Whatever

Why me?

2011-11-06T02:36:00.001+05:30

This pain that hits me so hard that I lay on the floor cringing, please take it away. This pain that brings no tears to my face because it hurts too deep, please take it away. I’ve been in this darkness too long, and I’ve given up hope. My back aches from the pain of endurance. I just wish that you didn’t trust me so much sometimes.

2011-09-15T10:48:00.000+05:30

Doing what the brain asks you to, takes nothing. Placing a bet on something your heart says you should do, is what makes you a man.

What-masters?

2011-09-14T10:31:00.002+05:30

You talk about being flexible, but hate moving out of your comfort zone. You can take up electives, but can't live them right now - when the stakes are nothing. And ironically, you aspire to become change-masters.

Sadly, with almost negligible work experience, and no corporate achievement to boot, I can't say if life works this way. I'd be extremely disheartened if it does. Really.

Midnight

2011-08-31T23:03:00.003+05:30

Sometimes you know you are going down a dangerous road. Un-trodden, foolish, yet there is something that feels right. Something that you don't want and still like. And the doom, that is impending, suddenly seems beautiful.

Also, a toast to the term that was.

#hope #crazy #desperation #excitement #love #failure #brilliance

Losing myself!

2011-08-26T14:38:00.001+05:30

When you realize you are vulnerable. When you realize you can’t be a block of stone. When you fight for all the right things endlessly. And lose yourself in the process.

As much as it makes me feel alive, it kills me slowly too. Wondering how much of it I can take going ahead, but yeah, I think it’s time. To let go.

To Zinda Ho Tum

2011-07-19T04:03:00.006+05:30

This one's a piece from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. And yeah, the movie is absolutely worth it.

Dilon mein tum apni

Betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho

Toh zinda ho tum

Nazar mein khwabon ki

Bijliyan leke chal rahe ho

Toh zinda ho tum

Hawa ke jhokon ke jaise

Aazad rehno sikho

Tum ek dariya ke jaise

Lehron mein behna sikho

Hal ek lamhe se tum milo

Khole apni bhaayein

Har ek pal ek naya samha

Dekhen yeh nigahaein

Jo apni aankhon mein

Hairaniyan leke chal rahe ho

Toh zinda ho tum

Dilon mein tum apni

Betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho

Toh zinda ho tum.

Not an online post. A book.

2011-05-07T17:09:00.005+05:30

Yep. Thats a late realization but still, I need to write one. Something that I will never get published. But something that will just be there.

2011-03-29T01:29:00.003+05:30

There are very few things that you would want to carry with you forever. The song 'Chal Diye' by Zeb & Haniya (Coke Studio) is the one which I would want to keep hearing on loop in the background when someone would slowly tell this to me - 'your time is up, kid'.

[Here is the link to the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY_LzIAG4gc]

50 reasons not to date a graphic designer

2011-03-15T00:52:00.004+05:30

Credits: Sabreen Aziz, Senior Designer, ForbesLife who in turn lifted it from some Sarah Harvey. The bold ones are personal favourites. 30 and 48, especially.

1. They are very weird people.

2. There are billions of them in the world, like colors on the screen of your computer.

3. They will analyse conversations in layers.

4. You will spend the day assembling furniture from IKEA.

5. They drink and eat all kinds of weird shit just because they like the packaging.

6. They hate each other.

7. You’ll come out the last out of the movies because you have to see the full list of credits.

8. They cant change a light bulb or without making a sketch.

9. They fuck up all the tables with their cutters.

10. They rather study the paisley pattern on your outfit than listen to what you have to say.

11. They will fill your house with magazines and whatever is out there that has drawings.

12. You never know if it is really an original or a copy.

13. They make collages with your photos.

14. They do not know how to add and subtract, they just understand letters.

15. They idolize people who nobody knows and speak of them as if they were his colleagues.

16. They take pictures almost daily and all are cut in weird shapes.

17. They ask your opinion about everything but they do whatever they want.

18. Everything is left justified, right or center unless they arrive late.

19. They hate Comic Sans with the same passion they love Helvetica.

20. They use iPhone for everything, because everyone has one.

21. You can not decorate the house without consulting them.

22. They steal street signs.

23. Always carry their hands painted with something.

24. They buy dolls unfinished for them to paint.

25. Everything becomes something other than what it really is: cards as tickets, cards as …

26. When arguing, you will be nicknamed like the OSX spinning wheel (not affectionately)

27. Do not know how to dress without consulting the Pantone book.

28. They hate Excel.

29. They read comics.

30. They want to save the world only with a poster.

31. You will spend the day brainstorming.

32. On vacation they will take you to countries that you do not know exist and have no beach.

33. Museums are their second home.

34. They know more positions than the Kamasutra.

35. They can’t go to a restaurant without secretly critiquing the menu design.

36. They listen to music you have never heard of.

37. They can´t cook a normal dish, they always have to experiment with new ingredients.

38. They read rare books: stories of children, Semiotics …

39. When they are going to tell you something, everyone has read it in their facebook and twitter.

40. They have own iPods before you knew they existed.

41. The orgasm they remember is when they heard that Adobe was acquiring Macromedia.

42. They have their own shops just for them and there are the most expensive in the city.

43. They want to spend all the money in the Apple Store.

44. You will never understand their gifts.

45. They see ordinary objects and laugh.

46. You wake up in the middle of the night hearim them screaming “When is the deadline?”

47. They see CMYK and RGB like Neo sees the Matrix.

48. They dream of the day nobody will make a single change to their designs.

49. They rather pay for a font than for a special birthday gift.

50. They are always sleepy because they work 24/7.

Untitled. Yet again.

2011-03-14T00:34:00.004+05:30

Japan is currently going through one of its worst crisis as the rest of the world haplessly can see. But this post is not about Japan as much as it is about how everything that you do, talk, eat or live for is so inconsequential when it comes to the bigger scheme of things.

You are just another dot. And you do not know why you exist. Trust me on this, most of us do not. And it wont be long and you will not know why you don't exist either.

So here is your chance. To be passionate. To be human. To live. As they say, Make It Large.

May the souls of everyone who died in the recent tragedy rest in peace. Hope that their families find strength in these tough times and that they are able to build back the nation that has been hit so hard and so unfairly.

The End.

2011-03-12T01:37:00.001+05:30

A draft that was never posted. Written 2 days before I left Pilani.

So it finally ends. In a town far away from any habitable place you meet a lot of smart people. You eat food just to survive. You study things you couldn't care less about. You fight it out. All alone. You seldom know what the next step should be.

So, college is good for all the sleep that you can get. And all the hype and good food that you get when you get back home. And when you die to get back to college again. However, this time I don't really want to stay. Maybe leaving college is over hyped. I dont know. Anyways, I have had a good time here.

Thank you. See you on the other side.

P.S. This post will make much more sense to people who have survived Pilani.

Books. And more.

2011-03-11T23:42:00.004+05:30

So finally, after ages, I've gotten back my habit of reading. I had always been a procrastinator when it came to reading and would always instead end up staring at some arbit website. I hate myself for that - for having missed out on some reading in the last few years.

23 books lay on my shelf which had been untouched. And now, slowly, I'm devouring each one of them. Some of them had been bought as long ago as 2006. And I'm one of those people who would rather enjoy non-fiction, stuff that's cool and non intuitive instead of some random fiction books.

Some of the books I'm currently on are Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality - both by Dan Areily - both classics in that genre. Next up - Fooled by Randomness, The Undercover Economist and Adventure Capitalist.

Other non fiction stories, I've been reading are Songs of Blood and Sword by Fatima Bhutto and a classic book that is a narrative by Andrew Ross Sorkin - Too Big to Fail.

Would be glad if you could recommend something. Thanks.

Change

2011-03-11T02:01:00.009+05:30

2 years since his last post. Well, almost. And nothing's changed, barring the following.

Yours truly does not go to an engineering college anymore and Pilani isn't the place where he wakes up everyday.

He offered his services for pretty cheap in Bangalore during an internship at an MNC which is smaller in India than his own family business. And hence, it was totally worth it. Thanks to his mentor.

Bangalore was a nice place. With nothing special to offer. Land of pubs and hardly any culture.

The CAT exam was a disaster. Only to realize two months later, it wasn't. Yours truly made it to a b-school in the heartland of the country.

Lucknow, as they fondly call it, is one screwed up city. The food is decent. That's where it ends. And yes, he belongs to Calcutta.

Interesting people. And a brilliant experience. And he is now almost done with one year at a b-school. It is one experience everyone should go through. Just for the heck of it. And you will never realize why he is saying this unless you are also done with your first year at a b-school.

Another month and he should be in Mumbai. With all the madness that supposedly drives the place, interning at Citi.

Everything else about him is the same and he is as awesome as he used to be.

20 reasons why you should not marry a Marwari guy.

2009-10-09T02:38:00.007+05:30

Disclaimer: Before you go ahead and read this, just keep in mind that these are general observations and do not necessarily apply to you, incase you are a marwari. However then, incase you are not, these may still apply to you. Also, I am glad I am not a maratha manoos, or whatever those people would like to call themselves, because then I would have sinned if I dared to write this post on the followers of some Mr.Thackeray. However, they are good people with good intentions. Aren't they? Got the idea from The Telegraph's article on '50 reasons not to marry a Bengali guy.' It was outright hilarious. So here it is: My take on it. The Marwari version though. Also I think 20 is a good number. I better not overdo it just for the sake of it. It might be harmful, you know. And I have no intentions to hurt any section of the society to which I belong. So please, just accept it and have a good laugh at yourselves, because you are flawed. And unique.

Also, somehow the term Marwari is synonymous with money. Atleast thats what people think they are all about. They think that they are a set of people who see money in everything they do, in everything they eat, or in everything they talk about. Also, if you think they are miserly people, they are not. They will flaunt and do charity and fight over the restaurant bill. However at times, they do feel cringy and do not want to spend much, but then thats about it.

1.I wouldn’t disagree! It is indeed about money. And even more about profits.

2.They are unhealthy people. They will eat all the wrong kinds of food, till they have to call the doctor. But then, after a couple of months, the craving will be back. They simply can't do without their fries and samosas and bhujia. The modern lot has taken to the new age fast food. But then, thats the only thing that is different.

3. They are lazy people too. The only thing they are quick at is to pick up the telephone when it rings.

4. They have no clue about literature. They don't care.

5. Flirting in public is a strict no-no. This trend has been changing due to the influence of other societies, though.

6. If he is not a movie freak, be rest assured that he is going only for the popcorn and the coke.

7. They will despise the Bengalis for all the adda sessions that they have. But then, they can't do without gossip either.

8. For them, the office starts at 7am in the morning and goes on till 10pm. I meant the telephone calls.

9. In a marwari wedding, all that the family cares about is taking care of the huge guestlist and if the food is okay. The couple is secondary.

10. The food should be perfect. Everywhere.

11. When it comes to handling any work related issue, there is a way out for everything. Nothing is ever impossible. If you know what i mean.

12. If they go for shopping, they will rip themselves off. They do not understand the concept of retail. They buy wholesale. They buy the best stuff only. And somehow get them cheap too! [Okay, i just realized this is one reason why you would probably want to marry one of them!] Also, they love to piss off the shopkeeper. They bargain till the guy drops his price to half and then they love to walk out.

13. Most of them secretly love their traditional food and everything related to tradition. It's just that they'd like to be more modern.

14. They've played almost everything. Cricket in the neighbourhood. Tennis. Golf. Football too. None of them professionally.

15. They use the choicest slangs while driving. (But somehow, you'd never get to hear them.) This is not something exclusive to them only. It's out and out Indian.

16. They carry briefcases to work which might contain nothing. Nowadays that has been replaced with laptop bags though. So can't say that anymore.

17. The men only like jewellery because it's an investment. He doesn't care if it looks good on you or not.

18. Say anything against them and the entire community will stand up against you and fight you down. Until you quit.

19. The change in the stock indices could lead to heart attacks in most of the specimens.

20. They discuss politics all the time. Just to argue.

Do this, not that.

2009-06-11T15:47:00.003+05:30

By now most of you know that there is no love lost between me and those damned Facebook quizzes. And putting up status updates requesting people to do the same won't help either. So this is an interesting statistic I arrived at, hoping that some of you would be deterred from taking those quizzes again. And of course do your bit for the world.

Now, since there are 200million FB users, and assuming 100m are active, and again, there are 80m of them who take those quizzes for 15mins or more. That comes to around 20m hours of computer usage. And that emits 20000000 * 61.5 = 1330000 kgs of CO2 everyday. So yes you could blame FB quiz developers for global warming. So, taking these quizzes while working lowers the productivity of your firm whereas dedicated usage of FB will do much more damage. And if you are still not convinced and feel bored, these are a few things you could do if you shun those quizzes.

1.Sleep in peace rather than knowing how peaceful your friend's brother-in-law's life is.

2.Take your grandparents out for coffee or simply sit down and have a chat with them. Instead of finding out how much your family loves you through a FB quiz.

3.Also instead of finding out how much dateable you are, go out on a date and check it out for yourself.

4.Create real art instead of sketching on FB.

5.Cook yourself a meal. Give a day off to the helpers.

6.Pick up the phone and call up someone.

7.Death. Your turn will come mate. God didn't take a quiz to figure out which day yours would end.

8.Read a book. Not an online version.

9.Play a sport instead of finding out which sportsman are you most likely to resemble.

10.Instead of finding out how much your name is common, go give a name (and a life) to someone who needs it. Do some charity.

And since I could not disagree that these quizzes are fun, at the same time the statistic isn't some junk value. Do your bit.

2009-04-22T21:00:00.003+05:30

I've always wondered why most of us perform better when we are under pressure. Aren't we supposed to cringe, feel tired of life, break down, and give up when the noose begins to tighten around us? And to my surprise, i've realized that being under pressure is something which gives me a sense of belonging. It makes me feel important. But this is not new to anyone. I'm sure everyone feels the same. So whats more surprising? I believe its getting pissed at someone or something which does the trick. And it gives me a hell lot of a kick. Also taking things personally helps. It really does. Just hope that you dont kill yourself in the process!
(Getting pissed for a while is ok. Stayin pissed perenially isn't. :P )

Really vague post. An honest one, though.

2009-04-04T02:10:00.003+05:30

Everyday, I dream of what life might have in store for me. Everyday, in those dreams, I have to choose between an easy life and one where I could break myself, whether I want to be rich or whether I could do without the niceties. Whether I want to kill people or kill myself. Whether life should be about the survival of the fittest or not ?

And everyday I get the same answer. I just want to be able to smile. Nothing more. Do you feel the same ?

Connected. Really ?

2009-03-22T17:40:00.004+05:30

Two weeks ago, i was pissed and really upset by the fact that Facebook had been blocked in our hostels. Right now, i am glad that it was pulled off the servers. Not because i don't believe in the concept, but simply because i am glad that i've got more time to do something constructive. Yeah, i did turn into an addict, although i was never crazy enough to take any of those lame quizzes on FB. For those of you who still ar'nt members, the quizzes i am mentioning range from telling you which Roadie you'd most likely be, or for that matter when you'll die. Who on earth would wanna know that, i'd guess, but FB has proved a lot of us wrong.

Nonetheless, you can't really blame people, for all the spare time that we have got, most of us believe that that is the best way to kill it. And now with Twitter feeds on FB, things out there have got a lot clumsier. I cant believe my eyes when someone's tweet reads 'Just took a bath' or 'Am about to sleep'. Right from reporting the most important moments of our life to the most insignificant ones, not only Twitter with its tweets, but even FB with its status updates, has taken communication to a different level altogether. At times, it is more annoying than interesting. Gossip is something which everyone craves for and with such a free access to information about others lives, who would resist the temptation.

But then, i fail to understand what happened all of a sudden. We have always guarded our private lives. How could we let the whole universe be privy to the smallest incident that takes place in our lives? Perhaps, speaking out your thoughts for that matter on a blog is good, perhaps sharing a few photographs on such sites, so that your distant uncle who stays in some other part of the world, cherishes those moments along with you, is good, perhaps catching up with a school friend of yours,with whom you've had no contact over the last decade, is good. Definitely, giving out the minutest details of what you've been going through and your mood swings, to all your friends, might gratify you instantly and give you a high, but its something i wouldn't want at the cost of cutting down on the time i can actually talk to some friend of mine over the phone, or by catching up with people by actually meeting them.

Make no mistake, i am still on Facebook. The good part is, i am no more addicted.

As random as it gets

2009-03-19T00:25:00.006+05:30

And then i realized that there are so many things about me that i just figured out. Definitely my stay here has had a role to play in most of them. And i am glad it did. I wouldnt have ever got to know so much about myself if i had not come to a place so far from anywhere !

For example, I realized that I love travelling. And something which I love even more: Travelling alone.Nothing better than the time that I get with myself when i'm on a Haryana Roadways bus to Delhi, letsay.

Its at that time when you get to see people around you, real people. You'd get to see typical Rajasthani women embellished with heavy jewellery, probably to differentiate themselves from the lower strata of society, little children clinging on to their mothers, most of them malnourished, men who might be anything from rustic daily wage earners to small businessmen. I get to see life in so many forms, right from its ugliest shade to the most colourful and vibrant one. And then I realize how simple and unsophesticated their life must be. The irony is that most of us wouldn't want one like that. Not completely our fault. However, what ive learnt is to appreciate life, not only mine, but also of others around me.

(The first time i was travelling alone to Delhi in order to go back to Calcutta was after Oasis 2006. I had to change three buses and also took one jeep ride, all of them to save time since i was getting late for my flight. And i had to stand in one of the buses for 2 hours. The only thing that struck me then was the scene from Swades ! Twas one experience i'd never forget.)

Something else that i got discovered about myself. I can go hungry for an entire day. Without water, that too. Nice, isnt it ? I miss home cooked food. Real bad. Junk food. Even more ! I need my Domino's pizza and my Subway sandwich. Goddam. One positive when ill be done with college, i guess. Access to good food.

Also, i love reading. Actually. But not fiction. I can devour an issue of Reader's Digest faster than i could imagine, and something which ive got addicted to of late is The Economist. Just love the quality and the relevance of what they publish.

Tests no more make me want to sweat it out. They are as significant to me as is the news of a cow going mad in some village in Angola. I guess that not only have i become immune to em, i am tired of them.

Some random thoughts. I can go crazy if i have nothing to do for more than a day. I havent been able to sleep properly for the past few months. I dont know why. I feel asif i am cheating my body since i havent played a sport for long. I feel horribly guilty about it. I guess i am the only person on campus with a 256mb ram and a 40 gb hard disk. Time for change. I miss driving and eating out. I can finish entire seasons faster than movies. Not literally, though ! I am getting better at my one-on-one presentation skills. Credit goes to my instructor under whom im doing a SOP. It should be renamed Study Oriented Presentations for me. Facebook is good.Its a place where you create an entire artificial world of your own. And invite yourself to recieving loads of spam. Nothing else. But then, thats what makes it interesting ;) . And now its blocked in hostels! Varun Gandhi. He never was with the BJP. And now he has screwed things for the already troubled parivaar. BTW, what the hell is going on within the BJP. How can they be so silly and so ill prepared. What have they been preparing for these 5 years? Suicide? The only way you could make Lalit Modi soften his stand. Give him an election ticket. Or start franchising the teams to political parties. Incase you chose IPL over the General Elections. Also ive been following the Jade Goody story of late, pretty religiously. Wonder if she is mocking death or laughing off at her life.

Pardon me for this absolutely unwanted random post. Guess this is something boredom does to you.

2009-03-06T15:29:00.001+05:30

There are so many times when God pulls you down. And it pains all over. Nothing seems to be happening the way you had wanted it to pan out. But then, I do not regret the pain more than I believe that He wants me to cherish my good moments when they come.

After all what is the point if your heart doesn't ache. Or cry when you get your share of being high. He did not want me to be numb. I have had my highs and lows in the past few months. Both of them have come in extreme forms. And now I know that all He wants is perhaps a little bit of faith and a little bit of respect. And that nothing lasts.

And that is why, I love my God. Whoever he is. Wherever he is.

When America Votes

2008-11-05T02:20:00.005+05:30

Tonight as I write this post the Unites States of America gets to choose their President. And while John McCain tries to upset the favourite candidate, Barack Obama is all set to become the most powerful politician of the world. And the excitement that this election has created for all of us has been unprecedented .

People all over the world would love to see how America votes for a Black whose middle name is Hussein. And the outspoken and charismatic man that he is, Barack Obama has left no stone unturned to ensure that his countrymen believe in what he calls hope. That people believe that he is the man who can turn things around from here. That he is the person who in his tenure will restore the respect America commanded once because of it being a superpower.

The more important question is do we even realize how much interest this election has raised amongst us? Do we realize why this has happened? Why everyone is so glued to their feeds and is updated on the US election always. Why noone's gtalk status changes when India votes.
Personally, i feel there is a lesson to be learnt. And our interest can be attributed to the fact that this is perhaps the way we would want things to happen for us in India. This is real politics. The politics of issues. The politics of change and hope. The politics of a united country where there is no place for discriminating people on the basis of sex, religion, or region or colour.

It may not be as clean over there too. But it is surely much better than our scenario where every second a Raj Thackeray is born who instead of focussing on development issues for his community people relies on flexing his muscles on the soft targets. Where politicians blame each other during the event of a terrorist attack. Where all Bihar political rivals come together in front of the press to ensure their votebank is secure. I could go on but then there is no point in stating facts we all know.

People out there make a choice knowing which candidate offers them better returns and has policies to make America a stronger nation.
People out here decide on the basis of popularity of the candidate. Whether he/she has been an actor or a sportsperson. And of course who has a comparitively cleaner criminal record !

I may not at this time have the knowledge to question the system of the world's biggest democracy but surely according to what the US elections show us, we are way behind in terms of transparency, application of technology and public contact of the candidates with the masses. The electorate needs to be educated much more than they presently are.

Our president is just a nominal head and surely that cant be changed. But the way in which the general elections to the Lok Sabha are carried out can surely. And all this because when I vote I want to see the passion and the dream for a better country in the eyes of a candidate. I want to ensure that he/she earns every bit of it. That India chooses the best in a fair manner with no prejudices.

Footnote: Whenever I see Barack Obama in the media all I can see is his desire to win. This man is surely chasing a dream. He might not be the best for India as people say but then this is a man people must look upto if they want to dream big and bring about change.

2008-10-06T21:43:00.005+05:30

Note to self :

"There is nothing more addictive than the desire to learn."

Happyness

2008-10-04T21:24:00.003+05:30

After a long time I feel I am doing things for which I had come here. After a long while I am living every moment of these golden years of my life. Or is it just that being busy with acads (CDCs and loads of other things) doesn't let anything else creep into my mind.Whatever it is I don't care.
All I know is that I feel like never before. I feel awesome.

I just hope it lasts a little longer. For ever.

Inflation , anyone ?

2008-09-03T01:52:00.002+05:30

http://www.dominos.co.in/great_deals.jsp

For all the Domino's pizza lovers:
Couldn't just resist putting it up. Check this out.
If you're at Pilani, eat with your eyes !

Blank

2008-09-03T01:19:00.005+05:30

Keeping this post really to the point the only thing i became sure of after yesterday's elections was that of the attitude and the mindset of an average Indian :

1.They love taking revenge.Without knowing who would suffer.
2.They love anarchy and chaos. Who wants to do something which happens every year ?
3.They love watching the tamasha from the outside.
4.And of course they hate to see someone be better off than themselves. Give em a chance and they are pretty sure to snatch it from you.

This post is NOT a generic post for all of you reading it. And be proud of yourself if you do not fall into this category.

Let us stop being so miserable.
None (of us) won yesterday. Literally !

BTW there are wierd gtalk status messages doing the rounds. Some are disturbing for people having a neutral viewpoint too. I do not realize what is it that some idiots take so much pride in.

It Is About Life

2008-05-04T13:07:00.003+05:30

Life.It is about being friendly or hated,passionate or dull,humorous or boring.It is about work and play,about being fashionable or being ugly and about wits and creativity.It is about innovation and being educated.It is about being a success or a failure.It is about being modern.It is about bitching or being bitched about.It is about money.It is about running.It is all about relationships which do not exist.All of this for a tiny ray of hope that they do.
It is about being fake.

It is no more about being innocent.

Just About Nothing

2008-05-03T15:54:00.005+05:30

Have been pretty much dormant for the last few days.Today is the only break that i get for another week and well this post is just about nothing.Been busy with quite a lot of things.
Compres have burnt me out already.Four more to come.And with me not so easily giving up on grades this time .. have a pretty long way to go. MT-II was one decent course but with wierd .. coming-out-of-nowhere-formulas scattered all over my laptop i can pretty much recollect nothing right now.Useless is the word.
And now that im done with POM, all i can say is twas nothing much apart from plain commonsense. The only good thing was the book.:).
ES II has nothing to do with logic and explanations.And TP continues to haunt me.(how? check out my precompre on the mech engg notice board.and you will know why.)

Oh watched a brilliant ( seriously ) movie the other day.Tashan.Go watch it.Amazing realistic stunts.Slick action.Foolproof logic.Amazing acting. And Kareena.:P.
Sit back. Relax. And Sleep !
Thank God we don't have to waste our buck on nachos and a large coke while watching a movie here. Phew !

Seeing Through Water

2008-04-27T16:24:00.007+05:30

Having been brought up in Calcutta (a place with really high humidity), i never felt the need to go for an extra glass of water or fluids just because elders said so. I was pretty much content with just one glass to complement my meals. Of late, while living in Pilani and due to other health concerns, i have finally started to down about 3 litres of water daily. My dad couldn't get happier. All of this because of my sudden urge to keep fresh, healthy, etc.Had thought about all the wonderful things that water does to a body and plus it wasn't a big investment after all.Just a couple of times to the cooler and the rest of the job was done by the excruciating summers.

Until i saw this in a leading national daily.
' The conventional wisdom had it that it was essential to drink 2.5 ltrs of water to have perfect health.It would flush toxins, would leave your skin fresh and glowing, etc.
Its all a complete hogwash.On the contrary, drinking too much water may have adverse effects on your health.It may lead to water intoxication, lower salt levels, and in extreme cases may cause death.'

Agreed it is partly common sense but still.

Now they tell us !
I have always been wanting to drink more water lately, but after having read this article i have actually started thinking about how i did feel a little bloated and uneasy at times. The mind is such a bastard. It is always so easy to adapt yourself to someone else's thinking in a flash and actually start thinking about plausible explanations to what the other might be saying. Before i get carried away and start with my philosophical crap, ill restrict this post to the benefits(?) of water ;) .

Guess i definitely need to find out more about this. Before drinking my way to (my) quietus. (yeah, pun intended! ) .

Over Head Transmission

2008-04-16T20:43:00.009+05:30

Disclaimer : This post is not to undermine the knowledge or quizzing skills possessed by the people who participate in them.Nor is it to take away anything of what they have achieved.
It is solely my opinion on what i perceive should be the format of the most coveted title' Brain of BITS'.

Coming to the post, i had actually forgotten about this topic which has been lingering in my mind since my first year.Thought about it of late also and i think this deserves a serious thought.Mohta had mentioned in his post about quizzes and i am pretty sure that he was talking about those conducted during both the festivals in BITS P.Nothing wrong with that i guess. It's just that i think their format needs a revamp.Here's why:

This is what they do :
1.Cuts the no. of participants down to the smallest group possible because of the simple fact that most of the commoners do not have much of extensive knowledge in fields like movies, arts, history and literature.It is a cakewalk for those who do.
2.Kind of puts a serious thought into the minds of people that they do not possess the acumen required for quizzing.And of course demotivates them.[read Mayank's blog !]
3.Does not test the principles and basics of science, math, analytical and verbal reasoning.This is where the biggest flaw lies.Agreed that the people on the stage may have exceptional knowledge regarding all of these.It's just that why are these not tested extensively then?

Personally feel that rounds covering a vast range of topics especially those which involve calculations, reasoning and thinking on one's feet should be included.( Okay, the connect part of the quizzes include reasoning but then .. ! ) And yeah apart from that there should be a mastermind round(which involves the participant's favourite topic and this already exists).

These measures if taken would only ensure more participation from different sections of our student fraternity. The students who are in the auditorium wouldn't then be there just to cheer their friends and would rather feel a part of the quiz.Also being a technical institute it is necessary that we evaluate them on more varied topics to justify the title.
And am pretty sure that the number of students in the auditorium will be more than the number watching some movie in Fd2 QT to kill time !

I don't believe that quizzing is all about guessing and knowing. It is more about thinking and reasoning.

2008-04-15T04:21:00.005+05:30

Remember your principles.
Nothing else matters.

SMS Math

2008-04-14T14:40:00.007+05:30

Did you know that the 1Re SMS you send is way too expensive ? If you are thinking how .. here it goes .
The standard SMS contains 160 characters which is equivalent to just 140 bytes of data. One MB of data would then contain about 1700 messages. And in India one gets a 500MB broadband connection for Rs 500/month.So if you would have to pay for your broadband connection according to your SMS tariff you would have had to shell out about 37.5 lakh for a one month connection !

Oh ! Calcutta

2008-04-10T01:57:00.007+05:30

The other day at the cafeteria something hit me. I saw a professor's family grabbing a little snack when the whole idea of living in Pilani struck me. How can they live here was the first question i asked myself. Peace? Could there be anything more anyone requires to live, apart from the fresh air this place has to offer and the simplistic lifestyle with absolutely nothing to bother about.Well, living in Pilani is a totally different issue and it is one of the most enriching and peaceful experience i have had in the past two decades.

This place is brilliant and has so much to offer, but then does this feeling exist because somewhere deep down there is this inkling of hope that ill be back home in a while with all the luxuries life has to offer ? Is it because a couple of years down the line, i know ill be gone ?

This post is dedicated to Calcutta and i will keep it to that.Pilani will get its due sometime.
Apart from being home to me here is why i miss Calcutta more than ever.Rather what i miss.

1.The small little cramped up lanes of Burrabazar with autorickshaws and minibuses and taxis and cars and people trying hard to squeeze their way through.The rush at office hours. The unnecessary honking and abuses hurled. Something i guess every driver enjoys and looks forward to.
2.The Traffic Police of Calcutta.Bribe, anyone ?
3.Park Street for the chinese and indian fare at Bar-B-Q, the boat pastries and beans on toast at Flury's to the rolls at Hot kati roll, Oxford, and of course the city's biggest disc, Tantra.
4.The Puchkas at Russell Street, The Grilled Sandwiches at Apex,Mexican at Jalapenos,The Pizza at Corner Cafe,the list goes on.
5.The smell of the air.Its so unbelievably sweet.Its so warm.Maybe i am biased because i am based there but thats how i feel.
6.Victoria Memorial. I have somehow always found it to be more majestic than the Taj Mahal.
7.Driving.It is something that lets me be.
8.Howrah Bridge.Do not have much to say about it.
9.Forum.The mall that redefined the way Calcuttans perceive shopping,movies and hanging out.
10.City Centre.Addas were never more enjoyable.Did i get this right ?
11.Don Bosco Park Circus.12 years.Enough said.
12.Eden Gardens.It just cant get bigger and better than a day night match at the Edens.
13.The Calcutta Book Fair. I was never an avid reader but always looked forward to it.
14.The Telegraph. Any newspaper in the world can't beat it.
15.The Bengali language.Though i do get to hear it once in a while out here, this is something i had thought i'd miss the most in Pilani.
16.Mamata Banerjee and her Bandhs and of course her Fasts.Liked her in school for the holidays we got.
17.Durga Puja. It can't get better and bigger.
18.Home. :)

And of course there is the Metro,the Tram,the Rosogolla,Jyoti Basu,Fort Williams,The Indian Museum,Chowringee,Tagore,Mother Teresa and a million other reasons to remember Calcutta.These have made me what i am.Pilani is definitely a place i'd love to call home but Calcutta is where the heart is.
And with the dreaded comprehensive exams just a fortnight away, thinking of home does seem to be a respite.
To Calcutta.

Food for Thought

2008-04-08T16:30:00.000+05:30

At 3, I was pushed into a Montessori.At 5, i was coached to get into one of the best schools in Calcutta.At 6, i got into one of them.At sixteen, it was time when i had to make the decision which would decide the course of my life (really ?).Chose science over commerce and plunged into the rat race (and as someone says, even at the end of the race you are still a rat !) to get into one of the premier engineering institutes of India.
As luck would have it i am in one of them,and now at the end of my second year, i am a little worried about the career options i have. I dont want my life to be classified or labelled as an engineer at some xyz level or some manager,etc. I dont even want to call my options as career options.My life is bigger than that.All of ours is.
And after reading Rohan's post i have been thinking even more about exploring the avenues which noone has thought about.Are we engineers left with no other option than to go in for an MS or an MBA after graduation ?
Time we bring about the much desired change in thought.

The Practice School Story

2008-04-04T13:46:00.000+05:30

218 practice school stations.about 45 cities and villages and places worse than that.And 800 x 2 students.

There was meant to be a lot of thinking, speculations and a lot of convincing done (thank you deora !).Most of it was enjoyable.(Ask those people who got so fed up that after their first ten choices, their preference list finally had stations in alphabetical order..).
And after a brilliant april fool prank (which was supposedly foolproof) the allotment mails started pouring at 12 midnight on the 4th of april.Obviously all our late night plans to study for the next test in the morning got screwed and gtalk was overflowing with conversations like never before.
Everyone was so concerned bout others ! and to top it all were brilliant statements made by wingies and friends alike..

>109th option! even ...... with a cgpa of 5.2 didnt get so unlucky (true. you were unlucky, mate)
>yaar tehri (some place in .. ?? near rishikesh) was better.how come i ddnt get it ? got kolkata shit..

Now that im stuck in DCPL, Kolkata (guys the above statement was not made by me and unfortunately DCPL was my first preference !**) i am still trying to figure out what i will do at home (apart from hogging and socializing). Just hoping that i utilize this summer (unlike the last one) and end up doing something constructive.

**Some people decided to stay back home.Some people had to.Some people did not have to but decided to stay back because of others.