HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR :)

11.45 PM, 31ST DECEMBER 2008 AS I WRITE THIS.

Very few people are online...most seem to be partying outside :)...

I wanted to pen a lot of things. Thanks to the worsening eye condition, I have a persistant headache and I cant seem to concentrate on anything else but the time...I know there'll be calls, those who are lucky enough to find a network....and my sleep would be disturbed..so not sleeping yet.

New Year is just 10 mins away now and I want to wish everyone a very HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Yeah keeping it simple. One thing I am thankful for in 2008 is all the wonderful people I got to know on blogosphere...Thanks for being a part of my life and I hope our association continues in 2009 and beyond.

Thanks Once again:

NITHIN PJ HEMZZ CRYSTAL AQUA ANOOP ALOK SHANU JIGGY RAKESH SHALOM REFLECTIONS SWATS NEHA(JOIE) VINAY PRASHANTH RENU SOLITAIRE SAWAN MITHE RAJESH

CHEERS YOU GUYS....YOU ARE THE BEST!!

BEST WISHES AND LOADS AND LOADS OF LOVE :)

Another fresh new year is here . . .
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest . . .
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!
WILLIAM ARTHUR WARD

Tuesday Terror....

And they say one has Monday morning blues. It was terror tuesday for me at home, with my sister around. She has been "treating" me to STEP UP 2, the movie, every other day. She loves the music, loves the dances...and in short...loves the movie. So when she said she'll treat me to STEP UP 2 AGAIN...this time I had to step in and impose my "elder sister's authority of negation". Some rights do come handy. :P

After I vetoed the movie, we sat down to watch BEE MOVIE. Saw it half way and got really really bored. Sister has a master back-up plan ready as always. "KUNG FU PANDA!!" she exclaims. Gosh we saw it two days ago...and it wouldn't run on the divx vcd player for some reason. Hence yet another plan went down the drain. We have no less than 200 movies at home (not an understatement...dad doesnt go to theatre...his policy is if we have to spend 200 bucks on a movie in theatre, might as well wait a while, get the VCD when it comes out, and watch it in the comfort of our home...pausing...fast forwarding...rewinding..susu breaks and all :p. As a result, we have all the movies that were released last few years..including Ram Gopal Verma ki Aag and Drona. One of papa's clients is an Owner of a large DVD/VCD store...so he keeps sending all the new releases too. That way, we have a VCD library of our own.)

In the end, we decided to watch "FREAKY FRIDAY". I had TOP RAMEN NOODLES with a lot of cheese, had an ugly stare from my sis with a "what happened to your plans of quiting all forms of instant noodles?". And I said, "New Year resolution...aaj aakhri baar...One last time!!". Hopefully I will not eat any more Maggie/Top Ramen in the new year...doesnt suit my stomach at all, but I love the taste :)

After that, I proceeded to read DESCENT INTO CHAOS. It is taking far more time than I expected, and I have not been able to finish 10 books before year end :( Finished it half way, and I am now thinking of reading one of the two books I picked up : VERNON GOD LITTLE and THE GOOD EARTH. I think its gonna be VERNON

I have to have some restraint order placed upon me, I seem to be giving the book industry a lot to cheer about. I picked up 6 books this month, now as I look back. They are:

DESCENT INTO CHAOS

O JERUSALEM

A FINE BALANCE

ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE

VERNON GOD LITTLE

THE GOOD EARTH

I dunno why it seems like such a crime to me, to enter into a book store and not buy a book. I went to Odyssey the other day. Its quite close to my place, and asked them if they could give me a job, I'd work in return for a few books a month...no payment needed. The store people had a bewildered/amused look on their faces and just kept smiling, thinking I was cracking a joke. I am a regular at Odyssey and share a laugh or two with their staff every time I visit. They took it in Jest...unfortunate for me :(

So rest of the tuesday went in reading book and trying to execute my plans to purge. I was gonna take out all the useless cartons and throw away every unwanted thing my mom keeps in the house saying "Future use". I also cleaned the fridge today (holidays mein ghar ki saaf safai hi hoti hai babu !! ) and it is so spotlessly cleaned (proud of myself) that I dont feel like putting anything inside the fridge :D

When I reached into a cabinet, to remove all the old cartons, I found there were termites in that area. That was real real real bad. I think the person to treat the same should be arriving today. A large house is difficult to maintain, as I have come to find. :( None of us are at home most of the day and the poor house is so neglected :(

I think I Should stop the ramblings for now. Wish you all a very very very Happy New Year. Yeah, keeping it simple...but the new year post would be posted tomorrow. Peace :)

Labels: day log

Monday Morning Hues

Time Check:

7.10 AM.

One of the rare days that I woke up before 7 lately. As a kid, I remember being such a darn disciplined kid, I almost gave myself a medal and a trophy for it :P Ahh!! That changed as I graduated. I dont know who else to blame but myself, for taking some really rash decisions. Anyways, as Master Oogway says in Kung Fu Panda : Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, Today is a gift. Thats why we call it PRESENT :)

So the driving class count has been exactly where it was. I've missed my last ten classes, thanks to an eye infection (CYST). Got plenty of time to catch up on my sleep and said to myself : "This monday, I am no longer gonna be lazy. I'll finish off those 8 remaining classes." And so I woke at 6 (with the help of two cell-phone alarms). Called up the driving class guy and he said he wont be able to make it today as he's in his village. Darn!! He'll call me when he returns. :( :( Decide to take my car on my own. After the morning routine, went up to Ma and asked her if we can go and take a round in the colony...give me some much needed road exposure.

Momma says : "SURE"....and she covers the blanket over her head and goes off to sleep.

Papa Says: "Its cold outside and its too dark outside...light toh aane de". Hmmmmm

Thus I begin blogging...since my sleep is destroyed. Read the updated blogs in the blog-roll, my mind is still fresh with a heated conversation with dad (minor argument..chalte rehta hai) and I so want to drive that car :( :(

Heck..its 7.19 already and I've been rambling on. There's a Kendriya Vidyalaya two blocks away from my home and there'll be cartloads of kids out on the road now. I dont wanna be shit scared. I think I am just gonna go on my own (damn! I cant find my learner's license). Relatives are expected in a while and we have to go and pick them up from Secunderabad Station. I was thinking I'd drive up until a certain point, then Mom can continue her James Bond style driving.

My problem here is I have been learning to drive an Indica...coz that's what dad has. I tried driving Mom's Maruti one day and I felt like I'd been dismounted from a buffallo and placed upon a donkey. Sorry for the comparisions but the Maruti is too light for my liking...and its ABC..Accelerator, Break and Clutch...dont seem smooth enough. Mom has maintained her vehicle but I still like the Indica better. I neeeeed to learn to drive on the roads of Hyderabad/Secunderabad :(

Ok 7:27 now...Enough is enough. I have had enough. Its gonna be the other way round. I am gonna pull mom out of her bed (she should be doing that...jesus!!!). If not I am going to give some much needed Dhamki of going alone :P

7.28 toodles everyone...maybe a post later in the day but right now I need to go...real bad :P

Mummmmmmyyyyyyyyy!!!!!

P.S THANKS MITHE for the award :) :) Morning Morning you made my Monday :) :)

And Sourish is blog-rolled. :)

Again.

Mummmmmmmmyyyyyyyyy!!!!

Another Tag

PJ tagged me to do this injustice to you all :P, so let me get this done and over with ;) I must admit, this one has some tough questions, for which I'll try my best to give as many non-filmy responses as I can. Here goes:

RULE #1 People who have been tagged must write their answers on their blogs and replace any question that they dislike with a new question formulated by themselves.

RULE #2 Tag 6 people to do this quiz and those who are tagged cannot refuse. These people must state who they were tagged by and cannot tag the person whom they were tagged by. Continue this game by sending it to other people.

1. If your lover betrayed you what would your reaction be?
----> Third World War....the non-bombing, non-nuclear types.

2. If you could have one dream come true which one would it be?
----> Write something really brilliant that affects people in a good way...Also It wouldn't hurt if I get to meet Kimi Raikkonen :P

3. Whose butt would you like to kick?
----> George W. Bush...any day.

4. What would you do with a billion dollars?
----> Will NOT invest in stocks for sure :P Maybe put it to use in buliding schools where they are needed, with a proper infrastructure.

5. Will you fall in love with your best friend?
----> I have been in love with my best friend ever since he became my best friend :P

6. Which is more blessed: loving someone or being loved by someone?
----> BOTH.

7. How long would you wait for someone you love?
----> As long as I have hope of him returning.

8. If the person you like is secretly attached, what would you do?
----> Kimi is openly attatched :( And there's nothing I can do about him...except profess my love for him on my blogs, which he doesnt read....YET! :p

9. If you could root for one social cause which one would it be?
----> Prevention of Child Abuse

10. What takes you down the fastest?
----> Jactitation....I dunno why it irritates me so..but it does :(

11. Change of quest..... What's your main Aim in life?
----> Do something useful and make a difference in as many lives as possible.

12. What's your fear?
----> Losing focus

13. What kind of person(s) do you think the person who tagged you is/are?
-----> The most adorable person I know on blogosphere :)

14. Would you rather be single and rich or married and poor?
----> How about being Committed to a banker?? :P

15. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?

----> Check my cellphone for the time :P

16. If you fall in love with two people simultaneously who would you pick?
----> If its Kimi, then him, if he'll have me too :P....otherwise....inki pinki ponkey :P :P :P :P

17. Would you give all in a relationship?
----> Y-E-S

18. What's eating you now?
----> Inability to write something good :( ...and a bad eye-infection which is slowing down my reading process :(

19. Do you prefer being single or in a relationship?

----> Both have their own pros and cons...right now, I am content being single :)

Ok...now I have to tag 6 people right???

Its gonna be :

Divya

Nikhil

Hemanth

Reflections

Shalom

Nithin (Whenever you are back...go thru this routine :p)

Now get on with it :P

Updates

We're into the last fortnight of this year, and this is what has been happening around me:

I'm into day 17 of driving classes, ten more classes to go and I'll finish the stipulated course...hopefully I am road ready by then, which I am not as yet. Everyday its been the 6.40 am class which was pushed back to 8 o clock today. Needless to say, for someone unaccustomed to driving in traffic, it was a maddening experience. I love to zip around on the scooty...but driving a car, was phew!!....I wish I had Kimi beside me, probably that would help. Sure, concentration would be an issue, but then again....ok!! Will stop the rambling now!! :P

Work has taken a beating with most companies cutting costs and advertisements going down. For a small firm where I work, with a clientele that has been steadily losing revenue, advertising is limited. That way I am not too busy during this holiday season (whilst I expected to be), with a handful of projects coming this way. Not complaining..I have the time to catch up on my books. :)

I had this trivial thing on my agenda: to finish reading 10 books by the end of this year. I started on 17th November with book 1, right now I am on book 4. So, 15 days and 6 books to go. You do the math. Attainment of that goal looks a little bleak, but then, the cliched term : IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING. Watch out for this space :)

With the Formula One season already ending a while ago, I have not been having much interest in catching up with telly-dom lately. I've only been using the idiot box to watch some great movies on DVD - Read "A Wednesday" and "Gone Baby Gone".

A really old net friend, Banibhusan, is coming to Hyderabad for the first time this weekend. Pretty psyched about his impending visit. Apart from all the hilarious calls we make to each other, we've been each other's emotional support when it was so required. I just hope the meeting goes well. Given his apparent love for chicken, I plan on taking him to a reputed restaurant so that he can have the delicious Hyderabadi Biriyani. Watch out for this space yet again!! :)

Reading DESCENT INTO CHAOS by Ahmed Rashid. That's book 4, in case I didnt mention. Oh yes, I didnt mention. Next Change : O Jerusalem!

My lil sis (18 yrs old...not little, mind you!!) :P has been making me hear all these "gangsta-rap" songs, which I quite enjoy for their beats. Trouble starts when I break into an impromptu dance and am asked, rather impolitely, to dispense with the comedy circus. I tell you, "real" talent has no takers these days *sigh*

Finally, my best friend of 14 years, just got engaged a few days ago. I am happy for him that he found a great girl, and by March next year, he should be forever bonded in holy matrimony. :) Wish him all the happiness in the world.

Life has been moving at a dreadfully slow pace. I think I need to get out of Hyderabad for a while. Lets see what life has in store next. Peace out you all, nothing more to pen. Cheers!!

P.S: I have put up a new box for the most interesting blogger/post I come across, the readership for which is low considering the amazing content it has. Just a request to all you bloggers who come to my blog, to go through that one as well..and please comment too :). Go to "TOP READ FOR THE WEEK" and check it out.

Featuring this week : OVERATED OUTCAST

Labels: awards

And the Award goes to..

So, the award season continues...and I thought I saw the end of it a few months ago. I am sure Nostradamus wouldn't be happy with me for getting my predictions all wrong (he probably predicted that I'll get it wrong...duh uh...why am I rambling about him now??).

This has been pending for a while now, so I just thought I'll get over with this one before I continue getting back to posting other stuff. Have met some really amazing bloggers recently, and to be awarded by them feels really special. The following is the list of awards I've got from blogger friends, which I am not-so-promptly passing on to my favourite ones:

Shalom and Diva presented me with the Butterfly award which are being passed on to:

Kochu -- Nithin Jayan, Without a doubt, has remained my favourite blogger for a while now.

PJ -- Priya Joyce, The most adorable blogger I know. Its fun reading her posts and even more fun when we have our chats. :))

Aqua -- One of the bloggers whose posts I started reading during my "off" days, and made me feel good, post after post. :)

Reb -- a.k.a Jiggy to me, one of my most recent blogger friends, tolerates my blabber-mouth attitude, and I guess is waiting with a hungry tummy for our wada-paav party :P

Reflections -- Had my initiation to her blogs pretty recently, but I feel like I've been addicted to her blogs forever, in a manner I am not even addicted to reading my India Today weekly!! Absolutely love her posts.

Anoop -- One blogger I have admired ever since I can remember coming to blogosphere. His comments post after post encouraged me to write further, kinda like an affirmation that yes, somebody is reading my posts :) Hugs!! :)

Now coming to the next batch:

Reflections and PJ awarded me this beautiful award, which are being passed on to:

My space -- Her blog "My Family" was the first one I ever read and it just completely blew me away, as I read and re-read it. I have been forwarding

it to friends (who are genuinely interested in reading blogs) ever since I read it. Amazing stuff. Thanks!! :)

Crystal -- The most talented blogger in the blogosphere I have so far treaded on. Her writing has left me speechless most times. She's a wonder,

truly. Absolutely love her. Thanks!! :)

Shalom -- Again, one of bloggers I've recently come across, I just love the simplicity in her blogs and the manner in which she can tell everything she feels....just plainly. Someone I have begun to admire a lot. Thanks!! :)

Vinay -- I never knew I liked reading poetry until I read his blog. The way he expresses himself through his rhymes, just tug at my heart strings...some of them the most amazing ones I've read to date. Just amazingly beautiful. Thanks!! :)

Swats -- Another blogger whose blog I've been recently to and loved reading every single one of them that I've read so far. I like the fearlessness in her writing, the way she speaks her mind.

Thanks!! :)

And finally, PJ gave me this beautiful award too, which I pass on to the most free-spirited bloggers I know on blogosphere. (Beware : Long list ahead!!)

Crystal