The best day

What can be a better start of the day than receiving a call from my cousin Sneha to have breakfast with them. Especially when I was longing for home made food. As usual I did not say 'no' for the invite; and reached Mundraji's apmt by 11 am. The stomach feast started with amazing paneer parathas. Home made food, with the blend of perfect spices, and company of like minded people. I knew this day's gonna be best day so far in San Jose.


With parathas for the tummy, and a pixar movie - 'Wall E' for the soul. Some people say, its a animated movie about robots, but I say this is a perfect love story about Artificially Intelligent emotions. The movie made me realise, I can stand cockroach for so many minutes together. Now the hope is restored that, one fine day in this life, I will stop hating cockroaches. (Now its a different story that I killed about a dozen of them when I returned back to my apmt in Chennai, seeing them occupying my apmt).


Then started the long drive to Livermore Temple, with some mindblowing views of the hill side houses. One of my favourite person dreams to buy a house on the hills, for the retirement. And
seeing the houses, I realised the dream is really worth it.



All the Gods were doing fine, and happy together at the temple. After spending some time there, and having prasad, the drive for Gurudrawa started. This was sometimes around the sunset time; and all of us have this likemindedness to enjoy sky colors. It was a good talk while we reached Gurudwara.


Listening to Gurubani and Kirtan, with eyes shut, and heart beating to the rhythm of live tabla, I think this was the only time in a long while that I was quite blank and happy too. I did not want it to finish, but then the langar was waiting. Had the special Tea of the Gurudwara, and drove back home.


I can really call this - the best day in San Jose. 'Thanks' would be a small word for the lovely couple - Sneha and Anuragji.

My Long Hairs

It happened one fine eve, with me, Satvik and AmolB sitting in Symphony, Pune sipping beer and discussing AmolB's life in Singapore. Talking about so many interesting aspects of life, and AmolB's new look, we happen to bet that from that day, whoever of the 3 of us, has his hair cut done first, is going to treat others the next time we meet. This was sometimes in Feb-Mar 2006.

For me it was already around 2 months, that I had not had a hair cut. So I began calculating how much would be the combined cost of hair cuts if I keep doing it over the next few months on a regular basis Vs how much would be the bill for the treat. Baniye jo thehre - hisaab to chalta rahega na. Well, who cares for the cost; I am living my life for the adventure of it, so let me take the risk of people criticising me. Its always fun to do weird things.

So, I did not cut my hairs for the next 6 months until Oct 2006 first week. Meanwhile, whenever myself, Nalin, Anand, Anjali, Komaljee, Amu, Nehudi, Shraddha, Shweta, Shailendraji, Gunjan all used to meet up at my flat in Pune, most of the time, the group used to get divided into two - one in favour of my long hairs, and other criticising it. The discussion/debate/argument used to really last long. I used to love the fight - My favourite hobby to make people fight and I keep enjoying. Ha ha ha.

Reactions during my visit home were really cool -

Mom - Anand (my elder bro), give him some money so that he has his hairs cut. (But its always cool to keep getting pocket money from a elder bro - its my right on his money)

Dad - just gave a silent look indicating that - "nalayak, kab sudhrega?" (When will you grow up)

Granny - Tu akela hi aise hai, ya aur log bhi hote hai? (Are you the only weirdo, or there are people doing things like this)

Brother - Kya hai ye? (What is this?)

Bhabhi - Hmmmm.

Hriday - Didnt say anything; was too young to understand a bit, but I bet he must have been happy to see something new to keep snatching.

Now after trying different looks on my hair lengths, am waiting for some incidence like this to start coloring my hairs. And I dont want this incidence to be 'aging'. I am an eternal teenager! (Ek aur dialogue)

Sushi - Ek khoj

Sushi se pehle sat nahi tha

Asat bhi nai
Antariksh bhi nai

Akaash bhi nahi tha

Chipa tha kya, Kahan

kisne dhaka tha

Us pal toAtam atal jal bhi kaha tha!!!

The moment I made my mind to travel for US, I was excited to be able to eat Sushi (yeah yeah - the routine Japanese rice meal). The Tesco Vegan sushi used to be my routine lunch most of the weekdays in London.

Let me explain - rice rolls, with a piece of vegetable (cucumber, carrot), some slices of ginger, soy sauce, and some other Japanese sauce. O M G, muh mein fir se paani aa gaya! Its been 4 long years that I haven't got chance to have sushi. (Pune and Chennai doesn't have a single Japanese restaurant - this might be a lucrative business idea - great mind at work)

So in San Jose, Whenever I was out in the shops, I was looking for vegie sushi as frozen packets; I looked at Walmarts, safeways, costco, the food store at the gas station opp my hotel, the Kamal spice (just in case)! But it looks like, its not the case as in London.

I happen to see some Japanese restaurants on North First street. But WTF! These restaurant has some timetables - And How the hell can they remain closed on sundays? And on other days, they are closed between 230 pm to 5 pm. Inko zara dhanda karna sikhana padega :P

Now, with only 2 weeks in hand, I have an aggressive plan. I am all prepared to take a day off, so that I can do my findings about vegan sushi. Another day off - to visit and eat sushi. And one more day, as a buffer. He he he!

The Doing nothing!

So, don't ask me questions! But this is the only week of my life so far, when I absolutely did nothing. Yess. Its so fulfilling. I don't have words, but still I am trying to blog - "How I did nothing over this week".

It happened with me biting my own tongue too hard on sunday eve, and as a result not able to eat/drink/speak/scream/smoke/whistle/whisper/sing for almost a week. Am just on liquid food like milkshakes, juices, glucose, milk, etc. (Thanks to Victor, Kalyan, Krishna, Don). One of the unique milkshakes I tried my own hands at is - dissolving sweet biscuits in lukewarm milk.

This incidence made me realize how 'people live life under restrictions' in jails or in marriages.

Well, so the medication I am undergoing made me sleep long hours (Wow); and anyways with my boss giving me total freedom to be off for a week, nothing can be better than 'doing nothing'. No work. No much of TV. No sketches. No blogs. No poems. No talks. Nothing. Nothing at all. It feels so good.

With my empty mind, I tried another pathetic veg recipe - mashing boiled potatoes with a spoon of oil and a pinch of salt n some masala, and adding some more water. Its better than just having sweet food; but its so bad that a 'Good Cook' like me should die of shame. Mil gaya mauka, maar diya chouka. Kar lee khud ki taarif. He he he!

I think, I should be biting my tongue this way atleast once a year, and create a good hype - so that I get a week off just for myself - doing nothing; revisiting myself; rejuvenating.

Towards the end of 5 th day, I was so bored, I called my home and talked with everyone for around an hour, asking everyone to keep speaking and me just doing 'Hmmmm', Hmmmm', 'Hmmmm'. Little Hriday was so bored with this 'Hmmm' - he didn't talk to me the next time I was able to talk. Life is so funny!!!

The egg blast - Ande ka funda!

Thursday, Nov 20th, 2008. 11:30 am. I was still at hotel, when I realised, its time to move my bum to office. But being 1130 already, it would make sense if I have my lunch at hotel itself.

Some leftover food from yesterday, orange juice, a banana, and a boiled egg would be enuf for lunch. Kept egg in the oven for boiling, meanwhile ate everything else except the banana. Some haste was there in the mind - I donno why. It happens sometimes, that I want to do everything quick.

So, once the oven beeped (indicating that 7 minutes are done for the egg to boil), I took out the bowl, drained the hot water into the sink. Now this great idea came to my 'master mind'. Lets cool the egg quickly, so that even more time can be saved. And what would be better way to cool a boiling hot egg than pouring cold water on it. I held the bowl containing this egg beneath the water tap; and there it went off. The Egg Blasted. Whooooa!!! All the egg yellow on my face and shirt. It hurt all over my face. But it didn't took me even a second - to go to the mirror to see 'How am I looking?'. I was looking great. But WTF! I don't even have a camera. All mismanagement. Well, I enjoyed my own looks. But it hurt. The egg was boiling hot. So, I had to wash it off. With cold water. (I know, I know - I am way too wierd).

Even after the egg was washed away, it left some mark. And my face looked even wierd. With two major marks. On each sides of my cheeks. Red spots. He he he!

Now, with the thanksgiving sale almost around the corner, I have a good reason to buy a camera. I never want to miss any such moments. But it doesn't mean that - I am going to repeat egg blast. Well, who knows. I donno!!!

Room No 325, Firodiya Hostel, Pune

"Arey yaar, aise lagta hai ki 'is' ladki ko pehle kahi dekha hai?"
"Hmmm. Ronnie ki party mein?"
Doesnt really matters who asked the first question and it doesn't matter about whom. Who ever replies, answer used to be always the same. Generally sitting on one of the bikes at the favourite parking lots, be it KNP, FC Road or MG Road.

Some of the dialogues never changed whenever 2 or more of VAPVAKAP is together; whether Pank has his semesterly injury/fracture or Vikash having a major one. For any tiny miny favour, "Tere liye kya re pagle" is the best dialogue suitable.

I still remember that hot sunny sunday. Got up with hell lot of lazyness (this was not a new thing, but being a sunday, lazyness is official), and did some weekly chores like laundry n 'Sunday Times'. After munching on some not-so-tasty-but-still-overeaten-feast in the hostel mess, everyone gathered in Room no - 325. Abhay is in a good mood, and everyone took this opportunity to request him for a 'tabla' session. The image is still on my mind - Abhay on the top bed in the middle of the room, and everyone else occupying his own bed, and parasites like me n Prit joined someone after encroaching their beds. I don't remember, though, whom I joined. (Should be Prit, somehow ;-) ) Well, so, as far as I remember, Abhay played 'tabla' for over half an hour, and when he looked down to see everyone's response - O M G! Everyone was sleeping. What a soothing 'tabla' session it was.

When it comes to eating out, we had very less options available. Number one reason is - everyone is strictly vegetarian, non-drinking fella. Number two, but important one, is - everyone was keeping a tight watch on the pocket. As generally teens do. But dropping bike keychain in the glass of water at Hotel Subhadra is one of the silly reasons, for which we laughed our stomachs out.

And "Yusuf" by Vijay (at Nandu's Dhaba) is so silly and wierd, but so magical, that I still laugh over it. Now with everyone scattered across geography, I dont know whom can I say this - "Ek tu hi hai is duniya mein".

When it comes to pairing, I think, Viju-Vikash is the most romantic one. That's why even today, all the journeys from Singapore to Jalna go via Hyderabad. Ha Ha Ha (If any bhabhi is reading this, please excuse us).

"Agar tere dil me ishwar hai, aur agar tera pyar sachcha hai....to wo ladki palat ke dekhegi". I think, this dialogue was used, whenever someone wished, that the beautiful gal should again look back. Complete filmy. Too Wierd.

Well, VAPVAKAP, I still have those papers on which it is documented sometimes in 1998 that 'what kind of life partner I am looking for" by 5 of us. I know, its the right time to scan those and upload/distribute, but let me make tall n big promise here - I am doing it very soon.

Room No 325 is one place, where I got most of my laughters and my 'life' really sounded like a 'laugh' riot.

Phoonk Phoonk Phoonk le..

Well, its nothing that I hate smokers. So many of my close friends are smokers, regular smokers, irregular smokers. (No chain smokers yet - may be that we all are too young). I really hate myself being a non smoker (or non regular smoker ;-)) - but I will never consider myself a nonsmoker because I always find smokers the most interesting people at the table.

I believe - A cigarette is the perfect type of a perfect pleasure. It is exquisite, and it leaves one unsatisfied. What more can one want? But still following negative poem about smoking got composed in some wierd mood.


With the Butt between the fingers,
For the style's sake,
The brain is oozing with confidence,
So what if it's fake.

The smoke between the lips,
The puff of completeness
When clouds of smoke themselves,
Talk of void and emptyness.

Time to run away from worries,
And the internal screams
While smoke clouds taking shape,
Of dozens of depressed dreams.

With eyes irritated and itching
Kick to the brain, lungs going mean
And then the smoky blurr vision,
Helping the harsh reality not to be seen.

The oeverwhelming feeling of doing,
great and something,
Is nothing but nicotine's version,
Its all illusions, but doing nothing.

Still with the butt between the fingers,
the mischief of going great guns,
Even if it feels like a man, a king
Its still being a king of bums!!!

The Warning - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_packaging_warning_messages

"Cigrette is absolutely harmfull for health, body and people around!"