The thought today

"Why judge others when I can be what I want to be."

Peace?

I saw the front page of THE HINDU. First was the news of people killed in the rail tragedy caused by Maoists. Below that was the story of Pakistani civilians being killed by bomb blasts. And I was wondering why do we need a war between the 2 of us when we are both fighting wars within. Why is peace so difficult?

Love has no borders.

It's in the genes!

Back to School

Yesterday, i just happened to wander to the website of my school. I didn't know they had a website. But then, times have changed. Saw the school crest, and suddenly the words that i had seen in all those school years hit me after all these years out of it. 'Love lighteth learning'. The motto of my school. It was the first time i really thought about it, and realized the wisdom of it. Hopefully I can apply it with my son. would consider it a mission accomplished. :)

Life!

A new series on Discovery Channel. From 24th may to 6th June. 8 pm. Titled LIFE. Loved the first 2 episodes. The promos had got me interested anyways. Amazing stories from the wild. Stunning visuals. The episodes are like watching a movie. All the ingredients are there. Intrigue, drama, humour, murder, chase and more with great music and narration in the mushy voice of David Attenborough. Not to be missed.

Rain Rain!

It's not yet Monsoons in Kerala. The South West clouds are set to arrive June 1st week. But already it's raining. Low pressure in the sea. I love the rains. It's wonderful to go for a long drive in the rain (though visibility is an issue...got to be cautious). But it's fun. Meeting clients can be kool:)

I don't know !

Excerpt from a Vishy Anand Interview....so simple :)

Q. What does it take to be a world champ?

A. I don’t know! I just try to play the best game I can. But it has to be fun. You can cope with the stress as long as chess inspires you.

Do you like me?

I was watching this reality show episode on TV the other day. It was a singing contest for kids. There was this shy kid who sang very well. The judges were impressed but in order to get the child to open up asked him ask them anything he wanted. The boy thought for a while and asked 'Do you like me?". The judges had just praised his singing, but this was the question on the child's mind. I wondered isn't this in our minds as well. From superstars to the wannabe, from a parent to a child....everyone has this question deep within "Do you like me?" It was his innocence that made him ask this so spontaneously. But isn't this that's within us all?

Sad

I am feeling real sad for the sufferers of the Mangalore air tragedy. It is moments like this that make us value life and what we have. May God bless all.

You may not know me

You may not know me. Some times even I wonder who I really am. I can write. I can read. I think. I dream. About things that are and things that can be. I wonder about the universe – its endlessness and my ignorance. I could read all the books of this world but I may not know. I could listen to all the masters of the world, dead and alive and I may not know. I could live and die and take birth again, and I may not know. Such is the glory and expanse of creation. And then I realize that there is that power that is beyond me, but in those rare moments of inspiration I could realize that power within me. I do not need to question that power or its source. I just need to embrace it with free will. I have done nothing new. I strive. I look at others and marvel. Little sparks. I do not know if there is a spark in me. I do not know how to show the spark in me. For that matter, I do not know what spark is. I act important every once in a while hoping to be taken seriously, like perhaps now while writing this. But I know within me, I am nowhere. I don’t have to be anywhere. I just have to be me. Why is that so difficult? There is a world that I look up to. There is a world that I want to look up to me. I lose my innocence. My childlike enthusiasm. I lose myself. I act. I have designations that I want and designations to live up to. But in the corner of the corner office lies my little heart which knows the truth but is scared. Can I question? Can I resist? I don’t have any Lions. I don’t have any pencils. But I wish I could save the Lions and resurrect the pencil. I look at planet earth and I look at people. I wonder if it’s worth it. Am I adding any value? What is my role? How do I look at myself? My work? No gutter bar for me. No Cannes. Not even Goa. I don’t have a black t shirt. Nor a moustache. Though I respect the moustache. I respect it all. But I wonder if there is something beyond it all? Do I have to follow? Or do I lead? And lead towards what? Something more responsible, humane and relevant. Can I do it? Can my pen or rather my keyboard do it? I love the questions. I love the uncertainty of it all. I like my doubts. Call me a loser. I like that too. I don’t mind that too. I would be happy to lose my way to a find a new one. There is fun in this. In getting dirty and losing my way. There is fun that is beyond the clunking of cocktail glasses. Exploring the expanse of the endless universe. Setting myself free into an unknown world. New meanings, new understandings. New purpose. Escaping the gravity of the now to discover the freedom of new. It’s exhilarating. Its fun. Like the Eskimos in Greenland. I love it. It’s my struggle everyday. I am no genius. I don’t know who I am. I know there is something within me. I am there in the small city, in the small room at the small desk. I am the boy that looks out of the classroom window. I am the girl who looks out of the bus in the dusty town. I am every where. I exist. I live. But then, you may not know.

Maoists

Marginalisation always creates conflicts. Always has. India is a country which has been grappling with its divides. The divides of caste, region, religion, gender, income, health, education and more. And there are many a wrong to be set right. But killing innocents in a bus, or blasting off rail tracks. Is that going to set things right? Infact, it is deviating attention from what the perpetrators are claiming to be their causes. In fact, their real intentions are looking dubious and self-serving. Two wrongs never make a right. It's not a movement. It's vandalism. It's the arrogance of the coward. The intion is not solutions. The intention is self-importance. Call yourselves whatever you want to - don't be anarchists.

Now, this is strength.

The thought today

"Don't try to do a thing. Do it."

The thought today

"When I accept life, Life accepts me. When I accept myself, the World accepts me."

England finally win in their game.

I have always marvelled at the English for inventing Cricket. So many rules. So unlike many other games. It's their national game. Englad is known for their love of traditions. It's irony that the first time that they have won an ICC tournament ever is the 20-20 world cup. Nevertheless it's a great achievement. It's good for cricket. England has long been getting distanced from cricket. Hopefully , this will be a revival. The best part is, they deserved to win this. They played the best cricket. Paul Collingwood of all people deserved it very much. An underrated cricketer, he has been the gentle, calm soldier of the game. Such people deserve the success they get. Very happy for him. Aussies will take this hard. This will raise questions about the mettle of Michael Clarke. A certain Ricky Ponting leading this side, and the story could have been different. But this moment belongs to England. Deservedly so. As for Indian hockey, its been a anticlimax in that they have won the Sulthan Azlan Shah hockey but they are joint winners with South Korea. Rain washed out the game. Anyways, it was a good show. SO what's next? The World Cup of Football. My favourite sports event. Yes, even more than world cup of cricket. Surprised?

The World is my Playground

Can I read these?

Yesterday I met God

I am writing this on a Sunday. This happened yesterday. My wife had gone out in the evening to get a few dresses of hers stitched, while I was at home. On the way back, she did little kitchen shopping at the super market. And when she reached back home, she found her bag missing. It had money. Her driving license. One of my bank passbooks. My son's vaccination booklet and lots of other stuff. My wife went back to see if she could find it but to no avail. I made a trip to the super market to see if she missed it there. Nothing. We concluded that the thing had been lost. Somebody would have picked it. Even as we are counting our losses, there was a the noise of somebody calling out my name at our gate. It was an old frail man, a letter in his hand. The letter had my name and address on it. The man had come in an auto rickshaw. He had the missing bag with him. Apparently my wife had kept a letter from her father in the bag which had our address on it. The bag was found lying on the street by the autorickshaw guy. He took it to the old man whom he knew. They traced our house from the address on the letter. Miracle! In the world of today, where we have become so cynical and skeptical about everything and everyone- we forget that basic goodness still survives. Both of them - they are not going to win any recognition or any prizes. Noone will know what they did. Noone would have known even if they hadn't done what they did. They were not rich. They were men on the street. Faces in the crowd. Not social activists. Not peace marchers. Where is God we ask? We say, those were the good old days. It's a selfish world now. Its what we are that is changing rather than others. Its our goodness that is lacking. And then come some angels. People like us. And they show the God within us all.

The thought today

" Either you are inspired. Or you are expired."

Bob!

Hey this world cup is going on. I remember the last time the world cup (for ODIs) was held in the Caribbean. A certain Mr. Bob Woolmer got killed ( died/killed himself/murdered?). We don't yet know what really happened? Infact there is no talk about such an incident. How easily we forget and move on with life?

India in T20 World Cup Semis

Yes. India women defeated Sri Lanka to get into the semis of the women's world cup t20 in Windies. Nooone seems to be talking about it. Talking of women, saw couple of ads the last few days which showed women differently. kareena Kapoor driving a car while Saif sitting beside her for Airtel DTH, and daughter driving with father besides and mother in the backseat in Tanishg ad. Not that women driving cars is not usual, they have been doing that for wuite a whiile. But the fact that ads meants for Indian masses are showing them show the switch that's happening in the mindset. Who says advertising always 'uses' women?

Paramananda !

Vishy Anand is the World Champ. Rather continues being a champ. Now thats a bigger achievement. To retain the title is tougher than winning it. Playing in Topolov's country what with the initial hiccups - and wnning the final game with black pieces. This was Anand's best win. It was a challenge beyond 64 squares. He is a true champion. Like the Aussie cricket team which has won 3 cricket oneday world cups on the trot, or a Roger federer, or even the now beleagured Tiger Woods and once mighty Michael Schumacher. The Indian cricket team is the other side of the spectrum. Winning once and failing disastrously subsequently. Richest doesn't mean the best, though the reverse might hold true many times. Let's shed no tear for Indian cricket. Let's salute Vishy and thank him for the 'paramananda' he has given us. Ain't I glad I followed him more than the Indian cricketers?

A friend in greed ;)

India defeated Australia. 4-3 in hockey. Last we won against them was in 2003. This is not a full strength Aussie side though. Vishy and Topolov are tied after 11 games. Today is the final game with Topolov playing with white pieces. Tense. If this game is a draw, then its tie breaker. Phew. By the way, they say India has got an outside chance to reach semis of T20 world cup. Ha ha. Australia and England have been the best sides in the tourney so far. They deserve to play the final. I won't issue a showcause notice though if India play the finals. We'll have to defeat the Lankans on better net run rate. And we'll be friends of Aussie in their math against Windies. Ain't I greedy? eeeeeh ;)

India Won Again!

India defeated South Korea in the Sultan Azlan Shah. India are out of T20 world cup. I have always felt that sports at the highest level is about who can handle pressure better and keep the nerves. But the last 2 games of India were not not about nerves. It was lack of skill. Inability to play the rising ball. An uninspiring bowling attack - both the games couldn't take a single wicket in first 10 overs. A lack of skill at this level of the game is unpardonable. India deserved to lose. Can't imagine these players playing test on foreign soil. There is a lesson for India from England. their football. The EPL is the world's most prestigious football league. And the English football team has been struggling for so many years in international contests. By the way, Chelsea are EPL champs. I am happy. Was growing sick of Man United winning every year. And guess who is the best player of EPL. Didier Drogba. He is from Ivory Coast. Where is that?

Unblogging

I have never been a techsavvy person. I took very hesitantly to computers and internet. Gadgets were never really a turn on too. I am amazed how people remember the model numbers of mobile phones. I can never do that. Have always been bad with remembering numbers anyways. When India was under the NIIT,Aptech revolution I used to wonder why people are so excited about it all. I hated the sound of BASIC and COBOL. But like many others I was pushed into the world of computers and internet. Then in internet new worlds arrived. I looked at each one with the same old hesitancy. One point in time everyone i knew was talking of Orkut. I tried to find what it was, made a profile and did a search of some friends. And that was that. I was out of Orkut in less than a day. Deleted my profile and heaved a sigh of relief. Being in Orkut seemed like I was in a invisible glass house (now how can that be?). Then my company prodded me into Facebook, which i found to be lot more relaxed and refined. But again the feeling that I was standing in a traffic intersection didn't go. So though I am still in facebook, i am more or less faceless. Then there was twitter. One of our clients spoke about it as to how he wants his brand to be in social networking and on sites like Twitter. That's when i thought of knowing Twitter. For over a month my Twitter account remained empty. I didn't know what to do with it. Then there was lot of news of twitter on national news - thanks to the celebs. Thats when i became a little active and started following people related to news and some social organisations (my area of interest). I found it interesting. I could react to Rajdeep Sardesai and get a reply once in a while. I could follow what India's leading ad guys were tweeting. I could listen. So I am in twitter. More as a listener with a once in a while reactions to what i hear. In the meantime, there was linkedin. They said its a professional networking thing. I have joined. Just to find what it is. I am neither very excited by it nor have any problems with it. May be that's the whole idea. All this while blogs have been on my radar.But never got down to actually write one. Then it just happened. And i felt, oh now this is something nice. I am taking the baby steps. But its fun. Not restricted by 140 characters, nor bothered by invites or requests. Not counting on how many people i know or am friends with. I could be myself. Expressing myself. without having the need to rationalize or justify. Kind of liberating.Not that i have anything against the other social networking things. all have a place and their merits. It's a journey. But i guess blogging is fun. Infact its unblogging. letting out without any blocks. I like it.

India Won!

Anand drew the 10th game. India got walloped by the Aussies in the Carribbean. But India won. 4-2. Against Pakistand in Sulthan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament. That's kool. yep, and Sachin tendulkar has crossed the 2 lakh follower mark on Twitter. And no I have not yet tweeted anything to him. what do I say?

A thought...well...

'The joy of being is realized when I embrace who I am. And when I express myself, I discover who I am.'

News of the Day

A Kashmiri youth from Kupwara all of 27 years. a Doctor - Shah Faisel is the UPSC topper this year. His father was killed by terrorists when he was 19. Now that's whom I'd call a real winner. That's someone who can deserve to be called an Indian Idol. Coming to winning, Anand drew the 9th game. I dare say more people are following Sachin on Twitter than Vishy-Topolov faceoff in Sofia. 3 more games to go. I am tense.

C'mon Anand!

Don't know how many Indians are following this, but there is a certain Vishy Anand playing a World Championship match at Sofia in Bulgaria against Vaselin Topalov. It's a 12 game championship. Anand just lost the 8th gsme and the score is level at 4-4. With 4 games remaining. C'mon Anand, do it. You are a Champ.

The night thought of today

'Recognize the power that is beyond you. Realize that power within you.'

Something to mull over

A thought that came to me the other day or was it night....

'Think... how many people you think are more rich/beautiful/famous/successful/brainy/smart than you.

Now think...at this very moment, how many people you think are happier than you.'

No right or wrong answers. Just something to mull over.

The night thought of the day

There are nights when I stumble upon some thoughts and wish I cud jot them down...but never do. I might do it here..... so here it goes......

'No knowledge is finite. No knowledge is definite.'

High Fee Hell

The IPL is over. Or is it? For one thing, my wife is very happy. Not because she is one of those 'cricket widows'. On the contrary. She is happy that her team won. The Chennai Super Kings. My Dad is also happy. My teams didn't reach the final. Bangalore and Rajasthan. But I supported Chennai in the finals. The IPL had two similar lessons delivered in two contrasting ways. In fact a single lesson. The lesson has been - individuals can go this far and no more. Now, I wouldn't ever put Sachin Tendulkar and Lalit Modi ever on a same pedestal. But, there are similarities in the results. No one can blame Sachin for being worshipped as God<.All those cine-stars and celebs and fans call him that. As much as i respect his greatness as a cricketer, I don't think he is the 'God of Cricket'. No one is. No one can be. For Cricket the game is bigger than individuals. It is a team sport. And the funny thing is Sachin knows it and believes it more than all his fans. But to see a team as the 'Sachin' team is disastrous situation for the team and for Sachin himself. On the other hand is a man who lead in a very understated sort of way. He is a baby when compared to Sachin. But the key difference is, the teammates of Sachin expect Sachin to play for them, while the teammates of MS Dhoni play for him. One is 'Sachin Team'while the other is 'Team Dhoni'. In the latter case, the 'team' comes first. And that's the tragedy of Sachin's genius. Chennai deserved to win. They have been the best team in the last 3 editions of IPL. Dhoni also played a crucial knock when they really needed to. The World Cup of T20 is on. Don't know who is going to win. Dhoni has a long way to go. It better be a long way.

I have never been a supporter of individuals becoming bigger than the game/organisation/institution/party/nation/planet. And Mr. lalit Modi just discovered that. I don't know who is right or who is wrong. But one thing is clear - when an individual tries to be bigger than the event - curtains fall on him. He should be credited with making IPL what it is today. A success, and a dirty cupboard. There are others as well. But he wanted to hog the whole limelight. The darkness has followed, and he is alone.

Next year, I might be supporting a new team. Cochin. Well, if not for Cochin team, the whole IPL issue wouldn't have been stirred. Hope this doesn't effect the Cochin team. and IPL doesn't become just 'High Fee hell'. This season, my wife had my son wearing yellow shorts for the Chennai match. Next year it could be the Cochin colours. By the way, he is practicing his throws with a cloth ball.

And yes, welcome to my Blog.