Are you getting Married ??

Welcome all the unmarried gang members. Before tying the knot, go over this. Was informed about this new development from trusted sources, and it is informative enough to share, specially for all my bachelor friends who are contemplating to go down the aisle soon.

After years of heated debate and proposals / counter proposals , Commission of Human Rights just approved the new International Symbol of Marriage in July ,2008 . Some of you might have seen it making rounds, bur for others, make sure you are ready!


PS: Only Visa or MasterCard accepted. Credit limit to be determined by your would be.

Truly Unforgettable !

What an experience. Exhilarating, amazing and exhausting. And really Unforgettable! My voice is still down with all the shouting and cheering.

True to Indian tradition, evening started an hour late, resulting in 15000-20000 capacity Oracle Arena being surrounded with long queues of admirers. What surprised me was the eclectic mix of audience, people from 8 till 80, and a healthy mix of nationalities from India, Pakistan, Gulf, host of other Asian countries, Mexicans, and yes Americans too.... Nevertheless we were inside , and seated.

Show started with Reteish Deshmukh. A much better personality off screen, he set the tone, followed by Preity, Aishwarya`s performance, and Abhishek`s surprise entry among the audience. By this time things have gathered real momentum. Almost everyone was on their feet. But we all were waiting for the big one...Big B himself.

And once clippings of Amitabh started on screen, showing his different tours across the world, the crazy hysteria he generates across continents,there was a silence...of that before the storm. And then Big B appeared. Claps, whistles, cheers, shouts, you name it. Imagine 20000 deafening your ears in unison.

For me, I was just stunned. It was that rare schoolboy moment where you see your hero, someone who has had such a strong impact on your psyche for all of your adolescent life. Wish I was nearer to stage !

Another hysteria was to follow once Madhuri came on stage , starting with ek, do teen, and almost making every single individual member in audience shake a leg or two.Other highlights of the evening were Being Amitabh section, where Abhishek peformed on Khaike paan, and Reteish on Jumma. Followed by 'Dola Re' on Aishwarya and Madhuri.

And the best was saved for last. Amitabh`s recital of his famous dialogues from Agneepath, Deewar,Kabhi Kabhie, Silsila etc. Even though we all have heard them 1000 times, there was a pin drop silence in the otherwise boisterous arena while he was enacting them, and it was a sheer joy to hear it all live....'Khush to bahut hoge tum'!

And you must have guessed, it ended with Kajrare, which provided such a fitting climax for an exciting show.

While I was driving back to my home at 1:30 in night, wishing that I could get one pic with him, I got a call from a friend, fellow IBMer.
'Come to Marriott. They are staying here and coming anytime'.

Drove faster, breaking all speed limits in sight ( yes, inspite of getting a speeding ticket recently :), and reached there. Throngs of people outside the gate,waiting for them to come back......Alas they made an entry through back gate! If only everything had a perfect ending.

Nevertheless , khush to bahut hoon main:)

Bachchan Bonanaza !

Finally going to see someone live I have grown up watching on screen, and subconsciously he has affected my behavior in subtle ways. My biggest hero since my childhood days. I remember bugging parents for his movies, collecting his pics, buying audio cassettes blindly if Big B featured in them...so many memories.

Though I dont remember this, my bua tells me when he met with an accident on the sets of Coolie, I would often say - 'bhagwan imtab bachan ko bach lo' -:)

We will be there....if anyone else is coming....letme know.
Oracle Arena this Sunday evening.

Kahani Kismat Ki !

Busy weekend. And an expensive one too. Ended up splurging on a pair of RayBan, guess to get over the disappointment of not getting hold of an iPhone still. And catching up both Dark Knight and Kismat Konnection.

Dark Knight is excellent. A classic tale of evil vs virtue, made philosophical by Joker`s (played brilliantly by Heath Ledger) musings to Batman which might go down in the annals of moviedom as one of the most discussed - 'You complete me'. In my opinion, best movie in the superhero genre.

Kismat Konnection is one time watchable fare, particularly for its foot-tapping music, and some subtle moments. Though it did goad me to come to this post.

Throughout my life, I guess I have taken my own decisions. And have endured beautifully the goods and bads that have come with them. In situations they might have been guided by some popular perceptions, but nevertheless they have been my own. And it has worked out beautifully for me so far.

Often a subconscious believer of 'karma', I always thought life was like a mathematical fuction, if there is a particular input, you will always get a predefined calculated output. In layman terms, you will get your dues fairly, depending on your efforts.

I have been a staunch believer of this philosophy, and still do so. Though certain happenings around me sometimes tend to shake this belief. People putting in the same amount of effort, same inputs, and still not getting the output which I thought the mathematical function should give? Or I myself applying the same effort in certain situations and getting results which differ significantly from my last effort...why is it?

Is there something else affecting all this...luck, kismet, timing, god ? What is luck ? Is it another name for timing? Or a combination of a lot of complicated factors not in your hands ?

Timing, I believe can affect....your time has to be right. But if you are deserving, can it consistently hamper the results you get over a longer period of time?

No the movie doesn't discuss these points :)

Few Responses

Priyamda the article
http://brainwave.wordpress.com/2008/03/19/return-to-india/
was great. It really makes for an insightful reading, without taking sides.

Also your observation that the faster speed of 3G network justifies the higher overall price for iPhone 3G definitely makes sense.

Shalu, Ankur might have told u a lot of other incidents, apart from the one mentioned in 'Media Monster', but don't believe all of them :)

Suchi, what I talked to my mom was very boring :)....but when are we getting the party for your August adventure ?

Chitra since you identified with 'such a desi', I guess we can now form a majority whenever voting is required for a Bollywood bonanza :)

And Dubeyji, regarding your responses, lets have a conference call to dwell over them...what say?

And lastly, Shveta`s response to 'It wasnt productive' which summarized that post so wonderfully.

"Beautifully said...I totally second the view. Being a woman I totally understand, how difficult managing children, in-laws, husband and your own aspirations can be.So what if our mothers did not become jetsetters, they surely ensured we did."

Mucho Travaho !

For those unfamiliar with Spanish, that means too much work ! I have been really occupied , and will be able to post something substantial once there is some free time.

And yes, I still havent been able to get hold of iPhone :) Queues, out of stock, work.... this weekend for sure.

Meanwhile enjoy this video, best Google ad which Google never created !

Here iCome.....Again !

Is it madness ? Same frenzy, and maybe even bigger, than the last time. I could only remember these kind of queues for Amitabh`s movies...anyways seeing the long lines, my plans to get hold of iPhone maybe defferred by a day or two. Apple CEO, Steve Jobs must be smiling, feeling like some demi-god!

It wasn't productive !

Office over, drove down to caltrain station to pick up one of my undergrad batchmates who was visiting Bay Area from Banagalore . With the mushrooming of IT industry, its a rarity if any Bangalorian doesnt have US visa on his passport.

Meeting old college mates has its own charm. We got some delicious Hyderabadi biryani and over a couple of beers, started conversing about college life. Professors, batch mates, hostel pranks, girlfriend(s), ragging...all got discussed. And then the topic veered towards todays women.

We both were discussing the progress today`s women have made, how they are handling professional as well as personal lives so well, and are making contributions no lesser than men. We both admired their feats, their achievements. Amidst all this , he mentioned something....

'Compared to today`s generation, I think our moms and aunts just wasted their lives. It wasnt productive at all. They weren't skilled enough.....' Phew...that acted as a spoiler. I didn't say anything, but was left with my thoughts once he was gone....

Admire present, but dont forget the contributions of past. And whats your definition of skills sir ? Since I cant give others` example, Ill tell you how my mom`s life wasn't productive! My dad has four sisters, and when my mom came into the family it was a big family with dadaji, daadiji also there. First few years of her life went in adjusting with the in-laws , seeing our buas married, rest was spent in taking care of her three kids, making sure that all the desires of the kids supersede hers. And once we grew up, health problems started with dadaji-dadiji and since then she is making sure they are taken care of. She has not been able to go out of station for more than a week or two in the least 4-5 years because of their health issues. Not to mention she has supported dad so well throughout.

Imagine holding such a big family together for more than 30 years, and yes I agree with you it doesn't require any skills. Living with so many egos, day in and day out, losing your identity, so as to make sure every one else around you is ok, doesn't require any skills. Sir, how many of your skilled women (and men) of today (and of yesteryears) will be willing and able to do this for even 3 months ?

And sir, that you are sitting today here in the States as an educated, balanced ,admired individual who didnt spend his childhood in day care, or a boarding school, who grew up in a full family with granddad, grand mom all around, thats her productivity.

Go measure it.

PS3 vs Wii

Funny advert, isnt it? Though with all her efforts, she still failed to convince me to get Wii :)

PS3 or Wii, I have been comparing both of them of late. Sony just won the high-definition video format war with their Blu-Ray technology, against Toshiba`s HD DVD format. So for HD lovers, Blue Ray should be the way.

Here is some statistical data from 2007 to ponder over:

'When it comes to consoles, 2007 rang in the year of the Wii, ending the reign of the Playstation gaming systems.

The Wii beat Playstation 3 (PS3) in the number of units sold in December, according to a report by the NPD Group. The Nintendo Wii sold 604,200 units while Sony's PS3 sold 490,700.'

I have a Panasonic 1080p resolution tv , and I am inclining towards PS3 for obvious reasons, although Wii is the number one in gaming market. Does anyone has Wii experience with HDTV ?

Jaye tu.....ya jaye na !

What a start for the long weekend -- 2nd speeding ticket at the same spot on the same time by the same officer. Coincidences...what are they ?

Watched Jane Tu over the weekend, and must say, a good attempt. Although expectations from Aamir productions are always more, nevertheless, given the genre of the movie, it scored in execution. Story isn't novel, but the power of the movie lies more in its characters, the punch lines, the words.

It takes you back to your college/school days, when friends and crushes and parties were the be-all and end-all of existence. College life over, the girl mentions 'Pata nahi paanch saal kaha nikal gaye'....'Phone pe beta, phone pe'-- pat comes the mom`s reply. This kind of tounge-n-cheek humor makes the film so endearing, so go and watch it.

What was it about those days, why do we miss them so much. Why we always almost have few friends from our earlier years who are privy to the each and every episode of our lives. Things which you can not discuss with anyone else , you can discuss with them......why is it?

Is it because we know we aren't being judged, or is it because in those days the relationships were not based on give/take, or 'fairness' so to say ? 'If you do this, I will do that' - that was not the mantra. There were no egos, no attempt to get the best deal for yourself out of every move. It was just innocence. We weren't grown ups, our brains were not 'mature' enough to decipher profit/loss formula. One of my best friends, Dubey aka rabbit, always gets chided from me -'Grow up'

Dubey.....dont grow up. Its not worth it.

Are you iReady ?

California passes the rule from today prohibiting mobile handset usage while driving. This means one mandatory accessory to get while getting your iPhone on July 11!

For all of you planning to get iPhone on July 11, here are few announcements from at&t

"Today , AT&T said the iPhone 3G's vaunted $199 price would only be available to three kinds of customers:

-- people who bought the iPhone before July 11

-- customers new to AT&T, or ones activating a totally new line

-- existing AT&T customers who are eligible for an upgrade discount

This means current AT&T customers with handsets other than the iPhone will have to pay $399 for an 8G-byte iPhone 3G or $499 for the 16G-byte model unless they are due for a phone upgrade discount.

AT&T Mobility put some asterisks on its iPhone 3G pricing Tuesday but also revealed an interesting option coming in the future: an iPhone without a contract.

In the news release disclosing terms and monthly rates for iPhone 3G service plans, the carrier hinted at the upcoming offer without saying anything about when it will become available. Freedom will come with a price -- US$599 for an 8G-byte device and $699 for a 16G -- but this will mark the first time consumers in the U.S. are able to buy an iPhone without being tied down to a two-year contract."

IPHONE PLANS

Media Monster - 2nd part

Another post on media exaggeration, and isnt it coincidental that Big B posted on the same issue hours after my last post :)

Media monster

I often wonder, why is media obsessed with Britney spears and Jeniffer aniston...How could they, or any sane person in the world for that matter, could handle so much exaggerated intrusion in their personal life?

I can tell you from personal experience how much exaggeration media can do. I was in
the 2nd-3rd year of my Engineering,in the picturesque hills of Kumaon near Nainital. Our Engineering college was surrounded by isolated green hills, with none of the modern amenities of life.

It was Dusshera, and we didnt have vacations to go home. We were sitting one evening getting bored in hostel, and decided to go to nearby village to watch Ramlila. So we formed a group of 8-9 students, and through the darkness of night and small hilly tracks, reached there.

Boys being boys, someone did something which irked the local villagers there, and they ended up beating one of our batch mates. Its a crime...you are not supposed to mess with college students....

We came back to hostel, mobilized the whole hostel gang, and went back to the village in the middle of night. We ended up destroying whole ramlila setup, including tents, swords, etc,.Since Diwali was near, we ended up burning some crackers and throwing them towards the huts of villagers....nobody was hurt, and it all ended there.

Amar Ujala local edition, next morning Headlines:

"Engineering college students attacked sleeping villagers in night, and even fired bullets from guns. They tried to disturb communal harmony destroying Ramlila pandal, therby desecrating the Gods and hurting the religious sentiments of local villagers. Few locals are hurt badly, and have taken treatment in nearby hospitals"...

Phew...can you believe this ? It was not until we got up next morning and went through all the DC meetings and finally suspensions for 6 of us, did we realize how much exaggeration occurs in print and electronic media...

That our suspension did end up giving us Dusshera holidays is another matter altogether :)

Tujhe sab kuch pata hai na.....

After months, if not years, I ended up talking so much with my mom. Ambani senior might have been happy as I spent close to three hours yesterday using Reliance India call -:). And boy, was it therapeutic!

We often talk to our conscience, we often turn to our friends for advice, take refuge in a lot of other things when faced with 'seemingly' daunting issues in our lives....

Believe me.....nobody in this world knows you better than her. You want to know yourself....want to know whats keeping you down....discuss with her . There are times when self-respect, ego, hurt might keep her a little distant....but when the subconscious core takes over, there is nothing but love for you.

So go and talk, and in turn make Anil Ambani richer by few dollars...or is it Mukesh ?