Thursday, November 29, 2007
Stomach this!
Our office is about to start a canteen service (LUNCH only). Today was the first day. Vegetarian food was the order of the day. Pav Bhaji, Onion Pakoras (which is missing from my plate), Salad, Tava Pulav and a sweet. Economically it is viable. Rs.40/- but as far as taste is concerned, I have tasted much better stuff at a still cheaper rate. But then again, I don't intend to be a regular. Let's wait for tomorrow when non-veg is served.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Happy Birthday to Me!
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
BANGALORED!!
A person is said to be Bangalored if he lost his job because the work got outsourced to Bangalore or any other city in India.
“He got Bangalored last week” is an example of its usage.
You can also type this word 'Bangalored' in google search and verify for yourself.
Lots of people got bangalored that it became an issue during the US presidential election. That's exactly when this word was coined.
One such similar word is “Shanghaied” which means kidnapped.
Wonder what's next....
Monday, November 19, 2007
Musical Score # 110
I am on drugs now!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Page 3 Fool
Common sense is so uncommon I say. There's a universal fact whereby whenever you consciously pose in front of a camera, you intend looking your ultimate best. The intention grows exponentially when you are being photographed by a journalist. Look at the psychopath in the picture and you'll know what I am talking about. Whoever handed the instrument should have at least had the courtesy to inform him that he was holding the bow upside down.
It really annoys the hell out of me when someone disrespects a musical instrument. Especially violin, since I know the pains that I went through to learn it. I have always been in awe of Hollywood where the actor actually takes the effort to learn the instrument before he/she sets about playing the character. Robert Deniro learnt Saxophone for New York, New York; Meryl Streep learnt the Bach Violin for Music of the Heart; Tom Hanks learnt the violin for The Man With One Red Shoe (a MUST-see hillarious movie).. the list goes on...and back home... there are so many blunders... I just cannot forget the life size poster of King Khan in Mohabattein...don't even want to mention the names of the rest...
What if God was one of us??
If God had a name, what would it be
And would you call it to his face
If you were faced with him in all his glory
What would you ask if you had just one question
What if God was one of us
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Trying to make his way home
If God had a face what would it look like
And would you want to see
If seeing meant that you would have to believe
In things like heaven and in jesus and the saints and all the prophets
He's trying to make his way home
Back up to heaven all alone
Nobody calling on the phone
Except for the pope maybe in Rome
What if???
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Less than 2 feet of Fashion Statement!
Monday, November 12, 2007
FINE is NOT okay!
Me and a couple of my friends were supposed to throw a surprise birthday party for another friend of mine. Was supposed to reach well in advance and plan the whole thing out. The venue was this huge mall up North. The fastest and cheapest way to reach the venue was our good ol' lifeline of Mumbai – the Local Train! Being a sunday, one can expect a queue of anywhere between 10ft to 25 ft to get the ticket. To make matters worse, I was running a wee bit late. So I ask Piyadee (my eldest Sis-in-law) if I could borrow some Coupons ...She hands over half booklet...As a worst case scenario, she also gives me her railway pass...but then again it has her snap stamped on it.. I couldn't possibly use it. As for the coupons, I still I think it's the best thing that the Railways could come up with...a great time saver. No queues...just punch your coupon and you are ready to travel. Don't really understand why people don't stick to coupons rather than stand in those mindless queues. No extra money is charged whatsoever. Anyways, there I was at Santacruz station, punched my coupons and waited for the train to arrive. A rather smartly dressed TC (Ticket Collector) approaches and asks for my ticket. Fair enough! I flaunt my punched coupons. To my sheer surprise it is refused outrightly. I had punched used coupons. So basically I was about to travel without a ticket. He takes me to a secluded cabin..Man! I have been travelling for a year from Santacruz..and I never knew about the existence of this cabin.. I have to pay a fine, he says. How much??.. Rs.261/- (this amount includes the ticket cost which i was expected to buy in the first place). He starts a trivial conversation.. Are you studying or working?? ..I work as a writer (hate the blank look on people's face when I tell them I am a copywriter...writer is a safe bet) ... In a newspaper??...no. no.no..I work for an advertising agency (he seemed rather relieved on hearing that) Where are you going?.. With a sad face, I inform him that I was on my way to attend a friend's birthday party. I ask him, can the amount be reduced?? He asks, You don't have money to pay the fine?.. Well, I do but I will have to take it out of the amount that I was willing to pay for the birthday gift... He empathizes and says he would only take Rs.150/- .. I ask..how would that help?? He tells me he would consider another offender and club my fine charges alongwith. I clarify, so a receipt won't be made right??..Correct!! So that means the money would basically go into your pocket (Darn!! I should learn not to put my foot in my mouth)... He smiled back and handed me the receipt..
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Hurray!!! We are the Pioneers
That's mine (left) & Binda's workstation..with Kevin (on my left) and Amol (trying to hide)
View if I were to turn around and find Kamaksh working??
The Ceiling
Our award winning Rangoli
Today we celebrated traditional day in our office. And boy! did we rock or what?!! After a very looooooong time felt like I actually celebrated Diwali in its true spirit... yesterday a mail was sent across that the best decorated table would win surprises galore. To tell you the truth, it wasn't the prize that really mattered...it was more to do to revive the long forgotten fervor of Diwali... Stayed back last night and the four of us.. Myself, Viggy, Amol n Kamlesh created diyas and covered the tubes with gelatin paper to give the much needed colourful effect. This morning we reached early and made the rangoli. Binda & Kamaksh arranged for the musical lights... Guess we lived up to our team name PIONEERS... for soon the other teams followed suit... the chain reaction spread...and Voila! the whole office was lit up... And oh! everyone looked in their elemental best ... Such was the spirit that three of the guys actually went to Fabindia and bought Kurtas... and that includes Amol whom we could never imagine in a traditional attire... but he rocked... hhmmm do I smell a milkshake coming my way?? hahahaha... Have a Happy Diwali everybody... Long live the cheerful spirit!!...and oh yeah by the way, we won the award for the best decoration...
Monday, November 5, 2007
Diwali Aali
A Beautiful Rangoli (check out the finer details of Lord Ganesha)
Diyas : The true essence of Diwali
There's certainly an aura about Diwali (the festival of lights). Even before the festival begins (this year it is supposed to be on 8th, 9th & 10th Nov) the whole city gets dressed to mark the occasion.
As a kid, Diwali meant so many things :
A grand 20 day vacation including the irritating homework which would be taken care of on the night of the 19th day of course
A brand new outfit and in favourable conditions if it were to coincide with my birthday, would be eligible for a bonus outfit
Preparation (rather tasting) of sweets, not just in my house but neighbours' houses too. Calories were never heard of in those times. Guess too much of running around would take care of it.
Crackers/ Fireworks. Used to beg and plead to my brothers to buy them for me. Box bomb, Laxmi bomb, Taj Mahal, Rockets, Snakes (yeah..it used to emit a foul smell) and telephone were among my favourites. Used to wake up as early as 5 to burst the crackers.
Rangoli – a colourful display of art. Please check the image for reference. Mind you, it is only for reference purpose. I could never in my wildest of dreams ever create something even close to that. IT used to take me no less than 2 hrs to complete a simple design
Wishing almost every house in the neighbourhood. Passing on the Thaali (containing all the sweets made at home). Yeah literally the Thaali used to get passed around, at least the contents of the Thaali. It works like this. I take the Thaali to a house. The receiving party would empty the Thaali and pass on the sweets from their home into the Thaali as a return parcel. Now the content that I receive does not necessarily has to be from their house. It might have been delivered by a third party. It's a vicious cycle you see. Many a times it has so happened that in the circulation we have actually received the sweets made at our own home... Talk about loopholes in networking!
As a grown up Diwali now means:
2 ½ days of holiday...3 if there is no pooja in the office
Self-sponsorship of the new outfit
Thakkar Sweets – Ready to eat packets
Crackers : Noise Pollution & Air Pollution
Rangoli : Neighbour's house and my camera
Diwali wishes – E-mail! Fast, easy, multiple recievers and it's FREE!
Must say times sure have changed...
Think about it!!
But try to think of it literally... The rod to a great career begins with 3.
Friday, November 2, 2007
When all else fails, read the instructions.
And I had to wait a good 75 minutes for my mom to finish her bath and pooja to resume cooking.
Reason : I don't know how to do it, and I never took the efforts to learn it.
It's a real shame. I mean I can single-handedly cook a 5 course meal for almost 20 people (yes I have done it)... But fix the cooking gas cylinders???...hhhmmmm
November Rain... Hit It!!!
I can see a love restrained
But darlin' when I hold you
Don't you know I feel the same
'Cause nothin' lasts forever
And we both know hearts can change
And it's hard to hold a candle
In the cold November rain...
Found myself humming GnR all the way back home...
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Neither here, nor there.. yeah! that's me a Scorpio/Sagittarius Cusp:
it's just about yours truly.. Read it at your own risk!!
Scorpio is the eighth sign of the Zodiac; Sagittarius is the ninth. Scorpio is the sign of sex and death, the beginning and ending, and they explore these ideas from an emotional standpoint. Sagittarius uses knowledge to understand the world. Sagittarius is the sign of philosophy and religion, and people born under this sign are the scholars and learners of the Zodiac. Those born on the Scorpio/Sagittarius cusp seek the truth and the meaning of life, and they love to explore through knowledge. They are investigative and probing, often strongly intuitive and penetrating.
The astrological symbol of Scorpio is the Scorpion. The astrological symbol of Sagittarius is the Archer. Scorpio/Sagittarius are very determined, and once they've made up their minds, they are unlikely to change them. Expressing the fixed quality of Scorpio, they tend to be stubborn, refusing to give up when others have long since become bored and abandoned a project, and they get things done when no one else thought it possible. Even though Scorpio/Sagittarius are likely to remain true to their opinions and judgments once they have settled on them, they are not necessarily fixed or opinionated. They have no set plan or bias but seek to learn new ideas as they come. In this way, the mutable quality of Sagittarius is exemplified. They desire the freedom to do what they want when they want, and they tend to be impulsive and independent.
Scorpio/Sagittarius people tend to be concerned with deeper and focused learning. They are versatile and progressive, but at times they can be impatient and pushy if something isn't getting done the way they want. Those who wish to change a Scorpio/Sagittarius mind often have trouble because they can never be sure what their motivation is; they are too complex and sometimes too secretive to be understood easily.
Scorpio is ruled by the planets Mars and Pluto. In ancient Roman mythology, Mars (and his Greek equivalent, Ares) was the god of war, and ancient astrologers assigned both Aries and Scorpio to this Planet. Pluto (and his Greek equivalent, Hades) was the god of the underworld, and when the planet Pluto was discovered early in the 20th century, astrologers assigned Scorpio to it. Scorpio's modern ruler, Pluto, represents death and endings; it's the sign of rebirth and regeneration.
Sagittarius is ruled by the planet Jupiter. In ancient Roman mythology, Jupiter (and his Greek equivalent, Zeus) was the king of the gods. Jupiter represents expansion in all its forms, including the mental outreach so prominent in Sagittarians, but it also may invite excess. It is the planet of luck, and many people born under Sagittarius do experience good luck. Scorpio/Sagittarians are interested in thought and outreach. They are intensely powerful, good-humored and generous.
The element associated with Scorpio is Water. The element associated with Sagittarius is Fire. Scorpio/Sagittarians tend to respond to the world through emotion and action, rather than practicality. They are eager and inspirational; they are about action and getting things started, but they can also seem irresponsible or tactless if they jump in too quickly. They want to experience life, rather than read about it, and they are outgoing and friendly. Scorpio/Sagittarians are motivated and loyal, but they are often misunderstood, and others may see them as dictatorial or sarcastic. They are broad-minded and enthusiastic, but they may sometimes seem to have foot-in-mouth disease, as they may talk too much or speak before thinking. Scorpio/Sagittarians are both mystical and scientific, a combination that makes them very aware of what is happening around them; they are a sign of great depth. Many enjoy travel and spiritual study and have daring and adventurous spirits.
Scorpio/Sagittarians aspire to be the phoenix or eagle, rising above the ordinary world and into something extraordinary. Their suspicion and jealousy can pull them down, but their passion and awareness can help them rise above this. They also love to have a good time and are outgoing and friendly. Many are natural comedians, sometimes exaggerating their adventures to entertain others. Their innate self-confidence may make them argumentative or blunt, but their intention is to learn, not to offend. They are high-spirited and enthusiastic, often flirtatious, and they tend to enjoy social life immensely.
In their leisure time, Scorpio/Sagittarians enjoy competition and challenge. They aren't satisfied with moving along at half speed or lowering their abilities to let those with lesser skills beat them. Personal challenge is always appreciated, and they tend to prefer solitary or one-on-one sports that stretch them to the limit, such as skydiving and big game fishing. They tend to be lucky and may enjoy gambling. Their philosophical side makes them enjoy drama and debate, as well as most other mentally challenging pursuits.
In love relationships, Scorpio/Sagittarians are flirtatious, playful, caring and possessive. The great strength of the Scorpio/Sagittarius-born is in their determination to see things through to the end. They refuse to allow boredom to turn them away from projects, and they are committed to accomplishing what they set out to do. Their philosophical and exploratory nature makes it important to live life to the fullest, experiencing everything they can. Their great love of knowledge and exploration makes them one of the most learned characters of the zodiac.... aaahaaa!!