Artificial Ignorance

Old is Gold?

2010-02-18T23:25:00.002+08:00

As a kid who grew up in India in the 90’s, there are a lot of memories that I hold dear. One of those includes watching Doordarshan, way before cable television made its presence felt in India. For those who share this sentiment, you will most likely remember that 6 minute gem of an ‘advertisement’ titled Mile Sur Mera Tumhara. Aimed at promoting national integration and unity, it was written by one of my ad world heroes, Piyush Pandey. Below is the video, for those who are so inclined –

So what is the point of my post? Well, a friend recently showed me the remake of the film, titled Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara. It aired this year on India’s Republic Day, and has received mixed reviews so far, to say the least. Personally, I think it has its moments, but for the most part, I agree with the sentiments of Krish Ashok, who has systematically torn it apart on his blog. Decide for yourself –

Uncle Sam

2009-10-09T08:13:00.008+08:00

I’m on an exchange semester at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in Atlanta. It’s been phenomenal so far, and I finally understand why all my seniors at SMU kept going “Oh dude, you have to go on exchange!” America is everything people make it out to be. And then some. There's a lot to write about this place. Not sure I want to bore everybody with the details! And I’m lazy. I’ll just direct you to my friend Ying’s blog. She’s been documenting her life as an exchange student here, and she’s doing a great job. And she's got a better camera than mine, so she has some great pictures there!  

Some highlights of my semester so far have been my trips to New York and Savannah, seeing Tiësto and U2 live, and well just living in a house with people from 14 different countries. The business school is simply great. We have this “networking session” every Thursday, which is essentially free beer and pizzas. I’m definitely recommending that for SMU on my exchange feedback form. My professors are awesome, and there is no “I am your professor, listen to everything I say” air about them. So my classes have been super so far. Except that I made the stupid scheduling mistake of taking 10am classes everyday. Waking up is hard to do!

Getting around the city is a bit of a pain, if you don’t have a car. Taxi’s are expensive, and the public transport, yeah, lesser said the better. But we’ve managed so far. Most night outs end up with nine of us squeezing into a cab (usually driven by the ubiquitous Mike, or Muhamed, who are stories for another time!).

Atlanta is a city that takes great pride in itself. The southern culture really shines through. There’s a lot on offer for the camera-slinging tourist. It takes a little more digging to find gems such as Little Five Points, a kitschy neighborhood like no other. Eddie’s Attic is another such gem. It’s the place that made John Mayer famous, and it’s where I discovered the fabulous Ten out of Tenn.

I’m here till mid-December, and so are the good times. Flying to Chicago this weekend, and the west coast for Thanksgiving. (Vegas, baby!). Can’t have too much of a good thing, right? Except the song “I Gotta Feeling”. Tonight's always gonna be a good, good night. Get over it.

In and Out

2009-07-27T21:43:00.010+08:00

Just thought I'd share a couple of interesting things I've come across in the past few days.

Imogen Heap - Ellipse

Out on Aug. 24th, this album is definitely one to look out for. Imogen's vocals are simply stunning, and everything she touches turns to gold. Try Frou Frou on for size.

Zero 7 - Yeah Ghost

Releasing Sep. 7th, this is the much awaited fourth album from Zero 7. One of the tracks Everything Up (Zizou) is already downloadable from their official website. This band is god's gift to music. Check out Simple Things for unparalleled aural pleasure.

Moving at the speed of light into eternity

Got it from my friend Rajan. The coolest wedding entrance. Ever.

What's Happening?

2009-06-01T09:21:00.002+08:00

When I began this blog, I had planned to post quizzes regularly. That idea got kind of lost along the way. So here's a quick set of 10 questions, based mostly on current events. Take a shot.

1. Miguel Muñoz Mozún was the first to achieve this feat in 1960. On 27th May 2009, Josep ‘Pep’ Guardiola became the 6th person to do so. What?

2. It made its debut on May 25, 1992. On April 26, 1999, it began broadcasting in HDTV, becoming the first show of its kind to be shot in high definition. It regularly featured Ross the Intern and Tom Green. Its theme music, "Kevin's Country" was composed in 1992. Recurring segments include “99 Cent Shopping Spree” and “Teenage Wasteland”. It ended on 29th May 2009. What?

3. X is the only company that supplies Y in vials having volumes of 5 ml, 7.5 ml, 20 ml, 50 ml and 80 ml. Only one man in the company knows the formula for making Y - its quality control manager. And he does it behind a secure, locked door and alone. It is estimated that over 400m people have come in contact with Y, in 2009 itself. X and Y please.

4. There have been many instances of suspect nomenclature for virus outbreaks such as the recent case with H1N1 being called Swine Flu. A similar outbreak in 1918 affected an estimated 500 million people, or one third of the world's population (approximately 1.6 billion) at the time. Also called La Grippe, it originated in continental US, BUT was named after X, a neutral country in WWI, which had no special censorship for news against the disease and its consequences. Hence the most reliable news came from X, giving the false impression that X was the most—if not the only—affected zone. Identify X.

5. Recently, AT&T came under fire for offering free texting services and instructions on how to send blocks of text messages, at certain events in Arkansas. While this would seem like a good strategy normally, it is said to have skewed a recent event unfairly. What happened?

6. Started by Jack Dorsey in 2006, recent events such as “Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN” and “I Was Here Before Oprah”, have catapulted it to worldwide fame. What?

7. The first of its kind was opened in Boat Quay in 1992 by an American Investor. Current CEO Mohan Mulani persuaded the owner to let him buy into the company in 1993. Today, there are over 30 all over Singapore. Nick Leeson, of Barings Bank fame, was one of its famous patrons. Identify.

8. Ahmadabad, Kanpur, and any three out of Noida, Patna, Assam and a combination of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Khandh. What connects these places in the context of 2010?

9. A recent sale, held by in Paris the auction house Néret-Minet Tessier, featured many items that have become synonymous with this person’s performance, including his top hat (which sold for about $4,500) and a white sailor suit with a striped shirt and a too-small jacket (which fetched about $8,000). A Paris court had ordered the sale, which was expected to raise about $420,000, to pay for debts left by X when he died in 2007. Who?

10. Google's interface is available in 116 languages, but some of them are extinct, artificial or invented languages. Among the invented languages are Bork, Bork, Bork!, Elmer Fudd and X. X was conspicuous in its absence from something recent. It was first devised by James Doohan. Gilgamesh, Hamlet, Much Ado about Nothing are the three books published in this language. What’s the good language?

The Inertia of Apathy

2009-05-04T21:41:00.006+08:00

In a recent conversation over a few beers, some friends and I were pondering over the ongoing general elections, and what it means. One thing led to another, and our conversation took some pretty strange turns, but some points of discussion stuck.

Politics in India is a messy affair. It's not as clear cut as the Congress, BJP and the Left. Mysteriously somehow, this organized mess works. Karan Johar recently made an advert for the Lead India campaign, where he roped in all the hottest bollywood stars to persuade the masses to vote. The message was that nothing can happen to this country unless we take a stand and vote. But how many of us know who we are voting for, and what it means not just to us, but the rest of the country as well?

Our country has an average voter turnout of about 60%. Out of which a majority are illiterate, or have just passed the Indian standard of literacy, which is being able to write your own name in one's mother tongue. Sure, they might still be smart enough to understand who can best address their concerns, but they are also that much easier to fool. In the state of Uttar Pradesh, over 20% of the parliamentary candidates have criminal records. I guess crime does pay.

But politicians are only half the story. Citizens have a large role to play in the problems that plague our country. The number of tax defaulters in India probably outnumbers the number who actually pay tax. Many would say that literacy is the answer to most of our problems. Sample this for illiterate literacy - close to 70% of credit card holders in India default on their bills. Many of these people are city-dwelling engineers with newly acquired purchasing power. Landing that software job that will make all your middle class woes disappear seems to be the promised land for the 1,200,000 students that write exams such as the IITJEE, AIEEE etc. But even after being through these premier educational institutions, basic common sense seems to be lacking. At the end, its sixpence none the richer. It makes me wonder, how can we complain about politicians siphoning money, when we are no better.

The situtation is not all bleak. Despite the shams, there are definitely changes happening. India is progressing, albiet not at the optimum rate. There is talk of making concrete changes such as easing FDI caps etc. Life still goes on, as it can only in India. I would continue on a rant about how there needs to be more accountability in the system, to find a solution to the aforementioned problems. But I simply don't know enough about my country's political and economic environment to make an educated point. Until recently I had never pondered over these issues.

Maybe it's high time we at least spare a thought.

The Holy Grail

2009-04-10T19:25:00.003+08:00

Heh. Found this video online. It's made by an SMU student. With exams are few days away, I thought this would be fun to take a look at. To all my kiasu friends, hope you can relate to all the steps in this video! If only someone showed this to me when I was a freshman. Right.

Did You Know?

2009-03-14T16:10:00.003+08:00

So I've been meaning to put this video up for a while now. Saw it in my Digital Media class, and the numbers made me immediately get up and take notice. As they say, watch and learn!

Crazy Elephant

2009-03-09T18:54:00.006+08:00

This is something I should have written about a long time ago. For those who know me well, you'll know I'm a hardcore Classic Rock/Blues fan. So when I first moved here to Singapore three years ago to study, I was kind of sad about the fact that I would miss out on the great live music scene that I was used to in Bangalore.

So imagine my surprise when I'm walking down Clarke Quay one day and suddenly I hear a blistering rendition of One Way Out by the Allman Brothers. Following my ear leads me to this loud bar filled with a motley crew of beer drinkers. And what's better, it's called Crazy Elephant! Nestled in the hustle and bustle of Clarke Quay, by the Reverse Bungee, Crazy Elephant is what I'd consider to be the best live music venue I've been to. And they play exactly my kind of music. I'm talking Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and even some gems of Delta Blues like Mississippi Fred McDowell.

Mean Jean and the Blues Machine is the in-house band that plays there on most nights, and they are fabulous. Jeanne French, the vocalist, is just mind-blowing. She can do Janis Joplin as well as Janis did! And I'm not exaggerating about this. Hear her go crazy on You Gotta Move or Pride & Joy, and you'll know what I mean. She's even performed with some really big names in the business like Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi. Dr. John Chee, the lead guitarist, is one of those performers who just leave you wondering 'WTF how does he do that?'. Dr. Kamal is the fabulous Bassist who can play just about anything, and Mark Boatman on drums keeps the band so tight, you wont know what hit you.

Some other great performers who I've seen at Crazy Elephant include Dave Shafran, John Hanson, and Dom Turner of the Backsliders.

Of course, Crazy Elephant is not the only place for live music in Singapore. You do have Timbre, Roomful of Blues etc. But if you are into Classic Rock and Blues, this is definitely the place to be. And even if you aren't, you're still assured a great time, with a fun crowd, reasonably priced drinks, and a pool table. And heh, don't miss the Joke screen above the bar.

Get together and let the good times roll.

World Wide Rave

2009-02-06T12:43:00.017+08:00

Hey you. Yes, you with your eyes on the computer screen. You’re witnessing a World Wide Rave as you read this. What’s that you ask? It’s something that people from all corners of the globe are currently a part of. It’s nothing and yet everything at the same time. In the strictly literal sense, it is the phenomenon that is the subject of an upcoming book by Marketing and PR guru David Meerman Scott. He defines a World Wide Rave as follows –

“A World Wide Rave is when people around the world are talking about you, your company, and your products. Whether you’re located in San Francisco, Dubai, or Reykjavík, it’s when global communities eagerly link to your stuff on the Web. It’s when online buzz drives buyers to your virtual doorstep. And it’s when tons of fans visit your Web site and your blog because they genuinely want to be there.”

I heard about the World Wide Rave book and project from my Digital Media professor Michael Netzley at the Singapore Management University. He wanted some of us in class to utilize the tools we’re learning in class, and become involved in spreading the word about the World Wide Rave. So, to do the same, my friend Radhika and I went down to Palawan Beach on Sentosa Island in Singapore.

What’s so special about this place? It’s the southern-most point in continental Asia. And now, it’s a part of the World Wide Rave project.

Watch out for more posts on the World Wide Rave from Singapore this week. For some awesome posts from Singapore visit Ep hraim, Dorothy and Andrew Peters.

Prof. Netzley gave us a choice regarding the assignments we needed to do. But many of us voluntarily chose to do this project. We read up about the concept of World Wide Rave and discussed it with each other. Not because we thought it would get us better grades; but because we genuinely found this assignment very cool. And now we’re blogging about it and linking to it. And I’m sure many of us are also going to grab a copy of World Wide Rave when it is released in Singapore.

That, right there, is a World Wide Rave.

Tennis Elbow

2009-02-02T00:05:00.003+08:00

Roger Federer is one of my favorite athletes ever. I've watched all of his big matches, and I've supported him despite him being kicked around by Rafael Nadal in the recent past. Fedex has always been a true champion - grace, humility, elegance, dominance et al. But not tonight. Not after what ensued once he was called to address the Rod Laver Arena after his loss to Rafa in tonight's epic final at the Australian Open.

Being emotional is one thing. Breaking down completely, is another. I honestly don't know what to make of Federer right now. Not because he cried. That's fine. But rather, what his crying clearly showed. Rafa is in Federer's head. He's frying him slowly and painfully. The 13-time grand slam winner cannot figure out what he must do to beat the sheer audacity of Nadal. And that pisses me off. A true champion has the character to keep his emotions in check, and learn from past defeat. Roger did none of those tonight. What he did do, was take away from a ceremony that Nadal truly deserved.

Maybe I'm being too harsh on Federer. It was one of the best matches ever. But breaking down in front of Laver, Rosewall, Roche, and Newcombe? No man. That should have been Rafa's moment among the legends.

Or maybe that was the problem.

Obituary

2009-01-30T19:03:00.001+08:00

80-year old died last night
At 1:17 a.m., of natural causes
Strange that no vice
Got him first. He was wise!

He believed in a god above
But for religion, he had no patience
Or, in the spirit of Tennyson
Faith unfaithful kept him falsely true

Race, sex, religion, creed
Love, hate, kindness, greed
To him it was all the same
Difference

In the face of adversity he was cool
Like red-hot Ice
He stopped many a civil war, what
Was civil about war anyway?

He was a great orator
When he spoke, the crowd
Would erupt in deafening
Silence

He was a great writer
Poet in residence in absentia
His body of work was
An organized mess

He did many things
And saw many places
His experimental nature was
An open secret

He was one of a
Kind
He is survived
By everyone

The words above will fill
Every page, you know the drill
When I’m gone, scary!
This will be my obituary.

Paris Is Burning

2009-01-30T19:02:00.002+08:00

Picture this
The Eiffel Tower
Is standing tall
In all its glory

There is a group
A few steps to the left
Dancing with fire
It’s a thing of beauty

There are people
Cameras in hand
Looking only at the Eiffel
Fire dancing? No, thanks!

The Eiffel Tower
Is too big, too majestic
It’s a must see
Everybody says so!

Skill and grace
Are crying out loud
But fire dancers?
They might get burnt!

We’d rather be safe
Why bother for the unknown?
The funny thing is
We are the ones getting burnt

The cushy job
The flashy cars
The big house
The fancy clothes
The money
The money
The money
With no time to enjoy any of it

Play with fire
And you get burnt
Paris is burning

The Game

2009-01-30T19:00:00.002+08:00

The wickets were all set
Street cricket was the name
Armed with just bat and ball
All that mattered was the game

Broken windows revealed angry neighbors
Of course, I was to blame!
While the road dogs kept watch
All that mattered was the game

Cheating was an accepted no-no!
Mr. Umpire was so lame!
Whether it was a six or a four
All that mattered was the game

If one got clean bowled
They experienced the walk of shame
But a duck out or a century,
All that mattered was the game

Cars, bikes, houses, kids
Every obstacle we overcame
Cuts and bruises were proudly worn
All that mattered was the game

Friendships forged through fights
Winning and losing? Never the same!
What I learnt there is who I am
All that mattered was the game

It was a simpler time
With no delusions of fame
On that street of my past
All that mattered was the game

We grew older and busier
But the street we did reclaim
At the end of the day
All that mattered was the game

Viva la Vida

2009-01-27T16:06:00.005+08:00

Been a while. A lot has happened since. No point trying to capture any of it, as none of it will be done any justice.

Doing a course on Digital Media Across Asia under Prof. Michael Netzley. A discussion on Web 2.0 the other day kind of re-emphasized the importance of blogging in my mind.

This video is kind of cool. If only the music was cooler. Anyway, watch this -

Will resume blogging by sharing a few poems I came up with for a recent Poetry Slam at SMU. Themes for the 3 rounds were Past, Present and Future. Think it was a decent effort for my first encounter with performance poetry.

Seven Days

2007-10-30T13:06:00.001+08:00

Based on my past two semesters in SMU, Week 10 has been the hell week where you have the cruel combination of midterms, project meetings, and presentations. But this semester things were different. I just got out of Week 10, and I had no midterms, no project meetings, and no presentations. What I did have though, was possibly the best week of my life.

Saturday & Sunday, 20th and 21st October – SMU BP IV’s

My week began with the annual SMU British Parliamentary Inter-Varsity debating tournament. The tournament had teams from Malaysia, Thailand and of course the local universities ie NUS, NTU etc. Being home ground, we had a reputation to protect. SMU had never lost a local BP IV since 2005, and everyone wanted to keep the record intact. Apart from that, this was the first BP tournament that I was going to as SMU A, ie the top team from SMU. So anyways, I prepped quite hard for this tournament by matter loading, training debates etc, and I honestly wanted to win. The tournament began well for us, as Carlo (my debating partner)and I won the first preliminary round.

We went on to break 1st into the semi-finals. We consequently made it to the finals. The final was not the greatest of debates, and I took the wrong burden of proof, which made it dangerous for us as Opening Opposition. But we stuck by our fundamentals, fulfilled our roles, and made our primary arguments. And well, we ended up winning! It was a brilliant feeling. Carlo and I have kept the SMU BP tournament record intact, and now well, it’s up to the juniors to do their job next year. Congratulations to Rajan for winning best speaker of the tournament. You deserve it buddy. As for me, well I’m going to be smiling about winning the tournament for a long time.

Wednesday, October 24th – TATA Crucible International Business Quiz

For those who know me well enough, you know I can’t live without quizzing for too long. It’s been a long time since my last major quiz, and honestly, I didn’t think there was going to be such an opportunity in Singapore. But around mid September, I got a mail from SMU saying that Crucible was coming to Singapore. For those uninitiated, TATA Crucible is India’s largest Business Quiz. It’s conducted by Giri Balasubramaniam, my favorite quizmaster. I’ve been to a large amount of Giri’s quizzes, and Mukund and I have a brilliant track record at his quizzes. Crucible was going international, and chose Singapore as the first venue. So obviously I was ecstatic, and couldn’t wait to sign up for it. I called Bhavya, a third year at SMU, who missed quizzing as much as I did, as he was very active on the Delhi quizzing circuit, and I asked him if he was interested. And quite obviously, he jumped at the opportunity too.

So finally, the quiz was held on the 24th of October. We topped the prelims, jointly with another SMU team, with a 23/25. The questions weren’t that tough, as Giri had no gauge of how tough to make it in Singapore. So it was a question of hitting as much as we could, and not missing the obvious ones. As we were called on stage, I felt brilliant, as this was what I have been missing for so bloody long! 8 teams made it to the finals. The final was perfect, as Bhavya and I scored in every round consistently. We ended up winning the quiz, and being crowned champions! Along came $7000, iPod Video Nano’s, Nikon Dig cams, and a very beautiful trophy. But apart from all of that, just being on stage again, exchanging high fives, cracking Giri’s famous Beyond the Obvious/Think Laterally round, made me feel, like Bhavya said, completely at home. This is where I am the happiest, and this is where I’m at peace. The customary phone call to my parents was made, and it felt great telling my parents after so long that I had won a quiz. The brother of course already has plans for the iPod and the money!

Friday, October 26th – Megadeth

Need I say more? Megadeth played at Fort Canning Park, and it was off the hook! Seeing Dave Mustaine live was an awesome experience. They played all the biggies – She Wolf, Hanger 18, A Tout le Monde, Holy Wars, Tornado of Souls, etc. 2 hours of non-stop mayhem! And of course, the mosh pit was wild. I was surprised that Singaporeans have that much energy in them! We beat the hell out of each other, jumped up and down, somehow managed to shoot pics, screamed our lungs out, and generally were quite mad. I know it sounds insane, but as Mustaine would put it, peace sells… but who’s buying? Hat’s off to Megadeth for a brilliant concert, and a brilliant experience.

Saturday, October 27th – Black Sabbath

Still reeling from the Megadeth hangover, I was looking forward to this concert like hell. Sabbath, with Ronnie James Dio played at Fort Canning Park, touring under the name “Heaven and Hell”. As soon as Tony Iommi walked on stage, I lost it. This was a guy who I’ve idolized for a long long time. Ironman was one of the first riffs I picked up on the guitar. This concert was not as insane in terms of the mosh pit, but the music quality was mind blowing. Dio is positively one of the best vocalists ever. Iommi is, well, he’s just god. They played all the big hits – Heaven and Hell (a kickass 17 minute version), Neon Knights, Falling off the edge of the World, Voodoo etc. What a concert. Sabbath is never going to get too old!

That brought to an end my brilliant week. Now it’s back to project meetings, midterms and presentations. But wait, in the middle of that is the Beer Pong championships, which should be fun as well! But yeah, winning a debating tournament, winning a quiz, and watching two idols at back to back concerts, that’s going to be a very hard week to beat! I’m very grateful. A repeat of this week? A big, resounding Can!

Internship

2007-08-05T14:42:00.002+08:00

When I first walked into the Levi Strauss & Co. office off Commissariat Road, I had quite a few questions I wanted answers to. Would I be greeted by the clichéd good-looking receptionist? Would I have a good experience working here for two months? Would I have a boss who wasn’t the devil incarnate? Would I learn everything I wanted to learn in terms of marketing and retail strategy? Would I be able to add value in my time there? The list is endless. As I was greeted by the receptionist, who would at a later time inform me that she was a former model, my first question was answered.

I was soon introduced to my boss, and my next few questions were answered, in a favorable light. My boss turned out to be awesome. He soon acquainted me with the setup of the company, and what my project was going to be. I was very grateful that I was given a project which was of high value to the company, and would require a lot of effort from my side. I’d have run the opposite direction if I was given the mundane data entry and coffee fetching job. Instead, here, my boss got me coffee! And the only dress code was wearing Levi’s jeans to work! So yeah, I really looked forward to my time at Levi’s.

The project required me to work with departmental stores, understand consumer behavior, conduct surveys, analyze the data, and make recommendations and a report of my findings. The brilliant part of the project was that I got to go to Mumbai as part of my project. As I’d never been there before, this was definitely an added bonus. So for the next one month I worked hard, learnt a lot in terms of marketing theory, practical knowledge, interpersonal skills, and well, how to sell jeans as well!

Now, coming to Mumbai. That was a fun experience. Apart from the fact that it rained every twenty minutes, the trip was great. I got to meet very interesting people, meet up with college friends, eat fabulous food, take a tour of one of the greatest cities in the world, and generate valuable inputs for my project. Mumbai is a very fast city. People talk fast, and scam even faster. Like Javed Jaffrey said in the song Mumbhai, “Mumbai is the mean place, where you survive if you’ve got the pace”. I got to travel across the city for my project, so it’s safe to say I finally did get the hang of how to get on and off the local trains. For the uninitiated, traveling on local trains in Mumbai is a harrowing experience to say the least.

After I was done with my project, I had to present my findings in front of the board of directors. This was a scary, but rewarding experience. It’s safe to say that the CEO ripped apart my findings, as he duly promised me he would. But he taught me a great deal in that one hour. And once it was over, the fact that all of them applauded my effort and asked me to come back next year to work for them again, made it all worth it.

As I typed out my project report last week, and went to collect my certificate, I felt pretty bummed out, as I had been having such a good time at work. But as they say, it’s the experience that stays with you. So whether it was watching Deepika Padukone during a photo shoot for Levi’s, or staying up till 4 a.m. to complete my presentation slides, or eating vada pav on marine drive, or checking excel sheet figures before my presentation twenty times over to ensure all figures were correct, or using marketing theories in practice, or the awesome lemon tea in office, the experience of working at Levi Strauss & Co was simply excellent.

And before I forget, remember to buy Levi’s jeans. It’s the best!

In Between Dreams

2007-06-10T12:41:00.001+08:00

So my first year in college is over. It’s been over for a bit, and I’ve been meaning to write about it, but well, never got down to it. I was in a very reflective mood sometime ago, and was advised by a friend to take it easy, as there were still three more years to go for college to end. Well, guess that’s true, so this entry shall be the last appendage of the body of my reflection.

So let’s see, what do I remember from my first year in college? Off the top of my head, debates, presentations, meetings, night outs, movies, TV shows, more meetings, projects, more presentations, and more debates. Not to mention, meeting a load of interesting people, and having interesting experiences. Many of which have happened in hostel. I love my hostel. I love the people in my hostel. I don’t love the guard in my hostel. I don’t love the third cubicle from the left in my toilet. But yeah, we have a new vending machine now! Then there’s Clarke Quay. I cannot count how many times I’ve been there with my friends, getting drunk and talking about things that nobody cares, or well, just simply talking about things that nobody cares. Or maybe they do care. We’ll never know.

SMU keeps you busy, very busy. Especially if you want to have a great experience there, you have to be running around a lot. I did a lot of that this semester. It paid off. I got better grades, and had a much better time. I’m more settled there now. Once you realize your way around things, they seem much more pleasing to you. Like debating - I did not enjoy it much in term 1. But come term 2, I spent more time on it, and put more effort into it, and it paid off, with me winning SMU Hammers, our home tournament, and also me breaking at AUDC, my first international tournament. It seems that debating is my new manna. I miss quizzing though. Hope I get to do a bit of that this summer, for old times’ sake.

So anyways, I guess there’s no point reflecting on experiences soon after they are experienced. Hah. I’ll save that for a rainy day, with a fine glass of scotch, an even bigger belly, and grey hair, all hopefully years from now, when college will be but a memory, in between dreams. For now, I’m just going to enjoy what I’m doing. Working hard at my internship, and having a blast with my friends. I’ll also hopefully write more. One hopes.

“They only babble who practice not reflection” - Edward Young

Bebot - The "Translation"

2007-04-03T18:18:00.001+08:00

So here I was, not having posted on my blog for over three months, just casually surfing the net, when I came across it. It was searched for on google, purely out of random curiousity. The results were mindblowing. I'd like to take a moment to thank my friends Carlo and Maegan for teaching me a bit of Tagalog, the Filipino dialect. To Carlo especially, I finally understand how 'Ba' can be used in four different ways! Please note, "bebot” (be´-bot) is a street slang word for “babe” or “girl” or “female” - taken from the Tagalog word “babae” (ba´-ba´-e). Here goes -

BEBOT sung by apl.de.ap of The Black Eyed Peas

Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay aking :You are my
Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay aking :You are my
Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay :You are
Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino!: Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino!
Hoy pare, pakinggan n’yo ako: Hey man, all of you listen to me
Heto na ang tunay na Pilipino: Here comes the real Filipino
Galing sa baryo - Sapang Bato: Came from the barrio - Sapang Bato
Pumunta ng L.A. - nagtrabaho: Went to L.A. and labored
Para makatulong sa Nanay: In order to help my mother
Dahil sa hirap ng buhay: Because life is so hard
Pero masaya pa rin ang kulay: But the disposition’s still bright
Pag kumain - nagkakamay: When eating - we use our hands
‘yung kanin - *chicken adobo: What we eat - chicken adobo
‘yung balut - binibenta sa kanto: The *balut - being sold at the corner
Tagay mo na nga ang baso: Share the glass already
Pare ko, inuman na tayo: My friend, let’s start drinking
Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino!: Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino!

Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay aking :You are my
Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay aking :You are my
Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay :You are
Masdan mo ang magagandang dalaga: Observe all the beautiful girls
Nakakagigil ang beauty mo talaga: Your beauty really drives me crazy
Lambing na hindi nakakasawa: The sweetness that is never tiresome
Ikaw lang and gustong makasama: You’re the only one I want to be with
Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino!: Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino!

Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay aking :You are my
Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay aking :You are my
Bebot - bebot - bet (3x)
Ikaw ay :You are
‘yung bahay o kubo: The house or nipa hut
Pag-ibig mo ay tutoo: Your love is for real
Puso ko’y laging kumikibo: My heart always speaks
Wala kang katulad sa mundo: There is no one else in the world like you
Pinoy ka - sigaw na - sige: You’re Filipino - shout it out - c’mmon
Kung maganda ka - sigaw na - sige: If you’re beautiful - shout it out - c’mmon
Kung buhay mo’y mahalaga - sige: If your life is valuable - c’mmon
Salamat sa ‘yong suporta: Thank you for your support
Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino!: Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino!
Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino! - Pilipino!: Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino! - Filipino!
Filipino . . .La la la la la la la . . . .la la lo . . . .La la la la la la la . . . .la la lo . . . .

This, sung in praise of a 'Bebot'. Aah.. I love the Phillipines. Makes me almost proud of the epic Indian courtship song, "What is mobile number? What is your smile number?"

Home

2006-12-21T03:54:00.002+08:00

A friend of mine recently said something interesting. He told me that the concept of home was quite unclear and ambiguous to him. His statement set me thinking. What is home? Is it just simply the roof under which you live? If so, then for me, I should have two homes. I live in a hostel as well as presently during the holidays in what I always considered home. But then again, home should be something concrete. Right?

They say home is where the heart is. Is it that simple after all? My friends in college don't like it when someone refers to our hostel as home. If I was to say to one of them - "Hey, lets go back home and pick up the book", I'd be quickly reminded that home was back in India. Why the hostility towards residences outside the proverbial home? Aren't you living by your own rules out here? Isn't it a relief that no one tells you what to do? It's your own personal kingdom. Freedom is found in abundance. And yet the apprehension.

It's a personal thing I guess. Many find comfort in different places they go to. For them, home is a fellow traveler. I'm a rooted individual myself. Wherever I go, home will always be my city, my house, my room. Home is my own low, amazingly sleep inducing bed. Home is the trolley next to the fridge, with myriad edible things for me to increase my waistline. Home is the basketball ring to which I still have to attach a net. Home is where my best friends "hang out" for more time than they do in their own homes. Home is the posters on my wall. Home is my family. Home is where I will always belong, someplace I'll know better than I know myself.

"What is more agreeable than one's home?" - Marcus Tullius Cicero

What's In A Name?

2006-11-14T14:16:00.001+08:00

Shakespeare evidently never experienced the irritation of being called Sheikh Speer or such. I am intrigued by this particular folly of his. Seldom have people got my name right. It took an effort back home to explain how my name is pronounced. Here in Singapore, I've given up. Say name cannot lah! I've heard anik, ban, gupta, datta, aniba and even honey bun for crying out loud! I guess I am destined to have an unpronounceable name. But it's fine. Really. I quite enjoy being called Bun, Bread and the occasional non bakery item such as Bongo. But what I dont enjoy is seeing my beloved city undergo a name change due to a politically fueled movement for freedom from "cultural enslavement".

As the world sadly knows by now, Bangalore is no more. It has rebranded itself, taking the local name for “city of cooked beans”. Now many might have a problem with the recognition issue, and say 'How can you change the name of the I.T. Capital of India?' But that's not what the main problem is. Yeah sure Bangalore, oh sorry, Bengalooru Mahanagara Palike will have to end up spending about 50 crores due to the name change, but the government sees this as an "investment". I'm not angry because no one will come to Bengalooru. In the end the name probably will catch on. I have good friends here from Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata too. The printing industry is having a field day because of the new business. Good for them. Knock yourselves out. What I am disappointed about though is the motive behind the change.

For crying out loud, Bangalore has enough authenticity by itself. We have some of the country's greatest writers such as Girish Karnad and U.R. Ananthamurthy who write in Kannada as well as English. We have a thriving culture with Kannadiga organisations always conducting cultural programs and what not. We have more signboards in Kannada than in English. We feel it natural to converse with the local auto rickshaw guy in Kannada. We hardly talk to the shopkeepers in English or even Hindi for that matter. For any true Bangalorean, its culture is a part of our being. To even have to stoop as low as to create a need for culture, is appalling. We know all this, and yet the government claims a victory for authenticity and culture.

I'm not trying to dish out anti-establishment rubbish, but the actions speak for themselves. Over the past few years, radio stations, discotheques and even restaurants have been banned due to activist sensationalism and 'cultural freedom'. Sin thy name is English! The government recently went a step further when Basavaraj Horatti, the education minister threatened to ban more than 2,000 private schools that taught in English, not Kannada. Hell, call the city 'Ban' Galore if at all you want to change it's name!

So what is the fight about anyways? British Imperialism? I sense a wave of Kannadiga Imperialism coming on if you ask me! The British did not change our culture by changing the "authentic" name of our city. Are we really going to blame them for a mispronunciation? I think it was a completely uncalled for change, which does no good, but creates unnecessary friction and possible damage as well. I left Bangalore in July and will be going back to Bengalooru in December. That's not even amusing.

You don't change anything by calling anirban honey bun. I'm still the same person with the same virtues and defects. I love my city just the way it is. Sure we have buildings and road names reminiscent of British rule, but for every Richmond Road, we have a Sampige Road. And for every Daly Memorial Hall, We have a Ravindra Kalakshetra. Thats why I ask the government - Yaake neevu sumne hesaru change madtaidare? To me the city will always be Bangalore. Oh sorry Mr. Cultural whistle blower, I meant Namma Bengalooru.

Public Speaking

2006-11-07T13:59:00.001+08:00

Main lights off. Spotlight on you.
Audience waits with bated breath.
After the forever wait comes the opportunity
Brilliant speech will cause certain death.

Wit and humour. You have plenty.
Set cue cards down on the stand.
Before the first word, it happens.
Stranger in a strange land.

Bedroom orater succumbs
To the most common of fears
Hush now, don't try to cry
No one will wipe the tears.

Why did it happen?
Is there no justice my brothers?
Oh grow up stupid child
A victim like the others.

Seems a myth doesn't it
Why so much hype then?
Because it's natural
Lions crawling back to the den.

Take it in your stride
Get over it if you can.
Public or private
Fear is your fan.

Audience is not the only cause
That, too well we know.
Even with the closest ones
Sometimes our feelings don't show

Whichever way you wish to succumb
Learn to come out on top.
Go forward in reverse
Jump, Skip and Hop.

Lost In Translation

2006-10-17T12:02:00.001+08:00

They say that there is no time like the present for postponing what you ought to be doing. 4 months, 6 days and 23 hours is a long time. In terms of a blogging break, it really is. Reasons could be given, but what purpose would it serve? So here goes - another attempt at effectively capturing my life on cyberspace.

Indonesia left south east asia in a haze.
North Korea left the world in a daze.
I finally got out of the maze.
Or was it just another phaze?

Singapore does a few things to you. It shows you the trick of survival in a varied culture. It teaches you too look below the glossy exterior and identify the dirt within. It exposes your weaknesses faster than a torture chamber would. It gives you the best opportunities in the world, but snatches it away the moment you loosen up. And of course, it reduces grammar requirements drastically. You don't need to give an elaborate explanation to ask one for something. All you have to ask is 'can?'. Mostly, cannot. It's worth the try.

Home is being missed terribly. I miss my family, my friends and my food (Ma.. I'm hungry!). I miss my city. I miss M.G. Road. I miss NPS. I miss 5 hour-long phone conversations. I miss long walks through Defence Colony. I miss Bangalore. But I aint gonna complain. Life is good here. Plus, my ticket for december is booked. So I'm happy!

New friends have been made. New places have been seen. New types of food have been eaten. Old habits though, have remained. College is great fun. I love SMU. Not just because every place in it is covered by posters screaming the same thing! I love it because it is everything I expected it to be. And sometimes its gone way beyond. The technology in this place could make NASA raise an eyebrow. Or maybe two. And of course, who can ignore hostel life? It's something I'd recommend highly. Nowhere else will dinner be at 6 in the morning, and nowhere else will you meet a football player from Ghana, and a Thai monk who debates.

I have mastered the art of getting up at 8:20 for an 8:30 class, and still making it in time. I'm impressed! Quizzing is being missed sorely. It's place has been taken for now, by debating. British Parliamentary at that. It's great fun. Before I move on, any P.O.I.'s at this point? I kill myself!

Motion picture type soundtrack has begun playing in the background. The sirens are going off. The show has begun. And I'm on my way. Come on, lah. Slow down cannot. Have a great time? Can. Wah lau eh!

Lost in translation.

The Cup Of Life

2006-06-11T01:16:00.001+08:00

So, the greatest sporting spectacle of our times has arrived! It's time for the world's best football players to come out all guns blazing and Joga Bonita! I personally, have never been a big football fan. But yes, the world cup makes football fans out of all of us! So here I am, blogging on what everyone seems to be obsessed with right now! And what a start it has been to the world cup. Three goals in the first 16 minutes!! Neat stuff! This Miroslav Klose dude really seems to come to the party at the world cups! And who can forget Beckham's trademark free kick today! I think I might be officially baptised into the world of football by the time the world cup comes to a close!

As I read in a local daily today, according to a survey conducted, about 90% of the Indian youth chose football over cricket! And we thought cricket was a religion here! What is it that draws the attention of fans worldwide? I mean look around.. Every shop at every mall is going overboard with the merchandise! I walked into Garuda today, and woah! Normally, the cookie monsters would be the first to capture your attention with that surprisingly awful smell (How is that possible though? The cookies taste awesome!) . But today, I was greeted by some salespeople dressed in the Brazilian jersey (cheap imitation of it.. well, nonetheless). And the best part was, they were trying to sell laptops! Connection please???

Ah well, no point trying to comprehend this mass frenzy among the hoi polloi! I've decided to just sit back and enjoy the world cup. Only drawback is that I've lost all monopoly over the remote control at home. Try reasoning with the tag team of grandfather and father that the French Open finals is equally important! So, the way things are shaping up, Federer and Nadal will have to take a back seat tomorrow! And to add to the hopelessness of the situation, Sehwag just hit a hundred at a rate rarely seen in ODI's even. Tennis is the worst game to be passionate about right now! Ronaldinho and Rooney will be familiar faces on the TV for the next month or so. And did I forget to mention that my kid brother's obsession with Kenan and Kel is not helping!!

Coming back to the world cup, like I said, I'm gonna just give in and experience life in an eight inch diameter! I'll even pick favorites! I'm backing Brazil or England to win this. Though Ivory Coast seems like a funky team! Would be nice to see them do well! So there you have it.. The passions are shifting, albeit temporarily! If anyone has seen the Nike "Soccer versus Ninja's" ad, maybe that will explain it.. Here's how it starts. The coach shows the players the picture of a football which has been taken by the Ninja's, and the following is the dialogue that follows -

Coach - "We need this back."

Players - "It's just a ball."

Coach - "No! It's rounder."

Is IIT IT?

2006-06-04T23:01:00.002+08:00

8:00 am on a tuesday morning. Approximately 3 lakh people logged on to the internet to check their fate. A number, or a rank would possibly decide their future, and disturbingly for some, their existence. The IITJEE 2006 results were being annnounced. Once they were out, it was a moment of sheer ecstacy for some, and a heart breaking one for many others. Sadly, many people who did not make it, took their lives because they couldn't accept their failure. Looking at both sides of the coin, I thought to myself whether all the effort was really worth it. I mean , forget the physical and mental stress for a moment. What about the emotional drain? Was IIT really worth all this?

Flashback to 2 years. All of us began our long journey towards the IIT summit. Tom and Jerry were replaced by Resnick and Halliday. Through the past two years, many of us dropped out of this journey for many reasons. Some though, stayed on, and studied hard, and I mean really hard. All their focus was on April 9, 2006 when they would write the IIT exam. There were many barriers in their path, but they overcame each one of them with determination, if not with ease. So, as the days turned into weeks, which turned into months, books as thick as pillows were finished off with mind-numbing pace. Sleep was not an option for some. I remember secretly hoping that all of them would somehow make it, after all the toil.

My question was answered on the 31st of May 2006, when the results were announced. Many of my friends made it, and even more did not. What I remember the most from that day was the supreme joy I felt on hearing that my best friend had got a phenomenal all India rank of 153. I mean, if I myself could be so happy, I can't imagine how happy he must be. And this was when I realised that it was all worth it. You might sacrifice a year of your childhood to get into IIT, but once you make it, there's no bigger joy. Just knowing that you are among the smartest people in the country, and that you are studying at the best college in your country and arguably the world, that must be one hell of a feeling.

So if IIT is your aim, and you indeed make it, all the effort becomes worth it. The intellectual and career benefits of being an IITian speak for themselves. Even if you do not make it, just knowing that you had the resolve to make the journey should leave you feeling proud of yourself. For that matter, I guess that whenever we are fixed on an aim, want it bad enough, and decide to work towards it, the outcome becomes a small part of the entire process. In the words of a wise man -

"Don't worry about the destination. Enjoy the journey."

Timestamps On The Day Gone By

2006-05-22T02:22:00.001+08:00

7.30 am - Get up. Get ready

9.15 am - Leave home headed for a Quiz.

9.30 am - 30 minutes minimum to kill before the Quiz. The quiz is being conducted by the KQA. A friend called up in the morning and asked me to come. The mailer, as I read later, said "Please report at the venue latest by 9.30 am. Late entries will not be entertained." To those familiar with the KQA, the irony of the above statement need not be iterated. Nevertheless, I land up promptly at 9.25 outside the venue, happy to have kept up my record of never having been late for a quiz. (Wish I applied the same interest to other areas of my life *Sigh*). I find no signs of a living soul anywhere in my immediate proximity. Why am I not surprised? So I decide to take a little walk and return a little later to hopefully find fellow beings there.

9.35 am - I choose Brunton Road to bear the brunt of my mass in motion. (Brunton.. brunt.. aah I crack myself up). For those uninitiated souls who have never been here, Brunton Road is tucked away off MG Road. Whilst on my little walk, I rediscover the beauty of this place. The houses and the serenity just take your breath away. This inspired to me to decide that I will henceforth spend more time devoted to discovering and appreciating the joys of Bangalore. I hope this endeavor of mine actually leaves the drawing room!

9.55 am - I decide to get back, cause just maybe, human life form representing the KQA may have decided to show up. I am not failed this time, as people arrive, I register myself, and 10 minutes later, the quiz begins.

1.30 pm - The quiz is done, and the results are out. I had taken part in the general category and got the highest among college students present there. Woot! But no prize for moi. Only the overall winner, whose paper I ironically ended up correcting, walked away with his wallet substantially heavier. But yeah, we KQA types don't quiz for the money, though the occasional iPod's have been accepted with glee!

1.45 pm - Happy with my little achievement, I decide to go down to the Barista on MG Road, grab some lunch, and read a book.

2.30 pm - Still eating, still reading.

3.30 pm - Still reading.

4.30 pm - I decide to get back home.

4.45 pm - I get down near home, and realise that the auto meter was rigged. But due to limited fluency in Kannada, my anger is restricted to hurling of profanities in English. Auto driver doesn't understand a word, but is highly amused by me. I finally give in, and pay him what he doesn't deserve.

11.45 pm - Teleport 7 hours since last timestamp. I decide to blog, inspired by a comment by my friend that my blog entries must have all been typed under the influence! I think this entry will confirm his suspicions!

11.50 pm - My day comes to an end. A night ahead, full of endless possibilities beckons!

11.51 pm - Time(stamps) up.

Going Away To College!

2006-05-20T18:37:00.001+08:00

Just thought I should share the reason for my present state of extreme joy! SMU sent me my Letter of Admission yesterday!! Finally. So here I stand, with smile on face, and college acceptance in place :) Now begins the countdown... for what? For the dreaded board exam marks to come out. From one hurdle to another. I tell you, we students lead a cursed life! Man, I fear the outcome of the chemistry paper. It was BAD. But hopefully overall I will get an "acceptable" average atleast! Still, nothing's gonna change one fact - I'm going to college!!!! *performs unmentionable dance move and ceases to type*

The Wait

2006-05-16T05:50:00.001+08:00

It is quarter past 3 in the morning, and I am staring at my computer screen so intently that all the colours seem to merge effortlessly into one. After many minutes of intense battle between my eyes, my brain, and the screen, my brain surrenders, and I slowly delve into a state which may be likened to sleep. This is not a first. This has been the case almost every night for the past few days. "Sleep is for the weak" someone once said. Well, if not sleeping makes you strong, I'm closing in on Schwarzenegger! Now, you may be wondering what possesses me to combat the will of the human body. Well, the singular reason for the above iterated nocturnal pattern is "The Wait".

I am waiting for something. Something which I thought would arrive much earlier. It hasn't arrived yet, and my life hangs in the balance. What I am waiting for may not be relevant , but it sure has made me re-evaluate my entire mental character. I have realised that waiting for something I really want is not my cup of tea. I'll have it as soon as possible, thank you very much. And express delivery will be duly rewarded! Which led me to blogging my thoughts on this whole issue of waiting. I was waiting to make another entry into my blog, and I thought to myself, why wait?

I could try and sound pseudo-philosophical and state the oft stated claim, that all of us are waiting for something in our lives, and that this wait continues for all our life. But I think I'll choose a slightly more ground level approach to this topic and share my two cents worth on this topic. So then, why is it that many of us crack under the pressure of a wait, while the rest of us simply do not let it get to us? And also, does a wait make the end result sweeter or just plain sour? You know what, I don't think I really know the answer myself! I hope I do get to know soon enough. I can't wait!

So on that unbelieveably pointless note, I shall sign off, by quoting the great Mark Twain. I think his words summarise what I had started off trying to iterate. Anyways, over to Mr. Twain -

"All good things arrive unto them that wait - and don't die in the meantime."

The Song Remains The Same

2006-05-12T20:25:00.001+08:00

"Without music, life would be a mistake.... I would only believe in a God who knew how to dance" - Friedrich Nietzsche

How many times have we been fearlessly rescued from the throes of depression by the correct song playing at the correct time? How many times have we rejoiced on a happy occasion by blasting on full volume, our favorite "happy song"? How many times have we spent hours on end listening to the same song over and over again, till we became comfortably numb?

The true magnitude of the power of music cannot be expressed in mere adjectives. Now you may be wondering why this blob of cytoplasm with no semblance of a brain is suddenly stating the obvious. Well, its only because I wanted to write about something, and decided to write on the thing that is closest to my heart.

It's interesting to note the transition we normally make in terms of music. We start of with those happy pop tunes which appeal when we are kids. Michael Jackson would be the cynosure of all ears! Then we get into the "no pop please.. we're too cool for that" phase, where we find peace in Lars Ulrich giving a royal trashing to his drums. Maybe because inside, as we become angry confused beings, the heavier the music becomes, the lighter the soul becomes. Or something like that. Then, as we mature a little more, we drift to music which holds more meaning in terms of lyrical quality and melody. Finally, we end up with a range of music which varies from M.S. Subbulakshmi to Madonna to Marilyn Manson to Mark Knopfler.

Of course, all views published above are solely of the author (moi) , and may not hold resemblance to any other person's musical journey. But the importance music holds to each one of us, albeit in different magnitudes, is undeniable. So no critiques of my musical choice shall be entertained, and no critique of other's choices shall be offered. The tranquility you find in Boyzone is the same tranquility I may find in Bodom. (Metal totally rocks dude!!)

So as I come to the end of this little synopsis of mine, I hear INXS in the background, telling me how pretty Vegas really is.. Oh wait.. now suddenly Tom Petty is explaining to me why he wants one last dance with Mary Jane. We must remember to never lose our passion for music, and must also understand that whatever tune life makes us dance to, the song remains the same.

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

Off to never never land

Life Is Passing Me By

2006-05-10T21:24:00.001+08:00

Just went and finished off with CET Physics and Chem. It was much better than Maths!!

Hmmm. Now I'm feeling a little flat. I don't really have much to do. Have to start studying for Comed, but yeah, there's a tiny little problem. I don't really wanna!! Hopefully SMU's admission letter comes through in the next week or two. Then I can show Comed my finger! Oh btw, the fool is back in town. Yes, Vivek Iyer has now permanently shifted his residence from Pune to B'lore. Now we poor, unsuspecting B'loreans have to face him!!

So like the title of my post says, life is passing me by. I have nothing much to look forward to as of now. And btw nandini, stop writing such amazing pieces on your blog. It makes mine look just bad!! And also, publicize my blog a little!!

p.s. - Out of goodwill, nandini's blog may be viewed through the link I have created. (Now you definitely have to publicize my blog!!)

Quite An Exciting Few Days!

2006-05-10T10:32:00.001+08:00

Well, in the past two days I have:

1. Banged a car, thus causing total damages of Rs 1.5 lakh to my car, as well as the other car!

2. Finished off with my interview with SMU. It went off pretty well, and unless chink's have a vile sense of humour, I really hope to get in.

3. Flunked CET Maths big time.

So anyways, going to write CET Physics and Chem now.. man why do I even try?

Fun Please Stop!

2006-04-23T04:03:00.001+08:00

In case you were wondering about the subject of this post, let me explain.

There was a time when books and studies and grades held utmost importance to me. That was long ago. Then, there was a radical transition, the cause of which has not yet been accurately determined. (Extensive research continues.. There is hope!). Since this transition took place, neither me, nor many of my friends have studied at all. (Not all my friends mind you! There are the IIT boys who have not seen sunlight for many months)

We became experts at wasting time, and of course, having fun. Bangalore bears the scars still! All the while that we partied, we forgot about our impending futures. So now, I feel that the fun must come to an end, and we must get down to studying, so we can save some face (though I am highly doubtful whether any of us had much of a face to begin with). Today should be the last outing till Sunday atleast, which would translate to about 5 days of study! Man, the way things are shaping up, I don't have any hope in life! (Only comforting fact is that none of us really do)

p.s. - Based on prior experience, the author of this post has a strong feeling that this resolve to study shall be broken in approximately 2 hours. He is not to be judged, or criticised for this belief.

The Return Of The King

2006-04-02T23:22:00.002+08:00

Greetings.

It is highly likely that not many have ever visited this waste of cyberspace. I hope they begin to soon enough! Or maybe not. Well, for those who cared to notice, been almost a year since I blogged. I have a very good reason for that. Loss of perspective on life, garnished with a lavish sprinkling of laziness. Lots of things have happened since my last post. Too many to list. But yeah, I would like to mention the major one - After all that preparation and anticipation, I WON THE TCS IT QUIZ!!! And to add to my supreme joy, me won an iPod for myself! Happy happy joy joy!

So anyways, this is my present itenary for the holidays -

1. Wake up (and smell the coffee!)
2. Study (or something like it)
3. Sleep
4. Gym (Yes, the fat is disappearing!)
5. Blog/Chat/Surf
6. Sleep

Sounds interesting right? Right.

Anyways, will try and post atleast once a week.

First Post With A Pic

2005-07-21T01:48:00.002+08:00

Just posted a random pic to see how it looks.

So anyways, Prefect Sir Mr. Chain the Pain has caught on to the blogging scene as well. His engine of creation (so to speak) can be accessed through the link on the side

Anyways, TCS elims tomorrow! School elims only, so not a big deal. But yeah, it being TCS and all, it ain't over till it's over!

General Quiz #1

2005-07-06T11:45:00.001+08:00

Since I am an avid quizzer, I will from time to time be publishing a few quizzes here and there for you to read and hopefully enjoy as well. So here goes. This is a good old-fashioned general quiz.

1) "Nick Gillespie, They Know Where You Live". What is the significance of this statement? Was in the news a year back.

Answer:
---------
Reason magazine's June 2004 cover was devoted to a cool exercise in technology: the
40,000 subscribers saw individualized satellite photos of their neighborhood, with their homes circled. This quote was on the cover of the magazine delivered to Nick Gillespie, the Editor-in-chief of Reason.

2) This company was formed in 1850 as a temporary solution to a bitter feud between two transportation companies in New York. They decided to stop their price war and found a new transportation company which would automatically dissolve in ten years. After ten years, the company was making so much money that the partners did not have the heart to dissolve the company. Instead they sold off the assets of the company and started a new company with the same name. Which company?

Answer:
---------
American Express

3) X is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of the Asian poppy plant. X usually appears as a white or brown powder. Street names for X include "smack,"skag" and "junk." Other names may refer to types of X produced in a specific geographical area, such as "Mexican black tar." What is X?

Answer:
---------
Heroin

4) "A lung disease caused by breathing in particles of siliceous volcanic dust". What significance does this have with reference to the english language?

Answer:
---------
The above is the definition for Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, which is the longest word in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The only other word with the same amount of letters is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconioses, its plural. It was coined by Everett Smith, the President of the National Puzzlers' League, in 1935 purely for the purpose of inventing a new "longest word."

5) Not something to be proud of, the scientific name for this is "Bromhidrosis". What am I talking about?

Answer:
---------
Body Odour

6) They are small built, under 5'8" and 150 lb, unattached, otherwise unknown and aged between 25 and 39. Their professions vary from workers to white collar political aspirants. Who does this profile describe?

Answer:
---------
US Presidential Assasins. A study of previous assasins by the FBI led to the formation of this general description.

7) He was born on June 30, 1985 to Fred and Debbie. His parents already had two daughters, Hilary and Whitney. The family lived in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore. Fred was a state trooper, and Debbie was a middle-school teacher who was twice named Maryland’s "Teacher of the Year.”Outside of his career, he was a normal teenager. He rooted for Baltimore sports teams, read books on sports heroes like Lance Armstrong and Vince Lombardi, and usually fell asleep with the family cat, Savannah, curled up next to him. He didn’t like getting out of the bed in the morning, but refused to slow down once his day began. He tried his hand at baseball (as a catcher and shortstop), soccer and lacrosse as a youngster. When he entered Towson High School, he toyed with the idea of going out for football, and later played on the golf team. Known for his prowess in a totally different sport. Enough said. Who?

Answer:
---------
Micheal Phelps.

8) SUDAN 1 is a drug traditionally used for coloring oils, waxes, solvents, petrol and shoe and floor polishes.However, just a few months back, a health report commitee in china repoted the presence of SUDAN 1 in a company's food sauces. This got this company into quite a mess. Which company/food outlet am I talking about?

Answer:
---------
K.F.C. Or Heinz

9) But for this man, this tiny Bijapur village, at least its name, would never have been known to the outside world.After finishing his B.Com., he began his career with Filix, India, where he worked as a sales executive.Following a brief stint with a guest house, he took up employment in Saudi Arabia. Returning to India, he set up a manpower consultancy service. But his big opportunity to run a multi-crore business came when he bagges a license from the Government in 1994. Can you name the village?

Answer:
---------
Telgi. The person of course is the infamous Abdul Kareem Telgi, the mastermind of the Stamp Paper Racket.

10) Simplest one of the quiz. Everyone has definately heard about the hit television show,'The Apprentice'. All I want to know is which infamous personality, very much in the news for the past year will be hosting the 3rd Season of this Show?

Answer:
---------
Martha Stewart

Butter Chicken Blues

2005-07-06T11:39:00.001+08:00

Man life sucks. Richa calls and says she's in the mood for butter chicken. So we decide to meet up , and engage in the fine art of hogging! I'm all jumping and happy. Then I call the "gang" and let them know the plan. Everything's decided. Then she calls back, and says the plan is cancelled since many of the girls didn't get perm! WTF... I WANT MY BUTTER CHICKEN !!!!!!

School's Out!

2005-07-06T09:33:00.002+08:00

All hail the BJP!! Just announced that there's no school due to the bandh *performs a little jig*

So now, how do I efficiently waste this blessing of a day? I think I might spend it preparing for the TCS IT Quiz. Really wanna win that. Been a dream for a while now. So yeah, back to pouring over IT Sites and Newsletters for me!! Hope all of you will while away this day with panache!

The Beginning Of The End?

2005-07-05T21:55:00.003+08:00

Greetings fellow beings!

So I've finally discovered the world of blogging! My own experiences, my own opinions, all on my own little nook of cyberspace! Sounds good! I know, I sound a bit over-zealous. But anyway, I'm going to give this blogging thing a shot. Lets see where it leads me.. maybe an "Excellence in Blogging" award!

Feel free to drop in anytime, leave your comments, and generally admire my literary prowess!

Peace Out.