To sir... with love!

As i am on a spree on writing about ‘relationship management’, thought of mentioning a thing which i;’ve been thinking about since long now….As long as since i was in college…(which was not THAT long ago!!)

We had a professor, who had a dynamic personality, was an excellent orator, command over the subject as well as language, and to top it all, was exceptionally handsome! Obviously, all the girls in our class were ga-ga over him! We literally used to wait for his classes, even though his classes were scheduled daily! Now you must be thinking, if the girls were so much infatuated by him, the boys apparently would be jealous of him.. but no, in fact, they all were so much impressed by him, that they just wished they would become like him in future!

This happens very rarely that a professor has such an impact over both the groups in the class.. or else many a times it’s a female faculty having a male students following and a dynamic male faculty having a female fan following!

Being a lecturer myself, and that too for a course like MBA, which requires the students to be around for such a long time, where we have constant interaction with students (they being in hundreds in number), we encounter such infatuations every now and then! (let me mention this very clearly that i am not at all considering myself in the league of my professors, because I am not even half way there! But still, what do the students know, right?!?!)

I still ponder sometimes, what is it that makes a professor to be in the ‘list’ of students? Even if the professor is a ‘don’, or a ‘Hitler’ when it comes to conducting the classes? Personality, subject command, or something else?

Relationship Management!

One of my very good friends also happens to be my school mate. So i get to know all the ‘boys’ secrets from him every now and then! And also i ask him to complete all the half – baked stories which were cooked in school times… which now makes sense…strange but funny!
He has always been in most of the stories revolving the ‘triangles’.. or should I say, ‘failed triangles’..! Many girls, it turned out so, were ‘infatuated’ by him in those days…but that is very obvious, because of his tall – dark – handsome looks, as well as intelligence.. but then, he was also ‘known’ to be very shy!

Few months ago, we’d had a re – union party, after which suddenly all the girls came back into his contact, and somehow, they got to know that we are good friends.. so, to ‘target’ him, all of a sudden, i have started to get the attention!! They talk to me in such a manner, as if we were never off contact, or as if we were best friends for ever!! And all this to impress my friend!!

He also knows this; i have also quite a few times ‘saved’ him! He also has that much of faith that if at all anything happens; i’ll be there to ‘save’ him, which i of course will! And the moment I get any news on this front, he is the one to get it next from me, or if he is getting any such ‘vibes’, then we ‘discuss’ it!

Now this fellow is a gentleman to the core! I know any girl would be more than happy to be with him! Anybody who knows him will vouch for this…
(And as his friend, i also wish he gets such a girl who’ll keep him happy and will be just like him, true and caring.)
If this is the case, why can’t the girls understand this? That by making such stupid moves, they are not going to achieve anything?!

For me, i get innumerable chances to tease him, and have fun doing all ‘relationship management’!!

For sure!

" My heart it speaks a thousand words

I feel eternal bliss,

The roses pout, their scarlet mouths like offering a kiss,

No drop of rain, no glowing flame has ever been so pure,

If being in love can feel like this

Then i am love for sure..."

I can feel many more things, because of which i can feel i'm in love for sure..... is it all this? Or many more things than these? When do you know you're in love, for sure?

Smart Work!

I’ve been mentioning the fun i always have at my workplace. And as that is mostly because i have to deal with lots and lots of students, of all kinds and varieties, it makes it sure that something or the other always happens which is utmost funny!
I’d written about my funny GD PI experiences. That batch has finally started and fortunately, we’ve got really good students.

But, our college also undertakes few activities where other students are also involved, one of them being an English diagnostic test. We have designed many comprehensive tests like psychometric tests, verbal communication test, and etc.. The process is very simple, a candidate has t give the test, and based on the results, we give counseling and guidance.

While going through answers of such tests, i found out a paper for English diagnostic test, which was given by a candidate who was already a graduate! He’d given correct answers to almost all the grammar, verbal and reading comprehension questions. But i donno what happened in the last section, where they were suppose to write a small essay. The topic was “Smart work is better than hard work”. Sounds simple? Well, this is exactly what this ‘smart’ candidate has written. Read along:

Work. The word ‘work’ means to do something. Every action comes under the word ‘work’. It is the only common thing which never ends. Every body has to do some work. It means anything done for ourself or other it is said to be work. Nowadays, everybody is scarce of doing work.
There are various types of works. All the works done has some motive in it. Without motive a work is not done to an extent. Working as an labourer in an manufacturing industry has also an motive. The motive behind that labour is to earn money for his livelihood. But as a labour he has to do physical work whole day and all he has earn is a little amount of money.
Nobody likes to work. Therefore any person who works is paid for the work done by him. The word paid express for which the work is being done working with an corporate firm and having hundreds of labour working under is better option than working with hundred of labours. Being on key position of a company is likely to all.
It is a better option to be in sitting in an airconditional office rather than to work as an peon in that office. The peon has to hear a lot from the staff over him. He has to work whole time giving them files, water, tea, etc.
Teaching job means its an type of work in which a teacher has to teach the same think to the class whole life. For example, an English teacher of 5th class has to teach English subject to the same class for the his whole life by getting paid for it. Being an principle is best than beaing an teacher.
And therefore, smart work is better than hard work.

After this, i really wonder how we would counsel this kind of students. I kept laughing for such a long time!

Anybody has any idea!?

Nostalgic moments...

Today we’d gone to our maternal grandparents’ place. It was after so many months that all four of us, i.e. my parents and me and my bro had gone to their place together. There are many reasons for that, primarily because my dad has been transferred to Mumbai and he cannot come frequently here, I and my brother have been very busy in our respective routines lately.

But today somehow everybody was available. And my maternal aunt had also come with her son. And as we were talking and relishing the sweets made by our Aaji (naani), we realized that it’s been so many years, not even months, that all of us cousins have spent some time together at that place.

Our grandpa’s place used to be our destination in every summer vacation. We used to go to a small hill near their house in the morning. And then used to play cards for hours together! Then there were innumerable fights, giving names to each other, scolding everybody else for supposedly done cheating, etc… In the evening, we used to throw water with the old pipe in the garden, in the name of watering plants.. and then after dinner, our Mama used to treat us with unlimited ice-cream everyday! At nights, we used to sleep on the terrace.. before which somebody or the other would tell us a ghost story! And then we used to have bets on who can go and take a round of the entire house without the lights being turned on, and stuff like that!

As everybody got into college life and later on to their respective post graduation and then jobs, frequency of us meeting in summer reduced. Still, those of us who were in the same city, had made an implicit agreement to meet every Sunday. This also went on for few years. But then we also got into our routines that this could not be followed much.

Today when grandpa said , “arey, we are oldies now, we have so much time… that’s why we want you all to come and spend some time with us. But we realize you people have become very busy now”, we felt so bad. This was not at all sarcastic comment, but an urge to meet all the grandchildren at least for some time. Though they are pretty much occupied and busy in their own schedule, and with my l’il cousins who stay with them, still they wish they could meet all of us regularly.
Which i thought was not at all something which we cannot fulfill.

We still have fond memories of those days… we wish that a time should come, when we can again be together, have such fun again, coz this is one thing which our grandparents wish for the most! They now tell us the stories and secrets, which we didn’t know back then, or were too small to understand, but still wanted to know because they belonged to our relatively older cousins… which make us feel nothing but nostalgic…

Being Happy...

Some people are so much self – involved! Not that i am not, everybody is. But sometimes i feel so flabbergasted to see certain people so much caught up in their own self that they just fail to realize that they are not the centre of the universe!

They feel bad that certain things have happened to them, but fail to comprehend that it is the ‘reward’ which they are getting for doing bad to others. Their thoughts are so much rotten that they feel that this has happened to them because they have accomplished some things, that people cannot just stand their accomplishment!
But the reality, unfortunately for them, is that they have done nothing but troubled others by their deeds. But, as occupied as they are in their own self, doing the character – probing, that they just cannot comprehend through their minuscule brain, that they have no character left to build upon!

This does not mean at all that nothing bad has ever happened to me. It has, in fact courtesy these people, that i have also had many bitter moments in my life. And may be i deserved them probably because i let these people enter into my life. May be that was the punishment which i got.

Then i realized, these people had almost ruined my life, because of them i was on the verge of a nervous breakdown, because of these people I had to re-built everything which i’d accomplished; but these people have got no qualms whatsoever! They are as happy as ever, and they feel they have full right to be so! I really wonder how can these people make others happy, when they do not think of others at all?!
To top it all, they reap undue benefits of kind gestures of others and take the credit to themselves. And they declare to the whole world that they are full of confidence and self-belief (Confident that they are ready to ruin somebody else’s life?!)! They challenge that they have become wiser... but unfortunately, they do not understand the difference between wise and shrewd! Poor souls!

And while i am pondering upon all this, i realize they can never change, and some point or the other, they will get the final verdict. I believe very strongly that whatever happens it is for good. And because of these people i’ve started to appreciate the good things in life. In a way, they have actually taught me many things! So how can i forget them! : )

Intricate questions...

I love reading t-shirt quotes... In fact, i have many t-shirts having some really funny and witty quotes.. but my fav is,
"Always forgive your enimies.. Nothing annoys them as much!"

The moment i'd seen this t-shirt, i'd decided to buy it.. and that shirt still remains one of my fav shirts..
I am trying to do according to this quote for so long...
But.... i just cannot think beyond these issues...

Is it alwas that easy to forgive the enimies?
Are they worthy of your forgiveness?
Isn't it enough that they have made it to your list of people you hate the most?
And if at all you manage to forgive them, what is the assurance that they won't repeat the mistakes?
.. intricate issues.. at least for me....

10 ka Dum!

As promised, i’ve taken up the task of completing the tags…
And i’m gonna follow the principle of LIFO (last-in first-out)!!
And as Ankur had tagged me a while ago, here i go telling you 10 of my things, or my traits, whatever you call, are not known to everybody.. (who started this dangerous tag anyway?!?!)

1. I am a very good cook… though few of you might know this, but then i thought of beginning to tell the secrets with the most delicious (so to say) one! And the 1st time i cooked everything, i.e. roti, chapatti, daal, sabzi and Kheer, when i was only in 7th standard. My mom had undergone a surgery, and my grandma was bedridden, and to top it all, we had a Puja at our place which is a family tradition, and the food is cooked by a family member itself! For some time, i thought of myself as some li’l wonder! : )

2. I am scared of dark. Cannot stay alone without lights being turned on! That doesn’t mean i haven’t stayed alone anytime, but at all such events, i’ve always had a goodnight sleep with few lights on in the house.

3. This is may be connected with the above ‘secret’.. I cannot just tolerate and watch horror movies! : ( yeah, this is very sad, but cannot help it.. if i happen to watch any of these, courtesy some people like Andy, then come whatever may, i just cannot sleep that night.. yeah, i’m a real fattu! : (

4. I hated economics throughout my school and my undergraduate life. And now i’ve been teaching this subject for more than 2 years now, and all the other subjects related to it, took major during my MBA as well as MA in economics and planning to have fellowship in the same subject!

5. I started walking when i was 9 months old…

6. I am ambidextrous. There are many things i can only do with my left hand, and rest with my right one. I was a lefty dribbler in basketball, but a righty shooter; can write with right hand, but can draw nicely with lift one; cannot kick a scooter with right leg, and etc etc..

7. I have never in my life dashed my car! Now this is an achievement in itself, given that once i had accidents every month for 8 months on my scooter!! So who says women are bad drivers??!!!

8. For 2 years during my under graduation, i earned my pocket money by designing and making artificial jewelry and at a point of time, had actually talked to few jewel stores for a tie-up kind of a thing. But then went for my MBA and the whole entrepreneurship drive came to an end! : (

9. I can sing in 10 different female singers' voices apart from my own!

10. I cannot go to sleep and have food without hearing Andy’s voice! :)

Guess spilled all the beans!

Now would like to know more about few people, so i tag
Ashish, Gunj, Pri, Ceedy, Rahul, Veens, ashu, and anybody who would like to tell their secrets!

'm Back!

Hello people,
I'd been very busy lately with my work and other things. So could not blog for a while... though i wished to do it eveyday( at least check other blogs if not contribute from my side), but couldnt do it...
The situation has not got any better, but at least i can do some blogging now.. and as few people have tagged me, i'll do that soon as well...

Keep visiting!

8 things tag...

Yiee..… I’ve been tagged by Ashish.. and as this is the first time it has happened, here’s the best i can take out…

8 things I’m passionate about….
(Sequence is subject to changes…!)

1. My job! (Yeah, that’s very weird, but i really do love my job to the core!!)
2. Movies! (Great fan of all the filmy fundas and stuff.. as a matter of fact, Andy has started to call me filmy, and is convinced i am very much melodramatic just like our Hindi movies..! )
3. Music! (Cannot live without this… I have to have some music around me…)
4. The relationship in which I’ve been in since more than 6 years now… (didn’t know how to put it across… :P )
5. Clothes… ( Great fan! Doesn’t have to be necessarily designer, but anything which is good looking and has great appeal to it, is in my wardrobe… and i spend almost 1/4th of my salary on clothes..!)
6. Cooking.. (in fact, experimenting… and fortunately, almost everything turns out to be at least eatable!)
7. PJs.. (No, i didn’t steal this from Ashish, but i am his group member in this PJ community..! and i love PJs because i just imagine all of them… just give it a try!!)

8 things I want to do before I die…

1. Get married! (6 years.. now shouldn’t we decide on the date???!!!)
2. To be the head of one of the top B – Schools (to begin with, i would love to be the head of department or something like this for say, Economics )
3. To have at least 2 music programs every year, till the time i can sing (anybody listening??)
4. To meet Amitabh Bacchan and Amir Khan (yeah, may be date them even!)
5. To play basketball again on a national level (oh I really miss playing this game)
6. Want to straighten my hair… (I have big curly hair, and i simply hate it!!..but again, don’t wanna take the risk.. so may be this can be done when I’m sure I’m gonna die soon.. :D)
7. To settle down soon… (this includes many things..!)
8. Slap that one person whom I hate the most!! (in front of the world.. I know I’m being mean.. but then, couldn’t think of anything else… but this is also a good thing to do before I die.. :) )

8 things I say often…
1. Meanwhile
2. Oh really?!
3. As a matter of fact…
4. Arey yaar…
5. Oh damn!
6. Yeah sure..
7. Don’t mess with me dear (I say this often to my students!)
8. Sahi hai!

8 books I last read…

1. Half a Life
2. World is Flat
3. Tuesdays with Morrie
4. Runaway Jury
5. Doctors
6. The inheritance of Loss
7. Freakonomics
8. The Tipping Point


8 songs I would listen to over and over…

(There is a whole list of these songs, cannot mention all.. listing down whichever is coming to mind first)
1. Pehla Nasha.. (Jo jeeta…)
2. Everything I do..(Bryan Adams)
3. Gaarava…(Milind Ingle)
4. Scientist (Cold Play)
5. Kevha tari pahate.. (Asha Bhonsale)
6. All out of Love (Air supply)
7. Immortal (Evanescence)
8. Tere bina.. (Guru)
…. And many more….

8 people who are tagged…

1. Veens
2. Satish Bolla
3. Ceedy
4. Ankur
5. Andy
6. Sid
7. Maverick
8. Mez

… oh god.. it really took me a while to do this…if any of you’ve already been tagged earlier, then those who want to take up this one, be my guest!

Fun Job!

There are very few people who know what exactly want to do with their future, career wise. The reason is that they do not realize what area interests them the most. Luckily, at least i know which is the area which appeals me the most.. and fortunately i have already got the job which i love. But this is only one of the reasons why i enjoy this job, a management faculty…. Being with students, having discussions and panel meetings on various current issues is something which is very fruitful and satisfying.

But the most hilarious and entertaining part of this job is to deal with various kinds and categories of students…. And the process starts right from the selection of students though GD PI and then continues even after the student appears for exam and the results come…
In recent days, i have been busy with almost every such activity in college. And believe me; i’ve experienced all such incidences which really makes me think : do some people really think??? Reason???? Read along….

Case 1 – GD PI process, i am on the panel for interview, and unfortunately, the candidates are selected after the final score of written and GD PI, we get variety of candidates. Excerpts from one of such interviews:
Me – you have written in your CV that you have done BCA. So why do you want to shift to management field? Don’t you want to continue in the same field and do MCA or MCM?
Candidate – no ma’am. I wish to have a management perspective and want to learn management.
My co - panelist– yes, that is what we are asking, why do you want to lean management?
Candidate – I want to know how to manage things.
Me – okay… and what do you mean by management then?
Candidate – management means ‘to manage’…
Co – panelist – ‘to manage’ what?
Candidate – Anything!
Co – panelist – anything?! Good.. (with sarcasm!!) Which specialization are you planning to take?
Candidate – HR
Me – Why? What do know about HR?
Candidate – HR is managing.
Co – panelist – (a little agitated) yes, but managing what?????
Candidate – managing people….. management!!
Me – what? We didn’t get you. What do mean by management?
Candidate – management means to manage.. Observe… doing managership!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Co – panelist – (now with lots of sarcasm!!) managership?!?! And What do you mean by that?
Candidate – means observing, doing management!!!
…..and then we realized we’ve just wasted 10 minutes asking this girl about something on which she is totally confused. So we decided just to award her some marks, let’s ask something about her own field. So..
co – panelist – okay, tell me what did you like in BCA?
Candidate – Computers! I liked Tally a lot. I also liked web-designing.
Me – oh good, you seem to know a lot about it then.
Candidate – yes ma’am, I know a lot about it.
Co – panelist – (now in a mood to have fun!!) okay then tell us who is the father of computers?
(We couldn’t believe she gave this answer!!!)
Candidate – I am sorry sir, my father is working WCL and he doesn’t know anything about computers..!!
……… and we thanked her from our heart for coming!!!

Case II – Same GD PI, another candidate….
Now this candidate was very good in his field, which was commerce, and knew answers to almost every technical question which we’d asked him. Apart from that, he had a dashing personality and had a good command over the language. Overall, we were almost satisfied with him, and decided to ask him a few HR cliché’ questions…

Me – Good..! What are your strengths and weakness?
Candidate – ma’am my strength is my communication skill (okay.. so far so good, we thought!) and my second strength is my body!
Co – panelist – (surprised!!) your what?
Candidate – my body sir. I am physically very strong and I can beat up anybody. And as my weakness is that I get angry very quickly, this strength of mine comes very handy!
Me – so you beat up people?
Candidate – yes ma’am, only when I am angry. But don’t worry ma’am, I never beat girls..!!!
… and my co – panelist (who was a male faculty) decided not have him on board!

Case III – This candidate had supposedly worked with some broking firm, had done BBA and was interested to take finance. Already agitated by the above two experiences, the moment i got this candidate, i thought chalo beta, aa gaye tuum hamare iilake me.. (me being a finance and economics faculty!)

Me – You have mentioned that you were a stock advisor with this firm, and did some research, tell me some of the non – stock market investment options.
Candidate – (with a fake accent) ma’am there are many options like real estate, gold, bonds, FDs etc etc etc…
Me – okay, what would you suggest if anybody want to invest for short term in a non – stock market options?
Candidate – I would recommend mutual funds.
Me – is it not related to stock market?
Candidate – no, not at all.
Me – okay, then where do these mutual fund companies invest money?
Candidate – ma’am they manage assets.
Me – yes, but which are these assets?
Candidate – assets are assets!
Me – (now really irritated) fine. ( I didn’t have to correct her, nor did I want to.) okay, tell me how many stock markets are there in India?
Candidate – 2.
Me – 2? (there are 24.) you sure?
Candidate – yes ma’am. BSE and NSE.
Me – yes, but there are few more.
Candidate – no ma’am. Not at all. Only 2. BSE, which is in Mumbai and NSE which is in Delhi.
Me – NSE is in Delhi?
Candidate- yes ma’am.
I was so frustrated at this point of time, that my co – panelist continued…
Co – panelist – who told this to you?
Candidate – nobody has to. I know.
… and with this answer, we didn’t waste any more time interviewing her….

Surprisingly, all these 3 candidates had very good scores in their written test. Whosoever made this compulsory to have GD PI after the written test was really a thinker. But, it made me wonder, how are they so bad when it comes to such an important process as interview? But yes, they do make my job a fun job!!!

Value

Today i and one of my colleague (and a dear friend) had gone to an impromptu lunch to Ten Downing Street (TDS). We were quite surprised to see decent number of people at the restaurant on a working day at that hour. There were few people like us who’d come from office. But there were quite a large number of teenagers. And they were all dressed up nicely, and were not at all new to that place!!

I am very sure except for few people like us who’d come directly come from office, were not even more than 20 years old. There were some 6-7 groups and 3-4 couples of these teenagers. They were chatting, laughing aloud and having fun. And this is not at all new these days.

Teenagers like these nowadays going to CCDs and Barista and Pizza Hut is not a new phenomenon. As a matter of fact, they also go to pubs and such restaurants quite regularly. And to feature on Page 3 of leading news paper is something very essential for their glamour quotient!

I remember, when i was doing my under graduation, we used to calculate how can we go to a restaurant or have our share of paani- puri from the left over money! Then we used to manipulate by spending only Rs.80 on petrol instead on Rs. 100 and so on and so forth!
But going to CCD (and some 3-4 years ago the prices were not as low as they are now!) or to a plush restaurant was something which we had to plan. Even while going on a date, we sometimes had to calculate how much can we spend today!! But we never cribed about it. We had fun even with limited amount of money and resources.

But now the situation is so different. These boys and girls spend money like anything, they seems to have lost the value of it. This is so strange. I also spend a lot. I love to spend money on clothes and food. But i started spending like this only when i started earning it. And same applies to people around me.

Looking at these people, and the way they are spending, what conclusion can we draw? Are parents giving too much liberty to them? Or are they offering everything which is even uttered by their children? If yes, then why? Don’t they have a track of how the money is actually being spent?

Thank you!

“This is my best friend. And this is my second best friend. And this is my third best friend…” This is how 5 cute little people were introduced to me by my sweet little cousin. After the introduction part was done, and when they all left, i asked him, “ How come you have so many best friends?” “umm….” He pondered for not more than few seconds before he replied, “because I like being with them and I meet them daily and they stay near my house! Simple!!” Indeed! The most simple and naïve answer!! Yet, so much profound and reflective..

I remembered my school days, when i used to do the same, introduce every other person in my group as my best friend. And a person whom i would have had a fresh fight would not even qualify as my friend for that day! Funny, i thought.

Not really. That is the age when we actually make so to say langotiya yaars and friends forever! We accept people not because they are cute or rich or famous, but because they are ‘available’ whenever we want, they are there with us in all our fun times.

I’ve had many many such friends. And surprisingly, very few have managed to stay in that position, leave alone promoting to next level. And i don’t regret it all!

I have been a fairly good judge of people, since the age i started to understand. And i can say that with pride.
And i guess that is when i realized what exactly a ‘best friend’ is. And to my surprise, those ‘best friends’ barely qualified in my category after that.

I have plenty of friends even now. Sometimes, while preparing an invite or something like that, i just cannot take anybody out without thinking at least 100 times. Not because they will some or the other way find out the ceremony or the function, but because i really want them to be a part of that.
But similarly, there are people whom i don’t even list down. I just don’t’ have to. They are the ones who don’t need any invite. Because they’ve been there all the time, without me even asking them to participate or contribute.
I’m pretty sure this must be happening to most of the people. But i am very proud to have these people in this category. And i didn’t have to do anything special to make them a part of this list.

For example:.. a person who used to annoy me like hell and was never a part of anything i did ever, became my best friend and eventually the love of my life..apart from being the mentor and real supporter….
... a person whom i barely knew, and before meeting him used to be considered a real jerk by me, became my trustworthy friend, and my “big brother”…who can even sense from the first “hello” in the phone call that something is wrong….
…a person who was junior to me in my school, whom i never remembered when i met him after school, is one such friend now who will say all the bad words to me and still we’ll be laughing the very next moment…
…a person who was the ‘prince charming’ in school days, and because of that we never exchanged a word with each other then, is now the one who have been my first reader to every post here…
…a couple of people who were “just batchmates” are now the ones with whom i share the inner most secrets, and we just cannot have a single week when we do not meet or talk over the phone..

This list is not exhaustive… there are quite a few more people who are in that category, but i cannot mention all of them.. (sorry people, but you’ll always be there, don’t worry!).

I do not meet these people everyday. Nor do we talk every day. But i am glad they are a part of my life. And i am equally happy that some people, whom i have chucked out of my life (and were my so called friends), are not a part of ly life. ‘Coz as i said earlier, i am very good at judging people. And i cannot go wrong at least at judging the wrong people…

And i thank God for giving me this potential of recognizing the good, the bad and the ugly in my life...

Façade

I’ve been watching MTV Roadies since long. And thanx to my brother, i’ve developed quite an interest in that show. Lately, i’ve discovered that i enjoy the auditions part more than the actual roadie thing.
And there are quite a few reasons for the same.

One: I get to see new and interesting interview techniques!! And as it is an integral part of my job, it helps!!! (naah, i don’t get to interview people like Raghu does! Sob sob.... :D )

Two: it is a great timepass!!

Now, the last episode (which was telecast on 15th March) is the reason why i call this a sheer timepass..! And especially this current season on a whole…

Now those who know what this show is all about would comprehend that politics and personal ditching and bi****** is not an integral part of this show. In fact, it is about how you can identify who’s the toughest candidate and get rid of him/her by getting exemption or as they call it, immunity. And for that you have to show your skills and ‘never-say-die attitude’. At least this is what i could gauge from the first 2-3 seasons.

But this time it has crossed the limits! There are girls fighting over who looks better or who is from a better brand of college, or who can crib better or who can curse the other one better or who can show her flirting skills with every boy on the show better..!! oh what the fish!!!
C’mon girls!! What kinda image are you people posing? In fact, just after that episode my brother gave me this reaction, “ haah, these girls!! Girls are always like this!! If they cannot tolerate anything good in other girls, they just go around saying mean things to each other!!!” I was shocked! I virtually entered in a fight with him, but all in vain. He kept reminding me of the things happening on that show!!!

Hmm… so, there ARE still such kind of girls who think that, even though they are dumb and don’t qualify under intellectually species, if they have good and fair looks, they can win everything. Worst, there ARE boys who worship such girls!! For these people, looks matter the most, even if they deny upfront... but they wouldn't even consider a not-so-fair girl over a fairy-little-cute girl, even if she's the most intelligent of the lot!!!

Oh but then, looking at these girls, what other conclusion could we draw??

Unfair?

“Oh her life is so perfect!”… i though… when i met one of my very good friends the other day. She has everything which anybody could ask for… Great career, married to her love of life (who incidentally is also doing fantastic in his own career) who loves her like crazy, great house which is very appealingly decorated, ... Yeah, everything!

And i almost have those things which i want..

How can some people have everything and we always just wait for some things in life? I am contented very fast.. but that doesn’t mean that there is no passion left in life.. there are so many things to be done, in so little time.. so many things to be achieved, through so few resources.. But i have that passion to do those things on my own...

There are many moments when we feel everything in life is satisfying and pleasing. But the next thing you know is some problem has come up, which you had never thought of, and which if unnoticed, can ruin everything!

Oh damn! This is unfair! Why can’t our life go as per the plans? Why can’t we just take into consideration all the extraneous yet important matters into consideration?

We don’t want everything.. But, why can’t we just live the way we want to?? How come some people live a peaceful life, when they don't deserve a bit of it?

Dil hai chotasa...

The other day while cleaning my closet i found an earring which I’d purchases from Nepal, way back in 1994. I also found a purse, picked up in some exhibition years ago, which was again a very teeny tiny one, with even more small pebbles and stones on it.

I have always been very much fascinated with small things. And these things were just an evidence of it that this has been my habit since childhood.

Even though i have those big and huge earrings, i still don’t take them out unless there’s some occasion. Otherwise i’m always wearing a small one. Same goes with my wrists watches, ring, bracelets, shoes (i cannot say i have tiny shoes and sandals, but their design is most of the times delicate), hairpins, and what not… (now, don’t’ get any weird idea, my clothes are an exception to this!!! They are well fit as they should be!!! )

I generally prefer small servings, small quantity of food at one time, big cup with very little coffee and so on and so forth!
And when i thought about it, i become conscious of the fact that for me, the same goes for many other intangible things as well.

I don’t need a very big reason to be happy, even a small compliment or a flattering remark or a comic strip makes me happy. It is not very hard to please me. And same goes with my anger!! I am a short tempered person; i get irritated pretty soon if things are not proper, but again, i get composed very fast!

Till this point it is okay. But, as i’m happy with small things, does that mean i become content rapidly? i have rejected so many good and big brands for my job, that at a particular point of time people started to think of me as a weirdo! People crave for big names, brands, fatty salaries, and here i was rejecting all of them. And finally settled with the profession i love, without thinking much about the “big” name and money.

But will it lead me anywhere? Am i loosing out somewhere by paying attention to small, but not insignificant, things?

Celebrations

I read a very cute post by one of my friends on his blog about 'his Valentine's day'..! And so many blogs on how their day has been. And suddenly, it made me realize it’s been so many years since i’ve been into a relationship, yet we’ve not celebrated a single V’day together. And surprisingly, i didn’t feel bad about it. Just surprised. Because when we started going out, we were just in the early stages of graduation (yeah, too early, i know.. :P). Still, even at that time we didn’t ‘celebrate’ it together. One of the reasons could be that our relationship was ‘still not ‘official’ at that time. (Oh what a lousy excuse, i thought!! That is the age when people celebrate it the most!!)

But then later on even after it being official, we never celebrated it together. Though me being the more sensitive amongst the two of us, i’ve always sent him some or the other gift. Still, we’ve not celebrated it together, i thought!!!!! :(

Now it started to bother me… are we not the romantic two? Are we becoming less and less affectionate? No, the answer was (fortunately) negative. And we are still in the early twenties.. (I could’ve said ‘mid’ twenties.. but...you know.. :P)
Then what the hell is the reason? And why the hell am i thinking of it NOW? What was i doing earlier? Oh no, what the hell was HE doing? Has he never thought of this??

I had to ask this to him… how could i bear the burden of these thoughts all by myself?!?!
And how could i break my habit of passing all my worries to him!!!

And i finally asked him.. “How come we’ve never celebrated V’day together??” “We have special plans for all other occasions, then why have we not made any special plans ever on this day?” “Don’t you want to celebrate it with me ever?”
Hmm, i’ve given him enough of input to think about, i thought. And now from now onwards we’ll have celebrations on these days!

But his reply astonished me. And without a second thought, i can say that i don’t think i’ll ever crib about not celebrating this day together..or doing something special or out of the way...

He said, “ I don’t want to celebrate my love with you only on this day. And when we do that, we always have it at the back of our mind that we’re through with the responsibility, which I am not. I don’t require a single day to celebrate this love with you. A single day is too less for that. I want the whole life. And I celebrate it every day…!”

Unconditional...

I've not yet seen my (only) niece Riya, in person. And it'll be an year before i could actually meet her and take her into my arms...

Yet, not a single day has passed since she's born that i haven't seen her snaps... or her video.. To add to it, her current snap is the wallpaper on both my comp and my mobile phone...

I really wonder, is it because she's my first niece, or she's my niece, or she's just like a cute l'il baby seen in every baby soap ad, or is it because of her that i became "aatya" (paternal aunt) for the first time?! Or is it because before she was born, me and her mother used to discuss the names and clothes and colors on the walls for her?

Sometimes you just love somebody unconditionally... and if it's conditional, it's not love..
How else could i describe my feeling for this little angel.. without even meeting her...

You know you're leading a good life...

You know you're leading a good life when..
....You get the most special gift from the person you love the most....at 00:00 am on your birthday... which makes your day even more special... especially when you have expected it the least.. and that too from a person who's the last creative person on earth.. it's so creative that it takes your breath away..and you realize what it is to have tears in eyes when you're the happiest..

...You get a pleasent surprise when your students from past college remember the day and visit you with cake and flowers and chocolates.. the things you love the most.. but those things coming from the students, makes that moment one of the most cherished one..

...You get to spend a quality time with your family on that day, with you being the centre of attention..(for once!!)..

... Your love of life again surprises you.. this time with beautiful roses..lots of 'em.. sent especially for you with a lovely message... and you just cannot go to sleep with that message in your hand..

...You just wish, this will make your year the happiest one..

Moment!

While watching the movie 'Hitch', this dialogue by Alex Hitches got my attention. It goes like this:
".. Life is not about the number of breathes you take… it’s about that moment which takes your breath away!”..

I wonder whether that moment repeats itself..! Sometimes.. i feel it happening!

On Time

Old habits die hard…true, but Bad habits surely have long life..!!

One such habit is arriving /coming late!! Yesterday i had this opportunity to attend a seminar, and to my surprise, the second speaker arrived first and the first one came after that! He apologized for that and went on give a splendid lecture!!

Why do people get late? Even though we put in order everything, yet manage to arrive late.
Unfortunately, i am one of those (many) people who just cannot manage to go anywhere on time. Of course, i’m not always late, and even if i am, it’s maximum 5 minutes. I know of few people who cannot come before half an hour past the scheduled time! It gets sometimes annoying for me also!!
But then, i happened to read it somewhere, that if we are late everywhere, right from the beginning, like to the school, college, meetings, date, then no matter how hard we try, we just cannot come on time!!
Is it so?? Okay, i’ll try to break this rule…i thought! I succeeded for sometime! And then i found out, that there is nobody to appreciate me coming on time!!

Uprising

Many a times it used to happen to me that after seeing a person, or even at the site of his snap or the mention of that person by anybody else, used to make me uncomfortable. And it was so surprising that whenever i wanted to get out of the thoughts of that person, some thing or the other always used to happen and that person came into the limelight! And this used to annoy me like anything!
I used to feel very bad for Me, because i had never hated any body upto this extent... and somewhere it used to make me think, am I going wrong somewhere?

But lately, because of certain events and eposides, instead of feeling the same, i feel pity for that person, because that person is the only one in my life whom i hate. I pity that person to have made it to my list and being the only one there...!

It has not been easy for me to come to this level, from hatred to pity. I had to go through a lot of thinking process, and finally came to the conclusion that i have not done anything wrong. In fact, i am wasting my precious time in thinking about such a person, who doesn't deserve to be in anybody's thoughts.

I am happy! And i am smiling.. :) Yet, i invested my time in writing this post! :))

Why did we cry?

There are so many emotions we exhibit while watching a movie. Not just at the first viewing, but every time we watch it.
And being a BIG BIG movie fan, i generally display almost all the feelings like being sad, some time sing along, laugh even to the most silly jokes (well, not exactly so silly, but jokes which can be imagined! Yes, the power of imagination is a great gift to mankind!! And i make use of it every now and then.. may be that is the reason why i enjoy the so – called PJs!)
.
But there was one thing which i’d never done before, crying while watching a movie. I used to think movies cannot make me cry, until i watched ‘Taare Zameen Par’…
It is an awesome movie, one which will always be in my top 5 movies’ list! Hats off to Amir Khan (who has made countless people cry, which is very difficult when it come to films. Making people laugh and cry are the two most difficult things which a movie maker has to do.)

And finally i also cried. I know the same must have happened to many people, almost everyone cried while watching this movie.
But when i try to think in retrospect, i’m just not able to settle on one particular reason why this must have happened.

Majority of the people have confessed that they cried, or at least felt very bad at the time of the song “Maa”. Reason is very evident. There are some more scenes apart from this which make you very sensitive, for example scenes like when the teacher makes the father realized his mistake and when he seer his son actually reading the poster by himself, or when the boy wins the award and hugs his teacher, or when the parents cannot believe that they’re looking at their son’s report card, or when the boy runs to the teacher and he catches him, or many other scenes which i am not considering.

If we notice, there is nothing very special about these scenes.. for instance, a child is bound to cry when he’s separated from his mother, or a father realizing how he’s been neglecting his child’s problem. But this is shown in many ways in our movies. Then why this time so many people are shedding their tears and on top of it, admitting in public that did so!

Just because of the intensity with which Shankar Mahadevan has sung the song? Or because there this funda of “all’s well that ends well”?

We experience similar things every time. We become sad when there is no one around, we cry with joy when something happens unexpectedly well to our loved ones.
Then why have we become so much obsessed with this move? Is it then, because of the simplicity with which it is shown, or something else?