Dev

Whenever I feel unmotivated because of lack of effort from others and things not happenning because of one or the other reason, I listen to the dialogues from movie Dev. Amitabh's voice makes it more effective.

मुद्दा ये नही है के मै जीतूँगा या हारूंगा। मुद्दा ये भी नही है के मै जिऊंगा या मार दिया जाऊंगा।
मुद्दा ये है के एक पुलिस अफसर होने के नाते मेरा जो कर्तव्य है, उसे मै पुरे इनामदारी से निभाता हु के नही।
सामने विजय हो या पराजय, योद्धा का धर्मं है लढना। आंखरी साँस तक, खून के आखरी कतरे तक सतत संघर्ष करते रहना।

Thinking of it, I keep in fighting whether I see light or not. It is better to burn than fade away.

Re-birth of a man, Time to fly!

I am back. Kept away from blogging by blaming work-load as an excuse to my lack of focus and laziness. August has been most eventful month. Did lot of running around for most of the time. But I will remember it forever for the most amazing thing I have ever done in my life, Sky-diving.
My spirits were all time low and sky-diving appeared to be a way.

The facility is located at about 1 hour drive from my place. After registering, the only thing those people do is to scare you with the 'Assumption of risk' forms. The forms basically state that sky-diving is dangerous and life threatening. You need to acknowledge the risk by signing on forms. I am sure many people must be dropping out after reading those forms.

The drive to facility was pleasant thanks to excellent directions given on the web-site. After reaching there, I had to wait for almost 3 hours till my turn came. But the waiting paid off as I got to jump in the fabulous evening light.

I was given a jumping suit to wear and the trainer gave some basic instructions. The flight to jumping altitude was small but cosy. When we reached 14,000 feet, I slowly moved towards the exit along with trainer. And within few seconds, i was doing a free-fall @ 120mph. The feeling of cool fresh air hitting my face and watching setting sun will remain etched on my memory forever. After about 1 minute, the parachute opened and I started the a descent to ground. The overall experience was great and I felt like -
And I ride the winds of a brand new day,
High where Carolina's mountains stand,
Found my hope and pride again,
Rebirth of a man....Time to fly!

Enjoy the video -

Call it serendipity or what, the video contained background song as "Dream on" by Aerosmith.

I can't complete this without mentioning the highly professional and friendly people @ Sky-dive Carolina - http://www.skydivecarolina.com/

The sweet hello, the sad Goodbye

Saying Good-bye has never been easy for me. I always get emotional, my face droops, eyes become wet and I wear a fake smile. The hangover remains for some days.

I remember the time when my holidays would get over and I had to leave house for next term in hostel. I would become cranky at I would yell at my mom for small reasons to take out my frustration.

Once Engineering was over, time came for saying godbye to Pune people. The place where I spent 4 amazing years. The cultural group, hostel friends and my family in Pune.

When the pain of leaving Pune was calmed down by Saat Kaante, the kaante team members went in different directions and saying goodbye to them was awful.

And today again I realize it during the long painful drive back from airport to home. Or while driving my car. Or while walking in the parking lot.

How nice it would be to stay always close to all the people I like. Life with no goodbyes and only hellos. But it won't happen in real life. Someone will leave and I will have to go through the process again. As M says- Life is tough, man!

Grounded for life

Sometimes I feel like this.
Stuck in a situation where I can't move my hands, feet.
Just stick my neck out and watch what's happening around me.
Then I close my eyes and wait for a wave to come and free me from the mess.

Tasveer teri dil mein

Posting after a long time. Busy with work and other things. But couldn't resist posting this beautiful song with fantastic lyrics which exactly suits my mood now. Enjoy!



Lyrics -
Tasveer teri dil mein jis din se utari hai,
phir tuje sang leke naye naye rang leke sapno ki mehfil mein.

Maathe ki bindiya tu hai sanam, nayno ke kajra piya tera gham,
nain kiye niche niche, rahu tere pichhe pichhe, chalu kisi manzil mein.

Tumse nazar jab gayi hai mil, jahan hai kadam tere wonhi mera dil,
jukon jahan palke teri, khule jahan zulfon teri rahun usi manzil mein.

Tufan uthayegi duinya magar, rook na sakega dil ka safar,
younhi nazar milti hogi younhi sama jalti hogi teri meri manzil mein.

Independence Day

This independence day, we went to watch fireworks at Faith, NC. people had gathered in huge number and finding space for parking was a big problem as usual.

We reached just in time at the site of fireworks. It lasted for only 15 minutes. But the patterns of fireworks were good and the colours were beautiful. The amazing about it was the number of enthusiastic people gathered to watch it in normally sleepy town of salisbury. It was more fun watching people enjoying the fireworks.

This video is taken from my camera.

It's a magical world

Calvin: Wow, It really snowed last night! Isn't it wonderful?

Hobbes: Everything familiar has disappeared! The world looks brand-new!

Calvin: A new year... A fresh clean start!

Hobbes: It's like having a big white sheet of paper to draw on!

Calvin: A day full of possibilities! It's a magical world. Hobbes, Ol' buddy... Let's go exploring!

Happy Birthday to me!

Beginning of another year. 26th year for records.

Good day for looking back at year gone by. Appalauding your acievements. Noting down mistakes you made. Making new resolutions.

Setting targets for coming year and not following them.

Eating cake, wearing new clothes and taking kicks in your ****.
Getting wishes from your dear ones.

And not getting from ones you were expecting most.

Day to feel like king of the world and at the same time worrying about growing age.

I love a rainy night

On a rainy night like this, listen to a nice song by Eddie Rabbit.



Lyrics -
Well, I love a rainy night
I love a rainy night
I love to hear the thunder
Watch the lightning
When it lights up the sky
You know it makes me feel good

Well, I love a rainy night
It's such a beautiful sight
I love to feel the rain
On my face
Taste the rain on my lips
In the moonlight shadow

Showers washed
All my cares away
I wake up to a sunny day
'Cos I love a rainy night
Yeah, I love a rainy night
Well, I love a rainy night
Well, I love a rainy night

Ooh-ooh

Puts a song
In this heart of mine
Puts a smile on my face every time
'Cos I love a rainy night
Yeah, I love a rainy night
Ooh, I love a rainy night
Yeah, I love a rainy night

Ooh-ooh

12th June - The day Humor died

The headlines of 13-June-2000 Loksatta said -
प्रिय पु.ल.
आज महाराष्ट्र रडणार नाही, यापुढेही नाही. तुमची आठवण काढून, एकेक शब्द आठवुन हसत राहील. हसता हसता डोळ्यात पाणी येईल एवढंच!

I felt just the same way while reading his every book or listening to his storytelling. His stories made me laugh hard and wet my eyes with emotion at same time. I spent my holidays feasting over his books and never felt like stopping. Whatever sense of humor I have is greatly influenced by his work.
My personal favourites which I carry with me wherever I go -

• Asa mi Asami (असा मी असामी)
  The fictional autobiography of a middle-class Marathi man
  
• Vyakti and Valli (व्यक्ती आणि वल्ली)
  A collection of fictional but quintessential Marathi profiles

His departure meant no new books, no new plays and no new katha kathan cassettes. No more Chitale mastar and no more Phulrani. For me, it was end of marathi humor.

Maaeri

Teriyaan, meriyaan pul gaya
Pul gaya haar te jeet
Hey maaye ki karna main jeet nu
Howey na je meet, howey na je meet

Translation -
I forgot YOURS and MINE,
Even Forgot WIN and LOSE,
What am I gonna do with WIN,
If I don't have a loved one, if I don't have a loved one.

This is how I imagine myself in coming years -Juggling between different priorities in life and trying to keep the famous smile going. How will I be able to dedicate time and energy for myself, my hobbies and interests?

Flashback

When I picked-up G from air-port yesterday, it reminded me of day I arrived in US. All dressed up in suit, overjoyed about being in US and talking with excitement about offshore.
Then I thought about trip back from vacation. Dressed like a junkie and hoping for a blunder at immigration which will send me back.
1 year changed me completely.

Comments

Comments that irritate me and at the same time make me think why people use them.

• बहोत खुश दिख रहा है !
• आज कल बहोत बिझी है. दिखता नही है !
• तुम तो बडे लोग बन गए !
• विसर्लास तू आम्हाला ! फ़ोन नाही बरेच दिवसात.

Song for my Break-up

I forgot more than you'll ever know about her.

You think you know the smile on her lips
The thrill and the touch of her fingertips
But I forgot more than you'll ever know about her.

You think you'll find a heaven of bliss
In each caress, in each tender kiss
But I forgot more than you'll ever know about her.

You stole her love from me one day
You didn't care, oh, it hurt me
But you can never steal away memories of what used to be.

You think she's yours, to have and to hold
Someday you'll learn, when her love grows cold
But I forgot more than you'll ever know about her.

(Great song by Bob Dylan, one of my favourites)

Dialogue from Govinda movie

सारे शेहर मे मेरी चर्चा हो, इस से अच्छा है थोडा खर्चा हो।

माझिया मना

माझिया मना ज़रा थांब ना,
धावणे तुझे अन् मला वेदना!

(Trying to translate - My mind, please stop for a while. I have to suffer because of your wandering.)

Stuck in the middle

Why do I have to always make a choice between two groups I like to hang out with but they don't want to hang out with each other. Over the years, I have made some choice and wasted enormous amount of time thinking over it. It happened in family, with friends and at work. How different my world would be if I had powers to make peace between them and be together.

Can't help mentioning this dialogue from Spider man.
Green Goblin: Spider Man. This is why only fools are heroes… because you never know when some lunatic will come along with a sadistic choice. Let die the woman you love... or suffer the little children. Make your choice, Spider Man, and see how a hero is rewarded.

Speech by Steve Jobs

I had read the text version of this speech. But it is more effective when you hear the Stevenotes.

Song for my Girl

You,

Doin' that thing you do,

Breaking my heart into a million pieces,

Like you always do And you,

Don't mean to be cruel,

You never even knew about the heartache,

I've been going through

Well I try and try to forget you girl,

But it's just so hard to do,

Every time you do that thing you do.

I,

Know all the games you play,

And I'm gonna find a way to let you know that,

You'll be mine someday 'Cause we,

Could be happy can't you see,

If you'd only let me be the one to hold you,

And keep you here with me

'Cause I try and try to forget you girl,

But it's just so hard to do,

Every time you do that thing you do

I,

don't ask a lot girl,

But I know one thing's for sure,

It's the love I haven't got girl,

And I just can't take it anymore

'Cause we,

Could be happy can't you see,

If you'd only let me be the one to hold you,

And keep you here with me

Cause it hurts me so just to see you go,

Around with someone new,

And if I know you you're doin' that thing,

Every day just doin' that thing,

I can't take you doing that thing you do

Spidey - 3

Revenge is like a poison. It could really take us over. Before you know, it could turn you into something ugly.

I had never thought that I would experience this within 1 hour of watching the movie. Spidey continues to fascinate me.

Funda # २ by Calvin n Hobbes

Calvin: Here I am! Waiting for the bus. Eleven more years of school to go. Then college, then maybe graduate school, and then I work until I die.
What kind of world is this? you only get 5 years to be a kid.
What about exploring and discovering and playing? Those things are important too!
Hobbes: Well... you still have afternoons and weekends.
Calvin: That's when I watch TV.

Funda # १ by Calvin n Hobbes

Calvin: I call this "Lookout" hill.

Hobbes: Yes, you can certainly see far from up here.

Calvin: I call it "lookout" hill because that's what you yell whenever we go down it. You know sometimes it seems things go by too quickly. We are so busy watching out for just what is ahead of us that we don't take the time to enjoy where we are. Days go by and we hardly notice them. Life becomes a blur. Often it takes a calamity to make us live in the present. Then suddenly we wake up and see all the mistakes we have made. But it's too late to change anything. It's like....It's like.....

Hobbes: It's like what?

Calvin: It's like Something...I just can't think of it.

Spiderman - favourite quotes

• Not everyone is meant to make a difference. But for me, the choice to lead an ordinary life is no longer an option.
• Who am I? You sure you want to know? The story of my life is not for the faint of heart. If somebody said it was a happy little tale... if somebody told you I was just your average ordinary guy, not a care in the world... somebody lied.
• People love to see Heroes fail, fall, die trying to win.
• Whatever life holds in store for me, I will never forget these words: "With great power comes great responsibility." This is my gift, my curse. Who am I? I'm Spiderman.

Funny profile - Take in your lighter vein

With all due respect to the person, a profile from Shaadi.com....
One Indian Woman
Plus
a Feminist
Minus
dutiful, obedient wife material
Minus
a tall, thin, fair eligible girl
Minus
long beautiful hair
Minus
a doctor, an engineer or even a businesswoman
Minus
timid and speechless
Plus
determined and opinionated
Divided by
abusive demons
Multiplied by
a will to survive
SUMS ME UP!

- No intent to hurt anyone's feelings

JACK : Straight from the Gut

• Gutoff's recognition - that he considered me different and special - made a powerful impression. Ever since that time, differentiation has been a basic part of how I manage. That standard raise I got over four decades ago has probably driven my behaviour to an extreme. But differentiation is all about being extreme, rewarding the best and weeding out the ineffective. Rigorous differentiation delivers real stars - and stars build great businesses.
• They say that differential treatment erodes the very idea of teamwork. Not in my world. You build strong teams by treating indivisuals differently.
• When people make mistakes, the last thing they need is discipline. It's time for encouragement and confidence building. The job at this point is to restore self-confidence.

1 year in US

28 Janury 2006. I still remember that day. The longest day in my life. A 24 hour flight which felt like zillion hours, then Rang De Basati, Dinner at On the Border and could have been my first visit to XXX. Today, after 1 year, I am packing my bags again, preparing for journey back to India (For vacation though).
The 365 days in between have passed like a moment. What a journey it has been. Not a single minute short of action. New friends, catching up with old friends. It was great year.