Pearl of wisdom from a little girl

Last weekend, while I'd been to my gym to get in some treadmill action and a sauna bath, there were 2 young girls (they were aged about 10-12 years) who were hanging around the cardio section of the gym as they were waiting for their "Shiamak Davar dance classes for young teens" course to begin for the day.

Since the treadmills were all occupied, I was just waiting for one to get free, and so I casually picked up a conversation with these 2 girls. Just to make fun of them, I asked them if they had any friends in the dance class. After they replied "Oh yeah, we've got loooooooots of friends", I simply asked them whether they'd be interested in giving me some of their friends because I didn't have any friends. To that, they promptly refused, but they pointed at the folks on the treadmills and told me that I could have them for friends.

To this, I said they may not want to be my friends, and that if I knew that they were my friend's friends, it would be easier to make friends (ok, I hope that sentence wasn't confusing). For which, the girls nearly floored me with their reply:

Why dont you just ask them? They will become your friends. It is that easy.

For a moment, I didn't know what to say. I didn't have the heart to tell her that once you're all grown up, it isn't as easy making friends.

Or is it?

Will people start wondering what exactly are your intentions? Do you have an ulterior motive for this sudden "request"?

Is "Life" really that complicated?

Mile sur mera tumhara

Quite some time back, somebody in our office happened to circulate a video compiled by the grads at MIT which was an acknowledgement to the really patriotic song/video compiled in 1988 on the occasion of the Indian Independence by Prasar Bharathi, the erstwhile Doordarshan.

I happened to be listening to some of the video songs that I have, and came across this once again. And then I stumbled upon this one.

Frankly speaking, I was feeling such a rush of patriotism coursing through my veins, when I realized that I didn't know about the origins of this wonderful song. Thanks to google and wiki, I was able to get this bit of info as well. Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

Sadly, the last few lines in the first para are so true today:

Even today, this video brings nostalgia to the young and middle aged Indian
public, who have grown up listening to it. With the advent of cable TV, and
numerous channels, Doordarshan channel gradually lost large part of its
viewership, and the video gradually faded into oblivion, no longer to be
broadcast.

Which is a pity because it is such a great video. In just about 5-6 minutes, it gave you a glimpse of India and the vast cultural diversity we have inherited. The video was one of the best ways of depicting the Unity in Diversity.

Another such video was where they showed the Asian Games torch being passed around a lot of people. P T Usha was running for a while. There was Sunil Gavaskar and Prakash Padukone too. And many other sportsmen. It was such a heartening video.

And its all gone now. Nobody shows it on Doordarshan anymore; for that matter nobody even sees that channel now. We are too busy making money out of mindless soaps and their even-more-mindless sponsors backing losers who think they are without equal.

Every Indian should hear this rendition, and should definitely not miss the last minute of the song, where the song smoothly transitions into a heart-rending rendition of the Indian National Anthem.

Only two other "songs" have ever evoked such patriotic feelings in me. One without doubt is our National Anthem, while the other is A.R.Rahman's fiery rendition of the Vande Mataram.

Damn, I'm having goosebumps that just won't go!

In case you'd like to have a look at the videos, here they are, from our friendly neighbourhood YouTube!
Mile Sur Mera Tumhara
A.R.Rahman's rendition of Vande Mataram

Its official - It hurts when you're rammed!

In case you've ever wondered what it feels like if you are riding your bike at 60kmph and you ram into the back side of a truck, I have the answer. Yep, I personally tested it.

Here are the results:
1) It hurts. Royally.
2) It feels like you've been slammed by a slab of granite. BAM!
3) You'd be lucky if you get away with a few - make that quite-a-few - skin abrasions. Oh, and these hurt like mad when they apply tincture iodine on that.
4) You'd be lucky if you get away with a hair-line fracture or two and not some of the other worse conditions.

That is, if you're just plain lucky. It may cost you upwards of 15000 rupees to fix your bike who helped you in this endeavor.

Oh, and lest I forget to say this: DON'T try this in or near your home.

Going Up!

Almost a ladder... very nice pattern.

Beauty and Boys

Since when did boys start wanting to look "Beautiful" ... Check it out!

Dilbert

Dilbert comic strips make for some really fascinating readings, esp how Scott Adams portrays that happens in the office in oh-my-god-where-did-he-get-this-brainwave ways.

Like these:

But sometimes, it is either too subtle, or too obtuse, that I am unable to relate to what's being said.

Like this one:

Anyhoo... it was while laughing my head off on some of these Dilbert strips that I noticed:

• That Dilbert - and Dogbert for that matter - doesn't have a mouth
• That Dilbert's tie is always pointing upwards.
• That there is no mention whatsoever of which company Dilbert works for.

Interesting eh?

Live life

Orkut's Fortune for today!

You and your wife will be happy in your life together.

I only wonder - When is that going to happen!?

Till then -