Sunday, April 20, 2008
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Reel Reality
You think Indian Idol is the worst you can get close to reality? Think again. I thought I had finally had enough of singing competition with its last season. But no, the “audition bus” is apparently doing rounds all over
Not only that we are supposed to have mini versions of it too. I thought one hit season was enough and it will be all I see of it. Hmm… well, I was wrong again (so what else is new?) let me count, chotte ustad, lil champs, (frankly whats the difference except for the channel and the insanity level of the viewers) and now I hear there is another stupid show (don’t ask me the name, I beg you) which is building a competition (don’t ask me which) between gav ke bacche and sheher ke bacche. What the… ? if this doesnt promote cultural differences then what will?? We do protests for having reservations in medical quota and we do world wide campaign over this thing. Wow. Amazing dude!! Whatta a show. By the way does the president know about this thing? I mean the First Lady! (I think not… Bing Bing Bing… we have a winner)
Hmmm and don’t lemme start on the dance shows. Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! There are so many of them. I cant even count them. Hello. Like who cares to see celebs dancing, singing, waving, groveling and screaming for votes. Like they aren’t popular enough already! And do they have a need for it? I mean really? Don’t they have enough to get along with already. Like having a boob job done or a brain transplant. (I am wrong again, no they don’t care)
One last line. You wanna see reality TV? Watch me barf when I turn on one of the show and take a close up of it. You cannot get closer than this to “reality TV” I can bet you!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Say no to Suicide.
It’s really bad enough to hear SSC and HSC and now even a TYBA student committing suicide, but when I read that an FYJC student attempted to commit suicide, I really felt I should share my experience.
I wanted to become a doctor as every good scorer in SSC would wish to be. Only it was my life long dream, ever since I was small. I used to play doctor doctor with my friends and family. But as luck would have it, I couldn’t get admission in college and I missed by very few ranks. A “normal” student would have committed suicide, but me being the abnormal one went on for BSC with a grin on my face. I gave intermediate exam to see if I am good enough to go for fashion designing, but even that didn’t turn out. Along with BSC I was doing an animation course which was lovely and I had to take a break because of my last year in BSC. Even this career option is open for me.
I am in TYBSC right now, and many of you may not know, but our university exams are going on. Right a week before my exams (practical) commenced I had a viral attack and was admitted to hospital. For 22 days. Needless to say I missed my exams. And now I am supposed to give them in October. I had also given MBA CET entrance, just like that, because I wanted to pursue it next year so I thought lets get a feel of the exam. I got 85 percentile. What’s the use of it? I am not a graduate I won’t be able to get admission in a college. What did I do when in the hospital I realized that I won’t be able to give exams? Nick out medicines which were administered to me and take an overdose of it? Wish every second, with every injection and with every tube they poked inside me that I would die? No of course not!!! Infact I am glad of not being a doctor. Because (not being personal) if I were a doctor, I would not like the bad words thrown at me by the patient in his/her mind. I am better off not being a doctor. I would have never been able to take the stress.
Of course all these suicides are a result of lack of communication with family, the extreme pressure of high standards in society. I think it’s high time that a change is made in the education system which gives prime importance to every field and not just selected fields. Career counseling and psychiatric help is a must to every student. And against contrary belief, that only mad people go, you should go to a shrink, if you think you need to talk to someone who understands. Parents should encourage too.
In the end I would like to say that I had so many missed attempts yet I didn’t give up. And I wont. Ever. Failure is not the word for me. Failure is for those who give up when they fall down. And I got up. You have got to get up after every time you fall down. That is true success and achievement in your life.
I wanted to become a doctor as every good scorer in SSC would wish to be. Only it was my life long dream, ever since I was small. I used to play doctor doctor with my friends and family. But as luck would have it, I couldn’t get admission in college and I missed by very few ranks. A “normal” student would have committed suicide, but me being the abnormal one went on for BSC with a grin on my face. I gave intermediate exam to see if I am good enough to go for fashion designing, but even that didn’t turn out. Along with BSC I was doing an animation course which was lovely and I had to take a break because of my last year in BSC. Even this career option is open for me.
I am in TYBSC right now, and many of you may not know, but our university exams are going on. Right a week before my exams (practical) commenced I had a viral attack and was admitted to hospital. For 22 days. Needless to say I missed my exams. And now I am supposed to give them in October. I had also given MBA CET entrance, just like that, because I wanted to pursue it next year so I thought lets get a feel of the exam. I got 85 percentile. What’s the use of it? I am not a graduate I won’t be able to get admission in a college. What did I do when in the hospital I realized that I won’t be able to give exams? Nick out medicines which were administered to me and take an overdose of it? Wish every second, with every injection and with every tube they poked inside me that I would die? No of course not!!! Infact I am glad of not being a doctor. Because (not being personal) if I were a doctor, I would not like the bad words thrown at me by the patient in his/her mind. I am better off not being a doctor. I would have never been able to take the stress.
Of course all these suicides are a result of lack of communication with family, the extreme pressure of high standards in society. I think it’s high time that a change is made in the education system which gives prime importance to every field and not just selected fields. Career counseling and psychiatric help is a must to every student. And against contrary belief, that only mad people go, you should go to a shrink, if you think you need to talk to someone who understands. Parents should encourage too.
In the end I would like to say that I had so many missed attempts yet I didn’t give up. And I wont. Ever. Failure is not the word for me. Failure is for those who give up when they fall down. And I got up. You have got to get up after every time you fall down. That is true success and achievement in your life.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Mumbai's cool side!
We have all heard about the woes, of traveling trains, during peak hours. But traveling in trains in off peak hours that is early in the morning is just as interesting, thanks to our exam timings we get to see, the early morning side of Mumbai locals!!
First of all it takes some getting used to the empty compartments from Borivli itself where I live! During peak hours its really impossible to get a good place to stand without being trampled upon by the Andheri getting-down crowd if you are 10 seconds late! But during the early morning, its quite a surprise to get the most sought after seat beside the window even though you are half a minute late! Even the book sellers are up early, and you get to glance through the books. And even the newspaper vendors are not shouting on top of their voices and you can get yourself to hear for once if you want to buy a newspaper.
The even more amazing part is the people you get to see. The ladies which are in their grumpiest mood and ready to lash out during peak hours will willingly give you a small smile when you come in. even though the rainy season is not here yet, the heavy rains make the seats quite wet as no one is there to shut the windows early in the morning when the rains pour down. The ladies have willingly given their umbrellas to wipe off the water off the seats, to us college students, when they crowd frowning at the wet seat because they cant sit and study a bit during the journey, assuring us it was fine and they would dry their umbrellas when they get off in the office. Sometimes I have even seen, inspite of myself, ladies doing yoga and pranayam sitting in their seats with their legs folded!(I swear I am not kidding) Which without my mentioning is quite fascinating to watch and wonder that people in Mumbai find time to stay fit no matter what!
Also its real fun to sit down the whole journey till Vile Parle as hardly anyone gets in at Andheri. And instead of getting pushed out unceremoniously of the compartment, people usually allow to get you first and wait for a bit while you pass through!
Mumbai locals are real fun just as Mumbai is! And I am really thankful to my exams for allowing me to see such a beautiful side of Mumbai trains!
First of all it takes some getting used to the empty compartments from Borivli itself where I live! During peak hours its really impossible to get a good place to stand without being trampled upon by the Andheri getting-down crowd if you are 10 seconds late! But during the early morning, its quite a surprise to get the most sought after seat beside the window even though you are half a minute late! Even the book sellers are up early, and you get to glance through the books. And even the newspaper vendors are not shouting on top of their voices and you can get yourself to hear for once if you want to buy a newspaper.
The even more amazing part is the people you get to see. The ladies which are in their grumpiest mood and ready to lash out during peak hours will willingly give you a small smile when you come in. even though the rainy season is not here yet, the heavy rains make the seats quite wet as no one is there to shut the windows early in the morning when the rains pour down. The ladies have willingly given their umbrellas to wipe off the water off the seats, to us college students, when they crowd frowning at the wet seat because they cant sit and study a bit during the journey, assuring us it was fine and they would dry their umbrellas when they get off in the office. Sometimes I have even seen, inspite of myself, ladies doing yoga and pranayam sitting in their seats with their legs folded!(I swear I am not kidding) Which without my mentioning is quite fascinating to watch and wonder that people in Mumbai find time to stay fit no matter what!
Also its real fun to sit down the whole journey till Vile Parle as hardly anyone gets in at Andheri. And instead of getting pushed out unceremoniously of the compartment, people usually allow to get you first and wait for a bit while you pass through!
Mumbai locals are real fun just as Mumbai is! And I am really thankful to my exams for allowing me to see such a beautiful side of Mumbai trains!
Breaking news???
Ok, so finally totally frustrated, with the non-ending, everlasting soap sagas, I want to plead to the people, anyone infact who runs the television network India, to please stop it! I have usually, avoided watching the tube, because of this saas' bahu sagas. Whatever happened to the television we used to watch 7 years ago? Every channel you pick, every soap you watch it’s the same thing! A guy, if married then two wives, unmarried, then college opera, the typical fancy vamp, the lovely oh-so-sweet, the greatest thing on the earth (or at least in the serial for the time being) the ever crying, the idealistic bahu. If not this then, killing goes on, MAKEOVERS (this is so passé) maybe they plan a robbery or two, the latest trend is abortion of the gals who have child out of wedlock. Puh-lease! Give me one soap, who starts without these things and ENDS with the same motto with which it started without these things getting involved. No I dont want anyone to recommend any thriller, or cop serial. I would rather watch news its more interesting than any other serial.(but only for an hour, because I break more than news after hearing the same BREAKING NEWS) Please! And no reality shows, I would rather watch the soaps. The only bit I like is the humor programmes going on. But lo and behold the only thing I like is shifted to some other frequency and try to tell the cable operator or not I can only hear the swishing noise of the granules on the screen and catch a glimpse or two of the two laughing maestros. All I ever get in reassurance from the operator is we are working on it be patient. Or you can hear from the blast of noise which you can distinctly hear in you room even with the door closed is if you cannot see the channel; please contact your cable operator. Well, will the cable operators read this, as they have become deaf to the telephone calls? Incase anyone is as frustrated as me, wanting to watch something worth sensible, after having a tiring day at college and mouthing off a lady in the train, I will recommend, a cartoon channel. I know very less people will be enthusiastic as me to watch channels like animal planet or discovery, or Nat geo, or history channel, but hey better than those soaps. I don’t know whether I should mention the name or not, but I have found perfectly wizard shows in it. They are dubbed in Hindi, so if your mom may allow you touch the remote do find the shows. The only sad part is they come on when your mom wants to watch either the cooking show or her soap saga. I know this would have more impact if SHOBHA DE wrote it. But a humble college student is pleading. So I don't know. IF you fail like me, I will suggest, admit defeat and curl up with a sensible book, or re-read your newspaper. Solve the chai-time and I bet you will gain more knowledge than anything else.
Whose woods are these?
Robert Frost was a great poet, and there are many of his poems available. Here is a post regarding my favorite poem of all time:
Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-- Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-- Robert Frost
Friday, March 21, 2008
Okay, well many of you out there haven't heard about book by Dan Brown called Angels and Demons. Its much better than Da vinci atleast according to my opinion. Here is an excerpt from it which i really like. Hope you will like it too....
Father? May I ask you a strange question?
Only if I may give you a strange answer.
I have asked every priest I know, and I still don’t understand it.
What troubles you?
I don’t understand this benevolent-omnipotent thing.
You have been reading Scripture?
I try.
You are confused because the bible describes god as an omnipotent and benevolent deity?
Exactly!
Omnipotent-benevolent simply means god is all powerful and well-meaning.
I understand the concept. It’s just…. There seems to be a contradiction.
Yes the contradiction is pain. Man’s starvation, war, sickness…
Exactly! Terrible things happen in this world. Human tragedy seems like proof that god could not possibly be well both well-meaning and all powerful. If he loves us, and has the power to change our situation, he would prevent our pain, wouldn’t he?
Would he?
Well if he god loves us, and he can protect us, he would have to. It seems he is either omnipotent and uncaring, or benevolent and powerless to help.
Do you have children?
No, father.
Imagine you had an eight year old son… would you love him?
Of course.
Would you do everything in your power to prevent pain in his life?
Of course.
Would you let him skate board?
Yeah, I guess. Sure, I would let him skate board but I would tell him to be careful.
So as this child’s father, you would give him some basic, good advice and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?
I wouldn’t run behind him and mollycoddle him if that’s what you mean.
But what if he fell and skinned his knee?
He would learn to be more careful.
So although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child's pain, you would choose to show your love by letting him learn his own lessons?
Of course. Pain is the part of growing up. It’s how you learn.
Exactly!
Father? May I ask you a strange question?
Only if I may give you a strange answer.
I have asked every priest I know, and I still don’t understand it.
What troubles you?
I don’t understand this benevolent-omnipotent thing.
You have been reading Scripture?
I try.
You are confused because the bible describes god as an omnipotent and benevolent deity?
Exactly!
Omnipotent-benevolent simply means god is all powerful and well-meaning.
I understand the concept. It’s just…. There seems to be a contradiction.
Yes the contradiction is pain. Man’s starvation, war, sickness…
Exactly! Terrible things happen in this world. Human tragedy seems like proof that god could not possibly be well both well-meaning and all powerful. If he loves us, and has the power to change our situation, he would prevent our pain, wouldn’t he?
Would he?
Well if he god loves us, and he can protect us, he would have to. It seems he is either omnipotent and uncaring, or benevolent and powerless to help.
Do you have children?
No, father.
Imagine you had an eight year old son… would you love him?
Of course.
Would you do everything in your power to prevent pain in his life?
Of course.
Would you let him skate board?
Yeah, I guess. Sure, I would let him skate board but I would tell him to be careful.
So as this child’s father, you would give him some basic, good advice and then let him go off and make his own mistakes?
I wouldn’t run behind him and mollycoddle him if that’s what you mean.
But what if he fell and skinned his knee?
He would learn to be more careful.
So although you have the power to interfere and prevent your child's pain, you would choose to show your love by letting him learn his own lessons?
Of course. Pain is the part of growing up. It’s how you learn.
Exactly!
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