Kisse Kahaniyan

A blank page stares at me as I begin to write this post. Ideas race through my head. Have just completed going through the blogs I read regularly. A lot of them have very long posts. Posts you get lost in. Posts you think about after having read them. Thanks guys for writing so wonderfully! It is a pleasure to read your blogs :)

Unlike you, I haven't read an amazing book, cleaned my room after ages, written a new story, seen two movies in a day, been on a great college trip, enjoyed a college festival, wondered on whether or not to disclose my feelings to the one I love, seen a tennis match, written poetry, cleaned my bike or enjoyed Mumbai.(the list is not comprehensive) But life is definitely not dull!

Inspired by Amon, I also visited Qutub Minar eventually. I see the monument almost every time I go somewhere other than office. However, I had never visited it. Inspired by Srini and Shub, I took my camera along and tried my hand at photography. The pics have just come in. No match to the ones they take and definitely not worth posting, but a decent effort nonetheless! The day I visited QM I also went boating to Purana Qila and enjoyed riding the Delhi Metro. Lived in this city all my life but I felt like a tourist that day. A guided tour of Delhi definitely on the list of Things to Do. Have heard of people who organize walks in places like Mehrauli and Chandni Chowk. Must try that out and will hopefully have company for that.

Attended a four day residential training meant to enhance research skills. Had a great time.The training was very interesting and all of us together had a lot of fun. Two women from the Taiwanese office of The Firm had joined us for the training. Hilarious incidents happened as the guys alternated between flirting with the beautiful dames and (mis)informing them about everything Indian. Hindi songs were played and translated, even 'bheege honth tere'. Their comment on hearing that one, "Indians are very bold!" Hehe.
The pub in the resort we were staying in was booked for us on one night. The DJ was...umm..not suited to the crowd. But when there are so many crazy souls, one ends up having fun. One of the challenges in the training was working in teams. Our work is usually done independently but the case studies in the training had to be attempted in teams. Trying to achieve something with such diverse people is quite tough. The first team I was part of had couple of members who needed to be repeatedly told, "Get to the point". Nearly pulled my hair out. The second team had hostilities that were not even hidden under the veil of politeness. I have no clue how we survived without any murders and managed to complete our work! Also, I personally think that the output was the best amongst all the teams :D

Yesterday we almost coerced a senior into treating all of us. Imagine eleven people let lose in a food court. I had, amongst other things, chocolate excess with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Bliss.

On a serious note, the next week brings a mini tornado in my life. Very major decisions have been made and its time to live them. More on it next time. Meanwhile, pray for me :)

College to Office

Got an sms this morning from one of my college teachers. “you want and you get that is luck. You want and you wait that is time. you want but you compromise that is life.. you want and you wait and you don’t compromise that is success.”

My reply, “you want, you wait, you don’t compromise and then you get it. And then you regret it.”

This particular lady is someone I really look up to. She is slim, has short curly hair, wears purple nail paint on her toes, dresses in ordinary khadi kurtas even though she is very rich (something which one of her colleagues scolded her for!), has a monkey in her key chain , used to have Tweety bird sun shades in her car, drives a big black swanky car and of course, smses her students. The real reason she is an inspiration is because she is an awesome teacher and she talks sense. Every head in the room follows her as she moves around the room. One voluntarily picks up the book and studies. Backbenchers volunteer to answer. And in matters other than academic, she offers a sensible advice.

Hope to be someone like her one day.

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Why does work not end? Why is it that when I go and sit at my comp at 7 a.m. (yes!! THAT early) I don't get up till its lunch time at 1? Does everyone do that?

New Beginnings

New Year. Same old us. Then what is there to cheer about?

I have heard a lot of cynicism about celebrating what is essentially just a change of date. Nothing changes. Nothing extraordinary or exceptional happens. Our problems remain just as they were earlier. Then why do so many people go crazy at the stroke of midnight? All the parties, the exchange of greetings, the merriment. Why?

Personally, the new year for me represents a new beginning. An opportunity to look at things afresh. To take a look at what happened and plan for the days ahead.

The past year was one of great joy and learning. There were occasional sorrows but nothing major.
And this new year holds a lot of promise. I hope to get back to studying. To move out of my house and live on my own. To learn how to drive. To travel and explore more places. Cannot call these resolutions. Some of them are inevitables, some plans.

It is this new beginning which I think each one of us should celebrate because it isn't always that one pauses and thinks and plans for the future!

What are you looking forward to in 2005?