Chal 'Guru' Ho Ja Shuru ...

Watched Guru today at a very crappy movie theatre - A dollar theatre to be precise. The screen was very small and sound quality abysmal.
The film manages to be true to my high expectations.

Read the complete review here.

Rest in the Next.

What's going on?

I flew to Dallas on Friday (birthday) evening to meet friends. (Managed permission to work from home for a few days - So, was in Dallas till new year).

Friday morning was going to be quite crazy at work - Decided to call up home on Thursday night - Spoke with Mom and Dad, B and K called up at 11 pm ET. Meanly turned off my cell only to realize that there have been quite a few missed calls. Felt guilty :-(

Received calls all day on Friday from quarters least bit expected. That I started writing this post on Friday evening from the airport but could barely write a para is a testament to this. It was really very sweet of so many people to actually think about me and about making my day special. Though, what's scary is the responsibility of reciprocation. I perhaps am not good enough or particular enough to wish everyone back on their respective birthdays, which would make me feel guilty and would be a moral infraction and all that ....

Dallas was super cool (Well not literally ... The weather was awesome for someone like me traveling from Kansas - I could go out wearing shorts at 11 in the night - What else can one ask for?). What with we celebrating two birthdays in as many days. My friend AKS's birthday falls one day after me (Saturday)

Had another friend of mine V based in India and was coincidentally visiting Dallas this time. 4 people - 1 apartment - Loads to talk - Tons of fun ... Performed the usual Bigg Boss jig where we nominated people to be thrown out of the apartment. To my dismay AKS was not kicked out by a landslide. In fact it was even stevens between V and him. Just an example how these people from UP play nasty politics!! :-)

Anyways, holidays were cool .... didn't go anywhere too far. New Year Party was at Hotel Intercontinental. Some desi party that had Bally Sagoo as the DJ. Music was rocking. Heard such phenomenal music after ages. Felt good. Hopefully the 'feel good' will continue through the new year as well.

Now that I am back and after having posted the birthday and new year blog as well as this one, it feels good ... I'll try to be more regular in posting ... (Sounds so much like a new year resolution ... but it isn't ..!!)

Birthday & New Year

22nd December 2006 - "27 gone!"

It is funny in a nice way that my b'day falls in the end of December. I can summarize a year of my life in parallel with the gregorian calendar year.

The past year has by far been the most learning of my life - Not because of incident(s) in my life - In fact it has been quite far from being eventful. So weird that at the threshold of a new year there is so much of hullabaloo within you and how it all fizzles out as the year goes by - But still year after year, this zealous feeling stays put. That said, I am quite excited and so looking forward to the Year 28 of my life (and in essence CY 2007) - Lets see how ordinarily special it turns out to be! Isn't it the beauty of these unknown variables in the equation of life that make it so interestingly difficult to crack ...!

The happenings in the lives of a few friends over the past year have been incredibly tragic and traumatic - To see them live with it, face it and overcome them did enable a new vision within me - The process instilled that sense of helplessness and courage, both at the same time. Interesting how tough times teach a person so much so soon. But whats even more interesting is how tough times from some friend's life teaches you things that you could never have imagined learning from him/her. It has just been that kind of a year. When irony and metaphor have turned from figures of speech into expressions and parts of life.

The past year saw me wear the writer's hat in blogosphere after having been an avid reader for a fairly long time. It presents an instrument for expressing myself - A manifestation of my thoughts, joys, frustrations, prejudices, opinions, expectations, dilemmas, dreams, dreadfulness, weaknesses and perhaps much much more or a lot lot less. It is a reflection of the contradictions and the paradoxes that occupy my mindspace.

On the spiritual side, the ingestion of ideas and the assimilation of thoughts might have been worthwhile. But like each year, it somehow felt (hurt) that action and implementation of the same is not complete. Status quo on this front as compared to the last. Hopefully this new year I will be able to do better - At the least, I hope to try (make an effort) in spite of a guaranteed failure (since attaining a 100% is not a matter of a year ... but stepping stone it can be)

But this year has been special in the way of finding friends or perhaps more than that. Seldom do you come across people with whom there is this instant bond. Where words fall short to describe the special kinship that is beyond the realm of ordinary. And then again there is this enigma (remember those unknown variables) as to if and how long and to what extent will this last. I'll let time be the judge (Don't even have a choice!). All this becomes so pertinent when I assess the status of relationships with a few friends that appeared so ever-lasting not so long ago and going cold within no time. On the plus side, I joined a community created by this gentleman by the name Orkut Buyukkokten. It helped me re-establish ties with so many long lost friends. It has been quite a splendid experience so far. And, this is my official thank you to him. Thanks Orkut!!

Alright, what else?? So it was a year:

• Where I think I became wiser by the day. The thought process (but not the thoughts) became more and more incisive and aggressive.
  
• Where I presented myself with those new gizmos.
• Where I continued to envy people who write so well and dance so well and think so well and act so well and behave so well and ... And how I wish to be like them but cannot.
• Where I enjoyed so much but maybe could have enjoyed so much more.
• Where I went to India for a fortnight and had a blast.
• Where I traveled a few places and met friends and family
• Where I was treated by some extraordinary music and movies and some way below par.
• Where the sheer disgust on the shameless performance of our cricket team faded away to pave way for indifference.
• Where I felt really sorry for the state of affairs in our country - That the brightest brains (doctors) were lathi charged and teargassed in front of the media eye and outside the residence of our Hon. Human Resource Minister by the police of the country.
• Where it became hard for me to understand how media termed the compulsiveness and helplessness of Bombayites returning to work a day after the blasts as the 'Spirit of Bombay'. Common media, you are a lot better than that!!
  
• Where my professional and personal life both did fairly well, but just like everything else, I hope for them to do even better in the coming year. Ya, for a change I do have a hope that this new year will be 'happening' in more ways than one.

Looking forward to the interesting times ahead ....!! Lets see whats in store ....!!


Belated Happy Birthday to me and Happy New Year to All. Hope you have a wonderful 2007.