3 years @ work

It’s been three years. Yesterday I started my 4^th year at TCS. I just don’t want to say the good-old cliché “Three years went by like three minutes/seconds”, though I really feel it did. Neither on the day when I got recruited nor on the day when I entered the campus I wasn't sure I would be here for 3 whole years. Even today, I’m not sure I would complete my 4^th year here, but who knows, I would do a post next year saying how excited I’m on completing my 4^th year, and thereby getting the apparent promotion. That’s life after all, at least for me.

The past three years have been a great learning experience, both professionally and personally. I had faced a couple of hurdles on the way; otherwise it has been a smooth, flexible and favorable ride. I have been in two different projects so far, and each of them has taught me ample number of lessons that would help me grow better and better in the future.

All along the way I have met and been with different kinds of people – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Luckily, to make my ride pretty smooth, the last two categories had very few people in them. Nevertheless, even the bad and the ugly had been on their good at times, and I was kind of okay for being with them.

I have seen people cry (yes, trust me. I have seen the real tears. Thanks to those girls!), have seen people laugh. I have seen people being furious and arrogant. I have seen people caring and being humble. I have seen people who were very much committed, people who were, ironically, the other way, too. I have seen people who were passionate about what they do and what they have to do. There was one particular girl who topped all others in that regard. She was my inspiration, my booster and my whatnot. Honestly, I give her the compliment for what I’m today.

And I have tried my best to change the people who weren't committed, who weren't passionate, and who were cheerfully irresponsible. I was successful with few, and unsuccessful with others. Never mind, at least I tried.

I have had few greatest moments of my life. I have had few forgettable, regrettable moments as well. There were days that were nothing more than plain and simple; there were days that were exciting and challenging; there were days that were nothing less than being extremely funny. Not to forget, there were miserable days, too.

I have met people who were later to become my best friends, and thereby, an integral part of my life. They have done way too much to impress me that I would go to any extent to pay back them by any means. I have met people who love me for what I’m and people whom I love THE MOST!

I have had my golden days – not the days when I was recognized or appreciated for my work, but the days when I was really happy for doing as much help as I could offer to make my colleagues shine in their task. I was more than indulged to see them smile, and that gave me more satisfaction than the smile I got myself when I was appreciated.

I have had my dark days as well. Those days were real pain for me. It’s not that I couldn't handle the day to make it less gloomy, but I was doomed to face that. Personally I would say the third year was more horrifying (strictly not in professional terms).

From people, I have learnt how one should behave and how one shouldn't. I have studied the ways to motivate people to get the work done, to handle people in tough times, and not to disappoint or disrespect anyone.

Looking back at the three years, one thing that makes me feel happy is the fact I have grown with the help of others, and invariably, helped others grow. And I guess, that makes me complete in my career as yet.

SO FAR SO GOOD. Cheers to ME and the people who made me what I'm today!

Height of Laziness...

Laziness, it is, that I have been used to these days. It has almost become an acceptable norm for me lately. Crazy, as it is; I have reached the pinnacle of laziness as yet. Last month, as a result of my procrastination to fuel my bike – despite the fact that it was 5-6 days already since I ran my bike in reserve – I was left stranded at nowhere as the fuel tank got dried on my way to my friend's place. I couldn't see any petrol bunk nearby. Result, I had to walk my bike all along 3 KMS to get into the nearest petrol bunk. Worse, it happened at around 3 P.M. when the sun was peeking with its hot rays at earth, at us, at ME.

Back then, all along the way, as I was walking my bike, I kept on reminding me – ‘not again’. Never, ever let this happen again in your life. If the bike gets to come to use the reserve fuel, you have to fill the tank on the very same day, I told myself. No laziness, no procrastination, and no struggle, anymore. And the fact was, the inside me showed all the symptoms and signs that it had accepted the request of the outside me that was taking the toll of my laziness.

But, as you know, the proverb – you can’t straighten dog’s tail by putting in a hose pipe – goes, things remained the same. My laziness remained the same. Few weeks later, I ran into the same situation – I ran my fuel tank dry. Unluckily, it happened on my way to office, and luckily, my bike came to still just few meters away from a petrol bunk. I was wrong in my calculations as I had thought it would run for another 2 days in the reserve fuel. (I guess someone might have stolen the petrol from my bike; otherwise I wouldn’t usually go wrong in my calculations!) However, my inside me apologized, and the outside me was insane enough to forgive him, maybe because I was left to walk my bike only for few meters. I was second time lucky, what else to say?

Unfortunately, it didn't stop there. Unfortunately, it happened today as well. Unfortunately, this time, my friend was the victim (of course because of me!). I have been running my bike in the reserve fuel for the past few days. Since I didn't get a chance to ride my bike yesterday until late night for dinner, I didn't care to fill the tank. While riding to a restaurant for my dinner yesterday, I decided to go for it today morning on my way to office.

And when I started to office today, everything was fine – I had “you got to fill the fuel tank” very much in my mind. But as I rode near the petrol bunk, laziness had its laugh on me, and I had to ride past it with the thought that I would fill the tank in the evening. At office, my colleague wanted my bike to go somewhere. I told him that it might get dried anytime, and asked him to fill the tank in the nearest petrol bunk.

After some 15 minutes, I got a call from him. I thought he was calling me to ask the whereabouts of my bike. I picked his call.

“DRY,” all he said was this one word.

“Where are you now?” I asked, hastily.

“Just few meters away from the parking,” he replied.

*Shit!*

I felt bad for him (and for me as well). In a way, I was third time lucky; I escaped from walking my bike to a petrol bunk again. But I made up my mind not to face the same situation ever again. Now, don’t laugh at me. I mean it this time. Or I just don’t want to do one more post on this in future.

P.S: I thank my friend for taking the pain himself to get the tank filled, and yeah I drove home without any difficulty.

Puppy Love

Now, from the title, don't get into any wrong conclusion by yourself. Let me tell you, this post isn’t about the love of the ‘puppies’. Oh God! No, how the hell did I know about their love? I have never been a puppy myself and I not even had a puppy in my home, to say the least. Also, I wasn’t brainy to do some research in that area either. So, if you’re already into any such conclusion, shift-delete that from the ‘brainy’ you. 

Like I mentioned, this post isn’t about the actual puppies. Instead, this is about the ‘puppy’ human – an informal way to address the ‘formal’ kid, and the love that blossoms in them. Okay, wait, I hear someone saying, “You idiot, that isn’t LOVE, it’s something called CRUSH.” 

Who is that? On no, it’s actually a bunch of people shouting at me. 

Never mind, “Hey, you real idiots, that’s not always a crush (I will crush the fool who coined the term ‘crush’, if I get to see him now),” I say. 

What do you people know about LOVE anyway? Just because you have more experience than me or have heard some dumb-ass saying hell of a lot about crush doesn’t mean a kid can’t fall in love. Please understand this, and if you can’t, just shut the *something* (I know the word precisely, but its offensive or so was told) up. 

When you hear your friend saying about the girl whom he had been studying with in his lower class, say fifth standard, and his love for her, the instant answer (or a guess) from you would be, “Hey come on man, that’s not love, but a mere crush or infatuation (another horrible word I would like to remove from the so-and-so dictionaries available in this world). How come you love someone at that age?” Which idiot told them love comes only at or after so-and-so age? I wonder. 

People think a kid can’t fall in love, meaning they can’t feel the real love. Okay, let me ask them, how many grownups actually feel the real love? If you analyze their case in depth, you would get to the point where it started from, what you say, crush or infatuation. All it takes is just the time and trust to feel the real love, no matter what your age is. Not that I mean all kids’ love are real. In fact, most of them are mere crush, but please empathize that not all kids’ love can be categorized into something called crush. There exists the ‘puppy’ love that is real. 

Few days back, I went to my neighbors’ to invite them for my birthday party. Unfortunately, I was held up by their son as he was in the call with his girlfriend. He held me with his hand that I couldn't force myself away from him until he hung up the call. Damn, he was too strong or as some people used to say about me, I was too weak given my age. Probably I too will be strong when I’m his age. 

“Why are you flirting with her?” he asked pointing the girl at the road. 

“What –ting?” I asked him baffled. 

*TING* 

Damn it, he hit me on my head. He took advantage of his height. I was still struggling to get out of his hold. 

“Why are you flirting with her?” he repeated this time giving more stress to the fourth word. 

I stood still looking as if I didn’t get him yet. The fact was I didn't really. 

“Why are you always holding her hands? And why are you furious at the guy who talks to her?” he started ferociously. 

“Nope, I am not,” I replied. 

“Yes, you are. I have been watching you idiot,” he said. 

Why the hell did he watch me? What the hell it does to him, if or not I hold her hand? Moreover, he is in love with some girl already (He himself told me few months back). So irrefutably, I’m safe for if he accuses of me for being in love with someone, he himself is in one. 

“Are you in love?” He asked me blatantly. 

I nodded strongly. (Though later I had second thoughts for my instant nodding.) 

He laughed himself out. I wanted to give him the *ting*, a real hard one. I couldn’t. 

“Just like you,” I replied. 

“Just like me? Are you kidding? This thing is not a love, just a crush.” 

“No” I broke him in. 

“Or infatuation. That’s it. Don’t get into any trouble,” he said with his eyes wide open. 

I ran back to my home. Jealous, he is, I thought. He smokes; he fuddles and still has a girlfriend, and says he is in love with her. That seems to be fine for him. I don’t drink or smoke and I have a girlfriend whom I'm in love with. Still that doesn’t seem to be fine for him. Not only him, but many feel the same way. How do you expect the kids to prove their love? By cutting their hand with a blade or any other sharp tools like most of the grownups do (I have seen this in many movies. Fools, they are)? Alas, they are still scared of blood. Trust me, that’s something too much to ask for. 

Okay, now, I just request you not to be mad at me for all my ramblings. With due respect, I invite you for my tenth birthday party tomorrow, of course, it’s a puppy birthday party – no booze, no smoke, no hot babes and no whatever-you-find-in-a-adult-party. Please consider this as my personal invite. If you grace the occasion with your esteem presence, I will grace you back by introducing my girl to you. Wondering what’s special with her? Have you seen Sara in ‘Deiva Thirumagal’ movie? Did you like her? If so, you will just love my girl; even if you didn’t, you will still love my girl. She is my girl, after all. 

Actually, I haven’t got her confirmation yet as she is a tad disappointed lately. Reason, she had already celebrated her tenth birthday few months back. Alas, blame it on the stupid grownups again. They are ones who had been used to (and still are) the norm – a girl should be younger than her husband – that is insanely projected as a respectable one. Idiots, they are. Okay, see you tomorrow. I have a tough job of persuading her. I hope she will come for the party for I’m going to threaten her of not giving her the kiss that she asks every day before she leaves me if she won’t turn up tomorrow. Oh sorry, not a kiss, but a peck on her cheek (She likes to call it this way). If that doesn't work out, I'm going to please her by saying "I love you".

10 days challenge - Day 8, 9 and 10

Well, the break - it happened almost unavoidably. When I started this meme, I made up my mind not to break the flow no matter what. Seven days, I held on to it. In those seven days, there were times when I was deeply pressed for time to do this meme, but somehow, thanks to me, I did do it.  Sadly, that wasn't the case for the past three days. Uh-huh, don't blame me for that; rather give it to the functions I had to attend (Damn, Marriage season again!!!). Nevertheless, here I'm with this post that would possibly palliate the break.

Three films: Being a movie buff, and being the one who has quite a few movies saved in his computer in a folder named 'ineluctable', choosing three is never going to be easy! But here goes my favorite three that might well get changed depending on the time of asking (except for the first).

1. Kadhal Kondein - A film that had its effect on me for so long. This film had shown me my favorite director, my favorite music director, and my favorite hero. Though looking at this film now, I would say it doesn't have the technical brilliance (at least, so as seen in the director's other movies that followed this) and the director's best either, but still I would rate this to be on top of my list for the impact it had on me (and many others) then.

2. Following - Christopher Nolan, a director I look up to inHollywood. This film is his masterpiece, I would say. Though many (including me) will say all his movies are top-class and rattling, I would still choose Following - his first feature film - over the others. It's just over an hour long, but an awesome thriller with an intriguing screenplay that gets you hooked into it completely. Watch it to experience the effect it leaves in you, nothing much.

3. 500 days of summer - An offbeat romantic movie with not exactly the romance but a substance. I love this movie specially for its screenplay and the way it’s presented.

Two Songs: Two is just too less when it comes to songs. There are at least a dozen that I couldn't stop listening to, that I have played an uncountable number of times, that I can't easily choose one over the other. While I thought nothing of the first (as being obvious), I had to think twice to pick the second among my other favorites.

1. Oru Nalil -Ping to this post to know more about this song, and why I like it. A post on a song will itself speak voluminous about my like for it. Yuvan Shankar Raja proves his mettle with this song. If the music takes the song to a high, the lyrics and Yuvan’s rendering takes it to the other world.

2. Iragai Pole – Yuvan’s musical, again. I’m not a musical prodigy to explain or review the song. Just listen to this song; it will travel down in you just like a feather dropped down – slow, yet beautiful.

One Picture:

That's the end of 10-days-challenge, which of course, came only in 11 days! Still, that's laudable (at least for my sake).

10 days challenge - Day seven

I just pen down the four books that my mind could think of at this point of time. I know some might feel there are hell of a lot better books than the ones listed below, but this is just MY PICK. So here it is, four books -

1. Five point someone by Chetan Bhagat - A book that inspired me to write. This is the only book I read in a single sitting. This is the book that made me a Chetan Bhagat Fan. I have read all his books so far. And by fair means, I should have completed this list with those four books only, if not for my thought to include other authors as well.


2. I too had a love story by Ravinder Singh - A touching love story I have ever read, sadly it was also a true story:-(. My favorite lines in the book are - "Not everyone in this world has the fate to cherish the fullest form of love. Some are born, just to experience the abbreviation of it." and "They say, don't cry because it's over but instead smile because it had happened."


3. Love Story by Erich Segal - Not a surprise I love this book, many who has a disposition for love stories would definitely pick this as their/one of their favorite(s). My favorite, and easily everyone's favorite line is "Love means never having to say you're sorry."


4. Anything for you ma’am by Tushar Raheja - It's the title (and also the fact that it's a love story) that made me pick this book. I list this book here simply for its title that's close to my heart. Though the book wasn't that much interesting, it was engaging mostly, if not throughout. (Not in par with Chetan's books, I would say!)
   

10 days challenge - Day Six

The day I saw this MEME, only one thing seemed to be a hurdle to me, and that's my day-six's post - the day when I have to write about 'five foods'. "you're a poor eater," my P.L. used to say. That's the fact, indeed. I'm a kind of guy who just looks for "Is there something to eat?" and not "I should have so-and-so food at so-and-so place."

NOTE: I came to know the whereabouts of a non-veg restaurant, where my roommates have been going for more than a year now, just a few weeks before. That much importance I give to this subject!

Anyway, here is my five -



1. Bread with Jam -

My all time favorite. For me, nothing beats this when it comes to FOOD! The only food item I loved to have in my Hostel Mess. If it was a Tuesday or Saturday, I wouldn't miss breakfast. There were times I missed my first hour class on those days, just because of the breakfast.



2. Idiyappam with coconut milk -

If I'm going to my home town, one thing I would be sure of, and that's the breakfast for the first day. Idiyappam - my welcome food every time I get home (unless, my MOM is too tired to prepare it).  My lovely Mom knows me well, time and again, the Idiyappam on my plate will remind me that day.

3. Hot Touch Burger (from Marrybrown) -

The only place I thing of when I plan to have food in some restaurant is Marrybrown, and the only food I want to have over there is 'Hot Touch Burger'. Not that I won't have food somewhere else; I do, at times, with my friends, but under their compulsion, and for the very reason not to spoil their plan.





4. Hide and Seek biscuit -

Nothing to say here except the fact that I simply love this one :-)

5. Fish Fry -

The only non-veg (only if you don't buy in my words 'fish is a veg') item I love to have (apart from the Hot Touch Burger :-)) is Fish. My colleagues, whenever we get to some restaurant for a treat, would order Fish Fry themselves for me.


Great, I'm done with this post! I'm more than relieved now!!! Guess, I would have a good sleep tonight .......

10 days challenge - Day Five

Six Places, what to write about? About some real, amazing, breathtaking, and mesmerizing places that I have been to or been dreaming about all through my life (Nah, I don’t have any such places if I have to be truthful to you. I don't dream about places, instead I only dream about people :-)).

I always admire places, any places for that matter. When I saw the film - Roja, I wanted to travel to Kashmir. When I heard about the Leaning Tower of Pisa for the first time, I wanted to go there (and check if whatever I had heard/read is true or not). Then later, when I heard my friend’s imaginary love story, I wanted to visit Shimla. And so goes the list, on and on. It only gets added up every day as I get to know more about different places.

From doing a quick scan of the places in my mind, I polished up my idea not to give importance to some locality, such as town or city; I would rather indite some placeshere. My conscience asks me to give equal preference to Love and Hate this time. So here are the three places where I would love to spend my time and three more that I hate to be in.

LOVE first, as always:

1. Beach – A place where I would be serene and chilled out irrespective of the pain or joy that I had before. Almost everyone in this world likes the beach, or in other words, no one hates it. It’s that each one of them likes it for various reasons. I like it for the calmness I feel when I spend my time there.


2. Park – A place where I always loved to spend my time at. No matter if I’m alone or not. I simply love, love, love, and love being there. An added note, I penned my second story sitting in a park. The ‘joyful’ children, the ‘walking’ old men and women, the ‘jogging’ youths, some ‘nature-loving’ souls, and more importantly, an almost eco-friendly environment are some of the things that make me feel good about the park.


3. Terrace (with my headphones on) – Different people have different places where they feel their soul, genuinely feel the existence of it. I do have many, but there is only one place where my soul feels me, the real me, and that is the terrace. Whatever it may be – my downtime or my happiest time – if it’s late night when the moon shows up with its cheesy grin (It’s just an added flavor. The Moon not showing up would also do!), I like be at the terrace, and wander around with my favorite tracks playing in my ears. Eventually, whenever that happens, I would walk down to my room completely rejuvenated.

HATE:

1. Smoking Point – The only place I hate in a theatre (of course, apart from the untidy toilets) simply because I hate SMOKING. Invariably, I hate the concept of having a separate ‘Smoking Point or Smoking Zone or Smoking whatnot in a public place, that too when people have to cross it to go somewhere, say to the toilets! I hate this place not only in a theatre, but also everywhere that has this ‘smoking place’.


2. Desert – “No water, No life”. I can’t live without water, neither can I in a complete hot weather. And for these reasons, I have hated this place, right from my lower classes. Luckily, I didn’t get a chance to be in a desert yet.


3. Market – Any market, precisely, a fish market. Noise, quarrel, congested, and that’s enough for anyone to hate it, unless and of course, if you’re a lover of fish. I’m an exemption; I love only to eat them and not buy them [from the market].

A good end to start five foods tomorrow...

10 days challenge - Day Four

Day Four - Seven wants! Well, as any normal human would desire, I do have several wants, no matter what. Deep within, I know most of them would end up as mere 'wants'. It might even sound greedy too. But who cares! They're just 'wants' after all. So, among those several wants, picking seven is easily manageable. Here are my random picks.

1. I want to build my dream house, the one I have been dreaming about right from my younger days. I simply don’t want to describe about it here (Maybe I would do a separate post on it); let it be in my mind and soul till it gets materialized.

2. I want to meet Mr. Selvaraghavan. He was indirectly the reason for me being a movieoholic. It was his film – Kadhal Kondaen – that left an indelible mark in my heart which drastically sowed the seeds for my directorial dreams. From then, I have always been an ardent admirer of all his movies. Apparently, as anyone else, I do have many people queued in my I-want-to-meet-this-person-at any-cost list, but it’s Selvaraghavan who tops the list. No surprise.

3. I want to be a Director or a Writer – or preferably both. I seriously doubt the chances for this to happen given my stand in life at present. Nevertheless, I just want to be, deep in my heart. I would say, this is the only wish related to my professional life I have in me. Nothing else, no other big dreams (okay, I admit, this itself seems to be something real big).

4. I want to take a long vacation - a real long vacation, and head to some place, preferably a hill station. Hmm, I would choose Shimla. I wanted to go to this place from the day when my friend told me that his classmate in his previous school – also his girlfriend (as said to me) – got shifted there (Thanks to her dad’s transfer). I was such a dumbass then to believe all these nonsense 'false' facts. No early morning wake up, no hurry for anything, no office works, no traffic noise, no disturbances, no pollution, and no everything-that-distracts-me. No one should recognize me, and so should I. New place, new people, and new environment, with my Laptop as my sole companion. Awesome, it will be.

5. I want to travel in a ship, maybe like Titanic only it shouldn't sink in its voyage. Even if I didn’t get to see a ‘Rose’ just as ‘Jack’ did, I would, far and away, be content with the travel itself. Believe me, that’s more than enough. Ah, hang on! also imagine me as the captain of that ship. “Uh-huh, that’s grabby,” I hear. Well, okay, forget that captain part. Just the traveler tag is sufficient for me.

6. Do you remember me saying about football and my favorite football team in my nine loves? In that regard, I want to watch Manchester United play Manchester City (or any other team, to say the least) in the ‘Theatre of Dreams’. Whenever I watch a football match in T.V., I envisage the feelings of the spectators seated over there. Magnificent feeling, it is. I just desire, one day I would feel it for real. I hopefully want this wish of mine to get fulfilled sometime in the near future.

7. I want to be rocketed straight to heaven once I’m dead. I have heard hell of a lot about being in hell (yeah, nothing positive). I can’t stand those indigestible, hellacious happenings over there. I’m pretty much sure I will not land in hell by any chance, but almost equally, I also doubt Mr. Chitragupta – who has the task of deciding heaven or the hell for the humans – to fail in his duty. (Sometimes things happen out of anyone’s control, you see.) I just hope that he doesn’t do any stupid miscalculations just as he did in the super star’s movie – “Athisaya Piravi”.

Will take you to my six places tomorrow......

10 days challenge - Day Three

Day Three, it is. Hmm, it's good I have been sticking to this meme. It's too early to say, but still it's a good achievement given my habit of procrastination.

My eight fears, here it comes -

1. Ophidiophobia (Fear of snakes): Right from the day I saw the picture of a snake (The King Cobra, if I remember it correct) in my kinder garden text book, I'm afraid of Snakes. But my fear never restricted me from watching a movie featuring snakes. (I love Anaconda series, you know.) I still remember how I had suffered from insomnia the night I saw the movie 'Neeya'. I was eleven years old then, and I saw a snake chasing me like hell in my dreams. Hmm, rather I should have paid heed to my mom's casual admonition. The insomnia I had that night made me to take a vow not to see any late night snakes-movies. My fear of snakes clings still, but I, however, don't buy in the concept of a snake vowing to avenge for the death of his/her beloved. Silly, I think.

2. A Dream: Odd, it may sound for many, and usual, it may sound for quite a few [like me]. I have the fear of one particular dream, a dream that occurs to me often. In that dream, which I find to be atrocious, I end up in the examination hall to take my exam without preparing for it. Sometimes, I end up there after preparing for some other subject. Whatever be the case, I struggle, howl, and cry in the examination hall, and after few deadly, horrible minutes, I walk past the other talented mortals – who are busy puking whatever they had learnt the previous day on their respective answer sheets – to hand over my blank answer sheets to the invigilator who laugh, laugh, and merely laugh at me before throwing the answer sheets in the trash bin. Surprisingly, in my dreams, I always had to take Mathematics exam only! Poor Me. 

3. Ghosts: To be frank, I’m not a believer of Ghosts, although I once was. But unfortunately the change in my belief doesn’t have any positive effect on my fear. And hence, I still have the fear of Ghosts. I will always, I guess. The only thing I can be proud of is, unlike my younger days when I was afraid of Ghosts if I had to go somewhere in the dark, things has changed for better now; of recent, I have the fear only when I have to cross a cemetery, and fortunately that happens very, very rare. Ghosts, save me!

4. Roller coaster: What to say about this? “I’m not a kid to get a ride in it in the first place.” So with that excuse, I could escape from admitting my fear. But I do see people older than me by several years taking a ride and my friends (only a few) want to have some fun in it. And hence, when they ask me to accompany them, I’m pushed from inside to admit my fear. So here I’m, accepting my fear. Friends, if you ever happen to read this post, never, ever ask me to accompany you when you would want to have some fun in the Roller coaster. Because, I bet I won’t. 

5. Dogs: To be precise, it should be the fear of ‘Dog-Bites’. If you are bitten by a dog, you have to take ‘n’ number of injections, or so was I told. Who would want it? I don’t. So I have this fear, this indelible fear whenever I see a dog, let alone a pack of them. I would pray God, at whatever time, I have to cross them. Lucky, I’m yet to get a bite from them, and hence my body is saved, so far, from that ‘n’ number of injections. Touch wood. 

6. Losing my memory: Bad, if you happen to bump into your best friend somewhere and stroll as if you haven’t seen him, or as if he is a stranger. Worse, if you have to wake up at some strange place with some strangers around you and you don’t know who you are, where you are, let alone why you are there. I can’t imagine me in a situation like that. Maybe this fear grew in me ever since I saw the movie – Memento. Thanks to Christopher Nolan.

7. Dystychiphobia (Fear of accidents): This is something that got attached to me in the past few years. I almost see an accident, mostly minor and at times major, everyday when I ride to/from my office. And whenever I do, this thought of me meeting an accident myself flashes in my mind. Enough said.

8. God: Almost everyone (of course, who believes his existence) fear of him at some point of time in their life. Apparently, when they have to do something immorally. I grew up with the warning (given to me in my younger days) that I have been watched by God, and would lose my eye sight if I lie, or do any wrong, or do any harm to any individual. And as I was a firm believer in God, I had to believe it, and that developed a fear in me. Though I almost lost my trust in him lately, my fear is still rooted in me.

I do have other few trivial fears, but by good fortune, I have to list only eight in this post. So there, my third day post is done!

10 days challenge - Day Two

The second day’s challenge seems to be more comfortable than the first. It’s about Love, after all. I’m really kicked about doing this post. Just to be on the safer side, I’m not going to include any known/unknown people in the list. I feel it’s evenly safe for them too as I don’t want some people to feel bad for not featuring in my list. Okay, I could hear the grumbling from your end. I understand. So, here it is, the nine loves I would die for (That’s an exaggeration, I accept).

1. Movies – Hmm, this is something I can’t live without. I just love them; love them more than anything (Read it again. It’s anything, not anyone). A Theatre is one of the few places where I would like to spend my time at (of course, alone), notably, when I’m deeply dispirited. And if I don’t have anything, in particular, to do about, I would just sit with my laptop in my room watching a movie.


2. Bike Ride – This is something I loved right from the day I started learning it. No matter how heavy the traffic is, no matter what bike I ride, I just love the ride. An added note, the musical genius in me shows up when I ride my bike.


3. A Rainy Sunday – or any rainy holiday for that matter. Nothing beats having a hot cup of coffee, leaning against the wall near the window with the water droplets splattering over you. As I said, it holds well only on a holiday. And alas, I’m not a lover of rains when I’m on my way to the office or when I’m about to leave my home for somewhere.


4. Arguing – I love to chat (argue, to be precise) with my friends about movies, politics and sports. I just enjoy the ambience surrounding the argument. That too, when it seems like I’m on the winning side!!!


5. Blogging/Writing – No details required. I just love writing what I feel like writing. Equally, I love reading other’s blogs.


6. Photography – I’m not a good photographer myself; and I would say I’m not even an okay-kind-of photographer either. I never did any course on photography (but I always wanted to, and I still do!). Nor did I well-versed in Photoshop. To the Least, I don’t even own a camera. But these lil reasons don’t restrict my love for photography. I love taking photographs with my mobile. My friends do appreciate the snaps taken by me; if they fail, I would appreciate myself for the snaps. *You know, the item that holds to the top in my purchase list, for long, is a Camera.*


7. Football – Watching football on weekends gives me immense happiness. I would stick to the T.V. until the match gets over. Given a choice [to watch] between India playing Pakistan in a Cricket World Cup final and Manchester United playing any other team in a football match of less importance, I would choose the later any day.  That much love I have for football. NOTE: Manchester United has always been my favorite [club] football team. (Manchester City is added to that, lately.) I still feel the pain inflicted by Manchester United’s loss to Barcelona in the Champions League final in 2009 (and 2011). *An everlasting disappointment, that was*


8. No. 7 – Uh-huh, I'm not sure that this could be a valid entry, but I love to add this in the list. Everyone has their favorite number; it would either be calculated from their name, or from their date of birth, or from their lover's some-stupid-special date, or the like. Mine is seven. Because, it was David Beckham's - my all-time favorite footballer - jersey number. Lame, it might sound. Stupid, it might seem. Nevertheless, I consider seven as my favorite number, the number that I would love to have anywhere I'm supposed to have a number.


9. Music – Well, well, and well. It’s really hard to get rid of this, let alone not love this. This is one thing that would, by all means, find its place in anyone’s list of their loves. I tried hard not to include this so as to be different (now, don’t laugh, please), but I couldn’t as I felt the list would be incomplete without MUSIC. Do you remember Friedrich Nietzsche’s quote? "Without music, life would be a mistake."

So there. Will post my eight fears tomorrow!!!

10 days challenge - Day One

I have been thinking of doing this MEME ever since I saw it on some random blog that I stalk. Surprisingly, a couple of days before, my sister mailed me to do this. Co-incidence, maybe.

So here it is, my post for DAY ONE - Ten Secrets.

#01. I had to shed tears once for not scoring centum in my higher secondary mathematics examination. Mathematics, that's my the-most-favorite subject among all others. I would even take it easy had I not scored well in Geography (that comes close second to Mathematics), but I would go nuts had I missed a mark in Mathematics. In my twelfth grade, I never fixed, for myself, a total that I should score. But I always had the target of scoring 200 in Mathematics. To this day, whenever I think of the subject, I would only feel bad for not getting to my target. But on the day when I got my sixth semester results in which I got the top most grade in mathematics paper, I couldn't help but shed few tears thinking of twelfth Mathematics paper.

#02. I hate the idea of having pets [at my home]. I can’t even imagine my bubbly dog (or whatever it is) sleeping next to me in my bed, or he/she kissing me when I bid bye to him/her every day. But I don’t hate to see one at my friends’. *Hmm, not bad*

#03. I like travelling in bus at night. When all the lights are turned off save the blue one at the center of the bus, I will float in the feeling of euphoria. Most of my best dreams come during that travel. And for that reason I prefer travelling in bus to train, always.

#04. I’m a man of deep compassion. I have this compassion for people, even at the not-so-required-times. I feel pity on people whom I feel is less than me in any ways. For instance, assume a guy cleaning my table when I'm at a hotel, and if he has a piteous face, I would start to feel for him, for his state, and for his work. I would just think why the hell he should do this tedious job. Same is the case if I get to see an old man as a security anywhere – be it an ATM or a bank or a home, or if I get to see a beggar lying in an untidy place. I would start to ramble about it to my friend(s). Sometimes, I have been ridiculed for this act. Okay, call me shallow. I can’t help it.

#05. Be it a movie or the beach, I enjoy going alone. But it happens very rare; only when I want solitariness. I love to sit on the beach staring at the sea and the people around – to capture their activities in my mind. I love to watch a movie with my mind into the screen rather than talking or laughing out to my friends sitting next to me. In that regard, I hate someone questioning me or talking to me when I am sticking with the characters in the movie.

#06. I always responded otherwise whenever my mom asked me to do my P.G or any Master degree. But the fact is I really wish to do my higher studies, either MBA or M.S., abroad. My response to my mom was just because I feel I’m not ready for that yet. Hold on, does it sound like I’m not yet qualified or prepared technically? If so, rub that off; that’s not the case. Unfortunately, I'm tied up with other dreams that don’t let me move freely with the idea of doing higher studies.

#07. Everyone who knows me well also knows I’m a movie buff. It all started when I was into the college. If it was a Friday night, you could find me in a theatre. I don’t know how but it soon became our (I refer my gang of friends here) routine. Whether or not we had some work, whether or not we were bored, whether or not we had an exam next day, we would go for a movie if it was a Friday (because every new film releases on Friday unless a special occasion falls on any other days). I never told my parents about me going to a film in the Friday night call with them. Who would approve a movie every Friday? Okay, I don’t know about others, but I know my MOM won’t. My sisters know about this though. No it’s not a secret. The secret is I went to a movie at my hometown during my twelfth grade without informing my parents. I still remember how tensed I was all through the movie, tensed because of the fear of being caught. :-(

#08. I have made a girl cry. (Proud, does it sound? Nah, I say it with shame.) Yes, I did that, but unknowingly. By 'unknowingly', I imply I wasn't aware that my act (let it be secretive always) would make her cry. Well, in the past, I've made my sisters cry, not once or twice, but many a time. By then, I wasn't left with a guilty feeling, not even once. (I did feel bad a couple of times though, but never did I feel guilty.) Maybe, because I just did that for fun (they might have taken it a bit serious sometimes though). But the other day, when the girl cried, I felt really BAD and GUILTY. I will always add the incident to my top ten mistakes of all time.

#09. I’m not as good a person as many might think. And when I say it, I mean it. (Okay, now that doesn’t give anyone even a littlest chance to hate me! Beware!)

#10. I struggled a lot for the past couple of hours listing out my ten secrets. Geez, I don't have many secrets in me, I guess. Or maybe I don't have many secrets that can possibly fall in the category - "The Secret that can be shared [with anyone]".

Catch you tomorrow with my nine loves…