Its always about the people and the city...

Another year, a birthday, and I learn more... http://truth-about-cats-n-dogs.blogspot.in/2011/11/i-have-learnt.html#comment-form 58. There is no feeling better than walking in the rain. Next time, you are on road and it starts raining, don't crib...It's just water 59. Money is important. Very 60. You can fool yourself the most- most easily and for longest- question is do you want to... 61. People behave, and feel alike, when uncomfortable in a social situation, look around, everyone is... 62. The idea is not to save or spend,  its about being able to own what you want, now and later. 63. Orange looks good on everyone...just like Sun looks good everywhere 64. Reading is a good habit; Smoking is a bad habit- so they say, and make you believe 65. Water-sweat, tears in all forms- is a catalyst to emotions 66. It makes you stronger, yes; but being emotional hurts in a long run 67. Test yourself by coming out of your comfort zone, it helps you keep up th...

Half of the bucket lists of people boast of the dream to travel the world. It’s a no brainer. People want to see the world and they all have reasons. People spend millions, go paces, do stuff, all this-for experience. But how they assimilate this experience is different ball game all together. Here’s a look at travel-alongers of the world. 1. I do-not move my ASS! These people just go to the places and chill. Get them Eiffel view, Miami beach shack, pyramids, caves, whatever. They want to sit, with their drink in hand and stay right there-inside. Do not move my ass please- rather wipe it for me. You get them cozy rooms, bathroom with bathtub, room delivery, and just do away with anything that can create a sense of time. I wonder it would be interesting to put them on the poles and see how they behave in complete loss of idea of time whatsoever… It’s good to have them to relax and spend time the way you would want- as long as a kick works to move their ass 2. I got...

They'll talk to you and talk to you and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.” Jack Nicolson's matter of fact statement in Easy Rider while two men are looking for America back in 1969 gives some perspective about where we are, where we've been and what we need to do all over again. Its 15th August, Indian Independence Day. Holiday for me, long weekend starter for many and tricolor sale gimmick for malls... Its much more, of course, of tradition, patriotism, feelings and far-away dreams. It is a milestone to reflect on accomplishments and mull over shortcomings- both of which is done in abundance this day... I am gonna cherry pick my share of shortcomings in terms of culture that India has...or rather multitudes of cultures and how they make us coherent, and at the same time,damage lots of things. I sit in my room, few floors away from the flat which has been pretty much been the center of Mumbai...

The gap between aspiration and achievement is thin but deep. This gap, they say is hardest to fill, simplest to fathom and deepest to the core. We have our laundry lists of to-do’s and we have tasks to do. We have our priorities to decide and actions to act. More than anything else, we have achievements to achieve and aspirations to aspire, but what do we do first, or start earliest? It’s funny, it applies everywhere… you can’t put what you want to do on back burner. You have to rise with all, make it rise, all in one go, not one at a time. And the reasonable philosophy behind this rationale is ‘The One.’ I may have mentioned before my love for this Richard Bach’s book where he derives how each decision, each parallel life and crossroad that you take in life is one with your life. It all gets amalgamated to decide where you are and what you are going to do. We often refer to tackling personal life now, or taking decision for one’s professional well being o...

It must be something else. Not really a crisis…it needs a stronger word... I mean crisis is a daily word…financial crisis, population crisis, even food crisis. This situation is not usual... it’s not a daily thing, not even monthly or yearly. It is once in a lifetime. Correction, first in lifetime and hopefully once! It’s a calamity. It is the feeling of sheer waste. I must be thinking a lot, or too hard. I can simply overlook it, or dissolve in a party or dilute in a trip or mix with a drink…I can even splurge it out in a shopping spree or burn it out in gym. I have done all of that. It helps of course. It helps big time. It keeps mind off them but cannot take it away. I have reached the spot slowly. The spot of bog and one can only get drawn in…Yes I am being pulled. This pulling is time bound ok…You can’t take your own sweet time to escape. You can’t take a nap or wait and chill. You have to attempt to break away. I am not sure you can break out. But how do...

“Where are you from?” “India…” “eh?” “Um…India…” “Oh! Hindustan!” That’s how a normal conversation will start for you in Turkey, and mind you, with a big warm exclamation of how you have come from a far-far away land of India to Turkey. If you are an Indian, the guess would be that you should be settled in London. Turkey is different from other European nations- not only because it is Bosphorus divided half Europe-half Asia but in many other ways. One, it surprises you with warm people. Two, it has way too many hindi words in its vocabulary- like my favorite of course is   Chai . It’s cold because of too much   Hawa   and if someone wants to light a cigarette, he will ask for ‘ aatish !’You will eat   kofte   and   Pilav   and other endless things in lexicon…Culturally also there are enough similarities in terms of people, diversity, treatment to women, clothes etc. Planning and reaching there is not a problem with V...

It must be one of the most sudden and abrupt plan. I was on my usual night walk when it happened. Few rounds of my building, couple of phone calls, usual state of peaceful mind with messed up thoughts... I was done for the day, tired and about to retire when it happened. Next I knew I was sitting on table listening to some deep conversation. My presence was kinda plastic, as if I was present but not part of that scene. I don't know if I chose not to say anything or I wasn't allowed. No one acknowledged me or even seemed to care if I was listening, but somehow it never occurred to me that I should get up and leave... It did not occur also what I was doing there and do I really know these two people. They were not strangers, specially the way they were speaking...infact their voice was damn familiar. I knew I have spoken, or at least heard them before. I did not think of what their names were. I didn't think if knew or wanted to know their names anyway. I'd call the...