why is the North east part of India?

I love the culture and people of the North East very much. By virtue of history they even belong to India and ended up being addressed as the North-East as well, instead of maybe western China.

I don't know from when, but maybe from when I became aware of the extent of troubles in the area, I have always imagined the frustrated youth and angry population trying to bring balance and seek out justice. Their spirits might have taken different forms, corrupt or maligned or still might be upright. I don't have an first person or even second person experience about the ground realities over there.

There is just the vague picture painted in my mind by the scant news articles, comments and views of experts and travellers to the area. The picture it paints ain't too sweet either, and that has very well served as a block for me convince my friends for a trip to the exquisite locations there. But leaving aside the concerns of a nature lover and wanderer, I wish to address the social and political problem faced by the common man there. By addressing, I don't really mean I am doing anything for them. I am just sharing what my thoughts are on those, and I admit that I am ashamed by my inability to do more.

The people in that area.. hmm even this article of mine separates them by area, and address the people of this very same nation as them. But then practically there is no way to continue with this without accepting the irony. These people belong to same country that I sang anthems and songs about from my childhood with a burning passion. All descriptions and claims of a unified and free country .. ah they were laid to rest when the central government decided to crack down on the militants and thereby brought the daily lives of the people also to a frozen state. I hope things are not too bad, but I know that more often then not, they turn quite ugly.

Being residents of a troubled area, affected by rough terrain unlike that of the rest of the nation, the fellow countrymen of this area have to fight to get their daily livelihood. On top of that the corrupt system that rules the Indian democractic behemoth sucks dry their other means of help. As with any country with such diversity, the riches of a part should help in balancing the grief and disasters of another. But the corruption burns out everything as the bulk of wealth and facilities remain with the rich areas. The rich get richer, while the poor get poorer.

No wonder movements like the Naxal and separatists spurt up. Most of them are directly caused by the Government, whereas the rest are the results of an amalgamation of a state of anarchy coupled with a corrupt system. Anti-social elements need only so much to thrive and strike at the heart of the 'golden' principles of the great democracy. What is right and what is wrong is a very difficult decision to reach with so many complex issues and facts remaining in half exposed states.

It hurts to think a lot of educated and able young people of these areas have no other option other than migrating to the 'rich' lands to get a decent job and a life. As much as I respect the armed forces, I desist the inappropriate use of such draconian laws on our own brethren.

Maybe our nation will never be an ideal one, maybe we shall have no peace forever. The people might not respect each other as described in the text books, in the words of the freedom fighters, politicians or great visionaries. We might fight each other and stop existing as a nation of ideals, knowledge, peace and happiness. But I feel a lot of pain when those distant countrymen of mine don't get to experience the freedom I enjoy, the ability to make choice, win a livelihood, have good times with friends and family without having to fear death and sorrow. I wonder what would be the reaction of the natives if I made a visit to their homes. Would I be looked upon like European visiting the slums of occupied India? It pains to even wonder about this painful disparity..maybe they shouldn't be maintained as part of India. It hurts to lose such beautiful people and land, but if pain is all the relationship brings, is it not better to severe it ?

From my movie collections..

Here I present a few selected movies from my Recommended and Must Watch folders, which I really classify in the same manner.

The Man from Earth. I got this from my friend Manu, tagged "GREAT MOVIE" in the folder itself. Readers have to take note that we are not the kind of people who mess up with our file names so easily. He atleast, is a master of TBs of data, so such a tag itself meant something special. In spite of my original plan to remove the tags after watching, what I did says all about my valuation of the movie. It was renamed to "GREATEST MOVIE". I couldn't say more about this lovely movie. I just finished another full round of it. Loved every bit of it.

Moving on..

"Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)". Directed by Stanley Kubrick. Many people out there are crazy about Kubrick's movies. But I found out the director's name much later, after having watched the movie and having fallen in love with it too. No other movie has depicted such a sarcastic and brilliant picture of the morals of the Americans(whom the world has learned to hate) during the Cold War. Each character has a meaning and a place in the script which has been played out well by the cast as well.

ah I just figured out that I have 63 movies in my Must Watch folder, just for the English language. There would be approximately the same number in various other languages, off which I value the ones from outside the reach of the Indian subcontinent very much due to the uniqueness and variety in their subjects and methods of portrayal of similar or dissimilar themes.

The recommended folder has 98 movies just for English...sigh I am sorry fellows.. I can't take up the task of sorting and bringing out even 5 favorites, because I would be doing gross injustice to at least a 100 great pieces of work which I value..

was democracy the right way for India?

The UPA Government commented recenlty on the FDI matter pending a vote in the parliament - "The question is not FDI as the decision to implement it is on the state governments. If the states have to decide, what are we deciding here. The only thing to be decided here is to support or oppose BJP’s politics and condemn it" Source: The Hindu.

It underlines a very dangerous attitude that the Indian political leadership has. I was a believer in the righteousness and power of a democractic Government mechanism until the last 3-4 years.  But off late, I have been increasingly disenchanted and frustrated by the doings of the central government. And it is an interesting co-relation that the UPA was in power in that period of time. And this is not a political statement, as I don't think I support any political party per say. But I will admit that I support liberal views based on justice and harmony for the population. You can call that a leftist slant, but I don't really care whether you do or not.

Anyway, coming to the present matter, I felt an outrage at such a pathetic and narrow-minded approach taken by people who are supposed to lead a country of a billion plus people with immense and diverse problems and solutions at their hands. Rulers of such a nation are expected to be more mature, more far-sighted and highly practical. 

The statement in all its sense just means that they don't give a damn if FDI is approved or not( which is a different matter altogether, considering the profit potential to the political cashbanks). They are more focused on getting the different parties to stand by them to defeat another political party. Such in-fights help in clouding the actual judgement and analysis of the policy matters being decided by these elected representatives. These might favour the ones trying to hide something. But I don't want to speculate. Whether a new policy involves unscrupulous activities or not has to be judged with an unbiased attitude, and with an intention to settle cheap disputes.

I don't like to think or waste my time over the petty political antics of our leaders. I only cringe in pain for the original ideals of democracy have been torn to shreds and ruthlessly ravaged under the watchful eyes of the law, which was originally appointed to safeguard the ideals. And this is not just the case of India. Other democracies too are falling apart. The Achilles Heel of democracy, in my honest opinion is disparity in wealth. The huge economic boom in USA during the last century literally blew its fair and just  judicial system to smithereens. The same is happening in India, but only worse as we tout not just economic disparity, but cultural, lingual and communal as well. It is high time we figured out a better form of administration that brings peace and harmony to the people, while propelling the economy to greater heights.

Maybe the British were afterall right in their expectations that petty Indian leaders would tear apart the country once they were let loose after the independence. It really did happen. The rich, the powerful and the cunning ones took resources and power into their hands, playing nicely by the rules, until they reached a position where they could rewrite the very rules that contained their antics.

So are we in a state where can't hope for a just and fair system? Will our only chance of survival be the path of allegiance and silence? Will there be sufficient catalysts and reactions by the population to improve the situation, so that we reach a state were we don't deny people the minimum they deserve? Is democracy the real way to empower people? Or was it just a method which helps the powerful to settle their disputes amicably among themselves? I wonder what would have happened if the founders of the Indian constitution had not chosen democracy ..

I remain in a state of confusion and anguish wondering about these troubling matters...

Creativity is the topic of the day

Here are some really good articles I read today from Zen Habits and other sources which inspired me to figure out some things I want to do. I am re-posting or trying to restructure it hoping that it might help someone of you too.

I always seem to justify these works of text as measures by people holding valuable information to share it among the thousands of interested people out there in the world. As a good faith, we always ignore the ones who don't want the information. :)

Read this The Willingness to Think Differently article first. It lies down the experiences of the author in a very generic terms regarding how he/she had transformed his/her life by being able to think differently from the crowd. I suggest continuing with this article only after you have completed read and thought about the referred article.

If you got what you wanted to know from the previous article, then you would also appreciate the following stuff, as they work in a flow.

Here is an article which appeared in TechRepublic which is mildly popular for technical news. I follow the site for insightful articles in topics like career related psychology, statistics, tips and techniques and very nontechnical stuff that you can find very difficult to get elsewhere. The article is titled "The 11 greatest enemies of creativity" and touches upon 11 very material aspects that might affect the creativity at work. Given the nature of the website and its other articles, I usually don't expect a philosophical outline from such articles, but to a watch eye and thoughtful these can be food for thought and a catalyst for explosive ideas :)

Here is an excerpt from the next article I want to share with you titled "How to Wait Less":-

We wait. That good life is coming, and we’ll be there soon.
What if we stopped waiting, stopped trying to make dreams and goals come true, stopped wishing and anticipating?
Go ahead and read it up. I loved it. I am sure you too would appreciate the approach the author touts.


Here is a very explosive writeup (again in Zen Habits) about Unschooling. The term was very unfamiliar to me until I glanced through the points mentioned in the article. It somehow coincides with my beliefs too, but goes much more in depth and explores various aspects of the very revolutionary idea. Also the author has taken care to provide lots of references and techniques to understand and take on this concept. I am now seriously considering becoming a follower of this technique and slowly imbibe this to any person who approaches me to provide guidance and tutelage.

To wrap it up, this is an article on breathing which is like putting words into my mouth. I feel I would have some day written an article of this nature if I hadn't stumbled upon this one. This will help through all the problems and worries that might be troubling all of our minds. I know many people who don't even acknowledge articles like the ones I refer to or the ones I write. It is just a case of people not being able to see the truth and admit the problems they have and try to walk through the solutions peacefully. Many instead seek to fight against it and try to believe that they live in the ideal world that is built up in their dreams and imagination with ample support from external agencies which have nothing but commercial interests. I only wish people of all natures and types get to a point when they can live wholesome and happy lives with enough motivation and satisfaction :-)


adios amigos.. :D

something often wanted..

been a long time since I wrote something here. I haven't abandoned you yet.

Like I once discovered about myself in my past, I keep discovering that I am still in the same state. Evolution.
Keep changing.
Notifications beeping and crying for attention to other tabs - realize that its the same thing that takes me away from my alive state to the multitasking-all doing-present for all-doing something state, which I actually hate.

As a child, I did the right thing, but didn't know that. Now I know what is not right, but can't help doing so. What a mess the lives of people in a society can be. Partial social life is best, but is partial best or full? Question remains. If you are able to follow the undercurrent of this conversation, I am sure you would be thrilled, else you would just curse - for which I am thankful. For its you readers who make me aware of the other side of the works of my foundry.

Reading "Randaam Ooozham" by M.T nowadays. A famous book among Malayalam readers. I am a debutant, struggling at the least of grammar and words. For the uninitiated, it is a retelling of the entire Mahabharatha from Bhima's point-of-view. A masterpiece I would say. All doubts and concerns I had about the real stories and morals of the main heroes of the Indian maha epic were solved in a few paragraphs or one well set sentence. Take a bow - malayalam literature. People who know stuff about literature know the weight that malayalam authors have lent to its people, others around, the nation and the world around. Greatt thinkers and what not. I am not qualified to continue on this topic..so dropping it off.

The rains, hard physical work, good food, water and thoughts of friendship and love. That is my life. And of course some more complicated beings like music that is deep. I thrive in such conditions like some bacteria do. Add some intellectual scenarios and I get another colour. One variant is bright red with glowing energy, while another slices through thick iron with the mind and tongue. One is warm yellow embracing even the more vile of ideas and people into one big bear hug. Induced purple one survives on the perceptions of others. Often forced to hide and change shapes, this one is seen as an outsider and is not treated with affection unless conditions are very apt for it to thrive. Short lived anyway..

Well.. thats it for now.. thanks for reading this shit..adios amigos.. the world is too big to worry about and too small to stay idle ..so burn a good midnight oil and create something wonderful today :-)

spl thanks to my reader Neenu for her comments that brought me back to take glance my blog again..

Why you should travel..

Courtesy - Zenpencils.com

Most popular posts

Some of the most popular blog posts over the last 6 years. Not going by just the number of visitors because some of them really don't make sense. So I assume they were visits with malicious intentions.

Kenshin Rocks
The article about my favourite anime character - Himura Kenshin. This page has seen lots of visitors and I have got many responses from fellow Kenshin fans.

Yaadein
A short poem like write-up which talks about memories of college days.

Uppu Soda Thedi
My one and only Malayalam post which describes the experiences of a thirsty guy searching for Soda with salt in his hometown during a hot summer afternoon.

A newbie cyclist speaks out
Article about my experiences with the bicycle. Well received by like minded individuals.

how to beat free time in office
One of the most popular blog posts which competes with "How to beat Monday blues" and was inspired from it too.

There are many more which saw lots of visitors and responses. I must admit I am too lazy to pick em all up. You would just have to use the chronology drop down thing on the right side to pick the article you wish to read.. u lazy bums :P :P
ciao

Travel Nirvana

I don't know about others, but travel is nirvana for me.

It is my fate,destiny and my path.


I keep travelling on paths that are new and old, weaving a pattern of life. Only those with the eyes for it might be able to view. But I don't care if no one notices, though its not that I wish so.
But solace is in the fact that there are many like me out there, mostly unknown to anyone. These are people who wander, but aren't lost. They know everything they need to know, or know how to get to it eventually.. they might even be in the search for it. But always in peace. As mentioned in the novel Marathon Baba - "It is not about the pace, it is about the peace".

Antharmukha - facing inward they say. That is the difficult and undoubtedly 'high' position these people seek out. Not to be turned away by adversities is just part of everyday life for them.

There are people who come out of their material worlds and try to adapt the everyday stuff of life in this side to try and make sense in that world. But it often cooks up only a partial story and hence has varied levels of effectiveness. From my analysis, I feel this is mostly because the very root cause of the original problem would be attachment which has to be sacrificed. Only then would those people have found what they wanted.  The irony is that at such a state you can't adapt or present these learnings as anything material. So rest of the world remains in its ignorant state while one person moves into the new path. But most importantly, I believe that such efforts to bridge gaps brings more people into this path. Everything else they talk about anything related can be counted as plain bullshit.

Many are there who don't know that they too are travelling in such paths. Ignorance is bliss, say some. While others curse ignorance. I would like to reflect upon both these ideas, as ignorance is inferred relative to intent.

And so I keep travelling as only those roads that I feel lead to mother nature and her very elementary rules provide real nirvana to the soul (again perceived feelings) .. everything is included in this.

 Miss my bicycle, the roads are inviting, hills evergreen and beautiful. Youthful spirit and body are barely controllable.. be it bicycle,motorcycle,car or calf muscles...movement is a must..

the olympic saga continues

well..this is an update of my thoughts on the most happening event of the time..

 

Firstly, I have blown away by the level of organization done in the city of London by the organizers. Don't recall if Beijing had such a lot of volunteers. They had more engineering and decorations if I am not wrong.

Triathlon-one of my favorite events

Second, some events were really awesome. And I mean it. Be it Federer's marathon fight in the Quarters, the Skeet shooting finals dominated by Vincent or all the great performances by hundreds of athletes whose names I don't know, but surely made my day with the die hard competitive attitudes. Special mention to cycling, hurdles, fencing and badminton.

Vincent Hancock

Feisty finals china v/s china

I am happy that women's boxing was included this time. All their bouts were really good to watch. The women were proud, happy and ferocious at the same time . They seemed to want to prove a point to the world.


The Indian performances were largely satisfactory except maybe hockey. All the shooters did well and even if they didn't all share the podiums, the job was well done. The shuttlers especially Jwala and Ashwini looked very promising but unfortunately lost out. We even figured in 20km walking and such new events which people didn't look forward to. It even brought a Malayali to the limelight. OK no regional matters.. anyway it is a definite sign of better things to happen for the Olympics in this nation obsessed with just a handful of the usual stuff.



Proud of the medal winners Gagan,Saina and Vijay. Boxing was the single most event I would have followed all throughout the competition. Indian boxers did quite well indeed. Now only Devendhro and Kom survive. In that, Kom's fight was something I am glad I watched. R.E.S.P.E.C.T in all respects.

There were even a few things I did not like about this Olympics:-
a) The Madhura honey episode - but I loved the creative photoshop works that followed

LOL

b) Indian tennis hullah bullah
c) Some very questionable judgements and reversals by officials. Not just involving Indians
d) Changes in rules and point systems. It might have made some events more flexible, but elsewhere it spoiled the competition
e) The foul play incident in badminton. Threw lots of questions about the manipulators and dominators
f) And of course the late timings :P

Will she be the golden girl this time?

Anyway at this point I eagerly look forward to Kom's semi final bout against local favourite Nicola who looks defiant and confident. One thing to note is that in spite of Mary's legendary status in Women's International Boxing, she has only performed in the light weight category. She would find it difficult against the opponents of larger build and reach. Only experience, tactics and her speed can help her carve the victory required.The other contenders as per my observation are real champs too.
Mary has experience and speed to her side. But the weight category would be her Achilles heel. Ren Cancan from China is a super cool, super fast boxer with lots of tricks up her sleeve. Nicola and Espereza of US and Britain respectively are young and ferocious boxers. So there is lots of action yet to come..

If Mary does achieve the topmost spot, then it would a great moment for Indian Olympics, women's boxing, the sport as such in India and of course the media and feminist idealists in India would have a field day on TV and social media. I personally am gear up for a great finish to one of the grandest sporting events of the modern world.

Its not all over yet..

PS: Once the events come to a close I would try keeping away from Indian news channels who are currently lying in wait with their analysis and accusations.

oh.. did I miss a certain Jamaican and American? .. nope I don't think so..

Olympics again

hey everyone

it is time for yet another season of Olympics..
a tradition of the world community for many years, this event has been always a prestige matter for all countries involved. Especially so for the host nation.

Considering the symbolic strength of such an event, all nations take it with high priority in their foreign policy as well.

Well for us common men, it is one of the other sport events out there. But well the truth is, it is quite a spectacle if you consider that it brings together stars of most of the sports you like, some that you don't and even some that you didn't even know to exist.

Beijing was a sight to behold

 I haven't seen many olympics events myself. I remember Atlanta, Athens and the last one in Beijing as good ones. But compared to the usual sporting events and given the international limelight plus the pressure of an entire nation upon the shoulders, all these athletes are real heroes. Before you think that your favourite euro football player or a cricketer too is a hero, consider the difference or more precisely the indifference that the athletes undergo, especially Indian ones.

All the best!

 Anyway this time, inspired by many of our stalwarts from the last season, the wind has started flowing in the right direction. We have some good contenders in some events. I feel people are realizing the potentials and rewards of performing at such platforms. In all senses(read as economic,social,diplomatic and cultural). If not considering only cheering for our athletes,  we have a great host of events to watch out for. Lots of amazing athletes who perform unbelievably.

Remember that once upon a time, the athletes were the ones who held the awe of the public. Each and every child wanted to emulate the successful sportsmen. They were driven by the commitment and achievements of these men, and not merely the money and fame that was  attached to it. In recent time, the focus has shifted to the latter, which are mere mockeries.

I came to know that in India, only Doordarshan is going to broadcast this event. That is quite a shame considering the dismal popularity of the channel and the previous record of poor coverage. In case you have a fairly decent internet connection, try using this Youtube link for Olympic coverage. I really wish Indian private channels could somehow procure broadcast rights to such important events as well.. Well, they go only by fat money making chances, which it seems can only be obtained from two immensely popular sports  - Cricket and Football. sigh.. i am bored of thinking of this irritating condition...

Check out the olympic schedule and results here

Thats all for today, adios amigos.. remember to live the spirit..and  Inspire a Generation!

a beautiful misty morning

Good morning all ya fellas..

it is a beautiful, misty morning out here and it is windy as hell...

the aroma of toast intermingled with hot tea is in the air.. and I am waiting anxiously for the moment when they feast my eyes and hungry tummy..

ah the newspaper.. nothing beats starting a cold morning with a cup of char and some news.. they go well together... I can't imagine digesting all those news in any other time of the day either. so it should come to me when the mind is swampy and digestive..

well..look at those clouds.. damn beautiful.. makes me wanna take a walk.. I could even take a short trek up the hills and get to the boulder up there.. one of the most impressive locations I ever had an English breakfast..or rather planning to have.. the English knew how to pamper themselves with such small luxuries ..  at least the initial adventurous hard-living ones.. and maybe not the rich lords. that puts the line right.as an Indian must never step into the territory of loving or forgiving the Englishmen.. isn't that right? u shud luv the americans though..they are the dream countrymen.. LOL. wat a screwed up world.. *smirk*

all this is nothing when the sight in front of me is godly.. what English, what jinglish.. any man would surrender to such a beauty..

ah I love breaking a bit of sweat in such a cold country.. the atmosphere gives me a godly aura - so I feel. someone else told me once that I always carry an aura .. sounded a bit of cheesy at that time.. but then who knows :)

well. here I am ...drooping off in my chair.. half in and half out of my deep slumber.. the moments of awake where u can control ur dreams and not know the difference.. today it was an English countryside morning.. ah ..

My guide to the Bangalore city

when I moved to bangalore, people told me I will struggle to learn the major routes and shortcuts will be impossible to learn..so get a good smartphone with GPS in it.

I came here and saw many of my friends use it find new routes with ease. I realized it is a great tool to have with me, but I couldn't choose on a particular phone yet or allocate budget for it.

I had this plan to buy a smartphone for just the GPS for sometime. But in recent times, I actually started going out in bangalore, and to be frank, I never felt a reason to get a GPS.. or to even consult google maps everytime I went to a new locality.

Hell, I even stopped asking my friends for routes.. but I always ended up finding my routes properly with minor deviations and delays..

All this happened because.. I was able to leverage a particular feature of Bangalore city, which actually almost everyone hates. But I found use for it in finding my way through the concrete jungle.

Auto-wallahs!!! By checking the routes and directions with these tricky fellows either parked or in traffic signals and blocks, I keep on synchronizing my route with the one I wish to travel. And I have achieved 95% success rate as of now.

The help also came from shopkeepers and random strangers too :)

I was just wondering about this.. anyway I would still go for a smartphone sometime soon. But I have this one extra advantage that many of my contemporaries lack..the ability to speak in multiple languages that help me out getting the most out of people on the road.. and I am thankful to that for everything.. amen..

back to back bonanza

Yesterday Usthad Hotel - a beautiful sensation for the senses..
Today - Gangs of Wasseypur. A mindblowing movie of epic proportions.
And also I finish my 3 years in this industry..

altogether a very good time..

an oh yeah.. game of thrones season 2 is in my HDD .. :)) yo GOT and GOW FTW!!

a movie I just watched..

i am not an art critic. i am an admirer of story telling..

give me movie,books,pictures or even ideas.. I do a great job of admiring it..though mostly within myself.

such is the dilemma when facing a movie like the one just came back after watching.. Ustaad Hotel (malayalam).. get the details and images from google wilya?

I loved almost every aspect of the movie and most importantly I am not bothered about the 'almost' as it was enough to block my mind from even bothering if something is not right about the movie..

Cinematography, story, acting, dialogues, camera work, bgm, songs and the message(s) in the movie.. everything was too good for me.. I am content..

For the lovers of a good movie, I recommend.

5 easy steps to instant success and wealth

It is a one way ride

 1. Learn to be a hypocrite
 OK, this is the first step and hence a very easy one. You don't have to sweat much for this one as  everyone is already a hypocrite.

Have this motivational mug at your desk..

 Advantages of this skill is that it allows you to like and support things in public that you hate privately, and really adore things you detest in public. What a way to get the best of both sides of the world..

Taking examples from real life, you can pretend to sympathize with the poor and the destitute while hating them from the bottom of your heart. After all it is because the poor exist, that you are classified as rich, and hence have your wealth under the view of all the evil in the world, including the government..

2. Learn to lie
Now begins the difficult and important steps.

Of course everyone lies a bit now and then. But in order to cash in on the wealth and success out there, you have to take your commitments seriously. No silly giveups or idealistic bullshit allowed. Learn to lie and lie convincingly, coz that is what the world wants to see in a leader, a champion among them, at whom they can look upon for accomplishing what human nature makes difficult to.Throw the biggest lie at their hearts and if pulled off with no one noticing, nothing can stop you from going for the kill.

If you have managed to come this far, you are already a pro, and the next few steps wouldn't be new to you and neither would you find my account powerful enough.

3. Learn to hate what others hate
and not necessarily love what they love.

Be prepared

Oh yeah, now that you are in the premium league of world leaders, you ought to follow the lane and share some of the attitude and scorn that is customary of the position you hold. But then don't let your heart get carried away by the weaker ones in the league. Don't let the poison of love or sympathy pollute your plans and resolve. Many great ones have fallen at this stage, unable to cope with the dynamics of the stage. The more potent the poison you can brew when the opportunity presents itself, the farther you will travel from this stage.

4. Learn to value the 'what' over the 'why' and 'how'
At this stage , you would have lots of new and highly attractive things coming your way. This is not the time to stop and think about the consequences or sources of the pleasures you have. Afterall the others in your league don't hesitate to stock pile on these precious treasures of life. Only idiots would stop to think and waste their chances that occur in trickles. Have more and more valuable 'things'. You might have to pay appropriate prices, either at your or someone else's cost. Ideal if its not yours. That way there is never a loss.

Don't lose focus

5. Learn to be blind and deaf but not dumb
Now, read and understand thoroughly. You are almost there. The position of the unassailable champion of this noble world is quite close. But remember you are not yet there. There would be thousands out there on various stages of the same journey with the same goal in their minds. They would try everything in their power to pull you down. You mustn't even listen to their weakly whimpers, let alone suggestions or advices. Well, if you learn your first two points well, you would be an expert in letting them spill their beans instead of tripping you.

Also be blind to all the weak beings touting ideals and humanity. They are just tricks and witchcraft that can hold some idiots back from experiencing the real power. This is a tricky stage as you have to traverse your way through umpteen pitfalls and traps on your way up, varying your techniques to bring your opponents and differently minded people down to their knees graves.

But take caution not to be dumb! I needn't explain that... and...

What is good life?

Often we encounter words like "Fine dining" "good life" "exotic" etc?
And this is usually tied up to European or European like facilities, life style, locations etc.

I was wondering why this relation of 'fine' and 'good' to Europe and related 'fine' stuff.
The first question I tend to ask myself is - "Why only Europe"? Isn't the life you live now good enough for you? What about the ameer businessmen and politicians, the filthy rich Americans, powerful industrialists and so on and so off.. ? Everyone of them have a plethora of things that you don't have, but still you see them involving in a 'good life' , 'fine life' conversation with Europe-related artifacts.

Stupidity. Ignorance. That is what I call all these.

Every rich and filthy rich person wants to earn more money and relax with good food and comfortable facilities. C'mon that is nothing they can't buy. But still the lure of the European facilities pull them to the common bucket. Human beings turn into a more monotonic and predictable species as years wear off its morality and drain it off its humanity.

So the filthy rich can't complain about not having a fine life everyday. Yeah, they are well above the fine life of a poor man.

So can a poor man dream about the fine life of Europe? No, he too would be just a fool to follow such aspirations. A filthy rich guy is already filthy and insulated from the pleasures of simple life by applying the wax of wealth over his senses. But a poor man? Though under lots of pain and in constant struggle against hundreds of day-to-day problems and oppression of all kinds, he is the one who is closest to the simplest pleasures of life and he would be stuck in an eternal cycle of pain if he yearns to live the 'fine' life which in actuality is not fine at all..

Having observed all the human stupidity and lack of insight, why don't I move over to the bloody question of the relation between fine life and Europe? Yeah, here is the answer - The Europeans are and were bloody rich for centuries owing to the continuous pillaging and merciless exploitation of colonies in the name of colonialism/imperialism. In the name of countless civilizations and scientific marvels that were blown to smithereens by this handful of money hungry tribes, they OUGHT to be bloody rich.. and I really mean BLOODY(you know, with the blood and gore sticking to each coin of gold)..
... .... .... .... .... .... ...(catching a breath)

They come in all sizes and shapes..

Alright,so they had good wine, great food, some wonderful culinary skills and traditions. It is a good way of life if you fancy it, but it is not THE fine life. Fine life is even in the small things that you do. For example, my ability to write such a lengthy blog post on this topic in office hours on an internet connection paid for by my employer, while getting paid every month, for my facilities, the ability to purchase some of the things I wish to have..etc etc. I consider this a good life. It can be better, but it still is good life. I am sure 98% of readers of this have a good life too..

So there it is. That is what I think of the entire thing about having a good life. You have almost everything you want to be happy with but most of what you don't have are those which you don't want anyway.
Now you don't have any excuse for not having a good life and to feed more money to those .. ( ok enough of the Europe bashing.)

Disclaimer:- The entire view of this post is based on the momentary train of thoughts of the author. The blog or its owner is not responsible or liable for any hurt feelings or other complaints that the readers might have. The author is aware that this has been a closed observation of matters, but cohesion turns your LED to LASER, so why not this article :D

ciao

A newbie cyclist speaks out

As kids we all used to ride bikes(bicycles) everywhere and I am sure all had lots of fun and adventure.

But then in the process of growing up, people leave behind such indulgences and move to more sophisticated stuff suited to their lifestyles. And I speak with the conviction that more than 80% of the IT population don't take bike riding seriously, owing to various reasons ( major one being laziness ).

Alright. Getting to the point: I bought a BTwin Rockrider 5.1 last saturday .So I have been into cycling for about a week now. I just wanted to share some thoughts I had during this experience.

Preface:-
I use this beginner MTB model bicycle to cycle around the Outer Ring Road area of Bangalore , mostly after 7pm. Have cycled around just 70kms as of now. Have acquired some basic accessories, and more in pipeline.

Observations:-
(I can't resist noting the similarity to record books in school :P)
Health first
1. Higher lung capacity
2. Higher metabolic activity - burns more fat and improves appetite
3. Builds and conditions calves,knees,ankle and thighs
4. All the activity leaves you breathing through your skin
5. You can overexert and kill yourself

Enjoying a calm ride..

Moral perspective
1. You don't pollute (THE big morale booster)
2. You don't increase clutter on the road

No clutter on the road..

3. You can bash the polluters as much as you like on FB,twitter etc 

Logical
1. You reduce the fuel expenditure by reducing dependency on other modes of transport
2. Good health leads to good life overall
3. You save electricity by not being indoors for long periods of time

Yes the creepy addict..

4. More the time you spend on the road, lesser the time you get to post cheesy blogs, FB statuses/shares and stupid tweets. Good for mankind.

Special
1. You gain a lot of patience. The entire world will seem to shoot past you, while you crawl. Once you learn to live with it, you will enjoy every moment of your life.

2.  Finally you will learn the food chain of the road, where you would be just above the poor pedestrian. But then even they have more legal protection than a cyclist.

3. Learn to respect and fear the things on the street, especially the dogs. You will start planning your trips according to traffic situation, prefer places that allow to safely secure your bike and consider timings and ferocity of the dogs in the locations you plan to visit(V.important)

4. While you are involved in the constant struggle against friction, gravity and your own aching muscles, you forget every other problem in the world and can freely wander in your own world.

5. The feeling of triumph that accompanies each long route you complete, is more addictive than that gained from a motorcycle, because you are purely powered by your muscles, grit and determination.

6. Last but not least, you become the cool guy in the block and you can get to buy a lot of cooler accessories(provided you don't burn your pockets). I was shocked to see the level of sophistication that goes into the accessories.

just a few basic ones..

So get a bike , break free :)))))

Wacky goodies - Wishlist :)

 1. V for Vendetta mask
Even before watching the movie "V for Vendetta" I wanted to buy this mask. After watching the movie today, I really do want to get it. Just wish that some lower cost option was available. Until then in the wishlist you shall remain..

2. Like/Dislike Stamps
These are genuine facebook-like "Like and Dislike" stamps for use on paper.

3. Funny Doormat
Even though a bit rude, I like the humorous side of this doormat :)

Thats all for now folks..

How to beat free time in office :)

What to do when you get some free time in office after quite a long time?

Here is a list I have which might help others too to use the free time effectively.

a) Plan for executing pending things in your personal TO-Do
b) Listen to music - take your time to load playlists if none saved
c) Write a blog, tweet something, or think up or discuss something interesting
d) Read random interesting stuff eg. use Stumbleupon
e) Walk around to other cubicles and taking part in gossip (without giving the impression that you are free)
f) Pick off on pending tasks in office. Don't do them, just imagine you are..
g) Get in sync with latest news, movies, music and things happening with dear and near ones (hopefully you haven't missed too much)
h) Expect and plan long slumbers and lazy days..

more suggestions are welcome.. and I felt I should give credit to Jithin Babu a.k.a JB for inspiring this with his
 #HowtoBeatMondayBlues note in Facebook.

Note:- OK the title is quite cheesy. I agree.. :P

Mysore - What I miss

I miss some things of Mysore.

But for places, I miss the Chamundi hills most. That is the place in Mysore I never got bored off.
It can be a quiet place to reflect, a crowded temple to squeeze into, a fun bike ride with friends, a calm bike ride alone, or a good workout climbing up, or a crazy move going in at midnight in thick fog. Chamundi hills rock! yeah... rocks..

But for other places, I miss my locality. From the vegetable angadi hassan wali akka, the chaiwallah anna from somewhere north Ktaka, Rajasthani mess ke bhai log, green hotelile kozhikode chettanmar, Vel's messile akka and anna from TN, chat wallah bhai from UP, churmuri wallah anna, paanipuri wallah bhai again from Lucknow and less lightly the fellows in the dhaba and Nandana & Hariprasad owners.

Readers might have noted that I mentioned only places related to food. This is not just because I am a foodie, but also because I am a foodie. I do miss other people too, but people who serve you food are the ones with whom you make stronger bonds. This is a lesson I learnt from life.

The above missings weren't expected, and hence comes as a pain. My mother used to lament how I lost weight due to the 'food problem' in Mysore. But the truth was that I had enough around me and only my late night office schedule left me hungry and undernourished at times(undernourished, me!! who will believe it , other than my poor mother). But as I had to walk or use the shitty bus service in Mysore, I had a good health condition there. Now, with the bike and being in Bangalore, all those are lost.

 Bangalore, though famous for the variety and quality of food isn't quite rewarding owing to the shit-like traffic condition, the dusty atmosphere and our special location plus the overall attitude prevailing among my roommates against venture fooding. On my own, I had an adventurous life in mysore ..sigh..

Overall I miss some people, some places, the atmosphere and mostly and very badly.. the me who was there.

Can't say I was 24 carat gold there. But I was far better in many terms. I wish to include those good things in what is good now.

I do wish many times that I could buy a plot of land in Mysore and move out later on. Bangalore doesn't suit me completely... for the records..

Iron Sky - A review

I liked the film a lot. For the records, I am a world war 2 buff. My head is stuffed with data about weapons, history, tactics, profiles of important people, propaganda material, consequences and fallouts of the war etc etc

The movie goes like this. After the defeat in World War 2, the Nazis escape to the dark side of moon and settle there. They teach their offspring the philosophy of the Aryan supremacy and build up large military forces using a new fuel Helium-3. The kids believe that they will go back and teach peace and equality to the world. Also they are shown a short clipping of Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" , and are told how the great film captures the idea of the dictator saving the world.

Now, things go wrong when a black american model is sent to the moon as a part of.. a re-election campaign, and is caught by the Nazis. The president who sent him resembles none other than.. Sarah Palin, in terms of looks and intellect. The dialogues are funny and quite sarcastic in nature.

Even the UN, where each countries' representative is chided and sarcastically represented, makes a hilarious combination. No need to say, we have a turbaned fellow representing India.

All hell breaks loose when the Nazis decide to attack Earth. What follows is a hilarious warfare that would throw you off your seat if you can make connections to the real world scenarios.

I won't venture further for the fear of giving spoilers. The movie is good. A tad slow at the end, but interesting and hilarious throughout. Highly recommended. My rating is 8/10...

Oh yeah, if you watched the Untergang or the famous Hitler scene from it dubbed into umpteen things, you have something here..

Poster

 

I was in love with this poster when I first saw it. Had posted it in Facebook. Now putting it up here.

Wish I could take a printout and hang at my work place

6 month milestone

yeah i blog even for these

6 months completed with the new organization.

my second company, providing me with lots of new experiences, learning opportunities and perspectives of life.

the change of location which came alongwith it has a bigger significance..

so the blah continues after this..

yay 6th birthday

yippe yippe yay yay

my blog hits its 6th year..

thank you all readers, fans and critics..

this started off as a simple passion and grew into a big banyan tree of writings..

looking forward for further milestones

2mrw is yet another milestone, albeit of different form - 6 months in my new job :)

so many good things to look back at and more ahead..
Here is a link to the first post

Why do we write

Why do we have the urge to write?

Sometimes creative, sometimes quite plain and lacking emotions. But writing nevertheless.
We spin webs of stories, share incidents, make statements, ponder loudly, give out knowledge, ask stupid questions, fight, criticize, get criticized, and what not.

What is it all for? As my blog nears its 6th birthday (in another 12 days), I can't help ponder about this question.

Everyone has a reason to write? Is that the answer? Well I can't be too sure. But then wasn't that a tricky answer which nobody can deny? :D

Taking a walk down the archives of my blog reveals not just things centered upon me, but rather I see the beginnings of something bigger. I just am not able to put my finger on it now. Something that embodies more than a person and his views about the myriad world out there, and the even weirder ones inside.

Ah I shall stop here. Let the pondering continue inside..I got a movie to complete.. ciao..