Someone said, Blogging is like screaming at a blank wall. Here I am, doing just that!

I'll Finish Him....!

2005-10-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

So today I called up this desi travel agent - I have been calling them all over to get the tickets; anyhow a very sweet lady picked up the phone and this is how it went...

Me: ...Can you give me the fare details?

Her: Can I have your name please?

Me: Suyog; S as in Sam, U as in Umbrella, Y as in umm..err.. Yak, (excuse me sir?) Y as in Why!, O as in Ostrich, G as in God.

Her: And your phone number sir?

Me: 4-4-3--5-6-2--5-1-0-1

Her: Suyog, I am currently with another customer here; Can I please call you back in 5-10 minutes? I will finish him and get to you...

I almost wanted to say err.. miss dracula... I am not in a hurry. I ended up meekly saying - "of course, I would reaaaaaaaalllly appreciate it".

Sigh, the desi travel agents ;-)

Another number game.

2005-09-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

I promise this is the last :D... for a while.

OK, I have achieved my objectives and more :)

I am now 48 pounds lesser and 4 inches off my waist - a cool 32" waist hehheh - still got some fat around, eh, but who caressssssssssssss!!!! I never aimed for a flat stomach anyways hehehe!

I am on top of the world now :) - didnt know weight loss was not only easy, but enjoyable!

Tada!!!!!

Mummy ko nahi hai pata!

2005-09-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

Now this is one atrocious song I have been hearing since the last few days fromt the movie Chocolate. The lyrics borderline senselessness, and I can't help but go into fits of laughter when hear Sunidhi Chauhan croon:

Kehte hain sabhi ke badhi HOTTTH hoo main...
Tequila ka ek SHOTTH hoon main...
Kehte hain sabhi ke badhi HOTTTH hoo main...
Tequila ka ek SHOTTH hoon main...

Magar Khayaaaal yeh rahe Zaraaaaaaaa-aa...

Mummy ko nahi hai pata!!!!
Mummy ko nahi hai pata!!!!
So - Mummy ko na kehnaaaaaaaaaaa!!

Ye! Way to go Sunidhi!

40 and >3

2005-08-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

By now everyone knows what it means. But I will gloat about it anyways - Yes, I am down by 40 pounds and more than 3 inches of my waist!

Ye! Ye! I feel happier :)

Life is Wonderful.

2005-08-11T08:10:00.000-07:00

I am really impressed by this song - Jason Mraz is a good artists. I loved the lyrics, especially the lines in bold:

"Life Is Wonderful"

It takes a crane to build a crane
It takes two floors to make a story
It takes an egg to make a hen
It takes a hen to make an egg
There is no end to what I'm saying

It takes a thought to make a word
And it takes a word to make an action
It takes some work to make it work
It takes some good to make it hurt
It takes some bad for satisfaction

La la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Al la la la la

It takes a night to make it dawn
And it takes a day to you yawn brother
It takes some old to make you young
It takes some cold to know the sun
It takes the one to have the other

It takes no time to fall in love
But it takes you years to know what love is
It takes some fears to make you trust
It takes those tears to make it rust
It takes some dust to make it polished

Ha la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is so full of
Ah la la la la la la life is so rough
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is our love
Ah la la la la la

It takes some silence to make sound
It takes a loss before you found it
It takes a road to go nowhere
It takes a toll to know you care
It takes a hole to make a mountain

Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is oh love
Ah la la la la la la love is all sorts of
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la la life is full circle
Ah la la la la la la life is holla holla
Ah la la la la la la next up bushwalla-walla
Ah la la la la la la life is wonderful
Ah la la la la la

Time Flies.

2005-08-05T11:53:00.000-07:00

2 Days ago my close friend called me and told me that he was moving back to India. It struck me then that, at that moment, the time flies, and flies incredibly fast. 4 years is a long time and a short time, depending on how I look at it!

4 years ago, here was I unsure about my own future, getting into grad school, still fresh out of college, with the rage and enthusiasm of the futre. 4 years thence, here I am, mellowed and grown up.

Inarguably - the first 2 years of gradschool were great - enjoyed a lot; working for 2 years after that makes you feel grown up a lot :(. 2 years of work, and I already feel grown up. 20 years of education, and I still felt young! ha!

The last student, The first teacher.

2005-07-19T17:21:00.000-07:00

What is it about a Teacher and a Student that instantly bonds into some kind of a wierd and a close friendship between two people? I have always been a good learner and listener, and I have always excelled in everything in life when I have had a great mentor with me.

Few weeks ago I began my swimming classes with a instructor in a club. He had initially offered me 2 women instructors to teach me, and also mentioned he could as well too if I was ready. For some odd reason, I reasoned to myself that though learning to swim with a female teacher sounded quite exciting, however if my heavy self were to panic in water, I did rather prefer a stronger hand to save my life! Also, given the fact that instructor came accross as a very mild mannered man, I asked him to be my instructor.

From the very first class, for some odd reason I felt very comfortable with him teaching me swimming. I think it had a lot to do with how he taught me swimming. I had told him before hand that I had water phobia, so my first class was nothing but drowing myself in water and staying as long as I could under water. Well, surprise, it helped greatly!! Before the first class was over, I could glide 4 meters under water without giving up my breadth.

The next few classes went peacefully, till the last class I had with him, where he finally taught me arm movement and breathing. It was my last class, and I had already made my mind to have some more classes from the instructor. However hard he tried, I was just not able to do legstroke-handstroke-breathing properly at all. At one point, I got frustrated, and he immediately noticed that.

"I want you to do one thing for me" he said - "Go back to the wall, and all I want you to do is glide on water; Nothing else; just glide". I obliged, and this time glided around 6 meters holding my breath. When I finished, he remarked - "See, its not so difficult to keep yourself above water. Dont FIGHT with the water, embrace it. You will float anyways". I thought about it for a second and realized what he said was so true; On the way back, I did the arm-leg-breathing movement in the right way!

I had realized by then, how good an instructor he was that he could immediately correct me on stuff that I did wrong. At the end of the class he mentioned - "Today is our last class Suyog, and I have to tell you that you did an excellent job. Not many of my students have actually learnt the arm movement in 7 classes. Its great teaching you because you look so earnest about learning swimming. A lot of people I teach have either no time to practice or never get around to finishing the course, but you really seem to want to learn swimming". Of course, this made me happy, why shouldnt it.

As I was getting late, I told the instructor I did meet him next day (As in today) to discuss our future classes. Today I met him again in evening, and he began explaining about how should I proceed further. I instantly agreed to take 4 more classes, and he again gave me the option of choosing an instructor. I asked him again to coach me further, to which he replied that he was leaving the club this week and moving to Virginia; and he didnt want to finish a course half way.

I dont know why, or what happened to me, but at that single instance, I felt instantly sad and dejected. I had almost assumed that he would be the instructor who would teach me further, but here I was hearing that not only my instructor was not going to teach me, but was leaving the club as well. He mentioned that his girlfriend got into VTech, and he had to make a decision to be with her. I signed up on his recommendation, this time, a female teacher (albeit, beautiful and is polish), yet the feeling of sadness didnt leave me.

As I scheduled my appointments with polish lady instructor, I decided to bid my instructor a good luck with his life. In his office, exchanging pleasantries he again said - "Suyog, you were one of the best students I taught swimming too; you might think I say this to everyone and I do say it to encourage my students, but It has been a real joy teaching someone as earnest as you. I will be getting a new job, away from clubs and swimming - so u are my last student, and I think I am signing off on a good note" I replied "You've been great teacher as well; I was really comfortable around you learning swimming and I think its got a lot to do with how you taught swimming".

We exchanged email addresses and phone numbers and thought about keeping in touch ahead; As I walked out of the club, I was quite moist and sad - here was an instructor whom I had barely knew for what - 7, 40 minutes classes - and yet, I felt a strange kind of bonding towards him, and I know people since years I couldnt care less about. Maybe he is a great teacher, and I have always loved learning under great teachers, and thats probably a reason why I felt dejected that I would miss out an oppurtunity to learn under someone good.

I think I will be pursuing swimming ahead, and maybe my lady instructor will not be the last teacher to teach me. But I guess, I will always remember that first instructor who taught me how to embrace water, not fight it.

Yes, I was his last student, and he my first instructor. Life is funny.

Seen an OX doing pushups?

2005-07-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

...I did! Where do you ask? Of course my dream!

This has to be one of the wierdest dreams I have seen in a long long time, and when I woke up I made it a point to remember the dream and pen it down!

So as the dream goes, I am standing in my balcony contemplating a swim in the pool. And as I am looking at the park overlooking my balcony, I see an Ox and a Bison doing pushups!! Now imagine how they were doing pushups - they had their front legs extended, and these heavy duty animals are bending down, moving ahead and getting up - exactly like a pushup! I am wondering too, why these animals are acutally exercising.

Cut ahead, I am walking towards the pool with a old lady, and all we see going towards teh pool are bisons and oxen. At the pool, we are shocked to see that some Oxens and Bisons are actually swimming and playing the poool!! At the other end of pool, the lifeguard is washing other oxens. On being asked, she replied that it was a special day today for Oxen, and the pool was closed to all residents!! WE (I and the lady) are surprised and the lady remarked to me that they didn't make the annoucement in the building. I agree and we start walking towards home, and behold - we now see the same two animals who did pushups running on treadmill! (Where the F*** that treadmill come from!).

At this point I got up - It was a wierd feeling allrite, and then I laffed to myself and decided to remember this dream!

God, I am wieeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrd

30 and 2.5....

2005-07-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

Ok, another of those self bloating posts.

As of yesterday, I have lost 30 inches and 2.5 pounds - oh wait - its 30 pounds and 2.5 inches.

How did you measure 2.5 you ask? Go figure!

sigh ;(

2005-06-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

Apocalpyse myself!

What Classic Movie Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Come, Make me Rich!

2005-06-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

Another of those mails which I just love to no end!

DEAR FRIEND,
SABAAH AL-KHAYR.

I AM IBN MOHAMMED MOHAMMED,I AM 67YEARS OLD.IAM A CITIZEN OF SAUDI ARABIA,BUT I AM RESIDENT IN CAYMAN ISLAND.I WAS BORN AN ORPHAN IN 1937. I HAVE NO FATHER OR MOTHER, AND I HAVE NO RELATIVES.I STRUGGLED AND WORKED HARD AND ALMIGHTY ALLAH BLESSED ME ABUNDANTLY WITH RICHES.I USED TO BE A DEALER IN GOLD, DIAMONDS AND TANTALITE.I AM NOW OLD AND SICK. I AM NOT A HAPPY MAN.I HAVE NO WIFE AND I HAVE NO CHILDREN.I DID NOT GET MARRIED DUE TO A REASON I CANNOT DISCLOSE TO YOU.FOR 2 YEARS NOW I AM SERIOUSLY SICK. I AM PRESENTLY IN HOSPITAL SUFFERING FROM LUNG CANCER AND I HAD A HEART ATTACK WHICH HAS AFFECTED MY SPEACH.I CAN NO LONGER TALK AND I AM ALSO DEAF.MY BODY IS PARALYSED.THE DOCTORS SAY I HAVE ABOUT 2 MOUNTHS LEFT TO LIVE.I SEND YOU THIS MAIL WITH THE HELP OF MY PRIVATE NURSE, ASSISTING ME. I CAN ONLY MOVE MY RIGHT HAND,AND I AM ABLE TO WRITE LITTLE WITH IT. WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN IS BEEN SENT TO YOU VIA EMAIL BY MY PRIVATE NURSE AND CARE TAKER. I HAVE LITTLE TIME SO I HAVE COMMITTED IT TO SPREADING MY WEALTH TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR MANKIND.IN THE HOSPITAL WHERE I AM ,I HAVE GIVEN THE MANAGEMENT ENOUGHF FUNDS TO UPGRADE AND BUILD A NEW CANCER RESEACH FACILITY.THIS WILL PROVIDE BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR OTHER CANCER PATIENTS. I DONT KNOW YOU, BUT DUE TO MY CONDITION AND THE WISH OF ALMIGHTY ALLAH I
AM CONTACTING YOU WITH THE HOPE THAT YOU WILL CARRYOUT MY INSTRUCTION FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY.I HAVE US$6million IN GOLD DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY DEPOSIT COMPANY .I WANT YOU TO TAKE CUSTODY OF THE GOLD, SELL IT AND USE THE MONEY TO BUILD AN ORPHANAGE IN YOUR COUNTRY. YOU WILL NAME IT MOHAMMED ORPHANAGE HOME.

YOU MUST FOLLOW MY WISH FOR IT WILL GLADEN THE HEART OF ALMIGHTY ALLAH.

IF YOU ARE READY TO DO THIS AND CARRYOUT MY WISH, THEN SEND ME
[1]YOUR FULL NAMES
[2] YOUR PHONE/FAX NUMBER
[3] AND YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.

WITH THE HELP OF MY PRIVATE NURSE I WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU.

I AWAIT YOUR REPLY.
ALLAH HAFIZ.
IBN MOHAMMED MOHAMMED.

-- Hello sir? U were born orphan (how??), You didnt have brothers or sisters (Of course dumb man, u said you were an orphan!), U are paralyzed, had a heart attack, have lung cancer, your speech is impaired, you cannot write, you have an un-discloseable disease and you are deaf too! Did someone say you are DUMB too?! And your private nurse is another dumb idiot who doesnt want your $6 million, so you want me to take it!

Sigh!! If you existed in reality I would be by your side sire. :D

What are you waiting for?

2005-06-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I came across this ad for a prescription medicine on TV. Not that its unique or one of its kind, but I couldnt help the hidden sarcasm thrown at the patient in the ad.

Don't really remember what was the prescription medicine for - yeah - it was RA - R(something) Arthiritis. So, it was this pill designed to be taken once a day to negate and get rid of RA. And the Ad with a soothing voice of a lady went thus...

"....So ask your doctor about RA %&#*# prescription medicine. People with liver problems, kidney problems or heart ailments should not take $*%*$. If you have High Blood Pressure, Diabetes or Osteriopersis, please talk to your doctor to see if #*#* RA medicine is right for you. Side effects may include headache, blurred vision, weight loss and or fatigue. Pregnant women should not take #*$#*$ RA. If you are already taking prescription for Low Blood Sugar, Hypertension or cetain types of Heart Ailments, see if Prescription #*$%*# RA is right for you. In rare cases, Heart failure, Ulcer Problems and Muscle loss has been reported using Prescription #*%#* RA. So what are you waiting for?? Talk to your doctor today! "

Hello Lady?? Are you even sure that a normal human being qualifies to be treated with this Prescription @#*%#* RA?

Do I Look Like I Care?

2005-06-12T15:35:00.000-07:00

So I have this T-Shirt which I got from Walmart a couple of weeks ago which is white in color and the text in bold, center: "Do I look Like I care?" - makes for a bold, humorous fashion statement, thought I.

Anyhow, Saturday afternoon, in burning 90 degrees, I decided to wear this T, simply because it was so comfy and head to CompUsa to drool on Apples. Though my friend tells me that those days are numbered and warns me that Intel + Apple=Crapple.

Thats besides the point about this post.

As I was walking towards the store, I notice this woman walking towards me with a bunch of carrybags in her hands, obviously heading to her car. As we neared, she laughed out loudly and quipped - "Thats a lovely T-Shirt! I need to get one of those and wear in front of my husband!!!" ; "Its a good T isnt it?" I said. She asked me where I had got the T-Shirt from and remarked that she would rush there immediately lol.

I was amused by her reaction; I could already imagine her saying to her hubby - "Do I look like I care?".

Anyhow, back home in my condo building, as I was taking the lift to the 10 floor, the two mexican women in the same lift, did the same - stare at my T-Shirt, and then seconds later, one of them burst out laffing and said - "I need to get one of those!! My children need to see me wearing this!!!""Good heavens" I thought - These WOMEN!. Hmmmmmppph!

Moral of the story:

Women definitely dont need to wear this T-Shirt!

Oh what a loser!

2005-05-26T16:55:00.000-07:00

Yes yes, you heard it right - I am a loser. A really bad loser! Pray, what did you lose u ask - and I say WEIGHT! Ha! and I say WAIST! more HA!

So month ago i was cherry blossoms pondering my life and what had come to pass! A month later, I am in chirpy mood (tra! la! la!) and there are enough reasons to see why life has been wonderful! I have lost weight.... FiNALLYYYYYY!

OK - there is a small milestone to reach, but then, I think I am doing good :). Of course not that it didnt come with its share of problems - weight loss happened at the expense of knee injury, heel injury, tennis elbow injury, less food and other assorted pain in the world :(

But then I am now "Fitter", "Stronger", "Smarter" and "Happier" hehehehehehehehe!!

So there!

I know noone is interested in numbers, but I lost 2 inches and 22 pounds :D

Cherry Blossoms Of Life?

2005-04-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

Finally, this year I did it. Since the year I had come to this country, I had been hearing a lot about the famous Cherry Blossoms of DC and the Cherry Blossom Festival. I had been planning all those years to visit the mall and see 'em, but never did. And now this year, out of the blue, saturday morning, I decided, girl or no girl, friend or no friend, date or no date, me, the supreme one, had to see Cherry Blossoms without a doubt. Who knows, I might meet the girl of my dreams there, I wondered!

Wondering, putting on nice clothes and all that, and most importantly shaving on a saturday (!!!!!!!), I went along. Being a Metro Vetran, I didnt need cars to go to Smithsonian - all I needed was a simple red and orange line. The experience however was different and unlike any other in the history of Train travel in United States I've had. It was like mumbai local - more people jamming in than more coming out; chaos, absurdity and noisy kids ruled! However I was wrong to have thought that entire D.C population was packed in that one single train - wait - they were all around at Smithsonian and Tidal Basin. For a brief moment after coming out into the park, I thought entire world had ensembled for some rare celestial event hapening at D.C << My wicked self hoped Bush would show up somewhere and make a speech, but not to be :-( >>

Anyhow, at the Tidal Basin, me alone, warrior amongst an army of families on grounds, lonely amongst all the couples walking hand in hand, single amongst friends who had come over - to see Cherry Blossoms. And when I am alone, and when I am in park alone, and when I am in park alone watching Cherry Blossoms, I did only one thing I always did - think about LIFE!

And so there it was - as I was strolling across the Tidal Basin for good several miles, I lay thinking of my life gone by, my life going to come and my present. In between, as I always do, noticed people and their expressions; Indians there were many, but one thing I began noticing again and again and again of each Indian couple was - "Why the hell were they so grumpy???!!!!!!!!". It was amazing - scores of Indian couples, none of them were looking happy or seemed to be enjoying the view. None of them seemed enthusiastic enough on such a brilliant day to appreciate the beauty of cherry blossoms. Some of them looked even worse with their kids and their baggages behind. It was as if poppy and mommy were forced to stroll their kids in the park.

Where was the romance, where was the holding of hands between couples?! Where was the smile and nuances shared between couples! Where was the arm in arm strolling in the park happiness - what was wrong with these couples out there - as I was getting miserably angry that if I had a girl I did be romancing with her on such a perfect day, I decided to stop watching such couples alltogether - otherwise I was sure I did end up talking to some people!

Thats probably when it struck me - maybe, I am missing something or someone badly in life!

Walking ahead, yet, I saw a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural ensemble crowd, some with their dogs and cats, walking accross the lake, all on the same day enjoying the Cherry Blossoms. Next week, cherry blossoms would wither away, and people would have to wait one long year to come back to the city to view them again in such splendor. And then it dawned - one year changes a lot of things in a person's life. People clicking photographs, people making videos - all a part of preserving some memory of a day when they are together. People clicking photographs and videos to remember not the day of Cherry Blossoms, but the memory of being together on that day perhaps. Next year may bring better memories, or worse, but memories of present probably needed to be preserved. And that is what all the people out there were doing.

Except me. Neither I had a camera (which is very unlike of me), nor did I have anyone to share my thoughts with. And YET, this was a very memorable day for my life. As I strolled back towards the moment and began to leave the park I realized, perhaps, I am in my Cherry Blossoms too - That one last speck of youth and freshness, that young blossom for whom the world is new, and someone whose blossoms will fade away, very quickly very soon, maybe when I do get married. I made a memory of my own today - Cherry Blossoms reminded me of who I am right now, and how important it was for me retain that memory; Of me standing alone on the bridge, over looking the lake and monument, surrounded by a thousand people, and wondering, how long will it last.

Maybe next year I will not be alone. Maybe next year I can never think the way I thought about life today. All in all, a very satisfying trip to Cherry Blossoms.

6 years and now….

2005-04-06T14:10:00.000-07:00

Its funny how one can know a person for more than 6 years and yet have never them; and when the time comes where you might meet them, suddenly you are left unsure about yourself, about everything between you and them, and keep wondering about everything that may happen. Its true, knowing someone and meeting someone can be so different – and especially, when the two belong to two same ethnic background, but raised in completely different cultures 6000 miles apart.

Now I know someone more than 6 long years, even before I came here and became a FOB, and even before I also realized there is another acronym called ABCD. But did ABCD or FOB ever come between the two of us? Oh yeah – lots actually – I am what I am, and she is what she is – so why not take the liberty and laugh at ourselves for that. I don’t even think it is an issue which we dealt with.

India is a land of diversity. Diversity is our biggest strength, and our biggest adversity. We are a land of such disparate cultures and peoples that any attempt to unionize them to a single religion, ideal, bond is not only useless, but in a way taking out our identities. Hence, in general, we Indians love to segregate ourselves from other Indians, even though the differences may be minimal, and at times ridiculous to a passerby. But that minimalist difference is what gives an identity which each group of Indians either carry with pride or disdain, depending on how the thinking is.

Think about it – Get a Punjabi and Gujarathi together – they will talk Hindi or English. Add a Punjabi to the circle, the two Punjabis will talk in Punjabi leaving the poor Gujarthi for fend for himself. Add two more Tamilians, Telegus and you have a completely disparate groups who are not only talking amongst themselves, but make sure that using English or any other language, some if not all ideas are exchanged.

Now what happens when this one group is sent across 6000 miles – obviously the oneness factor of being in the same boat holds, and cultural differences disappear? But we Indians as we are, love to invent them if they disappear – hence, 6000 miles apart – we have two other cultures – the FOBs and the ABCDs – essentially the same roots, but inherently different from one another. Then there are Americanized-ABCDs (whoa? What does that mean anyways), and then there are FOBs and H1FOBS ( Obviously FOBs who came to study in America are superior to those who came on H1 lol ).

I really won’t go into the immigrant life, but suffice to say I think “The Namesake” by Jhumpa Lahiri is a great introduction to the immigrant life. I guess she says it all not only from the perspective of an FOB in Ashok and Ashima Ganguly, but an ABCD in Gogol Ganguly as well. Frankly its all the same – the feeling of desolateness, the feeling of incompleteness, which exist on both side of the border; because there is no place like home and home is where the heart lies. Frankly I think its tough being an ABCD, tougher than being an FOB. An ABCD always lives in that line that dwells on the past and the present – parents don’t want let go of their culture and history, a obvious FOB trace (because they were themselves FOB once), and the children who live in a different world, different society – perhaps the origin of ‘confusion’ in American Born Desi’- Comparing to them, perhaps, I as a FOB have a simpler life.

Perhaps ABCDs think of us too in that way - as EFGH – Every F*&**% Gets Here. But they are entitled to their thinking – after all, as a diverse India, we still are culturally poles apart and a thing or two is always going to be different.

Coming to my friend, its interesting that in the 6 years or more, we have never bothered to be bothered by being a ABCD or FOB. I tease her ABCD all the time, and she calls me FOB all the time – and yet, an unmistaken bond of true friendship remains between us. Yes, she is a Bollywood freak, probably knows more than me about Bollywood, and perhaps visited more of India than I have myself all these years. But I guess what binds us is that we were willing to look beyond the obvious differences that exist between us both culturally and ideologically, and perhaps discover another individual behind the curtails of being an ABCD or an FOB. We both are glad (and I can safely speak for her) that we did – that I view her as a close friend, and she does too. Perhaps, ABCD or FOB is just another term that identifies us – its our identity, and we both chose to make fun of it, be merry, and most importantly learn about the changes in life.

As Kevin Arnold says – “Change is never easy. You fight to hold on. You fight to let go”.

Miss someone you never met?

2004-10-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

Can you miss someone you never met?

I have been pondering on this question since days now, and the more I think of it, the more it makes sense to me that it is not just momentarily, but I miss someone I never met constantly. But who is that someone in my life whom I miss so much in spite of not meeting that someone?

May be its a friend I hoped to make but I ended up not making.
May be its the girl of my dreams whom I haven't met till now.
It might be my grandfather whom I didn't even get to see...
May be its a friend I long for whenever I feel everyone else is very busy to be around me

Or may be its just God. Perhaps... Maybe... Ummm

Pointers for tomorrow....

2004-09-28T18:54:00.000-07:00

Getup
Getdressed
Gettowork
Getworking
Getlunch
Getsleepyafterlunch
Getprentendingtowork
Getsettogo
Getbackhome
Getdinneronway
GetfilledwithfoodwhilewatchintTV
Getthinkingaboutaboutjogging
Gettobed
Getcalvinandhobbes
Getcozy
Getlostindreams
Getup...

8.6 Million Dollars!

2004-09-27T09:13:00.000-07:00

Sigh. If wishes were horses, and if this SPAM mail actually happened in reality, I would have been so so so happy. Love such SPAMS from attorneys of Nigeria - I usually feel rich after readin their mails :P
-------------------

Dear Deshpande,

I am Barrister John Emenike Briggs a Solicitor. I am the Personal Attorney to Engr,Fredrick Deshpande,a national of your country, who used to work with oil development company in Nigeria.

On the 21st of April 1999, my client, his wife And their three children were involved in a car accident along Sagbama Express Road. All occupants of the vehicle unfortunately lost thier lives.

Since then I have made several enquiries to your embassy to locate any of my clients extended relatives, this has also Proved unsuccessful.After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet, to locate any member of his family but to no avail, hence I contacted you.

I have contacted you to assist in repartrating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confisicated or declared unserviceable by the bank where this huge deposits were lodged.Particularly, the Bank where the deceased had an account valued at about 8.6 million dollars has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confisicated within the next ten official working days.

Since i have been unsuccesfull in locating the relatives for over 2 years now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you are from the same country and bears the same surname as his so that the proceeds of this account valued at $8.6 million dollars can be paid to you as his next of kin and then you and me can share the money.65% to me and 30% to you,while 5% should be for expenses or tax as your government may require.

I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this deal through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law.Please if you have accepted in transacting this deal with me.

Get in touch with me through my alternative email address ;infojohnemex@maktoob.com
which is: indicating your interest and also to discuss further so as tell you the necessary proceedings to follow to get this fund transfered to your bank account. It is 100% risk free.

Thanks and God bless

Brrister John Emenike Briggs.
Note,it is very important you reply me
with:infojohnemex@maktoob.com
for security reason.

COMPLIMENTS TO YOU Deshpande
------------------------------------------
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My adventure with chopsticks...

2004-09-26T16:55:00.000-07:00

If there is any proof that the chinese people of the past didn't possess any creativity or imagination, I am willing to accept it as a fact, rather wholesomely. It had always bothered me that why would anyone want to eat rice or anything else with two dangling sticks in their hands, and not use more informally easier methods - say spoon, or get even - hands!

A quick search on google for "history of chopsticks" revealed to me that Chopsticks were originally invented 5000 years ago in China (where else?!). The need for chopsticks seems rather strange. Ancient chinese used to cook huge chunk of food in one go, and used to use use sticks and twigs to retrieve them from the boiler pot. Eventually, they realized that it was better to cook food in smaller chunks, and hence the size of sticks used to be reduced. Next they realized that they could infact use it to eat the food itself!

But chopsticks themselves became popular due to teachings of Confucius - his preachings around chopsticks were more of a symbolic rather than its usefulness - He believed that knives should not be present on any food table, and hence chopsticks served as a greater use to symbolically note the same. And thus since then, chopsticks have immensly grown in popularity. In addition, chopsticks were believed to improve finger dexterity (aha!), and sharpen your brains. Also, indeed, chopsticks were believed to be superstitious objects - for example, if you dropped chopsticks, bad luck came your away (ewwww!)

So much for historical insight, a good 5000 years later, a me and my friend decided to visit this Mongolian grill. Leaving aside the grill, I decided to experiment with chopsticks and eat the rice. The first step was actually trying to catch it right - according to the dummies guide to chopsticks printed at back of the chopstick folder, was the first step: Catch the chopstick between your index finger and ring finger in a way that its end lies in base with the thumb, and is firm and does not move. Step two: Catch the second chop stick between your thumb and your first finger and balance it on you index finger - this should give you the dexterity to move this one chopstick.

Now using the movable chopstick, grab a bite of food between the firm handle and flexible handle and quickly globble it up.

Easier said than done! The fact was, half the time my chopsticks crossed up each other. The effect being, while I was trying hard to keep the firm chopstick "firm", the other one refused to stay everything but firm. Half the time I couldn't pick any morsel of food, and the other half of time I did manage to pick some food, I had to do a balancing act for a good few seconds to balance morsel. Next, fearing it might just drop any moment, I quickly bent my face towards the morsel and had it (and I always thought it was the other way round...). If I let the morsel of food stay any longer than 2 seconds between the chopsticks, then (a) either it would slip off between my chopsticks, or (b) my chopsticks would again cross up each other throwing up my food in air!

After about 15 minutes later, and just 5 morsels in my mouth, I decided to change my tactic. I used a fork instead! Sometimes, europeans were smarter.

Some other day, my valiant self will try this tactic again. I just can't believe that half the earth's population actually eats wth chopsticks and I cannot!