Saturday morning, 0345 hrs… Sitting and typing at Karma’s place… You wouldn’t know of him, he’s from IIMC… English Journalism to be precise… And I can see the aftermath of an Ocean’s Fourteen (ORIGINAL, isn’t it?) meeting all around the room… Bodies strewn all over the place, sleeping of course…
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The standing ovation and the aftermath... O-14 rules!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Chai, Sutta aur Philosophy ki Kitaab - The Anniversary Edition
One year of struggling for readership on the blogosphere... One year of Bhaval and other regulars’ insightful comments... One year of trying to exercise diplomacy, in order not to be flagged and kicked out of the realm... One year that began with a nightlong conversation, and ended with the annihilation of a few dreams, and the onset of a lot more new ones... “redemption-reprise”, or “Chai, Sutta aur Philosophy ki Kitaab” is ONE year old today...
This is the first post I’m writing on my new laptop... Struggling somewhat with the new keyboard and all... (Waah Shreyas Babu! Naya Laptop! Nayi Gaadi! Aur Naya Profession! Badhiya Hai!!!) Undertook a whirlwind trip to Jaipur the last couple of days, to hang out with the Brother... Eventful doesn’t begin to describe the trip... What with a bus that broke down at 430am on NH8, rains flooding the capital of the desert state and what not... Enjoyment can be measured in two ways, I believe – either by how quickly the time went by; or how slowly, in which case you remember every detail... This trip was the latter... Effectively, I stayed in Jaipur for 36 hours, sleeping time included... And cherished every moment of it...
A year, twelve months, 365 days... How life changes in the seemingly short span of time... From English Literature to Television Journalism, from a Tata Indica chauffeur (Mom’s car, that’s why) to a Maruti 800 owner, from S to no-S and back somewhat... New friends, gone away, yet more new ones now found... Old friends still in the head, somewhere around... A birthday party to remember, with gallons of alcohol and kilometres galore on the car's odometer... Drives to North Campus at night, Marlboro regulars in the rain at the Arts Fac... And the rum, of course... Neat, or on the rocks... Life, they say, comes full-circle... I dunno about that...
All I know is that it has been a pleasure writing this blog thus far... If nothing else, it is my little space in the web universe... A place where I can vent out, criticize, make caricatures, and generally be myself... Whatever you, the reader, may interpret me to be... Asshole, perhaps... This blog is me, inversely personified...
So anyway, time to uncork the champagne and let your hair down... Its a party here tonight!
This is the first post I’m writing on my new laptop... Struggling somewhat with the new keyboard and all... (Waah Shreyas Babu! Naya Laptop! Nayi Gaadi! Aur Naya Profession! Badhiya Hai!!!) Undertook a whirlwind trip to Jaipur the last couple of days, to hang out with the Brother... Eventful doesn’t begin to describe the trip... What with a bus that broke down at 430am on NH8, rains flooding the capital of the desert state and what not... Enjoyment can be measured in two ways, I believe – either by how quickly the time went by; or how slowly, in which case you remember every detail... This trip was the latter... Effectively, I stayed in Jaipur for 36 hours, sleeping time included... And cherished every moment of it...
A year, twelve months, 365 days... How life changes in the seemingly short span of time... From English Literature to Television Journalism, from a Tata Indica chauffeur (Mom’s car, that’s why) to a Maruti 800 owner, from S to no-S and back somewhat... New friends, gone away, yet more new ones now found... Old friends still in the head, somewhere around... A birthday party to remember, with gallons of alcohol and kilometres galore on the car's odometer... Drives to North Campus at night, Marlboro regulars in the rain at the Arts Fac... And the rum, of course... Neat, or on the rocks... Life, they say, comes full-circle... I dunno about that...
All I know is that it has been a pleasure writing this blog thus far... If nothing else, it is my little space in the web universe... A place where I can vent out, criticize, make caricatures, and generally be myself... Whatever you, the reader, may interpret me to be... Asshole, perhaps... This blog is me, inversely personified...
So anyway, time to uncork the champagne and let your hair down... Its a party here tonight!
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Arranged Marriage...
My mother bought me a car on Sunday 02/09/07... Its a pretty-metallic-blue Maruti 800, Jan 2000 model... And don't scoff at me for calling it pretty coz its my car, just see it to believe it... Anyway , before you start accusing me of digressing, this post is called 'Arranged Marriage' for a reason...
Now this car didn't come easy... The whole soap opera lasted almost a month, from the time I casually mentioned to my mother that a car for me would be a practicable option, since commuting to and from IIMC is a difficult/expensive task... And in many ways, the soap opera played out like a Big Fat Indian Wedding, rather than the comparatively simple task of buying a used car... Think about it: -
Step 1 - WANTED: You inform your contacts that you are looking for a suitable companion
Step 2 - INFORMATION AVAILABLE: The contacts get back to you in a while, giving you the addresses and telephone numbers of a few prospective candidates
Step 3 - TEST DRIVE: You make a list and go to the various addresses with the respective contact, meet the families, and have individual rendezvouses with the candidates, ticking or crossing out the names on your list
Step 4 - SHORTLIST/TEST DRIVE-2: You like one or two of the candidates more than anyone else and decide to talk further so you invite them for coffee
Step 5 - HEART-A-FLUTTER: You decide that you are falling in love with one candidate and want an early consummation, so your folks meet the candidate's folks again and decide that you both will be married asap
Step 6 - PRICE NEGOTIATIONS: This is the only step that is reversed in the Indian tradition, but lets follow the African Igbo tradition, shall we? The 'dowry' the groom has to pay for the bride is negotiated, both parties trying to drive a hard bargain
Step 7 - DELIVERY & REGISTRATION CHANGE: The wedding itself, with all those complicated mantras and rituals that echo bureaucratic red-tapism found at the Transport Department
Step 8 - GOING FOR THE FIRST DRIVE IN POURING RAIN AND ROADS THAT RESEMBLE SEAS: The honeymoon - 'how wonderful is life with you, darling'
Step 9 - THE CAR REFUSES TO START THE NEXT MORNING: And they lived (happily?) ever after...
* * * * * *
Moral of the story: Whenever your folks tell you that they feel you should get married, buy a used car... Tell them, ATLEAST it can be repaired by the neighbourhood mechanic...
Now this car didn't come easy... The whole soap opera lasted almost a month, from the time I casually mentioned to my mother that a car for me would be a practicable option, since commuting to and from IIMC is a difficult/expensive task... And in many ways, the soap opera played out like a Big Fat Indian Wedding, rather than the comparatively simple task of buying a used car... Think about it: -
Step 1 - WANTED: You inform your contacts that you are looking for a suitable companion
Step 2 - INFORMATION AVAILABLE: The contacts get back to you in a while, giving you the addresses and telephone numbers of a few prospective candidates
Step 3 - TEST DRIVE: You make a list and go to the various addresses with the respective contact, meet the families, and have individual rendezvouses with the candidates, ticking or crossing out the names on your list
Step 4 - SHORTLIST/TEST DRIVE-2: You like one or two of the candidates more than anyone else and decide to talk further so you invite them for coffee
Step 5 - HEART-A-FLUTTER: You decide that you are falling in love with one candidate and want an early consummation, so your folks meet the candidate's folks again and decide that you both will be married asap
Step 6 - PRICE NEGOTIATIONS: This is the only step that is reversed in the Indian tradition, but lets follow the African Igbo tradition, shall we? The 'dowry' the groom has to pay for the bride is negotiated, both parties trying to drive a hard bargain
Step 7 - DELIVERY & REGISTRATION CHANGE: The wedding itself, with all those complicated mantras and rituals that echo bureaucratic red-tapism found at the Transport Department
Step 8 - GOING FOR THE FIRST DRIVE IN POURING RAIN AND ROADS THAT RESEMBLE SEAS: The honeymoon - 'how wonderful is life with you, darling'
Step 9 - THE CAR REFUSES TO START THE NEXT MORNING: And they lived (happily?) ever after...
* * * * * *
Moral of the story: Whenever your folks tell you that they feel you should get married, buy a used car... Tell them, ATLEAST it can be repaired by the neighbourhood mechanic...
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