Perspective

मैं क्या हूँ, सब कुछ तो हूँ।मैं क्या हूँ, कुछ भी तो नही।

My top ten: Romantic Comedies

1. There Is Something About Mary
Diaz is stunningly desirable and there is a crowd vying for her including our hero Ben.

2. 50 First Dates
The cutest one. Adam is in love and has to remind Drew everyday how much he loves her.

3. When Harry Met Sally
A total commoner Billy and a charming Meg play acquaintance that gradually grows into love. I can't stop laughing when Meg slaps Billy for being a total jerk.

4. Notting Hill
A superstar from Beverly Hills befriends a bookstore owner who lives in Notting Hill. I love the dialogue Julia says ... "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her."

5. Clueless
Alicia is at her best. This movie is supposed to have created the biggest fashion trend in the US.

6. My Big Fat Greek wedding
A situational comedy with punches so often that I remember falling off the chair laughing.

7. You've Got Mail
The first one to capture chat-n-date culture. Meg is adorable and Tom Hanks looks as serious as possible in a romantic comedy.

8. Love Actually
Several lives entwined and all seeking love. This movie is a class apart.

9. Serendipity
This would have some bias cos I think Kate Beckinsale is the most beautiful woman in Hollywood. The movie is good.

10. America's Sweethearts
Strange but I found Julia much more beautiful than in Pretty Woman. Here she plays sidekick to CJ who is a star and she is in love with CJ's ex-husband.

Life is a waste anyway :)

me: i was gettin pholosophicalwhat do u think

suppose somethin bad happens to u that u think u dont deserve

?

how wud u respond

X: ya

I'd ask GOd y me

me: he he

and then

X: thn wht

nothin I guess

may-b gt all phylosph lk u

me: how long wil u blame god

1 day

2 day

a week

a month

X: tru

thn?

me: well after u get over it

u will start realizing that those days were the days u actually wasted

:)

X: vr perfectly rt

I hv felt it2

at times

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

chalo no more time waste

At the wrong end of business cycle

I hate hearing about social responsibility! Whatever happened to unbridled greed, the conspicuous consumption of wealth, and the get-ahead-by-any-means credo?? Don't tell me it's all over! I didn't get to participate! They can't change the game before I am old enough to play! It's not fair!

-- Calvin

(Contributed by Manish Kumar)

Partyyyyyyyy !!!

_

Me: Ho gayaa.
Friend: Wow ! Great !! Ausm !!!
Me: Yeah.
Friend: Party ??
Me: Anytime yaar.
Friend: When?
Me: Jab tu bole...
Friend: Time bataa.
Me: Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
Friend: Saturday?
Me: Nai yaar Saturday तो I am with family.
Friend: Sunday?
Me: :( so sorry yaa already hav plans for Sunday.
Friend: To kab dega party?
Me: Anytime yaar. Jab tu bole....

Help me makeover!

So there is this guy who was always into studies and now he is working in US doing I dont know what. Has to be something boring cos anything a bookworm would do is boring. Just then I realize that I was also a bookworm once. Let me correct the statement. For many of my acquaintances, I 'am' a bookworm. It's like once a bookworm, always a bookworm. And bookworms are boring. Even if they are trekking in Amazon with the hottest playboy model, they must be doing it in the dullest possible way !!! At least that's what everyone thinks !

Now I notice all those comments I get from my distant family members on my focus and concentration when all I am doin is just watching my favourite genie (aadhi adhoori jadooi aasmaani taaqat ;) i jus luv him) on cartoon network.

Man ! I need an image makeover and this mba stuffz hardly gonna help :(

definition of success

_
To laugh often and much;
to win respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
to earn the appreciation of honest critics and to endure the betrayal of false friends;
to appreciate beauty;
to find the best in others;
to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.

That is to have succeeded.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Was it a nightmare?

Kush is shouting in my ears. I wake up. Where am I ? Oh ! This is the Rotherham flat where we are living for past one month. But what's the din about? Kush is looking horrified. Someone has stabbed Saurabh to death last night. Apparently there is a serial killer on loose in the small town. Now I panic.

Kush suggests we leave the town immediately. More shoutings. I collect my pajama and yellow t shirt and run down the stairs. Surprisingly the same car is waiting for us that Kush drives in India. It has a driver also. But what is it doing in the middle of UK? No time to wonder. We all get inside - Kush, Kunwar and me. We ask the driver to take us somewhere outside the town. Again noisy discussion starts. Who is this serial killer? Why Saurabh?

Suddenly the driver stops the car. He removes his cap. Now his face is visible. He is Bobby Deol ! He looks at us and gives that typical mocking smile of his which says what a bunch of fools we are. Now we realize. He is the serial killer ! He slowly takes out his gun and starts fitting silencer on it. The last thing I remember is that there is a question mark on each of our faces. There would have been bullets had I completed my dream.

Was it a nightmare? Not exactly.

(R) for Recommended

Two evenings. Two friend circles. Two places. One word - Awesome.

I suspect things went too well this weekend. Choki Dhani was an amazing outing on Saturday and GK 2 was surprisingly wonderful on Sunday. What was common apart from the awesome experience? Two things. Firstly I was with friends. Secondly all of us were expecting pretty less from our excursion besides the fact that we were in good company.

Both Choki Dhani (Jaipur) and Diva (GK2) are now (R).

Provide, provide!

_
No memory of having starred
Atones for later disregard,
Or keeps the end from being hard.

Better to go down dignified
With boughten friendship at your side
Than none at all. Provide, provide!
--
Robert Frost

The most entertaining religion?

It was during that long conversation when Bibi asked me if I was born with a choice, which religion I would choose. I said, why, of course Hinduism. She asked me why and the answer was something I had realized a few seconds ago.

If I were to choose a religion, I would choose the most entertaining one, which would keep me occupied in case I want to be. Hinduism scores maximum on both these parameters. The number and variety of festivals and rituals in Hinduism are far more fun than others. Then those long travels just to see a stone that vaguely resembles one of the thoughts of one of the gods. I remember figuring out why we are calling a tetrahadron as Shivling at Kedarnath. Even when I first visited Vaishnodevi, I totally missed the Pinds and as we came out of the cave, I was asking Ma what we were supposed to look at. She was furious and decided to take me for a second round.

Anyways, I love the amount of travel that comes with the Hinduism package and so it is my first choice.

Because I choose to.

Agent Smith: Why, Mr. Anderson, why? Why, why do you do it? Why, why get up? Why keep fighting?

Do you believe you’re fighting for something, for more than your survival? Can you tell me what it is, do you even know? Is it freedom or truth, perhaps peace - could it be for love?

Illusions, Mr. Anderson, vagaries of perception. Temporary constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose. And all of them as artificial as the Matrix itself. Although, only a human mind could invent something as insipid as love.

You must be able to see it, Mr. Anderson, you must know it by now! You can’t win, it’s pointless to keep fighting! Why, Mr. Anderson, why, why do you persist?

Neo: Because I choose to.

Press On !!

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race

- J. Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States of America

My Top 10: Favourite Treks

Love for trek is one attribute which I associate with trustworthiness. An ardent trekker with a penchant for nature can only be truthful and beautiful from within.


1. Khajjiar to Chamba
I can never forget climbing down the hill, crossing that wooden bridge and then having my lunch beside the flowing river with Bhaiya. This is just half the story :)

2. McLeodganj to Triund
This one is difficult (9 Km uphill) but the contrast of green and white at the top makes it worth the effort.

3. Mukteshwar Trek
This one is memorable because of the M Team we made. Standing at the protruding rock on Chali ki Jaali was awesome.

4. Dalhaousie to Lakkadmandi
Part of National Trekking Expedition, this one was one of my first long treks in Himalayas.

5. Summer Hill to Chadwick Falls
Not many people know about this waterfall in Shimla. Its secluded and natural to the core.

6. Hanuman Chatti to Yamunotri Glacier
One of the most difficult treks. It is not long (7 Km) but the path is rocky and elevated.

7. Kedarnath Trek
Long (14 Km) but simple. The morning view of surrounding hills at Kedarnath is breath-taking.

8. Pavagarh Trek
Ropeway to the top is available but still trek is preferred. This one is near Baroda and reminds me of our bunch at Ahmedabad.

9. Periyar Night Petrol
Manish and Vikash will share this memory with me. Its one of the few wierd things we did in our Kerala trip.

10. Daulatabad Fort Trek
Bhaiya still wont forgive me since we had to abort our trek to the top of this fort cos I developed pressure. It is near Aurangabad and has a terrific defense system.

Triund Trail: A Perfect Weekend

Take a 10 PM train from Delhi to Pathankot on Friday. There are at least 5 of them. Pathankot is overnight journey and you will be there before 9 AM on Saturday. Take a bus from Pathankot to McLeodganj which is a 4 hour drive. You will reach there before 12 Noon. Check into one of the HPTDC hotels. Fresh up and go for Pema Thang Restaurant nearby or better order something in your room. Try some Tibbetan delicacies for lunch. Plan how you would like to spend the rest of day. Ideally you would like to visit the famous Dalai Lama's Monestry which is hardly 5 minutes away. Other places to explore are Bhagsu Waterfall and a trek to St John's Church.

Sleep comfortably because the next day is going to be very hectic. You will have to start as early as 8 AM on Sunday. Take a cab to Dharamkot which is 4 Km from hotel. The long trek starts. Carry 2 bottles of water per person, two chocolates and some food. Triund Ridge is visible from here. It is 10 Km uphill. The first rest would come at Ganu Temple after an hour. Trekking further to Mid Way Cafe will take another one and half hour. Further up is a difficult patch but you will forget everything once you reach the summit. It is a green patch with ice-capped mountain in front. Pleasent breeze and warm sun will make you feel sleepy. Have some food and lie around for a couple of hours. You will realize how good life can be.



Come down fast without break and you will reach McLeodganj before 5 PM. Eat around. Try Italian this time. Now you must start thinking about packing up. Take a bus for Chakki Bank. The last one starts at 7. You will reach the station before 10. A train takes you back to Delhi (you need to reserve a week in advance for both up and down) and you will reach home in time to start for another wonderful day at office :)

Budget for trip = 1000 (A/C train fare) + 200 (bus) + 500 (hotel) + local transport (300) + food (500) = 2500 per person.

About love

_
Love is about liking and knowing - liking each other, knowing each other, knowing the fact that two people like each other and liking the idea that there is still so much more to know.

The most amazing thing about love is that it grows stature wise, not taking giant steps but through little moments of joy. A minor incident recalled, a small altercation resolved, an unusual yet reasonable demand fulfilled, a peculiar characteristic observed, a serious discussion on future - all exclusive to a couple, adds to the beauty.

Robin Williams once said- "Love is a gift. If you have received it, try and appreciate it. If not, don't worry. Someone is still wrapping it for you."

My top 10: Animations

1. Cars
A racing car named Lighning Mcqueen learns the most important lessons of life elsewhere from the track and realizes that there's a lot more to racing than just winning.

2. Kung-Fu Panda
A fat slob of a Panda starts believing in himself and becomes the greatest Dragon Warrior of the land.

3. Shark Tale
Lenny, the sweet shark, is vegetarian and can't confess this to his father.

4. Wall-E
A waste collecting machine (Wall-E) falls in love with a flying vegetation finder (Eve) and follows her to create the most adorable love story ever set in hyperspace.

5. Finding Nemo
Nemo, the clown fish, is gone and his father has the entire ocean to look for him. The problem is how to proceed?

6. Lion King
Simba, the cub to be king, thinks his father died because of him and leaves his 'to be kingdom' in ruins. He returns in time to save the day.

7. Shrek 1
Shrek, the ogre, saves Princess Fiona so that he may spend his life peacefully in his swamp. He ends up adding another of his kind there.

8. Monsters,Inc.
Monsters Incorporated works because chidren are scared of monsters. It takes a crackling smile of a baby to make them realize that true potential lies elsewhere.

9. Ratatouille
Remi, the rat, is an excellent cook and he knows it. The problem is that the world is not ready to accept it.

10. Ice Age 1
A mammoth decides to save a baby boy and return it to his father. There are conspiracies to tackle and an ice age to confront.

Anything but the best

It's funny thing about life. If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it - Somerset Maugham.

About me...

Hear the eternal procrastinator.

I am an optimistic person with a big fat greek nose. I am considered human only because textbooks say troglodytes no longer exist (at least not in sub-urban India). I procrastinate. If I were to compete with a pregnant hippopotamus on who is more lazy, I would let her win. This also shows my generosity to the fairer sex. I am still figuring out how to communicate with women. So if you are a girl and I am still talking to you, there's a fair chance that I might have stopped considering you one :O

On a lighter note, I have an IQ of 145 and an attitude of a self proclaimed roman emperor (I might remind you of King Julien). It is a miracle that I have a handful of friends whom I wouldn't trade for my next seven hundred lives. I was gifted with a huge loving family - not that I deserve it. And now I have a nephew - the most adorable, kissable, lovable piece of life. And I am his best Chachu - has to be cos I am the only one ;)

I believe that life is beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of beholder. I hold life beautiful and that is the essence of my happiness.

ग़ालिब कहते हैं...

ज़िन्दगी तेरी हर बात पे समझौता करूँ
शौक जीने का है पर इतना तो नही

जो मुड़ के भी ना देखे एक बार को
ऐसी मगरुर तमन्नाओं का पीछा ना करो

मैं खुदा था गर होता ना कोई मुद्दा
मेरी आरजूओं ने मुझे बन्दा कर दिया