professionalcynic's Xanga

Year in Review (of sorts)

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 05:34:50 GMT

Personally, 2009 was a good year. After a long time I end the year looking forward to the next one. Last time that happened, was probably 1999. It must be a 'once-in-a-decade' thing.

1) I grew closer to family. Cannot go much into it. But I did spend a lot of time with family people and also am happy that am closer to many of them than I was a few years ago.In the past I think I took myself too seriously with a lot of family members and I don't do that now. That is a good lesson for the future

2) As a possible outcome of 1), I have been generously invited to attend the World Cup Football in South Africa with my sis and her husband (2 people I have grown to really admire in the past 12 months - significantly more after they invited me)

3) For a normal 'year in the life of professionalcynic' 2) would be good enough, but in 2010 I will also be moving to California. For some time. I have been relocated by my company. Rather generous of them again. And I really do look forward to it, despite a few apprehensions.I move next week

4) I spent a lot of time on Facebook, but drifted a bit from friends. I don't like that.Its a commentary on the perils of social networking. Or my general ineptitude. Probably the latter. I made few new friends. Not as many as I would have liked and pretty much stayed to myself. And on Facebook. Or GTalk......

5) I am reaching a state of agreement with my career. I am destined for middle management mediocrity and there are things which I cannot do to change it, which I think I know. I am cool with that. I think that helped me progress careerwise, in a year, which was otherwise pretty rotten for careerwise progression.

So that was it. If it sounds dull and inchoherrent. Well ...that was my 2009 for you!
Also -

Favorite Movie : District 9
Beats out : Up, Star Trek, Watchmen, Dev D, Away We Go and the eye-rape of Avatar

Favorite Song : Emotional Atyachar (where were you when I was in Engg college?)
Beats out : The Killers, MGMT, Scissor Sisters and Jai ho

Favorite TV Show : The Mentalist (I am glad I'm not doing mancrushes on this post )
Beats Out : Dexter, Breaking Bad, 30 Rock, House

Favorite Sports Moment : Aus beating India 4-2
Beats Out : Aus winning Champions Trophy, Return of the Schu, Tiger Woods' voicemail to mistress#5

Favorite Time Waste Tactics : Facebook
Beats Out : past favorites like Wikipedia and Internet Porn

Aaaand we're done. I added this line just so the last 2 words I blogged this year were not Internet Porn.........

D'OH!

Are you an organ donor? Why or why not?

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 05:11:05 GMT

Nope.
A) I am afraid my organs are ruined for reuse due to my idiotic lifestyle
B) I'm selfish. "You want my organs bitch? You're gonna have to rip them out of me while I'm alive"

I just answered this Featured Question; you can answer it too!

F5

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:18:23 GMT

If I may say so myself......

This blog has rarely looked better

Up all night

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:56:01 GMT

Falling in love is kind of an addiction I think. People who have come back and lived to tell of it tell me of how good it feels to be in love. The completeness they feel. The feeling inside, the glow, whatever....Sounds a lot like the first cold beer on a Friday night to me. That is what I can best relate it to

The best part about it - the industry of love - will lead us to believe, is the 'falling in love' phase. A state of super awareness, happiness, anticipation, million things keeping you up in the night. A feeling like you've been there and you know its going to happen again. But you're not sure if its the best thing right now. You look forward to the thrill but are afraid of the much pain it may cause.....

......If that really is the case then its awful a lot like that lump I feel in my throat right now. The onset of a cough and cold knowing fully well the last 8 cigarettes did me no good.

But there will be sick leave
And cough 'medicine'
And recovery
And more cigarettes..........

The allergy is going nowhere anytime soon................

Humble Pie

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 11:32:26 GMT

Am I the only one who thinks that humility and diplomacy are overrated in society?

I'm not saying we should all be arrogant pricks? But really, if someone pushes you to a fight then why, oh why is it considered 'mature' to let them be? Why not, get in there face and tell them exactly how you feel?

My parents constantly goad me to be humble and non-confrontational but at what stage do you stop being 'mature' and start becoming a pushover?

The only reason people become bullies is that 90% people are just too afraid to strike back. They just walk away from arguments and console themselves that it was the 'mature' thing to do. So next time -

1) You hear someone's baby weeping the cinema hall
2) Get blown over to a parking spot you have been parking into
3) Get cutoff from the wrong side on the road or delayed behind the Sunday driver who thinks his/her call from the credit card company is more imp than your time

Give a fuck. And tell them what you think.
It won't change things but it you will see that it does not feel that immature after all

It's been that kind of year........

Noose

Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:23:50 GMT

Why I haven't been blogging of late : There was nothing to blog about. My life was duller than a Greys Anatomy marathon .... (see, what I did there ?)

But I think Imma resurrect this blog soon. I will, hopefully, have something new to share etc...so yeah.....

Please pretend you're excited. I am!

Last.fm entry on Currently Listening

This song is a hard rock classic that received a lot of air play. It is a good example of music that was out in the late 70’s to early 80’s. It would be a good song to play to your girlfriend if she needs some reassuring of how you feel about her.

:-/

Death to infidels

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:54:47 GMT

So I'm trying not to make another depressing, moping post here. I just re-read the last one and fell further into depression on realising what a whiner I've turned into !

Anyway, if you have noticed, there is a new facebook app which lets you pick Top 5's. For those who know, the original idea of this blog was for me to do a Top 5 of random things every now and then. Now with the swanky new FB app, there seems to be no real reason to carry on doing this on Xanga. But no ! I need to carry on doing Top 5's here too. Its the only commitment to anybody/anything I've somewhat kept for as long as I can remember.

So yeah, that's pretty much it.

Suicide is painless

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:17:50 GMT

"We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end......"

MGMT's Time to Pretend is easily the best song I've heard in 2008. Everytime I hear the song it reminds me of being 18 again (that was TEN year ago!!!). The whole self destructing hedonistic ambition was as appealing then as it is today.
But then this one line always makes me think. It reminds me of someone. A guy in my college. A guy, who did indeed "choke on his vomit" and died. We weren't particularly close but I think this one thing has made me remember him more fondly all these years later. Lot more than a lot who didn't.
Whenever I think of him, I remember the "Tch-Tch" and the "Tssks" which followed his death. We all felt it was not right. That we were somehow smarter and cooler to be alive. Now I'm not so sure.
I mean I could have been that guy. What have I done in these last 10 years which makes my decision to stay alive so much wiser ? Do I love my life a lot more than he did on that day ? Have I 'given back' to the world so much that my otherwise mundane existence can be justified to some higher power ?
I am not fantastic at my job. I am not a super achiever. I am not a great son, or brother or friend or anything.Why is it then, that this life I chose was worth even half the effort of the daily grind ?
And yet I am not suicidal. I am not depressed.Its not as though I'm particularly unhappy. I'm just not ecstatic. And there - is my rationalisation for all of this.
I've just accepted life. I think my biggest triumph is that I've learnt to live. This is what my friend could not do.This is what all of us who choose life do better than those who don't.
But then if you know anyone who died young and feel sad for them, take comfort in the fact that they didn't live long enough to see how pathetic life really is. Its like they had just right no. of vodka shots and felt the buzz. They never woke up with the headache in the morning !
________________________________________________________________________________

In other news, I'm doing Sobe's thing where you ask me anything (like say - Cricket trivia) and I respond with complete honesty (or with random cricket trivia)

Tags are easy and fun

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:09:32 GMT

WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
- Saigon Kick - I Love You

WHAT ARE THE LAST FOUR DIGITS IN YOUR CELL NUMBER?
- 3811

WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
- Dinner

LAST PERSON YOU HUGGED?
- Uhmm this goes so far back I don't even remember. I don't hug so much :-|

How is the weather right now?
- Cold but warmer that yday

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
- Amir (my housemate)

The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
- (Repeat) Looks are deceptive. Women are best judged on their personality

Favorite type of Food?
- Indian Chinese (but not the actual Chinese food. That stuff sucks apparently)

Do you want children?
- Contrary to what you might expect - yes, actually

Ever get so drunk you don't remember the entire night?
- Many, many times

Hair color?
- Brown-Black

Favorite holiday?
- One that falls on a Monday

Favorite Season?
- Winter

Have you ever cried over a boy/girl?
- Nah

Last Movie you Watched?
- Iron Man (thumbs up!)

What books are you reading?
- None right now. Last book I read was India After Gandhi - Ramachandra Guha

What were you doing before filling this out?
- Having dinner.

Any pets?
- Animals no.

Msn or facebook?
- Uhmm Facebook by a whisker

Dogs or cats
- Dogs

Favorite Flower?
- Sorry!

Have you ever loved someone?
- If I did , I didn't realise it

Who would you like to see right now?
- uhmm... Gwyneth Paltrow !

Have you ever fired a gun?
- I want to so badly

Do you like to travel by plane?
- Yes. Its fun observing people on aeroplanes.

Right-handed or Left-handed?
- Right

If you could go to any place right now where would you go?
- Africa

Are you missing someone?
- Sahil, Mahesh, Arpit and Akanksha. I hate them for moving out of Delhi.

Do you have a tattoo?
- no

Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings?
- nope

ARE YOU 18?
- I was 18, 9 years ago

WHAT IS THE WALLPAPER ON YOUR CELLPHONE?
- the default one

DID YOU GET ENOUGH SLEEP LAST NIGHT?
- no, but I made up for it today morning

FIRST THING YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THIS MORNING?
- b.c. phir late . meri naukri ka kya hoga

WHAT DO YOU HAVE HANDY AT YOUR BEDSIDE?
- cellphone (for lighting up during night in case i need something)

GRILLED OR FRIED?
- fried

WHAT MAKES YOU UNIQUE?
- I don't know ? my self deprecation I think

ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?
- no

FAVORITE HANGOUT?
- in Delhi - Cafe Morrison

3 THINGS YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
- music, eating out and alcohol

FIRST THING YOU WILL BUY IF GIVEN 1 THOUSAND DOLLARS?
- forty five thousand indian rupees. then a bottle of the most expensive single malt.

FAVORITE SONG?
- these days - The Killers - Human

WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?
- people turning against me and finding out what I really am like

ARE YOU A GIVER OR TAKER?
- taker

WHAT ARE YOUR NICKNAMES?
- so many....

WHAT IS YOUR DAD'S MIDDLE NAME?
- I don't think he has one

STUCK ON A DESERTED ISLAND & COULD BRING ONE THING?
- my PC or Laptop

FAVORITE T.V. COMMERCIAL?
- Dunno. Haven't seen TV for a while. 8 PM- Aath ke Thath was good though

WHO'S YOUR CELL PHONE PROVIDER?
- Airtel

FIRST THING YOU'LL SAVE IN A FIRE?
- my PC !

Favorite color?
- green

WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU ALWAYS BRING WITH YOU?
- uhmm some music player

WHAT DID YOU WANNA BE WHEN YOU WERE A KID?
- i wanted to own a general store with chewing gums and ice cream!

WHAT DO YOU USUALLY DO WHEN THE CLOCK READS 7AM?
- sleep

THE COLOR OF YOUR BEDSHEET?
- blue

WHO DO U WANT TO MEET?
- any comedian really. I want to see if they're that funny without their material

WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT BEF0RE YOU GO TO BED?
- tomorrow, it begins ! buahahahahahaha !

'zall gunna be fine, in 2-0-0-9

Sat, 03 Jan 2009 06:12:23 GMT

Last year was crappy. Enough said. No point in recaps.

Here is 5 New Year Resolutions for 2009. (and these are not the usual fitter,happier,not drinking too much types....thats an ongoing endeavor as it is)

#1) Remember more birthdays and anniversaries
I am pathetic at this. Most ppl who know me can certify that. I have forgotten pretty much every important date there is to forget and I don't even have 'my own family' yet!
On rare occasions when I remember the date I forget to connect the dots when the day actually arrives. Last year was an improvement. Facebook has helped. This year - please feel free to pull me up if I forget any date I am supposed to send you nice happy messages on. (Warning: my cynical pessimistic greetings may lead to dampening of your otherwise 'big days')

#2 Expansion of musical horizons
One new album to be heard every 10 days. Music tastes to be more 2009 than 1969. I have to get a taste of what those damn kids been listenin' to these days !

#3 Do more fanboy stuff
Attend live shows (brave the crowds).Watch live matches.Buy first editions.Watch first day shows in the lounge. Buy the action figure...... I did this for The Dark Knight and it worked out fine.Plus the economy needs me to do this.

#4 Vote
The right wing fanatics need me now more than ever

#5 Get out of India(even if for a week)
In case #4 does not work out. (Even if it does)