A passing thought

Have you ever found yourself in situation when you cant think of anything... You cant decide on what to do... You dont want to try out either.... In confusion that whether leave things to settle themselves or should I try to get out of this maze... Or whatever I am trying is indeed the right path... or I am taking decisions under pressure... It might work or it might not... I can only hope for best...

SkyDiving... experiencia que emociona

A dream i started to cherish when Sam forwarded me the link some three years back... Skydiving in bangalore.. i just thought that i will definately go for this, though I was skeptical of doing it in bangalore... Then while going back from US on my first trip, I tried for it and when we finally went for it, i got nothing but a speeding ticket :... bad weather made sure i wont jump either... So on next trip, I had thought that whatever be the case, I will definately dive...

My roomies agreed to the idea but those ditchers... didnt had the courage to take the jump... Finally it materialized with my office colleagues and 2 were in the expedition last time too... We planned for the same location only... Me was the Driver again, and like once bitten twice shy, I was driving right at speed limit... Natraj jokingly that I wil get the ticket for parking in fast lane but I was adamant that I wil not go beyond this speed...

So we reached there by afternoon and again we had to sign those hundreds of thousands of papers... which was to ensure that we wont claim anything if untoward incident happens during jump :(... It was one of the most clear sky with nice breeze blowing... a perfect one for the jump... By the time we filled the forms and once we started dressing up for the dive, tension started to set in me... I got a little nervous.. Whole plan to jump was mine and I was like, whether I should really go or not... though there was no chance of me backing out.. may be its coz i have travelophobia which was the cause...

So we started on our turbine jet... My cameraman wanted to breathe some fresh air, so he kept the door open and and (un)luckily I was one sitting next to door... I was like.. what if plane wobbles and I am diving down without a parachute... so I was holding tight whatever came in my hand... though I must say view was fantastic like that... Then I was securely fastened to the guy who was to do all the work during my dive (thats what I paid for)... He told me to just leave everything to him... I looked down the ground beneath... 'Shut up and jump'.... and next moment there we were in the sky.. freefalling in the sky... Wind rushing through my veins... Experience of lifetime... The ground beneath looked so amazing from up there.... a feeling which one be only enjoyed but cant be described...

Ground was approaching fast and my Captain said, thats it.. We will now navigate through parachute... that fun lasted may be only 50 seconds.. but it was one of the best moments... to cherish.. to enjoy... to feel free... So there we were approaching towards ground Zero... and in between my Captain loosened up the bond between me and him, and I felt that he is gonna drop me on ground... :)... But definately he was not on any suicide mission, so I was feeling pretty safe... The only thing which was bad in this was that he tried some crazy stuff while landing and it made me feel little dizzy when I landed.. my ears were all choked... but all in all, it was a safe landing without any misadventures... The dare devil jumped and survived... Watch the Video

Once landed, I thought that may be I wont be doing this again.. But now as I go back to it, I wont hesitate in going for it again.. Its a crazy sport.. Need lot of heart to dive from 14000ft above the ground.... Should have the courage to jump from the plane... but once you jump, there are very few things in world which will give you that feeling.. Thrilling experience... Amazing Feeling... Sky is not the same now

Just another post

Somehow my life has been going hectic... Have been very busy last few days and did not have time for even myself... or do I want to keep myself busy so that I dont have to think... so that I can get a reason on why am not able to reach any decision.. why I am not able to put plans to action... There is something which I am trying to do for last 3 weeks... but pata nahin... y m not able to get rid of this habit of leaving things to tomorrow....

Dil Chahta Hai

I expect to feel special on my birthday... I was expecting to get a promotion this year... I never expected him to do this to me... I expect him to do this for me... I wasnt expecting this... I expected him to be my side in this crisis situation... feelings about the things to happen... We expect so many things from people who are close to us... or with people with whom we interact daily...

Sometimes I wonder, what if there would have been no expectations... we would never frown if things dont turn up... if we dont find someone when we are n need... or we wont be waiting for events to happen... Life would have been so easy.. no complications... no worries... no clashes... we might not even cry even once...

but again, life would have been dull also... when there are no anticipations, there will be no excitement... its is this expectation which pushes us forward... to achive more... to reach greater heights... to compete... Look back, and find that wheneever things do go as expected or even better, how much joy it gives... We do cry but we do enjoy it... It adds spice to life.. a flavor which should be cherished... so lets enjoi... :)

The Great 'Shoe' Hunt

For quite some time, I was in need of buying some a new pair of sneakers.... But I loved my good old Nike so much that it was tough to find a suitable replacement for it... Then it so happenned that I was supposed to come to US... so I thought its better to buy it from NY as I have seen good collections here earlier.. plus you get what is latest in fashion and technology.... So before moving to onsite I gave my 'nike' a much deserved break and dumped them in bangalore office....

But never thought shoe searching will become such a big project in itself... I needed to buy then immediately as I could not go to gym till I have one... so I was looking for it almost everyday while coming back from office... But it is always tough to find one all alone by myself... So forced a colleague (Tabriz) to join me and help me out... so there we were in Footlocker...and Tabriz gave his choice... I said 'NO'... Then I pointed my finger to another pair... he said 'NO'... This went on for quite some time... and boy... we were not reaching anywhere... His and my choice dont even cross, leave matching... We moved from one store to another... But in vain... Finally we did agreed on 1 or 2 pairs from New Balance... but I thot I will come with my roomies to buy as I still was not satisfied...

But I wanted to buy a new pair ASAP as my fitness was going down... Tummy was knocking and peeping out.... So next day again we started from office... Went into different stores(Footlocker, Models, Shoemania ... what not) on way back... Found some but size was not there... Other, colors were not available... Then luckily we went to one fitness store near Empire State on 34th... I liked a pair by adi'das'... with some cushioning technology... tried it and checked with Tab... It looked pretty decent to him as well and there I go... Paid for it... Finally... phew

Though the pair I bought is suitable replacement to my old sneakers, and I dont regret buyin them but i wont forgive what Tab did to me... Later he told that thinking that we are not reaching on any conclusion, he just said like that on the pair which i was finding suitable... so that he can be freed from this 'Shoe' Hunting Operation... A real friend indeed.... Bugger :X...

jaat boyz

moi was sittin in the common room with my roomies.... i asked chiku what to search on chirkut (orkut)... 'man, look out for jaatzzz', was his reply... so there i go... operation jaatz started... I was not surpised when search for jaat returned results.... browsed different communities... found some interesting discussions... jaatz phrases like 'jaat re jaat, 16 duni 8'... 'ek jaat jaat, 2 jaat mauz, 3 jaat fauz'... 'jaat risky after whiskey'... reminiscent of my college days and people around me... qualities of jaatz discussed in some topics..... In one of conversation, one of the guy was reprimanded for saying something against them (this is reason i am not saying anything against them;))...

now as i can speak little of jaatu laanguage in jaatu tone ... so i was speaking everything and shantan (my bengali roomie) was simply laughing (like a dracula) listening to it... then i found really interesting topic which was tooooo funny... the topic was 'jaat log ladki kyun nahin pata paate'... or why jaat cant make girlfrnz.... replies and responses were too good... we just kept on laughing while reading all those responses... comic replies... their problems... ethics... naive nature... the way they speak... attitude.... all were there... some even said that jaat gals are reason for that... and the signature after the repsonses...
http://www.orkut.com/CommMsgs.aspx?cmm=11605744&tid=2491203408219837536&start=1
Statuary Warning: Browse this topic/commnity at your own risk

sadly shantan was so impressed with jaatz that now he has started teasing me by calling me jaat... now anything i ask him, he says that its coz of jaatz... will sure take revenge... till then let him enjoy... :)

In NYC again....

... but this time there is not much excitement like my previous trip... This time it feels like just another day... yeah, for 1-2 days, coped with jetlag... but thats it.. other than that, there is not much difference... but wait... there will be difference... need to mend my habits... 5 months in India... you tend to get spoiled... back in Bangalore, maids do the clothes, clean rooms and kitchen.... Cook used to come and prepare food... whenever we used to party at home, we never were bothered about cleaning the room... just leave stuff anywhere and be sure that next morning it will be at its place... think of going for long drive after party, rev the engine and there you go... zoommmmm....

but now... need to do all these household chores myself... cleaning.... utensils... food... remember to keep used cups and glasses for cleaning... noone will come and pick them up... this Sunday... I had to go for laundary... though it oesnt take too much of effort, but still 3 trips to laundry room... i need to plan properly... then having to cook food... man... life in India was so easy...

Guess both the places have their positives... but surely... i feel like going back.. may be coz of friends... may be coz of the fun i used to have every other day... coz of the long drive on my bike... may be i feel life there is less of plastic... hopefully my hunger to earn more will soon be overcome by willingness to lead life my way.... hopefully soon I will be able take some risk and reach new horizons...

Till then, I will not wait, but wil prepare for my next move....

Am left wondering :-/

As I am climbing the stairs and reaching out to greater heights, a thought or rather i hear a voice... the hushed voice which asks me if I have really enjoied the moment on this step... the effort... the sweat poured... should I relish this moment more or should I start preparing for the next step... which is even more steeper... more tough... Then I look up, towards pinnacle.. where the stairs end... And I see a pale shadow of mine... completely tired with no energy... just about to take one more step forward, beyond the stairs... which will plunge me into an unknown world... or even a realm which does not exist...

The stairs which i am talking about are the stages of life... we work towards making our future better.... a future to accomplish things which are dreams today... to fulfill those dreams... but do we really cherish that moment??? or we just take it as taken for granted thing and move to fulfil another dream... do we really enjoy that moment where our dream is fulfilled, however tiny it be??? Do we ever take a break and feel that moment??? Coz at the end of life.... (wont say more)...

Incomplete thoughts to make me think again...:)

Dont Cry

Life can be so lonely at times. Could not understand why I go recluse when I am disturbed. Feels like I am getting down in a deep pit whilst thinking on lines which has no end. Trying to show my happy face to the people around me as I am afraid to discuss what is going in my mind. Keeping myself busy with work... or with meaningless PJs ... reach home late... On weekend, go for movies... party with friends.. dine out... Trying to not be alone at all times...

Add to it the confusion of what my next step should be. Am I afraid to take the plunge? Or I am not yet ready for it? Or is it that I am in search of something which even I dont know? Some limitations.. some restrictions... Some boundaries.... Sometimes i see myself tied up in the ropes... just want to break free of this strangulation... Want to breathe fresh air...

I know I myself have to do things... For quite some time, I have allowed my life to take its own course... Have taken things as they have come... for granted... But now I will have to take decisions... I will have to remove the layer of sand which has accumulated over my dreams... Time is running out fast for me... Act... Before it is too late...

How to buy your way to Heaven

Just follow these simple steps to buy your way to heaven and come in good books of GOD (?)
1. Follow every blind tradition and superstition, even if it means fasting for days or even months 2. God will give you bonus points if you go to temple bare footed... I guess this practice might have started just because Nike and Adidas were not in picture to make comfortable footwear to last distance...
3. Give donations so that gold work can be done in temples... It can be made more huge and grand so that its popularity rises... even if it means you are not able to get roof at your house repaired
4. Give hardships to yourself, though there is no need... Pain here Gain there... You will get mercy points if you do this
5. Abstain yourself from Sex... You will hit jackpot (angles ;)) once you are there
6.

'Racist' Big Brother

Past few days have spun a big deal of money for news channels in India and Channel 4's reality show Big Brother is now followed in millions of households... All Courtesy the 'Racist' comments of Jade Goody and fellow housemates on Miss Shetty... It is a well known fact that Whites still see dark skinned people as lesser mortals or even sons of lesser God... as people who should not even think of matchin shoulders with them... Color Discrimination is very much existant in Europe and US of A... Having spent more than a year in US, I have seen clashes between Whites and Blacks in subways... on the streets... How Whites snub and make faces when Blacks sit right next to them... Blacks still feel that they dont have equal opportunities...

But its also true that these societies are trying to ward off this evil from their society... Be it lot more visibility in society or the politics of vote or the economic status of dark skinned... Whatever be the reason of getting rid of this, but they are trying... But what are we doing over here in India... Few 'Racist' remarks in show and it became headline everywhere... Watch any news channel and you will think that there is no other news in World and no other issue... Reactions from every quarter of society... It looked that we Indians were highly offended by these remarks... But why so? We ignore the recent 'threat' by ULFA to Hindi speaking people in Assam... The recent riots in Bangalore... Why people in eastern states feels neglected... The north-south divide... Why words like bihari, tambi are accompanied with laughter on streets of Delhi... Still on December 6, there is heavy security all around... Hindus are living in fear for more than 15 years in Kashmir valley... Politicians still play cast card to win elections...

Just wondering why people are making such hue and cry over the evil there rather than concentrating on bigger problems in our society.. We dont have racial discrimination but catastrophic evils which we shud get rid of... We still play in hands of politicians who use 'Divide and Rule' every now and then... Makes me ponder when i watch these news items that are we interested in only masala news... We will watch and react to anything which is presented to us dipped in indian masala curry... Do these 'masala' news channel reflect the true opinion and face of Indian Society which was served to the public for a week...

Its time we shud realize that though we are progressing, we still are tied up at the hands of caste and regional discrimination... We should concentrate on warding off these evils rather than reacting needlesly to spicy dishes... Developed countries has all the means and capabilities and dont need our opinions... (might be touching red hot wire but thats the fact)... Rather than sending SMSs to Aaj Tak and likes(which just makes pockets of cell companies and media more heavier), we should try to make our society a better place to live... Only then 'India Poised' and 'India Shining' will look good...