Ministry Of Music

I stumbled upon this profile on youtube while looking through some Dire Straits covers....This guy is awesome. Nothing fancy, nothing hard just good ol' stumming/rhythm on some super tracks. From CCR to Dire Straits..from Bob Dylan to Sting...from Beatles to Eagles....this guy really gives the original artists a run for their money!

Having gone through his profile on youtube, he used to be a subway singer. It's just wonderful to find pure talent hidden underground! Kudos to Mr.Malvasio....Hope you guys like him too.

On another note, I've always been meaning to write this. There are a few songs that just soaks you into them. I had the opportunity to witness firsthand as to how a song can get you so invloved(read lonesome late night drive). Here's my list of those soulful songs:

1)Brothers In Arms- Dire Straits
2)Every Breath You Take- The Police
3)Knockin' On Heaven's Door- Bob Dylan
4)Golden Heart- Mark Knopfler
5)Horse With No Name- America
6)Classical Gas- Mason Williams
7)Wild Mountain Thyme- Mark Knopfler
8)American Pie- Don Mclean
9)Please Forgive Me- Bryan Adams
10)The Last Resort- The Eagles
11)Tears In Heaven- Eric Clapton
12)I'd Love You To Want Me- Lobo
13)Russians- Sting
14)Chariots Of Fire- Vangelis
15)Affirmation- Savage Garden

16)Red Dirt Girl- Emmylou Harris

17)Wonderful Tonight- Eric Clapton

18)Romeo and Juliet- Dire Straits

19)Done With Bonaparte- Mark Knopfler

20)Nothing Else Matters -Metallica

Start Meejik...Roll Phillim

Today was good! Had no work at work...had lunch with friends..came home really early....felt good speaking to one of my really good friends on the way home....had a super dinner with friends...and now planning to go for a drive listening to Mark Knopfler!

So a casual, lazy day you may say. Like I mentioned before, dinner was a congregation of friends, most of whom I know really well, some in the process of getting to know. I happened to watch some bits and pieces of Nach Baliye and realized that we have some pretty good talent. Then we saw some new movie songs and I realized that we have no talent there! I do not mean to speak ill about our movies. I am very eagerly awaiting Taare Zameen Par, a movie that has exceeded audience expectations before it begins. I enjoyed watching Nayagan,Lagaan, Andaaz Apna Apna, Chak De India, Swades which, according to me has become a cult classic. And these are just to name a few. But the new movies are BAD! No acting, no dance, no choreography and more importantly no direction! It's just a bunch of people running around. I cannot believe that an idiot actually put his money just to show some hot chick in the skimpiest clothes imaginable that she would be a social outcast!

Be that as it may, and barring a few good movies, I think we do have a long way to get to Hollywood. I have witnessed some great, mind blowing movies over the past few years. Men of Honour, inspires me to this day. Deep end of the Ocean is the epitome of drama, Rocky urges the youth in me to come out. A Beautiful Mind is a wordless wonder. Batman Begins was The Dark Knight at his best (I am counting the days for Summer 2008 when the Dark Knight Returns!). I have seen Ice Age a million times. The Bourne Trilogy can be seen all together without a break and you would not know the time that flew by! The Italian Job keeps you at the edge of your seat right from the word go. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

Coming back to Indian cinema, Bollywood is all about the masala. I would actually categorize most Indian movies in that. I saw a couple of Telugu movies and I think if I would have seen them in my school days, I would have failed Physics and definitely failed Logic! And if I would have watched the tele serials, I would have failed life. To be honest, all the tele serials are the same....Two women bitching about each other and about a million other actors that would cause your head to go topsy turvy...leaving you with the three golden words...What The FUCK!!!

Anyway, closing on the satire, it was a good day today.

Maa...

A couple of events spurred this post. One was a conversation with a colleague and the other was a Wall Street Article sent by a friend.

India, Bharat, Hindustan- A land of multiple names, a force of over a billion people. A country steeped in history,culture and traditions. A democracy that is forcing it's way to the top. The land of Gods, from Sages to Gandhi, from M.S.Subbalakshmi to Sachin Tendulkar, if it is talent you are seeking, you are looking at the oh so familiar, vaguely triangular piece of land jutting out from the base of the Asian continent.

As students and now, as working professionals a lot of us squeezed out of the protective arms of our motherland to seek solace elsewhere, but the domestic call has been ringing in our ears. Trends are changing now. The quintessential Indian who opted for the prized Green Card and US citizenship, is now thinking his thoughts through. I have come to know a lot of people who, are returning back home to their motherland...to their roots.

As these events surround me, I wish to present my side of why the Mother's call has been ringing in my ears too! So here goes...

-> I want to get stuck in traffic with horns blaring and mobile shops selling chana
-> I want to walk on Worli sea face with the waves splashing it's misty foam on my face
-> I want to drink filter coffee made by my mother each day before going to work
-> I want people to stare at me awkwardly when I thank them
-> I want to drive a manual transmission vehicle on the "right" side of the road
-> I want use the public transport at wee hours in the night
-> I want to be served food on the flight even if it is only for thirty minutes
-> I want to see "General Stores" which is a one stop Wal-Mart at walking distance from home
-> I want to go to a medical shop and get medicines without hundered forms and prescriptions
-> I want to have official, expired auto insurance and still be able to drive my vehicle
-> I want to have the local mechanic work on my vehicle and charge me a nominal fee
-> I want to drive on Marine Drive and experience freeways right in the heart of the city
-> I want to be able to wear formals to work and have my boss yell at me
-> I want to interact with "don't give a damn" government servants
-> I want to go to my college where the first thing you see is Lord Ganesha
-> I want to use the toilet without toilet paper
-> I want the familar plastic tub and mug to have my bath
-> I want to be able to eat outside beyond midnight
-> I want to take a late night walk around Shivaji park with hundreds of people
-> I want to get directions to a place by asking people on the road
-> I want to use the SI system for measurment
-> I want to see women dressed in Sarees or salwaar kameez
-> I want to go to temples and hear the namaz chants from mosques early in the morning
-> I want to build my furniture thorough carpenters and not assemble it myself
-> I want to see senior citizens discuss current affairs during their morning walk
-> I want to see my kids start their day in school with prayers
-> I want to eat Alphonso mangoes during the summer
-> I want to celebrate festivals with family and relatives
-> I want to see people being driven around
-> I want to go to the beach to eat bhel puri and sandwiches
-> I want to be able to travel by Indian railways in three tier coaches and sleep on the top
-> I want to eat Idli, Vada and chutney served by the Indian railways
-> I want to see my kids hear bedtime stories from their grandparents
-> I want to travel in a double decker bus and sit on the top front row
-> I want to see houses made of bricks and concrete with multiple layers of paint
-> I want to see friends who have known me better than I know myself
-> I want to get up early to stand for hours to see Siddhi Vinayak on Ganesh Chaturthi
-> I want to use sms and missed calls as the main form of communication
-> I want to see Mahatma Gandhi's face on the Indian Rupee note
-> I want to carry more than a thousand rupees in my pocket
-> I want to travel during rush hour in Mumbai local trains
-> I want to send my kids to school in auto rickshaw pools
-> I want to be amidst company that talks about cricket and movies
-> I want to read India Today
-> I want to be able to read The Times Of India whilst having my morning coffee
-> I want to visit orphanages and donate to the needy
-> I want to go to Meenakshi temple and just stare at the beauty of the Goddess
-> I want to seek blessings from temple elephants
-> I want to eat Krishna sweets' Mysore Pauk and Grand sweets' potato chips
-> I want to drive by all the streets and roads that I used to frequent and invoke nostalgia
-> I want to see entertainment programmes in languages that are native to India
-> I want to look at the Bandra Worli sea link from a small street at Shivaji Park
-> I want to go for unplanned, destinationless drives on a motorcycle at night
-> I want to go to Nariman Point and compare it to New York city
-> I want to be able to say town and not downtown
-> I want to meet all my teachers
-> I want to have long talks with my friends late into the night
-> I want to just look at my parents and thank them without having to say a word

Some things that can only be longed when you are far. Just to take a leaf out of the Mastercard advertisement, there is only money that USA can provide, for the bigger picture called life there is India!

Dreamt in India...Made in Germany...Owned in America

Automobiles are synonimous to guys much the same way jewelery is to girls. Every guy has a dream car that he hopes he will own someday. From collecting pictures to dinky cars, from technical expertise to silly arguments, guys have always been passionate about the automobile.

BMWs, Ferraris, Mercedes Benzs, Lexuses, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Porsches, Mustangs...aaah... every guy gets to orgasmic stage immediately after this foreplay! To us, the car is not just a means of transport from point A to B. It is about passion and the pleasure that's as sweet as drinking water from an oasis.

One of the first major purchases after obtaining full time work. The thrill of test drives, the feel of the machine is just awesome. Having gone through one myself, I can vouch that the time you first drive your baby out is truly a Kodak moment! It is doubly exciting when all my friends have gone into this mode pretty much at the same time. So long telephone calls and knowledge transfer has been the order of the day.

My black beauty is my pride and joy at the moment. For a guy who's been passionate about cars ever since I can remember, the Blue/White symbol with trademark twin headlamps and grille meant that nirvana had been attained. I can almost touch the halo over my head now!

I know she'll keep me happy for a long time and I know I'll not give her a reason not to! So symbiotic relationship it is. So I'll end this post with the excitement that is, my dream, my babe, my soul mate, my pride, my joy...my car.

Looking Washington Talking Seattle

A recent trip to Seattle invoked a lot of mixed feelings. While I had an absolute blast during the trip, I also witnessed generous portions of change in how my friends think, react and perceive life. I have known these people for the better part of my life and it is pretty amazing to understand how rapidly one grows into maturity.

There were a lot of issues touched right ranging from future plans to attitude about life. I found myself being engulfed with ideas that, to be honest that were thrust right into my face. I have always been a keen observer and listener to others' thoughts and views and this time was no different.

A feeling of an identity crisis swept through me. When you hear other people convey emotions, there is so much that hits you that all you are left with is wonderment. Sometimes even insecurity crept up. I am not an individual that conveys his thoughts too much but this time I wanted to but somehow, could not. A lot of times when your near and dear ones have a viewpoint towards life, you would want to match them. This is normal human tendency. But then, when will you be on the giving end as compared to the receiving end? Kinda easy to discriminate between the two but hard to realize!

Anyway, moving forward, professional life has been on the up over the month and I hope it continues to remain that way for quite sometime!

On the lighter side of things, San Diego totally rocks! But I'd urge everyone to pay a small visit to Seattle. I know you'll not be disappointed!

Dad-A Father Figure

When you have a lot of things to say about a person, have you realized you do not know where to start? And worse still, where to end!

When I was small, everyone talked about mom looking after me but he was there to look after me when no one was looking. When I was having problems with Math and Science, he was the patient teacher. When I needed money for the hot samosas at the school cafeteria, he gave me money without asking a question. When I demanded an increase in weekly allowances, he never budged so that I could learn to save. When I reached adolescence, he took all my emotional outbursts and still managed a smile and suffered alone. When I left for college, he consoled mom when he was crying inside. When I left for higher studies, he pretended to be busy so that he would not have to bear the pain of being away from me. When I bought him a gift from my first salary, he showed it to everyone like a small kid. When I returned back, he showcased me proudly to all his friends. Today he gives importance to my opinions like a second self.

To everyone, a dad is someone who is not around a lot. Someone who goes to work the same time you leave for school and gets back much later than you. Someone who worships work and respects it. Someone who keeps a check on expenditures and draws the line between luxury and moderation. Someone who likes to read his morning paper with his coffee. Someone who does not like to be disturbed when the news is on. Someone who maintains an account of day to day expenditure. Someone who never discusses problems in front of the kids. Someone who is always practical. Someone who has a wealth of experience in holding and pulling a family through thick and thin. Someone who does not support boyfriends or girlfriends. Someone who has the super sense to spot the good and bad qualities in your friends. Someone who does not opinionate unless asked for. Someone who will not hesitate to do anything when it comes to providing the best education for his kids. Someone who gets your daily meal by spilling his sweat and blood. Someone who always cries inside and never on the out.

Yet, he is always the under acheiver of the family. A mother's love is truly alturistic. But no one ever talks about fatherly love. The truth of the matter is, why do we look upto our fathers the way we do? A professional and a practical man who would call a spade a spade. Maybe because, a motherly love is more coaxable, makes you feel more secure?

These were some of the thoughts that ran through my mind as I was watching an episode of The Wonder Years, where the dad has been portrayed as a closed man. I thought of mine while watching that episode and my entire life flashed in front of me. I thought of how I gave him joy, how I caused him pain, how I hurt him and how I respect him. Family ties tend to strengthen over distance. Mine surely has.

To Revise or Not to Revise

Graduation with no job is like dressed up with nowhere to go! Suddenly time stands still. How much can you search for jobs? I'm pretty sure each database server in every company knows my Resume by heart. I'm pretty sure it must be thinking....Shit this guy again!

But that's just the order of the day. Funny that after 16 gruelling years, we come to USA to become small entities in "The Land Of Opportunities". The next couple of years instills a firm resolve in everyone never to touch a texabook once more! So thinking thus, we graduate...only to find that the ordeal does not end there. This time we have a powerpack of the previous 18 years. Pretty easy to receive a powerpacked punch! I seem to lose the mark of differentiation between funny and irony.

So I have been brushing up right from my multiplication tables to complex technologies. From A for Apple to behavioral interviews. It's a good feeling that you still remember your multiplication tables from 1-12. Beyond that, my Casio fx-115W does the job without complaining. Inspite of this, we get screwed in the interviews. I think God has branded us to get fucked time and again so much that we can earn our bread and butter just by passing on the knowledge or maybe the art. I'm not being a pervert so please sense my sarcasm.

Over the past few weeks, I have been regularly clocking close to 6 hours per day pouring over books, online materials and what not. I even have a pdf version of my multiplication tables. Pretty high tech huh! I truly feel sorry for my laptop..the poor guy sits awake the whole day. I guess when Sony built mine, they would not have realized that this guy's birthright is to get screwed. Kinda similar what God thought about me! So I guess we are made for each other. Oh I cannot forget bandwidth utilization. Time-warner is surviving because of me!

So with my grey cells going black, I better end this blog before it shuts down completely!

Rajni Mania

A friend of mine recently sent this about Rajni! I actually wish some of them were true! Thalaivar rocks!!!

*There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Rajnikant has allowed to live.
* Outer space exists because it’s afraid to be on the same planet with Rajnikant.
* Rajnikant counted to infinity - twice.
* When Rajnikant does a pushup, he isn’t lifting himself up, he’s pushing the Earth down.
* Rajnikant is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
* Rajnikant doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.
* Rajnikant gave Mona Lisa that smile.
* Rajnikant can slam a revolving door.
* Rajnikant does not get frostbite. Rajnikant bites frost.
* Remember the Soviet Union? They decided to quit after watching a Padayappa on Satellite TV
* There are no races, only countries of people Rajnikant has beaten to different shades of black and blue.
* Rajnikant’s house has no doors, only walls that he walks through.

Adolescent Graduate

So end of the innocence is here. Tomorrow I graduate from being a college student to a job seeker. I would like to take this opportunity to be thankful for all those sleep inducing classes over the past couple of years. The teachers put us to sleep so quick that we would be dreaming about the hot chick in the late night movie the previous night. Too bad we won't relive those memories again.

So memoirs of a student life that taught me the following definitions...

Engineering: Logical excuse to screw up...Every single time.

Studies: New word in your dictionary...Visited by accident.

Research: Forceful imprisonment in a lab.

Lab: Deadlier than Alcatraz.

Assistantship: Formality for freeloading some money.

Library: A place where you get high speed internet access for any non academic websites.

Classroom: A place where you hone your skills to sleep with your eyes open

Books: A commodity that weightens your backpack tenfold.

Notes: Something the professor gives to show he has free access to the copier.

Exams: Quick and painful fuck.

Girls: Anything that is non-male.

Confidence: A feeling of getting through the month with only 100 bucks in your pocket.

Frustration: An engineer's bosom buddy.

Late: An engineer's definition.

Wishful thinking: Hooking up with a girl.

Booze: Best friend on Friday nights.

On-campus job: Timepass for many hours in the week.

Gymnasium: A place that NEVER should be visited during the semester.

Laptop: Style statement that burns a hole in your pockets...pants...thighs

Apartment: Hang out place for your friends...friends' friends....friends' friends' friends....

Kitchen: Home for cockroaches.

Internship: Money for nothing.

Permanent Job: 9-5 burnout routine.

Car: Owned by a friend...Driven by you.

Groceries: Monthly savings wholloped in an hour.

Road-Trip: Long drive where expenses are divided by 5 or more!

Vacation: Actual excuse to get up late.

Weekend: Something that lasts for as long as the blink of an eye.

Cooking: Something only eaten to live.

Your cooking: Your pride...and only yours.

Friend's cooking: A foreplay to food poisoning.

Cleaning: One time activity before inspection.

Wal-Mart: Cheaper than a dollar store.

Mall: Never to be visited with a girl.

Time: Only available to waste.

Graduation: Ceremony to commemorate the above knowledge.

Jobhunt: Every graduate student's worst enemy.

Thus I graduate into ignorance. But then again ignorance is bliss. So I shall stick with that. Congratulations to me!

The JUST IS League!

I had been meaning to write this for a few days now. I had been completely hooked on by the cartoon series-Justice League. This was WB's attempt featuring a star studded cast of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Hawk Girl and Flash. These characters formed the initial line up which eventually led to Justice League Unlimited featuring truly unlimited heroes!

So as a brief introduction, Superman and Batman had been fighting crime in their respective cities of Metropolis and Gotham and occasionally bumped into each other. Green Lantern was somewhere in deep space and so was Hawk Girl who came from the planet Thanagar. Wonder woman was busy training in her kingdom of Amazon where men where forbidden but the ladies were bombs! Flash was just runnin' around...

During an earth threatening situation (So what else is new?) Martian Manhunter (Jon Jones) used his telepathy to bring these heroes together. Then it was Superman who proposed the Justice League. Batman the lone wolf he was, chose to act as a part time member and founder. So this is a conversation among the first Justice League members. Read on!

Superman: So thank you all for coming. We have a crisis on our hands.
Flash: Do we really??? I'd say these lovely ladies are causing a crisis to my heart!
Batman (to himself): Jackass!
Jon (reading Batman's thoughts): Hehe
Wonder woman: Be serious guys. Justice League is not a joke.
Green Lantern: Yeah. And we are soon going to convince the villians that it definitely is not!
Superman: That's the spirit GL!
Hawk Girl: So WTF is the problem now??
Superman: Right right....Joker and Lex Luthor have joined forces.
Batman(to himself): Sonofabitch....This Joker is always up my ass. One of these days I'm gonna fart on his face.
Flash: I'm on the case. I'd like WW and HG for company.
GL: No Flash! Anyone but these babes. How about my bitch?
Superman: No foul language!
GL: I meant bitch..as in a female dog.
Jon: Pervert! In Mars we did not have bitches....Just Martians!
WW: Yeah. Speak for yourself.
Superman: Anywayyyy...what are we going to do?? Batman?
Batman: I am going to kick Joker's ass so hard this time that it'll not be a joke to him.
HG: That's it!! I want in on the ass kicking too.
WW: Oh no you don't! GL's your boyfriend. Bats is mine!!
Batman: Will these ladies ever let me work?? This is why I said I'm a loser.Ahem..sorry..loner.
WW: Sure...How about you and me lonesome tonight at the watch honey??

SM: Shit! Elvis just died!
Flash: How come grumpy Bats gets the ladies??
Jon: Ladies do not prefer sissies!
Flash: Hey! Who are you calling a sissy??
Superman: Oh brother!!!
GL: Hey HG! You and me..groovy tonight? How about it???
WW: Hey Batman! You still have not answered my question.
Jon: I wish I were stuck in Mars.
Batman: So Superman. Ignore these women. They always screw around with the good guys and fuck around with our duties!

Jon: Yeah ladies.It's better to be old and dutiful than bold and beautiful.

GL: Free advice from Mars? Really???
SM: Yeah. WW and GL...You will stay here in the Watch Tower. No food for you tonight.
Jon: Throw in the no food thing for Flash too. He never keeps his trap shut.
Batman: Yeah. In fact, I can bear with Joker than with this clown!
HG: Hey WW...What do we wear tonight?
WW: I think our costumes are sexy enough!
HG: Right on!
Batman: I thought SM assigned you guys the Watch Tower duty.
HG: So who says a woman can't dress up??
Batman(to himself): Oh Fuck! Women!!!!!!
Jon: Hehe...So SM who is going to fight Luthor and Joker?
SM: Finally!! Batman and GL will take down Joker. You and me will go for Luthor.
Flash: What about me??????
SM: You are with the Bitch. Till further notice!
WW: Awwww...Don't worry honey! After our watch, we shall model for you some of the new outfits we bought. Won't we HG?
HG: For sure! Will FTv be there??
SM: I'm gonna quit this job. I was a better loser when I was alone.
Batman: I second that!!!
SM:???????
GL: Wow Bats! You do have a sense of humour!
Batman(rises): Now let's go for some ass whipping. Last one to the plane is THE Loser.
SM,Jon,GL: We don't need a plane dumbfuck. We fly!
Batman(has the look of a Suckkaa on his face)
GL: Aww...Do you want in on the modeling too??
Batman: NO THANKS! I prefer the Suckkaa!! Laterz Dudez
GL: Seriously aren't you a little too old for dude lingo??

Flash: Well, smack my ass and call me Flashie!!

SMACK....SMACK....SMACK..
Jon(to himself): Now that's what I call a Justice League meeting.

I really am a huge Batman fan! But I HAD to blog this! If there ever is going to be a movie on Justice League, this would be my take on the characters:

Superman: Ben Affleck
Batman: Christian Bale
Wonder Woman: Jeniffer Connelly
Hawk Girl: Denise Richards
Green Lantern: Samuel.L.Jackson
Flash: Mark Wahlberg
Martian Manhunter: Bruce Willis

So I hope you have realized that I have way too much free time!!

Why?

Why are we born? What is our purpose in the Divine will? What is our contribution to the universe? Are we one with it?

Why are we protected in the womb for nine months? Why do we cry the moment we come out of it? Why are we given the parents we have? Which birth of ours is this one? Do we know it as a child? Can we really hear the voice of God when we are babies? Why do our parents care for us so much? Do we really care for them? Why is the only altruistic love that of a mother's? Why do they constantly put our happiness before theirs?

Why are we educated? Why are the most important things learnt by practice? How does an illiterate man learn the values of life? Are we all illiterate before God? Why cannot supernatural phenomena be explained? Why do we believe only in what we see? Can we ever comprehend the unexplained?

Why do we run this rat race? What happens after one race is completed? How many more do we have to run? What happens at the end of it all? Why do we follow a protocol in life?

Why do we get married to someone? How do we know a soulmate? Why do we love someone so dearly? Why is our first love so special? Why is it difficult to unite with our first love? Why don't we ever forget it? Why does it hurt when turned down? Why do we compromise after marriage? Why do we fight and make up? Why do we need a partner to share our feelings with?

Why do we feel the pressure to perform? Why can't we maintain focus when things don't look bright? Why do we fail? Do we possess the will to fight back? Why do we find excuses for our failures? What is success? How do we measure it? Is it relative? Why do we want more? Can we ever be content with what we have?

Why do we spend money? Why do we save it? Why are we slaves to it? Is there anyone who has true superiority to money? How much is too much? Why do we compare salaries? Why do we feel jealous of others' success? Why do others mock our success? Why do we act professional? Why do others want gain at your cost? Why do we do the same?

Why do we feel the importance of something when we do not have it? Why don't we realize an entity's importance when we do not struggle to get it? Why do we take people for granted? Why do we miss someone after they are dead? Do they know we miss them? Why can't we talk to the deceased? Why don't we know when we are going to die? What will happen 1 year from now? 1 month? 1 day? 1 hour?

Why can't we stop time? Why is it the single most governing element known to man? Was there a purpose to the concept of time?

Why do the little things in life grab our attention? Why do we feel positive seeing a sunrise? Why do we behave like little children on a sea shore? Why do we admire the beauty of nature? Why do we destroy it? Why are we saddened by suffering? What do we do to prevent it? Why don't we offer to the needy? Can we ever obtain true maturity?

Why are we blessed with friends? Why do we feel happy at their success? Why do we feed saddened by their failures? Why do we compare our failures with our friends' success? Why do we look upto them for support? Why do we still feel lonely amongst their presence? Why do we expect partiality within friends? Why do we crave for attention? Why do we fight for our friends? Why is it difficult to balance friends and parents?

Why do we die? What happens afterwards? Is there life beyond death? Do we take another birth? How do we know these facts? Can we assertain them? Can we meet God in the next world? Why do we fear God now? Does he really exist? Are sages true? Can they possess the will to renounce all wordly pleasures? Can we become sages? Will we do it because we want to run away from responsibility? Why do we find so hard to balance activities and spirituality? Can we ever do it?

Will we be at peace with ourselves? Will we be at peace with our surroundings? Will we leave everything to destiny? Can luck and destiny co-exist? How many lives do we need to answer these questions? Will that be the end?

Music Vibes

As a kid, my tryst with Carnatic music was rather extensive. My grandfathers followed it with great interest and so did my father. Fundamentals were learnt by me at a young age. Not much, but enough to appreciate the subtleties .

Recently, while doing some random searches on the internet, I stumbled upon some works of Dr.K.J.Yesudas and Dr.John.B.Higgins. I grew up listening to my father's cassettes and my affinity towards these two great artists grew then. It was awesome to hear those ragas and songs once again. Music in it's pure form!

Dr.Yesudas' Mahaganapathim and Dr.Higgins' Entharo Mahanu Bhavulu were classics that invoke great interest among young and budding artists even to this date. I also came upon some songs from the movie Sindhu Bhairavi. A Balachandar film starring Sivakumar in the lead is studded with carnatic songs by Dr.Yesudas. It is amazing that their charm still holds even today atleast with me. It is hard to find classics these days. If you get a chance to watch the movie, I would highly recommend it. The story is about a famous carnatic artist and his love for music, his love affair with his fan, his downfall and return to stardom. Very beautifully taken!

Dr.Higgins' rendition of the krithi Entharo Mahanu Bhavulu is considered a gem and his most recognized work. This song is attempted with difficulty even with Indian artists. An American doctorate of music, he was well known and respected among the Indian music fraternity as a gifted foreign artist. He holds the distinction of an American artist performing at the Thyagaraja Music Festival, a highly regarded and sacred fesival of music. He has been aptly given the title Bhagavathar- Scholar of Music.

Perhaps my quest for work these days has sparked my interest once again in carnatic. I found myself remembering most of the words in these songs. I guess the subconscious mind still preserved them!

Listening to music these days is listening to noise. I can't imagine people actually appreciate them. On the western music front, pure rock and roll nearly died after the eighties. What resulted was an onslaught with no definitive theme and lyrics that were filled with bullshit. Artists focussed more on how they looked rather than how they performed! There are very few performers left today who make good music and their charm holds good to this date.

Well, it seems like I've discovered my roots. Hope this tree expands!

The Mind of a Jobless man!

As a certified (well atleast by me!) job seeker, I seem to have a lot of free time on my hands. Waiting for calls that may or may not come is surely a lot of work! I seemed to have received the gift of time. All I need now is a gift of space and I could well make a continuum.

I wish to present a recent phone conversation (read techinical interview) that I had with Sidney a while ago. Please pay more attention to what I thought rather than what I said. Fine line that.

For those illiterate ones, unfortunate technical graduates like us have to go through the ordeal of one (or two) telephonic interviews before we are called for an on-site one. That is the company's way asking you to remove your pants and bend over.

Sidney: Hello! Is this Siddarth?
Me(answering): Hello Sir! I was expecting your call.
Me(thinking): Damn! Sidney's a man!

S: I wish to talk to you. Are you free?
M(a): Sure Sir!
M(t): Are you freaking kidding me???? Free is my middle name!

S: We are currently screening candidates for this profile.
M(a): Oh..ok
M(t): Reeeaally?? Was I scratching around when I applied for it??

S: I wish to speak to you about the same. Can you explain the projects you've put up?
M(a): Sure....blah...blah....blah....
M(t): Read it bitch! It's only in English and it's definitely not rocket science!

S: Oh good...I see...
M(a): blah...blah...blah....
M(t): Don't interrupt my train of thoughts..As it is I do not have too many of 'em!

S: Very good. Seems you have used this tool a lot...
M(a): Thank you. Yes, I have used it quite extensively in my coursework
M(t): If you ask about it..I swear I'll swear!!

S: Can you tell me how to use this aspect of this tool to tailor this application?
M(a): umm....blah....blah....umm..blah
M(t): FUCK! There I kept my promise.

S: It appears you have done a bit of team work too...
M(a): Yes. I seem to have rather nice memories of working in a team.
M(t): Seeing is not believing man!!

S: Can you explain?
M(a): blah...blah....blah...
M(t): I go the distance to make sure that I have chicks in my team. Do you know how hard it is especially when you have such a small number of them in engineering???

S: Ok....Can you tell me what is abc concept and how is is applicable in this situation?
M(a): ummm.....I'm not sure Sir..
M(t): WTF?????

S: Give it a try....
M(a): I think it can be used in...ummm...blah..blah...ummm
M(t): Man! I'm lying my ass off!!

S: Ok...I'll buy that....Tell me what do you mean by blah...blah...
M(a): umm...blah...blah....
M(t): Sonofabitch..you bought that???? Either I should get a Nobel prize or you should quit!

S: Seems I have asked all that I wanted to....
M(a): Ok..
M(t): Funny you're still alive and on the phone.

S: Is there anything you want to ask me?
M(a): Yes, can you expand on the specifics of this profile?
M(t): What is your underwear size??

S: Oh,alright...blah....blah...blah....
M(a): ummm....uh-huh...uh-huh...ummm
M(t): I'm making bedroom (or bathroom) noises now..

S: blah...blah...blah....blah....
M(a): ????
M(t): ???????????

S: blah.....blah....blah...blah.....blah.....
M(a): I see...Very interesting....
M(t): ????????????????????????????????

S: I guess that's pretty much the profile...
M(a): Very good Sir... seems to be to my liking...
M(t): Will Carmen Electra go on a date with me?

S: Is there anything else?
M(a): Oh yes!...blah...blah...
M(t): Really??

S: blah...blah...blah....
M(a): Thank you very much
M(t): Wow..you can talk! I was just trying to show off.

S: Well, that wraps it up. Thank you for your time.
M(a): A pleasure Sir.
M(t): I used to aim to pee..Now I aim to please too!!

S: We will notify the results soon. Have a good day!

M(a): I look forward to hearing from you.

M(t): Kill me...Kill me NOW!

(Dis)claimer: All characters in this post are fictitious. Any resemblence to these characters only assertains the fact that you had way too much free time to think about this post when you met them!

Geo-BEATS Mumbai!

Well,well,well...Another blog but nothing significant...I came across this website that gives people a good idea about different cities especially the ones in India. Can Mumbai be far behind?? NO!

There are a number of snippets on the city and it's flavours. If you are a foodie, please do check the link below! There were bits and pieces that even I was not aware of!

Anyway, I have mentioned a lot about this city in a number of my blog entries. I shall soon be back with some interesting musings soon... Till then I leave you with the popular adage...."You can take a man out of Mumbai but you can never take Mumbai out of a man!"

Have fun watching these!!!

http://www.geobeats.com/videoclips/alldestinations/india/mumbai

Mumb(h)ai!!

A friend of mine recently sent out this link. After going through it I realized the wonder that was Mumbai.

Set into 10 parts, this documentary takes you through the business capital of the country, it's lifelines, it's dabbawallahs- case studies of whose buisness model are being studied in some of the best business schools, it's sea link- a modern day civil engineering marvel. I am sure it'll invoke a great sense of pride!

Watch it...feel it..enjoy it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErjpC_42vcA

Luxury to Poverty..All in a blog!

I had the opportunity to view the day to day activities that happen at Deep Griha Society in Pune courtesy my sis who went there. I would like to mention that at this time, I am humbled more than ever. As modernization engulfs the world, people tend to get lost in the materialistic world to no ends.

We need to be thankful for the presence we have in society, a good education provided by our parents, who burn the midnight oil to make ends meet. Seeing these children at Deep Griha Society was an eye opener on the hardships the young children go through. Most of them being orphans, completely rely on the institution for their food, clothing and shelter-essentials we take for granted.

They say that "Luxury becomes a necessity when the neighbourhood has it". How true! The picture above shows that young minds of tomorrow are still in dire poverty. We talk at length about globalization and economic foundations, but can't we dedicate a small portion of our wallets for these kids? There is another instituition "Udavum Karangal"-translated to helping hands. This organization is based in Chennai and is doing very good work to feed, educate and shelter orphaned kids. There are plenty of selfless social workers who dedicate their lives for these kids. Blessed are these people who give expecting nothing in return.

I am not urging anyone to donate any money. Nor am I propagating any organization. All I am asking is to take some time off to think about the world outside shopping malls and excessive spending. I am sure you will get lost in introspection. Just like me...

Anyway, on a lighter note..hearty congratulations to my sis, who became a graduate with honours. Welcome to the world of ignorance....But then again it is bliss ain't it???

Something To Me...

This will bundle up a few thoughts that I'd been gathering purely for the purpose of blogging!I guess I'm getting the groove alright!This list will be a mixed bag of both serious and casual remarks,so don't get overly bored!I'll try to keep it as exciting as possible.

Introspection to me is....A means of discovery
Life to me is....A quest for a destination we do not know
Bliss to me is....Taking a leak after holding for long
Romance to me is....An act that happens only once in a lifetime
Failure to me is....A motivation to stand up and try again
Motivation to me is....A urge to accomplish something
Beauty to me is....Maharani Gayatri Devi
Raunchy to me is....Silk Smitha
Grace to me is....A tiger stalking it's prey
Ecstasy to me is....Watching a BMW whizz by
Team to me is....Something you belong to.Something you have to earn
Work to me is.....An everyday survival
Knowledge to me is....A relative affair which makes you want to bury yourself
Pain to me is....Seeing children without parents
Security to me is....Knowledge that your family is behind you
Support to me is....A person whom you can call anytime,to talk about anything
Family to me is....Something that cannot be described in words
Friends to me is....A rare combination of quality and quantity
Culture to me is....Something that runs within you
Sprituality to me is....Something that will always elude me
Uneasiness to me is....A feeling of rejection when proposing to a girl
Music to me is....Mark Knopfler
God to me is....An illusion that's a sure reality
Fear to me is....A feeling that can only be explained by the Supernatural
Success to me is....Shortlived because you will soon find shortcomings in it
Analysis to me is....A introspection on this post

I have listed mine.Have you done the same?

Whose Mumbai Is It Anyway?

I recently went through this article that claimed that Mumbai has lost it's Marathi Ethos.After having read it,I could not agree with the author less.

The author talks about how the once Maratha dominated Mumbai is now the field of play for every Indian from all across the country.In this context,he feels that the glory that used to synonimous with the city is now on the decline.The city of textile mills,according to him,has been swept by an array of multi-storied buildings and in the process of globalization,has lost it's identity.

I have been one of the "outsiders" to city.Having spent the better part of my life here,I have actually seen the city evolve and develop into the powerhouse it is today.On some occasions,even New York City comes a far second compared to Aamchi Mumbai.I am sure there will be thousands like me who support my view.

The Parsis turned this city to a financial hub.The mantle was carried on by industrialist J.R.D.Tata,then Dhirubhai Ambani,then the Birlas and the trend continues to grow with Ratan Tata,Kumaramangalam Birla,Mukesh and Anil Ambani.These people put the city and eventually the country on the global map.

What is it about the city that draws people to it like a moth to a flame?The vibrance,the acceptance by it's people and above all the never say die attitude of the inhabitants of this wonderful wonderful city.The author in the column goes on to add that during the bomb blasts,only the people of the chawls came to the rescue of the affected.While I agree with him on the fact that these people were there to help first but the others were not far behind.I was there when the blasts happened.I could see the city being overcome by humanitarian approaches.For once,walls of society were broken.A lot of innocent people shought refuge behind sheltered environments and not once was the hierarchical order brought into play.It is during these times that we forget our positions in society to help human-kind.

During the recent train blasts,I was overjoyed to see Mumbai take to the street to help the victims.I know that nowhere in the world will you see such compassion.So to disagree with the author that Mumbai has lost itself to non-Maharashtrians,I would like to add that Mumbai has rediscovered herself in new hands!

It is important in this age to progress rapidly with technologial advances.But,if we remember our roots,our origination,our culture,we are doing more than our share of keeping the spirit of India alive.To sit back and revel at the past and brooding over it is an act of foolishness.But to remember that past and move on..that's progress.

I am an Indian,born in the temple city of Madurai,spent my pre-teens in New Delhi,tempered in Mumbai and surviving in USA.I represent the spirit of Mumbai.I am a Mumbaikar!

Why a Desi?

It's almost been 2 years in the big bad USA for me and two long years away from the land I call home.I have been meaning to write these thoughts for a while now but now I have a medium!

Almost every Indian who comes here tries to inculcate practices and customs followed by the Americans.It's almost tailor made because we hear so much about the "western civilization" that we adopt it subconsciously.We know every state in USA before we know our own!Pubs,night clubs,strip clubs..you name it we have heard of it!

An extremely annoying thing is the way we try to find fault in the culture and the land that's in our blood.Once an Indian sets his ass on American soil,he tries to bring down fellow Indians so that he can fit into the "American culture".Is this something we do for kicks?If an Indian crosses the street when the lights are not in his favour,how many of you go,"I know it!That guy is an Indian"?Well,the next time you become all judgmental imagine the shit you were in when you got here.We criticize the Indian government for the chaos the nation is in.Every country is in shit.Just that one uses toilet paper while the other uses hands!

How many of you call a fellow Indian DESI???Haha..this must be good!I can see people hiding their faces as I type!Oh,he does not have a car....he's a Desi.Oh,he writes colour instead of color..must be a Desi!Oh he wears a tshirt with trousers...must be a Desi.WTF is wrong with you people??

I agree that it becomes difficult to adjust to new environment when you come from conservative backgrounds.Just for a moment think that you were in the same position not so long ago!So why the double standards?

This attitude is pathetic and sad.To bring down a fellow Indian just to mingle and look good amongst others is something we have been very good at!Why can't we treat our countrymen with the same respect?Why do we pour our compliments to people here?

Some things to muse and fuse your brains!

My first blog!!

Yipeee....I never knew this was so easy!

So to begin with,do not feel scared or overly "excited" about the blog title.Stupid google returned invalid results for every f!@#$%^ word I typed.Just then the idea of being original came to mind.So underwearemotions was born!Please do not think double meaning and all....I swear to god..me good boy..None of my friends will swear by that!

So why the new blog=your question..Hmm..Inspiration from another friend=my answer.Anyhoo,having taken a LOT of pain in creating this blog,I have to go through even more pain in keeping it alive.So immediately after me postings,you replyings.OK?

Next hardest thing...to talk..oh ,blog about a topic.Sharry...new boy you see.No knowings of lingos yet!

It is every person's dream to "un-work" at work.This does not mean redo the work you did.I would have said re-work then!I have been fortunate to have done that for 9 months.The best part is that you get paid for it.A lot of less fortunate folks look at other means to derive pleasure at work.Sightings the figure in the next to next to next desk->Getting no response from her->not giving up hope and retrying the same thing again tomorrow.Damn,I want that!Not that I want work..but I should feel satisfied at the end of doing nothing productive.

As engineers(if I can call myself that!),we are trained to optimize everything.With the best free advice given by many many people(parents and teachers especially included),we continue to optimize on a lot of things.Food,sleep,figure/dude sightings are examples.So it is by default that we need to optimize un-work!Agree with me here.The more support I get,the more productive and optimized at work I can be!

So far,I have managed a lot of random bakwaas.I just realized that to blog,you need to have a clear picture of the topic in mind.Since this is my first blog while I'm "optimizing" at work,echoos me!

Well,that's about it on this one.I have come up with a lot of topics and thoughts over the past couple of days and it's just a matter of time before I put pen on paper...or in this case keyboard on monitor!See you guys soon.