Polish

One of my friends from work is very good with words - he is able to articulate what he wants to say succinctly with the right amount of words (and it took me 5 minutes to write the first line.) Today, during a conversation with him, I asked him if he writes. He asks me, "what do you mean?" I said, "Nothing. Just that you speak well, so I assumed that you would be good at writing." He said, "No, I am not that good at putting pen on paper. It is to do with my thoughts. I can't do the same with my writing as my speech."
I did not go into a frenzy like a madman then, because I knew what he meant. Even if your mind did run like a hamster on a wheel, it does not mean that the mouth would say it or hand would write it the same way. We all have some qualities that we have polished over time - either we write well, speak well or think well (you could even be good at two or three of them.) 
But I am not sure if I am good at either of these. I do stutter from time to time, I can't write on demand and my thoughts are always all over the place. And the weird thing is, I used to be better than what I am now. In hindsight, I feel that we all need to keep our skills polished and not take them for granted. During my work sabbatical, I realized that my social interactions were reduced to ones with my close friends, where you don't need any communication skills anyways. I think it is important to indulge in all forms of conversation so that you don't have to feel like a newborn any time.
So I plan to keep writing, keep talking and keep collecting my thoughts.
What's up with you?

Back to the future

Wow. I dont like the doodlings of the past me, but I like his courage. Still, I hope I don't write like that anymore. 

Lone wolf

Hmmm.... Today was weird! Its 4 am, and I had planned on working on this assignment that needs to be submitted tomorrow... But facebook killed it; I saw some 'pics' that kinda disturbed me - and now I cant sleep, cant work... 3-4 years ago, I had made a vow to myself - never to get married... Not because I wouldn't find anyone (so why try, eh!), but because I felt it was gonna be too much responsibility - and mayyyyybe it would get in the way of what I really wanted to do... All that is bullsshit - look at me, I'm a fat broke single bastard, not doing what I want, but what I have to do... This society is a piece of shit - looking out is not the same as it means, looking out is looking at, ogling, staring and just scaring the shit out of the person till he/she does what they expected him to do... Life did not turn out the way I had expected, and I am to blame for half of those wrong decisions, but the society has to take the blame for the rest! God dammit - really some days... And now u see so many people getting hitched, in a relationship - thats another reason for the feeling within : life aint going nowhere.... It aint, I know it!

Dead as dead can be
My doctor tells me
But I just can't believe him
Ever the optimistic one
I'm sure of your ability
To become my perfect enemy

I'm rolling Sweets, I'm smoking sour

Married to the game but she broke her vows

That's why my bars are full of broken bottles

And my night stands are full of open bibles

I'm ridin solo, I'm ridin solo... Ridin Solo... Ridin Solo...

= . =

Its so weird... There are songs that you don't like (read: hate) in the beginning, but some douchebag who may be your neighbour or has real good speakers keeps bellowing that number all the time, and suddenly you find yourself syncing to the song like it was meant to be... But I think thats common, everybody has those songs... However, just recently, I found a song that I loved so much I hate it now... And I dont know if this is common too, cos its happening with me for the first time! (ooh la la loo ser) But yeah, "Like a G6" comes across as a catchy hip hop track, which initially is fun cos u know they're talking about drinking and how this really hot Asian chick in red is going around town having a sip from everybody's drink, woah! Suddenly you find yourself downloading the song, cos the internet in ur hostel room sucks and it would be 'unwise' to keep that page open for as long as you wanna listen to the song just cos its buffered there alright... Now you're listening to it so many times your neighbours feel like the 2nd line of this post... And then you're over it, cos other songs have replaced it (Thank you Billboardgoddess) and that video lies in the "Music Videos" folder that you seldom close... Somebody else is playing it now, cos they're used to the song and now u realize "What a shitty song!" So they're talkin bout drinking, but c'mon somehow now it does not make sense... They're really boring you to death, and the only sanity left in the song is because of the electronic belted out by The Cataracs... You know, how you get to know about a person only later in life - I feel like that... Sad, it was a good track to begin with...

Social Media !! Hmmm.... Guess its the best way to advertise now... Even if you're a small company, all you gotta do is start a small competition with dare2compete or studyshare, and get vella mbas to participate, cos they're the best crowd-pullers - they've still got the student zeal but r gonna earn some big bucks soon... I was part of one competition myself, though it was a college thing, I realized the power of FB then, when u get ur friends to blindly like a page - it could be a "I love Justin Beiber" page and they would like it!! Class...

Somehow I usually think of blogging when I have an abstract thought in my mind, but as soon as you start writing the abstractness disappears... hmm!

Day begins...

The day was supposed to start with a PGL lecture at 06:45 am, but I could not attend it due to thigh problems (the PGP office couldnt have made it worse I guess) Then I went with Ashwani and Deepak to drop off his car for some troubleshooting, which could not be completed in the time we were around the service center, which meant we had to come back later on. So we got into a local bus to drive us back to IIM, but we got into a fight - and this post was supposed to be about that fight, but I realize I have no time to speak about it because of a real big deal happening tomorrow!! Lets see... Lets see... Sigh!!

@)!!

Well its not everyday you get this feeling of putting some words in your blog. The last time I felt like writing was when I was late reaching home from Indore by 3 hours. But I was home then, and I wasnt going to waste another 20 minutes in Mumbai trying to make myself feel useless - I've got IIM-I for that! But today is different. Its a new year, and I can see that I have been a lazy ass all this time to have not posted since April :@ Blogging is fun, and you may forget a lot of points that you wanted to shower in the post when u had that thought of "aaj ek blog banta hai", but you also come up with newer things to say (like this one)

Sad to say, but the transition between 2010 and 2011 was very smooth for me. I came back from dinner and went to sLeEp!!! Not that I was looking forward to anything better than a game of cricket, but still, you dont sleep on NYD!!! At least I can tell people I took a nap in 2010 and woke up directly in 2011 (bah!!)

Ah, new year resolutions - the promises that you never have to keep... I think, other than losing 25 kgs, I dont have any major resolves... I also think I should eat right. Living outside home is a new experience, but it should not spoil your palette so badly (had to take a break while writing this blog coz I have loose motions, mummyyy!!!)! I also want to tour Japan, but a discussion with Ashu right now made me realize its possible only in 2012 (that is, if Japan doesnt drown or anything!)

Sigh!! I definitely need to keep my blog updated - for myself!!! Writing is bliss... You can write whatever you want... Oh yeah, that reminds me, a week before new years, I'd decided I will be honest and frank about everything I say or do. Its a tough one, dont think I'll last long...

JLT

Once I bet 5ooo Rs with my mama's friend Abhijeet on the point that Dark Knight still stood third on the IMDB Top 250 charts, in spite of knowing that Abhijeet was in the movie line and probably checked that list everyday. He bet it was sixth. I did not have the money to spare, but even then, I did not want to show my diffidence and lack of information. He was right; he checked it that very instant on his PDA leaving me tongue-tied and rueful for being an ignorant prick. Its not a great feeling, losing a bet or anything, but if you know your place before even playing the game, then it doesnt feel too bad, does it? He spared my arse and thankfully I did not need to take up an extra job to pay off my intentional inpudence! :)

For the last 3 weeks, I have been roaming the streets of Mumbai conducting surveys of unsuspecting citizens who run away or give you 'the look' unless you tell them you're a student. The travelling is the worst part - the measly 80 bucks I get for a day's travel combined with the super sensational sweaty summer ensures that I lose not less than a liter through my sweat glands! I even unintentionally followed a dog that was marking its area, wizzing on every possible vertical thing it could find, which made me sprint as I passed it by. The city is alive though, really on its toes, 'nobodys got time for noone' and getting somebody to hear you out is difficult especially if you're a guy, even more if you're fat and dont look like a student! Ah well, its been smooth so far and I hope it ends well.

Today I'd gone to Marine Drive to finish off the surveys for confectionery (I will be starting a new survey next week). Well, you meet different people there too. While many just like to walk or jog in the breeze that the sea brings with it, there are others who like to sit near the promenade and talk. You see a lot of couples cuddling out there too, and I tell you, its not a good feeling. Sigh!! Being alone at Marine Drive surely aint funny, and definitely not inspiring. But it is amazing, and sitting there on the concrete watching the sun set makes you forget the world for a good 5 minutes. God bless Mumbai...