New things keep coming on my plate when the days are boring. And then life takes a turn for the good. Expressions opened up a new chapter in my life..new people, new perspectives, new passions, new insights. And a realisation that one should expect everything life throws - be it failure, disappointment or big futures enclosed in insignificant looking opportunities.
Now the thing is we have to make a video on campus courtesies, we ourselves dont follow. Sitting down with my fellows from Abhivyakti, Infy Pune, the brain works in a straight line, as usual. The thought of my creativelessness always lurks (although in ILI i had 'written' and directed 2 good short plays...hehe..lemme be proud of them...:P), i need a constant reminder that creativity is there though dormant. We should not focus on negatives.
Lemme come to the point for which i am writing this in the first place. I need an idea for the bus courtesy scenario. The issues are queue, seat reservation and loud speaker fones. How to make an interesting thing out of these is a problem. The memory searches for something insane, but only the cliche stuff drops out, for thats how i have always been trained. Though, when a number of people sit, some creativity does seep in from nowhere but in this case, i guess we were just done.
Ok, lets think now. List the scenes that come in mind
1. A guy has a bad day ride. No seat in bus due to reservation. He has an argument but to no avail. People play songs loudly, and no one complains. People are just passively listening to mp3s on their fone.
2. End of day scene, a tiring day at work, and people bugging you at the end.
3. One friend reserves seat for other. A guy not able to sit coz of this. The two friends are having a nice time. Behind them people play music loudly, disturbing these two. The standing guy gives his earphones to the ones behind and tells them its wrong. The two friends realise what they did earlier was wrong and give him the seat, as reservation is also wrong.
Good. Seems me got a nice idea now...Sugoi!
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
So jaa... E Haraami
Sooraj din khatam par dhal
Kahe, chal be...khaana khaake sone ko chal
Raat bahut hui hai ab
Kahe hai tu ke jaldi so ooonga
Yeh baat sach hogi kab?
Din bhar office mein dekh sapne
TL ke saamne image ki waat lagaae apne
Raat ko FB ke chakkar mein
kya kar raha hai tu kameene ab?
Uthna toh hai na tujhe kal
Kabhi toh mera dost bane chal
Saath mein nikal zindagi ki sair par
Poore hosh aur josh se har pal mehnat kar
Taake yeh zindagi teri ho jaaye savar
Yehi karne tu janma hai, issliye issiko pehle kar
Warna tu bann jaega loafer
Yeh sab jo maine suna, toh suraj se kahaa
Chal hataa savan ki ghata
Bahut ho gaya natak, ab bakwaas band kar...:P
I was a pianist in my last incarnation
The sight of a piano always used to send me to raptures. Black and white keys making such dulcet sounds, and when in the hands of a maestro then Gosh!, what a melody to hear.
I was born for music - this thing is pretty clear to me. Be it the "ta.. ta ..ta ta... ta ta.. ta.." i used to do on the notes of "Saare jahaan se accha" which used to come on Doordarshan, or my legendary name as a singer (its my blog, lemme be a lil more liberal...:P), its music that has defined me from a real long time. My mum used to say that i behaved as a symphony conductor when i used to sing the "ta ta"...obviously emulating the conductor on the screen, but i am sure that it did indicate i should pursue music.
In ancient India, there used to be a samskaara, after the baby was 1 year old. Books, a weapon, grains and something else were kept in front of it. As is very true that the element of the Divine is still very visible in babes (the amazing smile that they give which makes one feel that the Lord Almighty Himself smiled at him!!), the custom was that whatever object the baby touched, it indicated the future profession or rather the aptitude the baby would have in the future. Although we never had such a samskaaric babyhood (i pierced my ears when i was 22, i wish atleast the karna bheda had been done when i was a baby..), this piece of "conductor" story of mine definitely confirms my inclinations.
Anyways, the topic is about Pianos. The inspiration behind this blogpost has got something to do with my sinusitis. I was trying to search for posts on Blood and Snot, when i came across this blog by a 40 year old divorcee. There, she had a post on "Passions", her passion being piano. Its here that i came across something called "Ragtime" music, pioneered by one Scott Joplin, in the early 20th century.
There was a youtube link to the piece "Wallstreet Rag" by Joshua Rifkin...a Joplin Composition...and listening to it sent me in a strange world. I like the sound of Rag...donno why it seems so familiar. It sounds like old America, but i am sure i was an Indian in my previous incarnation.
On suggestion from a roomie, with whom i shared this piece of info, i came across another brilliant piece (Joplin's best known work, i guess) named "The Entertainer". Any music person can instantly say that the song is used in all Funny Videos shows, where you see people tumbling and monkey's dancing.
On a contemplative note, the sound of this piece does go well with such things...:)
I was born for music - this thing is pretty clear to me. Be it the "ta.. ta ..ta ta... ta ta.. ta.." i used to do on the notes of "Saare jahaan se accha" which used to come on Doordarshan, or my legendary name as a singer (its my blog, lemme be a lil more liberal...:P), its music that has defined me from a real long time. My mum used to say that i behaved as a symphony conductor when i used to sing the "ta ta"...obviously emulating the conductor on the screen, but i am sure that it did indicate i should pursue music.
In ancient India, there used to be a samskaara, after the baby was 1 year old. Books, a weapon, grains and something else were kept in front of it. As is very true that the element of the Divine is still very visible in babes (the amazing smile that they give which makes one feel that the Lord Almighty Himself smiled at him!!), the custom was that whatever object the baby touched, it indicated the future profession or rather the aptitude the baby would have in the future. Although we never had such a samskaaric babyhood (i pierced my ears when i was 22, i wish atleast the karna bheda had been done when i was a baby..), this piece of "conductor" story of mine definitely confirms my inclinations.
Anyways, the topic is about Pianos. The inspiration behind this blogpost has got something to do with my sinusitis. I was trying to search for posts on Blood and Snot, when i came across this blog by a 40 year old divorcee. There, she had a post on "Passions", her passion being piano. Its here that i came across something called "Ragtime" music, pioneered by one Scott Joplin, in the early 20th century.
There was a youtube link to the piece "Wallstreet Rag" by Joshua Rifkin...a Joplin Composition...and listening to it sent me in a strange world. I like the sound of Rag...donno why it seems so familiar. It sounds like old America, but i am sure i was an Indian in my previous incarnation.
On suggestion from a roomie, with whom i shared this piece of info, i came across another brilliant piece (Joplin's best known work, i guess) named "The Entertainer". Any music person can instantly say that the song is used in all Funny Videos shows, where you see people tumbling and monkey's dancing.
On a contemplative note, the sound of this piece does go well with such things...:)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Hey Bhagwaan! Kya kya dikhaaya tune mujhe...:)
Such a weird time me having rite now. Sinusitis making living difficult. Blood and snot being ejected out of my nostrils. ECS Dept. organisers requesting me to sing songs for their event less than 24 hours before the show. Goodness gracious...the sinus pain is killing me. And so is the boredom me is having at office.
You shall see some irregularities in the grammar me uses. It doesnt suit the former editor of one college magazine edition. But remember, that till now, you had no pain understanding what i said. So let it be...:)
I visited orkut and realised how beautiful those days were. Simple kiddy days. The thrill at someone posting a comment on a picture. Someones testimonial arriving. Being happy on seeing some unknown girl in your visitors list. Thinking of adding someone to your crush list, but backing off thinking...if she has added me too, then how shall i handle the outcome? Thrills and pleasures of a cowardly, innocent and far less connected life. Orkut was always a one hour thing for me at the most...although i had got hooked on to yahoo in late 2008. Even that wasnt a big part of life. TV was always worth watching...and now the opposite is true about it.
FB is definitely a pain in the ass...too much of data...too much of goodness about it and an equal amount of badness...Goodness!! we have become so fast! We just open the fridge door titled Facebook, look inside and close it. What do we really want. Adding friends is easier. Contacts with the opposite gender in real life is easier. We all earn, we spend...we can do what we want to...get as many GFs, screw anyone you want. But we definitely wont for we are morally upright...(let me say so...thats my morality...:))
Dont know what we want...we arent able to set things in place...the rooms always a mess, the cabinet overflows...the cockroaches screw and grow by millions...and we have Operation Cockroach almost every week, which makes silly boys like me go down with Sinusitis, after inhaling the fumes. The hotel food is no longer tasty...the cheeks are no longer red. A genuine, body shaking laugh is a rarity...and a relief when it descends on you. Superb relief for people who have stopped using their bodies, and who use more brains and fingers to do work.
The shop guys have no chuttas...we all do dealings with cards...such a fast fucking life we have...Gosh!!
You shall see some irregularities in the grammar me uses. It doesnt suit the former editor of one college magazine edition. But remember, that till now, you had no pain understanding what i said. So let it be...:)
I visited orkut and realised how beautiful those days were. Simple kiddy days. The thrill at someone posting a comment on a picture. Someones testimonial arriving. Being happy on seeing some unknown girl in your visitors list. Thinking of adding someone to your crush list, but backing off thinking...if she has added me too, then how shall i handle the outcome? Thrills and pleasures of a cowardly, innocent and far less connected life. Orkut was always a one hour thing for me at the most...although i had got hooked on to yahoo in late 2008. Even that wasnt a big part of life. TV was always worth watching...and now the opposite is true about it.
FB is definitely a pain in the ass...too much of data...too much of goodness about it and an equal amount of badness...Goodness!! we have become so fast! We just open the fridge door titled Facebook, look inside and close it. What do we really want. Adding friends is easier. Contacts with the opposite gender in real life is easier. We all earn, we spend...we can do what we want to...get as many GFs, screw anyone you want. But we definitely wont for we are morally upright...(let me say so...thats my morality...:))
Dont know what we want...we arent able to set things in place...the rooms always a mess, the cabinet overflows...the cockroaches screw and grow by millions...and we have Operation Cockroach almost every week, which makes silly boys like me go down with Sinusitis, after inhaling the fumes. The hotel food is no longer tasty...the cheeks are no longer red. A genuine, body shaking laugh is a rarity...and a relief when it descends on you. Superb relief for people who have stopped using their bodies, and who use more brains and fingers to do work.
The shop guys have no chuttas...we all do dealings with cards...such a fast fucking life we have...Gosh!!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Day gone by
Seems joblessness can make some good things happen to you...suddenly i feel like blogging daily. And that would mean that the daily stuff ought to be put out here.
After having some roaring time during the preparations for Expressions 2011 (in which Infosys Pune team ended up being the first runner up...:)) its back to the routine of work and home. To add a zing to life (and put a stop on the flab thats started showing up on my belly), me has started a diet session - no fried food, no rice, only fruits for lunch. Proper breakfast and dinner. And lots of stomach crunches.
I am feeling great now, since the reduced quantum of food intake has helped my ailing stomach to take a break - things are really fine now in the morning and i wake up fresh...:)
Ok, let me share a recipe with you. A very simple dish i like to call Alu Mutter Baingani. I made this by chance yesterday. Actually some of my alu mutter from day before was still there; i tried making baingan ka bharta and threw in the alu mutter and voila! a new superbly tasty dish is here for you.
Serves 2 people who really like to eat sabji
Ingredients
2 fairly large potatoes
2 cups green peas
1 large brinjal
2 medium sized onions (chopped finely)
1 large tomato (chopped medium sized)
Spices(Turmeric, asafoetida, coriander powder, kitchen king masala, garam masala,red chilli powder) to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
For tempering
4tbsp oil
2tsp mustard seeds
1tsp jeera
1tsp green chillies(chopped)
2tsp Ginger-garlic paste
Procedure.
1. Par(half) cook the potatoes and the green peas in water, i wont tell you how...:P
2. Roast the brinjal on the stove, just like how we do for bharta. Try to cook it a little less than bharta standard, so that we can have pieces of it in the sabji. Cut it into small pieces and keep aside.
3. In a pan, add the oil; on heating, add the mustard and the jeera. When they are about to sputter, add the green chillies and the gg paste. Saute well.
4. Now add the onions and cook till tender and when they start showing signs of browning.
5. Now add the tomato and cook till you feel the things have started mixing up.
6. When this happens, add all the spices mentioned, as per your taste, and cook till you feel that the spices have been fairly roasted (dont worry, the tomato wont let them burn)
7. Now add the potatoes(chopped) and the green peas and saute well, add 3 tbsp of water, cover it and let it simmer on low flame,for about 5 mins.
8. Now add the brinjal, mix well, add salt to taste and saute the whole thing on high flame.
9. Taste it once so that you know the spices have blended well and are in proper proportion, as per your liking.
10. Once done, add coriander leaves, saute for a while, and turn off the gas.
11. Serve hot...:)
I hope some of you try it...neways i have put this one on record so that i can enjoy it in the future
After having some roaring time during the preparations for Expressions 2011 (in which Infosys Pune team ended up being the first runner up...:)) its back to the routine of work and home. To add a zing to life (and put a stop on the flab thats started showing up on my belly), me has started a diet session - no fried food, no rice, only fruits for lunch. Proper breakfast and dinner. And lots of stomach crunches.
I am feeling great now, since the reduced quantum of food intake has helped my ailing stomach to take a break - things are really fine now in the morning and i wake up fresh...:)
Ok, let me share a recipe with you. A very simple dish i like to call Alu Mutter Baingani. I made this by chance yesterday. Actually some of my alu mutter from day before was still there; i tried making baingan ka bharta and threw in the alu mutter and voila! a new superbly tasty dish is here for you.
Serves 2 people who really like to eat sabji
Ingredients
2 fairly large potatoes
2 cups green peas
1 large brinjal
2 medium sized onions (chopped finely)
1 large tomato (chopped medium sized)
Spices(Turmeric, asafoetida, coriander powder, kitchen king masala, garam masala,red chilli powder) to taste
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
For tempering
4tbsp oil
2tsp mustard seeds
1tsp jeera
1tsp green chillies(chopped)
2tsp Ginger-garlic paste
Procedure.
1. Par(half) cook the potatoes and the green peas in water, i wont tell you how...:P
2. Roast the brinjal on the stove, just like how we do for bharta. Try to cook it a little less than bharta standard, so that we can have pieces of it in the sabji. Cut it into small pieces and keep aside.
3. In a pan, add the oil; on heating, add the mustard and the jeera. When they are about to sputter, add the green chillies and the gg paste. Saute well.
4. Now add the onions and cook till tender and when they start showing signs of browning.
5. Now add the tomato and cook till you feel the things have started mixing up.
6. When this happens, add all the spices mentioned, as per your taste, and cook till you feel that the spices have been fairly roasted (dont worry, the tomato wont let them burn)
7. Now add the potatoes(chopped) and the green peas and saute well, add 3 tbsp of water, cover it and let it simmer on low flame,for about 5 mins.
8. Now add the brinjal, mix well, add salt to taste and saute the whole thing on high flame.
9. Taste it once so that you know the spices have blended well and are in proper proportion, as per your liking.
10. Once done, add coriander leaves, saute for a while, and turn off the gas.
11. Serve hot...:)
I hope some of you try it...neways i have put this one on record so that i can enjoy it in the future
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
On Adventure
They say you need to have adventure in your genes to have a liking for it; that explains why i was never adventurous since none of my parents are, and i was always brought up under the impression that adventures are always silly, and may cost you a lot.
Then i came across examples of some great people of this world, who had to lead an adventurous life since the circumstances called for them, and achieved greatness. The more i read, the more it became clear that living itself is an adventure and when there is always a risk even while walking on a so called safe footpath, whats wrong in seeking out some thrills?
I came across another form of adventure - the more popular one. People say that 'doing this gives me the thrill'; that 'standing on the edge of an abyss or a slippery stone on the sea makes me feel great about myself'. My mind never agreed to this, since i knew that when there's danger of losing ones life while enjoying certain things, better be a member of the moderate class.
Let me relate an incident. My project team had gone for a trip to harihareshwar and there was a point, which people are supposed to visit for sacred reasons. As usual, most of us go there for other things - photography, shouting, cuddling etc. What made it glorious was that there was the sea shore at a stone's throw, and was pretty deep and raging. There was a point where the stone turned slippery and this is where most of my colleagues wanted to go, stand and have their share of thrill.
The people who had been staying around for a very long time warned them not to go, but my colleagues considered them a nuisance and did what they knew best - following their whims; 'life's too short to listen to the whinings of cowardly idiots who have nothing to do but sermonise, isnt it?'
Poor localites - their intentions were noble but what they received was ingratitude. Seems they were too naiive to understand that these folks(my colleagues) belonged to a class of individuals who consider that they are the masters of their own lives and live by the principle that "I am gonna die here, then so be it. Who the hell are u to tell me how i should live my life - its mine and mine alone, and i may just throw it to the dogs while seeking what i want."
On enquiring with the localites (they had all my understanding), they said that they had witnessed almost 56 such cases of accidental deaths and simply wanted to warn us, since its definitely a bad event and a more importantly a pain in the ass if someone dies there - we all know how investigations take place in our Country.
Today, i was speaking about this with a dear friend of mine and her argument was similar to that of my adventurous colleagues. It was then that i realised that i need to think about what makes adventure good or worth taking.
The noble souls who dignified adventure, did it for a noble cause. The intentions are always important, and at time extreme outcomes too can be risked - the intention must worth dying for. But how many of us think about the worthiness of intentions? Between getting a simple thrill, and trying to save a life or your own Motherland, tell me which is more justified as a reason for a life-threatening adventure?
Nothing against the people who like fatal thrills, just that a polite request to all such folks - please dont justify it - if you are ready to bet your life, better try it for something that deserves your life. A sheer thrill of a moment, if thats your reason, then you need to rethink your sanity. Its a different matter if you just dont care - to hell with you and your life, people die like ants daily and if u go up, not much difference to this World its gonna make.
You say you dont fear death, but i can see fear in your eyes whenever you take one single step - the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of the unknown. Clear these off first, be men and then talk of things like this. You will be then prepared to throw away this life.
I am still afraid of death, for i feel its too precious for a momentary thrill.
I realise the pains that numerous people have taken to get me where i am, and am aware of the pains that i may cause by one act of negligence.
I am not so selfish and senseless to risk this precious gift for a moment of adventurous ecstacy.
I would rather work on becoming courageous and then throw it away for a reason that shall make me rest in peace even if my end is not peaceful and beautiful - it would definitely be dignified, with no chance for the world to call me a silly fool who died for no good reason.
Not that i care too much for what the world says, but would love to create great examples in this world, which would eventually be better coz of them, and that is definitely a duty for me.
One thing is certain that i am slowly realising that what our elders say is always true. Now thats another thing that we need to be experimental, but lets keep one thing in mind, that when its the matter of life and death, let the cause for the adventure better be a deserving one...:)
Then i came across examples of some great people of this world, who had to lead an adventurous life since the circumstances called for them, and achieved greatness. The more i read, the more it became clear that living itself is an adventure and when there is always a risk even while walking on a so called safe footpath, whats wrong in seeking out some thrills?
I came across another form of adventure - the more popular one. People say that 'doing this gives me the thrill'; that 'standing on the edge of an abyss or a slippery stone on the sea makes me feel great about myself'. My mind never agreed to this, since i knew that when there's danger of losing ones life while enjoying certain things, better be a member of the moderate class.
Let me relate an incident. My project team had gone for a trip to harihareshwar and there was a point, which people are supposed to visit for sacred reasons. As usual, most of us go there for other things - photography, shouting, cuddling etc. What made it glorious was that there was the sea shore at a stone's throw, and was pretty deep and raging. There was a point where the stone turned slippery and this is where most of my colleagues wanted to go, stand and have their share of thrill.
The people who had been staying around for a very long time warned them not to go, but my colleagues considered them a nuisance and did what they knew best - following their whims; 'life's too short to listen to the whinings of cowardly idiots who have nothing to do but sermonise, isnt it?'
Poor localites - their intentions were noble but what they received was ingratitude. Seems they were too naiive to understand that these folks(my colleagues) belonged to a class of individuals who consider that they are the masters of their own lives and live by the principle that "I am gonna die here, then so be it. Who the hell are u to tell me how i should live my life - its mine and mine alone, and i may just throw it to the dogs while seeking what i want."
On enquiring with the localites (they had all my understanding), they said that they had witnessed almost 56 such cases of accidental deaths and simply wanted to warn us, since its definitely a bad event and a more importantly a pain in the ass if someone dies there - we all know how investigations take place in our Country.
Today, i was speaking about this with a dear friend of mine and her argument was similar to that of my adventurous colleagues. It was then that i realised that i need to think about what makes adventure good or worth taking.
The noble souls who dignified adventure, did it for a noble cause. The intentions are always important, and at time extreme outcomes too can be risked - the intention must worth dying for. But how many of us think about the worthiness of intentions? Between getting a simple thrill, and trying to save a life or your own Motherland, tell me which is more justified as a reason for a life-threatening adventure?
Nothing against the people who like fatal thrills, just that a polite request to all such folks - please dont justify it - if you are ready to bet your life, better try it for something that deserves your life. A sheer thrill of a moment, if thats your reason, then you need to rethink your sanity. Its a different matter if you just dont care - to hell with you and your life, people die like ants daily and if u go up, not much difference to this World its gonna make.
You say you dont fear death, but i can see fear in your eyes whenever you take one single step - the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, the fear of the unknown. Clear these off first, be men and then talk of things like this. You will be then prepared to throw away this life.
I am still afraid of death, for i feel its too precious for a momentary thrill.
I realise the pains that numerous people have taken to get me where i am, and am aware of the pains that i may cause by one act of negligence.
I am not so selfish and senseless to risk this precious gift for a moment of adventurous ecstacy.
I would rather work on becoming courageous and then throw it away for a reason that shall make me rest in peace even if my end is not peaceful and beautiful - it would definitely be dignified, with no chance for the world to call me a silly fool who died for no good reason.
Not that i care too much for what the world says, but would love to create great examples in this world, which would eventually be better coz of them, and that is definitely a duty for me.
One thing is certain that i am slowly realising that what our elders say is always true. Now thats another thing that we need to be experimental, but lets keep one thing in mind, that when its the matter of life and death, let the cause for the adventure better be a deserving one...:)
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