ATTITUDE

A stranger was seated next to a little girl on the airplane when the stranger turned to her and said, "Let's talk. I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger."

The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said to the stranger "What would you like to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," said the stranger. "How about nuclear power?"

"OK," She said. "That could be an interesting topic. But let me ask you a question first.
A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat grass, the same stuff. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass.
Why do you suppose that is?"

The stranger thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea."

"Do you feel qualified to discuss nuclear power when you don't know shit? " The girl said and opened her book again.

Thoughtless Ruminations

I am on a break from thinking. Rejuvenation break may call it.
Last few posts are a giveaway clue to what is happening in life right now. There is an abundance of food, smiles and music in life right now.

Let me list some of the theme songs I have been listening to in last few days. [My play list is changing so often these days that I myself am amazed]

1. Now we are free by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard from the soundtrack of Academy Award and Golden Globe-winning film Gladiator. The soundtrack is amazing with the slow paced theme and laid back vocals. The chants in background give it a inspiring touch. There is a nice and funky remix for the same too. Another catching piece of inspirational music.

2. Glasgow Love theme by Craig Armstrong from the soundtrack of Love Actually. A just above 2 minute piece which caught my attention when I was searching for song Christmas is All Around from the same movie. Nice romantic number, slow paced; makes you feel so good.
btw Love Actually has some really nice soft mushy songs, if you need any.

3. Theme from Braveheart. Bagpiper singing glory of a sacrifice. This is so amazing naa that both bagpiper and shahanai are played at death as well as marriage. Beginning to end. Another inspiring number. I still have to catch up with other songs from this movie's soundtrack.

ps: Title borrowed without permission from Heda.

The days before the mutiny

I watched a part of Dangeya Munchina Dinagalu last evening at Rangashanakara. This is a play in Kannada by a troupe called Rangasiri. The title translates to "The days before the mutiny".

And that is all I know and understood about the play.

Having lived almost 6 years in Bangalore, it is sinful for me to not to understand Kannada. But then, most decisions and choices in life are need based. So there I was, for almost 40 minutes, trying to comprehend what was happening at the stage. Nothing much I could understand.
Nothing can I write about the play so.

But for me, yes, it was a show worth going coz my friend Su was performing in the play. I could not afford to miss the opportunity to see her on RS stage. :)

The troupe will be performing soon in Malleshwaram. Exact details, I shall post soon.

Nothing Else Matters

Whenever I listen to this song, strange memories pop up from nowhere. Memories that are as fresh as yesterday. Still they date back to almost a year back. "Please don't listen to such songs." said one of them. I distinctly remember that day, when I was told so by someone very close to my heart. I asked "why?" But never really got the answer.
Anyways. I kept listening to it and it somehow figures in all my playlists.

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
and nothing else matters

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say
and nothing else matters

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us something new
Open mind for a different view
and nothing else matters

never cared for what they do
never cared for what they know
but I know

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
and nothing else matters

never cared for what they do
never cared for what they know
but I know

Never opened myself this way
Life is ours, we live it our way
All these words I don't just say

Trust I seek and I find in you
Every day for us, something new
Open mind for a different view
and nothing else matters

never cared for what they say
never cared for games they play
never cared for what they do
never cared for what they know
and I know

So close, no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever trusting who we are
No, nothing else matters

a bittersweet symphony

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life...
Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to the money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet, yeah
No change, I can't change, I can't change, I can't change,
but I'm here in my mold , I am here in my mold
But I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no

Well, I've never prayed,
But tonight I'm on my knees, yeah
I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me, yeah
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind , I feel free now
But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now

No change, I can't change, I can't change, I can't change,
but I'm here in my mold , I am here with my mold
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mold, no, no, no, no, no

(Well have you ever been down?)
(I can't change, I can't change...)
(Ooooohhhhh...)

'Cause it's a bittersweet symphony this life
Trying to make ends meet, trying to find some money then you die
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet, yeah
You know I can't change, I can't change, I can't change,
but I'm here in my mold, I am here in my mold
And I'm a million different people from one day to the next
I can't change my mold, no,no,no,no,no
I can't change my mold, no,no,no,no,no
I can't change my mold, no,no,no,no,no

(It justs sex and violence melody and silence)
(It justs sex and violence melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down)
(It justs sex and violence melody and silence)
(I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down)
(Been down)
(Ever been down)
(Ever been down)(Lalalalalalaaaaaaaa...)
(Ever been down)
(Ever been down)
(Have you ever been down?)
(Have you ever been down?)
(Have you ever been down?)

- The Verve

dhichkiyan....

Who is the most efficient and honest policewala in India right now?
No no, its not Kiran Bedi.
Oh no, not Mr. shoot-100-but-count-only-10 Daya Nayak too.
Of course no ACP Rathod also after he became a terrorist in Fanaa.

It has to be ACP Praduman.
Yes, vahi purane CID officer ACP Praduman.

Now that I have made this judgement, I need to prove my stance too. So let us have a look at his history and present.

• He is with CID bureau for over 5 years now.
• His ability to solve the most challenging case in just above 40 minutes (that is two episodes of CID, minus the ad break time) can make even Scotland Yard ask for water.
• His resume boasts of cases of varied types, ranging from a child kidnapping case in Mumbai to troubles by ghosts.
• He does not hold any formal degree in Forensic science but is undoubtedly the most learned master of this art.
• He can smell criminals. His eyebrows raise automatically at the sight of a criminal.
• His efficiency to solve mystery cases is such that sometimes you are compelled to think that he must have got the case leaked (like the way we see in University exams) and then prepared well for them.
• He is indispensable member of CID team and actually is the lone loyal there. Everyone else has done something wrong or other in past, but this imandaar poolis afsar has ekdum bedaag vardi. Vardi se yaad aaya, he has a very good collection of suits and coats. And that all the girls in his team are allowed to wear (or rather no wear) whatever they want.

Only negative in his resume is the high attrition rate in his team. He is the lone worrier for CID for last 5 years. Dusre aate hain aur phir bina bataye chale jaate hain. Par hamara ye sherjurm ka mukabla karta rahta hai.

Hai koi mai ka laal jo is sher ko challange kar sake?

Stranger in the mirror

They say living on my own has brought about one change in me. I have grown up. Everyone does, it's no black magic. Suposadly I am more mature now.

But somehow I cann't feel proud of it today. The process of growing up also resulted in a tremendous loss for me. I lost my innocence. I have lost myself. No longer can I claim to be the same person I was some years ago. I lost the simplicity and purity.

Sometime when I stand in front of mirror, I see a stranger's face. It just pops up from within and mocks at me. This innocent face reminds me of the person I was at one point of my time.

Changes are inevitable and this is just part of life, I guess.

sanjaya joke...

Breaking news: Sanjaya Malakar is out of American Idol. Now when he can not become even an American idol, how could he possible dream of being my idol.
Thanks to his hairdos I am saved from having a loser idol.

Joke of the day:
A news clip from TOI dated 20-04-2007
Paula Abdul’s diva trip on air
Paula Abdul, the American Idol judge, did a diva act on a recent flight when she demanded special treatment. An eyewitness on the flight said: “She pulled a major diva trip. The other passengers were not amused.” Newsweek.com reports that Abdul was on a packed flight from San Jose to Burbank, California, and she demanded special treatment even though there is no first-class section on the airline. She asked to be let on the plane and seated first. When she was told that young children, people with disabilities and elderly woman were allowed to board early she supposedly cried, “But I’m famous! I need to go on first!” A few fellow passengers shouted, “You’re no Sanjaya! You have to board like everyone else.” Once on board, she pushed her way to the front to get on first and tried to keep the seat next to her empty telling passengers it was already taken.

No Poster Boys

BBMP unable to give Bangalore a facelift

Some time last year, the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) did a good job of upgrading the footpath along both sides of the Airport Road in Bangalore. It also built concrete-block tree guards around all the trees along the footpath and painted them in smart yellow and green colours. Within days, somebody stuck a poster on many of those guards announcing the availability of a certain paying guest accommodation. Soon, many more followed suit. Off and on, the BBMP would get somebody to scrape off the posters. Today, the lovely yellow and green colours have almost disappeared, and what you have are messy, ugly posters and leaflets announcing either ‘Accommodation Available’ or ‘Jobs Available’. Such vandalism can be seen along most major thoroughfares. Not just on tree guards, but also on trees, walls and telephone/electricity distribution boxes. All the posters have telephone numbers on them. Which, most would think, would make it a simple matter for the BBMP to catch the culprits and hand out exemplary punishment to put an end to such vandalism. Instead, what you have is a peculiar situation where the BBMP spends taxpayers’ money to wipe off old posters. Only for new ones to be put in their place.

Such brazen disregard for authority can be seen on other fronts too. Buildings come up with clear violations of setback rules and Floor Area Ratio norms. Builders use adjacent public roads to stock building material. When city authorities can’t stop abuses of the law where the identities of the violators are obvious, it’s surely too much to expect them to tackle problems where it is not obvious — such as dumping of garbage on roads and debris in lakes, as in Peenya’s Nelagadaranahalli Lake, under the cover of darkness. Bangalore can never hope to call itself an international city so long as the BBMP remains so ineffective. If the corporation’s problem is of inadequate personnel to monitor violations, it must employ more people and prepare Bangaloreans to bear that extra burden. If the problem is of its staff’s inefficiency, it must deal with it severely. In areas like maintenance of roads and lakes, private parties have shown their willingness to take this responsibility in return for signage rights. But little effort has been made so far to tap this potential. However, it’s not enough for us as citizens of this city to point a finger at the corporation. It is incumbent on us as individuals and as collectives — such as resident welfare associations — to not just address issues within the compounds of our houses and apartment complexes, but also to conduct public campaigns outside. And try to deal with them, without necessarily involving the corporation.

ps: Article taken verbatim from TOI Bangalore dated 20th April, 2007

Survivor Episode 273

In a recent visit to coffeeshop (in short, date) my girlfriend asked me who my idol is?

"Out Of Syllabus" - first thought in my mind. But then you can say this in a written exam, in viva-voce you better not dare to say so.

I don't know if she really meant to ask this questions. It happens most of the times while sitting with your bf/gf in a nice coffee shop. You really fall short of topics to talk about. You could have finished discussing (if you are the bf, then listening) all the topics under the sun (oh yea even the scorching sun might have found some mention in those talks). But coffee hai ki khatam hone ka naam hi nahi leti. I am sure the CCDs and Barista add some kind of rubber in their brews.

So now I was faced with this life and death situation.
Why life and death?
Arre!! meri boyfriend-iyet was on stake. How can I be a good bf if I cant even have an idol. Now who that idol is a whateverish (does not matter) thing.

So at first I thought I would answer saying "oh my idol, it has to be Sanjaya Malakar." A smug smile popped on my face. I knew she would not dare to ask me who the hell he is. Nobody likes to be known for ignorance in GK, you know. So the question of my idol would have died in minutes.

But then I was faced with another super duper doubt.
What if she knew him?
Worse she was a fan of him?
Worst if she liked his long shabby hairstyle and wanted me to do the same?

Naa baba naa... I don't want to have a 1kg hairy jungle stuffed in my helmet.

All the smug feelings vanished as fast as they came.
So who next?

Mean time, she saw this cute girl (ok, I didn't call that girl cute there, again no-life and death situation) and her nice dress. She wanted to have something like that for a long time. And now started a story of how she travelled through all the alleys of Commercial Street to find something similar but never found.

Oh God.. that 'cute girl' was a saviour.

Aur kuch baatein hui (actually suni, I was just listening as usual) and then it was time for 'bye bye', 'miss you', 'call me' talks.
And finally we vacated those nice seats of coffee shop. They had almost became 'hot seat'.

Aaj ka din to survive kar gaya, but will I be able next time?
So better prepare for the answer to this question before next time.
These were the only thoughts in my mind while riding back home. I hope she has forgotten this idol wala questions.

ps: All the characters and incidents mentioned in this post are work of fiction. Any resemblance with any dead or alive person is just a coincidence.

fussssss

[Time: 1:03 pm]

PJ: DP, can we talk for some time.

DP: Oh yea sure, chalo. We go to this conference room.

[Both enter the conference room, arrange two chairs facing each other and sit.]

PJ: [hesitation apparent in his words] I want to put in my papers here.

DP: [thinks for about two seconds] Hmmm... Oh ok…
So where are you … oh I should not even be asking that…oh yea...

PJ: No DP, I shall tell you that. I am going to xxx. Right now that’s the best offer I have in my hand…. And if you don’t mind I would like to give your name as reference.

DP: Oh that… you can do that…no problems…
When do you want to leave?

PJ: As soon as possible. It’s up to you to decide.

DP: Oh yea. Ok let me talk to top brass and arrange for backup…

[Both silent for some time]

DP: I just want to ask why you want to join that company. As far as I know they are not doing well.

PJ: I don’t know if its doing that bad. Only thing that I can tell you right now is that they are giving me the best offer right now. Here there is absolutely no work. So it was getting really frustrating. There they are offering me an xxx position there. It’s a small team with good work in hand. And of course they are paying me good.

DP: hmmm… theek hai… let me talk to the top brass here and I shall let you know the releasing date. But I must say, this is a shock to us. We don’t want to lose people like you.

PJ: I know DP, even for me it’s a tough decision. But sometimes we have to take such decisions. I think this the best thing for my career right now and I am sure you would agree to that.

DP: Hamm… theek hai… chalo then… let me talk…

PJ: ok… thanks a lot. I shall inform them about it.

[Both stand up and leave the room.]

[Time: 1:07 pm]

PJ is a free soul now.

ps: Taken out from the collection of drafts.

Flash News

Mr. Mansukhlal Shah started making scooters in India at a time when our market was flooded with foreign products. The Shah family are Jains who believe in the principle of Ahimsa Parmodharm. They don't even burn crackers during Diwali celebrations because smoke kills many small insects. When they don't even kill a small living being, how can they work with some antisocial elements and work against fellow human beings.
The media persons looked but satisfied with the explanation Mr Shah's daughter-in-law gave them.
In another revelation, Kanta Ben gave some clue about whereabouts of Mansukhlal Shah to the family. She had spotted him in Sammed Shikharjee.

Was it really him or some side actor?
What will the media publish in tomorrow's news?
Whats happening in Shah family?

If these questions did not pop up in your mind, you better get them popped up by force. Coz you are going to see some more news from Thodi Khush Thodi Gham at this blog.

ps: Papa Mamma are in town. :)

beyond the horizon

I watched three plays last week.
- Exit the King
- The Island
- The Hare and the Tortoise

To tell you the truth, I could not make sense in any of them. Why?

- Hare and Tortoise did not run just a race there. They solved some maths problems also.
- The king was not a king actually but he was a don.
- The island had a play within play.

Everything beyond the usual comprehension.

It's so amazing to know that a simple story can have so many different interpretation. Our knowledge is limited to the most obvious rather most famous understanding of it. So when we hear "hare and tortoise", our imagination just reach to the extent of race between a hare and tortoise.

In last post I said I like darkness coz shadows can not fool me by any influence. The darkness gives me my freedom to explore the situation. It gives me the sense of challenge to think beyond what is so obvious.

Yesterday after the play I heard someone saying "thinking out of the box". True to a certain extent. But you can not go on doing it infinitely. Sometimes you need to move in to a bigger box or have to enlarge it.

Rout puts it as, You never know if you are in an altogether box. When they teach you to think out of the box, they never tell one important thing that out of a box there r other boxes. And by just thinking out of one, you run the risk of putting yourself in another.

I like watching some plays. They hurt my ego by telling me that I still cant see beyond the horizon. There is so much to learn and I can not afford to slow down on this journey of knowledge.

Having said that, I still recommend these plays to everyone. They have the best art and direction I have ever seen in a play. Amazing light and sound. Especially the last one is brilliant in its use of medium. A highly energetic actor lot will make your visit memorable. Dont miss them.

Shadows in the dark

I like darkness. The shadows do not influence my perception by past or present experience. I can be myself and expect every shadow to be their true self too.

Enthusiasm

A child's enthusiasm makes him the fastest learner in the world.
Photo taken at Zpoint. Sunset time.

अब हिंदी में...

हिंदी हमारी मात्रभाषा है। और मैं गूगल का आभारी हूँ कि आज उसके कारण मैं हिंदी में ब्लोग लिखने में सक्षम हूँ ।
जय हो गूगल भैया की।

To Whomsoever It May Concern

"I will take bricks and write on that to show how much I miss you. And I will break it on your head to show how much it pains when I miss you."

- a sms I recently got. I am hoping it is just a forward. :)

And here is an interesting news -

New Delhi: Saddled with the mounting burden of providing dole to keep the cost of kitchen fuels low, the Planning Commission would like the government to stop supplying cheap cooking gas cylinders to households paying income-tax.
The panel’s suggestion comes in response to the oil ministry’s wish to carry on with the system of providing money in the budget to cover oil firms’ losses from selling kitchen fuels at artificially low price set by the government. It is, however, unlikely to be considered by the oil ministry.

I firmly believe now that very soon there will be a law in this land that says if you are honestly paying your income tax, you are no less than a criminal.

For theatre lovers in Bangalore, TFA is presenting some really good plays in Rangashankara. Nice story lines backed up with power packed performances. I whole heartedly recommend them. I watched two plays in last two days and plan to go today also. Anyone interested, buzz me.

And to close it on happier notes, here is the news.
It rained here in Bangalore last night. Bangalore rocks sometimes. It does. Even after 11pm time limits. Evening showers that filled the atmosphere with pleasant smell. Hoping for more of it.

Joy of Life

Karunesh is king of good times.
Listen to any of his song, it brings that refreshing air with it.
Time and again, flute proves itself to be source of eternal peace. Beauty of this instrument lies in the simplicity. Same goes with Sarod or Sarangi. They are so close to soul. They touch our heart.

Karunesh's song are as enchanting as a magicians trick. A karmyogi on his quest for Nirvana. Zen influence in New Age music has done no less than what discovery of wheel did to industrial revolution. Buddhist chants are so pure and natural. I always wonder how it would feel to visit a monastery and listen to their tunes live and unplugged.

Someday I will surely do that.

Somehow, every time I listen to Karunesh, it reminds me of those Tibetan markets in Goa. They all played such brilliant music. May be next time, I would spend some more time there.

For now, I am pretty much indulged in listening to Karunesh. Try his album Joy of Life. Its brilliant.

grrrrrrrrrr

Its 1:41pm and I just finished my so-called lunch. Food served in my company cafeteria is pathetic. You can never make out what curry is served as all gravies taste the same. I think they don't want to discriminate one day with other or one curry with other. So eat the same thing 5 days a week. Keval naam hi badlta hai. Daily I almost skip my lunch and rely on evening snacks or fruit juices for the day supply of energy. I guess it is all a conspiracy for reducing the cholesterol levels in the employees here.

I am having a stiff neck since yesterday. I feel as if I am a robot now. I hope I was not abducted, and then converted into a machine, by aliens the previous night.
I cannot turn my head freely. I can not participate in Ekta Kapoor's latest soap's screen test so. All my chances of fame gone now. :(
It's just too irritating to move half your body to see a girl passing by. Worst it is when you realize that girl was not even worth a single look. Alas, you don't have a sixth sense so bear the pain.

And then there is this work. I have to verify a bug in the latest build. Now the bug is from the customer side, so expecting details with it is like asking Viveik Oberai to act. What more, the previous tester for this bug played a safe game and did not leave any trace of what he did. People are watching spy movies a lot these days, I guess. My mentor is enjoying a Free Pizza lunch right now. Who said there is no such thing as free lunch. So now I will have to wait for him so that I can put my next step forward to verify the bug.

Enough of cribbing I suppose.
Sometimes it is real fun to crib.

Deccan Sunset

My best shot from the recent trip to Kemmengundi.
I titled it Deccan Sunset.

This picture was taken at sunset time on top of z-point. We reached this point after a walk/trek of more than 3.5 km. Everyone was sitting and enjoung the beauty of this place. The serenity and calmness there can not be explained in words.

The setting sun was looking very beautiful. I knew these were the moments to be captured. Ananwita was coming in the frame. I requested her for the pose and gladely she agreed.

And the result is in front of you. Since the time I took this picture, I knew it was going to one of my best shot.

Hello and Welcome

Hello...
And Welcome...
To my world...
In next few minutes you will get to explore my world. So just relax, take a deep breath and and free your mind.
[Please keep all the lose objects away from your hands so that you don't throw them at your computer monitor after reading my crap]

This is PritS Zen (aka Pritesh Jain) and this is my life.

So What Am I Doing These Days?
After the sad curtain down from the dream theatre, I am trying to gather my life again. For now, some more inertia before the possible rush of events. Tufan ke pahle ki shanti, I guess.
I am just back from a very nice trip to Kemmengundi. Less of a trek, more of walking. With some of the most amazing and enthu souls to have you around.
Me and my camera. And the music.
It was Heaven spelt in a different way.

What Am I Listening to These Days?
Music is the thing which has kept me going all these while. Off late you must have seen lots of entries centered around music. So that continues. Right now, I am getting fueled on Enigma. Another very recent entry to my play list is Oliver Shanti and Friends. Spiritual music, new age with Buddhist touch. Nice peaceful sounds. More about it soon.

What Am I Watching These Days?
Lots of movies. No Cricket. Have to watch Crash and Godfather again. Then there is a list in place. Any suggestions are welcome as usual. Have to start with plays again. This week there are some screenings in Rangashanakra. Anyone intereseted, please buzz me.

What Am I Eating These Days?
Just a week left before my parents come here. So then it will be the great home food. For now I am continuing with the regular stuff at home. My cook desperately needs a break. Or I need a break from him.

Anything else?
Hmm.. nothing that I can recall now...

So signing off now. Catch you people soon here.

The Kemmengundi Experience

A sneak preview...

Random Thoughts

Read this one at Sucharita's blog.
Never put someone as a priority for someone who puts you as an option.

Couldn't resist copying it. And here is my version to it.
Never Put someone or something as a priority for someone or something who/which puts you as an option.

Priority - One thing that takes an important place in your life and one which you always end up mixing. Monotonous life never necessitates prioritizing process while an adventurer always needs to chose one thing over other. This discrimination is a compulsion.

Somethings are meant to let go.
Don't be afraid.

Jogi

Check out this song Jogi by Punjabi MC.
A Panjabi dance number with real funky tune. The sarod (or veena or whatever it is) portion is just too catchy.
Enjoy...

a dream... doomed

Sometimes back I wrote about a dream.
A dream, I wanted to live for. A dream for which I could do everything possible.
I finally woke up from the deep sleep and realized that that dream is doomed. I could not bring it to reality. I could not make it possible.

Did I try my best to achieve it? Yes, I did. But I guess my best, today, was not sufficient for it. Thats the only consolation I have today.

I shall try again.
And again.
And again.
Till I succeed.

But for now, I am sad. Coz I know I missed something which could have made me the happiest person in my world.

No words, please. I want to be alone for sometime.

dress circle

I watched The Devil Wears Prada last night. My rating: 3/5.
Nice movie. Some inspiration for writing today's post came from that movie.

In the IT industry there are two types of people. One who dress well and those who do not dress well (or rather say they do it shabbily). And then there are people like me, who do it casually. People like me do not belong to any of the above cast or creed or whatever you want to call it. There are days when I am dressed to kill, just to be followed by days where I want to kill myself. But this post is not about just me. So read on.

Dressing sense of people changes with time and experience. So when people like me are just out of college, our wardrobes are filled with faded jeans, low rises, boot-cuts. Tees or casual shirts that can go over anything makes the other half. One or two pair of floaters or sports shoes. And there you are, all set to work. Now if I was a rock lover, I would surely want to flaunt my Metallica t-shirt collection at work. All the footballers showoff their jerseys and boots (studs, as they are called) the same way. Casual to the core.

People up the ladder (corporate ladder I mean), are mostly in the better dressed category. It's demand of their job to be like that. So all set in formals they are one of the picture-perfect employees for any company. They hold the grace of their experience and position on their face and surely live up to it.

People in middle of hierarchy are the ones who delve into one or the other category. From my experience I can make a comment that people who are into too technical side (or whom we call individual contributors) always belong to the shabbily dressed group. They don't bother about anything. For them its just they and their work. So beard grown like a jungle, same shirt for a week (or may be they have 5 piece of it, i don't know), chappals - its their trademark style. Their work speaks for their smartness.

Interestingly, most of the managers and leads are well dressed. It really speaks how important is to dress properly. They are the most smart and cunning lot and surely have learnt from their experience. They are there to set examples. Their team looks up to them for inspiration. And with my experience I can surely vouch that a guy who is well dressed and well behaved is much more effective than anyone else.

Another interesting thing in companies which have no dress-code policies, is the trend of wearing company tshirts. I see tshirts of at least 6 companies at my work place. Add to it team tshirts and then the ones designed for special occasions. The bevda (boozers) group in my company has come up with a tshirt of their own too. They can always make a style statement in them.

And for the people like me, I am nowhere. My identity is in the fact that I dress casually. So I can be seen in a kurta over a jeans on a day which is not Friday. In my previous company, my manager used to come in shorts on Friday, I tried 3/4ths and khadi there. It was fun. Don't forget my jhola. My manager had actually asked me if I was doing any part time journalist job.
Today when I dressed in formal attire, everyone was looking at me in surprise. :)

Yeh Mera Deewanapan Hain

Nitin Sawhney rocks.

He simply rocks.

I had heard some of his songs in past. They were inpressive but not that cant-get-out-of-your-mind types. But when I heard this song Yeh Mera Deewanapan Hain for the soundtrack of Meera Nair's Namesake , I know I have found one such. The funky lounge version would surely make Mukesh lovers sad but it is really nice. The song, sung by SushilaRaman in a very husky or rather say sensual voice is really catchy.
I am really lovin it...

These Brit DJs know what remixing actually means.

Next Assignment: Get hold of some more Nitin Sawhney work. This guy is surely going to grab some more space here in my blog soon.

Rangashankara April Schedule

Click on the image to enlarge it.

WRONG SIDE OF THE TRACK

Read this nice story in todays Metro Plus.

"A train was coming into a railway station. The train was supposed to take track one when the driver of the train noticed that there were 20 children playing on it. He decided to take track two, but unfortunately there were children on that track too - but only two of them. He decided to take track two - the one with two children, his logic being that it was better to kill two children than 20. So, the children who had taken care that they were not on the track on which the train would come, paid the ultimate price."

link to the full article.

That I am silent, does not mean anything

- shadows in silence by Enigma
Another brilliant song by Enigma. From the album Le Roi Est Mort, Vive Le Roi!
Its an instrumental song with an amazing theme. The beats just takes you away from everything. No Psychedelic stuff it is, but it sooths the soul like it is one.

addiction

Thanks to Chandu. :)

PMDB

PMDB: PritS's Movie Data Base.

I am feeling that the old hostel days are coming back. Movies at late nights, sometime Maggi in the break, chocolates (it was kitkat that time, now thanks to Chandu we have loads of US made chocolate :) )
Movies, movies and more movies.
Here are some of the shows that run in our home theatre:

1. Nishabd (3.5/5) - read my review here.
2. Apocalypto (4/5)
3. Little Miss Sunshine (4/5)
4. Happy Feet (4.5/5)
5. Bewitched (3/5)

Add to it two more that I watched in theatre:
1. The Pursuit of Happyness (3.5/5)
2. The Namesake (4/5)

Thanks Gautam for the DVD player. :) You made it possible dude.

ps: Please suggest me movies which you would rate good. I would need that coz very soon my list of movies-to-be-watched will exhaust.

sunday morning tp

Its a lazy sunday morning. Time 10:00 am.

Why am I awake then?
Bachpan se ek hi gandi aadat hai mujhe - jaldi uthna. Ab yeh lat ek baar lag gayi to chutne ka naam hi nahi leti.
Anyways...
So What to do??
Let me finish off with the tag game which J pointed me to.

So here you go my lord!!!

Q1. One thing you are very much afraid of? [2 marks]

Ans: Silence.

Q2: Two incidents you can never forget in your life? [2+2 marks]
Ans: To recall two specific incidents which I will never forget in my whole life is a very difficult answer. Kya bhuloon kya yaad karoon!! Still here are two which came to my mind first -
1. Surprising my parents with news about my new job at 5 in morning. I had kept this news secret for more than 2 days and told them only when I reached home. I will never forget the happiness on their face at that moment.
2. My trip to Goa last January. Every moment of it.

Q3: Three books you would love reading again and again? [2x3 marks]
Ans: No text book for sure. Actually I am not a avid reader so can not really have answer to this question. Still I will list three books which I liked the most.
1. The Kite Runner
2. How to be creative
3. cant remember now. :)

Q4: Four women who are most beautiful? [2x4 marks]
Ans: Hmm.. tricky one. I don't know name of most of them. Saw them on road yesterday. :) Other then them, here are four that you would know:
1. Meg Ryan
2. Ziah Khan
3. Angelina Jolie
4. Deepika Padukone

Q5: Five of you favorite food items? [2x5 marks]
Ans: This one is pretty simple. No faltu bakwas; here is the answer:
1. Pav Bhaji
2. Aloo Paratha
3. Paani Poori
4. Pizza
5. Maan ke haath se bana khana

Q6: Six words you use very often oral/written? [2x6 marks]
Ans: Another simple one. I am going to top this test. :)
1. Hellos
2. Whatsup!!
3. Take Care
4. Basically
5. Obvisouly
6. Whatever!!

Q7: Seven things you like about yourself? [2x7 makrs]
Ans: Tricky one this. I think I will flunk because of this question. :(
1. My short term memory
2. My attitude
3. My punctuality
4. My loyalty
5. My dependability
6. My open-ness
7. My Enthusiasm
Oh I finally listed all. So now I am surely going to top.

Q8: Eight film personalities who are your all time favorites? [2x8 marks]
Ans: Hehe. I can see myself at top already. :)
1. BigB
2. Amir Khan
3. Kishor Kumar
4. Priety Zinta
5. Kaykay Menon
6. Rahul Bose
7. Konkana Sen Sharma
8. Arshad Varsi

Q9: Nine movies you wont mind watching again and again? [2x9 marks]
Hihihuhuhaha... This question I had prepared recently. So no mistake possible here. :)
in no particular order
1. Sarkar
2. Gangajal
3. RDB
4. Iceage
5. DCH
6. School Of Rock
7. Khosla Ka Ghosla
8. Remember the Titans
9. Behind Enemy Lines

Q10: Ten songs you would like to listen to everyday? [2x10 maks]
Ans: All my playlists have this songs. Actually there are more than 10 such songs. Still listing 10 which came to mind first.
1. The child in us - Enigma
2. Coming back to life - Pink flyod
3. The day we met over coffee - Osunlade
4. Return to innocence - Enigma
5. I am ready - Bryan Adams
6. Out from the deep - Enigma
7. Bandeh - Black Friday (Indian Ocean)
8. Nothing else matters - Metallica
9. Saltwater - Chicane
10. Punjab -Karunesh

Ooof.. it was a long paper. Finally over.

I scored 108/110. I am too good naa.. :)
Now here is the deal. If you are in timepass mood then ater reading the post, try and match your answers to mine. And take the total. Let me know how much you scored.

I am not passing the tag to anyone. If you are interested in such TP, please take it with you. And inform the world when you are done with your post.

As usual, comments are always welcome.