tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68373762024-03-13T07:37:13.354+05:30Supine Thoughtssupine \soo-PYN; SOO-pyn\,adjective<br/>
1.Lying on the back, or with the face upward<br/>
2. Indolent; listless; inactive; mentally or morally lethargic<br/>
" Such independence of mind was a revelation and an incitement. It promised a counterweight to a supine tendency to follow socially sanctioned practices and ideas "<br/>
-Alain De Botton, The Consolations of PhilosophyK Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.comBlogger103125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-46478011881587521302007-10-04T20:42:00.000+05:302007-10-04T20:52:37.093+05:30India Calling !I am going to India after almost 2 years.<br /><br />All my peers who have gone to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Pune</span> recently have said the following :<br />- Traffic has become worst<br />- Growth is uncontrolled<br />- Pollution has reached new levels<br />- Those @$#^& <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">rickshawallas</span> should be banned<br />- Inflation is beyond my comprehension<br />- Had a great time !!<br /><br />As for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">anomaly</span> , its the people and the food !K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-52151627388272257302007-09-06T10:58:00.001+05:302007-09-06T11:02:55.881+05:30Ved leaves for India<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJaI1ayoDKyEXgKznosnDi0PyBg0hvvoUu9RXXjCqB_Shdgchg7IqL9sWM0YqGHfv3qe4X47pIORTXNvsfqEh3tQN-Hf3M_mkVebngS_OxL3Fa7tv6Fta5tBJ3tmkVnzyBpa9zg/s1600-h/Ved.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJaI1ayoDKyEXgKznosnDi0PyBg0hvvoUu9RXXjCqB_Shdgchg7IqL9sWM0YqGHfv3qe4X47pIORTXNvsfqEh3tQN-Hf3M_mkVebngS_OxL3Fa7tv6Fta5tBJ3tmkVnzyBpa9zg/s400/Ved.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106959249543739906" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">At O'Hare they were left for the security check while I stood there. And then Ved looked back ! :)</span></span>K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-48790796188693327002007-06-28T09:45:00.000+05:302007-06-28T19:03:57.231+05:30The Namesake : AlfieI was at Patel Brothers (a grocery store in my neighbourhood) the other day and I saw Alfie.The last time I had seen Alfie was in Pune about 3 years ago.After a long 26 years , the ban on his kind was removed by the USDA.<br /><br />So why did I decide to call 'Alphonso' - THE mango from coastal Maharashtra - Alfie ??<br /><br />- A box of 9 cost me 35$.<br />- Alphonso wasn't packed in the traditional wooden box with a lot of dried yellow straws (that's how I remember it !!) The Alfies were placed in a symmetric 3 by 3 matrix in a yellow cardboard box with a white webbed cloth carefully draped around each one.<br />- And now for the BIG ONE - Nutrient Contents printed on the side of the box<br /><br />So I thought , Alphonso was Alfie. Well , I was wrong... cause after the first time the juice trickled down my taste buds the heart knew that this was apla <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ratnagiri">Ratnagiri </a>cha Amba!! (I havent tasted any other !)<br /><br />Things to do in this lifetime - Climb a mango tree in the scorching heat of a Indian May afternoon one more time. As they say...The feat makes the slices sweeter.K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-81071834098049677882007-06-25T00:16:00.000+05:302007-06-25T06:14:08.070+05:30Where were you Mr Mistry ???It was Rishabh who came to my rescue !<br /><br />If you are on a social sabbatical , the usual protocol is that the society demands an explanation for your absence and sometimes a reason for your return. No , I didnt flunk my exam and run away from home..this sabbatical was the one where I did not blog while I got married , changed a couple of jobs , got to know that I was going to become a father , entered the labour room & became one to a handsome boy just before our first marriage anniversary ! So while I was thinking of a reason for my absence and return , Rishabh introduced me to a refreshingly new communication protocol rarely used in society.<br /><br />Rishabh is 3 and is just picking up his language skills. He is reached the stage where you just repeat whatever everyone says and the others are supposed to decipher your speech.<br /><br />So Rishabh kept asking me , " What do you want ? "<br /><br />I said , "Nothing!"<br /><br />"What do you want ?"<br /><br />"Nothing Rishabh beta"<br /><br />After a few more attempts he went to his mother who understood the protocol pretty well.<br /><br />"What do you want ?" , Rishabh once again.<br /><br />"What do you want ?" his mother replied.<br /><br />"Apple" Rishabh was relieved.<br /><br />His mother told me , " He cant say 'I want apple'"<br /><br />Well , Where were you Mr. Mistry ???<br /><br />Hope to blog regularly !!K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1137661008479214962006-01-19T14:13:00.000+05:302006-01-19T14:28:18.630+05:30Rare revelationsI got married last month.<br /><br />Much to the dismay of many gamblers, I did so without goofing up. So all those who placed their money on...<br />1> me freaking out & not turning up OR<br />2> me misplacing the garland<br />were pretty disappointed considering that stakes were pretty high when I goofed up<br />a week before my marriage - I went on stage to congratulate an acquaintance on his wedding and something on the lines of 'Congratulations Pankaj' came out (His name was Ashish). Soon after I did invite Ashish for our wedding , I am wondering why he didn't turn up. Marriage day is also a day before the day you realise that you forgot to invite some people who really should have been there. My sincere apologies for the same.<br /><br />My wedding was also a hunting ground for the foundation of other marriages like<br />my friend Tipul who came all the way from San Hosay to ask 'Who's the girl in purple?' before saying 'Congratulations'. A week later when the huge photo albums came in , I even overheard an old aunt who was bride hunting for someone ask ,<br /><br />'Whos this one in red?' <br /><br />'Hmmm...The red one...you see...is my WIFE. Thank You Very Much'<br /><br />Those couple of days were great fun. Before I got married many ideas about post wedding were propagated to freak me out but this one ironically laid all my fears to rest.One said...'Imagine you wake up in the night and there is this girl sleeping next to you'. I imagined and have slept peacefully since.(TT...Not because I am the one who snores).<br /><br />All said and done , I have one more thing to take care of...Raju.<br />Brides Wanted: The girl in purple , where are you ?K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1128665827875182572005-10-07T11:24:00.000+05:302005-10-07T11:50:05.963+05:30Why shouldn't I join the NSA ?No...No...NSA hasn't offered me a job as yet....it is just a movie dialogue title.<br /><br />(I rank it over a Adit's favourite Jack Nicholson one from 'A few good men')<br /><br />Movie : Good Will Hunting <br />Matt Deamon and Ben Affleck won the Oscar for best screenplay.<br />(<a href="http://www.reelwavs.com/movies/good_will_hunting/hlnsa.wav">Audio link</a> )<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Will Hunting's reply when NSA chiefs suggest that instead of asking them 'Why he should join the NSA?'...he should reflect on 'Why he should'nt join the NSA ?' </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Will:</span> Why shouldn't I work for the N.S.A.? That's a tough one, but I'll give it a shot. Say I'm working at N.S.A. Somebody puts a code on my desk, something nobody else can break. So I take a shot at it and maybe I break it. And I'm real happy with myself, 'cause I did my job well. But maybe that code was the location of some rebel army in North Africa or the Middle East. Once they have that location, they bomb the village where the rebels were hiding and fifteen hundred people I never had a problem with get killed. Now the politicians are sayin', Send in the marines to secure the area 'cause they don't give a shit. It won't be their kid over there, gettin' shot. Just like it wasn't them when their number was called, 'cause they were pullin' a tour in the National Guard. It'll be some guy from Southie takin' shrapnel in the ass. And he comes home to find that the plant he used to work at got exported to the country he just got back from. And the guy who put the shrapnel in his ass got his old job, 'cause he'll work for fifteen cents a day and no bathroom breaks. Meanwhile my buddy from Southie realizes the only reason he was over there was so we could install a government that would sell us oil at a good price. And of course the oil companies used the skirmish to scare up oil prices so they could turn a quick buck. A cute little ancillary benefit for them but it ain't helping my buddy at two-fifty a gallon. And naturally they're takin' their sweet time bringin' the oil back, and maybe even took the liberty of hiring an alcoholic skipper who likes to drink martinis and play slalom with the icebergs, and it ain't too long 'til he hits one, spills the oil and kills all the sea life in the North Atlantic. So my buddy's out of work and he can't afford to drive, so he's got to walk to the job interviews, which sucks 'cause the schrapnel in his ass is givin' him chronic hemorroids. And meanwhile he's starvin' 'cause every time he tries to get a bite to eat the only blue plate special they're servin' is North Atlantic scrod with Quaker State. So what do I think? I'm holdin' out for somethin' better. Why not just shoot my buddy, take his job and give it to his sworn enemy, hike up gas prices, bomb a village, club a baby seal, hit the hash pipe and join the National Guard? I could be elected president.K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1127382259149288382005-09-22T15:00:00.000+05:302005-09-22T15:25:10.393+05:30Pune Roads : We Give Up<span style="font-style:italic;">The author of the blog is suffering from Positivaria - After continious suffering from the disaster for a considerable time , Victim appreciates the positive things that come from the supposed blunder out of sheer hopelessness & frustration. <br />Recently observed - Among Pune road commuters<br />Last record of outbreak - Observed among Pune road commuters (Just Last year)</span><br /><br />This is just a factual, informative article unlike all the crap written by the ever-bickering media about the supposed worsening state of the roads in Pune.<br /><br />Earlier a '<span style="font-weight:bold;">Road</span>' used to be a strip of land, smoothed or otherwise prepared to allow easier travel, connecting two or more places. That is before the Pune Muncipal Corporation bagged the 100 million dollars deal to make Pune into a testing ground for Mars Exploration for NASA.<br /> <br />Back then , '<span style="font-weight:bold;">Tar</span>' used to be a by product from the coking of coal ,in lay person's terms ," the thing required to make the above defined road " . Ironically , It is useful for patching cracks in roads but since our corruption.... err... sorry ..corporation is so focused on duplicating Mars , the use of genuine tar in road construction is a hangable offence.<br /><br />Excepting a few corporates like stupid Naushad Forbes , corporates are looking forward to the 100 million foreign investment that will help in the development of Pune City that includes<br />a> Funding for Project CDDP (stands for Constant Dynamic Drainage & Pipelining...yup the same one where they wait to dig out good roads)<br />b> A bigger pandal for the Pune Festival (Everyone needs it!) <br />c> Construction of 7 bridges at prime locations<br />d> Assign 'Heritage' status to the older incomplete bridges<br />e> Construct 15 state-of-the-art subways which will be built before we build the roads because the decision makers have the IQ of a sea horse. (My apologies to the sea horse community)<br /><br />Phew...hmmm...forgive me for the bitter blog. Well...the roads are not that BAD!! Actually , I am just upset cos somethings wrong with my flirting technique and I am unable to determine what went wrong with such a well-tested formula:<br /><br />Greeting her with a lot of flowers , romantic candlelight dinner at one of the cosy Koregaon Park restaurants & a long night drive with her in my car.<br /><br />MORAL - On these roads , Going for the long night drive is NOT a way to express your love. On the other hand if your stuck with a really mean girl (Rumour is that my blog is read by children too) , make sure you take her for a long drive on Pune Roads - It works at the cost of an impaired spinal cord and defunct car shock absorbers. Cheaper trick is to take her for a walk on the peaceful bridge & thank our competent , efficient corruption... err... corporation... cos the bridge is 'Heritage Incomplete':))<br /><br />P.S. - Joey , Positivaria victims are NOT HIV positive.K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1118653526753087402005-06-13T14:27:00.000+05:302005-06-14T04:22:09.200+05:30Another supine thoughtThere are not many instances I remember from Arts and Craft classes in Loyola.<br />In fact I remember just one for a reason quite impertinent to art/craft.<br />We were supposed to bring our own craft material to make a soft toy...Supposedly a <br />woolen doll.<br /><br />"Have you brought wool ?" The crafts teacher asked Anand Krishnan.<br /><br />"No Mam , I forgot"<br /><br />"Did you forget your lunch today ?" (This is the common classic line from Teachers Quotes & Hallmark's Ironic Greetings Section)<br /><br />"No Mam"<br /><br />"Then how come you forgot the wool , if you got your lunch ?" <br />(This line is from Trick Questions to Harrass Teenagers - 1.0 )<br /><br />"My Mom packed it for me". <br /><br />By now this debate had attracted the attention of the whole class.<br /><br />"So your Mom didn't give you wool?"<br /><br />Anand thought for a while & replied , "My Mom is not a sheep." <br />(The latest entry to Answers to Trick Questions 1.0 )<br /><br />Anand Krishnan did not do well in his craft tests , but his peers still remember him for that answer. <br /><br />Yesterday , my colleagues and I rented out a car to go to Yarra Valley to see the Australian country side. The country side near Melbourne is beautiful. Tall trees , cool wind , winding roads , fresh air & the Australian dream as someone communicated his perspective to me - the happy family in a quarter acre house with a wooden fencing, a beautiful garden, two cars, children and the family dog....just like the drawing in our first lessons in art class in school. All the houses had window sills with rectangular glass panes.Houses had a slanting roofs just as Mrs. Daffre explained it to us - draw the triangle first, followed by two parallel lines and close the figure. Not to forget the mountain background with the beautiful sunset.<br /><br />Yesterday , I remmembered Mrs. Daffre's Art Class at Loyolas ; for all the nice reasons. For many Art classes most of us (including Anand Krishnan )drew this one...Simplest to draw and yet so difficult.<br /><br />P.S. - We made dolls allright , but forget woolen...They would fall more in the 'voodoo' categoryK Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1116462441216036442005-05-19T05:04:00.000+05:302005-05-20T09:24:38.476+05:30All my reasonsCheeze maytes! ( read as cheers mates as they say Down Under )<br /><br />It is called the Golden Mile - the walk alongside the Yarra river. If you are walking from Southbank towards Federation Square especially on a cold evening ,you are alongside the serene river facing the lit Melbourne skyline at a distance.The still reflections of the lit skyline on the river doubles the joy. On your right , the varied scents from each of the myriad of cafes & multi cuisine restaurant try to arrest your attention. Their aromas will captivate only if you are in my league - The people who walk that mile ALONE. Others walk down the river holding hands & whipsering 'I dont know what' for long hours.The aromas dont arrest their attention , they are completely captivated by the ambience and the company. They are everywhere on Southbank. Southbank promises them a candle-lit , a 'long wait before meals' dinner...some will also play the violin.<br /><br />If you are totally out of luck, you would have to cross that way ALONE everyday on your way back from office. (Yup, Thats me!).It will be tragic to know , I go there only for the FOOD. More tragic , I complain...completely failing to understand the logic behind the slow service and the lack of bright light. Extreme tragedy , I wished the guy was playing 'Linkin Park' on the electric guitar instead of the (do you think I knew what he played) on the violin. Period.<br /><br />(Nowadays, I take the longer route completely bypassing the Golden Mile.)<br /><br />You get postcards/souvenirs of the sight from the Golden Mile & even friends who exclaim 'You went to the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground)!!(I have a friend who was convinced that the MCG is the place where the famous Mac Grill burger was invented & everyone in Melbourne just eats the Mac Grill).<br /><br />I rather be in Pune with friends and family. (Chicago aint bad either).To Melboure/Southbank - No offence intended.I promise to be back with the creteria to make sense out of the long wait before dinners & the dim lighting. Off course , the violin guy and his song too.Recently a <a target ="_blank" href="http://bpratap.blogspot.com/2005/05/places-to-visit.html">friend</a> who has traveled to the likes of LosAngeles , Miami & Vegas said his favourite destination was Pune. I wouldn't agree more. For us , when it comes to the destination , It is the stories that matter , a lot more than the souvenirs.K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1115709467910125962005-05-10T12:41:00.000+05:302005-05-10T12:47:47.916+05:30Lord of the Rings'Hey , Can I ask you a question ?'<br /><br />'Sure , go ahead.'<br /><br />'Is proposing that significant?'<br /><br />'Proposing what ?'<br /><br />'Sorry...didn’t I say marriage...proposing marriage.'<br /><br />Oops...The FMS Deja Vu feeling struck again. I think I had forgotten to tell her.<br /><br />'Are you marrying Anuya ?!?! You didn’t tell me. GRRRR ' She just hung up.<br /><br />I forgot to tell my close friend (who also happened to marry to one of my pals) & not telling her such an important milestone of my life spelt F-A-T-A-L. I called up my friend,<br /><br />'Hi! Whats up ?'<br /><br />'Nothing dude'<br /><br />'How are you?'<br /><br />'Can I call you later...I m in the middle of something ...all of a sudden she is pissed of because I didn’t propose to her. Trust me , have all the logical life you want to have before marriage. Rules change later. Now where on earth did the proposal come in between making breakfast? I'll talk to you later'<br /><br />An important lesson learnt....'not proposing' will keep haunting you.<br />After ruining his morning breakfast , I thought of consulting Raju on the grave problem.<br /><br />'Come on , You know what to do...'Catch her offgaurd & Go down on your knees'<br /><br />'From 20,000 miles ???? It isn’t normal....Thats crazy. C - R - A - Z - Y ' I spelled it out.<br /><br />After I uttered 'C-R-A-Z-Y' Raju took a long pause , which experience told me , he was going to give me something right into my face after 10 secs. I began my countdown will he was silently loading the verbal bullets into the shot gun ..ready to blast...3...2...1...<br /><br />'Kapil , They call you the 'Lord of the Rings' because at the end of your engagement you had both the rings.'<br /><br />I was silent.’ Lord of the Rings' - There were no rings exchanged, but you wouldn’t be entirely wrong if you said I got engaged and we were NOT in close proximity (Ya....it was 20,000 miles). Dont ask me how did it turn out to be an engagement-like occassion...it was supposed to be meeting the relatives before I went to Australia...and then it took a formal form and there I was...the LORD OF THE RINGS.<br /><br />'So , Sell C - R - A - Z - Y someplace else , we are all stocked up here.' Raju gave the finishing touches.<br /><br />I hate to admit it , whoever came up with Lord of the Rings...Good One ! <br /><br /><b>The Devil You Know</b><br /><br />A week later , I came to Melbourne , Australia. It is beautiful. People are nice too.<br />Queens Street on a chilly weekday noon will show you a crowd mostly in the conventional black business dress hurrying for/from lunch . The ancient trams still run royally through the Central Business District alongside their latest X-series substitutes. Cafes and multicuisine restaurants are packed in the afternoon. Walking out for lunch alongside these people is something I look forward to.There is no interaction , but I feel the spirit.<br /><br />Day used to end with a walk alongside Yarra River , the walk is supposed to be romantic.So I take the other way through Flinders Street now , I reach home faster ;)<br /><br />We were returning back from my office on Queens Street.<br /><br />'Raju , You were right'<br /><br />'About?'<br /><br />'About going down on the knees'<br /><br />'Cool , This is going in a good direction'<br /><br />'Yup , I am definitely thinking on those lines'<br /><br />'And if I may ask how do you wish to arrange it?'<br /><br />'Havent thought abt it...Probably will google '"Mills and Boon" proposals' tommorrow'<br /><br />'Preposterous'<br /><br />'You think this is preposterous?'<br /><br />'Yes, Indeed'<br /><br />'How else do I beat Hugh Grant from Notting Hill?'<br /><br />Raju smiled.<br /><br />'So when is this supposed to happen ?'<br /><br />'After I get married'<br /><br />Raju laughed.<br /><br />'I am serious'<br /><br />'?'<br /><br />'Gives me more time...'<br /><br />'??'<br /><br />'Plus...I reduce her options...She cant say NO'<br /><br />'???'<br /><br />'Everything works fine this way'. I added.<br /><br />'So , what do you ask her...Can you even frame the question’?<br /><br />'The way I thought about this....What better way to catch her offgaurd??'<br /><br />'WHAT?"<br /><br />'She will be totally offgaurd'<br /><br />'Are you crazy?'<br /><br />Crazy ? I didn’t answer that one. He didn’t expect an answer either.<br /><br />I was the Lord of the Rings.K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1113992839080779422005-04-20T15:55:00.000+05:302005-04-21T11:31:43.833+05:30Woohoo...Great Expectations. This one is not from Charles Dickens.I am sure he didnt go through such hardships which come from the rising expectations in these times.<br /><br />While I savored the warmth of the coffee watching 'When Harry met Sally ' starring Billy Crystal & Meg Ryan, the girls started a conversation about how God has been unfair to the fairer sex. This was a bit surprising since we were watching 'When Harry met Sally' and not 'Maherchi Saadi'. <br /><br />' We have to give our surnames away after marriage' - Kayatri , who has a single surname till date.<br /><br />' You guys dont even need rest rooms on road-trips....Just hit the brakes after the slightest realization.' - Kepali , for whom rest rooms has always been an issue.If she had her way she would make specific changes to the male anatomy. <br /><br />' Not to forget labour pains & a hell lot of complications..' - Kevika<br /><br />' Do you guys have any problems which the girls didnt have ?' - Kadhika , the most formal of the lot asked me politely.<br /><br />Note: These four questions were just written in this systematic order purely for the readers understanding , the way I heard it went as 'We...surnames(garbled ... garbled)...need ...brakes...girls...the slightest realization'. Also I suck in the creativity associated in coming out with nice fictitious names.<br /><br />I was silent.'Agreed. Women go through a lot than guys do. God could have done better'.I thought to myself. Sighting no resistance from me we continued to watch the movie till the next 'relevant' topic came up . Suddenly, all the girls went 'Shooooo Sweet'. Did I miss anything ? Billy Crystal said <i>'When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible'</i> & then Meg Ryan started crying (So did all my friends inspite of hearing it for the seventh time).<br /><br />Just then it occured to me that God made it up to all the woman in a mysterious , very cruel way. The onus of coming up with the 'Will you marry me ?' line defeated all the rest room trips , name changes and other complications endured by the fairer sex.<br /><br />The surprise factor is the biggest factor to this. I am supposed to come out with this golden line in unexpected circumstances. 'Unexpected' - How is a 'marriage proposal' unexpected after the two have already made plans to get married. You just get ONE chance to go down on your knees , say this magical line , get married and live happily ever after.( Talking about expectations , did I tell you this line should be better than Billy Crystal & Hugh Grant !!!?!?)<br /><br />What women dont realise is both Billy Crystal & Hugh Grant got a careful script of what he was supposed to say and when. The script was probably written by Mills & Boon + 20 script writers from 'Paris School of Romance' . Meg Ryan , I am sure she didnt cry because of the line. (It could have been the 15 million dollars she was paid for it). Mainly if Billy goofed up ,he just has to ask for a retake & all the circumstances would be recreated.<br /><br />If Charles Dickens had to propose in these times , he would have still come out with a bestseller under the name 'Stress 1.0'. Back in 6th standard at Loyolas , Mrs. Zacheris , our biology teacher was teaching us photosynthesis. She saw me talking & it irritated her. Going down on your knees in front of a crowd wasn't a big deal that time. No creativity. No drama. No expectations. Five times a week. Stressfree.<br /><br />(To be continued...)K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1109335388261380612005-02-25T18:03:00.000+05:302005-02-25T18:25:01.280+05:30Super DealsIt was Thanksgiving time again!!<br />Living next to OfficeMax during this crazy season meant...<br />1> Rohan would be amongst the first ones to enter when OfficeMax opened for their Thanksgiving Sale<br />2> He would buy a laptop , his third for each thanksgiving season he had lived next to OfficeMax.<br /><br />His logic was simple. <br />The configuration was much better than the earlier 'cheap' laptop he bought and the price was much lesser.<br /><br />(He also had a set of 13 silver bottle openers at a 60% discount from the 2001 Thanksgiving Sale.None of which he had ever used. Half of which he wasn't sure how they actually opened a bottle.The other half : Rohan didnt have the bottles which the opener supposedly opened)<br /><br />Our house maid wanted me to get a cloth-hanger utility which would be used to hang up wet clothes after they come out of our washing machine. After failing to do so on reasons of 'I have no clue what you are talking about' , she said,<br />"Our neighbours have it and they go it from USA."<br /><br />On further investigation, This 'cloth-hanger' was also a snake catcher which my visionary neighbour had got for 25$ since it was for 80% discount.<br /><br />Somehow I never am close to any ordinary deals...forget the superlative kind.<br />I am thankful to Steve Jobs for not having announced a price cut in the Ipod I got last September.<br /><br />Yesterday morning , I got this urgent call from Sandeep.<br /><br />"Hey, Quick...get todays Economic Times and check out the second last page"<br /><br />As I was still trying to make the difference between Sando's call and the dream which he had interrupted in the wee hours of the morning , I took note of the urgency in his tone , gathered spare change from 7 drawers and just set off to get Economic Times.<br /><br /><em>'Did his company go public?' - He doesn't have a company dude !!<br /><br />'Did he win some National Badminton Tournament?' - Hmmm...but then why only the Economic Times?<br /><br />'Super Deals' - Yaaa...this must be it.Nike's for 999.99 only.</em><br /><br />I bought the ET and opened the second last page.<br />It was a computer vendor and he wasn't selling laptops at cheap prices.<br /><br />I called up Sandeep.<br /><br />'Hey , What am I supposed to look at ? '<br /><br />'Saw it?'<br /><br />'Yup'<br /><br />'So?'...Sando was surprised.<br /><br />'So?????' (What was I missing here?)<br /><br />'Isn't that Tushar in the advertisement?'<br /><br />I looked at the advertisement and then at the watch.<br /><br />'NO , IT IS NOT TUSHAR'<br /><br />'<em>silence</em>...<em>longer silence</em>...Well...errr...Ithought...hmmm...Did I wake you up? <em> click </em> '<br /><br />Meanwhile ,The newspaper guy was watching the fiasco.<br />He smiled. It suggested,'Sorry dude ,I cant give you the money'.<br />Then he made me glance at the other guy standing on the opposite side.<br /><br />Tushar was shouting , 'You @$# , it is not me!!'<br /><br />We left for our respective homes after agreeing to break Sandeep's jaw and never to bring up this story again.<br /><br />Talking about Super Deals (once again we have forgotten the main topic) :<br /><br />Somebody told me...<br />There is GOD and then there is Mark Knopfler : <br />Andheri Complex on March 5 at 7:30 pm<br /><br />P.S. - I have refrained from commenting on the special relationship between the fairer sex and Super Deals. You may assume the sex of the Super Deal victims in the above blog at your own risk.K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1108561851449125002005-02-16T19:10:00.000+05:302005-02-17T11:04:38.886+05:30The Workaround"Hey , Congrats on your engagement!" I exclaimed.<br /><br />"Thank You...but you know what I didn't get engaged" Nylie said.<br /><br /><i>Deja Vu...this wasn't new! I am so familiar with this feeling that not only did I contrive 'FOOT IN THE MOUTH Syndrome' after such follies but the other day I felt 'out of place' when someone mailed the full Surprise Party Plan to the Birthday Boy.Why does this happen to me? Why do I forget to wish the hundered times people REALLY get engaged ? Thank God I didnt get her flowers !!</i><br /><br />"I am really sorry !"<br /><br />As I was about to turn around to go to my Yahoo Messenger to remove her from my chat list (It was time to get deleted from the chat list) she exclaimed...<br /><br />"Instead I got married "<br /><br />"What ???" (One more to the long list)<br /><br />After the hoooo , wooooow & superb with a few exclamations...We turned to the inevitable - No it is not Party Time. We are looking at wedding snaps. I swear to God , that people have given me two identical snaps consecutively as two different photographs and yet they gaze in admiration at the beauty of both and expect me to follow. Digital Cameras have'nt made things easier for me. <br /><br />"Is'nt this a Church wedding? "<br /><br />"Yes"<br /><br />"I didn't know Adi was Christian"<br /><br />She looked at me.<br /><br /><i>Dear God , His name is not Adi, is it? I was back...Time to get deleted from the chat list.</i><br /><br />"Adi is not Christian but we had to get married."<br /><br />"Why?"<br /><br />"So that I get my dependent H4 Visa and he wont have to wait till his next trip to India."<br /><br />"Great Nylie ! So your folks came there ? "<br /><br />"No "<br /><br />"Ohhh...too bad you made them miss the wedding" <br /><br />"Er...hmm...Actually they don't have an idea"<br /><br />"SAY THAT AGAIN...". Eyes can actually pop out if you are in extreme shock. <br /><br />"Are they opposed to it? Did you just elope?" I tried to come up with possibilities in my mind.<br /><br />"No. They just wanted to postpone the date so that Adi's sister can get married first"<br /><br />"Ohhh..but that could take long , right ? I mean finding the right guy could take time."<br /><br />"Noooooo ,Adi's elder sister's fiance is waiting for his sister to get married "<br /><br />Just to prove my programming background & to make the conversation short and less confusing ,<br /><br />"What is the loop length of this one ?"<br /><br />"Meaning...?"<br /><br />"Does Adi's sister's fiance's sister have a fiance who is waiting for his sister to get married and so on...?"<br /><br />Nylies face was BLANK.<br />(And they say 10 dimensions from String theory are difficult to perceive)<br /><br />"I dont know. I wish Adi's sister gets married soon" She said.<br /><br /><i>Yeah rite !! You think Adi's sister is not married. You are married and in most probability she is. For all you know everyone must be married. To avoid my coronation as King of FMS...I keep these things to myself.</i><br /><br />"Anyways , I always wanted to elope"<br /><br />The above statement didn't surprise me.<br /><br />'Strange are the wishes of a bride-to-be in matrimony'.<br /><br />Nylie wasn't the first person who wanted to elope despite society's approval.I have a friend who wants to get married only if there are chandeliers in the wedding hall and another who did want to get married because her swimming lessons weren't over by then.(They were supposed to have a beach side Honeymoon).This behaviour is predominantly a part of the fairer sex ;just like the cryptic , obsession for matching sweater colours. (They have to match the top they are wearing...WHY??? If I am convinced with any answer to the above , I'll watch 2305 wedding snaps of the lady...each with a satisfying intensity & interest)<br /><br />Well, coming back to workarounds which is the topic of the blog....<br /><br />Grooms ,There is always a workaround to get your best girl with you.<br /><br />But then someone also said the penalty for getting the best girl is that you keep her afterwards. (These are not my views)<br /><br /><b>TO Adi's sister's fiance's sister's Fiance:</b><br />Find a workaround soon...there are treats pending here. <br /><i>Please dont tell me you are already married</i>K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1106658717202050412005-01-25T18:28:00.000+05:302005-01-25T18:56:50.546+05:30Kisna - The Warrior Poet (Ya rite?)Subhash Ghai can do better. I saw 'Kisna' and something didnt make sense.
<br />
<br />Why would Ghai come up with such a movie ??
<br />
<br />I thought about it and finally realised the plot.
<br />
<br />The Plot:
<br />
<br />If people thought 'Sonia Gandhi' was a mastermind after her 'I dont want to be Prime Minister' after the 2004 elections ;Take a bow before Salman Khan who approached Subhash Ghai with the script and even agreed to finance the film provided Vivek Oberoi starred in it.
<br />
<br />'Kisna' happens to Vivek Oberoi thus ending his illustrious career(his past movies will seem illustrious if you watch him saying 'Kisna' in James Bond style).
<br />
<br />Well whats left...Salman gets Aishwarya.
<br />
<br />THE END.
<br />
<br />Plot of the movie:
<br />
<br />The new Indian actress Isha Sharvani shows some remarkable acrobatic skills which makes you feel you are watching 'Ripleys believe it or not' , nevertheless that should'nt have been the objective of the movie.
<br />
<br />(You will find missing links in the storyline...but that maybe because I was awake intermittently)
<br />
<br />P.S. - As for the guy who got us these tickets on a Friday Nite ;Not only did he get beaten by an angry mob & lose the money on the tickets but he has also promised to pay us a considerable sum for emotional damages failing which we would make him watch 'Kisna' twice.
<br />K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1106303287441617452005-01-21T15:54:00.000+05:302005-01-21T17:48:02.933+05:30Humanitarian MotivesIt is a wrong notion that social work is restricted to the dedicated volunteers of abbreviated NGO's.
<br />
<br />Buying tickets for a movie is an extremely selfless humanitarian mission.(Volunteering to do so is also suicidal and stupid!!)
<br />
<br />You have to come up with a movie which everyone likes , coordinate timings , buy tickets in anticipation that you will be payed for the tickets later (hahahaha).And the result is obvious..you FAIL and are blamed until the next time they want you to arrange one.
<br />
<br />Imagine you & your friend are studying for some competitive exam and you decide that you should watch the new movie at Inox.
<br />
<br />"It is a Thursday nite...We'll get tickets easily".I exclaimed.
<br />
<br />"Ya , lets call up everyone"
<br />
<br />"Well...Pratap...Not a good idea!!"
<br />
<br />"Why?"
<br />
<br />"Hmmm...You will call X and she will say 'I cant make it today...but I want to watch it desperately and all my other friends have already watched it.I missed it...please can we go tomm. nite?? Ask Y too'.
<br />Then you call Y and he says
<br />'I am game mann...but can we go for the E-Square 10:45 pm show ...that way I'll even pick my bike from my aunts place'
<br />Then you call X again...
<br />'Why cant Y make it tomm , I called up A & B...they are ready for tomm.'"
<br />
<br />Pratap was convinced."Yaa...Then what do we do ?"
<br />
<br />"Hmmm...Use the '10 minutes before' funda "
<br />
<br />"??"
<br />
<br />"We'll go for the movie & we'll happen to be near the theater 10 minutes before the show"
<br />
<br />A few seconds later the plot dawned upon Pratap.
<br />
<br />"Ohhhhhh...Mannn....!Superb...!"
<br />
<br />(If I look really smart out here...That is about to change)
<br />
<br />Then we watched the movie and Pratap is really happy !!
<br />
<br />Next day we meet the gang...And Pratap is already a pro.
<br />
<br />"Hey guys...I saw 'Tomb Raider' yesterday. We just happened to be near E-Square. Sorry...Couldnt call you guys!"
<br />
<br />"Damn...I wanted to watch it.I want to see 'The Tuxedo'.Lets go tnite!!"
<br />
<br />"Guys...that wont work." Pratap stated in his 'I know it all' tone.(You could also call it 'Kapil is screwed' tone)"You should happen to be there...10 minutes during the movie. You know what I mean , right?"
<br />
<br />Now all the faces were staring at Pratap. I was waiting in anticipation for Satan's final move.
<br />
<br />"And....This was Kapil's funda.I had offered to call"
<br />
<br />Now all the faces are staring at me. Not very pleased. Checkmate.
<br />
<br />Things have never been same since...Later they thought about my idea.Everybody loved it .Everyone still implements it. Frequency of 'I missed that one' has reduced.
<br />
<br />Above all...Even now..everyone still blames it on me.
<br />
<br />Thanks Pratap. Want to watch 'Anatomy of a Murder?'My treat.
<br />K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1102605469815811792004-12-09T20:41:00.000+05:302004-12-09T20:47:49.816+05:30IT WASN'T ME !'Blame it on KJ' has always been an unofficial rule among close friends.
<br />If a blunder occurs and it aint clear whom the blame should go to , it always comes to me.
<br />
<br />Right now , Some of you are thinking I am exaggerating.
<br />
<br />This time I'll prove it to you.
<br />
<br /><strong>BLAME IT ON KJ</strong>
<br />
<br />My Location three months ago : Thousands of miles away in San Jose.
<br />Meanwhile in Pune , my dear bro Ashwin reduces his weight.
<br />So now if his hair is a bit dishelved , he looks like me.
<br />
<br /><strong>GOLMAL</strong>
<br />
<br />Sandeeps Aunt : I saw him a few days ago at Abhis wedding.
<br /> I smiled at him , but he did not even smile back.
<br /> Just looked through me.
<br />
<br />Sandeep : Is that so ?
<br />
<br />Sandeeps Aunt : Yes , even I was shocked.
<br />
<br />
<br /><strong>MY REPUTATION DOESN'T HELP EITHER !!</strong>
<br />
<br />My friends sister comes to Ashwin.
<br />
<br />F's sis : Whats with you , Cant you even say hi ?
<br />
<br />Ashwin : I think there has been a mistake.
<br />
<br />F's sis : What ?
<br />
<br />Ashwin : I am Kapil's brother - Ashwin
<br />
<br />F's sis : <em>(thinking...Kapil is trying to convince me he is not Kapil.This time you wont succeed!!)</em>
<br />Ashwin : ?!?
<br />
<br />F's sis : Dont talk to me.
<br />
<br />Ashwin : ?!?
<br />
<br />(She walks away)
<br />
<br />I rest my case.
<br />
<br />Just remembered the scene in Golmal with Utpal Dutt & Amol Palekar.
<br />
<br /><em>" Main Ram Prasad Dashratprasad Sharma , aur aapne Laxman Prasad Dashratprasad Sharma ko dekha hoga sirr"</em>K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1099940085313083952004-11-09T01:09:00.000+05:302004-11-09T00:27:52.200+05:30Till we meet again..Two people quit from my workplace last week.
<br />
<br />Coincidently, I have had the pleasure of working with both of them.Both are really good at what they do.
<br />
<br />Another coincidence , Both have really long names...16 and 13 alphabets ; an absentminded biologist could have mistaken them to be their biological names...err...!!!
<br />
<br />Zee (really abbreviated form) fowarded my resume to the HR department when I was looking for a job a couple of years ago & I got it(Still working there). We were together in college and I remmembered her for the girl who was so engrossed in doing her C/C++ that she once put a semi-colon instead of a full-stop when she was taking some notes for a quiz we organised for an inter collegiate event.(Now I remmember her
<br />for the girl who kicks really hard on the shins)
<br />
<br />So after fowarding my resume , I was called for an interview.
<br />
<br />I called her up in the morning of the interview.
<br />
<br />'Hi Mistry!'
<br />
<br />'Hey'
<br />
<br />'Do well , okie ?'
<br />
<br />'Yup'
<br />
<br />'Best Of Luck'
<br />
<br />'Thanks'
<br />
<br />'Okie , chal!!'
<br />
<br />'Bye'
<br />
<br />I called her up again.
<br />
<br />'Mistry !!' (please note the double exclamation and the absent Hi)
<br />
<br />'Hey Zee'
<br />
<br />'Nervous kya ?'
<br />
<br />'Nopes'
<br />
<br />'You'll do well.Come fast'
<br />
<br />'Errr..Zee..actually I called for that'
<br />
<br />'For what ?'
<br />
<br />'Where am I supposed to come in the next 30 minutes'
<br />
<br />'WHAT !?!? YOU DONT KNOW.You have been passing the office everyday on your way to college for 4 years.How come you never noticed' (For someone who was so sincere and peculiar abt the details of her plans...this must have been hard)
<br />
<br />She realised that she had answered the question ,gave me the address.I got through.
<br />I am not sure she got the referal bonus yet.
<br />
<br />(Approximately...A year later)
<br />
<br />'Kapil , you will have to goto Chennai on a knowledge transfer'.My manager informed.
<br />
<br />'Okie'
<br />
<br />'You will have to leave this Wednesday'
<br />
<br />'Yes'
<br />
<br />'Any problems with that ?'
<br />
<br />'No.Whom do I have to co-ordinate with ?'
<br />
<br />'Mail Shyamala (abbreviated again)'
<br />
<br />The obedient & sincere lad that I was , I updated her about my travel plan.
<br />
<br />I started my preparations for Amma's land 'Mad-ras'.If anyone is having a really hard time in choosing what to pursue - Movies or Politics or just be deified - Join the film industry - Alls included in one package.
<br />
<br />Since I had completely forgotten about what I was supposed to work on. I asked Shyamala for ADVANCED DOCUMENTS which I could read.
<br />
<br />Well, next day I got her marriage invitation.
<br />
<br />She shifted to San Jose into a new home and I had got a small momento for the same when I reached San Jose this Sepetember.
<br />
<br />I was supposed to give it to her when I was supposed to leave back for India.
<br />
<br />Well ,Shyamala decided to leave first.
<br />
<br />Zee's mail had a nice line - 'Till we meet again cause I am not saying Goodbye :)'
<br />K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1098928505160429732004-10-28T07:18:00.000+05:302004-10-28T07:27:09.480+05:30knot the same...Last year important discussions comprised of Sachins batting streak , career options which you can pursue while doing a job , latest mp3 players and digicams and which bikes are the coolest.
<br />
<br />Decisions comprised of what to do for New Years ; Which caterer to hire ; How much do we spend ? What time do we return ? Venue has been same for the past three years.
<br />
<br />(I have the privilege of saying our New Year celebrations end at 6 pm ;Ahem,..Nope , Mom is not happy cos they end 6pm on the 1st of Jan. Mom and I always start the New Year on this note)
<br />
<br />This year , a couple decided to get married in November.
<br />Another followed to have a plan fixed for a date which is two weeks later.
<br />Another one decided to get married post X'mas.
<br />
<br />Focus has already shifted from 'when is the last call in a Bar' to 'what kurta will you be wearing..'.
<br />
<br />Important discussions now comprise of honeymoon destinations , popular apparel stores , hotel & hall bookings ,dinner menus and wedding themes.
<br />
<br />This years decisions vary from what gifts to buy to post marriage housing plans.
<br />
<br />(Talk about vision...A person I know had decided to take up swimming in August so that he could swim during his honeymoon in December)
<br />
<br />Now as I write , I get a mail from a friend announcing his marriage on X'mas eve.
<br />
<br />Went to the cafe a few minutes ago...and it was the question I have heard so many times,"So, when are you getting married ?"
<br />
<br />Then I am wishing the question was 'Do you know when is the last call at the bar ?'
<br />
<br />'I forgot ...when is the last call ?!??'K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1097015877558069172004-10-06T04:06:00.001+05:302004-10-21T03:19:13.946+05:30First GearI would have liked to start this blog with 'Finally it happened' too.
<br />But yesterday I was speaking with a friend from Duluth who interpreted the above in a way I did not.
<br />
<br />I wouldn't blame anyone for emphatically stating "Yes, I can drive anywhere" after he successfully drove down the whole Tilak and Laxmi Road at 9:30 am on a weekday by car.(I would also say he is a fool to take his car on this road at this time unless he is testing his driving skills!)
<br />
<br />I was in the same league until I landed at SFO and found it difficult to change my default actions.Everything which was to the left side becomes right here and vice versa. The above sentence means that in the earlier stages the wiper used to clean my windshield everytime I wanted to turn.A couple of driving tests in the parking , lot of navigation courses and a quick lesson on traffic etiquettes which are quite contrary to the etiquettes of Tilak Road rickshaw drivers ; I was set to drive.
<br />
<br />We were on the way to Yosemite National Park and I finally got my hands on the steering wheel at CA 140 W which is marked as 'a scenic route'.Friends who were worried about their life (I was at the steering for the first time) turned their focus to their cameras.Amit,Mitu and other photographers -You should be here with your gadgets.
<br />
<br />The route had the Merced river forcing itself through the white rocks by the side all the time.The huge , imposing mountains of Yosemite providing the classy backdrop and the weather was just right.The tress had green , yellow ,orange and colours I hadn't known of.The light rains send out the aroma of the land.It aint different from the aroma in India.
<br />
<br />Then we parked and decided to take a trail to Verner Falls which is a 3-mile trail and takes you to a 1000ft elevation.The Verner falls further takes you to Neveda falls which further take you to Half Dome which is 4,800ft. We didn't do all of that:)
<br />
<br />As we came down to the parking lot , I put on the ignition and relaised that the batteries had drained off.Thanks to left-right confusion I never realised when I put the headlights on.Other than basic necessities , I have realised that you cant live in the US without a Cellphone , Mapquest , Computer Access and Insurance. I had effectively used all of the above except for Insurance - Insurance Vasuli finally took place at Yosemite.
<br />
<br />Not only we saved 46.5$ from our pocket , but also got a free ride in a towing truck along with gentle giant Ruud.While the car battery was getting charged up , I decide to take advantage of the cool calm composure my friends have maintained condoning my silly mistake.I asked Ruud if I could have a snap with him and the vehicles.
<br />Gentle Gaints are kind people.
<br />K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1097015765496679832004-10-06T04:06:00.000+05:302004-10-06T04:06:05.496+05:30<a href='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/285/1951/640/10_04_25.jpg'><img border='0' style='border:1px solid #000000; margin:2px' src='http://photos1.blogger.com/img/285/1951/320/10_04_25.jpg'></a><br />Taking Charge ! <a href='http://www.hello.com/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbh.gif' alt='Posted by Hello' border='0' style='border:0px;padding:0px;background:transparent;' align='absmiddle'></a>K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1096509560139519992004-09-30T07:27:00.000+05:302004-09-30T07:29:20.140+05:30FinallyFinally it happened.
<br />While most of my friends were doing it I had inhibtions about taking the plunge.
<br />Circumstances were most favourable and I enjoyed procrastinating untill yesterday ; Now that I have done it once , I would say that I have overcome all my fears and await consequences that follow.
<br />
<br />Yesterday , I woke up to the 7:30am light train which passed Gish Station.
<br />I wouldnt have been suprised if I just missed the train or an officer caught me for crossing the tracks, but I got it on time.
<br />
<br />"Hmmm...Whats up??" I asked myself.Pondering thoughts always start with a 'Hmm'.
<br />
<br />I reached the Cisco office and asked the receptionist for a Visitors pass as I always did.
<br />
<br />She made a typo - 'Kapil Mystery'.I forgave her.
<br />
<br />I reached office and as we were about to start , I started feeling dizzy.
<br />
<br />"Hmmm...
<br />-What did I have in the morning ? Nopes , the normal juice and sandwich (this is because coffee takes time and simply aint worth the effort which I put it in mixing the contents in the right proportion).
<br />-I cant be pregnant.
<br />-I didnt drink (Or did I)
<br />-I wont fake dizziness cos Mom aint around and I am not in 1st standard and am okie with going to school."
<br />
<br />The table appeared to move ;Another symptomn of dizziness...or was it an earthquake?
<br />
<br />The Richter Scale gave it a 5.8 and we ran out of the building leaving my laptop and cellphone in the room.Phew...So this is what was to happen.The meeting continued... with detailed discussions about work interrupted by very personal descriptions of their 15 seconds with the earthquake.The earthquake had done no damage , but most people have a habit to come up with dramatic experiences in their daily conversation for the rest of the day ; Others write blogs.
<br />
<br />As I walked back to office feeling relieved about the feeling , I still thought it wasnt over.
<br />
<br />I reached the apartment and found Vipul sleeping at 7:15 pm.
<br />
<br />"Hey , Vipul...are you okie?"
<br />
<br />"Nahi yaar , bukhar hain"(please assume vipuls cloying lucknowi hindi)
<br />
<br />"Ohh..crocin liya kya?"(please assume my pune marathish hindi accent)
<br />
<br />"Nahi bbe"
<br />
<br />"Ohh.tu sooja , main crocin deta hoon"
<br />
<br />"Thanks yaar"
<br />
<br />Okie. Vipul is asleep and even I felt I should sleep early.I had no clue about the feeling untill I crossed the kitchen and the omen , finally uncovered itself.
<br />
<br />I WAS GOING TO COOK IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CONSUMED BY ME AND MORE IMPORTANTLY BY THE SICK MAN IN THE ROOM WHO CONFESSED THAT HE WOULD PREFER HOT INDIAN FOOD.I COULDNT EVEN GO OUT NOW !!
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<br />Thanks to the running commentary by a considerate friend , I managed to make complete indian dinner including Dal , Rice , bhaji and poli.(More details in the blog later)
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<br />I want to thank God , my parents , my friend and Vipul who appreciated the food.
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<br />P.S. - Now since my mom knows I have some idea of cooking , I might be blackmailed for getting some things done.
<br />K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1095898086501595712004-09-23T05:34:00.000+05:302004-09-23T05:38:06.503+05:30Trends - 'Chitale' please catch up !I hope you understand why I am never there for lunch although I have post and pre lunch sessions in the Cafe.
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<br />In the times to come...
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<br />California News
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<br />Research is going on to get low fat milk from cows directly to cut costs involved in processing units in a university in Santa Clara.Cows will be doing Yoga (that seems the IN thing here) , Tai Chi(have no clue) and offcourse the rounds on treadmills. Grass eaten by cows mite be non-green BUT will be low carb and nutritious.
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<br />WARNING: Poets should think twice before using the phrase 'green grass' or attach a disclaimer in BOLD letters. Failing to do so , might spread misconceptions about color of grass(read as you will be 'sued').
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<br />Mom , I might have developed a taste for Boiled Tomatoes in Olive oil.
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<br />Coming up...Growing Decaff Coffee beans!
<br />K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1095811979020324172004-09-22T05:41:00.000+05:302004-09-22T05:45:18.393+05:30Bubba Shrimp and the prison of AlcatrazDISCLAIMER : This has nothing to do with Harry Potter.
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<br />This weekend I was at San Francisco and happen to go to Bubba Gump Shrimps Co.(This should ring a bell if you have seen 'Forest Gump').This 'restaurant' is based on the same theme , where waiters will be wearing 'Forest Gump' tshirts and the movie constantly and videos about its inside scenes.If you want to stop the waiter you have to put the 'STOP FOREST STOP' sign otherwise it is 'RUN FOREST RUN' which is taken from the movie where Forest's (Tom Hanks) only love asks Forest to run away from the bullies who love harrasing him.
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<br />One superb movie , thnaks to the storyline and direction from Steven Spielberg and Forest enacted by Tom Hanks - he is lucky and talented to have pulled over diverse roles he played in 'Road to Perdition' , 'Saving Private Ryan' , 'You have got mail'.His latest flick is superb too - 'The Terminal'.
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<br />Coming back to SFO also saw the prison island of Alcatraz.
<br />(This is the same island which most will know as 'The Rock' if they have seen the movie which goes by the same name)Now talk about a prison having such a beautiful view like Alcatraz - You can see the whole of San Francisco coastline , the Fishermans Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge.
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<br />Lovely seafood and ambience at Bubba Shrimp Co.
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<br />P.S. - On a creative note we have been successful in preparing Chicken Biryani , Butter Chicken and Paneer Masala.(We does not stand for Vipul alone and includes me)
<br />K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1095208048601006802004-09-15T05:54:00.001+05:302004-09-15T06:01:14.313+05:30TrainmatesI was going from Baypoint to San Francisco A'port by Caltrain alone.
<br />I purchased the ticket through their automatic ticket vending machine.
<br />Then entered the Caltrain which reached at the exact designated time.
<br />I sat on one of the many available seats of the sparsely commuted train.
<br />The one hour journey was 'super exciting' - no noise , identical green trees / identical buildings on both sides and no faces.
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<br />Some years ago...
<br />I went to Deccan Queen alone.
<br />ALONE...if you refuse to acknowledge the presence of the old man who was loudly playing "Ankhon main kya ji" from Nau do Gyarah and the beggar who was supposed to be blind asked him to reduce the volume cos it was interfering with the 'Baazigar ohh...Bazigaar' he was singing(????). And the world outside my window would show me some morning chores so that I really appreciate the beauty when I reach Lonavla station from the Deccan Queen pantry where I am playing the challenging game of 'Longest Stay in Minimum Money' with the waiter.And then the commuters will actually get down on the station out to buy Vadas at Karjat and get back in the train ONLY AFTER IT STARTS MOVING.
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<br />Certainly not ALONE , I remmemeber Raju getting a Vada for old lady next to her and sweetly calling her 'aaji'. Here , I havent even seen a real grandson around their elders. Where are they ?
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<br />P.S. - My aplogies for missing out the 'Cold Drink' wala and the Hairpin seller.
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<br />(strangely , my memory associates hairpin sellers with Trains)
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<br />P.P.S. - For those who guys who hadnt heared from Raju , he has said 'hey'. K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6837376.post-1094782159024348062004-09-10T07:36:00.000+05:302004-09-10T07:39:19.023+05:30First TasteAt some places...Popular food might not impress a epicurean ; rather displease him.
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<br />I happen to have breakfast & lunch at one such place.
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<br />[Venue : One more diet conscious location]
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<br />"Food is good today"
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<br />"Haha".Methinks it was a nice sarci but the way he was savoring on the completely bland fried chicken made me realise he was serious.His confused look at my laughter confirmed my doubt.I excused myself from the table under the pretext of coffee.
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<br />I was thanking my stars for giving me a house on the busiest roads of Pune City ; that made me easily adjust to my sojourn in San Jose City which was a 'Rail platform'. I boast of a rail facing apartment - a VTA train passes 70 feet from out house at a frequency of 30 minutes.(When you are sleeping , it feels like 10 secs).That's why the coffee was a necessity for my roomie ; I was just giving him company(read as reason to escape a Foot in the Mouth situation)
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<br />I put two spoons of sugar into the coffee and on my way took a sip....urghhh!
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<br />Another spoon...still not sweet!
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<br />Two more...by this time my glass was heavy.
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<br />Next morning shifted to a 35 mg sodium , 42 g Total Carb , 42 g Sugars 12 FL OZ drink.
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<br />And I thought we had to focus on the taste.
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<br />Yup , I tried cooking. I am pathetic. My roomie agrees.
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<br />P.S. - Ya , my roomie cooks.
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<br />P.P.S. - A spoonful of sugar ???? Sorry Mary Poppins.K Jhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00041088823278003125noreply@blogger.com0