RESURGENCE- MY HOLIDAY RESOLVE

Hey people.. I am back.

Ive been through the supposedly most traumatic period of my life. (read my last holidays) and Ive learnt a few things which I would like to share with you....

1) Smoking is injurious to health. (read I could discern no other message from the short film Vaaranam Ayiram).

2) Karan Johar is gay.(Final proof: read No other answer for Dostana.)

3) Sawshank Redemption can happen in real life. (read I have only one semester more.)

4) Daniel Craig has speach defect. He may have been dyslexic. (read I couldn't understand one word of what he said in Quantum of Solace. Maybe he was trying to be cooool.)

5)  There's a new God for us Indians. ( read the Dhoni juggernaut rolls on.and before you get ready a lynch mob, we can have more than one God right??)

6)Manmohan Singh is the most educated prime minister in the world. (read the Govt. could have done something aboout Mumbai.)

7) Indian security is the tightest in the world. (read wish we could rank these things by sheer numbers.)

8) Mumbai is immortal.

9) There is or atleast was a new ministry in the Tamil Nadu Govt. ( read The power-cut ministry.)

10) Marks are easy to get. (read its just that I cant get them.)

and finally..

11) Flab is good. (read I just cant get rid of it.)

So my holiday resolve is to keep learning and also passing on the information to my loyal fan following. (read wish I had one.)

ON TAKING A BUS RIDE

ON RUNNING AFTER ONES HAT
I love G.K.Chesterton. Not that I am an authority on him. Not that I have read all his works. I just love him for the one essay (the above), that gave me a reason, to not have a reason to laugh. Hope you are with me till now. I am sorry if I am scaring you. Because it is not my fault that it is difficult to express my feelings towards G.K.Chesterton. Well coming to the point, this particular essay essays the whole chapter on human emotions….


ON TAKING A BUS RIDE
Before you read on, (hope you do read on) there are a few things you ought to know and digest completely. One, I am an Indian, from TamilNadu to be specific. Two, the following essay is absolutely true. Three, if you are not from India whatever image of the Indian bus you have is completely wrong. Now having established these points I shall now proceed to explain the great Indian bus ride.

Well, it’s like this. I go every where by bus. Not that I am like this eco-friendly bus rider, I can not afford (as a humble student) to travel any other way.. I usually find somebody to take me through a moronic bus ride, but this particular evening was different. Different in that, I had to travel alone and it was anything but moronic.

So with trepidation I got into the bus. Getting into the bus was a process in itself, involving treading on toes, saying sorry every second (sorry, sorry…) and as the bus starts while you are doing this, it also involves hanging on for dear life. At last I was in the bus and thankfully I could get into it (meaning out of the foot board).

Since there was nobody around to keep me occupied, my heightened senses, heightened because of my near death experience, made me take in the whole atmosphere. It was a literal ocean of human bodies. I was bounded in on all sides by a rigid yet moving wall that talked, sneezed, shouted and occasionally even screamed. I do not know why, but at that moment, I felt an enormous compassion for the Indian citizen. You must be an extremely tolerant, polite and awfully nice person to be able to suffer through a bus ride. Ouch!! You nincompoop, nitwit, ******, cant you look where you are going?? Sorry where was I? Ah! Compassion! Well its hard to feel that particular emotion when its your foot under attack. But thankfully I was in Coimbatore and not in Chennai, where instead of the flat male sandal, a high heel might have attacked my poor feet. (In Chennai there is no separate entrance/exit for women).

I slowly got back into the groove of being compassionate. I even struck up a conversation with a fellow passenger to this effect, I said, “Why cant those guys get into the next bus? He replies, “What next bus? There is no such thing.” Suitably enlightened I turned the other way towards an argument on who should be in the cricket team. Every body had something to say on that issue. I put in my two pence. Suddenly there was a scuffle near the exit. A poor guy could not get off and had to miss his stop because of the crowd. He was not very happy....

The atmosphere was literally bristling and a fight could have ensued. Just then a loud mouth speaking on the phone saved the day. “De, I am in the damn bus. The show is only at 6.30 dude”. Some sort of ill tempered shouting at the other end by an equally loud mouthed friend and then, the life saver,” I am coming in the bus, not a flight.” And the whole bus broke out into laughter at this feeble joke. Anything to break the tension I guess.

Fortunately by the collusion of my stars I got down successfully. And then, I was rewarded for my ordeal with an image that I will not forget very soon.-A woman hanging on for dear life in the same bus. Equality of sexes or what?? Way to go India.

Shoaib, Sachin and the Chepauk...

The atmosphere is tense... the crowd is agitated but silent... the last ball was a wide... the bowler waits for the batsman.. a slow murmur... gathers momentum... the bowler begins his looong run up... the cry begins... "SHOIAB SHOAIB..." becomes a high pitch as shoaib runs in at full pace and shoots the ball....... and... OUT!!!!! The crowd goes wild....!!!! Sehwag the danger guy is back in the pavillion.

I can hardly believe that hardly a year ago or somethin like that this same crowd was cheering every six of this very same Sehwag against this same Shoaib. The funnier part was when all the bowlers in the Kolkata team where calling Shoaib...-" Shoaib bhai is such a nice guy. A great honour playing with him." Shoaib bhai???? Ok I can even understand the cricketers' change in attitude, because, for them, it has always been about the game and well the money of course. And they do respect the commitments to their country and all that... Its the fans that shock me.

I gather from this that its all a matter of choice. And what with SRK playing 13th man it is alluring... Like I had to write this piece. Could have avoided it. It is all a matter of choice. But I have to tell you seeing a match live at the stadium is such an experience.Otherworldly. My first match was the one at Chepauk between our own Super kings and the Kings XI Punjab. AWESOME.. JUST AWESOME. And to top it off of course we won. The atmosphere is some other thing. The first few balls was jarring without the commentary but I soon cottoned to it and totally let my hair down shouting, dancing and all that jazz.. ( Forgive the Peter. GRE you know..) And the other great thing was to see the first hat trick of the ipl up close and personal. (I love Balaji). So whats the point?? The point is that it is a must see experience... And one you can very well do with. I have to thank Anirudh (my best friend) for this ultimate oppurtunity.

Well to finish: Tomorrow when Sachin goes to the Eden Gardens and gives the treatment to Shoaib will the crowd forget its assumed role and cheer. Or............????

I love to write with these dramatic endings and then spoil it all by doing this.... Chow guys, until next time....

LOVE LIFE AND THE GOOD TIMES...... ( A short story)

First of all my name is Arun. You know like Arun Shourie........ well I really can't think of any other famous persons named Arun. But its quite common. Anyways, I am Arun, I study in this so and so college. I like to think that I am handsome in my own way, (whatever that means) and yes most importantly I am a teenager in love. Well we'll get to that when I am good and ready. First things first.....

I guess every body now has a cell phone.. So you must be knowing what a missed call is... You know when somebody calls you, you are just about to pick the phone when they cut it. Or they just ring once and cut to annoy you. Or you call somebody and they are just about to pick it up and you cut the call.... and it goes on.. Well my life till today has been one big missed call. I am the king of missed calls.. Not just the phone, life too.... Missed call in all its forms......

Like the other day I was supposed to go to this God awesome movie with my friend and he suddenly calls me up and says, “ De they only had two tickets and You know......” The drawl.. God how I hated the drawl.. Not that I felt left out.. only that why dint it happen to me. To be honest my friend was an ass. As a friend well he was ok.. But you know otherwise.. How did he get to be so... Popular?? Well that about sums up my life.

Then why am I still talking?? I know you'd feel that way.. Just listen.. You are welcome to put your stinky nose somewhere else of course.. But while you are at it what difference doest it make where you put it?? Get me??

So anyways coming back, I am in love. Her name is Shanti. Oh!! peace!! Gave me an all new meaning.

Now I could say that I am a peace loving guy and I wouldn't even be lying... She was so beautiful.. And the way she smiled at me.. God...Is there heaven on earth?? Oh! Yes there is.. I don't know why she smiled at me but I know that she had a soft spot for me.. You see I read body language amazingly well.. Like the other day I knew I had crossed the limit with the teacher and chose the exact right moment to duck and the duster hit my friend ( the same theater fellow, Ha ha..) And then there was the time when I knew that it was the right time to ask for a grant of absence from baldy (our princi) Or the time I ran away from Anup and Karan ( A fight was brewing, no prizes for guessing who was responsible).. Well the point is I can read people.. Or so I thought. I found out that these girls are almost like alien creatures and can never be read.. the HARD way... Read on..

Well there was Shanti and things went on so well according to my calculations that I thought that “Arun” was ready to take this to the next level.. So I called her up.. ring ring... no answer.. sweat.. palms wet.. eyes glaring.. anxiety attack.. panic.. panic button.. call cut!!! Twenty minutes later.., after I had stopped shaking..., being bathed in sweat I decided to take a bath. Suddenly the phone rings.. ring ring.. towel.. run... slip.. get up.. run.. ring ring.. stops. ONE MISSED CALL. Shanti. God... This happened a lot of times. She sometimes would just hang up after one ring. God.. I felt so happy.. Finally something happening between us... And then there were times when I would be waiting with “a rose, a tied tongue and a dumb look” and she would just smile and walk past me and I would miss the chance. Or I would leave a note and she would take the other seat, Or she would not take the bus she usually takes only that day... All this seemed like a message to me... ONE DAY SHE IS GONNA BE YOURS....

And finally that one day came. I was sure. My shirt was for once wrinkle-free. Her favourite colour-violet. (She smiled most often when I wore violet). A rose in my hand. My hair brushed. And my face shining with passionate love. A song on my lips and a shake to my hips.. Hey I was rhyming. What else could a guy ask for. A spring in my walk I was literally jumping my way to the park near the toy shop that she frequented. Lover's Dale.. How apt... I was smiling and God knows I must have looked like an ass, smirking without reason. I didn't even notice. A beggar was upon me. I gave him a fiver. I really was an ass. His lucky day I guess.... I was nearing the X. The spot. To be recorded in the annals of history. One of the greatest success stories.. This is where it all happened. Shanti was there. God how lovely she looked. Green suited her. I was floating. Was I in heaven??? Yes!!! said a voice. I neared her. She turned back. She was looking at me. THE SMILE. It was quizzical now. Like she was asking me “What took you so long??” I stood next to her...

“ Hello Shanti.”

“Smile”

“ I am Arun.”

“Smile”

“ I study in your class...”

“ Smile” It was starting to bug me for the first time.....

“ You know I sit behind you”

“Smirk”

“ Ahem.. You smile at me all the time.. You called me last night.. Around 6...”

She hit herself on the forehead..

“ Now I get it. You are that missed call Arun. Prajoy here had some real fun with you. Sorry about it eh..”

“ Prajoy??”.. voice constricted..

“ Sorry forgot to introduce you. Prajoy. Say hello to anna.”

A small boy. Some of the breath coming back.

“ By the way Arun why are you wearing that violet shirt. Looks really funny.”

Funny???

“ Oh!! Look at the time Vijay must be waiting. Got to go Arun. By the way that orange shirt is really funny too. And the time you fell off your bike.. Couldn't stop laughing for a week.”

“ Smile" , "Shanti I think..”

" Ya???"

" I think I love you..."

" What?"

Who was this new voice??

"What?" -This was Shanti. Tinkling laughter..

"You are a laugh riot Arun."

“Hey go to go. Come Praj.. Bye Arun. Or should I say missed call Arun...????” Tinkling laughter..

Vijay glaring ..... and my body language skills kicked in.. finally.. I got out in a hurry..

Tinkling laughter... Somebody should put a danger sign on it.. Or maybe an alarm signal...So painful to the ear... Hell is on earth too.. MISSED CALL ARUN.... So I was the provider of comic relief eh..?? So much for thinking orange is her second fav. Color... Hmmm.. Girls!!! God!!! And I thought she saw the wheelie... not the FALL after that!!!. Hmmm... But I have to say I had enjoyed the past few months.. The eternal high, The smiles so promising, The laughter so appealing, The butterfly effect,( I mean those in the stomach)... Life itself looked fresh and new and beautiful. I thanked her for that. The good times while they were were wonderful... Hmmmmm....

Sudden brilliance.. I look up.. "SMILE!!!!!"... Its Priya....... Can Cupid strike true this time?? Or is it gonna be another great big MISSED CALL??? One can only hope.....

Here's to LOVE, LIFE AND THE GOOD TIMES.....

imagine

A green hill top..

A beautiful panaromic view.. of village rooftops and misty ponds,

Of distant mountains with snow covered tips, with pink slopes shining with the rising sun,

Eyes closed you can still feel the green around you,

Bare feet and warm grass do make a great combination,

Those dew drops make it all seem new born, Just created, like fresh baked cookies,

The scent of the morning is so heavenly, Sniffing at it gently, The greatest fragrance.....

The giant red ball rising ever so slowly,

The sky a light red, Like paint splashed on a canvas,

The gurgling sound of the stream nearby,

Fresh, Oh! so fresh, Sparkling, jumping water that you cannot see,

The cool morning breeze wafting on your face,

Made cooler by the warm water still on your face,

Dripping slowly, trickling down the contours,

A sudden chill, a sudden draft, A silent shiver,

But, wait, What's this?? Not cold anymore,

The blighting cold driven out by a warm hug,

You look down to see a pair of small hands,

Clinging tight, But reassuring and loving,

The hands of your love, your life......

Careworn and sagging,

Like a banyan tree a thousand years old,

But one that hasn't seen water,

Except by accident and that too cold...

We are thy slaves!! Oh! Master thee,

Into various shades beaten sore,

Most often black and blue,

Yet, We live on. Through your years and more,

Passing from hand to hand.

Cutting us mercilessly,

You call us by different names,

We adorn your beauty or rather vanity,

Saying yes to your dastardly games.

Among these million worries,

We remain amazingly wrinkle-free,

Yet you replace us by newer slaves,

When on your buying spree,

But they with shinier brows,

They too cry out....!!!!

Oh!! Sir and Madam too,

Give us a little rest,

Let our beaten colours be,

That is all our request,

For blue and not brown is as you say

"FUNKY”....

OBSERVATIONS AND MY FASCINATION WITH NUMBERS

OBSERVATIONS:

WHERE: The Erode Bus Stand
WHAT: A sign board saying "Water samples tested here. Prices nominal"
WHY: It stands above the urinal.....

WHERE: My home
WHAT: A sticker saying "O.K. Tested"
WHY: Its on the faucet.....

WHERE: An Obscure college in Coimbatore
WHAT: A sign saying "no litter zone."
WHY: By now You can guess....

WHERE: A bus in Nammakal.

WHAT
AND
WHY: Sign Saying "Men's Seat".....


AND MY FASCINATION WITH NUMBERS:

Numbers are great.. They are very helpful and I am very much fascinated with the role they play in this world... Here are two examples.......

HOW THEY HELP YOU SLEEP:

The place is a class room. The whole class is quiet and the lesson is about Napoleon Bonaparte.
It is so interesting that the tension of the class is palpable. The way he comes back from ELBA is a study in inspiration. And Now...

The Teacher: " In 1687 July the 19th Napoleon attacked Russia*. He had an army of 6573* cavalry men, 78622* infantry, 34444* lance men, 45636* archers.... " The voice trailed off...
LOUD SNORING.....

Also try visualizing the numbers from
1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13.....70 in your mind. Confirmed cure for insomnia.....

HOW THEY HELP YOU WAKE UP:

I am a rich guy. Very rich. In fact there are few richer. But there are few. I fell in love with a girl. She too loved me I guess. After her own way. Anyway I asked to marry her and she said yes.
On our wedding night we got talking and I asked her, "I love you yes. But I never got to know what you really like, you know, like what allures you...."

She started seriously "I am fascinated by numbers..........."

I looked into her face and saw heaven there. A soul-mate at last....

"......... I am in love with zeros...."

Ah, How beautiful!!! I sighed...

"...... Especially the ones that follow 1 in MILLION, BILLION, TRILLION...."


'*' indicates that the numbers are definitely wrong and any resemblance is pure co-incidence.


THATS ALL FOLKS AND CYA LATER...

BE HAPPY

After going on a blog reading frenzy last night, I have come to a conclusion about my own exalted self. I am uniquely gifted, not in writing skills ( As I said I did read quite a few simply superb blogs) but in that sublime rarity called selection and maturity.
I can pat myself on the back. I found that I use my blog as an unadulterated source of happiness presumably to others but more importantly to myself. I do not use it as a siphon to pour my frustrations and complaints and worries... There are other ways to get rid of those things like MOTHER, CLOSE FRIEND, etc.... :)
Now one might argue that what I am writing now gives no happiness, BUT IT DOES. To me it has proved a case in point that I am gifted.
As some say Q.E.D...
And once again I sign off with a BE HAPPY GUYS.....

Writing is so much fun. Like mercy it is blessed twice.(merchant of venice). The writer because he gets so much fun and the reader because he gets so much fun. It can also be viewed as the writer giving joy to the reader through a good piece and the reader to the writer through his enjoyment of the piece. All this blabbering must have some point right?? Well its a message or rather a plea to all those who can communicate...
Please Write.
I will promise you something..
If YOU write I will definitely read your piece...
Good writers are becoming a rarity and I cant stand to see my breed go extint..... ;).

SOMEWHERE IN TIME

this is my first poem on blogger so please let me know, as to how you like it

Somewhere in time,
I see you in your prime,
The place is not clear....,
But I do not know fear..,
Though all I see is you,
You are all that I want to view,
Its so perfect that its almost a crime...
Somewhere in time.

Only somewhere in time,
I will meet you in your prime,
With heaven descending on earth,
Of happiness no dearth,
And I, And I not caring a dime,
Only somewhere in time.