Its always about the people and the city...

It's close to a year since that happened. A cold as well as cozy new year's eve....We just saw the sky lit up with fireworks celebrating onset of new year. A landmark we ink in our brains with numerous resolutions,  starts, breaks and what not. A need to be away from what we do all year long took me to a drive instead of a party and that's when it happened... Highway...mishap...robbers...car stopped..dragged out...thirty minutes of captivity..or did years pass...some lost money, few stolen valuables, scars that last actually and factually- both. Parting dialogue " Ye to hum the toh ladki ko nahi chua warna yahan aur gangs hain jo chhodti nahi hai" I did something I can totally understand now. What happens to be my only or one of the rare instances of folding hands in gratitude in front of someone, I said "Thank you for not raping me." What is ironic is that it was a Mumbai highway, not my very own city-the rape capital of India-Delhi. What is ironic...

Disclaimer:Unlike usual disclaimers in the end, I am putting mine in the beginning to set the expectations right. I am going to use my quota of year’s niceties here dedicated to our dozen year long camaraderie I mostly get irritated with sirens of engagement and wedding bells proclaimed oh-so-happily on my wall. But this time it’s different. It’s YOU! OPAL! You are getting married… Really? I wouldn't have bothered with my piece of mind otherwise but with you I need to at least try, show you the real picture. I’ll begin by saying that it’s not too late yet. I mean, exchanging rings doesn't mean this can’t be undone...You still have time...NO? Yaar just because you have a possession of never-to-be-worn-again Kanjivarams cannot be a reason to deliberately step into this mess. I should have played devil’s advocate earlier na… So here I am, urging you to reconsider. Doing this means you longer remain to be ‘Lukhkha’ like us. It means lovey...

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...