Talking Heads

2011: A quick recap

2011-12-31T19:46:00.000-08:00

What an year 2011 was! I spent exactly six months being jobless, literally, and oh, how I enjoyed doing whatever I pleased. It was such a good year mostly because I travelled. A lot. Five new countries in a year has been my personal best. It was a year of catching up with friends, making new ones, exploring several cities, discovering incredible TV shows (!), getting back to books, getting

Politics and Gumption

2011-08-17T00:38:00.000-07:00

I didn’t think it was possible to be inspired by a dialogue from a feel-good, happily-ever-after movie to comment on politics, but well… stranger things have happened. When Eli Wallach explains the virtue and importance of “gumption” to Kate Winslet in the 2006 movie “The Holiday,” I’m certain the “most powerful” men of modern day politics were not paying attention. They should have. Perhaps

Macau - the gambling getaway

2011-06-14T01:54:00.000-07:00

One of the advantages of living in a place like Hong Kong is that it is a convenient hub that provides easy access to the rest of Southeast Asia. And Macau and Hong Kong are just like sisters - both are what is called a "special administrative region" (meaning the big brothers in the "mainland" are not going to directly involve themselves in running the government), they both serve as faces of

Of judgement, redemption and the saviour

2011-04-14T16:49:00.000-07:00

You have 38 days to embrace Christ, judgement day is here!Those were the words I heard from an earnest old man while waiting for a train in the sleepy suburban New York town of Suffern. Under normal circumstances, I would've smiled politely and refused the pamphlet the man was shoving into my palm. But obviously, today was an exception. After all I needed some meat to write this post.So, when

2011-01-26T20:55:00.000-08:00

Of late, I’ve been wondering a lot about parenting. What with the furore caused by Amy Chua’s passionate article and book, it certainly seems to be a wildly fascinating topic. More so, since I belong to the Indian society where the family unit is tightly knit and parents naturally tend to have tons of expectations from their kids and children take a lot of things for granted when it comes to

Bam-bai: the year that was

2010-08-29T01:17:00.000-07:00

Alright. Since I ranted on so much when I moved to Mumbai, it’s only fair that I evaluate and record my thoughts about this hard-to-ignore city now that I have decided to leave it.One year and my perception remains the same (not!). Have I resigned myself to the unacceptable filth and the sheer number of people the place holds? Not really. Have I acquired the Mumbaikar trait of ignoring all this

2010-07-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

Of late only minor shocks have been inspiring me to write. Not complaining - I could do with any kind of inspiration right now, honestly.Anyway, it was just another day at the gym last evening when I was chit-chatting (yes, I do that from time to time) with a girl who works out around the same time as I do. Typical getting-to-know-one-and-other conversation until she

Twitter, Blogger and Me

2010-03-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

It's a curious observation I made today. My tweeting ability is inversely proportional to my blogging one. I see that ever since I became active on Twitter, I've not blogged AT ALL. Come to think of it, I wonder now that it took me so long to deduce something so logical. When one is trying to condition one's brain to a character limit, it's hardly surprising that the ability to express eloquently

2009-11-12T20:18:00.000-08:00

One of the hazards of my job is that everyday I need to speak to scores of people I have never met. These are guys who are out their in the middle of things, effectively regulating whatever is going on in the stock market. (For the uninitiated, my job is to cover the Indian stock market, essentially the prestigious Bombay Stock Exchange. Yes, thrilling.) I have to talk to people ranging from

2009-11-08T05:58:00.000-08:00

One wonders what the matter with this country is. Really. It's almost like we are taking pleasure in being "victimized" by "terrorism." Red, green, blue...whatever the colour may be. After successfully letting go 26/11 of last year, we are now channelizing all that ardour to get rid of the Reds. Our dear government wants to exterminate these species as they are, allegedly, the greatest threat to

2009-09-22T07:24:00.000-07:00

It's officially crazy weather in Mumbai. Actually, it's fitting. Crazy weather, crazy city. Not that I hate it but it sure is overwhelming. It's hot, humid and pouring -- all seasons at once. I am yet to come across a city that is dirtier, crowded or has worse traffic jams. It's insane. Truly insane. Let us start with dirty. Um, may be filthy is more appropriate. And filth comes from people who

2009-07-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

Into the pit you permeateFill me with refracted lightA snickering cynic's pathEvened watered fertilizedTo bear shrubs of hopeShrubs that turn into weedsSwallow precious spacesGuffaw, mockWhat I find is not the solitude I seekShovelling for my cove In your shoulder -A haloed moment of truthHovers, teasesAnd you flow into me As sure as the river into the sea

2009-07-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

I seem to have been wishing for novelty very earnestly for very long. So it's raining happenings. Leaving Bangalore, Changing job, Moving into a city vomitting people (and I HATE crowds, did you know?), Will be living by myself - in a city where i know 2 people.Yes, better keep those sympathies coming.

Twittering your way….through a relationship

2009-05-22T09:43:00.000-07:00

So we all know we are in the incredible tech age where anything is possible, where technology has redefined who and what we are or have become. And understandably, its effect on our relationships has been significant too. I am someone who has always been technologically challenged. I thought SMS-ese was bad, now I’m assured of many more horrors that will arise for as long as I am alive. But I

2009-04-01T07:23:00.000-07:00

Today something happened that reinforced my faith in humanity and also took me down memory lane. I got a ticket for riding my bike against the traffic on a one-way street. Yes, that hasn’t happened in at least 4 years now. But the fact that the cops are doing their job is not what kindled faith in a cynic like me. It was a very small event. The lane on which I broke the traffic rule is right in

Where's that darn muse?

2009-03-19T01:46:00.000-07:00

Lull Lull Lull. Almost nothing is exciting. I'm not even enthusiastic enough to write about Getaway-2, which was Kabini, by the way. May be it's because I didn't see anything that I wished to see. AGAIN. Meanwhile, half-formed sentences and words tending towards garble continue to torment. Choking on my own creative juices... Help!

2009-02-18T08:52:00.000-08:00

I thought I had learnt this by now. Clearly not.Stupidity is not only tolerated but also celebrated and felicitated.Forgive me if I don't join the party.

Sexism - the has been of a nation that doesn't want to know it

2009-02-13T11:48:00.000-08:00

What is with the obsession of portraying men as having the liberty to stray? This question disturbs me at a lot of levels but I'll just stick to the simplest one. The advertisements in this country have touched the nadir of crassness. How many ads do we have floating around that say a man flirting with many women at the same time is pretty cool and smart? And how most women are credulous enough

2009-02-06T05:21:00.000-08:00

So, the day to proclaim our love for our fellow beings is round the corner. But welcome to India, the recently converted fascist country, where if you are caught on a date, you have to marry the person immediately! Whoever said India was one of the largest democracies?India is now ruled by men clad in "traditional" attires, with a dash of saffron and vermilion. Men who uphold Indian "culture,"

2009-01-29T04:03:00.000-08:00

I did the unthinkable today. I amazed myself with my own stupidity by managing to get myself lost in my office – a place I have worked at for the last two and a half years. It’s true. And all this, because I had the brainwave of taking the staircase and getting some exercise. Isn’t that a just and mature thought? Now you know why I got punished for it.My office is located on the top two floors of

getaway - 1

2009-01-21T00:13:00.000-08:00

Jungles and beaches as holiday destinations never disappoint. There is something so absolutely relaxing about them. So, yes have emerged awfully relaxed after the break. Nagarhole was a sanctuary I had not visited until now. The drive from Bangalore is about 5 hours and the road is fantastic.Nagarhole is strategically placed, in that it is bordering on Coorg and leads into Kerala. Unfortunately,

Getaway - 1 (preview)

2009-01-16T10:49:00.000-08:00

The year's kicked off alright... but 2 weeks into my job and I can't wait to get away. I am certain there are a few heads out there, locked in my situation, who are nodding in agreement. So, instead of writing about drudgery, I shall choose to write about the teeny tiny holiday. Well all I can say right now is that I'm taking one. Heading out to the woods and hoping to spot some interesting

2008-12-25T03:16:00.000-08:00

Here's more than just a sneak peek of Gajini. I can be so generous as to critique the movie for any potential viewer who also happens to read this blog. My succinct opinion of the movie - it's ok. Mediocre.I would imagine the plot is hardly a surprise, given that at least two movies on the same theme have already been made. I have not watched the Tamil movie so cannot take the liberty to

One more opinion - MINE

2008-12-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

With the Mumbai attacks, we seem to be forced to acquiesce that India is hardly the safe nation it used to be. And that militant attacks are no longer restricted to Jammu and Kashmir, or Northeast India. It is not only prudent but absolutely necessary to assess the gravity of the situation. We are reading so many things about what to do these days, I'd like to contemplate about what I could do as

2008-12-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

This is from a while back. Though, I'd like very much to listen to opinions on this one. And I hope I do get a chance to hear some.And so, the much debated ban on smoking is in place. Yes, I know just about everybody has an opinion on the issue, but I’d like to think another one won’t hurt much. I dislike smoking but I loathe being a passive smoker. I don’t wish to kill myself slowly and

2008-12-02T12:49:00.000-08:00

It's the time of the year that is happy and amusing. Holidays loom, yearly appraisals are visible far more clearly on the horizon and the undesirable but necessary evil of reviewing the year that was grins maliciously. The year that was... Well, it was one heck of an year, to be sure. I had the pleasure of exploring a new country, and new spaces in my personal life as well. Saw some horrid times,

2008-08-21T15:24:00.000-07:00

I am wondering why common sense has gone extinct. Really. Why? Honest and devoid of sarcasm question. Is it so hard for us to be logical? Don’t most people find the need to ask why they are doing what they are doing? Or even, what the logical repercussions of what they do will be. Or probably repercussions don’t matter. It is amazing how you can go on living a life with just the wrong priorities

2008-08-15T11:29:00.004-07:00

Hanging on precariously to odd conicals is getting a little tiresome. Living on the edge has its charms only as a bi-yearly affair. If you are doing it every minute everyday, it’s time to shake off the boredom. A general sense of claustrophobia and desperation is setting in, and for no apparent reason. Either I’m woefully off my rockers this time, or there is something going on here. In any case,

2008-07-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

It caught up, finally. A calm and lazy city was forced to wake up and Bangalore had a blast – this time it isn’t fun we are talking about. In what seemed to be a declaration of sorts, the adherents of terror told us what they could do, leaving a lot of people relieved that they didn’t actually do it.To a city that is quintessentially laid back, fighting “terror” and “terrorist” is a very alien

2008-07-18T11:24:00.000-07:00

After a brief hiatus, when I resumed reading as regularly as I used to I started with an author I knew would not disappoint me. And he didn’t. “Of love and other demons” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez was um…delightful. (I’m trying to emulate the ‘dazzling’, ‘sublime’, ‘spell binding’ and the like that one gets to see on the covers of novels) The book was most of these, but in moderation.As always,

2008-07-15T09:52:00.000-07:00

I think I need to start talking to spaces again. And the best place to start, I reckon, is this. What is it that they say about a void being a sponge? So here’s some junk coming up.More often than not, I have been tempted to say that the existential crisis is extremely over-rated. Why exactly I have not been able to say it is due to the inability to free myself from the monstrous eddies of this

The P factor

2008-01-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

What is with men and peeing in this country? Am I the only unfortunate soul who witnesses the carefree and unabashed release of men’s bladders just about anywhere I go? Ok I understand it is winter, but guess what? it is winter for ladies too! Hell, even advertisements endorse it like it were a way of life here. Although, it would have to be a really good argument to say it isn’t. And of course,

To your hand

2007-10-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

Your touch is what I long for,It is what I miss the most.The pinch, the nudge,The hug and the slap-I miss them all.Even the fights have lost their charm now.I try to substitute it.Each time I cross the road,It is with a new person.Each time I laugh,It is a new arm I hold.Each time I buy a ring,It is for a new finger.The novelty brightens things up,Else, life would be dreadfully still.

Cynicism zindabad

2007-08-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Cynicism is so common place these days that I have begun to believe it is being overrated. I’m a cynic, but it disturbs me when I see a host of people like me. I’d like some exclusivity, at the risk of asking for too much. So, it really annoys me when I keep bumping into people who sound like me, make the same remarks and pick on the same things. What are we being cynical about? Are we sceptical

Alive

2007-08-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

A drool here and some dabbing, and then some more. A fleeting moment of consciousness. He registered his surroundings and switched off the moment he saw everything was just the same."Are you alright?" "Do you know where you are?" He had never been able to understand why most of humanity was so stupid. Stupid enough to ask "in-your-face" obvious questions. "Are you in too much pain?" Now that is

My rainy day out!!!

2007-07-24T03:54:00.000-07:00

Bangalore monsoons are always fun. Of course, that is only if you don't mind being stuck in traffic for hours, are ready to hitchhike your way through half dug up roads or pay that odd autowala twice as much to reach a place... you get the picture, right?I had the misfortune of being "stuck" in an auto rickshaw when the ring road (the one on the way to airport road, i can never quite remember if

The odd alley

2007-06-08T14:29:00.000-07:00

And off we go that path again.That darned path.Never figured where it began,Will never figure where it ends.Was the beginning always the end?A life of rhetoric.A swamp of questions.The charm of uncertainties.The gnawing realities.The oh-so-restless spirit.Ah! if not for the maps,I should have been hopelessly lost.

2007-06-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

Life has taken on an incredibly slow pace. Everything around seems to have reduced to a drawl. A D-R-A-W-L. After having been bombarded with constant action, desirable or otherwise, passivity feels like the first drops of hot water on frozen feet. Will it turn out to be a warm, comforting experience or yet another insipid one???Time will tell.It is so tiresome to constantly be in an uninspiring

Shadow

2007-05-21T06:22:00.000-07:00

It is fascinating,the way you follow me all the time.What is more curious,is the rare times when i need you,you are gone.Vanish into thin air,as The Bard would say.I shield you from the scorching heat.I guard you from the biting rain.All you do is hide behind me-you pathetic, selfish mirage.You, my dear shadow,are utterly and completely loathsome.

An Ode to Mr.Greene

2007-05-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

For all the “reading” that I do, it is a pity that I had not attempted reading Greene earlier. I happened to be idly shopping for books, something of a pastime now, when an interesting title caught my eye.“May we borrow your husband?” Err.......take a guess......I was standing there wondering what the hell I would say to someone who asked me that. I did not miss the “we” either. Well, of course

2007-05-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

A refreshing breeze,A sense of freedom-Of getting rid of a clutch.A rusty door,Shut finally.Or was it opened?A reckless, unintimidated spiritOut to cruise on the soaring waves.A queer sensation creeping in-The last I heard,they called it happiness.A tangy twist,Being freed and caged, all it once.Being courageous and timid, all at once.And living life, all at once.The last I heard, they called me

2007-04-16T11:31:00.000-07:00

She was trying it for the first time……being a spectator. It was interesting, to say the least. She witnessed the painstakingly, slow process. It spread its veins and rose, an ascent that took all that came its way. She had never realized how it had encompassed everything………..everything. After it had reached the peak, it branched out, spread like a wildfire. Now, it almost felt paradoxical. She

a long, tiresome night........

2007-02-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

Its 3 am in the morning and here i am, barely awake......trying to get past a ridiculous shift. Come to think of it, its not ridiculous at all....its actually a saviour.....i'm taking tomo (tomo being my next "working" day....i have lost track of current days, days yet to come and days gone by) off...that in return for the 15 hours that i put in today. A pretty fair deal, considering its that

2007-01-26T15:17:00.000-08:00

Life-Born with a gift.Meant to be lived.I choose not to live it,To waste it away.A sense of ownership.An assumed one at that.A belief that it is mine to waste, after all.Weighed under the burden of that ownershipThe burden of expectations, from the first wail.Tuned to "operate"-To "dream a dream"To "live a life"And beyond-Beyond.....beyond the line,Beyond the horizon.Explore new avenues-Or, "live

2007-01-11T15:11:00.000-08:00

Amidst the haze and noise, I ask myself,Should I wait at the end of the road?These crossroads, waiting for my nod.Should I waste my energy on a futile call?A call, a cry, a moan.......Fading back to reality.Reason replacing fantasy.Urging me not to ask these questions.Questions, that I know will never be answered.Answers, I know I will never get.A folly that shall not be regretted.A fond idea

ummm....errr.....well...

2006-12-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

i think i'm back to rambling.......come to think of it, it is quite hard to just go on rambling. one of the reasons i find solace in poetry i guess. it is just that much more easier to write something that probably makes sense only to you and dodge any questions with a cryptic "poetic license." quite presumptuous to assume the title of a poet, i know, but what the heck, you can feel good about

2006-11-01T06:15:00.000-08:00

The crack of dawn-ahead of me lies a day of hopeof the many accomplishmentsof the impossible dreamsA sense of calm prevails.A routine to stick toa "things-to-do" list,and of course the routine ofburning ambitions, muted dejectionsand hopeless yearnings.And the security of that routine.a fierce sense of self protectiona mocking masochistic pridea frightened, lost traveller.In the dim light of

2006-08-15T04:20:00.000-07:00

“To be or not to be is the question”I don’t think I had fully understood the import of the statement before. While Hamlet said this with respect to his existence literally, I say it metaphorically (thank god!). How does an extremely head strong and conscience-worshipping person ever face this dilemma??? I wish I knew.It is a lousy feeling- knowing how much you don’t know. What makes it lousier is

Phew.....!!!!

2006-07-01T04:30:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing how you stay in a college for three years, are in awe of your lecturer and not know anything about the way he actually thinks. I know this line sounds like idle rambling but there are a few people who, if they ever read this, would probably understand what I am saying. I’m taking about my HOD…..I mean I always had this image of him being the epitome of patience and this super

2006-06-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

I meant to write about life,About its fickleness.Doom in a perforated domeAnd a fine perforation at that-A magical canopy of light and darkA life time spent in demystifyingand inching towards it.A temptation it must be,This doom-Driving us to grope in the darkEnticing us to indulge in noveltyLuring us to the abyss yonder-All along cajoling us,Leading us by our hand,Deluding us into achieving a

Memory

2006-01-21T01:29:00.000-08:00

the time has comefor us to partto take a strollin the vast expanse of memory.to try and enumeratethe countless momentsof mirth and gloomto relive themdebate whether or not to change them.but remain it willuntouched and unchangedetched in our hearts forever.part we mustto seek our own paths-to make more memoriesto embark on adventures,with hope and eagernessfind our haven;trust that we meet

Mercy killing

2006-01-09T05:22:00.000-08:00

dont walk away from me......stop-you know i will follow you.i'm chasing you in this maze;o! this familiar maze!how many times have we passed this?these memories engulfing me like quick sand.o stop!!!i have to reach you!i have to kill you!stab you-bury you in a site i will never visit.o! i beg you!do not drag me into this meanderof dreams,aspirations and ideals-all gone.stabbed,dead,

The irony of justice.......???

2006-01-05T05:04:00.000-08:00

the concept of justice has always fasciated me....like so many other terms,this too is subjective.so when we submit ourselves to a system of justice,what is it that we are expecting??lets have a look at two cases.case 1-an indian working in saudi has been in jail for the past three years on the charges of damaging one eye of a saudi national.after 3 years in jail,the victim's family have pleaded

A Momentary Rapture

2006-01-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

he came by,when she anticipated it the least.like a galehe swept her off her feet.off they wentto lands she had no knowledge of.it didn't matter to her;what did was,she was flying-finally!!!doing what she believed possiblefor ever since she could remember.nothing could convince her against it;not the sciences nor the philosophies.for a moment it did irk her-she could not take off on her ownHE

A hopeless romantic!!!!

2006-01-05T04:44:00.000-08:00

there i stood looking;the first rays make contact with the waveswasn't that a caress?i see the waves sparkle-a smilei wonder if i stand in front of a mirror.reluctantly i turn to leave,trying to reason my longing.then i chide myself;reason is not something i know anymore!i turn around-the waves are sparkling brighter than ever!!

A Lovelorn Woman

2005-12-01T06:22:00.000-08:00

i'm sitting in the parkwondering what to do next.i hear the chirping birdsthe lush green grass makes me glowi watch the kids screaming and squabblinga toddler walks up to mefollowed by his motheri smile-suddenly i decipher the illusionthe place around me turns to a desertmiles of barren land-the noise and voices are drifting away.the sun is furiousthe heat seeps through my skincrying hysterically

In Memoriam

2005-12-01T06:18:00.000-08:00

as i walked through the dark lanesi pondered-how could it be?ages have passed since we partedstill i breathe, continue to existi've achieved something i never thought i could-never desired to achieve it either.as i go deeper into the lanes,it dawns-days have passed and will continue to passi survive till something gets the better of me-oughtn't i to survive in guilt then?to writhe,wriggle and

The Spirit of Solitude

2005-11-27T03:33:00.000-08:00

I've often wondered how most people do not explore the joy of solitude.for ever since i can remember,most pieces of literature that i've read,talk about solitude with a sense of hollowness.i'm not debating this representation of solitude;merely exploring the term.its amazing what a change in perception can do to our understanding of a term.the only catch being that most of us are blessed with an

Road to perdition...??!!!!!

2005-11-26T01:03:00.000-08:00

i woke up in a delirium this morning....there it was-vanishing into thin air!!for the hundreth time i could see this happening.my solely copyrighted possession-my dreams(!!)-off they were again at the very point i wanted to hold on to them.argh!how frustrating! and its the same dream everyday-every single day of juvenile teenage life.well nothing exceptional about this dream-its what every

the real you

2005-11-25T04:26:00.000-08:00

if one has to describe onself how would one do it?? we behave differently with different people simply because if you have to talk to someone who's not like you (more often than not thats the case) you have got to attune yourself to that person's thinking or vice versa. Individiualists might argue that they'd rather not talk to such people but i think one is able to make this decision only when