the royal wedding

Hey...

The whole Indian media has gone nuts over it. This has received LIVE telecasts in multiple nationally respected television channels. The event has masked the World Cup cricket, VA Tech news, the campus shooting of AP, Kalam's second term discussion, the UP elections and what not.. And if the entire media has written all over it, why shouldn't this so called active blogger do it ?

The question can bounce back. If everyone has written about it, then what have I got to say that is new? Am not willing to answer that one and so I am proceeding to record my views here - after all none of the actual media ever got to see the event anyway - so we are all in the same boat.

Amitabh Bachan is in India of what Queen Elizabeth is in UK or Arnold Schwarzneggar in the US. His status is iconic. And any event inside his family, like his cow giving birth to a calf, would be treated with nothing less than a national holiday. And if the Prince of the King is getting married, what else could be of national importance? And it gets only better - if the Prince is getting married to the most coveted princess, whom the world titled as the most beautiful person, this is a celestial event; a fairy tale..

Lets not worry that these people are mere mortals and just movie celebrities. Lets not dwell upon the fact that each of them had several lovers before this and what is happening now is more of a business arrangement than a actual marriage. Lets not break our heads in figuring out that we all have our own lives and important things keep happening around us - lets all gather in front of Pratheeksha for days together waiting to see the dulhe Raja; or gather in front of TV sets to watch replays of Kajol, Anil Ambani and Sachin Tendulkar walk inside the wedding arena.
And yeah, why spare the Gods too!! Lets block all queues of Tirupati, the roads, airport runways for the celebrity couple to have a private meeting with the Lord himself. The mere mortals can wait another few hours - after all, do they donate Rs 5.1 million in one year?

We are a bunch of intelligent lot. And somehow when the majority of us out hours of our lifetime to watch, track, discuss and blog(!!) about such a wedding of 2 movie stars; or run judicial cases & issue arrest warrants to a foreign actor who kissed a bollywood heroine in the cheeks - we don't seem that intelligent. But we are people who have traditionally placed the shadow stars above everything else and painted them with larger than life status. We make them real life Gods out of their movie screen characters and worship them - literally..

Oh come on, lets forget the sarcastic blogger.. Can we google to see if we get more cellphone cam pictures of the wedding? Maybe the Tahiti photos would be more exciting !! ;) Can we sponsor the "neighbour" a trip ?

Ciao..

the journey resumes

Hey..

I am finally back at school again !!

Traveling by the Charminar Express to the Cyber city, we (I and my better half) decided to be in the hot-spot one day early. As we negotiated with the porters and the cabs, I realized that I had to put use some of the management skills even before I had a chance to acquire them. Finally dumped the huge bags in the trunk of a cab (Don't worry if it doesn't fit in. I will tie the car with a rope.. it is much stronger than the lock of the trunk - the reassurance from a friendly cab driver) and took the 45 minute journey to the Indian School of Business (ISB) campus at Gachibowli - crisscrossing the maze of what is called the city of Hyderabad.

The campus itself is awesome. Took the Executive Housing for the first day and had a good walk all evening. One cannot believe that there exists such a beautiful, serene, calm and romantic place in a crazy city. On the April 14th, the D-Day, the actual registration commenced. It is being followed by a week long orientation program and the regular classes start on April 23.

Putting the real faces from those who established friendships via Orkut or the forums was interesting. The last 72 hours have gone in either saying or hearing "Hi.. We haven't met. I am xxxxxx from yyyyyy.. and You ?" . Parties have started already and we managed to have 2 in 2 days... I guess the nearby wine shop really doesn't need any marketing help.

Somewhere in the middle of this beautiful campus and non-stop partying we expect to have a roasting schedule to study. I will keep this blog updated (but apparently that is what everybody says in the first term of the school.. then they forget they have a blog and then they forget they have a life !)..

and so the school journey resumes again!!

Ciao..

goodbye america

Hey...

I came to the promised land with loads of dreams. I enjoyed almost every minute of being and working here. I have roamed in more than 47 states here. My 'been there - seen that' list can run into pages and pages. Took the haj to Orlando, Niagara, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and every other spot that is so sacrosanct for tourists here. Somewhere in this journey I did decent work, got my parents out of inertia to visit here, got married .... I never gave a serious thought of ending this cool ride inside the US of A.

But finally we all have to chase our passions. And so I am going back. Back to India, back to school. And am excited to leave.

Looking back, though the incidents of visiting police station or racial insults and similar ones have left deep scars in my heart, they are masked by the wonderful time I have had all these years in this nation.

I don't know if and when I will be back here. But one thing is for sure. I have had loads of learning that I steal away and will definitely capitalize on this.

Goodbye America. Will miss you, most certainly.

Ciao...

cupid's victim...

Hey..

It has been a year since I sat down at Borders bookstore for 4 hours on a Saturday afternoon. It has been a year since I had a movie marathon of Francis Ford Coppola. It has been a year since I spent 20, 18 or at least 12 continuous hours at work. It has been a year since I frequented libraries; and been to a party just for the free food; and touched my bike; and called my West Coast friends after 9:00 PM their time, every other day; and had a Dunkin Donut breakfast, Chipotle lunch, Pizza Hut dinner with a popcorn/coke late night snack - all on the same day...

Of course, yeah, it has been a year since I got married.

Do I miss any of the above ? The answer is NO. I really don't. People did scare me that I will not be able to do many of the cherished things after marriage, like the ones above. Maybe it is true that I haven't done any of those like how it was said, but there is nothing that actually prevented me from doing one of 'em. The reality is that I have voluntarily given up the pleasures of the bachelorhood and sunk myself into my new love life. I guess I matured into a grown up man !



For the past one year I have been taken care of like a King. For the past one year I have enjoyed talking lot of things, the sweet nothings to the same person over and over again. For the past one year someone else in the world knows me much better than I know myself and much more than even what my mom knew of me. For the past one year I have confided everything to one person without any fear of being judged. For the past one year I have gone to the likes of Niagara never once feeling envious at the hordes of (desi) couples who hold hands and embed themselves in kisses notwithstanding what is happening around; For the past one year I have gotten hit when I appeared ogling at Anu Hassan; and fought with someone so much only to make up the next minute; and have eaten excellent food - even at lunch; and do anything & everything, just to see a smile curl up...

Of course, for the past one year, I have been in love and I am being loved.

I am no poet but I believe Elvis Costello did justice when he wrote this.. and I dedicate this to my first year of paradise..

She
May be the face I can't forget
The trace of pleasure or regret
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay
She
May be the song that summer sings
May be the chill that autumn brings
May be a hundred different things
Within the measure of a day
She
May be the beauty or the beast
May be the famine or the feast
May turn each day into a heaven or a hell
She may be the mirror of my dreams
The smile reflected in a stream
She may not be what she may seem
Inside her shell
She
Who always seems so happy in a crowd
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud
No one's allowed to see them when they cry
She
May be the love that cannot hope to last
May come to me from shadows of the past
That I'll remember till the day I die
She
May be the reason I survive
The why and wherefore I'm alive
The one I'll care for through the rough in ready years
Me
I'll take her laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I've got to be
The meaning of my life is

She
She, oh she

Thanks for all the wishes and prayers.
Ciao..

iCon..??

Hey..

I just completed reading a couple of (unauthorized) biographies of Steve Jobs, the king-of-Mac. While much has been said and read about his evil nemesis Bill Gates, it was a very different idea I got about Steve Jobs after going through these biographies. Of course, they could be biased, sponsored by Bill Gates himself to tarnish the image of the king; It still revealed a darker side of his persona and for some reason I have now very little attraction to Mac, iPod and the like.

After touring India and getting himself buried in Zen principles, Steve Jobs went on to break
the things which he 'posed' to believe. Fathering a child with Chris-Ann, Steve Jobs refused to accept the fact that he was the father even after a DNA test proved him to be the one; even after the state court ordered him to take custody or provide alimony. It took him more than 10 years before which that daughter (Lisa) was allowed to use his last name.

He broke off trust and relation even with his closest friends to prove his authority - be it Dan Kookte or Steve Wozniak or Mike Marukkula. By sheer marketing brilliance and displaying overpowering passion he has demanded authority everywhere - sometimes it has backfired and sometimes it has worked so well.

Not to blindly discredit Steve Jobs, it only goes to prove that the darker side exists everywhere - even with the geeky technologist believing in Zen - and the icon Steve Jobs is no exception to the rule.

At the end of it, I somehow get a feeling Bill Gates is a shrewd businessman but not necessarily a bad human and definitely much better than the geeky, young, rash, abrasive Steve Jobs. And I have stopped becoming crazy for Mac, iPod and the like..

Recommended: iCon - Steve Jobs and Greatest Second Act in History of Business

Ciao..

f1 2007

Hey..

The Formula 1 2007 season is almost all set. Most of the teams have announced their driver lineups. There have been very significant changes to the game overall, even before Concorde agreement revision next year. In addition, the teams have also undergone rapid transformations with changes from drivers, mechanics, engineers, designers etc etc.,

For one, the Ferrari is all new, save alone Massa. Kimi Raikkonen is poised to lead the tracks in what can be called the best car of the world. This combo is sure to be the favorite of all crowds. Felipe Massa has declared that he will not play a second fiddle to anyone - though much of this will be the team decision.

Ron Denis is very happy to have the two time champion Fernando Alonso with him in McLaren. This team had a very disappointing season in 2006 and is badly looking forward for a good performance this year. Montoya's abrupt exit, Kimi's drunken antics, retired cars and lack of wins have left the team with a low morale. Ron Denis has banned any alcohol consumption in 2007 for his team (except the winning champagne).


Renault will be fighting for a hatrick in both constructor and driver championships. Renault did have to compete fiercely both the years and a major backbone of the team was Giancarlo Fisichella. He may not belong to the best breed of drivers, but he has one of the most stable and enviable cars in the ciruit, not to mention, a mastermind team management.

If there is one additional person I will put my money on, it is Jensen Button. Perhaps the most overrated and overpaid driver of Formula 1, Button clinched his first victory in 2006. I strongly believe he is the only other threat to the other four mentioned above. (Of course, I have my strong opinions against Toyota and so my observations are biased).

F1 2007 will be a different sport, with changes to the tyre provider. Bridgestone will be the sole supplier of tyres and hence the tyre feud (which has been huge since Indy 2005) will be gone missing. Also freeze of engines is another to look up to. Maybe Alonso is already sweating in his pants given the dismal Mclaren last year.

But most important of all, which masks every other change will be the absence of the legend Michael Schumacher, king of the sport. I have never been his fan but somehow his absence leaves such a big void to this game. He brought life to this sport in addition to several things. He will be sorely missed.

Go F1 2007. vrrrrrrrrroooooooooooooommmm.......................

Ciao..

nostalgic notions

Hey..

For some reason all of us always love to go back to "good old days". For some it is the school, for some it is their college, for some it is the bachelorhood, love life, the days when the daughter was still a kid etc etc., The drive stems from our preference for familiarity and our comfort factor in familiar grounds. We can sit and talk about Who moved my cheese and discuss Alvin Toffler for hours - talk about the need for change, insist that the only constant thing in the world is change; but the unchangeable truth is that all of us like familiar grounds. Given a chance, we would like to rewind our life for a few hours or days or years and live the golden life again.

Maybe that is why I am so excited to go back to school again !

I have been accepted for the Post Graduate Program at Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad. I am so excited to go back to full time school. I am so thankful to everyone who has made this possible for me, giving me a chance to re-live the college life to some extent.

It is of course true that it will never be the same again. It can never compare to my undergraduate college life. Maybe I will be in a hurry to come back to the world of paychecks and make money and spend it without guilt. But it doesn't matter. For just the sheer excitement of going back to school has pumped enough energy into my blood.


Yes, change is good. And when coupled with little bit of nostalgia, it tastes wonderful !.

Ciao..

moving moments....

Hey..

Is this the moving season or what ?

I moved from Springfield, Va to Alexandria, Va.

I moved from Blogger to Wordpress and back to the New Blogger !



I will be moving back to school from work - taking a break !

I will be moving back to India :)

ciao

Never Say Goodbye

Hi..

Last night I watched this movie Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, and it made me do three things which I haven't done for a very long while. First, I watched this movie at a 11:45 PM show. Second, I stood in the queue for over an hour to enter the cinema hall. And Third, I posted a blog.

To set expectations straight, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (Lets refer it as KANK in short, for obvious reasons) is not a great movie. It didn't have a very strong storyline. It hovered around the theme love, between a husband and a wife of a couple of couples. And by the way, before I forget, love between someone's husband and someone else's wife. Off late, Indian movie scriptwriters have been listening to viewers complaints that our movies are of the typical formula. A sizeable percentage of Indian movies these days have been themed around infidelity, adultery, unfaithfulness etc., Whatever happened to the good old days of hero meets heroine-falls in love-villain rapes hero's sister-stunts and family emotion-hero's mother or second heroine dies-hero&herione marry kind of movies ?Agreed that they were monotonous, boring and stereotypes, but they were still watchable with families without having to squirm in the seats.

A bold topic as this, thankfully, was set on the banks of Brooklyn river. Two American Desi families tread along rough marital lives. And by matter of chance their lives seem to cross each other, until one of the spouses of either families decides not to leave this crossing purely to chance. They decide that the love in their marriages has become irrecoverable and finally find love in the arms of each other. They take this adulterous love forward. When they decide to give their marriages one more shot by forgoing this feeling it may just be too late.

Let me be honest. I went to KANK to watch the bubbly ShahRukh and the gorgeous Rani. Of course, Rani was flawless and didn't disappoint me. Her smile, charm, attire and tone were all worth the dough I shelled for this. ShahRukh however was on a different role. It was not the charm-boy Rahul or Raj on the screen who is always energetic, cheerful, Iam Cool kinda guy dancing his way through. Instead one could see a serious and snobbish Shah Rukh, getting angry at every frame on the screen.. Surprisingly wonderful was the performance of Abhishek Bachchan, who is these days away from the shadow of his dad. Preity hooked on to a busy-working mom role. Amitabh as usual is there just to increase the star-cast value and pretty much nothing more. In Hindi movies, one can release a movie without story, dialogue, hero or heroines, but definitely not without Amitabh.

Anyways, is Karan Johar justified in his bold experiment ? Perhaps yes.. for these subjects, no matter what anyone says, are still a taboo to Indian culture. And perhaps that's why Karan took the story to a American Desi backdrop - for with Desis- it is easy to question their culture, value, traditions, lifestyle - and show them in whatever bad light inside India.. Desis have found themselves searching for identities, trying to lead a traditional Indian life in the midst of a foreign land, and before they find one, the Indian directors can milk all their taboo stories with a desi backdrop. I strongly believe that Karan went too far when he showed the adulterous couple booking a hotel room and sleeping with each other. And by the way Karan, since when did a SEPTA train start going to Toronto, Canada ?

So, my friends, one more movie on adultery with all the big stars is out there. And Indians can now boast of catching up with the western culture - atleast in fooling around with another's spouse.

Ciao..

rediff's sarcasm

Hey (after a loooooooooong time..),

Rediff's sarcastic news combo of combing 2 discrete piece of news next to each other making us laugh!!:
Pepsi fined - condom in bottle | Good marketing ideas

:)


Ciao...