This one I like too….I just have to highlight the stuff I have done!

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink

02. Swam with dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said “I love you” and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Bungee jumped

11. Visited Paris

12. Watched a lightning storm at sea

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise

14. Seen the Northern Lights

15. Gone to a huge sports game

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

18. Touched an iceberg

19. Slept under the stars

20. Changed a baby’s diaper

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon

22. Watched a meteor shower

23. Gotten drunk on champagne

24. Given more than you can afford to charity

25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

27. Had a food fight

28. Bet on a winning horse

29. Asked out a stranger

30. Had a snowball fight

31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse

34. Ridden a roller coaster

35. Hit a home run

36. Danced like a fool and didn’t care who was looking

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day

38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

39. Had two hard drives for your computer

40. Visited all 50 states

41. Taken care of someone who was drunk

42. Had amazing friends

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

44. Watched whales

45. Stolen a sign

46. Backpacked in Europe

47. Taken a road-trip

48. Gone rock climbing

49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach

50. Gone sky diving

51. Visited Ireland

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them

54. Visited Japan

55. Milked a cow

56. Alphabetized your CDs

57. Pretended to be a superhero

58. Sung karaoke

59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Played touch football

61. Gone scuba diving

62. Kissed in the rain

63. Played in the mud

64. Played in the rain

65. Gone to a drive-in theatre

66. Visited the Great Wall of China

67. Started a business

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

69. Toured ancient sites

70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight

72. Gotten married

73. Been in a movie

74. Crashed a party

75. Gotten divorced

76. Gone without food for 5 days

77. Made cookies from scratch

78. Won first prize in a costume contest

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice

80. Gotten a tattoo

81. White water Rafted

82. Been on a television news program as an “expert”

83. Gotten flowers for no reason

84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music

87. Eaten Shark

88. Kissed on the first date

89. Gone to Thailand

90. Bought a house

91. Been in a combat zone

92. Buried one/both of your parents

93. Been on a cruise ship

94. Spoken more than one language fluently

95. Performed in Rocky Horror

96. Raised children

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

98. Passed out cold

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking with the windows open

103. Had plastic surgery

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane

109. Touched a stingray

110. Broken someone’s heart

111. Helped an animal give birth

112. Won money on a TV game show

113. Broken a bone

114. Gone on an African photo safari

115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

118. Ridden a horse

119. Had major surgery

120. Had a snake as a pet

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

122. Slept for 30 hours in a 48 hour period

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. States

124. Visited all 7 continents

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

126. Eaten kangaroo meat

127. Eaten sushi

128. Had your picture in the newspaper

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

130. Gone back to school

131. Parasailed

132. Touched a cockroach

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes

134. Read The Iliad and The Odyssey

135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

137. Skipped all your school reunions

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

139. Been elected to public office

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair

146. Dyed your hair

147. Been a DJ

148. Shaved your head

149. Caused a car accident

150. Saved someone’s life

After another royal delay (for which btw I have pleaded guilty), here are the 5 things Sudz accociates me with-

1. Looong names:

Yeah, my full name is one of the longest you’ll come across- it has 54 alphabets. Yes, you read it right…54!!

It means:

• It’s as long as A-Z written twice with repeating  2 of your favorite letters.
• If I signed my full name on my cheques, the bank would have to open a 5 member dedicated ’signature verification’ cell only to process my cheques.
• For every time I had signed my full name in attendence-10 people in my class would have got there attendence.
• If I responded  only to my full name, the announcers at ‘departures’ of the Hyderabad Airport would quit..because I’m always late.
• If there are 20 more people to board the flight, and the annoucer manages to call my entire name..on an average at least 5 other men would would have been intimated.
• If you set your ringtone to pronounce my name each time I call, chances are your phone will crash. Because, even 3G phones are not equiped to play 2 songs a time.

I must confess that, its only recently that I learnt my full name. I never have problems with my passwords. Some times my friends get excited on my behalf. Recently, a friend of mine sent me a link to our company’s database which opened details of a newly joined employee with a long name. I think it was just a bit longer. My friend took instant offence, as if he lost something personal. I smiled, I had only lost to a namesake  

2.Atlas Shrugged:

Its my ambition to finish this book. No, seriously! I started this book 3 years back for the first time. Reached 80 pages before I couldn’t continue. Started again 1.5 years back reached 120 pages. Now, I haven’t read that book in a good year & I still have over 1000 pages to go. All my supportive friends have urged me to abandon the effort. They say its for my own good.

But I’m determined. As long as I finish it before Sudz NaNo effort.

If ever there was a book reading contest (fastest to finish reading either Atlas Shrugged or my full name), wonder which one would give the conestants a better chance.

3. Stealing a box of sweets from RP’s office:

Sudz! Did we? or did I? I have very vague memory of us all being in his office once, one of those Trishna days. But don’t remember this particular one.

4. One of the most inconsistent bloggers ever!

Again guilty as charged, I keep making mental notes of all the interesting, smart things that I say or have observed around me. But by the time I come to digitise my thoughts I find them to have had vaporised already.

Have recently started those memos on my phone, but now my damn N73 is so slow that it takes 2-3 mins to open the memo screen. So, now I make flags in my MS Outlook to blog, but there is so much work at office that…..

..Ok…ok….all about digitizing…vaporizing…flags & memo is bull!

Here.. I say it, ‘ I’m one Lazzzzyyyy burger’.

I know the ‘work at office’ did me in.

5. ‘Platonic’ friendship with Panki Zee:

As straight as they come…won’t go the other way, no matter how clowdy the day is.

Was tagged by Sudz to:

Go to the 6th picture from your 6th photo folder, post it here and tell its story. Then tag 6 people to do the same.

Now without cheating & embarassing myself I safely present the 6th picture from 6th folder.

So here is the 6th photo in the 6th folder:

So few months back one of my colleagues invited us for a trip to the old city. I was assured there were going to be other guys too but as it turned out there were a bunch of girls and I was the only bakra (read:guy) who turned up. But having turned up I decided to go anyways. Aswini who at that time was working with S*tyam Foundation was our tour conducter-in-chief & a fab one at that. We went to Charminar, Laad bazaar, a NGO in old city and Chowmohalla palace.Been to these places before but thanks to Aswini this was one weekend very very well experienced.
Ok coming to the picture-shot by superrrrly talented ‘yours truly’, this is the ceiling of the great Charminar….what’s brilliant about the pic is that the photographer managed to capture the rare visual of 3 pigeons meditating in solitude…I’m told finding one is a feat.

I tag Tito & Lipi

PS:

Gawd, people, find some memes that are less prone to cause embarrassment, I tell ya.

Well one just needs to be lucky enought to not have 6th snap in 6th folder embarassing. Hail Amul.

Just when you think you’ve seen the worst, there are some people in this country  whose sole job you’ll see -I think, is to prove you wrong. How else can you explain-visuals of girls being dragged out by hair…punched in face…kicked in stomach in full public. I dont even have good enough vocab to express my disgust without sounding lenient. 

Urghhh…absolutely…urgghh…

Lord Ram must have got it good from Sita mata in the heavens for letting this happen…

Now, they’ll marry off all couples who will be seen together on V-day. I’m not sure if its ridiculous or funny…actually I think both- its ridiculously funny. I say let them..whats the fuss? I would have got a divorce later..hell I wouldn’t even need a divorce..an annulment would do…it would be a fun experience.

Dimwits! leaving no stone unturned to push  us back to medieval times..we’ll just have to resist harder.

PS: My criticism here of the moral policing need not necessarily mean I support what they boycott. I’ll never tell anyone where to go or what day to celebrate.

http://rupeenews.com/2008/11/30/pakistani-response-to-indias-cold-start-strategy-limited-strikes-against-targets/

I was just reading up on some “cold start strategy” doctrine that was being contemplated by the Indian army to deal with Pakistan. I fumbled upon some news article where a Pakistani Journalist has made a response to the doctrine.

This is my response to his:

What I know as an Indian is that if we do or have to war Pakistan conventional or unconventional-we will win.My forces have shown  that time & again. Twice conventionally and once unconventionally.

I don’t think I need to worry on that front.

 ”Does Pakistan have a Hizbullah type of defense against invasions? Only day dreamers can imagine that this is not so. Pakistan is ready to give Indians Cold Strategy a warm welcome. Crossing Wagah, Sialkot, Ran of Kutch or Kashmir point the Indian army would not only face the Pakistani Army but a very hostile and armed population.”

One, if are our army is  “welcomed” by hostile, armed civilians, do you by any chance still think we will follow the Cold Strategy Approach?? Do you seriously believe that’s the only strategy we would have?

And two, even if it comes to civilians,do you think our soldiers will be without help? (Not that they would need any).If Indian civilians were pressed into it…do you know your civilian will be staring into 7 pairs of eyes..each. Oh yeah! by the way……they’ll be armed and hostile too.

1. Where were the bravehearts from Shiv Sena…MNS..Bajrang dal..RSS etc who so gallantly beat the hapless couples spending an  evening by the sea on 14th Feb, when the ultras sieged mumbai? Weren’t they outraged then? or are they “men” only when there is no AK 56 in sight?

2. How did a bullet seep through a bullet proof vest? Why didn’t the authorities ask Karkare to consume poison, lie on the rail track, jump from a sky scraper or hang himself with a noose or shoot himself? they might as well have.

3. Why were my heroes from Mumbai fire stations sent on suicide missions without even bullet proof jacket…even as the terrorists fired from the safety of the plush hotel?

3. Former ISI chief, when told by Arnab on Times Now that ISI hand was being suspected in the attack, he replied  “no I dont think so…they had a role to play in this attack…given the situation it would be very unwise of them to be involved in such an attack..”…wait then are you admitting that under other circumstances it would have been alright…worse are you admitting that ISI has played role in other (note: “not this one”) past attacks under different circumstances (whatever that means)?

4.Does the Kerala CM know that the entire nation would rather have dogs visit their home?  

5. Who is true Muslim? true Hindu? true Christian? is there any other kind?

My dear countrymen, fear no more. The antidote for terror attacks is here. Its an old weapon, but the latest version is the best and the “strongest” .  It has so far successfully resulted in getting the resignation of a Home Minister, A Chief Minister and public outcry against another CM (who pays belated visits to households of martyrs from his state and then likens non army civilian households to something that even stray dogs wouldn’t visit).

Ladies & Gentlemen I proudly present to you- the latest version of  “Reactions” christened-

~Drum roll please~

 ”Strong Reactions version ∞“

Yes we will defend with reactions! Sorry! Strong Reactions version ∞!

You know its different.

At this stage in war against terrorism,when they seem to improve and advance with every attack with their planning..weaponry..modus operandi.We seem to be receding in our ability to even take precautionary or pre-emptive measures. The only thing we seem to be getting better at is the articulation and vocabulary used to condemn these attacks.

So Let them attack us with ak 47s & 56s and we will defend ourselves with “strong reactions”  & “stronger condemnations”  . Let them spray 400 lethal bullets per minute indiscriminately at us for 60 hours…punctuate their onslaughts with grenades and we’ll lob at them “strongest reactions so far”.

Some where north west of Kashmir the walls of  Bora caves must be echoing with roaring laughter.Simply put-a terrorist some where must be laughing his ass off.

First we make ourselves sitting ducks…and then quack after being smacked.When they turned couple of American planes into missiles…Americans said “you wanna play missiles-missiles, okay we’ll oblige” and boy! did they oblige- they showered missiles at them like out of control meteors determined to set earth on blaze-now thats reaction!

And what do we say-”you have ak 56s ..bring them on…we have strong reactions”.

It has just become so convinient to react between attacks…only if we could act once before…hell maybe just once after.

Just another strong reaction.

Could it have been avoided? Could we have not undergone the last 3-4 days? I don’t know. If we had to to undergo them, could we have done something different to make it less painfull. Maybe. Maybe…we could have done so many things differently to make it less devasting…but then if we had taken those precautions..probably it wouldn’t have happened at in the first place…probably.

Sad..angry..resilient…how do I feel? I have been asking myself this for the past two days..a bit of each..different at different times…depending on the visual I get on my TV screen. But to my own surprise…I realised just a few moments ago that with each of those emotions something else was constant.

This time…there was a sense of resignation…was I really surprised with the attack? Am I really hurt? Am i outraged? I do not know. Like with all other things not correct in life, I have got used to it. Not just me…I think everyone..all of us have gotten used to it. We let. Our reactions now seem mechanised…reactions of condemnation…outrage…sorrow..anger…Im not sure anymore if we mean them any more…I know we want to..we are trying hard too..but something is missing…I think resignation has taken over.

Almost as if I’m trying to convince myself all those innocents have died of natural cause…massive mass heart attack…maybe.

Although the reactions have been stonger than of previous attacks…strongest so far maybe..what use? They are not going to materialise into something that would prevent an encore. There will be another attack..unfortunately may be even stronger..but its ok..because as sure as I’m of that, I’m sure that our reactions…resolves will do well to match the magnitude of it.

As the commandos secured the hotel..mission accomplished…filed into the bus minus couple of their partners. A small gathering of onlookers approached the bus…shook hands..wished them…and congratulated..thanked them as they broke impromptu into our national anthem as a mark of respect. I saw in the proud,content & teary eyes of one of our heroes..a look which told me- “This is enough for me…a mere  thanks…I’ll go in a thousand times…die a thousand times”.

I thanked him too..then apologised. 

I saw you once…I had to see you again !
Thank God! God exists.
For there you stood, already driving me insane !
 

Shamelessly, I stood in the middle of the rink,

My eyes riveted on yours, as I let others glide past.

I couldn’t miss as much as even your blink.   
 
My heart was, by now, beating like a well wound toy.

I had to talk to you !

I needed help.May be even a ploy !

 
Alas! I had taken too long…you were walking away.

I remained there, Stunned.Striken.Helpless.

Even as my eyes blatantly refused to sway.
 

It was not meant to be.I needed no sign.
When I looked into your eyes,
I knew they will never find their way back to mine.
 

Then you vanished completely, confirming my worst fears,

Leaving me in an eternal trance,of which

It’s just been nine years. 
 

How I wish our eyes had locked !

How I wish we had a mutual friend !

How I wish…we had a different end !

Ok..now that I have jotted down a few lines..let me see if Im good for few more..

Well..the last few months have been quite interesting. For starters I have taken to soccer! There was a Footsal tournie that was supposed to start a few months back at my office. So we guys at office formed a team..and started to religiously practice every saturday at the local ground. Well the tournie got delayed…but the practice persisted. Finally we had our first match last week..and guess what..we won 4-0!..and guess what…I didnt score …but im sure as hell gonna make sure that I do in the next match…even if that means I score in the wrong direction…I just wanna stretch my wings …run zizaggedly..look at the heavens..may be even do a back flip or two…before my comrades put me to rest…for good.

Im still reading “Atlas Shrugged”…I think its been a lil over year since I begun. Not that Im not liking it..which actually would just be consistent with recommendations. On the contrary I’ve actually quite enjoyed it so far till page 138 (Yep its been over a year and Im still at 138).

Oh yeah…I finished my thesis…submitted and cleared…and resultantly graduated last month…but oh no..can things ever be so breezy with me? can they? Convocation- My name is announced..I wear a proud smile…stand up…walk towards the dias…shake hand with the digintary who awards my degree…pose for a snap which will capture the proud and much awaited moment for  eternity…got back to my seat…almost ripped open the folder to have a first look at my degree…only to be informed that I have completed my MBA in II class….WTF????…you have got to be kidding me!…and the rest of the evening as expected went pretty much the same class as the certificate claimed I passed in…actually worse…well I have been assured that I’ll get a corrected certificate…but so much for the much awaited convo…and the snap with me receiving the degree…I know what I actually received that day…and now you know.