Killer feedback

This was for a party invite for a client.
The title: Let's get together
Image: "Silhouettes" of young people dancing in the background with superimposed text.
Feedback: Sunil, can we make the Silhouettes (Dancing figures) more conservative. Rest is OK.
:|

Movie recommendation

(500) days of Summer
For everyone who has been in, wants to be in, is in and would never be in....
A definite in my Top 10 at this point of time.

Since 1982

Do

Do something not because you don't have a choice, but because you have a choice.
Work | Love | Forgive | Pray | Play | Live | Shop | Marry | Do nothing

In loving memory of...

It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that I convey to you the death of my dearest and most loved 4H624ESBU9C (Macbook) sometime around last month. It passed away unnoticed and untroubled. Innumerable attempts to bring it back to life were futile and also expensive. Such is destiny afterall. You shall always remain in my fondest memories after 3 and half of your best years. May your logic board rest in peace....

Survived by 320GB HD, 2GB RAM and LCD screen on an almost new W87197JHYA2
B-)

Indeed...

Success is having to worry about every damn thing in the world, except money.
-Johnny Cash
(The irony here is, his second name :)

5 Random 5

5 random things that I can do:
1. Operate a conventional Lathe machine.
2. Use a soldering gun.
3. Fly a kite.
4. Operate a sewing machine.
5. Use a saw for carpentry.

5 random things I have:
1. My "first birthday" present- a Lego rocket launcher B-)
2. A Navy Blue Nokia 3310
3. My father's 30 year old Seiko Chronometer that's on my wrist now.
4. My pillow since age 3
5. A dupatta

5 random things I've ever made:
1. A candle
2. A debate speech
3. A tile painting
4. Cross section of human heart for a friend sitting 2 desks behind me, for a biology paper.
5. A flower bouquet

5 random things I don't like:
1. Long toe nails
2. Chinese food
3. Photoshop
4. Clicking pictures
5. Gold chains

5 random things I've done:
1. Joined a college that I had not even seen, because I liked a girl who selected the college from a list of options. She's happily married now.
2. Left a train mid way to go back and see someone special.
3. Walked 13km from one station to another and missed the train.
4. Spent a night on top of a State Transport Bus with friends.
5. Ran all the way home from school to avoid being beaten up by a classmate (with him running behind me ;)

And this...

source: www.unplggd.com

Loved this

source: www.xkcd.com

4 months

It's a little over 4 months since I went type type in this space. Can't remember when that happened last. The doodles have also been restricted to the "project" types within which lie a few ones which try to just go outside the required task but soon find behaving themselves and getting back to the next milestone or the next to-do. Quite programmed that way. Nicer things like the low window close to the bed, the visible sunrise and sunset (only on weekends though :P), the waking up to chirping birds, and sight of the distant mangroves at the edge of the creek from the window, the "nothing" weekends and limited connectivity are far and few in between. Almost makes me feel like being cut off from civilization, ok maybe not civilization, but only socialization ;) The occasional lazy weekend travel in empty suburb trains, the almost idyllic locality and surroundings (with a so-called zen garden) and in-the-house days don't seem Mumbai at all. But there is always a Monday that comes calling. Like right now. But the Friday night is almost unparalleled. Day-Friday is by far the most testing of the week, with almost everything lined up and waiting to be ticked off.

Saturday of course brings the TOI Crest edition, which is certainly something I have come to enjoy. Such a vivid and varied collection of write ups and stuff that it wants makes me to wake up and take notice. So much more than just newsprint. It easily keeps me occupied till lunch. A 900+ pages, completed book lies close to the bed and everytime I see it I feel "It's done". It's taken almost a year to finish it but of course with my reading habit, that can be expected. The six string is tuned and placed on the other side of the bed waiting to be explored. Wonder how many years that will take. It will never be "done".

An unusual evening dream today led me to a familiar setup and faces. For a moment I felt it was real when I wished on a shooting star in a dream and it came true moments later. But I was still within the dream. As I woke up to the familiar sight of the setting sun and a cup of hot tea I found myself saying, "This could be my second best." Can't wait to find out how it ends. Maybe to be continued....

And so it begins...

Well, almost....
The feeling is yet to sink in though.
Maybe it will, by the time the late June rains drench the soil in the front yard of my house in sleepy little Ahmednagar. And I board a train to the madness called Mumbai. Maybe some of it would be contributed by the last Friday at work which will end with a lot of Thank yous and keep in touches, which will be forgotten come Monday. Sunday will be the end in the city, which personally is just too much hype about everything except for the lovely weather which stretches across the calendar. A city which has disappointed me time and again but at the same time given me strength to know what I really want and more importantly what others aligned with me, want. My adventure started well with the "zoo of boys" and later as an obedient relative and even later as a slogging student, to finally end as a reluctant IT office goer. Somewhere in between all this, I did what I felt was right, what I thought was the best thing to do, what I thought would change a few things, what I thought could last sometime if not a lifetime, something that makes me think less of "what-if"

Surrounded by boxes filled with residues of Bangalore that I will carry back, the 1.5 years spent already seem like ages. From unlimited downloads to unlimited dosas, the spectrum stretched wide. Filters for, friends, acquaintances, strange characters, irritating characters, characters whose voice I cannot stand, and many more categories were added to my list, which would not necessarily reflect on any of the social networking site stats. I thoroughly enjoy ignoring friend requests. It's largely been more of "what not to do/have/want/feel/think/expect.....in life"

The city which has eluded me since I was 16, seems to have finally given consent and maybe entwined with it are my dreams and goals which are yet to reach the realm of consciousness.

Just had a thought...

on my journey back to Bangalore, of the names of people with whom I've shared a room, apart from my sisters and a cousin. One night stands don't qualify :P. Turns out to be quite a list.

Yogesh Waghmare
Zihar Shaikh
Mohan Kshirsagar
Ashim Srivastava
Naresh Rathi
Deepak Nawal
Pranav Arora
Yogesh Tiwari
Kiran Kedari
Lalminsanga
R.B Thohepau
Viren Pawar
Kaushal Karkhanis
Ameet Lomate
Amit Khivansara
Siddharth Rajurkar
Girish Mohile
Kshitij Amodekar
Piyush Sonawane
Maibam Singh
Rahul More
Kailash Babu Diwakar
Vinay Kumar
Samreth Singh
Asutosh Kar
Pavan Misra
Ashish Kumar
Arpit Agarwal
Ankan Mandal
Prashanth
Karthik Natarajan

It's official...though only a game ;)

About Music...

"It's not about how well you play, it's how you feel about what you play."
-From "The curious case of Benjamin Button"

My West Coast list

chronological

1. Mumbai
2. Kelshi
3. Alibaug
4. Srivardhan
5. Harihareshwar
6. Ganapatipule
7. Thiruvananthapuram
8. Kovalam
9. Kanniyakumari
10. Diveagar
11. Diu
12. Palolem
13. Baga
14. Miramar
15. Adegaon
16. Kaup
17. Uchilla
18. Yermal

East Coast begins with....
1. Kolkata :)

New year week

No"public" resolutions, but this is what I started the new year with:

1. What women want
2. Seven Pounds
3. 21
4. Mumbai Meri Jaan
5. Slumdog Millionaire
6. Singh is Kinng
7. Street Kings
8. The Dark Knight
9. The Blue Umbrella
10. Incomplete Dostana
11.Couldn't-take-after-30minutes-Golmaal Returns
12. Just started-Into the Wild

Like father, like son

My father's handwriting @age 59

Also tells the plight of Maharashtra ;)

Beat this!!

Neither Photoshop nor India....this is in Dessau, Germany :D
courtesy: K (Anna)

30F

My Firsts, 5th-9th December 2008:

1. Met someone I knew, at the Bangalore airport
2. Felt sick on a plane
3. Wrote a page for someone, on the plane
4. Got off with luggage at the NID main gate
5. Totally ignored someone I like
4. First for breakfast in the mess
5. First cam
6. Got semi-lost in Ahmedabad!
7. Someone said,"I will hug you"
8. Felt like a responsible senior
9. "Samuel" is not as easy to pronounce as it seems
10. A treat with the class and faculty where Me and A paid
11. First suit
12. Heard an expression of "Oh my God" for the above
12. Fetched a drink for a friend when she asked
13. Said NO and didn't feel bad about it
14. An hour late to receive parents on arrival
15. Breakfast with parents in the mess
16. Felt important, though only briefly, coz there were 216 others convocating too
17. Hugged so many friends to congratulate them
18. A pair of old, proud, moist eyes
19. Danced on the tables in the mess
20. Got pushed and pulled by my classmates
21. Stayed at the mess party till 4 a.m
22. Said "Good bye" very easily
23. Walked my "girl" friends to their room
24. Had breakfast at Udipi cafe
25. Dinner with parents in the mess
26. Slept at a hotel in Ahmedabad
27. Denied entry at IIM
28. Entered IIM very confidently from the 2nd gate
29. Met a Kannada speaking auto driver in Ahmedabad
30F last row last seat, right window.........everything felt right

A piece of me

more

I think she's a girl

Dear Georgia,
I think I'm in love with you.
No matter how hard I have tried to deny myself, it's not happening.
You are just there everywhere I see and appear in whatever I do.
I have tried to consciously avoid you, but you don't seem to understand.
You are just there.
It's just this...and nothing more I have to say

"Guide"d

June 2005 : "It is better to make a decision at the right time, than to wait for the time to make a right decision" - TDG via nid.edu answering my query of IDC/NID, Thanks :)

stutter

shoes are broken
not the steps
eyes wide open
not the rest

Geek celebrations

Name : Macbook
Skin colour : White
Generation : First (late 2006)
Original price : Never mind
Current value : It's not always about money :P
Nature of work : creative (hahahaha) rest of the time...just try and avoid the sight of my doting owner
Cities traveled to : New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Ahmednagar, Bangalore, Mumbai, Panjim, Pune, Solapur
Bad experiences : Burnt power adapter cable
Nervous moments : Jury presentation at NID auditorium, Friday, 13th April 2007
Looking forward to : Another nervous moment...
Happiest moment : The day he took me home :P
Embarrassing moment : Random shutdown during a concept presentation at Y!
Intimate moments : Lots
Wild encounters : Geoffrey (the cat)
Biggest achievement : 2.5GB space still free (of 60GB)
337 battery cycles, beat PM and SS in NFSMW
Split personality : Windows xp via boot camp
Visible signs of aging : Brown stains, a cracked corner, low battery, the same yellow apple wallpaper (hasn't changed since a year) and only 2 icons on the desktop
Extra marital affair : None
Biggest Crash : Hello!!! not the right time

Claim to fame : It's my 2nd birthday :D

MOVIESPOTTING

With me it's true that I enjoy a movie only when I have tons of piled up work to do.
How else can you explain this time last year, with a hard disk full of movies and all the time in the world, and me not even bothering to open up and check on any. And the same time this year, loaded with probably all the work possible in the world, I still catch up on a few portions every night. Actually it is a good incentive, to set a deadline like "today i will work
till page number...xyz of my document"....and only then I get to watch a movie :) It's another story that most of the times, I skip deadlines, of course, coz it's me who sets them in the first place :D

Here are the ending words from a few nights back, a movie which was very well made and re-established a few basic facts of life.

I am moving on, going straight and choosing life,
I am going to be just like you,
The job,
The family,
The f**** big television,
The washing machine,
The compact disc and electronic tin opener,
Good health,
Low cholestrol,
Dental Insurance
Mortgage,
Start a home,
Leisure wear,
Luggage,
Three piece suit,
DIY,
Game shows,
Junk food,
Children,
Walk in the park,
9 to 5,
Good at golf,
Washing the car,
Choice of sweaters,
Family Christmas,
Tax exemption,
Clearing gutters,
Getting by,
Looking ahead......the day you die.

-Trainspotting

Tagged

Life 10 years ago
HSC- high on engineering dreams
Physics Chemistry Mathematics Electronics :P
Hercules Rockshox
Cricket with a leather ball
Big fish in a small pond

Life 5 years ago
Big fish in a big pond ;)
High on architecture
Still on Hercules Rockshox
Waiting to get out into the world
Pune is the place!!!- nothing's better

Life tomorrow
Everyday is a Monday!!
Cities don't matter...

5 bad habits
procrastination
day dreaming
high expectations from people who don't deserve it
talking less
expressing even less

5 things I will never wear
A dazzling sherwani
A washed out and grunge look pair of jeans
Ear jewellery
A leather jacket
Make up

5 biggest joys at the moment
Almost 2 year old Macbook
Bangalore
30th of every month
Some real friends
That I can adapt to any situation
That I don't regret anything I did this year, last year, and the year before that, and before that

Something to achieve by next year
Something real...
A new resume

Something that impacted me last year
All ends need not necessarily have beginnings

5 things I want to do before I die
Get drunk
Swear at someone in public and storm out of the door
"Dance"
Make a pass at a girl
Own a BMW
Live out of my studio
Play at a rockshow
Make a difference to a few lives

: )

And today I read another tagged questionnaire.....phew!!!
I do want to fill them up :P

Status

Facebook asks: What are you doing right now?

Well, as for me, I am thinking about writing a post which is actually a tagged thing circulated among friends which is as follows

Life 10 years ago

Life 5 years ago

Life tomorrow

5 bad habits

5 things I will never wear

5 biggest joys at the moment

Something to achieve by next year

Something that impacted me last year

5 things I want to do before I die

Flashing lights

Title of one of the songs that I have been listening to lately, and also lights is a part of one of my other momentary favourite that goes....Hey there Delilah.....and somewhere in between..."Times square can't shine as bright as you"

Talking of lights, last night will be a bright spot in my life as a cricket enthusiast. Another first to the list. The pace, the array of shots, the fast paced movements, the dazzling colours, the unanimous oohs-aahs and even boos, the shattering of stumps and bails, the cheer leaders within the crowd and outside them as well, everything......and of course Bengaluru :P 

Whoever said that cricket was a slow and boring game!!!

Alt+tab

www.sunilsamuel.wordpress.com

SMTWTFS

SMTWTFS just doesn't seem clear
It was x3 a few days back....now it is x?
A few more things that are unclear
But I guess hazy atleast sounds better than lazy :)

SMT'WTF'S

pages...

KALGUDI

I've just realised that the name rhymes with Malgudi. That is just a co-incidence. Subtle difference though. It's Kal (like the Hindi for tomorrow) Probably Malgudi days was on air at that point of time. I must have been in class 5 or 6, not too sure.But yeah Kalgudi was my first brush with a rustic, authentic village, where there was no electricity after 6 pm in the evening. North of Karnataka. Literally translated, it means Stone Settlement (human), but it wasn't even remotely close to that. A lot greener though.

It all started with a bumpy bus ride to the nearest town. The bus driver relentlessly worked on aimlessly honking the horn, and all I remember is sitting with my back facing the driver. The older state transport buses used to have that. Even as a kid I was irritated and failed to understand the reason behind his stupidity. We reached the first destination. Then on followed another bumpy and scary Jeep ride to the exact location. I don't remember what exactly happened after that but as twilight fell, everyone was busy preparing for the approaching darkness. I was fascinated by the tiny lamps being lit everywhere and the preparation for an enormous dinner. Another striking incident was the largest species of mosquitoes I have seen in my life. I had settled with the argument that I would probably never see anything bigger. I guess that was what my mind could think of at that time. They must have been really huge, or maybe their shadows on the wall against the yellow lamp light made them seem ghostly and huge to my tiny mind.

I found a lone harmonium sitting in a huge hall in one corner, and after making sure that no one was around, I unfastened the stoppers and began fanning and playing it. It wasn't much different from a keyboard afterall. Hearing that, a few distant cousins of mine gathered around me and looked at me in awe. I was embarrassed and immediately ceased to play the instrument. Night fell and the ghostly mosquito shadows became longer. I clinged to my father sleeping next to me and the next thing I realised was when I woke up to the chirping of birds and a faint mooing of cows in a distance. Done with the basic cleaning stuff, I discovered a forbidden fruit. An irrigation canal just behind our house.It was knee deep for a kid my age...so it was perfect. And lo, began our escapades and events. Shouts and calls for lunch from the elders were put on hold. An amazing buddy system was starting to develop among distant cousins who I didn't even know existed. Games were varied and innovative in nature, all drawing from the way the canal water was flowing. Then my eyes fell on a tree nearby. It had some 20-30 weird looking objects hanging from its branches. On closer inspection, I realised these were the same things from my text book. The baya weaver bird's nests.

I waited until early next morning . While everyone was asleep I sneaked out and climbed onto one of the trees even as the sun was sprinkling its rays on the muddy backyard of the neighbour's courtyard. The tree was in their half so I had to be careful of that too. It was our last day there and my only chance for an upclose inspection. With all my courage I managed to pull one. Then two. Little did I know what I was doing. On seeing it packed in a polythene along with my small bag of clothes, my parents were wondering where did I get it from and what would I do with it. I got to hear lot of advice on the Railway station about spoiling someone's hard work and breaking a house. I had thought of hanging them above my study table and that they would look really cool and it also seemed like some practical knowledge gained outside text books. All I have is a faint memory of them lying unattended in the same polythene bag which I discovered years later whilst cleaning up during the spring break at school. I was ashamed at my foolishness back then, but it did bring me back sparkling memories of this wonderful place, Kalgudi.





image source:wikipedia.org

kite runner

The truth was Yes, the lie, No, I chose something in between and said "I don't know" (or was it the other way round..I don't remember now :)

which way?

silver

Sitting face to face across each other on the side lower berth of a train.
Her eyes have that twinkle every time they meet his.
Her face glows when she looks earnestly at him seeking an answer.
Questioning, caring, making sure if he is Ok.
Their legs which were laid across side by side are now folded around themselves neatly.
He hardly speaks, but she understands.
She wears the shy smile of a bride behind the veil.
They both look either way now. She, through the window, he into the coach.
They have that dew drop freshness of a newly wed couple.
Journeys like these might not be a novelty.
She gestures elaborately to explain something like most girls. He, a few words and grunts.
Seems he said something funny within that and she covers her face to hide her smile.
Her eyes twinkle and glow. They talk now. A seeming conversation at last.
She is nodding, without looking at him though. Still looking out of the yellow tinted glass window. Her eyes lowered. She puts her hand below her delicate jaw.
She must have been beautiful around 40 years from now, backwards.
Hair a brilliant silver, about 10 bangles in each hand, a brilliant cream saree neatly worn, like for a special occasion. This is only a journey, but isn't life one too.
The wrinkles on her saree perfectly complement those on her face. She's beautiful.

The train halts briefly, she speculates on the name of the place. He disagrees. The name of a relative and an associated opinion is uttered and they both seem to visibly agree on this one.

**shooting star again**

This time around
I took a turnaround
And wished for a shooting star
Instead of on a shooting star
What joy when this one came true within minutes that were few
If only the wish that I made after, came true :)

somewhere :BLR-GA

springing in bangalore!!!

redbus.in

"Only those who risk going far, will ever know how far they can possibly go. "
- Kaustuv Dasgupta

Whiff of fresh air!!!

Well, you generally don't associate Mumbai with that.
But there are somethings that don't change no matter what.
Something that continues to amaze me, hit me yet again, and I fell for her all over again.It's been a year, and I didn't even realize that, until I went back in time with a friend. It's just one of those "somethings" that are meant not to be. Probably ME and Mumbai is one of those. Not that I have completely lost hope. The die hard optimist that I am, and of course one never knows what's next in store. So for now it is still pending.
The reason this time...like most times for me, was rational. A dear friend's wedding. A seemingly important day in everyone's life.After all the wedding usuals and the friends' what's up, as I lay on the upper berth of my train back to the workplace, what was left with me was the slightly warm and salty Mumbai sea breeze hitting my face and a smile of "I shall see you again, soon."

Some music video

This left seems right

As we depart...

It had to happen this way.
There was no other way that anyone could separate us.
Everyone tried. Some, even their best. All fell flat.
Someone here, even said, doesn't suit your kind of personality.
I was like...yeah yeah. It had been 6 long years. We had our ups and downs. Our share of joys and sorrows. Some of the best and worst moments were spent in company.
It is kind of difficult to imagine myself alone. Can't help it though.
Yes, it was my cracked, on-now-off-now, scrambled display but squeaky clean and "Ab to change kar de" mobile phone. My first. My blue nokia 3310. Almost seems like the end of a "relationship". I'm sure it's in someone else's hands right now. But that someone doesn't know that there is nothing that would interest him/her. Rs. 5/- balance, 100 phone numbers memory, a maximum of 10 messages and a dying battery is all that is there in the package. Too bad!

Today's orkut fortune says : You will have some wonderful new experiences (I don't know why I read it). Probably this is just one of them. The few others lined up are, a presentation of concepts, which can either make or break my fortunes and a very very important e-mail. This probably is one day in my life which will decide the course of my future. The mobile phone is just the tip of the iceberg. As I type this, there are a hundred things going through my head right now as I await for the day to unfold. It all began with a horrible bus journey to the office, coz the cabs are off today. That's how I was meant to lose my beloved :( To hell with route 201J

Fill in the blanks

A wedding reception yesterday at one of the most unlikely places; a school.
As I managed to stay awake, in fact I did drift off to sleep sometime in between, I caught a fleeting glimpse of something half written on a white board. I tried reading it through heads of all sizes and shapes and embellishments. It was almost like I was woken from sleep to read this. Parts of it were erased by eager hands that could obviously reach only to a certain height.
This is what it eventually read...

Thought for the day
Destiny is not a matter of chance,
it is a matter of choice,
..... is not a thing to be waited for
..... is a thing to be achieved

brilliant

a song so meanigful, simple concept, put across brilliantly

What am I doing?

50% black or 50% white

Book
The truth was NO and the lie YES,
I chose something in between and said "I don't know"

Launchcast radio (Today's big hits...various artists)
1. She's like...so whatever
2. When you are going, I count the steps that you take...
3. It starts with my toes and I crinkle my nose
4. Can't wait to see you again
5. The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star
6. What I've done
7. Let's see how far we've come
8. And we danced on into the night
9. Keep holding on...

Work
architecture (not to be confused with the one we all know)
wireframes (nothing to do with wires)
flashlite 2.0 (very heavy:)

post no.100

ESQUE

self coined:

AUNTYESQUE.......from my last visit to NID
SKYSCRAPERESQUE....for a picture of light through a window
GAYESQUE.......of course there are varying degrees of these
PARTYESQUE

Just one

Probably a lifetime resolution.....that is, if the lifetime is long enough.
I shall write....pen, paper, ink
Maybe I should do it sooner. Do I have to live long to write? But how much have I lived after all. Maybe just enough. Maybe I've already seen enough ends that never had beginnings. Was startled when a friend asked me if I could write a script for him, which he would eventually direct and make a movie of. I have high regards for him and he seemed quite serious about this, so I knew it wasn't said just like that.
Probably this end will have a beginning.

sick weak/week/year end

It had to be after I read A's post on "take care of yourself."
Don't remember the last time I was lying on a bed the whole damn day with only meal breaks in between. With nothing to do, the ceiling stretched itself like a canvas stretched across to flip images of 07 like in coverflow, though not in a very pleasant way, with my nose working overtime and tears that were neither from a state of extreme joy or sadness.

Of paths chosen, of decisions taken that deserve bravery awards, of actions that make me pat myself on the back, of thoughtless and stupid actions that bring a smile to my face, of action less weekends including this one, of super cool outings, of a healthy year, a thousand e-mails, a handful of interviews, and memorable conversations. There is a lot more, but not worth putting down at this point.

The coming year has 366 days. Wonder will that one extra special day, really make all the difference :)

blogger vs wordpress

It is always good when you are presented with an alternate. Else you would never know that things can really get better. I think I will soon make a choice.

Up next

Ok Christmas over
Next please

Better

One of the better "service" call (via SMS)
redbus.in is being covered by ETV Kannada at 8pm today.
We hope that you will watch the show. Thank you for your patronage.
Sorry to disturb you on a Sunday.

Makes stuff so simple and non irritating, rather than the usual, Sir we would like to offer you....blah blah blah

You and I

So different yet so similar
We were pretty much the same
You were blue, I was gold

You used oil, I used water
You rode an Atlas me a Hercules

Our letters slanted the same way
Our inks matched, after once you said Violet is here to stay
Our pencils matched too
So did our pens, from Flair to Hero

Grade 8 put me in D and you in C
Coz I chose something and you opted NCC
I do remember we three in 11th C
After that we never did see

Our churches were across the road
And the road has stretched between our offices too
Today when I saw you, you weren't a lot different
We started so similar yet ended so different

For Gauropop....

Feliz Navidad

I'll be home for Christmas
I'll be home just in time
I can't wait 'till I see you
Feel your heart next to mine
........

I'll be home for Christmas
I'll be home Christmas time
When you wait Christmas morning
I'll be there by your side......

perfectly fits into my current situation :)
because of an unfortunate event though...
Excerpts from "Christmas with Boney M" " I'll be home for Christmas"

users say, "

1. Life is only as good as you want it to be
2. I speak, I listen, I imagine, I dream. These define who I am, define all the irregularities and imperfections that are ME.

a sunset

Amidst two extreme realities, one with an iphone and one with a "hare ram" on his lips.
At a dizzying height, I took a flight. A mate once said, "Why don't you just book a flight?"
And I had muttered to myself,"Your father pays for yours right?"

DELAYED read the display. I smiled to myself and said, "I know that". But if not for the wait, I would have missed the sunset and the windows' little dance and sway. People were grumbling and mumbling and I was fumbling. The prayer man offered his help while the phone man showed a little dissent. Each of them flaunted in their own way. Both made conversations. One with the supernatural and one with the pseudo-natural. Along came a sadhu baba and asked the phone man "What is life without a mobile?" Next when I saw him pile up his luggage at the conveyor belt, felt like asking him "What is life because of people like you?" The prayer man was a little generous and sensed my need to connect with the view, which looked so much like one of the satellite maps. His generosity ended there. He would occasionally move back allowing me to have a look and then when he thought I had had enough, would give me a look that said, "Huh, bloody fresher". It pays to act with confidence even with half the knowledge. I acted on impulse and had decided I won't care what others think. And it paid off quite well. I didn't go too wrong. On another journey, bored of being asked if I was a student, just to see the reaction, I said "No". All conversation ended there. Nice idea if you aren't really interested to talk to an aunty, who thinks because you are a student, you wouldn't mind giving her your window seat. What goes around doesn't always come around, well, maybe it will. Anyway I wasn't going to ask prayer man for the window.
He probably would have killed me.

Towards the end, phone man was quite adamant that the plane be parked, only then would he move out of his seat. While prayer man was hell bent on finding his way past me and phone man. Then followed a small verbal duel which I quite enjoyed. Phone man said, "Where do you think you are going?" Prayer man said "Why, do you intend to go somewhere else?".....and blah blah blah. It was just like a flying bus. In between, lunch was served with a lot of politeness and care, which one of the passengers didn't think was great. He decided to call the host with a click of his fingers which the host obviously didn't particularly enjoy. I don't understand what is more embarrassing. To serve or to be served. Another host dropped a half finished meal in the aisle, which the hostess cleaned with almost home like dedication. Everyone has a job to do. It's the way you do it that matters.

Finally at the exit phone man was asked how did he find the service. He had to act himself. He said, "Generally bad". My turn. I could only manage a smile. Maybe next time I said to myself. Climbing down the stairs I knew a little about what "Baking your cake, and eating it too" meant.

Quite liked this one

You have two ears and one mouth.
Remember to use them more or less in that proportion.

Christened !!

inspired by "movingfingers"
Sand took me back to one of my first nicknames.....wonder how it was related
But are nicknames supposed to be related anyway? Most of mine start with the soft and curvy S, an alphabet I hardly like. I like 'A' and for some strange reason, I used to carry a key chain with an A in my graduation days. Well, my friend gave me a nick with a Z.....not very far from A, is it? Oh yeah, I did have one with A, but it doesn't really qualify for a nick....it was "Ahmednagar"

sannya (coz sunny was same 'ol same 'ol)
sannadya (sunny grotesque)
sandy (no clue where that came from)
sunday (hahaha)
nelson (it was actually major anthony nelson...the whole thing)
zunil (one of my favourites)
nilsu (by the above author)
su-nile
linus (like linus leumas....i used to consider naming my studio that)

sam bhai (by Y bhai)
sam (if i don't say that on phone some of them act strange)
samdya (when in need :)
sam boy (usually when something nice came up)
samda (used rarely)
fr. samuel (father)
sunya, sai-mu-al (written in devnagari...marathi influence)
sammy, swamy (samuel was just too difficult)
santulay > santulam > santul (no relevance whatsoever....it's special)
sam-ya

semuel (my login...g style)
sun sunio
sunio (PG graphics)
saam veil (chennai version)
sameo (probably didn't know the name)
subi (for a secondnamesake)
pinchu (for one mistake)
samu (could have been more creative)
mighty mouse, F9 (the A-305s)
man (courtesy other men)
sunilsamuel (always said together...quickly...with a lisp)
well, back to square one....almost

I like odd ^

in reverse chronological order

3A-53A
7th
CA/2005/35453
6202053
5202052
3202053
9822446549 (53)
1202057
MH-16-W-1115
52
35
3
1

Footprints in sand...

Swirls and twirls and lines and dashes,
Made me run in mud and in the ashes,
All these made up the walks in new shoes
To the school and back, I loved my new shoes

I kept looking back for my footprints in sand...
Kept comparing them to my sister's at hand
I looked for them on my way back
But layers of sand had covered them back

My new shoes are made up of three straight lines,
But sadly they hardly leave a twirl or a line
I walked to the office, the day went fine
I forgot looking back for my footprints in time...

From "Today's big hits"

I think I need a sunrise
I'm tired of sunsets

Weekends gone by

These are straight, but

this is just too wound up......

Jobs again

"I do, what I can't say"

This day

Writing the "trails" post took me back to the trails of another escapade......
This day that year......."push" your mind a little....
Dedicated to A,A,M,T :)

Fall..if you have to

Sri today said,
"If it seems that you have done everything right in your life,
then probably you haven't done anything new"

I re-quote Steve Jobs,
"We are here to make a dent in the Universe, otherwise, why even be here"

Trails

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten, yeah


Sorry, can't get over the song.
But it sure was an inspiration to make that trip into the hills where people go in huge groups to seek solitude and get some so called fresh air in their lungs. I don't really believe it happens that way. The most unplanned trip for me atleast. Was left with nothing to wear but the branded Y! t-shirt which was already worn "two times" before (that's for you A), a sweater (thankfully) and the other basics which I don't think anyone would be interested in reading. Stayed over at "the" place which A calls Hotel California, and then got up atleast twice in a confused state to check time and ensure that I didn't miss the bus. Happens with me, only when the prospects are exciting enough. Up at 6, I reached the pick up point on time, only to realise I was far from being picked, allowing me enough time for an early morning "tea" on the roadside. My cellphone was dying, so I kept memorizing P's number just in case it gave up on me which it eventually did. I realized I'm bad at that too. The idea of being left out in the cold on a weekend morning was bad, more so since I had already woken up early.

Once on the bus, it was catch up time with breakfast providing an ideal time for exchange of status reports and for some to comment on a few local dialects and traditions. Destination 1 was reached with ease with a pit stop for lunch. Rain announced itself and off we hopped into the bus, with plans of the summit looking grim. Reached base camp amidst rain and clouds. Finally the brave few decided to just go out and make the climb and eventually everyone joined in. Not that it was an uncharted trail but it seemed desolate. But worth it was. Somewhere briefly I drifted away from everyone else and thought my mind was audible to me and even a whisper seemed like a shout. I could hear myself breathe. The "ting ting" of cowbells coming from the cloud laden hilltop took me a few years back in time, but I was back in a second when I heard familiar voices which seemed quite recent. We decided to spoil the silence a bit by doing the 1..2...3....oooooo to hear the valley echo back in its full glory. Done with almost 2/3 of the climb...the thought of getting back to the waiting bus made us change our minds and retreat back. Couldn't actually savour the moment, and it was like just there and back. Of course, then it was picture time...how can that not be? But as a few of the unenthusiastic, unintersted discussed other things that eyes could see, the trigger happy carried on.

Coffee at the base camp and a might-fall-off-the-cliff-anytime journey took us to what looked like a perfect setting for a typical movie where friends go out for a trip and in the night one by one all of them go missing. Well, we had our hero-heroine with us who would eventually crack the mystery ;) No power made the otherwise decent cottage look haunted and did we have a choice? Dinner was a quickie in the restaurant on the upper level of the rugged terrain. Settled into the 2 rooms quite snugly we prepared ourselves for the night ahead, not before gathering in the central room. Talks were brief and mostly bordered around issues, situations and people who were not present.

Morning was unusually early and surprisingly everyone was up to the call. Restaurant said no breakfast till 830, but not to be deterred by that we decided to walk across to the non-existent Z-point. What seemed like an enormous walk, got only better with the clouds playing hide and seek along the road which treacherously reduced in width as it went on. I enjoyed watching everyone follow the trail from a higher level. As we scaled greater heights and finally reached the top, a serene sea of clouds seemed to form right below our eyes making each one almost wish they could board the clouds for a joyride. A few of the adventurous ones went that extra mile to the cliff which involved a little climbing off the rocks. I wouldn't call it showing off, but it was good fun to be there. The walk back was, or seemed quite quick and we were back at the bus. Whatever happened after that isn't quite worth the record. And yes the climb to and from Z point also brought with it a lot of leech adventures. I felt "smart" deep inside for having opted for shoes, until one of them decided to drive back with me to Bangalore in my shoe. I was the last victim. One for the road.

Uncle Sam

Feel like 26 today
Was called an uncle yesterday
The kids don't bother
They are at play
For them it's just another day

B2B

Close to a month in B and a bagful of stuff already. Well, literally too
After having lived on the edge for the past few months, few things have suddenly started having more meaning to them than I can think of. Like getting up at 630 in the morning, feeling the not-yet-winter cold breeze here, trying to help cook, the need for a place to stay, thinking of how to spend the weekend fruitfully by doing something or rather anything other than mall walking. Drives to and from the office, though not really drives serve as a pleasant reminder to appreciate what you get, especially the cool breeze unlike A.

After having made the decision of moving to B rather than B, though the period is only 6 months, I wasn't too sure of what I was doing. Not that I am even now. But I've already met a few amazing people, had the best of homemade food and a wonderful time, though I hardly understand what these 8 crazy guys keep talking . All I do is smile and respond when each one of them says "Hi Sam" after I return home everyday. Strange it may be, but somethings are just meant to happen to you. I came to B thinking I would brush up on my mother tongue skills, but have already started learning something else altogether. "Yenaku konjum konjum Taamil teriyu. Though it is romba kashtam as of now. Tamil nalla eriuku". It is similar even on the work front. My first love is a little distant and I might have to two time her for HTML, CSS, indexing and a few other not so PYTs. Meanwhile the "unwritten" song is some sort of an addiction in addition to "boost" and chips at the cafeteria and sambhar at home.

Y! may be far behind G in terms of its innovative powers and simplicity. But when the co-founder of one of the top 5 IT companies to work for, comes for an internal event and is as enthusiastic as the participants, meets them, sees their work and congratulates each and every team member, then it definitely shows a human side of the corporate world. Ok ok I'm not playing an advocate of Y! here, just giving a first hand account.

And now I hear that I might have to shift to another Y! office on the 9th floor of a new building. It is the newest sibling of the Y! family at B. One thing, the view from there is awesome. If it was one thing that could motivate me this has to be it.

Oh btw, I'm leaving home today :(
Thanks for all the laughs, the food and a lovely time
Dedicated to : Anna, Arun, Aaya, Pmk, Ram, Kamti, Savan, Adham, Prabhu.....adaa paavi....2 times!!

Today is where your book begins

Current favourite ;)
Unwritten : Natasha Bedingfield
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH0ZgJXzlkk
http://youtube.com/watch?v=H8N7ihdqvSE
both are equally good

Used to be on my bookmark at Sunday School

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can
And wisdom to know the difference

from orkut

Today's fortune: Your winsome smile will be your sure protection

26th

1st kedgaon, pune
4th bhingar, ahmednagar
6th ahmednagar
19th pune
21st kolhapur
23rd pune
25th ahmedabad
26th bangalore

TH3

The last three months have taught me:
- Life is hell, when you are not doing what you enjoy doing the most
- Sometimes, the last thing you want comes in first, sometimes the first thing you want never comes, sometimes waiting is all you can do
- Somethings are "meant" to happen
- That your inner voice doesn't lie
- That I don't remember the last time I went out in the rain and got wet
- That dishwashing is not that boring
- That "sleepless nights" is not a myth
- That one can easily live without a cellphone, having one doesn't necessarily make things happen
- That to wash meat before cooking requires a lot of willpower
- That if you follow your heart, the best things just happen
- That there is atleast one person in this world who blindly believes in you
- That thinking big is good
- That I am 25 years old and closing in on 26
- That you not are doing what you want to do, but you are part of a plan
- That TV has only a limited number of channels
- That Shah Rukh Khan looks old now
- That cricket watching is the best way to forget everything that I am thinking about
- That shopping is not a stress buster for me
- That caramel custard has made me re-discover genuine love
- That apple services and spares don't come cheap
- You really cannot eat food after seeing a man's head split open on the road
- That you can have dessert before the main course at a wedding
- That I still have to start exercising
- That things happen only when others pray for you
- That expecting to be unspoken yet heard is a myth
- That one should not expect but give
- That distances don't really matter
- Words do

W-O-A

0-1. Ahmednagar, Paulo, India 150-1, Sawantwadi, India win, Mapusa, Porvorim, Landslide,
Mandovi bridge, GPO, Panaji residency, 407, Kala Academy, Kyoorius, short films, GA-03-C-0997, 18th June, Fidalgo, Ritz, Altinho, Dona Paula, waves and lights, Books books, 407
2. Kyoorius, Kala academy, jetty, r a i n, vegetable roll, Neville Brody, sleep, Panjim fish market Rs.4/-, Guava cheese, Cafe central, jetty, GA-08-U-1433, Highland, Baga, Brittos, r a i n, 60kmph, Police, Rs.300/-, 407
3. Kyle Cooper, Ritz, India 60-4, bye, Ceolco Agnelo, England 4-3, 407
4. Bye, 91.9 Indigo, Art park, Miramar, Reliance web world..... :)

*ist

Know the difference between an optimist and a pessimist
A pessimist thinks things couldn't get worse
An optimist thinks they can

*-*

For only when it is dark enough,
you can see stars

WILL

If you have the will, the means will follow
12th August TOI ....Gandhi

Play along

Another cloudy day
It's much better this way
I hear the music with headphones on
The song says "What I've done"

Assuring and gentle, the breeze feels a little cold
The song just changed to "Fields of gold"
Children play, trees sway,
It is a s-a-t-u-r-d-a-y
The weather plays along too
And my screen shows a droplet or two

Time to head indoors
Back to "nothing" chores
It's a beautiful day
And the song says "Shadow of the day"

TIME

What time is it?
What day is it?
Matter it used to
All year through

Then came "may"
When I made hay
June made me sing a wonderful tune
Dreamt of making a good fortune

July flew by
And I asked why?
Movies and pdfs I've had enough
Time for some work, action and stuff
August I hope doesn't go bust
Don't wanna say "In God we trust"

Holiday it is of an extended kind
The second thing that's making me lose my mind

1st anniversary

mac-mac m-a-c m-a-c...mac-mac,
mac-mac m-a-c m-a-c....m-a-a-c m-a-a-c
mac-mac m-a-c mac, mac-mac mac mac
mac-mac mac-mac...maac maac

Read and re-read

Sometimes we don't do things we want to do
so that others don't know that we want to do them

-The Village

Wake me up when September ends

Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
wake me up when september ends

like my fathers come to pass
seven years has gone so fast
wake me up when september ends

here comes the rain again
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are

as my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost
wake me up when september ends

Lyrics: Green day

2 down

from the list seeking divine intervention
Now the 3rd and 4rth please.......

Fwd: No subject

And I don't understand why I sleep all day
And I start to complain that there's no rain....

T and C

The fastest runner does not always win the race,
the wisest does not always have food to eat,
time and chance happen to everyone

1 down

Ok, as I type this, one from the list below has found divine favour.
It's raining in Ahmedabad. Very few places would offer a better sight of
the different forms and aspects of rain than NID.
Intensities vary form courtyard to courtyard and zone to zone.

Captivating......
It has left a few branches broken and lots of leaves scattered all around.
Anticipate another job posting on NID job board......

<

Seeking divine intervention for.....
1. Diploma
2. Rain in Ahmedabad
3. For a shooting star wish to come true
4. A few nice things to happen

Transit

Sometimes a few things that happen out of the blue, leave behind or instantly bring back memories in a flash. Like walking down the road to the institute this morning...well late morning, along comes an old uncle, silver hair with a a smart cap, on a good old blue bajaj scooter and offers me a ride to wherever I wanted to go . Wish I knew where I wanted to go. My destination wasn't far so I refused him with a smile and a kind "Thank you". He smiled back and zoomed off to wherever he was headed in style. Quite a man at his age....like some people say "Boys just don't grow up"

Before I could reach the middle gate, despite the scorching Ahmedabad sun, my mind instantly flew back to my school days. I used to walk down to school, since it wasn't too far, but while returning back it used to seem like an endless walk with a bagful of books and a head full of thoughts of what to do next once I'd get home.I used to wish everyday "God please make someone offer me a ride back on their bicycle". It indeed used to happen off and on, but not everyday. The pleasure of being dropped at the gate of the campus where I stayed was enormous. It also created interesting relationships. A few guys who used to drop me strangely never knew my name, nor did I know theirs. Then came my turn to ride a bicycle but suddenly it seemed that there was no one whom I could drop home or give them a ride for a distance. Everyone seemed to have bicycles and most of them would live beyond my house.

This happened during my college days too. Of course, distances were greater, and in fact I had a "lift" friend as well, whom I never talked to in class. She admired my handwriting and came to me for special titles like for portfolios and stuff. That's about it. But most of them used to be ever ready to do a good deed. It's kind of difficult to say, but you are sent the exact sign or thing you need at a moment which may not seem right to you....but someone thinks it is.
I believe in angels!! So probably the silver hair man was one :D

" stars "

Thick dark clouds cover the sky,
The stars that I saw once , seem to have gone by
Heart says they are there, eyes say I don't see...where??
Mind says believe they are there,
Sky says, clouds they are and nothing else
The twinkles will be back what else...

@

This @ designed as part of my typeface family, is dedicated to Mr.@@

someday a sunday

Didn't feel like looking back but I did,
An edifice that stood there so splendid
Witness to a hundred wishes,
Shelter to a hundred prayers

Will I ever come back?
Walk along and sit at the back
Doze off a little in between the wise words,
And say my little prayers with a few more words

good morning!!

It is not very often that I wake up with a smile on my
face early in the morning.
Well today is a bit different...... :)
Now why do I want to believe in dreams .......?

**shooting star**

Saw a shooting star last night
Closed my eyes for a moment and thought
What now should I ask?
Thought I had everything I want
"But then again", I thought

Didn't know what to ask
I'd already played my part
Did exactly what I had thought

Shooting stars they might be
Stars and charms are not for me
Earlier it was about destiny
But now is it serendipity??

Now treetops...

Azadirakhta Indica, Delonix regia, Babul, and even Plumeria alba (better known as neem, gulmohur, babool and "chafa"). Some of the trees which I could differentiate as a kid. A few friends of mine in the otherwise lonely neighbourhood.They were vital to my leisure as well as work activities. Apart from their usual usage as a medium to reach something like roofs etc., a few served as ideal getaways from the ground for those special reading sessions and wandering thoughts.I knew exactly how to climb each one of them, the smoothness or coarseness of the bark, the natural resting points for feet and the vital gripping areas. But I got to know all this not before a small fall or bruised feet/legs from each one of them.

A few of them, especially the neem was a personal favourite, beacuse of the ease of ascent. It made me explore and reach dizzying heights and perform some gravity defying stunts, challenging squirrels and chameleons and chance meetings with other creepy crawlies. Looking at the trees around here makes me wonder, when was the last time i actually climbed a tree and had a fall, without any care or fear? They seem like unconquered and uncharted territories.

But fortunately, there is still that need of a quest, a pursuit, a journey.........that keeps one going on and on

QWERTY

qwertyuiop
asdfghjkl
zxcvbnm,.
:) :( ;)
thank you....you're welcome....
That's all I did today

Speak

Exactly how much does one need to speak?
Exactly what does one need to speak?
Exactly whom does one need to speak to?
Exactly why does one need to speak?

"should"

Everyone seems to have a perfectly clear idea about how the other person should lead his life

Come undone.....

May 2005 - May 2007

B-217 to A-217
In moving from point B to A.....what has transpired is hard to put into words.....

Been there done that ;)

viewports

"We're here to make a dent in the universe....otherwise why even be here"
Steve Jobs CEO Apple Inc.

"Not everyone is meant to make a difference. But for me, the choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option"
spiderman

Rooftops

Yeah rooftops have been a major "playzone" in my growing up years......and the ones I'm referring to here, are not the flat concrete rooftops , but the sloping mangalore tiled roofs and the ones with curved tiles (i forget the name).

There were different purposes for which I had set my feet on them. Well the first "official" time I did so was to hang up the Christmas star over our house rooftop, where the two slopes met. It was almost like I was presented with the forbidden fruit. Then on, I went on to my own exploits and conquests. Okay it's really hard to describe it here, but the roof of our house was connected to a hostel block and to the Director's bungalow. So it was like a substantial area to cover, with tree branches falling over it and lots of levels to tackle. And to reach the roof of our house I had to take the longer route via the director's bungalow to obviously avoid my parents seeing their son climbing up and walking on a roof to do silly things like plucking berries from the tree (this was on the rear side of the hostel), kite conquests, retrieving plastic balls that would get stuck up in the branches of huge neem trees that covered the roof and a few other "missions".
Sometimes I would climb up on the roof and sit hidden in the shade and camouflage of a tree and look at my school building which was visible in the vicinity, or admire the church tower within the school campus and while away the afternoon.

At other times, it almost used to be like a military mission without any navigator or comrade to help me. I knew the directions and the ways of evading people on the ground to the T. It demanded superb concentration skills and reflexes; keeping an eye on the watchman, so that he wouldn't spot me on the roof, bending down and moving across areas that were in direct cone of vision of our house, keeping out of the vision of the people in the director's bungalow area (of course even his rooftop wasn't left unexplored) All this whilst moving on the slope of the roof which was at a considerable angle, with the treacherous and slippery mangalore tiles. Whoever said "practice makes a man perfect" couldn't have been more apt.

I remember this one moment...sometime in May. It had rained the last night I think, and the next day evening I was on the roof to get a kite stuck in one of the trees that was approachable from the roof. All calculations and projections were made from the ground survey prior to the actual execution of the operation. I was walking very cautiously because once the tiles are wet, they become extremely slippery and there is also a danger of them just cracking up. Had learnt all this from previous experiences and disasters, when suddenly during the monsoons the otherwise secure corner of the house would start leaking and Dad would say, "Oh it must be the crows that keep fiddling with the tiles." And all I used to do was smile to myself.

Yeah, that evening as I neared the edge of the roof of one of the section, I suddenly looked up overhead. The sky had gone pitch dark and it seemed like a storm was approaching. And then I looked towards my school and I saw the most beautiful sight ever. A bright, sparkling rainbow spread across the sky. It was one of the most joyous and treasured moment of my childhood. Inexplicable yet almost divine. I just stood there over the ridge, one leg on each slope of the roof, watching the rainbow against a dark, threatening sky, the trees swaying wildly and the breeze in my hair. I didn't care if anyone saw me, didn't worry about the tiles cracking under my feet or me slipping off and falling. Wonder where all the fear had gone from within the 12 year old boy's heart. The view from the rooftop was quite a sight, because I could only see trees in the immediate surroundings and a few buildings a little distance away springing up one by one in the direction of the city. For a moment I forgot about why I had climbed up.
I didn't get the kite. There was a little fear of the approaching rain as well as a different joy within me as I hurriedly "ran" on the roof to get back to the ground and tell my sisters about the rainbow. They didn't believe me initially coz there were too many trees around our house to see the sky so clearly. And when I showed it to them from within the branches of the neem trees.....they were like "Wow.....how did you know?"

It rained heavily that evening as we sat watching the rain from our "jaali" door waiting for it it to stop and our games to begin.......