Crazy Elephant

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

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 Ephraim, 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"

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

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?

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

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

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

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?

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

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!

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

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."