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...

Arbit

Blogging - what is that? Isnt that one of the techniques to virally market a product?

I remember when I decided to blog for the first time. I used MSN spaces for that karyakram (since many of my friends were using it then), and man it was fun. I had so many things in my mind waiting to explode and I felt there couldnt have been a better medium. But as soon as I started writing, the words werent coming out like I wanted them to. It was difficult trying to make sentences seem interesting, so that at least I would feel like reading them sometime in the future. Add to that the habit of using the chatting lingo, which I was still contemplating whether to use proper language from the beginning or come back and correct each and every word that was missing that uncaring vowel. But I decided that my blogs were not meant to be graded or valued, and nobody reads a blog keeping in mind the grammar or the order, so I just let it be (Its a pain to read now). But it sparked within me this interest to keep jotting down the things that had happened over the past few years, the incidents that I felt were worth putting on paper or the current happenings that were important to me. The motoblogs are something I will cherish for the rest of my life, as they tell of the experiences I had doing what I loved most in life - driving. Its a different story now, being away from my car for so long and having taken to riding bikes, I think that powerful feeling of gaining command over the road will never come back. Maybe a long drive with some good friends should be able to reestablish it.

A lot has changed since the last time I blogged (it was on this site, shifted to blogspot for no apparent reason). No longer self-dependent, I am pursuing MBA with one of the premier institutions of the country (My friend described IIM Indore that way on facebook, and I kept wondering how I should reply; but it didn't matter, some other colleagues did not hesitate in displaying their sarcastic side while replying to the comment). Just 10 more days to go, I will be completing my 1st year exactly 9 months from the day I first set foot here. Adding Hyderabad to the list of cities that I adore (Mumbai was the only other one), I really felt Indore would be as promising. Although there were the initial apprehensions, I have come to terms with this academic jungle consisting of both carnivorous animals called professors, some omnivorous animals that reside in a cave called the pgp office and then there's the herbivorous kind - us, that feed the carnivores and some of the omnivores! For me, this place has been everything but a learning center. I have tried to involve myself in almost every extra-curricular activity there is. My interest in sports has been rekindled again, and inspite of gaining a good 10kgs, I feel fit and energetic. Still, I'm dying to go back home now. A 3 month term is more than I can take; really feel like shit!! Got an exam tomorrow, and havent even opened the book. In fact, had 3 days holiday only for this exam, and still no motivation, not cos I know that the contents are not gonna help me in life 'ever', but just cos I dont want to, period.

Let me end it with some crap - Your body and mind will never work at full capacity if they are friends with each other. Make them fight and you will see them perform at their best!!

P.S: Needs some rest after the performance. Recently did a 42-hour-no-sleep-thing; supposedly I have entered depression.