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Wednesday, 01 April 2009

Death to infidels

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.

Currently
South Park: The Complete Twelfth Season
By South Park
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Monday, 23 March 2009

Suicide is painless

"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)

Currently
Tropico Mucho Macho Edition
By Take2 Interactive Software
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Wednesday, 14 January 2009

Tags are easy and fun

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 !

Currently
Iron Man (Single-Disc Edition)
By Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges, Gwyneth Paltrow
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Saturday, 03 January 2009

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

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)

Currently
Day & Age
By The Killers
Human
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Monday, 01 December 2008

This glass is half empty

There are a few things I pride myself on more than others. "Problem-solving" is one of them. I repeatedly kid with co-workers as to how they don't have 'problem-solving attitudes'. Loosely translated, this means that when faced with a problem - I seek to very quickly come up with a solution. 90% of those solutions are inaccurate. But I seek more comfort than having solved a problem wrongly than having it lingering in my mind.
How do we counter terrorism in India is one of these nagging problems. Every quick fix seems to have its flaws. We could elect the right-wingers, we could form the central agencies and we could form NGOs and candle-light vigil-blogging-chain mailing-communities. All of this will be as impotent in tackling terrorism as they have been so far.
In my mind, this is a battle we have already lost. Because the problems keeps compounding and there seems to be no clear solution. We might have heroically killed the 10 terrorists in Mumbai but they have left us with something far shallower than the halls of the hotels they stormed. Its a feeling of complete helplessness. A feeling of having been vanquished.
Every day now from today to when I'm blown to smithereens by random fidayeen fire (that seems inevitable right now) , I will spend waiting and watching for this untimely end to come. At my office, at the airport, at a shopping mall or in my car. In India or abroad.
I know this was not a handiwork of the 'foreign hand' which we have come to depend on for receiving blame for such monstrosities. It was each one of us. Who watched and tolerated and moved on while people died. In trains, in bazaars, on icy glaciers, in their huts, in their homes, in their offices, in aeroplanes. And now they came and attacked us while we were sipping our beer discussing the latest movies which we just saw.
To anyone who is reading this. I kid you not. Do not lead yourself into believing that this was the last straw. This pretty much was the death knell. Spend whatever little life you have left trying to enjoy it........

Currently
Forty Licks
By Rolling Stones
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