The drudgeries of life
Friday, April 30, 2010
Home Sweet Home!
It's been 8 years since I spent more than 1 month at a stretch at "Fantasia"...
But be it the minimum of 2 days for which I visited in September 2007 (Sweety's b'day surprise :)), or the maximum of 30 days for which I stayed in the summer of 2003, every visit home has been awesome!
Way back in 2002 when I was leaving C-67, Gayatri Nagar, Raipur for good, I was this timid youngster who was sure he wouldn't survive a day out in the cruel world... I vowed to return home whenever I got the chance, be it for a month, a day or even if for a few hours... the homesickness haunted me for 2 whole months back then!
How things change, mentality most of all :|
Now, 8 years later, I'm so friggin' used to surviving in the crazy outside world that I hardly find time to return home...
I definitely love being back with the three constants in my life, my parents and my sister, and staying at the place where I grew up... but there is a certain fear of the return to innocence... given that it's me, I'd likely get stuck in a time warp... short and sweet visits home are awesome, just that they're too short :(
About to conclude yet another lovely reunion with Mumma, Dada, and Sweety! Loved it totally...
In this world when everything's moving so fast, where feelings are evanescent, relationships are screwed up, everyone seems artificial and selfish, all that matters happens to be materialistic, there is just one life-support system: Family.
Glad to have the bestest family in the whole wide world! :*
Time to get back to the rat race now... :P
Labels: Family, Good mood, Happiness, Nostalgia, Relationships
If only life were a VCR...
At times, I just want to go back and walk over certain roads in life again... rewind!
And just pause at many junctions...Then fast-forward at places... who wants to relive certain things?!
But then, I think why waste time... just let the movie called Life go on!
Keep rolling!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Leaving on a jet plane...
Whatta day!
First a mini party at Mathur's room with Bhanja and Sumant...
Then the sexy party with fellow B1ers at Blues in Connaught Place! lml
Dunno everything was perfect in the evening, but somehow I just wasn't present there mentally for a long time...
The high-tension IPL grand finale, the drinks, the yummy chow, the nice and loud music, the brilliant light effects, good friends: how's that for an apt setting for a fun-filled evening?!
As usual, I became the popat... I had dropped my bike at Anand Vihar, and had come till CP via metro. And at 9:30, I realized that the metro will not be running when the match gets over... :s
So off I rush to AV to fetch my bike... that speedy bike ride back to CP was all that I needed to think properly...
The Mumbai Indians played pathetic cricket today. And watching Sachin welcoming a wrong decision by the umpire when he was clearly out was a shock... so much for him being God.
Funny thing was that even though I supported CSK today, the won. :P
As a dear friend told me, I probably supported them half-heartedly. Hell yeah :(
Anyway the looong conversation with Sid, Jaggi, Manish and Chandu was total bhasad! I sooo wanted to join them for this bakar party... plus I've pampered them so much that they can't seem to click photographs of their parties :P
Loooong loooong chat with someone till early in the morning... maybe it's just a matter of 5 days, plus we'll be in touch for sure, but the distance will be palpable... :(
Will michhaaaa truckloads, kiddo.
Tnsn not... we'll properly make up for lost time once I'm back ;)
Do well in your papers!
Last but not the least: Yippeee! Me finally going home :)
Dying to meet everyone back home, Sweety especially!
Let's see whether I get to update the blog from home... otherwise cya next week!
Miss me heaps :D
Labels: Bakar, Delhi, Friends, Homecoming, Nostalgia, reunion
Friday, April 23, 2010
Winding up... in style!
Ok.
Lots and lots of packing to do. But procrastination rules.
Current destination: Dhaula Kuan.
Final destination: Gurgaon! (Hope the hunt for a nice place doesn't kill me!)
Lots and lots of reunions lined up for the next 2 days...
Meeting one of my best friends from DA-IICT after 4 long years tomorrow... she was the gang leader of our Mafia gang, if I remember correctly... and one of the few people with whom I can get nostalgic shamelessly, talk about the same good ol' memories time and again, yet neither of us getting bored of it ♥
After that, a quick birthday celebration at Mama's place... hope it's the same like last year with me rushing back from sec-14, Gurgaon with a yummy cake for Mama and Guls, and goodies! Sighs! Deja vu... :)
The evening-to-late-night DA-IICT batch reunion at Pebble Street!! Woohoo!
Come Sunday, the first Delhi chapter meet of the B1 gang! Yippeee!
And loads of packing and cleaning up to do... or maybe I'll do that later :P
Yet to decide what to do the whole day before boarding the flight on Monday evening...
Slow down a bit, time... slow down!
Happy weekend, especially to the unfortunate people who read all this crap that I dole out :D
Cheers!
Labels: Happy Endings, Packing, reunion
What next?
Ok, it's official.
I'm done with college. For Good.
On the lines of the Raymond ads, I'm now The Complete Man(agement Graduate) :D
The long wait was worth it.
I got all that I had wanted: A combo of an awesome employer and a sexy job profile; a posting in NCR; happiness for my family members and friends; and making peace with myself.
Yep! I bagged it all :))
Leaving on a jet plane soon... But I do know when I'll be back again!
Home sweet home... finally! Yippee!
The future now looks good... and things are falling into place so well, like all the scattered jigsaw puzzle pieces falling into place automatically *touch wood*
Some puzzles are too puzzling though...
I told someone that I hate changes, and despite all the lines I got to hear in favor of changes, I know that the person shares my feelings on changes to some extent... sme sme you see... :)
Let's see what these changes entail...
Formally closed yet another chapter with a nice ending, but an ellipsis at the end... some good parts of this chapter would spill over to all the forthcoming chapters, I'm sure!
Amen.
Bring it on! B)
Labels: Change, Chapter, Good mood, Happiness, Happy Endings, Job, Life, Placements
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Goodbye blue sky... again!
Whatta day!
Right now I'm carrying a friggin' heavy bag of mixed emotions (someone's apt version of mixed bag of emotions :D)
If I thought that yesterday was a tiring day, today was when I was drained out emotionally... just want my Mumma's lap more than anything else...
Everything happens for the best, they say... how come not most of what happened today was in sync with that!
Anyway, it's almost early morning and I'm replying to long and lovely personal emails that I received today... in this age of automated mails et al, how nice it feels to trade feelings and emotions on a one-on-one basis with people :)
Just sitting here at my laptop, so tired yet so sleepless, sooo nostalgic, with those salty water beads just pouring down my cheeks... I so hate myself at times... feeling like a well-blended mixture of a wuss and a crybaby :P
Reminiscing about the plethora of interviews that I've appeared for till date (despite my selective sign-ups!)
I loved some of the personalities who've interviewed me of late. These were interviews where you can tell that a person wants to know the real you... that the interviewer appreciates the fact that you're being yourself rather than giving you marks for parroting off something you read somewhere...
In one company that will always be close to my heart, the 2 ladies interviewing me quizzed me on my weakness. I frankly told them, "Ma'ms, I've realized that my biggest weakness is that I can't live with myself, a fact that my Mother knew before my realizing it!! I'm comfortable only when I'm with someone or in a group of friends, but when I'm alone I'm totally lost... the last 3 weeks have been a reality check of sorts."
The way they looked at me dumbstruck, then at each other, then their giggles, and then the selection for the 2nd round of interviews, I knew that my answer must've reeked of honesty :))
In the middle of another interview, the dude sitting across the desk asked me rather informally (informal considering his sexy designation in the awesome company), "Toh kabhi socha hai 5 saal baad kya kar rahe hoge life me?", and I, never the one to fake an answer, replied, "No sir... kaafi hazy sa hai... I just want to be happy and be doing something challenging...".
His awesome reply made me believe that genuine replies do strike a chord sometimes... :)
I firmly believe that bagging a job is all about portraying yourself truly, just like it should be in the case of searching for the perfect match... if some company, or person, accepts you for who you are, and vice versa, believe me there's no looking back... ;)
It's another matter that this stupid logic of mine kept me waiting for sooo long... but the wait is always worth it ♥
Yesterday was bad... hope my mood swings haven't take a heavy toll *fingers crossed*
Busy day today... as are all days till the Sabbath! Lots and lots to do!
Just hope I manage to do all that I want to... Murphy be damned! :P
Planning to wind up my blog soon... no more diary too!
Enough already... time to move on...
Love you all :)
Labels: Bakar, Emotions, Feelings, Life, Mixed bag, Nostalgia, Random, Reminiscence
Monday, April 19, 2010
Monday Bloody Monday
I hate Mondays. Period.
And I respect Murphy!
Like someone used to say, "So tired that I can't sleep"...
Sunday, April 18, 2010
S(i/u)mmer!
This is probably the first time that I'm hating summer so much!
Not even the plethora of ice cream and the chilled fluids seem to have lost their usual charm :(
Plus life is such a sinusoidal wave... don't know whether to be happy or sad about it! :|
What's with the scorching hot sun?! NCR has literally been burning in the past one week...
Tomorrow is the day I get roasted, both on and off the road... just praying for the absence of Monday blues!
Have a great week, people :)
Cool-edge!
The end is near... I can feel it!
This phase of life is about to conclude... weird how I'm getting signals from all directions :s
I'm kinda scared that I'm going to end up in Hyderabad... or in Bangalore...
Oh well! Depressing damn Saturday :(
Had such an awesome time with Bhanja, Mathur and Rishabh... though I missed the gang heaps :|
Rishabh dude, nothing can beat our 1-on-1 Q3 matches... save for the clan arena matches including Manjy and Aonu ;)
Just got feedback from the guys that I'm way too senti... and that it's not gonna help me! Shucks! It's like a disease... :s
Feeling totally disoriented right now, don't know why... sometimes excess bakar acts like a reality check...
Hope Sunday is a stress-buster!!
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Time travel...
It's so weird how writing about a past event helps you relive it to the T! :)
Talk about hopping aboard an ad hoc time machine B)
I so love nostalgia... at times...
Labels: Good mood, Nostalgia, Time travel
Friday, April 16, 2010
Prayer
No Monday blues on the 19th of this month, please God!!!!
Hope it works out like a dream...
But whatever the case, optimism and perseverance do matter in the large scheme of things :)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
It's gonna be worth it!
This waiting for the right thing isn't bad at all...
Today was a looong day: got up at 6 AM after 2 hours of sleep; hit the road at 7 AM; reached Chattrapur at 9:15 AM (painful journey); day long placement process which ended at 7 PM (!!); the vehicle breaking down on the way back; and finally, the longer than long journey home!
But the company, pursuing which this entire day was spent is an awesome firm named ARI World! Had read a lot about simulation, simulators et al, but witnessing the company's various simulators up close was such a treat!!
The maritime simulator, in particular, made me go WOW! How advanced can technology get!!
Add to that virtual reality, and I was transported back to the Johnny Quest days!
The process went off smoothly, and the campus was lovely!
The profile on offer is a dream job: a marketing profile for such hi-tech products!
*fingers crossed for a convert*
After a while, the wait seems to be worth it... hope some more nice profiles and companies show up soon...
The drive back to campus, though marred by engine breakdown and wrong turns, was totally fun thanks to the ebullience of Aman, Riju and Swati! Aweseome memories these are too :D
No matter how tired I am at the end of the day, conversing with loved ones is such a stress buster! Love you all :))
Off to sleep early today...
And I plan to not move a single muscle tomorrow... after early morning gym, that is :P
Gunnyt!
Labels: ARI, Good mood, Hope, Loved ones, Placements, Simulation, Simulators, Tired, Wait
Love, actually - reloaded!
Exactly 3 years ago, she entered my life!
Damn it was love at first sight... and we got off to a roaring start! :)
In the 3 years after that fateful March 13th morning, we've seen lots of ups and downs...
But I'm happy to say that we're still going strong... rather she is!
Can't imagine what I would've done without her?!
I love my black beauty! ♥
Labels: Bike, MH12DX0830
Monday, April 12, 2010
I'm feeling like a featherless chicken right now.
And I so miss my 3-weeks old stubble :(
But yes, I'm looking so fair B)
Hate it when in the middle of a cold water shower, the water suddenly turns boiling hotttt and all I can do within the confines of the little bathroom is dance like a madman :x
That's all there was to the blues as far as this Monday was concerned... :P
I'm addicted to Bob Dylan's Don't think twice, It's all right... lovely song! Somehow I like it more in the voice of Joan Baez:
Tomorrow whole day in Delhi! I'm already sweating while contemplating moving around in formals in the scorching hot sun.
Tc folks!
Labels: Compulsion, Monday, Shaving, Song, Stubble
Friday, April 09, 2010
tp
It has been ages since something like this has happened: my having ample time for myself!!
That said, I sure hope the placement process speeds up a bit... fairy tales are not supposed to last anyway :p
Apart from doing the things that I love doing like chatting, social networking, blogging, playing the guitar, working out, reading, sleeping, eating, roaming around et al, I've been spending lots of time re-reading my old diary entries, chat archives, fb messages, and blog posts (a thing someone did of late in record time, a remarkable feat undoubtedly! :) )
Shucks! I look at my archived posts and can't help wondering about how simple life used to be back then... it's almost as if the complexities in life increase in proportion to one's age :(
Seriously, ignorance has got to be bliss!!
Anyway, I realized how huge my old posts used to be, how unstilted I used to be in my approach to typing out my feelings, how I didn't care a damn for what others thought (this last point still applies :D)... it's scary actually!
Reading line after line, I sometimes doubt whether it was the same Steve who had at one point in time published these posts...
Loved two posts in particular...
This one, published when I was on the brink of leaving DA-IICT for entering the corporate world, almost 4 years ago...
And this one, a random tag also published at around the same time... went LOL reading my response to the tag :P
Chris Martin singing "Oh! Take me back to the start..." on the laptop encapsulates the gist of my current feelings...
Take me back to the time when I had not a care in the world beyond the school homework or the impending exams;
when I was ignorant about scourges such as violence, terrorism, caste, religion, politics, dogma, tradition, etc.;
when I was oblivious to my being different from almost all of my friends (in terms of background, upbringing, culture, mindset), and it didn't feel like a curse...
What's preventing these brainy scientists from inventing a time machine anyway?! :P
Will continue this rambling later... cioa!
Thursday, April 08, 2010
So-sigh-thee
Mission: Magic fingers!
Tuesday, April 06, 2010
I miss the wonder years...
What would you think if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song
And I'll try not to sing out of key.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
What do I do when my love is away
Does it worry you to be alone ?
How do I feel by the end of the day,
Are you sad because you're on your own ?
No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody
I need somebody to love
Could it be anybody
I want somebody to love.
Would you believe in a love at first sight
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time
What do you see when you turn out the light
I can't tell you but I know it's mine,
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody
I just need someone to love
Could it be anybody
I want somebody to love.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
with a little help from my friends.
If only...
In the movie Into the Wild, Chris says to Tracy, "If you want something in life, reach out and grab it."
If only it were that simple...
Monday, April 05, 2010
No pain, no gain...
There's nothing like punishing yourself to push your limits... helps you realize what all you're capable of!
And you can keep testing your endurance further... there's no stopping!
Funny how I seem to draw parallels between life, gymming, jogging, strumming, and so many other things in this regard...
All of these seem to be governed by a common set of principles.
It's a matter of motivation... you need to have the passion for something to take it up: be it living life to the fullest, hitting the gym, going for jogging, or simply picking up the guitar.
After that, it's all a matter of patience really, hanging in there and not giving up... appreciating things moving in slow motion is a skill, especially in today's fast moving world!
It's about countless repetitions before getting what you want... over and over and...
It's about hitting lows, looking up, and appreciating the climb that awaits you...
Plus the ability to tolerate pain... the climb isn't a cakewalk *ouch*
But yeah! Eventually the wait, the pain, the effort, everything for that matter is worth it... always :)
Labels: Endurance, Guitar, Gym, Life, Lows, Optimism, Pain, Patience, Random, Ranting, Wait
Friday, April 02, 2010
Solitude
I always had the tendency of avoiding being alone. I had to be with someone or in a gang.
I hated taking a walk alone. I could never swallow my food when having a meal all by myself.
Forget about movies, I couldn't even complete a 20-minutes long episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. in one sitting if I had no company....
While on my way to bathe, I had the habit of stopping over at friends' rooms for a quick chat!
I used to feel like a fish out of water without random bakar with friends, leg-pulling et al.
It took less than a week to change all that!
Sure the abruptness of the change was mind-numbing, but now it's so much fun living with myself.
It's a refreshing change of sorts.
It's about having ample time for myself, doing things I like, developing an altogether different perspective on life!
It's a character building exercise of sorts.
The bonds that I share with people are still intact, if they haven't grown stronger, but the dependencies are waning...
And slowly by slowly, I can feel the solitude growing on me...
I can now begin to truly appreciate the character played by Emile Hirsch in the movie Into the Wild! I know I could never emulate that feat, but it's amazing how he did what he did B)
No man is an island... but he can be, if he wants to ;)
Cheers! Happy weekend!
Labels: Solitude
Mission: Six Pack!!
May 2, 2008
After almost 2 years of slogging it out at the various Infosys gymnasiums at Mysore, Bangalore and Pune, I had slowly sculpted a physique any layman would've been proud of!
At this point in time, I was simply loving the showing it off in Goa part! To hell with getting tanned! :P
Plus the four pack was my most prized asset... I swore to convert it into a six pack soon!
No giving up on gymming, never!
April 1, 2010
Now almost after 2 years of that memorable Goa trip, I'm a tad bit embarrassed when I do a Then-Now analysis of my physique!
I didn't actually give up on my favorite hobby, but I did take it a wee bit lightly! And hence the drastic consequences...
The four pack has kinda vanished... what remains looks like a marking someone has done with a thin pencil :P
The biceps are sagging! The plethora of cuts have simply healed, it seems!
The then bulging shoulders now look emaciated :(
My fastrack now has the nerve of sliding down my wrist! :x
But there are many things to be thankful for:
- I still don't have a beer belly... my waist still refuses to increase beyond size 32!! (very strange considering the happenings in the past 2 years :p)
- What's better, I've not only managed to retain the V-shape, but it's more enhanced thanks to the numerous hours spent hanging around like a monkey, hitting chin-ups!
- The wings are still flapping!
- The collar and triceps, though not as prominent as before, are still in shape...
And today, just before arriving at another fork in the road, I solemnly swear to hit the gym at least 4 times a week, irrespective of the time of the day, the company I work for, or the city that I am in!
Must accomplish Mission: Six Pack by the end of this Summer!
Amen.
Too tired. Gotta get up early!!
Someone please keep reminding me that I'm on a fast today!
Good night.
P.S.: I just saw an angel... that makes it 2 nights in a row ♥
Thursday, April 01, 2010
It had to happen :'(
Bye bye NCR! The countdown has begun...
I knew it was too good to last... I tried to stay put, but Murphy at work again :(
So much for much cherished dreams... New places, new people, new challenges beckon...
Hope the long distance doesn't ruin yet another beautiful relationship :'(
Labels: April Fool, Prank
