City Life...

I simply love the sounds of a city coming to life. It has a magic of it's own, even if it is the dreaded city of Mumbai. After being tucked away in the peace and quiet of Viman Nagar, Pune for 3 years, it is quite an adjustment to relocate to this bustling city again. I'm making good progress however. While the news that the city greeted me with on the 7th of April 2011 was shattering, it is slowly redeeming itself in different ways. The smell of freshly baked bread at the bakery; watching vegetables being unloaded from trucks to the roadside vendors' carts; the vigorous dusting undertaken at all the stores right after opening, the various signboards and wares that these shops choose to display on the pavement being brought out in full glory; the florist stringing garlands out of fresh flowers; delivery of milk at the dairy; these and so many others are the things I love about the city first thing in the morning. Walking around at this time of the morning has quite a few advantages; the freshest supplies are yours for the taking with hardly any competetion around so you can take your time and choose the best and of course work get done so much faster. There are however glitches in this system of thought; since all enterprises do not deign to open at that hour, you often find yourself cursing them and having to return at a more reasonable hour to try sending out a courier, collecting your laundry, changing a library book or CD, buying light fittings or clothing. There has to be that perfect time that needs to be established for otherwise you may end up setting out too late and then being greeted by half shut shutters indicating a 3 hour lunch and siesta session. Post this session you find all shops displaying a great reluctance to conduct any business until the reasonable hour of 6 pm when the streets begin to bustle with life again. This time there is no qustion of peace and quiet and we find hordes of people at every shop and shopkeepers skillfully using all their pent up energy to sell their wares. Fried junk food and other street food causes quite a bit of congestion on the pavement leaving no doubt that this is probably the mot popular time of the day. As the evening wears on it is the clubs abd restuarants that have their share of people's attention and come night the only thing open till late enough is the ice cream parlour and the 24 hour pharmacy, and ultimately the city slumbers again. It is the same cycle of life that we see everywhere with each stage having its own share of joy and sorrow, light and darkness, laughter and silence, heat and cold an the list goes on. So does the cycle will go on, never stopping, never ending, just keeps moving from one day to the next. But all in all, I think I like mornings the best :)

She came into this world, innocent and bright eyed vowing to not let anything change her, change the way she looked at the world, but alas that was not to be. The very things she valued the most would bring about pain in her life, honesty and sincerity have no place in the world today. The walls close around her, threatening to crush her very being if she doesn't give in to the ways of this big bad world. They say that no good deed goes unpunished, it is indeed true. For what do you do if all your endeavors to do good just fall by the wayside? When happiness is yours only for the moment? When there are more thorns than there are roses? Do you give up? Do you do whatever it takes to survive even if it means lying to yourself? Where do you draw the line? And if you do decide to hold out against the world, the last man standing, what is that worth? At the end of the day, what remains? Just you alone, broken and defeated... Why? Because you did what was right, you followed the wisdom in your heart. So you give in, you do what it takes to survive. You close your heart to things that hurt you, you don't reach out to someone in need, you say what you need to get ahead and you think about your future and what will be best for you. You put yourself so far ahead of everyone else that very soon it gets lonely and you long for the days of uncertainty, never knowing what each minute shall bring, the sheer joey of feeling alive. But what then? You can't turn back to the world you left behind. All is lost and everything the world ever told you seems suddenly foolish and devoid of any real sense, you feel cheated, robbed off a life that you could have lived but didn't get a chance. So, here lets take a moment to celebrate the wonderful thing that is life, in all its beauty and absurdity. Take a moment today to follow your heart and do something that makes you happy even if for just a moment and it shall be worth the risk. A leap of faith is sometimes the only way you can experience things to the fullest without making a million calculated decisions, which are often about things so trivial that all the energy that you invest in it is a complete waste. Having said that however, i have to admit that its not such a bad thing to make calculated decisions, but for the most part, when it comes to decisions of the heart, going in blind is the only way to be...

Sonnet VII - Hartley Coleridge

Is love a fancy, or a feeling? No.
It is immortal as immaculate Truth,
'Tis not a blossom shed as soon as youth,
Drops from the stem of life--for it will grow,
In barren regions, where no waters flow,
Nor rays of promise cheats the pensive gloom.
A darkling fire, faint hovering o'er a tomb,
That but itself and darkness nought doth show,
It is my love's being yet it cannot die,
Nor will it change, though all be changed beside;
Though fairest beauty be no longer fair,
Though vows be false, and faith itself deny,
Though sharp enjoyment be a suicide,
And hope a spectre in a ruin bare.

Happiness...

The eternal battle between Mars and Venus will remain just that: eternal. There is absolutely no way for one gender to win this proverbial war, if there was, well where’s the fun in life then? I believe that the reason for this tug of war lies in the very essence of how we are differently wired. Men and women are just different in the way they look at the world. It’s in the very nature of men to not let things affect them in the way that women just don’t understand. The seeming indifference may be a disguise for a lot of turbulence but they just have that knack for pushing it away, a trait which is both admirable and at the same time pitiable. For what is life without experiencing every kind of feeling that there is, even the most torturous of them? While women are often seen as the weaker sex simply because they choose not to hold their emotions in cheek, they are actually stronger for it. Men may scoff and say that it makes no sense to allow oneself to go through an emotional roller coaster, much better to be disconcerted about things that cannot be helped. I can't help thinking that in this way, though they may spare themselves the pain, they also rob themselves of the simple joys of life, the light at the end of a dark night is not for them. Having said this however, I have to admit that this world would indeed be a crazy place if men and women were all alike, the very fact that they are such opposites of each other helps maintain the fine balance, which also explain why we turn to each other to find solace and happiness. She feels for them both and he protects them both from the harsh world. He goes out to face the challenges and bring home the bread while she is content to be home and make it a paradise on earth. Alas, those days are gone and indeed nowadays the notion is almost primitive, but I can't help thinking that it was how it was meant to be, designed to be. But human beings being what they are, will never be content with the status quo, set about destroying this balance and hence we have arrived at a point where we have invaded each others' space and given birth to a battle which shall never reach an end. But at the end of the day, we aren't all that different from our primitive ancestors; we still turn to each other for comfort, be each others' shoulders to cry on, be the person we share our joys with, and in each other find happiness, the kind that makes all else seem insignificant (even if for a little while). Cheers!

There is always a battle of sorts between the head and the heart. Sometimes the heart tells us to go ahead and do exactly what we want to do but we are stopped by the logical head. Makes you wonder what the entire point is right? Well I think we all know that one without the other is pretty useless so a combination of the two (read: eternal battle) is what keeps us ticking. Its what stops the head from doing everything that makes complete sense and it stops the heart from doing everything that makes no sense and at the end of the day we end up doing just fine. It may feel like the battle is tearing us apart sometimes, but in the end it helps us do whats right. And even when we do make a mistake, it is with the realization that it is all a part of life. The good times and the bad times come and go but as long as you got the head and the heart in the right place, its all good :)

Neon...John Mayor

When sky blue gets dark enough
To see the colors of the city lights
A trail of ruby red and diamond white
Hits her like a sunrise

She comes and goes and comes and goes
Like no one can

Tonight she's out to lose herself
And find a high on Peachtree Street
From mixed drinks to techno beats it's always
Heavy into everything

She comes and goes and comes and goes
Like no one can
She comes and goes and no one knows
She's slipping through my hands

She's always buzzing just like
Neon, neon
Neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away

I can't be her angel now
You know it's not my place to hold her down
And it's hard for me to take a stand
When I would take her anyway I can

She comes and she goes
Like no one can
She comes and she goes
She's slipping through my hands

She's always buzzing just like
Neon, neon
Neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away, away.

She comes and she goes
Like no one can
She comes and she goes
She's slipping through my hands

She's always buzzing just like
Neon, neon
Neon, neon
Who knows how long, how long, how long
She can go before she burns away

Words...

Words are funny things, you can twist them up in so many million ways and yet they always mean something. Simple things sometimes can be made to sound so grand that you wouldn't even recognize them and equally, great things can sound so plain that you might miss them completely. Its almost an art to decipher these curious things called words. There are so many times you might miss their hidden meaning and go for the more obvious one and looking back you might wonder how it could have escaped you. I think that is where the beauty lies, in not knowing, never being completely sure of what exactly they mean. Its the mystery that keeps them alive or else wouldn't we have progressed to mind reading by now? The simple act of putting one's thoughts into one's words can take forever if you consider all the ways it could be done - should I say it as it is or dress it up so that it sounds better? should I hold something back or is it better to leave it all out there? should I be saying it out loud at all or is it best left inside my head? As funny as it may sound, we all do this every time a thought crosses our mind. It's just that the mind is too used to it and does not register it anymore but deep down in our subconscious, the wheels are always turning and the battle always raging. If the thought at hand it something close to our heart and needs a lot of deliberation, only then do we find ourselves consciously weighing the odds. So it may be all in a day's work for us but the words are here to stay long after we are gone.

PS # I don't think fiction is really my forte, so I'll stick to random vagueness

The Begining...

A hundred thousand words wanted to pour out of her lips. A mysterious smile flashed before her eyes. A turbulant life was coming to an end and yet strangely enough, in those final moments before losing consciousness, she wanted to cling on with all her might to the vestiges of a life that was at the same time beautiful and ugly; anguished and serene; stark and plentiful...
The surprise was so great that her eyes opened of their own accord and focussed on the ceiling fan whirring above her head vainly trying to dispel the oppresive summer heat. The sharpness of the picture brought back to her some sense of reality, a feeling she did not cherish in the least and she was immediately conscious of the hard flooring on which she lay and the pain that throbbed at her left wrist. She wondered how long she had lain in a stupor and realised with a shock that two hours had passed since she had stuggled with her conscience for the last time and had decided to slash her wrists in an attempt to rid herself the life she was caught in. But alas it had been two hours and yet she lay on the foor surrounded by a pool of her own blood, alive and conscious. Three things were very clear to her, one that she had failed and was secretly quite glad of the fact; two that she would never again attempt to do away with herself no matter what the circumstances (it had been very eerie, the feeling that had engulfed her when the implications of her act had dawned upon her) and three, she now had the task of cleaning up the mess she had made so that no one would ever find out. Sighing, she got up from the floor, ignoring the slight dizziness that came with it and tried to sort through the blurry images racing around in her head. In her unsteady state, she paused at the window, saw the first signs of dawn in the distant horizon and took in a deep breath of the fresh morning air and smiled. A new day had come and with it had come hope that things might not always be as bad as they seemed...

PS # My first attempt at fiction, please forgive the idiocy!

You Know You're in Bombay When....

...your already frizzy hair expands to twice it's usual size!
...you feel like taking a bath immediately after you've already had one
...when the food you thought you'd never see miraculously appears on the table (ok thats just for me coz I just got home :) )
...two hours is the reasonable time to get anywhere
...when in those two hours you never once ask how much longer and are extremely surprised when you actually reach your destination
...the roads you saw dug up the last time you were here are still dug up for reasons that are entirely different from the last time
...every shop has a Marathi sub-title
...you can pick up the phone and order anything from a dozen eggs to a bottle of sprite and it gets delivered in 10 minutes
...there are people on the streets more than ever before!

if you can think of anymore, please do add on!

Love this car!

Every end is a new begining...helps to remember that.

The Toss of a Coin

When in doubt, always toss a coin; if you're disappointed with the result, then you've already made your decision...

Very apt I believe. It so happens that we often dont know our own minds but deep down we've never been surer. In a situation like this, all we really need is that crucial reassurance. It need not only be the toss of a coin (it's just symbolic of the fact that there is more than one side to pick), it can be a friendly advice or parental guidance to realize what we really want. As long as the decision rests at the back of the mind, it may or may not manifest itself into action, but the moment we are confronted with reality, we know exactly what to do. Basic biology actually: Fight OR Flight to sum it up neatly. So the big question of the day remains: how do we actually determine if this gut feeling is right or wrong? I dont think there is any test in the world which can actually measure human intuition, but I also know that more often than not it is this feeling of conviction which turns out be the right one and saves us from many a trouble. Too cut a long story short, all I'm saying is that when in a situation of indecisiveness, fall back on the age old nagging feeling at the back of your head which tells you what needs to be done. For believe me, if you let things continue without any interference, there will come a time when you come face to face with reality and regret not having made that crucial decision which could have changed it all. And regret is something that we could all very well live without. On that note I think I shall end this post. Will be back with more nonsense soon. Cheers!

Sunday Mornings...

Though this post is titled 'Sunday Mornings', I will actually begin this cronicle from last night. A huge (and cheap!) dinner at a small but fabulous restuarant after a hard day's work is definitely the best thing that there is. I don't think I've ever seen a group of people enjoying themselves so much! The silence at the table was only punctuated by the calls for more naan or roti and business at the little place soared. Anyway, it was on the way back to the hostel after dinner that I realised how wonderful life actually is. I was thankful all over again for the amazing people that surround me, who will be there for me no matter what. The past few weeks (months actually), have been a very trying time for all of us. We have been through hell and back, but hearing the laughter and conversation flowing at the dinner table last night only went on to prove that we humans are made of sterner stuff as Shakespeare would say. Resilience is truly an admirable quality and the ability to bounce back after life has squashed you flat is something to be applauded. Anyway, getting back to the amazing sunday morning I've had so far. I woke up at the early (for me atleast!) hour of 9.30 am and tucked in to a full breakfast (again a rarity on a sunday!) and ever since then its been one lazy morning so far. I absolutely love these days. Everyone just going through the day at their own pace not really bothered by whats in store ahead. Its idyllic to say the least, and it's been so long since we've had such a good time on a Sunday, we just haven't had the time! Anyway, now I see that the lazy morning is slowly winding down and peole are heading for their baths and the loud conversations are fading so I think its time for me to wrap this up and get back to work as well. Till then, have an amazing day!

interesting thought - an act of love that fails is just as much a part of the divine life as an act of love that succeeds, for love is measured by fullness, not by reception...

Happy New Year...

When the time is right, things always fall into place. I believe in fate and destiny. Everything that happens, happens for a reason; we may not be able to see the reason straightaway but its out there somewhere. Its like an intricate puzzle and we are only one piece of it and have absolutely no idea how the other pieces will come together. So when life deals you a bad hand at poker, know that its not the only game you'll ever play. There will be others, many of them. All you need is some patience (actually a lot of it!) and faith enough to trust that your life holds great things in store for you; maybe not great in the eyes of the world but great in their own way. For it is true that we are all here for a reason - a reason so complex yet so simple that we miss it completely sometimes. The very core of existence of human beings on this planet is to LIVE! To live in every sense of the word, not just the biological aspect of it, but also to live our lives in a way that is completely fulfilling. Put your entire being into the work that you do , and equally learn to give yourself the time to unwind and all else will fall into place. The rest is upto fate to guide us to our destiny (we all have one!). So our part of the deal in this life we lead is to live it to the best we can and not question what will happen because of what we do or not do; because believe me, what has to happen cannot be stopped and what will never happen, will never happen...

PS # This may not seem like the usual Happy New Year message but I firmly intend live by the above philosophy this year. On that note Happy New Year =)

Counting Down: 2

So I've noticed how conversations about the New Year more often than not meander into what happened in the year gone by. Its funny really. You ask a person their plans for New Year's Eve and after they have enlightened you about the aforementioned plans, you both immediately launch into a remeniscing session about what you did last year on New Year's Eve and how it seems like yesterday and how MUCH has happened in your lives since then and well it could go on for a while. Regular readers do NOT worry, I am not about to launch into an analysis of human nature (I feel I do that a lot!). I find myself a prey to this disease as well; I think everyone who speaks to me these days know that I'm going to spend 31st watching movies on my laptop all night like the year before and the year before that. There is a certain comfort in the familiarity of the situation. It is about bringing in the New Year after all. I would certainly like a perfectly normal year ahead. The year gone by has had it's fair share of excitements and I would definitely not want a repeat telecast. Just an ordinary and uneventful New Year is all I ask for. But as usual I suppose it's wishful thinking. I have never known my life to be devoid of activity, interesting or otherwise, and I don't think I really want that to change. It could get mighty dull. Of course my definition of words like 'interesting', 'dull', 'fun' and even 'life' are often at odds with that of the rest of humanity but I guess thats who I am. Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand, enjoy planning your New Year! 2 days to go! Cheers!

Blank...

We've all heard of the phenomenon of blanking out during an exam situation. But you know what, sometimes this phenomenon really gets out of hand and escapes into everyday life. Then you get blank all the time. Like as if everything is blank and nothing means anything anymore. I know I'm rambling and not making much sense but thats how it is. You drag through each day, forcing youself to act normal and by the end of it, collapse exhausted. At times like this you wonder what life is all about. Anyway, when nothing makes sense (like right now!), its probably safer to blank out than trying to figure things out which by the way is guaranteed to give you a headache. Until next time then, Cheers!

Poems, Prayers and Promises...

One of my favourite T-Shirts says, 'Music Feeds My Soul'. I find that so true. I don't know what I'd do without it in my life. One of my all time favourite artists is, yes you guessed right, none other than John Denver. It just so happens that I'm listening to one of his songs titled 'Poems. Prayers and Promises' which like all his songs is simply beautiful. I have been a fan of John Denver and his music for a long as I can remember. The lyrics and melodies all come together in such perfect harmony that you can't help but be soothed by them. Most people might not even have heard of John Denver or even if they have, it's only 'Take Me Home, Country Roads' and 'Annie's Song'. But there is so much more. 'Dreamland Express', 'Perhaps Love', 'Seasons of The Heart' and 'For You' are filled with such meaningful lyrics that you are left wondering at the genius of the guy. There are also a host of songs that narrate stories (they don't write songs like that anymore!) like, 'Rocky Mountain High', 'Wild Montana Skies', 'Matthew' and 'Leaving on a Jetplane'. Lets nor forget, 'Cowboy and the Lady', 'Chrismas for Cowboys', 'Whispering Jesse' and 'Sunshine on my Shoulders', the list goes on. I don't think I can ever tire of it. I would never have believed that such simple everyday words could be strung together so beautifully. You have to hear it to believe it. The entire list of John Denver's music is strongly recommended for anyone up for some easy listenin', and I promise you, you won't be disappointed. Hope I have inspired you enough! Cheers!

Rain! Rain!

It rained today. It was beautiful. Unexpected rain in the middle of November is quite something. And it wasn't just a drizzle, it poured like as if the heavens had suddenly decided on a very thorough cleanup drive. Add to that the cool breeze that continuously keeps spraying your face with droplets of water and the steaming mug of tea (or coffee if thats what you prefer) and it'll definitely make it to the list of your "best days". I've always been spellbound by the sheer power and beauty of rains. I love it best when the sun coming shining out after a spell of rain. The world looks so fresh and clean that you can hardly believe your own eyes. I haven't had that pleasure today, since it has been raining pretty much non-stop all day, but lets hope and pray and see what the morning brings. Cheers!

And yet another semester is coming to an end. Its been one hell of a ride and I'm glad its coming to an end, finally. I guess thats how its supposed to work. Everything passes, no matter what. And in the end all that you are left with are the memories, which is not a bad thing at all, really :)

Facebook, Orkut et al

I used to detest social networking once upon a time. Its not like I'm overly fond of it now but I can atleast live with the idea that it exists even though I choose not to be a part of it. (Well actually I don't really have a choice when it comes to accepting the idea of social networking, seeing as everyone around me talks of little else most of the time, my mother included!) Anyway, getting back to the point, I realised yesterday that maybe its not a bad thing after all. Sometimes, when reality gets a little too much to handle, maybe it would help to escape into the world of smileys, quizzes, superpokes and farmville not to mention browsing through countless photographs uploaded by someone or the other. Writing silly, inane messages on someone's wall, chatting, sending out invites, accepting invites, checking updates have all become such a part of life these days. So what does it all really mean? Are we evolving as human beings or maybe regressing back to a more primitive state? (coz believe me if we get too caught in the virtual world, I've a feeling we won't have a clue about anything in the real world!) Or is it simply that life is getting more hectic even as we speak and beyond a certain point, the pressure gets too much to handle? We know that crushed grapes make the best wine but can we really say that the pressures in life can bring out the best in all of us? There has always been a notion that people react to stress in only two ways, they produce the best results or no results at all. But what if there is a third category of people who while trying to do their best under pressure mess up at some point of time and end up neither here nor there. These people neither produce the best results nor do they get no results at all, they're just somewhere in between. What of them then? It is a universal maxim that if you're not doing your best then don't do anything at all. But is it humanly possible to deliver your "best" at all points of time? You may argue that we ourselves decide what is the best that we can achieve but don't we always end up talking about the circumstances we were in when asked about how we have performed? So when we do our best "under so and so circumstances" knowing full well that it is still below our full potential but at the the same time knowing that we couldn't have done more: what does it mean? What then happens to all the hard work that went into it? Does it count for anything? Does it matter at the end of the day that you gave it your best shot? Just because it was still not good enough, what do we do about it? The answer: NOTHING. We can talk and talk and bury ourselves with words, but we never do anything about the situation we find ourselves. The situation ends up dictating the terms of our life and at the end of the day, the only way we rebel, the only action we take is to log on to facebook, orkut et al.

Water, Water Everywhere...

These are a few pics clicked on a very rainy trip to Bombay...

A Very Harry Week...

I just spent an entire week immersed in the world of Harry Potter (reading not watching!) and I have never appreciated the genius that is J.K. Rowling more. It is one thing to have a splendid imagination, but to weave it into a tale that is so thrilling that you actually forget meals! That is something. I had read all the books before, but this is the first time that I read them all one after the other and thus truly realised how intricately each detail was planned so as to fall into place like the pieces of a puzzle. There are incidents that happen throughout the series that may not even register to the conscious mind but ultimately come together in a manner which leaves you completely floored. Hats off to J.K. Rowling! It really makes me wonder though, what is it that some people have that just sets them apart from others. Rowling with her pen is just one such example. Is it talent? skill? intellect? determination? or something quite apart from all of these which is as yet undetected? I know it is a popular tandem these days that "Winners Don't Do Different Things; They Do Things Differently" but I beg to differ. I really believe that fate has a lot to do with these things and some people are just lucky. Now I know that there are a lot of people who get to the top by sheer grit and determination and I'm in no way denying them the credit for having done whatever they have but it's just not the same as the work of a genius. Their work comes across as simply marvellous and quite effortless. And most often than not they are unaware of it. However since the world would be a crazy place if it were only filled with geniuses, I'm glad that they are few and far between and numerously interspersed with us lesser mortals. I guess it's nature's way of maintaining a balance. This reminds me of a common refrain of kids saying, "If everyone comes first, then who will come last?". I've always said that kids have a knack for hitting the nail on the head. On that note, I think I shall take my leave...

Some Days...

The sunlight came streaming in through the window forming a pool of light on the floor by the bed. A cool breeze gently stirred the half open curtains tugging at them as if to say that the day was far too glorious to be shut out. Outside, the weather was perfect, the pale blue sky stretching on for miles with not even a hint of a cloud. It was one of those unexpected days in the middle of the monsoon season, where you wonder if you are awake or dreaming. Since these days are few and far between, one must certainly take full advantage of them. I did too today, being bold enough to wear something essentially white with absolutely no fear of it turning into brown. I'll admit it was a bit of a risk, but tempting fate is fun, don't you agree? Anyway the fates were kind to me and did not decide to shower their blessings while I walked home from college. Moreover, the beautiful weather persisted all day which helped keep my spirits up no end. All in all it was a good day and I have feeling that a great start had something to do with it.

Sunny Side Up...

Eggs...The world's most heavenly breakfast and I hardly ever get to eat it! Sometimes when I'm half asleep on a Sunday morning, I almost expect to get a whiff of the smell of sizzling fried eggs before I remember that I'm stuck in a godforsaken pure veg hostel. Not that I have anything against vegetarian food, but honestly dosas and uttapas for breakfast every Sunday for a year and I'm ready to put a gun to my head. Okay, it's not as bad as that, it's just that when I think about all the omlettes, scrambled eggs, fried eggs and boiled eggs I've had in my life and now nothing, zero, zilch...sigh. I think its time this rambling ended. Until next time then.

The Wonder That Is Maggie...

During the course of the past one year of my life, I have become acutely aware of the fact that an altogether too large population of people love MAGGI. Why this fact should be so unsettling, I don't know. I personally detest maggi (I know I'm going to get a lot of flak for this!) and I really don't see how people can be so crazy about it. I've had my share of maggi while growing up but at some point of time, I just got too sick of it! I am quite willing to cook it for someone else but lets just say that I will probably only eat it if it happens to be the last bit of food left on earth. Anyway, the point of this blog is not to express my opinion (however strong!) but to narrate an incident that occured last Sunday. Now, having lived in a hostel for a year, I have discovered that maggi can effectively become breakfast, lunch and dinner, not to mention an evening and midnight snack. Believe me, I have been witness to a scene where after an evening of clubbing (and getting no dinner in the process) a bunch of girls eating oceans of maggi and calling it the perfect end to the day! Anyway, after seeing endless maggi advertisements, it was quite heartening to see a real life example the other day on my way back from Bombay to Pune. The bus was stopped at the half-way point between Pune and Bombay, and I saw this girl eating maggi from a styrofoam cup! The setting was just perfect, pouring rain, chilliy breeze and a steaming bowl (cup) of maggi. I don't know what it was about the scene that touched my heart and almost made me forget my dislike for maggi. Just a thought though, I wonder what she would call it, if it got selected for one of the maggi ads? "Meri bus waali MAGGI" perhaps?

Falling...

The feeling of falling, however blissful nearly always ends with a bump. Coming back down to earth is never gentle, on the contrary it is inevitably harsh and leaves you winded and while you are gasping for breath you swear to yourself that you will never fall again and yet when the time comes, you once again shut out the voice of reason and fall headlong into the trap. It is quite the vicious cycle, one that will go on as long as mankind exists.

So the big question of the day is why let yourself fall at all? The answer is simply that there is bound to be a time when you finally land on your feet, and that is the most beautiful thing on earth. For there ends the fear of falling and begins a whole new vista of happiness unparalled by anything else on earth. Of course this is a very idealistic assumption and nowadays even a reasonable amount of happiness is considered a good deal. So that brings me back to the point that though there may never be a guarantee of landing safely, in this matter we human beings are serious exceptions to the age old saying 'once bitten, twice shy'. How else do you explain it?

Just A Thought...

When too many thoughts clog your mind, use a pensieve but if you are a muggle, then all I can say is: DEAL WITH IT!

One Art...

This is a poem by Elizabeth Bishop, which features in the movie "In Her Shoes" which I absolutely love (both movie and poem!). It goes like this...

The art of losing isn't hard to master:
So many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster,

Lose something everyday. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing further, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring you disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last,
or next-to-last, of three beloved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, and lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

-Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
The art of losing's not hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) a disaster.

PS # I don't know what is with me and poetry these days, but I guess I was thinking of Rashima and hence "In Her Shoes"

Lost and Found...

This is a poem called "Do Not Stand At My Grave and Weep" by Steven Cummins which I had penned down somewhere and mislaid. I came across it suddenly today while flipping through the pages of a notebook and thought I'd share it...

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glints on snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight
I am the soft stars that shine at night
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die.

A really beautiful poem...I think Mansa will agree.

The World of Studies...

Today, I realised the futility of education. As a matter of course, we students of BBA are required to study a subject called 'Organizational Behaviour'. An admirable subject, one that I quite enjoy under ordinary circumstances, but today it reached heights of ridiculousness like never before. Today we studied the 'Punctuated Equillibrium Model' which applies to temporary groups working with deadlines. If it sounds very impressive, let me assure you at the very outset that it is nothing of the sort. You will see what I mean when I give you a simple example of a school project in which you have to work with a group and finish by a particular date. Hasn't it always been the experience that, before we know it half the time is over and when the deadline is looming, the best work gets done at phenominal speeds (usually the night before!). That is exactly what this 'Model' attempts to explain, using words that could easily bounce off your head without a moment's notice. Behaviour of human beings working in temporary groups with deadlines have been studied and the performance v/s time graph has been plotted to tell us what we've known since atleast class 7, that performance is always at it's highest when the time is short and the pressure is on. Except that the 'Punctuated Equillibrium Model' would say, "Temporary groups go through transitions between inertia and activity". It really beats me hollow sometimes how so much time is wasted in telling us things that we've known for years. Anyway, before it becomes preachy, all I'll say is that there has to be a limit to the nonsense so I guess I'll wait around for that. Till then, bye!

Think About It...

There are times when you don't know whether to laugh or to cry and in all likelihood you end up doing a bit of both. So what would you call times like these?

So True...

We build walls, not to keep people out but to see who will break them down...

Happy New Semester!

When life throws you lemons, make lemonade...I just love this saying. It just encompasses in itself everything that you need to know to survive in this world where, lets face it, you never know what life will throw at you. Make the best of every situation, no matter what, simple isn't it? Yet, we are all too often prepared to quit at the slightest hint of trouble. It's human nature, I guess. Anyway, not wanting to preach, I shall get to the real point of this monologue. Vacations are over and yet another new semester has begun. A lot of people would like to believe that it actually begins from Monday, so hope to see them in class then. Let us all take up the challenge, to make the best of time we have and have a bright and sunny semester ahead (especially since the monsoons are setting in!). Oh I almost forgot, kudos to all our erstwhile toppers, keep it up guys. Cheers!

Who Am I...

It was pointed out to me today that all of us at the moment are nothing without our parents. I mean think about it, no matter how much we strive to get a life of our own, this particular 'life' that we talk about, would be kinda impossible if it wasn't for our parents. So does this mean that we are essentially living their life? And does it also mean that we don't have an identity of our own? The answer to both those questions is no. Though we owe our very existence and upbringing to our parents it does not mean that we do not exist as individuals, with a mind of our own and the will to do as we please. OK, that sounds very stubborn, so let me tone it down a bit; I simply mean that the life that is a gift from our parents, is in our hands to mould it in any way to create one of our own. Everything that we do is directed towards that end. We often hear of people going against the wishes of their parents and thereby hurting them. Although an inadvisable course of action, it sometimes becomes inevitable that we break free from the loving bonds placed around us. It is a scary proposition actually, because the minute we gather enough courage to say and do exactly what we want, we suddenly become our own person and not the one we were raised to be. There is no comforting cocoon then to soothe out the harsh contours of the big bad world out there. The day we can stand up alone with no one to hold us up is the day we can proudly say that yes we are our parents' children, we owe them everything but this is the life that I have created for myself and that it belongs to no one but me.

The IPL Bonanza...

As the IPL (finally) comes to an end, one can't help but wonder how much more cricket one can digest. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge cricket fan myself but a month and a half of non-stop cricket (Two matches a day, for heavens sake!) can take a toll on your mental health. Add that to the fact that the 20-20 World Cup is coming up, and you've got yourself perfect conditions for a nervous breakdown. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but with good reason! And it's not just the cricket that is endless, it's the analysis, that begins an hour before the game and continues for god knows how long after the game is over, I mean have they heard of the word 'overkill'? People just want to see a good game of cricket, with some classy shots and thrilling run chases, is that too much to ask for? Oh and don't even get me started me started on the new craze for '20-20' apparently to attract the female population, it has in fact served to lessen my love for the game quite a bit. But no matter what I say, I will still be caught glued to the TV from the moment someone calls 'heads' till the time they declare the 'Man of the Match' and also avidly reading the next morning's newspaper analysis of everything that went right and wrong in the match the day before. What can I say, you love it or hate it, there is just no escaping it (in this country atleast!)

Solitude...

Solitude: Painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity...
I read this quote in the Mumbai Mirror today and it got me thinking that it is not entirely true. It is ironical really that more and more youngsters stuck in the rat race of life crave solitude like the air they breathe while old men with enough of it on their hands yearn for the days when they had none. It only serves to reinforce the saying that I believe in: Be happy with what you have and not sad for what you don't.

The Dream...

A dream, more real than anything that had ever happened to her, enveloped her subconscious, completely in control of her senses. She was falling, as if she were a feather, slowly, lazily with not a care in the world and certainly no purpose except to just be in the moment, blissfully ignorant of anything happening about her. The world around her was bathed in the colours of the rainbow and the sun shone in the brilliant blue sky. She fell gently, easily, with no path to follow, swayed by evn a whiff of a breeze. It was a wonderful feeling, unmatched by anything she had ever felt, so relaxed, so comfortable and so completely free. Her gaze wandered over the landscape below, a sandy beach dotted with coconut palms with the sea gently lapping at the shore. The sea gulls swooping about, children building sand castles, a couple of dogs snoozing in the sun, little red crabs scurrying in the sand, how peaceful it all seemed. If only she could stay like this forever, but alas she must soon open her eyes and find herself back on the ground and the bright colours of her dream fading away...

Anuranan...A Resonance

Yesterday, I saw a beautiful sample of Bengali cinema, although I was ill-fated enough to have to watch the Hindi version (no offense but I much prefer the Bengali language, it's so much more soothing to the ear). Anyway, as the name suggests, the movie is all about resonance or in layman's terms the matching of frequencies (or is it wavelengths I forget which). But that doesn't really matter because the term is used strictly in the non-technical sense, ie, resonance of minds. The fact that warm and close relationships can be formed on the basis of meeting of minds and yet remain platonic is something that the film explores beatifully, through it's central characters, Rahul (Rahul Bose) and Preeti (Raima Sen). Though married to different people, they come together based on their mutual love for literature and appreciation of the finer aspects of life. There is a stark contrast between their respective marriages; while Rahul and his wife are completely and utterly devoted to each other, Preeti is stuck in a house with a husband who remains forever immersed in the stock markets with no hint of companionship. It is for this reason that Preeti is very much of a cynic while Rahul brings with himself all the qualities of a vibrant life which she admires immensely. He shows her life through new eyes and dispels her notion that life always betrays us. But just when she is inspired to visit the site of his project in the Himalayas, to see for herself the beauty of nature as he had described it, tragedy strikes, leaving Rahul dead from a heart attack and their friendship is misconstrued as an illicit affair and Preeti is left to bear the brunt of it. What follows is a tragic fall from grace, with her husband abandoning her, her mother ashamed of her and society shunning her until she can bear it no more and resorts to suicide. She is saved however and asks to meet Rahul's wife Noni who in the meanwhile has been floundering in painful waters trying to cope with her husband's death. In the poignant final scene of the movie, sitting by Preeti's bed in the hospital, Noni consoles Preeti and gives her hope to live again while finally accepting the truth of her husband's death and breaking down herself.

On a more critical note, I think it is one of the best performances of Rahul Bose, who is a refreshing breath of fresh air throughout the length of the movie without being the least bit arrogant which I find in most of his other roles. Raima sen with her quiet and dignified manner does a brilliant job of conveying emotions with her silences. Also the scenery in the movie is truly amazing, from London and the English countrside where it begins to the hustle and bustle of Calcutta and the sheer beauty of the Himalayas, this is a must watch for more reasons than one.

Something Fresh...

Trouble, like Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...P.G. Wodehouse

VIDYA Integrated Development for Youth and Adults

VIDYA is a registered non-profit organization dedicated to community development and empowerment of India's socially disadvantaged children, youth and women. A chance encounter of Mrs. Rashmi Misra (founder chairperson) with a little girl playing near a nullah was the inspiration behind VIDYA. Right in the backyard of IIT Delhi, a world renowned institute of higher learning was this little girl and her friends who did not have a school to go to. She began to teach them in her veranda and very soon she had a large group on her hands. This was in 1985. Soon after she recruited IIT volunteers and began to teach them basic Hindi and Maths and thus VIDYA was founded. In it's silver jubilee year, VIDYA today is a multi-layered program which benefits lesser privileged women and children in Delhi and Mumbai. These programs are as follows:

• Remedial and Holistic education at pre-school, primary and secondary level.
• Open Schooling through NIOS for droupout youth.
• Adult Literacy and Capacity Building of girls and women through vocational skill training and livelihood programs.
• Computer Skills Training
• Income Generation Programs including Micro-Credit Programs.

VIDYA's Mumbai chapter began in April 2001 on the IIT Mumbai Campus. It runs it's programs on the campus and in the surrounding slum areas of Powai. It works for the sustainable development of lesser privileged communities of Powai. It runs six indegenously developed programs imparting education and exposure to skills. These programs are run by professionals and volunteers although they are primarily volunteer driven. Here is an overview of their core programs:

NSS Sanganak Vidya Kendra (NSVK): This is the computer literacy center run in collaboration with IIT and offers 3 month courses in BCA (Basic Computer Applications) as well as advanced courses in web designing, java and C++. This program benefits children from lesser privileged communities, housewives, school children and community women. Every 3 months 150 people are getting computer literate and this creates new opportunities for them either at the workplace or at school/college. Orginally started with 4 donated computers and a small group of students, this unit has gained from strength to strength and today has 30 computers, 2 full time teachers and a large group of IIT student volunteers. The curriculum followed has been developed by the Computer Science Department of IIT.

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS): This is an educational program for the drop out youth and adults from Class VIII to Class XII. Classes are conducted in IIT premises during the evenings to allow people to attend them after their working hours. Response to this program has been phenomenal with 300 students in the batch of 2008-09.


Remedial Education Programs: VIDYA runs three remedial education programs in an around the IIT Campus. These programs help close to 350 primary and secondary municipal school children to perform to the best of their potential in an inclusive environment on the holistic education of a child. The aim is to provide enrichment to fast paced learners and help those who are challenged. Extra curricular and creative activities are an integral part of the program and there is a strong emphasis on value education.

Umang: This is a program for children from Class III to Class IX. Classes take place in IIT's Campus School in the afternoons. 110 children from different communities enrolled in the year 2008. Over and above the regular program, there is a Spoken English Program, a Nutrition Program and a Saturday Club for recreation.

Community Outreach Program - Phule Nagar: This program has been established in the slum community of Phule Nagar since 2002. Education is enhanced by games and activities, as well as regular field trips.


Pragati Kendra - Gautam Nagar: This program is based in Gautam Nagar, a slum community located behind Hiranandani Hospital. This is a new program which begam in the year 2008 with 60 students and run by an NIOS graduate. There is also a Computer Center set up in association with Syntel in this particular community.

Vidya Margam: Women and girls from the slums of IITB are the main beneficiaries of this program. The program emphasizes on education, capacity building, vocational skill training and income generation opportunities so that they may develop confidence and become financially independent. It has 2 units: Aahar, the food unit and Udyogini, the handicrafts unit.

Aahar: It is a food unit which began with a team of 5 and has now expanded to 30 women working together to provide wholesome home cooked food to schools and offices around IITB during the lunch hours. They operate out of the space provided to them by the Women's Club on the campus. All the women are the wives of class 3 and class 4 staff of IITB and this gives them the chance to earn and transform their family lives as well as their community.

Udyogini: 'Udyogini' literally means woman entrepreneur and that is exactly what this program aims to create. This provides an opportunity to learn new vocational skills such as making books, diaries, diyas, jute bags, lamp shades, paper bags, photo frames etc and supplement their household income by marketing these products. Workshops in traditional art forms like Madhubani and Warli painting are also conducted. In the past 7 years, 300 girls and women have benefitted from this program.

That, in esence is what VIDYA is all about. It is a people's movement - people giving back to people. Volunteers are a critical asset and the core source of motivation and energy at VIDYA. Currently the VIDYA team is engaged in the preparation for their annual Summer Camp which is open to children across all programs as well as outsiders.

For more information about VIDYA log onto www.vidya-india.org

Share a Smile...

Yesterday, I saw a beautiful sight. In an auto rickshaw stuck in the endless Bombay traffic, a woman travelling with three little children was having a hard time keeping them still, so she decided to buy peace with a packet of chips. She handed the packet to one of the little boys and doubtless told him to share it with everyone. The little boy having offered the packet to his siblings and his mother, promptly turned to the rickshaw driver and offered him some as well. The rickshaw driver, though at first stunned took a couple of chips from the proffered packet and then turned back to pay attention to the road. The child by now was too engrossed with something he had found in the packet that promised to be a toy when assembled and had no idea the joy he had caused and the smile that he had brought to the faces of three people, his mother, the rickshaw driver and me.

Children are the most innocent beings and they have none of the devious and cunning instincts so common among grown ups so that we have come to expect nothing but the worst from the world, while hoping for the best is a long forgotten fairy tale. Children have the ability to remind us of that tale, to show us that 'only goodness' unhampered by any ulterior motives does truly exist.

Power of The Pen...

What do you do when you are feeling blue? What is the one guaranteed method to get you out of the dumps? For me, it's writing. Writing what, you might ask. Anything I'd say, as long as it involves the stringing together of words to create something meaningful. Words have a beautiful way of soothing my very soul for you see words are the only things that last. They can paint a thousand pictures of things long gone just so that we may know about them. They can build before our eyes the birth and death of civilizations as well as propel us forward into the realms of the unknown. Ironically, words are just as capable of dispelling great things into nothingness just as they can exalt the smallest of things to the heavens. Words are also capable of confusing us human beings no end. Just like right now, there are too many words swimming aroug in my head, each one trying to push itself forward so that it may be seen...

Mumbai - "City of DreamZ" say some; "City of CrowdZ" is more appropriate. Took a bus ride today after a long time. Had quite forgotten how crowded it could get.

Pune - Lovely place, lovely weather. Can't wait to get back there, the humidity in Bombay is killing me!

Goa - Gonna be there soon...with nothing to do except enjoy the sun 'n' sand (and the sleep!)

Kolkata - At the back of my mind but never forgotten, this is home now and forever. Can never be away from it in spirit...

Gurgaon - This is a city that will always remain frozen in time for me. I'll never get used to the endless malls and huge buildings everywhere.

So now that they (the words ofcourse!) are all out, I feel much better and I guess this is the power of the pen...

The Greeness Of Leaves...

The greeness of leaves...have you ever wondered what that is all about? I mean why are leaves green anyway? No, the answer I am looking for is NOT chlorophyll (although it is doubtless the correct one!). I just think that green is an amazing colour which is why it is the colour of the thing that sustains life on earth. Simple, isn't it? There are just so many other things in life that are just as simple, but we human beings would love nothing better than to complicate them. Take feelings for instance, there are a million times in our lives when we absolutely and certainly feel a certain way but since we are stuck with the notion that things can't be as simple as that, we COMPLICATE matters. Thats right, we analyze the situation from 20 different angles, wondering if we have missed something, however minute in an attempt to convince ourselves that our feelings are flawed or incorrect only to later realize that they were bang on target. I often wonder what would happen if we simply accepted the fact that life is very simple, so why not go with the flow?

Utter Nonsense...

Sometimes life is just one big mess, everywhere you look there is nothing but misery and pain. No hint of a silver lining, just dark clouds all over the horizon...

But then again there are days when the sun comes streaming through the window and the world is a beautiful and happy place and everything about your life is just perfect...

Ever wondered why when looking back we don't think of the days that lie in between; days which are neither the best nor the worst but just come and go as a matter of course? Thats because we, as human beings have this amazing capacity to forget anything that hasn't had a lasting impact on us. But of course that makes sense, I hear you cry out. How else would we hope to survive?! How else indeed...sometimes I write a lot of nonsense. I mean of course we have to throw out all the banal and useless stuff, what use are they? Why clutter your mind? But let us just for a minute consider the hypothesis that we could impartially record every minute of our lives in our memory, I mean they're always saying that the brain is more powerful than any supercomputer so why not it's storage device? Wouldn't it be exciting? Imagine never forgetting anything, ever! Imagine sitting in an exam and recalling every little detail that you heard and read in class (ok, for that you have to attend class first and yes I just realised that people with photographic memory can do that anyway). Ok, next scenario, never forgetting a birthday or a telephone number (oh but thats what mobile phones and planners are for). Ok, since I just seem to be contradicting myself here I'll just quit shall I? I think I'll wind up by saying that modern gadgets while making our lives easier have made our brains incredibly lazy and no one can contradict that, so there!

PS # On re-reading the post, it sounds like I've lost it and maybe I have but this one was exactly what I was thinking and I just felt like sharing it...

A Day in The Life of A Book...

Just imagine for a minute what it would be like to be a book, sitting on a dusty shelf most of your life, taken down once in a while and pages flipped, maybe if you're lucky, someone will pick you to be the one to be read but mostly you'll be pretty much sitting on your ass all day doing nothing. Sounds interesting? Well let me assure you that it is anything but that. For one thing, you can never really rest in peace, there are too many words in your head (more like your belly!) and if that wasn't bad enough, a lot of people will spend a lot of time talking about you. Either they will praise you to the skies or just plain criticize you. That is not all you have to endure. If there is a natural calamity your owners will like as not run for their lives and leave you to the mercies of the elements. On a bad day you may even be flung across the room to make a point. So all in all, prospects look bleak, huh? But you know what at the end of the day, it's worth going through all of that to know that if and when someone does take the time to read you, you will spread some warmth...the warmth of knowledge.

Ishita-isms!

These are just a few examples of the genius of Ishita Sharma. Her wit and humour have brought us all respite during the dark days of the exams. Here's hoping that she has plenty more up her sleeve to light our way through the years to come. Good work and keep it up!

What is punctuality? It is the art of waiting for those who are not punctual!

Statistics ne tadpane ka kiya vaada hai,
Ab kalam me syaahi kam, gum zyaada hai.
Haaye mar jayenge, hum toh lut jayenge,
Aise exam liya naa karo! Khudaya khair.
First line meri apni hai, aur baki gaano ke subtitles hai.
Hehehe meri stats mein buri halat hai.
What about you buddy?

The cost of studying cost accounting is loss of peace of mind, loss of patience, loss of confidence, loss of few grams of body weight, loss of precious time...ahh costing is costing me too much!

E - Extreme
C - Child
O - Oppression
Yes, that is the new definition of this totally weeaaoonn...type of subject. To add to the agony it has a f***ingly big syllabus. Ek do teen chaar band karo yeh atyachaar! Vaise maine abhi hi padhna shuru kiya hai, ur zyada bored nahi hoon, par yun hi kabhi kabhi mere dil mein khayal aate hain. (Yeah the previous dilogue has been churaofied from the old song). Happy Studying!

A sweet relationship is pillow...
When tired you sleep on it,
When sad you drop tears on it,
When angry you punch it,
And when happy you hug it!!
So come on, now next time you take break from PPM, say thanks to it for being your best companion. And yeah don't be too loud varna bedsheet bura maan jayega!

Life Lessons In Traffic...

I came home to Mumbai for the holidays on Friday and my first thought on entering the city limits was about the endless traffic that would plague us for atleast the next 3 hours (it is ironical really, that it takes only 3 hours to get from Pune to Mumbai but yet another 3 hours to cover the length of the city to reach home!). I was proved right as very soon we were engulfed in the famous sea of traffic so typical of Bombay but what I hadn't realised was that my memory was extremely faulty. Having lived in Bombay for 5 years before moving to Pune last year, I would have thought that I would be used to all the noise, heat, pollution and endless wait by now but surprise, surprise nothing was quite the same as what I remembered. Now there could be 2 reasons for this, one being that indeed things had changed, maybe the traffic situation had worsened, there were certainly many new routes that I didn't recognize but then again there was nothing drastic to explain the feeling I had, of complete alienness even when looking at familiar landmarks. The other reason which is definitely more interesting is that the human mind always frames the things that it wants to remember in the brightest of hues and hence I could only recall in isolation the demerits of road travel in Bombay without actually connecting it to the present situation. Since this thought hit me about halfway through the journey, I thought (pun intended) that I should carry it forward to see where it goes. It occured to me that things in the past have a way of seeming larger than life. We always feel that the good times were better than they actually were and the bad times worse than they really were. It's only human to do so, to paint memories in whatever shade we see fit because we are biased either towards or against the situation. There is a lesson to be learnt from this: we should never consciously try to recreate a situation where we have been happy for we will inevitably feel betrayed by the fact that it doesn't match the memories that we have of that place and time. And since we wouldn't ever want to recreate a disheartening situation, let me assure you that it only seems worse because we are potrayed as the victim and that automatically awakens the dramatist in us all. So the point is that times will change as surely as the seasons, just let life take it's course and don't try to go back for if we do then we will only end up disappointed. Let go of anything that pulls you back and take the first step forward, it may be painful at first but it is worth it. Life goes on and you can't possibly stand still, you can try of course but the likelihood of you falling flat on your face is very, very high. Think about it...Till then I bid adieu.

To Choose OR Not To Choose?

Today I learnt an important life lesson, it's called CHOICES, we are faced with them every day of our lives, practically from the minute we wake up (Should I get up right now or snooze for another 10 minutes?) till the time we go to sleep (Should I sleep right now or stay up and watch a movie?). I've often heard people say that there are no right and wrong choices just good and bad choices; I wish to amend that: there are JUST choices. You cannot possibly classify each one of the millions of choices we make in a day as good or bad! You might argue that we should atleast ensure quality in our most important choices but then again how do you define 'importance'; what is important to one person may be completely irrelevant to the next. The argument as you see could go on forever (literally!). Hence I would like to lay this subject to a rest forever by saying that there are JUST choices, and for whatever it's worth they are what define us. We live each day as a consequence of our choices (now thats something in which there is no choice!) no matter what they might be. I truly salute the people who have realised that their life is their own creation and accepted responsibility for the choices they have made. The so called life changing or 'important' choices that we make are neither easy to make nor easy to live with (in case they affect our lives adversely) but the fact still remains that they were our own choices and we may as well be cheered at the thought that atleast we are animals of intellect capable of making choices of such nature. So we have a choice to make: Do we wallow in the past regretting decisions we've made just because people labelled them 'bad choices'?! or do we take a firm step forward and choose to make the best of the time we have? Think about it. There's always a choice, be it good or bad, right or wrong, easy or difficult, straight or crooked, worthwhile or worthless, the list of labels could go on forever! My advice: Leave the labels in the closet where they belong (ok, that wasn't me, it was Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and The City)

Till then dear reader I bid you adieu and here's wishing you Happy Choosing!