Mixed bag of joys

“Tumhe aise kitne din yaad hai Roy, Your first job, pehla suit, pehli salary? Jab tumne ek ladki ko pehli baar chooa, pehli baar chooma? Jab pehli baar tumhara dil dhadka. 30 saal ki Zindagi mein aise kitne din hain jo tumhe yaad hain - 1, 2, 3 , 5 , 10 , 15, 30… 30 din hain na? 30 saal ki zindagi aur bas 30 din... baaki ke dino ka kya hua Roy?"



Sounds familiar? Yes, I got the same reaction when I heard these words three days back. But its not just a familiar dialogue to me, it holds special meaning in my life.

For those who are reading it for the first time, its from the movie Bluffmaster. Delivered by who other than the versatile Boman Irani at the Gateway of India to Abhishek Bachchan. I was down with viral fever a few days back and while I lay in bed listening to songs, this gateway theme suddenly popped up reminiscencing about the day it hit me like a bullet. I watched this movie the day that infamous IISC attack happened. Unaware of the turmoil outside, a different kind of unrest took place inside me.

"Tumhe aise kitne din yaad hai Roy?... 30 saal ki zindagi aur bas 30 din... baaki ke dino ka kya hua Roy?" And I asked the same question to myself, how many days do you remember Divs? What happened to the rest of the days? Simple words seeking a very simple answer yet powerful enough to drive home the message. As the words echoed louder, it made me think and rethink who am I, what am I doing in life and how am I doing it. I came back home struggling to count the number of such days but couldn't go past 30 as well. Man, what was I doing all these years? Was it a time for some introspection or was I just plain careless?

As someone rightly said, add life to your days instead of adding days to your life, the message did change my outlook in life. Thanks to whoever has written that, I'm glad my count is much above 30 now :-). Celebrating the same, I have compiled a list of some 50 such little joys in my life. Though the list was far from over, I just shortlisted 50 of them for sake of my poor readers. I have grouped a few together to mark different phases in my life. Some of them might sound weird at first but if you go through them again, you'll discover the lighter side of life that m trying to point to. Please add to this list by sharing your simple joys as well.

Ever felt the joy of.... ?

1) Rainy day holiday in school... used to love it to bits.
2) Playing sick in morning to avoid school bully.
3) Wondering if u can shrink back to fit in your favorite old dress.
4) Dad shaving you off for the first time (and u just can't help having that grown up feeling).
5) This one i want in hindi "Sardiyon ki dhoop".

6) Doing assignments in groups.
7) Stammering on u're first encounter with u're big time crush.
8) Getting caught while giving proxy attendence.
9) Dancing with two left feet on rose day, only because u feel someone's watching you (Reality is: She's busy counting the roses for her 'Rose Queen' race).
10) Buying a skin tight only to realise that u were never made for it.
11) Playing cool dude while trying u're first puff (and you end up coughing all day long).
12) Suddenly coming across a song u danced on your first 'Class Picnic'.
13) Playing the big brother (or shall i say 'Big Boss') to your juniors.
14) Learning the vehicle on test rides (With a scared attendent who don't even have an insurance).
15) Finding the same question in exam that u just mugged up 5 mins before outside the door.
16) Speaking whole night on even when u're cell batteries give in (remember those painful wails of nokia cells on discharge?).
17) Punching someone right in the face and feeling no regrets even when u're whole body aches as hell afterwards.
18) You get up after a night of examination nightmares only to find the paper too easy to crack.
19) Watching a movie the night before the exams.
20) Incidentally burning the tissue papers on the table on u're first candle night dinner (and later tipping extra for that).
21) Finding an old leaf in a book reminiscencing you of someone somewhere.
22) Trying a new hair cut with hairs boasting upto 5" and ending up with something weird at less than 1".
23) Discovering a 500 rupee note in your crumpled jeans at the end of a cash stripped month.
24) Deliberately losing the way just to spend some more time driving with your friend.
25) Getting rejected in a campus interview, And u shrug it off saying "When i'll open my own company, the same people will come to me asking for work."

26) Listening to u're friend all night long as he pours his heart out.
27) Crying with help of sad songs (Guys don know any other way to do so, unless its SRK himself).
28) Discovering u're zips Open upon reaching home (And you realize how brilliantly you roamed around the whole city with that ventilation On).
29) Kids waiving you from the sides of the railway track (not in early mornings for obvious reasons).
30) Sharing a private glance with a stranger in the middle of a crowded street (Believe me, at moments, u never share such understanding even with your best friends).
31) Chance upon an old friend on the street (Thats what chance encounters are all about, rt JALS?).
32) Long gone friends sharing a drink together after years.
33) Getting a call from someone u were just dialling to.
34) Walking miles alone in night following the moon.
35) Watching a needy face lit up when u drop a 50 rupee note in his lap (He was really needy, will share that story sometime later if possible).
36) Paying fine for entering one way road on wrong side. Reason: You were lost in talks with u're pillion.

37) Dressing up your dad for an important occassion.
38) Surprise visit to your parents on a festival (Really, thats the best gift you can give them).
39) Street dog licking you all over after a day of distress and rejection.
40) Buying a two way ticket just to sit back n enjoy the journey, not to reach anywhere.
41) Clicking someone in all possible poses by making him/her bend at all possible angles (Bakraa!!).
42) Watching a movie again coz someone wants to see that with you.
43) Running away from uncles trying to find a potential son-in-law in you.
44) Meeting the boyfriend of the girl u just fallen for (and u end up giving blessings to both, lol).
45) Dropping an unknown kid to his school on your way to work.
46) Suddenly hitting the road for an unknown trek at midnight (That included a goods train ride to the middle of the jungle as well).
47) Enjoying the day surfing out in the office when server/instance is down at the client site.
48) Taking a leave just to enjoy the first rain of the season (Hope my boss is not reading this one).
49) Laughing out loud when son of u're school crush suddenly address you as 'Maamu'!! (Okay, I was devastated but really had a good laugh over it).
50) Gajar ka halwa by my mom on new years eve :-)

Hey, its me!!

How does it feel?

I mean how does it feel when virtuality meets reality?






The VIRTUAL world:
You know a person from last one year. You've silently read through her life to the minutest detail. You know her in n out (as much as she's comfortable disclosing). You know her likes - dislikes and shared her moments of highs - lows. She's been an inspiration to you, something that finally opened a new door of self expression for you. All this without her knowledge. One day you break the silence playing a mystery man and she digs you out in this vast world wide web. All this happens in this virtual world. You play it in your way of surprises and wait for the real world to take over.

The REAL world:
You take out your bike in a hurry to reach some college before their office timing is over. The work is urgent and you can't afford to miss out on that. Just an hour left, so you put u're helmet on and zoom past 70 kmph in city traffic braving all potshots from fellow drivers/riders on the road. You pass under a flyover and through the helmet frame, you spot a very familiar face. Someone you know from a long time, someone you always wanted to meet and say 'Hey, its me!!'. By the time you realise that reality has taken over virtuality, she's on the move towards other side of road. You slow down fighting the old battle of deciding which is better, virtuality or reality? Finally, the adrenaline rush takes over the control and U end up taking a 'U' turn. With people madly honking behind you on your sudden idiotic move, you quietly apologise and stop behind an autorickshaw. As she speaks to the auto fella, you scan the face carefully trying to discard the raining doubts. Thankfully, deal is not done and the auto moves on, giving me the center stage. "Excuse me, R u AB ?" (even though you are dead sure but you always have to follow some protocol). As you enjoy the confused look on her face, she finally gives up in doubt and confusion replying "Yes" (she's still scanning her vast database of familiar faces but repeatedly getting "Entry not found!" error). Now its time to kill the mystery and reveal the real self, so you take off your helmet and say "Hi AB , its ME!!". A big Jhatka!! And you both burst into laughter. Surprise Surprise, you want to ask how was it but u already got the answer. Man, you want to share so many things in a flash but the day's task overpowers you. You know so many things bout her but you still fumble for words, it looks as if reality will take some time to sink in. For long you were reading a real novel in progress and suddenly its protagonist is in front of you. You exchange a few words and leave with hope of meeting again, still wondering was it real?

So whats the answer to the question with which this post started?
Very simple: You grin... and you grin all day long, time n again!!

My Olfactory Adventures

This post goes to my assiduous Nose. Least recognised but an awesome organ. It may represent the world of opportunities for body language readers but I am just mesmerized by its sheer power of translating simple chemical signals into feelings of pleasure and displeasure. It can even take you down the memory lane reminding of a familiar person, place or object. Its even known to trigger moods. And hey how can we forget about its importance in building tastes (remember the last time u took medicine by closing your nose tap?) Isn't that an awesome power. LOL don be scared, I'm neither obsessed with my nose nor I'm planning to start a lecture on it. Just want to share a few adventures of my olfactory senses.



It struck me when I missed the morning cab one day and had to take the BMTC bus to whitefield. While standing for last 30 mins in jam packed bus, I came across a plethora of different smells. Suddenly I realised how many different odors we encounter in our day to day life, unconsciously rejecting the common ones. So here's a bit of my conscious effort to distinguish them using the best of my nasal abilities.

My Olfactory Thesis -

1) The first smell that started it all was that of the steel bars in bus. It was quite familiar smell from my childhood when I used to go standing in bus to main city. Held tightly by the those sweat soaked hands, it emanated a sharp metallic smell, not easily distinguishable if u haven't travelled that way in summer heat.

2) The most common smell of pollution. I categorized it into the following, you can choose u're favorite:
(a) 'Dark Fantasy': Diesel combustion by Trucks-Bus combined.
(b) 'Sizzling Slaughter': Courtesy of Autorickshaws not running on CNG.
(c) 'Chokers Choice' : The beautiful blend of various oxides, soot and particles at the Traffic Light. Kind enough to put any young lung to rest.

3) That Velvet smell of sweating job aspirants. If u're frequent to DJ's at various marriages and parties, then u must be aware of this one (remember the last time DJ played u're favorite song and all hands went up in air ;-).

4) The smell of expensive deos and perfumes worn by few techies. Lost in office issues and deadlines, they were too preoccupied to enjoy that costly effect.

5) Ladies section (near front door) boasts of fresh smell of Gajra. Though still going strong, poor gajra is finding it difficult to survive on those tight clipped hairs these days.

As it goes, the best was kept for the last. After the morning ordeal, I ensured that I won't miss the evening shuttle. As soon as it started, I got the last surprise of the day. Cool breeze from the open door carried a few complex chemical particles that translated into a H-E-A-V-E-N-L-Y smell in my nose. I saw a lady in saree, sitting on my front left. Too close to escape my nose radar. I had a tough time scanning my limited database of all the possible deos and perfumes of ladies but couldn't pinpoint any. First time in my life I was feeling envious to a sniffer dog. Anyways, I just plugged in my mobile radio and closed my eyes. Heavenly smell and some great music, deadly combination. Ahh, a nice perfume can be a beautiful gift for me. Anyone's listening?? ;-)

Strange or Surprising?

Strange or Surprising, this world never fails to amaze me. When this happens, my mind divides into two and the big fight begins. In the end, nobody wins - nobody loses but I do get a better insight into the way this world operates and the role I play in it. Here's the script of one of the secret conversations I hold with myself:



Me1: Why do you do that?
Me2: Do what?

Me1: I mean, why do you expect them to be the way you are? Stop thinking in Black and White. If you don't change now, things are gonna be tough for you.
Me2: I stopped expecting anything from anyone long back. But then I realised that was not me, not my real self. So took a U turn but only 'half U' [trying to please Me1]. Why should I change myself for others?

Me1: Its called adaptation dude. Remember "Adapt Adapt".
Me2: I know.. I know.. But I am happy this way. More comfortable with myself. No tags attached.

Me1: Oh really? Think again. U don need to change for them but you need to know how to deal with the world. They're exploiting you, wake up.
Me2: Arr Amm, I dunno.. I can't help being nice to them and they can't help having that shell around. The day I put on the same shell, I feel so confined. I know it'll protect but at the same time, suffocate.

Me1: Listen, don't gimme your philosophy. Be rational, fight back. Don't stop for fear of sounding rude, thats the only way out else they'll take you for granted.
Me2: Yes, I am polite but at the same time 'firm'. But in a way you're right, instead of me exploding in the end and spoiling everything, its better to give a slight dose before hand.

Me1: Now you're coming back on track. Actually, even I know you don't want to loose your real self but its a neccessity. Theories of making this world a better place by starting with yourself isn't gonna help. You'll be walked over.
Me2: You know what buddy, I wasted so much of time brooding over what they'll be thinking bout me until one day I realised they're doin the same. They were as much concerned bout my opinion as I was for theirs. Now I have my own opinion of 'myself' and I am perfectly at peace with it.

Me1: Hmm.. Carry on but don't think I'll change my stand. Just want to play a good samaritan for some time, listening to your view.
Me2: Lol.. ok I won't make any guesses. I'm done from my side. What do you think then?

Me1: Though your view does make sense but I'll still say mine is the neccessity of time.
Me2: Ya, lets chart out the plan for the middle path but my 'own' path. And don't tell me to take this or that beaten track beacause the whole world has taken the same.

Me1: Deal.. lets sit together some other time to get it going.. tonite weather is too good to waste over such arguments.
Me2: [Smiles].. great, let me take out the bike then. Go get the helmet.

Me1: Shall I get one or two ;-)
Me2: [Laughs] I just have one, lets become one again!! We enjoy each others company, don't we ;-)?

Me: Here we go... What a beautiful night.. Vroom Vroom... Zoom............

One for Anita

This post is dedicated to the inspiration behind this blog: Anita Bora.
Celebrity blogger, Shutterbug and a name so popular that it doesn't need any introduction in Indian blogosphere. She's blogging since 2001 at JALS ("Just A Little Something") and writes about anything that catches her fancy apart from being an active member of various blogger clubs. Last month she completed five years of happy blogging and her feat of accomplishments has the first "Indian Bloggers List" to her name as well. Her passions include Bangalore, felines (Kit Kit), photography, cuisines, french and arts. I came across some of the other fascinating bloggers and shutterbugs through her work - Aqua, Metblogs, Desipundits, Usha, Dr Vivek and Sandeep to mention a few. You can find their links on the right side of the homepage.




Freshbreeze and JALS connection:
Freshbreeze was meant to be a blog for collecting all the wonderful forwards I was getting back in 2005. Later that year I came across JALS and instantly fell in love with it. Its simplicity and vibes kept my interest intact till today. It opened a new world of online thinkers, activists and enthusiasts for me. Thanks to JALS, I discovered so many wonderful blogs, insightful websites, useful tips and technical tools. No doubt, Google and its labs did a phenomenal job in the process. For more than a year, I was a silent reader of JALS but finally when I broke my silence, Anita was too kind to reply back with words of encouragement. The stage for inspiration was set and freshbreeze started off with full steam two months back. Thanks to you Anita, I just love this form of neo-journalism.

Bonjour

Ting Tong... Ting Tong... Ting Tong...
Chimes... Chimes... Chimes...

Thats how my morning usually begins these days...
Ting Tong by my Bai (maid)... Chimes alarm by my Cellphone...



Yes I am getting up at 6:30 in the morning, DAILY!! Can you believe this? I can't. Thanks to my sane office timings in new job, I get to see the Sunrise daily... but my efforts to get up in wee hours of the day are really worth mentioning... this post is dedicated to the same.

Those who know me from college days must be pulling their hairs out on this... I mean, this guy... who almost always used to miss the first class at 9 owing to his beloved sleep... is finally, getting up at 6:30... that early... that might be PM instead of AM... lol!!

Really guys, even m surprised but its true. There are 3 noteworthy factors for this near impossible transformation:
1) I never forget to put on my ALARM while sleeping... Two alarms, back to back at interval of 30 mins... and both last for 30 min each, tipping off at every 5 mins.
2) The BAI come at 7 am sharp and there's no way i can escape from her relentless ting tong.
3) Last but the most important factor is my FEAR of missing the early morning shuttle and then goin to whitefield in jam packed BMTC bus (after walking 2 kms to reach main bus stand)... by the time I reach office, sweat and exhaustion drains up all my energy apart from wasting the magical effect of my favorite deo ;-)

But what after those ting tongs and chimes? Here's the rest of the story:
I tell my MATTRESS to please leave me so that I will be saved from all the trouble of morning hustle bustle... but its too caring to let me go... Then I tell my dear BLANKET, please get off me so that atleast the cold will prick me up... but its too cosy to let me go... Finally, I turn to my dear PILLOW... dude atleast you help me out, somehow... surprise surprise, it cuddles me back...

Ah, such a lovely scene... straight from the sets of Rajshri Production house... but I remind myself again that there are no free lunches... thankfully, my bell and alarm comes to my rescue and I somehow get up sliding the curtains aside... warm golden light quickly fills up the room as I catch a glimpse of morning Sun... I thank God for such beautiful morning with half opened eyes... a cool splash on my face and my day begins!!

Ok Ok, those who are still not convinced that I get up THAT early, here's some consolation... I do miss the morning shuttle twice a week but what the hell u think I described the lovely bedding scene for? That was a nice justification, isn't it ;-)