5 years. Work systematically with perseverance towards that goal. Such breaks are rare. You may not again get such a golden chance. Do not waste this break fretting and regretting, but rather be more forward-looking.

6. Do not think about futile and inconsequential things. The break is actually the most crucial point of your career that determines your destiny. You should take risks and bold decisions in your life at times. It is mandatory for a successful living. But be careful - During this break time, you just can NOT afford to take any wrong decision. That will be suicidal. Make sure that the decisions you take now, should take you an inch closer to your goal.

7. Getting placed is much easier than finding your dream job. It requires a lot of patience and hard work. Choose to go for it, only if you are ready for the trial and tribulation. Have faith in god and yourself. You'll finally emerge much stronger than before.

8. You need not take bullshit from people. Everyone holds a different opinion. They might as well have opinions for you, and give uncalled for advices. They would even say that what you are doing is sheer awry. So you need to thoroughly filter all that you hear or see.

9. Your family may or may not be supportive. All your friends may or may not be accommodating. So there’s only one person to trust – You! ......... Remain self motivated !!!!

10. Stop counting on things and people. Everything changes and is unpredictable. Think practically and do not hunch your life on some opportunity that has not even actuated. Be optimistic but not fanciful. Be desperate while grabbing opportunities, as you have nothing to lose. Build up as many contacts as possible. Be aware of what is happening around you, and what is up with the world and the people in it.

11. Do not waste your break time in depression or in hibernation. Mix up with as many friends. Smile more often – Probably even more than when you were (un)happy and working.

12. Go on a lot of trips and outings. The moment you get a job, you'll have regrets to not have utilized the free time properly.

13. Develop your hobbies and interests. Do all that which you couldn't while you were working, due to time constraints.

14. Keep your social life active. Friends are the ones who finally bring you out of the puddles in life. Infact this is the time when you'll actually be able to cull your true friends out of a pool of chatterboxes.

---

Friday, July 9, 2010

Society Against Cruelty To Friends

This is dedicated to all those special friends I dont want to lose. Ever.

Seemingly stupid, so this may sound
Of all the people, some true friends you found
Came a drift of time and you changed your way
Inadvertent of how they feel and what they say
Embellished your dreams with plans of a new day
Today if they are alive or unfortunately dead
You hardly know or care, coz you are so happy and gay

At your beck and call, when you needed a hand
God sent you a friend, so you must understand
And to have lost that sweet blessing in disguise
Is sad and gross, always together you must stand
Now is the time and here is the place
Spare a second or two to remember the forgotten face
To know if they still need you or just sleep at rest

Catch up with the lost ones for a change
Reminisce those days and bring a smile on face
U might want to go back in time and embrace
Energized you will be at those shining stars
Luminating your life wherever they are
To think there are friends whom you must retain
You got to pull the chain to stop life’s train

To those friends, who know you well and still love you
Ordain them in your life forever, as such gems are few

Free from the shackles and unleash yourself
Ride a horse or fly back in a plane
Ignite your soul, walk down the memory lane
Embrace the loved ones and feel rich again
Never mind what you do and where you are today
Deep in your heart or just too far away
Some special friends are just meant to stay
.

Thursday, July 8, 2010

My Sins Against Gender Stereotypes.

Heyo guys, this post is diffused in the blogosphere. Tbg tagged me here. (PS - This is a direct copy paste from IHM’s post.)

A great way to know how unconventional and eccentric you are. Tag on. :)

If you are a woman,

Have you ever wanted something that is considered ‘manly’ ? Like a basketball, a cell phone, a dog, a camera or a new laptop? A new car or motor bike? Ever wanted to be a pilot? A doctor or not a nurse? And the manliest want of them all – The remote!
As a kid did you enjoy playing with a bat and a ball?
There was a time when books were considered ‘manly’, women authors had to pretend to be men – would you say books are still rather manly – women should want to embroider and crochet?

If you are a man,

Have you ever wanted something that only women are supposed to want – like bags, shoes, clothes, creams, perfumes, babies, flowers? A peaceful home and a happy family? Have you ever been afraid of the dark or of insects?
As a kid did you ever want to play ‘teacher-teacher’, cooking or did you like playing with a doll? Have you ever enjoyed cooking? Bought something in pink? Loved chocolates?


So here’s the tag – Please list at least ten things you have ever wanted or done which your gender is not supposed to.

The tag is called ‘My Sins against Gender-Stereotypes’. And you must tag twelve blogging friends or else you will be cursed to wear blue clothes pants if you are a woman and pink shirts if you are a man – for next twelve years  :-P
 
Okay, here I go.

1. I love to wear my brother's clothes B-) . Nuthin can be cooler than sporting a T and a pair of boxers. :-P
2. I love the guitar, though there is hardly any female in my guitar class
3. All my hostel friends bear testimony to the fact that I *hate* keeping my room clean (I once even found lizard’s eggs behind my books. It became so famous!!! )
4. Oh yeah, I love the adventure in shooing off lizards from the room. Unlike all my hostel buddies I never used to scream or squeam on catching sight of a lizard, even if it was slithering on my bed!
5. I am really bad at shopping in a grocery store. I do not have any sense of fresh/healthy fruits and vegetables. Neither would I eat something that is healthy. Coke + chips form my daily diet.
6. Not to mention, unlike other girls, my handwriting SUCKS!!!
7. I hate to shop for others :-(. I get painfully restless on being made to ramble in the malls while my friends do the shopping for themselves!!!~!
8. I have a nice blooming ego B-)
9. I have a good tolerance / appetite for explicit jokes
10. I love the Hookah. And love making hookah rings. oo000O O O

There, that's done! How was it?
And I Tag,

1. Satinder Rana
2. Pallavi Aggarwal
3. Aastha Jain
4. Mayuri Gupta
5. Aditi Sengupta
6. Mou Bhattacharya
7. Meghna Basu
8. Oindrilla Ray
9. Kounteya Sinha
10. Ankit Mahajan
11. Japinder Gill
12. Prerna Grover
13. Navjeet Kaur
14. Janesh Mishra
15. Prabhjot Singh
16. Himanshi Vij
17. Priyanka Dhar
18. Harshit Chehal
19. Mayank Prakash
20. Mayank Nagpal
21. Mausam Garg
22. Srinivas Madala
23. Rishabh Singla
24. Anshika Bharti
25. Anirudh Bishnoi

Burrrrp... Way beyond just 12 tags. :-P Request you to state 10 such things which set you apart from gender stereotypes.

Good Luck! Remember, every little bit counts.
...

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

He was her lil bro…

21st May 1992, a cherubic baby was sleeping placidly in a cot next to her mother. She was just five-year-old and ebullient at the arrival of her brother. That day, he looked like her miniature version.

He had a kiddo face like the cute kids who appear in the TV ads. It was after three years, when her mom had left him to her for an hour to look after. However, she rambled away, and due to her nonchalance and carelessness, he fell down from the cot. She was petrified on hearing the howls and ran back to his rescue. She received a well deserved flay from her mom that day.

As a child, she was no less skittish. She used to pull his leg and unwittingly run him down. He was the only one in the family who was younger to her, and hence the only one whom she could bully and patronize. They had got into the mode of cat-and-dog fight by the time he turned eight. Needless to say, she used to be the undisputed winner. They used to quibble over matters such as who gets the bigger slice of cake, the leg piece in chicken and the better looking ice-cream. At that time, she was taller to him, greater in size and strength, and so she used to bulldoze him out of my way.

There was one thing about him. He never showed any propensity towards studying or books. He was always riveted at the TV watching cartoons or holly-wood movies, or he would rather go out and play. But books were always his enemies. As a kid, he used to ask a lot of questions, he was sharp no doubt and had an eye for grasping things well. He loved to talk and make friends. Their mom and dad were initially worried to see his loathe for studying, but then he was just eight, and so they relied on the brink of hope that things would change.

Things didn’t change and he was 14. Taller than her by then. He started winning over her in clashes. Mom and dad had turned all the more worried about his marks. He was a paragon of a notorious back bencher and he could do anything to evade studying. Dad used to scold him a lot when he went awry. He then adopted the route to mendacity. He used to concoct so superbly casual that one could hardly distinguish. Lying had become his only resort to happiness.

To everyone’s surprise, he scored well in 10th and changed school. He had an excellent track record of extra curricular activites, oration and dramatics. Plus, he was outgoing. The new school - where he occasionally paid a visit. He used to leave from home for school, and then detour to meet his friends. He had become totally wayward. Their parents would not have got to know if the school teacher had not informed them about his misdemeanor and poor attendance.

Things had gone totally overboard. He had become so thick-skinned that no amount of criticism could bring him to track. Dad told him that he should either choose staying at home and study, or go out with his friends. He didn’t take a second to decide and just left home.
And never came back…

Friday, July 2, 2010

Confessions of an unemployed!



It galls me
that I am one of those 10.7%
of India’s employable population
who celebrate a holiday
day after day.

It appalls me.
That only after being indoors
Did I smarten up my life
From a narrow to a broad way
And my fears did allay
Dwindled away.

It enthralls me
when at times I think
There is a journey to begin.
Where I will keep high my chin
A voice comes from within
A man who has no office to go
Is not always wearing away

The hardest work in the world
is being out of work
And to have the pluck
To wait for your luck
Hints to the success that lay.

All, it’s me
I am not listless,
I ain’t no dumb,
Coz it crawls in me,
The desire to dream,
So I won’t decay.

I started so I’ll finish,
Before I perish
I do promise
I will thank this period of lull
Where the sun is not shining
yet still I make hay.

Years later,
when I reach the summit,
I will reminisce these days
And proudly say
"Can I have an action replay?"

And it controls me!

Cheeky Killers!

I was appalled to hear about this ghastly incident, with all due respect to the little victim, who suffered under the wrath of lunatic killers!

A five-year-old girl was molested by her two brothers, 12 and 14 year old. At first, she had failed to understand the act of debauchery, but when she could slightly make out; she screamed and warned them that she would complain to her mother. The boys got petrified, and then followed a sordid killing of the poor girl child.

Next that happened cannot be anybody’s guess! Call it insanely nonsensical or just plain FIFA hangover!

Football!

The cheeky killers played football as if nothing happened. According to them, it was a very smart way to elude getting caught by their mother.

I could relate another similar incident, where a 10-year-old girl washed her 3-year-old brother in a washing machine, with the notion that it would cleanse his dark complexion. Of course, what followed was a squeamish sight in a soup of blood!

Child murder cases are rampant. But who is culpable?!
Their parents? or the more than tremendous exposure to media which hampers the minors so much that they try and actuate everything that they see, hear or feel, if expedient to do so?

Monday, June 21, 2010

My Heart TECHNO-buffs for you!


The new technology is hard to master
but losing you will be real disaster
Please come back dear Neetu
I cry my heart out for all I did to you

My heart melts with emotions dear
like on a heated CPU would liquefy butter
I'll never be a technology buff
since i have you, I have enough.
Please come back dear Neetu
My heart technobuffs only for you

I've searched through the recycle bin
and files of every kind
I've even used the internet,
but not you did i find.

I promise to upgrade myself to your hero,
from boyfriend 1.0 to husband 1.0.
Husband 1.0 will then spawn Child Processors
which will consume valuable resources
but never mind, Neetu my princess!!

PubNight 2.4, GirlsNight 3.5, CocktailNight 7.11
will be replaced by Romance 24*7
I'll install undesired Plug-ins
like Mother-in-law 5.8 and Brother-in-law Beta release
I promise that system performance won't diminish.

I'll install "shopping, wash clothes, etc." button
Also cook "Chinese, Thai, tandoor and mutton"
I'll never popup annoying messages
don't you worry, Neetu dearest.

I promise you complaints will be none,
when I'll install Lover 1.1.
Then you won't leave me ever
and not log out for another user.

A 4x CD is not so great
But my love for you is up to date
I dream for you in 256 pallette.

With high resolution and graphics
in my 160 GB hard disk,
Dear Neetu, I have only your pics.
An all DOS system is way behind
but my love for you is the modern kind.

Hey guys, if inside your "inbox"
My Neetu you should see,
Please "copy", "scan" and "paste" her
and send her back to me!
Till then I'll sleep on cloud seven,
and log on to www.dreams.heaven

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Beware of such Scumbags!

I hate to recollect an incident that made me feel inferior, if not devastated.

My 21st birthday! Last birthday in college. I was happy as usual. I was the regular Ninja that day. Somebody had promised me a birthday party. Less did I know that the party was planned so that he could solicit the company of one of my ‘hot’ looking friends. But when she refused presence, the plan was cancelled.

What made it worse was, that jerk even called me up the very same evening and made me aware of the fact that I had been an epitome of stupidity to not comprehend his mean intentions. "It was the other girl, eh!"

The guy- (below), I hope god slaps you tight on your face and makes you realize what a lame SCUMBAG you are.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Sometimes one should just wait and watch….

I did not want to pen this post. Atleast NOT now. It is like perturbing the mother hen in her comfortable nest before her little ones are hatched properly. It is gross. But perhaps the urge to set ablaze the gunpowder that has accumulated for three months is more domineering than the warmth of the sneaky ordeal. The inner turmoil is overpowering and the clenched fist is no longer able to contain the sand. So I let it go ..

It all started on 14th March’10, when I gave my papers. A brilliant streak of light had completely blinded me by showing hopes of the future. Something told me, I had a bigger gold mine to dig. So I should move on.

‘Market Research’ had intrigued me no ends. The job was giving me everything – security, comfort, money and the goodies of life. Perhaps, happiness also. But deep inside I was aware that the happiness was ephemeral. I wanted to unleash the real ‘ME’ and follow my heart’s call.

Maybe, I could have just stuck onto the comfort zone. Worked day in and day out doing market research. After ten years, I could have been a research analyst or maybe a consultant. After forty years, I would have retired saying “I perhaps did what I believed in”. And after fifty years, I would have ended my life saying “I wish I had exercised faith in my abilities in the beginning of my career”.

“I know I can do it, because the dreams are mine to weave, it is just to do my best, just to know that I believe” (Courtesy Magboard! :-))

I left my past for a more promising future, packed my bags in the pursuit of happiness and to dig the bigger gold mine – The world of media.
The path isn’t as rosy as it seemed to me at first. It istrewn with thorns. But then, who said it is going to be easy. I only know that I am taking my heart’s call, so everything seems just fine.

There are a lot of challenges to surmount and a fusillade of questions coming from my family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances (and some unwanted people). Lots of failures, disheartenment and loss of hope. I got to know more of the world and the wicked ways in it. But for one thing, I never felt singled out. My family was always a sigh of relief. There were times when, being conspired by circumstances, my determination started to vacillate. I knew there were my family and friends who helped me move a step further towards my goal, by boosting my morale.

I still haven’t overcome all fears. It is like a daily struggle. But hey, do you know what the new Nokia Inc commercial says? – “Fortune favours the bold” :-P

However, this is a long term investment. Whether my decision was right or was I just foolishly bold, I won’t comment. No comment until something fruitful works out. This is the worst phase, when you have exhausted all the possibilities and have nothing precise to do. A phase of Wait and Watch!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Cool Commercial – Doobo Taazgi mein !


After a really long time, an ad grabbed my attention and stayed etched in my mind - The Limca commercial starring Rishita Bhatt.
I do not mind this ad interlude my favourite TV shows, movies or World Cup. I can watch it over and over again, and still never have enough of it.
Wonder what keeps me messmerized. A couple of things maybe - Heart rendering song, cute star cast, refreshing splashes of water along with the punch of lime; and together they create a rejuvenating magic.
Ummm... I still can't stop humming the song... :-)
Yeh nok jhok Sharaaratein hai
Phuhaaron ki yeh, saazishen hai
Thandi aahein aur nigahein
Phir se apni bana lo na.

Soyi soyi khwahisho ko
Aaj phir se jaga lo na.

Taaza taaza rishto ki yeh
taaza taaza ibaaratein hain.
Shabnamon ki taazgi mein,
Khwabon ko tum duba lo na.
Khatti meethi in lamho se,
mastiyo ko bacha lo na.

Yeh nok jhok, sharaaratein hain.....

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Smoking Hawwwttt!! ;-)

It was brought and kept in front of me. Something classic. Something which promised tremendous relief. Like a panacea for all ills. Like an elixir for life.

I was absorbed in the thoughts of its true splendid beauty, to the depth of the crevices of my mind. Sparks of brilliance blew out from the top in flashes, some died out without any consequence, and some had the virulence to live forever. Black pieces of coal with shades of faded grey, which were hot enough to burn a secret desire in you. Pieces of ash alongside which had a story to tell if gifted with a tongue.

As I gradually looked downwards, the curves and planes came in regular succession, ultimately followed by a steel plate that cut the entire body into two halves.

A visual treat as I looked further below. Boiling water which supported a gaseous explosion of clouds which was turbulently fired in the spherical green glass bottle. Thick black smoke. Like the clouds that would engulf me and release me from the sorrows of life. Like the clouds which expressed a pause that was more dynamic than motion.

The bubbles seemed to rise from the abyss to the surface of the water to meet the thick black smoke. Gaining volume and momentum as they moved up. Making sounds like a fish would release that extra oxygen which it had swallowed by mistake.

The green spherical bottle reached its end. A thick green transparent flat surface. Standing against the motionless ground. Supporting the most classic beauty that bubbled away in the deserts of time.

A pipe emerged from somewhere in the middle. From which the smoke threatened to leap out. From which the bubbles snarled beyond the narrow confines of the bottle. The pipe promised an awesome beauty. The beauty of appreciation of good company. The beauty that would bathe me in the freshwaters of oasis of hope. The beauty that would rule my soul and make me a martyr to a lost cause.

So, who says Hookah is bad for health? ;)



...

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

~IF MuSiC Be tHe FooD of LoVE, PLay oN~

Ting Ting *pause* Ting *pause* *pause* Tiiiing
…. This is how I, a musical amateur, used to play my guitar or gittu a year ago.


It began in a funny note though. I approached my guitar sir, who happens to be the lead guitarist of a very famous Indian rock band. The first thing he wanted to know “Why do you wanna play the gittu?”

Pat came my reply “I just wanna remove the monotony from my boooring life”. An impulsive reply, and he could easily interpret that I did not have a boyfriend at that time. (Lol!) I had known that music could people your solitude at once.

Although the main reason for gittu was not clearly defined. I believed anyone with good vocals, should know (atleast) one instrument properly… so that’s why hello guitar! You can't stay the same. If you're a singer and not a musician, you have to change, that's the way it works.

There was this amazing beauty in this power weapon that used to give me a new life whenever, I plucked its strings E-A-D-G-B-E. My imagination took flight, heart took wings, and brains became an untamed territory, coz I could never play and feel sensible at the same time. At once, I could feel no pain, absolutely. It only had the beauty of loneliness, strength and freedom.

I vouched that day – “Come what may, I will take guitar seriously. Not like the other futile attempts to learn forms of dance.”

**PS: Cometh the first cIass and I quite confidently bunked it, given that I had learnt the basic strings in school :-D !! (Wow, my so-called dedication had just started to take flight :-P )**

Enters guitar sir on the second class – Late twenties, married, down to earth, awesome levels of patience, super cool (Oh wait! Did I say married and STILL super cool?). He was more like a friend than a teacher.

He taught me the three golden rules associated with the powerful weapon:
Rule #1: Always carry a pick with you, so that you can play anytime and anywhere
Rule #2: Always sing along while you play. Only playing (and not singing), can very well make you lose the rhythm and go off-beat.
Rule #3: In case you can’t follow Rule #2, here’s an alternative rule. If you aren’t able to sing while you play, choose a popular song, so that your audience can sing.

Then I learnt the string players' motto: "Better sharp than out of tune."I was told that guitar can even help you get laid! (wtf!)

Enlightened, as I was, got back home that day and put the gittu at one corner of the room. Came the next Sunday, and the gittu still laid untouched and unperturbed.

As soon as I entered the next class, a smart ass cracked a PJ:
“What is the difference between a guitar and a tuna fish?”
A: “You can tune a guitar but you can't guitar a tuna fish.”
Lame joke it was, inspired from the “fly can fly but mosquito can’t mosquito” joke. Huh!
**PS: It’s very rare for a joke of any damn kind to NOT amuse me! But this was a terrible one! And that too, coming from a smart ass!**

As soon as the gittu hit, I forgot almost everything. I could never realize how intimately I was bound to the strings, and how much I missed it after 2nd year in college. Life was back to Rock n Roll~
It took me almost a year to grow from “Ting Ting *pause* Ting *pause* *pause* Tiiiing” to heavy metal.
I am a big fat n proud tuna fish now :D
Without music, life is surely a mistake!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Each day begins with a SMILE! =)

As they say,
"Being happy doesn't mean that everything in life has to be perfect. It rather means that you've chosen to look beyond imperfections"


I can't recall since when I developed this weird habit of showing my teeth all the time, probably someday in high school. But I feel, whatever happens, happens for good!
However like HOWEVER, in my defense, I firmly believe, it's NOT me, but the people around who give me real reasons to smile.
So crazy is my affinity to happiness that people even call me lunatic and attach taglines to me which somewhat go like

“Better find a no non-sense reason for me to laugh, else I’ll start giggling for no reason at all”
.

Oh, did I say ‘people around’ who give me real reasons to smile!? Well, justice will stand in denial if I don’t revisit that statement.

The moment I reach my desk at office, I am greeted with a wide grin. Enters Isha Chawla, with a smile that makes me regret not carrying a camera. A complete blabbermouth (to say the least), in contrast to my utterly mundane, boring, dull, dreary, introvert and lackluster nature (PS: I am a girl of few words, you see!!!) I wonder how incessantly she can go on and on, and derive sense from non-sense. :-O


Then would enter the DON! Quite dude-dashingly (only he thinks so!) he would slam down his bag on the desk. Call him Kanav, Kaaaaanav or Bebo, it’s totally your call. (PS: Bebo stands literally here, as he is fondly called by his folks *mischief managed :-P *). His favorite dialogue would be “Chaanta maarunga!”, although he is never high and mighty about it to take it head on. With his highly eccentric antiques, he can make you roll on the floor laughing even in your worst times. He has a strange fetish for irritating others with his extremely disgusting BUT funny remarks and awesome critics!


As I open ‘Microsoft Office Outlook’ and struggle with the booooring client emails which Charu, our cute project manager wants me to work on for the day, my spark starts sparking – a new message from Neha Aggarwal(RG-2). She would be requesting for a break at the very start of the day and I would quite hesitantly (seeing the length of the client emails) say yes. Once the ice is broken, and as the day progresses, the frequency of breaks only accelerates. :-P
*PS: Rahul Kaushal even named Neha and I - the "Happy Club, (Rs. 4000 membership fee)!"*



Aleksandra, her all time reaction when I show her my slide “This is not looking good to me :-(” (While saying this, her specs would slowly slide down her nose, until she puts it back upright). Consider yourself unlucky if she stuffs this into you, as then you can exhaust all the possibilities and draw a blank everywhere. She would giggle giggle like “Gigglegoo” when she is chatting on spark and yes, she is in love with Barista!! (just like me)

Dilip loves to search mistakes on the slides I make, and most of the times he is successful. However, no specials credits to you Dilip, coz those mistakes are quite blatant, and any five year old can spot them :-P * Yes, I so love making data errors :-) * But I do give you full credits for one thing - the mutual cribbing sessions on spark lit up my mood always!! :-D


Charu - I have always been scared of my Project managers (that's something called fear-of-the-boss syndrome), but she's really sweet! She would not miss an opportunity to wittingly pull my leg when I slack at work. I must say, she has that rare gift though - to bear with laggards and irritants like me in the team, and still maintain her cool!

Akshat or THE AXE effect, wonder from where he gets all those brains. I love picking them :-) He hides his humorous nature beneath a veneer of scientific objectivity. He with his flatmate Jayan (rocket scientist), I am sure would discover/invent something great someday.

Then enter ME- I am totally appalled and made helpless by the people around me. I can’t see a reason NOT to laugh when I closely observe their seemingly wild hysterics. And then they say in unison like the joker of batman “Wheizz so hilarious son?? Lets put a zzzip on that smile”.

So I put this much-needed DISCLAIMER: “I am losing it too often these days. If you find me smiling at you without any obvious reason, please don’t consider thinking that you’re looking funny, or worse still, that I am making a pass at you. Apologies to all the victims!!!!!!!!!"

*wink wink*

As my last day in office approaches like a Gun-man in hiding, I realize that what had started as a depressionland, is now an indispensable and fun part of my life. Just wanna say, I’ll so miss the place and its inmates. Its real pain saying goodbye!
Hullo Mr. Joel Thomas (or JT for Jewel Thief), Kaise hai aap!? He would start grinning as soon as he would see me. And then I would shoot a famous Jagjit Singh song at him, “Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho, kya gam hai jisko chhupa rahe ho??”, he would say “YOU LOOK HILARIOUS!!” *Grrrrrr…. And this makes me furious like a red bull blowing up his horns and brushing his foot against sand, to charge into action (ok, I mean only metaphorically here)*
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