Sunday, December 31, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Books...
You see my birthday is approaching...for that or any arbit reason...anyone gifting me the following is welcome:
- The 9/11 Commission Report
- Steve Waugh's autobiography
- David A. Vise's The Google Story
- Bill Gates Business @ the speed of Thought
- Hillary Clinton's autobiography
- Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat
- Christopher Paolini's Eragon
- Christopher Paolini's Eldest
- Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 911
- Salman Rushdie's Shalimar The Clown
- Salman Rushdie's Step Across The Line
- Joseph E. Stiglitz's Making Globalization Work
- Some Orhan Pamuk titles
- Ayn Rand's Virtue of Selfishness
- Ayn Rand's Anthem
- Amy Tan's Saving Fish from Drowning
At times, there is something everyone needs to do...spend time with oneself and look back...seclusion, at times, is not something that reflects insanity...However gregarious I may appear to be, I know I am not...maybe I am...but surely not most of the times...A certain level of seclusion...isolation is necessary for sanity...
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Ponder Ponder
If i had a dream and you had a dream and both dreamt of each other, how would we know who was dreaming whom and who was more real than the other?
If you woke up whiile dreaming of me even as i dreamt of you, would i disappear? and if i disappeared, then how can you, a part of my dream, still be around?
ponder ponder ...
"Published" with consent
If you woke up whiile dreaming of me even as i dreamt of you, would i disappear? and if i disappeared, then how can you, a part of my dream, still be around?
ponder ponder ...
"Published" with consent
Monday, December 25, 2006
My to do list ..
1. start studyin...for (well this is going to be a listtt) XAT...FMS..
2. my "darlin'" project...playing ping pong at the moment...
3. do something worthwhile..wht exactly...dnt knw... ( do suggest somethin)
thats all I can remember for now..though the above is definitely not an exhaustive list !
2. my "darlin'" project...playing ping pong at the moment...
3. do something worthwhile..wht exactly...dnt knw... ( do suggest somethin)
thats all I can remember for now..though the above is definitely not an exhaustive list !
Tree of Life
From TOI: 25 Dec 2006
The modern custom of decorating the Christmas tree has been traced back to a more recent tradition in 1570 where a small fir was decorated with apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers, by a German guild of craftsmen. Their children collected the dainties on Christmas day.
It is believed that the tradition of the Christmas tree has its origins in an ancient pagan ritual celebrating renewal of life. The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen coniferous tree, a variety of fir or pine that retains its leaves all year round. Some species such as the ‘Glastonbury thorn’ flowered for a second time during Christmas and this flowering was considered ‘miraculous’, according to some mediaeval legends.
In modern celebrations, the Christmas tree has become more of an object than a symbol of life. Nowadays, trees are seen in shops as early as October. Some trees are sold live with roots, so that they may be planted later and enjoyed for years. However, the process of digging up a tree with its roots is complex and the survival of these trees is low. Most people, therefore, use a cut tree which comes from a Christmas tree farm. It takes about 10 years for a tree to grow to a size where it can be used for Christmas. In 2002, in America alone, there were about 22,000 Christmas tree farms and nearly 4,50,000 acres of land was used to grow these trees.
Natural trees, however, come with a host of problems such as the potential for catching fire and causing allergies, besides being fairly expensive. Predictably, plastic has taken over, and artificial trees made out of PVC are now becoming increasingly popular. Artificial trees come in a variety of colours and species and even pre-decorated with lights. After Christmas they can be neatly packed away for use again the following year.
In this voyage from a real unsheared tree, originally harvested from the wild, the Christmas tree has come a long way to now being grown like a crop, being pruned to have a perfect conical shape and finally being replaced by a completely unnatural substitute. Environmentalists are still debating whether the move to plastic is better or worse for the environment. Although artificial trees can be reused for many years, they are non-biodegradable and eventually end up in landfills. Natural trees, on the other hand, can only be used for a short period but can be recycled into mulch or used as erosion control.
What is also losing value gradually is the deeper symbolism of the tree. While there are several layers of spiritual meaning attached to it, the act of inviting a tree into one’s life could also be seen simply as a reconnection to nature. Although a man-made substitute may be practical and durable, what it can never be is alive. The tradition began at a time when nature was abundant and humans lived with a strong awareness of their dependence on nature. In the present time, as urbanisation takes us further and further away from our natural roots, the custom of the Christmas tree could become a reminder that we are indeed still very much a part of the natural universe.
The Christmas tree could represent all trees and symbolise the very important role that trees play in the survival of life. In each country, a species of tree that is indigenous to that context and which plays an important role as a provider of food and livelihood could be taken to be the Christmas tree. Already, in India, where coniferous trees are limited to higher altitudes, the banana or the mango tree play that role. In Goa, the trunks of palms are decorated with chains of light for Christmas and for New Year.
Rather than cultivating Christmas trees, which increases monoculture and necessitates the use of pesticides, naturally growing ‘wild’ trees should be honoured during Christmas. The ‘gifts’ that are associated with the Christmas tree, could then be seen as gifts that all trees offer so unconditionally.
The Christmas tree, a symbol of renewal of life, may finally come back to where it began, and help humanity reconnect with the source of all that is living, namely Nature.
The modern custom of decorating the Christmas tree has been traced back to a more recent tradition in 1570 where a small fir was decorated with apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers, by a German guild of craftsmen. Their children collected the dainties on Christmas day.
It is believed that the tradition of the Christmas tree has its origins in an ancient pagan ritual celebrating renewal of life. The Christmas tree is usually an evergreen coniferous tree, a variety of fir or pine that retains its leaves all year round. Some species such as the ‘Glastonbury thorn’ flowered for a second time during Christmas and this flowering was considered ‘miraculous’, according to some mediaeval legends.
In modern celebrations, the Christmas tree has become more of an object than a symbol of life. Nowadays, trees are seen in shops as early as October. Some trees are sold live with roots, so that they may be planted later and enjoyed for years. However, the process of digging up a tree with its roots is complex and the survival of these trees is low. Most people, therefore, use a cut tree which comes from a Christmas tree farm. It takes about 10 years for a tree to grow to a size where it can be used for Christmas. In 2002, in America alone, there were about 22,000 Christmas tree farms and nearly 4,50,000 acres of land was used to grow these trees.
Natural trees, however, come with a host of problems such as the potential for catching fire and causing allergies, besides being fairly expensive. Predictably, plastic has taken over, and artificial trees made out of PVC are now becoming increasingly popular. Artificial trees come in a variety of colours and species and even pre-decorated with lights. After Christmas they can be neatly packed away for use again the following year.
In this voyage from a real unsheared tree, originally harvested from the wild, the Christmas tree has come a long way to now being grown like a crop, being pruned to have a perfect conical shape and finally being replaced by a completely unnatural substitute. Environmentalists are still debating whether the move to plastic is better or worse for the environment. Although artificial trees can be reused for many years, they are non-biodegradable and eventually end up in landfills. Natural trees, on the other hand, can only be used for a short period but can be recycled into mulch or used as erosion control.
What is also losing value gradually is the deeper symbolism of the tree. While there are several layers of spiritual meaning attached to it, the act of inviting a tree into one’s life could also be seen simply as a reconnection to nature. Although a man-made substitute may be practical and durable, what it can never be is alive. The tradition began at a time when nature was abundant and humans lived with a strong awareness of their dependence on nature. In the present time, as urbanisation takes us further and further away from our natural roots, the custom of the Christmas tree could become a reminder that we are indeed still very much a part of the natural universe.
The Christmas tree could represent all trees and symbolise the very important role that trees play in the survival of life. In each country, a species of tree that is indigenous to that context and which plays an important role as a provider of food and livelihood could be taken to be the Christmas tree. Already, in India, where coniferous trees are limited to higher altitudes, the banana or the mango tree play that role. In Goa, the trunks of palms are decorated with chains of light for Christmas and for New Year.
Rather than cultivating Christmas trees, which increases monoculture and necessitates the use of pesticides, naturally growing ‘wild’ trees should be honoured during Christmas. The ‘gifts’ that are associated with the Christmas tree, could then be seen as gifts that all trees offer so unconditionally.
The Christmas tree, a symbol of renewal of life, may finally come back to where it began, and help humanity reconnect with the source of all that is living, namely Nature.
Lessons learnt... the hard way !!
Quite contrary to the general saying, people prefer to watch others fall and learn from their failures...sounds like the perfect thoughts of a lazy person...sit and wait till the person besides you falls down the pit...watch him down there...analyze where he went wrong and move ahead...
Now it suggested to me when u watch that person-beside-you fall down that pit...don't just stand above watching him and learning all the lessons you ought to...hold out your hand and reach out to him with a smile...
Thats like too pretentious...my first opinion about the "suggested" approach towards life...i mean...you were the person who was waiting this guy would fall...and you'll learn and move ahead...and then you ought to pretend like you are the savior...rescuing this fellow..
Diplomacy...at play...(was going to write at the best...but at the moment I 'm not really sure if it ought to be the "best" or the "worst") Seen it here and there...the perfect shrewd specimen..I have encountered in my life...but never really understood why a person on this planet would need to behave diplomatically...fine...its something that the zany politicians can do...its there work...otherwise they wouldn't be left with anything else to do...
End of philosophy...I decided to give this strange eerie philosophy i shot...and the perfect scenario...I had that chance today...
Though I would still rather be the same frank person most of the time...I do understand where these diplomatic tactics are to be put into implementation...and perhaps the best situations are:
1. when you don't want to be answerable to somebody...or a particular group of people...especially when they DON'T even have a right to interrogate you about topic A and B and C and blah blah..
2. when you want to create a distance between yourself and person2 and yet..don't want to cut off completely.
Its not too tough either...just keep that smile of yours in place...and use that calculative brain of yours...
PS - some more opinion-oriented posts coming up soon..
Now it suggested to me when u watch that person-beside-you fall down that pit...don't just stand above watching him and learning all the lessons you ought to...hold out your hand and reach out to him with a smile...
Thats like too pretentious...my first opinion about the "suggested" approach towards life...i mean...you were the person who was waiting this guy would fall...and you'll learn and move ahead...and then you ought to pretend like you are the savior...rescuing this fellow..
Diplomacy...at play...(was going to write at the best...but at the moment I 'm not really sure if it ought to be the "best" or the "worst") Seen it here and there...the perfect shrewd specimen..I have encountered in my life...but never really understood why a person on this planet would need to behave diplomatically...fine...its something that the zany politicians can do...its there work...otherwise they wouldn't be left with anything else to do...
End of philosophy...I decided to give this strange eerie philosophy i shot...and the perfect scenario...I had that chance today...
Though I would still rather be the same frank person most of the time...I do understand where these diplomatic tactics are to be put into implementation...and perhaps the best situations are:
1. when you don't want to be answerable to somebody...or a particular group of people...especially when they DON'T even have a right to interrogate you about topic A and B and C and blah blah..
2. when you want to create a distance between yourself and person2 and yet..don't want to cut off completely.
Its not too tough either...just keep that smile of yours in place...and use that calculative brain of yours...
PS - some more opinion-oriented posts coming up soon..
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
salty coffee
(a forwarded mail..unlike the usual ones.. so read on..)
He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody even paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything. She felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home..suddenly he asked the waiter: "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously: why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea , just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee,I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much,I miss my parents who are still living there".While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart.A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home,cares about home, has responsibility of home..Then she also started to speak, spoke about her farawayhometown, her childhood, her family.That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date.She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you foranything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".
Her tears made the letter totally wet.
Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?
It's sweet. She replied.......
He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he was so normal, nobody even paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything. She felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home..suddenly he asked the waiter: "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."
Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but, still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously: why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea , just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee,I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much,I miss my parents who are still living there".While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.
That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart.A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home,cares about home, has responsibility of home..Then she also started to speak, spoke about her farawayhometown, her childhood, her family.That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.
They continued to date.She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee! Then the story was just like every beautiful love story, the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.
After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you foranything.. Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".
Her tears made the letter totally wet.
Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?
It's sweet. She replied.......
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
alritos...am in a decent blogging mood tonight...unlike the past few days...when i used to start a post....feeling theres a lot to be written and closing it down (without saving) after a few minutes...
today...is definitely different...probably because i have been thinking...and now i have a certain level of confidence in what is happening around me...dont know the exact reasons...but the cruz of the matter is that i feel GOOD!...and it feels nice!!
to all the people i care....my bachas...it feels great to have you all around...
ummm....getting to the point...the frustration i wanted to vent out...the thoughts i wanted to pour down on my blog...FEMALES ARE CRAZZZZY!!
this blog might not be the right place to write down about people in my life...its "public"...but then who else is gonna read it?...apart from me and probably those people??...and the "millions" of strangers who read this...its french to them...other than that...who gives a damn if the bitch reads this and feels disappointed that i have stopped mentioning her!!?...bitches like her can actually go to hell...and fuck themselves (they aren't gonna get anyone else for that!)
lets start with...ummm....kanika...probably one of the closest friends i have in college...and to date...i confess...shes a mystery...thinks strangely...but understands me...and has stood by me in times when i didnt even knew i had a friend besides me...hats off to you girl!...hope you get past that pre-CAT stage...and transform back to the normal vella-maroing female i knew some time back...
now theres baba...khubsu baba...another mysterious character...with loads of misunderstandings and walls standing between the two of us..hoping they'll finally fall down this semester...kal ho naa ho!!
a few people i saw with respectful eyes...alas...not anymore...
past few days...found i carry a lot of importance to a few people...(read insects).. :) ur an amazing person too keeda...
and my cutest bacha...or rather bache....my fav trio on this planet...or rather quadruple...aadi, ankur, sandy and anvay...ankur is the best!!...
:)
that's all folks...see you later, alligator...
PS - the blogging mood just ended...for tonight...
today...is definitely different...probably because i have been thinking...and now i have a certain level of confidence in what is happening around me...dont know the exact reasons...but the cruz of the matter is that i feel GOOD!...and it feels nice!!
to all the people i care....my bachas...it feels great to have you all around...
ummm....getting to the point...the frustration i wanted to vent out...the thoughts i wanted to pour down on my blog...FEMALES ARE CRAZZZZY!!
this blog might not be the right place to write down about people in my life...its "public"...but then who else is gonna read it?...apart from me and probably those people??...and the "millions" of strangers who read this...its french to them...other than that...who gives a damn if the bitch reads this and feels disappointed that i have stopped mentioning her!!?...bitches like her can actually go to hell...and fuck themselves (they aren't gonna get anyone else for that!)
lets start with...ummm....kanika...probably one of the closest friends i have in college...and to date...i confess...shes a mystery...thinks strangely...but understands me...and has stood by me in times when i didnt even knew i had a friend besides me...hats off to you girl!...hope you get past that pre-CAT stage...and transform back to the normal vella-maroing female i knew some time back...
now theres baba...khubsu baba...another mysterious character...with loads of misunderstandings and walls standing between the two of us..hoping they'll finally fall down this semester...kal ho naa ho!!
a few people i saw with respectful eyes...alas...not anymore...
past few days...found i carry a lot of importance to a few people...(read insects).. :) ur an amazing person too keeda...
and my cutest bacha...or rather bache....my fav trio on this planet...or rather quadruple...aadi, ankur, sandy and anvay...ankur is the best!!...
:)
that's all folks...see you later, alligator...
PS - the blogging mood just ended...for tonight...
current fav...
Chasing Cars
We'll do it all
Everything
On our own
We don't need
Anything
Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel
Those three words
Are said too much
they're not enough
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
We'll do it all
Everything
On our own
We don't need
Anything
Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel
Those three words
Are said too much
they're not enough
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Friday, December 08, 2006
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Friday, December 01, 2006
(for a friend..i hope she reads this...)
Let's see ... What is heartbreak? What does it mean to have your heart broken? Is it something from which a relationship cannot ever recover? Is the definition of heartbreak an irreparable schism that forces two lovers apart, never to be together again?
I don't believe so. A relationship is made up of days and weeks and months and years of interacting with each other. Interacting when wonderful things happen, interacting when horrible things happen. A day is made up of thousands of words, glances, touches and movements. Not every single one of those is going to be happy or loving or sweet.
People hurt each other. People act selfishly. People act unexpectedly. People do things without thinking, without filtering their thoughts. It's inevitable that these things will cause two normally ecstatic lovers to glare at each other, scream at each other, maybe even slam doors and throw things at each other from time to time. Hearts break all the time to varying degrees.
What matters is whether or not those lovers are invested in mending their broken hearts together instead of separately.
If to you heartbroken literally means 'having broken up', then I'd have to say that I have been (and still am) in a relationship where I have not had my heart broken. But that feels silly to say. Plenty of people remain in relationships that should not exist, and I'd be willing to bet that their hearts are plenty broken so the yardstick of 'together or not' doesn't work for me.
Maybe I'm too literal. Maybe I'm not literal enough.
Let's see ... What is heartbreak? What does it mean to have your heart broken? Is it something from which a relationship cannot ever recover? Is the definition of heartbreak an irreparable schism that forces two lovers apart, never to be together again?
I don't believe so. A relationship is made up of days and weeks and months and years of interacting with each other. Interacting when wonderful things happen, interacting when horrible things happen. A day is made up of thousands of words, glances, touches and movements. Not every single one of those is going to be happy or loving or sweet.
People hurt each other. People act selfishly. People act unexpectedly. People do things without thinking, without filtering their thoughts. It's inevitable that these things will cause two normally ecstatic lovers to glare at each other, scream at each other, maybe even slam doors and throw things at each other from time to time. Hearts break all the time to varying degrees.
What matters is whether or not those lovers are invested in mending their broken hearts together instead of separately.
If to you heartbroken literally means 'having broken up', then I'd have to say that I have been (and still am) in a relationship where I have not had my heart broken. But that feels silly to say. Plenty of people remain in relationships that should not exist, and I'd be willing to bet that their hearts are plenty broken so the yardstick of 'together or not' doesn't work for me.
Maybe I'm too literal. Maybe I'm not literal enough.
"I’m hungry. I’m tired. I’m bored. I’m restless. I’m uncomfortable.
Never am I more vulnerable to temptation, anger, impatience, irritability, presumption and despair than when in these states. And never am I more the seeker to be free from these conditions by pacifying my flesh, than in these seasons."
Never am I more vulnerable to temptation, anger, impatience, irritability, presumption and despair than when in these states. And never am I more the seeker to be free from these conditions by pacifying my flesh, than in these seasons."
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