Being Me...

Lessons From 2011

2012-01-25T21:32:00.001+05:30

There's a bunch of things I learned during the past year. I believe it's important to ruminate over events and actions and evaluate the decisions made in those circumstances. Here's five:

1. The Value of 'systems'

More often than not we let the tide of circumstances sweep us away, affecting us on an emotional level and creating a barrier to dealing with the situation effectively. Probably the best way to approach a problem is to rely on a method of dealing with it.

A 'system' is learnt by reflecting on past experiences and understanding what could have been a better reaction to that situation. It's more a process of discovery than a textbook way of doing things.

Having said that, flexibility is essential within a system, to deal with events outside the realm of one's past experience.

2. The merit of taking small steps towards a goal

The problem with large goals is just that; they're large, vague and encompass many steps and hurdles to get to them. I won't be the first one saying this, but breaking down the process into small, actionable steps is easier to envision and execute.

For e.g. One of my goals is to gain ten kilos of muscle, to be fitter and, as a byproduct, look better in the clothes I wear. To break it down into smaller steps the first thing I start with is my high metabolic rate. Gaining weight has always been a problem for me and I need to figure an exercise routine keeping that in mind. So my routine involves gym only twice a week and no cardio. My focus is to increase strength so I can lift more, so I can gain more muscle. I've put on as much as 10 kilos in a month before but have never been able to sustain that weight once I stopped working out. This time I'm aiming at a much more modest increase of two kilos a month of sustainable muscle gain.

3. The importance of a vision

Again, visualizing your goals isn't something new or revolutionary. But it is the single most effective thing you can do to get closer to achieving those goals. I visualize daily, weekly and monthly goals and that keeps me on track and focused. No more 'monkey brain' syndrome.

Here's a useful article from www.instigatorblog.com - Achieve Your Goals With 3 Types of Visualization

4. A healthy mind and body

I fell violently sick last year, losing six kilos in a span of a few days, being hospitalized for ten and taking a month off from work. I knew then that my health had to be 'fixed'. It was alarming to find, after hitting the gym four months later, how much strength and stamina I had lost. Even worse, my mind took longer to recover, feeling dull and distracted during those months of incarceration. Never again.

The most effective way to achieve overall well-being is any amount of activity, physical and mental.

At the office, get out of your seat every hour and walk around, stretch, get out and get some fresh air. Take the stairs instead of the lift. You don't need a gym, fad diets or run miles to stay fit.

Read. The single most important thing you'll ever do to keep your brain at its peak.

I use https://challenge.meyouhealth.com/ to make well-being a social activity. It sends a daily health 'task' to your inbox, pushing you ever so slightly to be more aware of the little things you can do to vastly improve the quality of your life. Highly recommend it.

5. Budgeting Time

Your time is a finite resource. Know what needs to be done and allocate a fixed time of a particular day to deal with it. Get it out of your to-do list and allocate more time for the things you like doing. Treat time as your most important resource and be selfish with how you spend it.

Whatever you do, start small, set achievable targets and reward yourself constantly for meeting them.

That's all I can do for now. Let me know if any of this works as well for you as it does for me :)

2011 Summed Up In One Quote

2011-12-20T14:11:00.001+05:30

Eli with Obama.

“We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere. When human lives are endangered, when human dignity is in jeopardy, national borders and sensitivities become irrelevant. Wherever men and women are persecuted because of their race, religion, or political views, that place must - at that moment - become the center of the universe.”

― Elie Wiesel

One of the most pertinent quotes I've read, especially looking at the year 2011 in retrospect. Civil uprisings like the Egyptian revolution, the Libyan civil war and Occupy Wall Street resonated around the world, thanks to the power of social media. National borders have become meaningless and the term 'Global Village' has never made more sense than in this day and age.

"I Like It In The Car" & Other Assorted Nonsense

2011-12-16T15:49:00.001+05:30

I woke this morning to find a status update on Facebook by a friend that read, "I'm going to New York for 4 months! =D". Having seen this trend of updates for the last few days my immediate reaction was one of annoyance and then of anger towards the body of people propogating this. My issue isn't towards the individual here, but the form of 'Awareness' that this sort of activity is supposed to be for and how it only ends up undermining the seriousness of the issue in question.

Here is my Facebook update, right after looking at the aforementioned status, "Chicks are posting updates about going to this or that city for x number of months. Another stupid gimmick to raise awareness (how do you raise awareness for a 'secret' cause?) for god only know what, harking back to the times when silly girls posted their bra colors (breast cancer awareness FAIL) or stuff like "I like it in the car" (Really?! Raising awareness for what here?). It is no secret that I've lost my Mother and an Uncle to Cancer and feel this sort of thing is in very poor taste. There really are better ways to raise awareness and make a real change, girls."

Maybe I was a little harsh here but 28 people so far and counting have 'Liked' the status. This in no way makes what I said right but I had strong views on the subject and voiced my opinion on it.

In the comments I mentioned this, " I just had a girl tell me she had no idea what the Bra color thing was for and believed it was all in good fun. My beef is that the message of awareness gets lost, even among the one's spreading the awareness by these means in the first place." and this, "Here's what I mean: "We need something new to mess around with the boys

since they figuered out yet everything,
we need something new!
So, lets start it:
Your current status
Single = England
In Love = Germany
unhappy in love = France
in a relationship = Spain
married = Switzerland
engaged = Austria
Send this to every Girl!! of your friend list
And watch out, dont tell any boys!!!
lets see, how long they will need for this one ;;)""

My scathing criticism here isn't directed at the individuals indulging in this silliness, but rather at the silliness itself. There's a right way and a wrong way of using Social Media for the greater good, and this way just does not seem right to me.

Book Review: The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow

2011-11-20T14:32:00.001+05:30

One of the fundamental questions mankind has asked since forever is: Who are we and why are we here? Stephen Hawking's book 'The Grand Design' makes the ambitious attempt to answer that question. Does it succeed though?

The book builds up by taking the reader through past attempts at answering the question and the trials with finding the Holy Grail of Science: A 'Theory of Everything'. Hawking tries to make the case for 'M Theory' as being that answer. The one theory that is closest to our understanding of the universe today.

The book ends abruptly though, leaving me to ask myself where's the meat of the argument put forth. He makes no mention of Dark Energy and Dark Matter, now known to account for nearly 98% of the known universe. It's embarrassing to science because it sheds light on how little we know of the universe we live in. And yet, Hawking never brings it up, while making his case for M Theory being the Theory of Everything. Is that 'everything' he talks about only the 2% science pretends to understand?

I loved 'A Brief History of Time' by Hawking and admired him in my teens, to the extent of wanting to be a theoretical physicist like him. 'The Grand Design' then, is a disappointment to me on many levels. I hope his next work will be as inspiring as his first bestseller was.

P.S. I'm aa layman and don't profess to understand the intricacies of Physics and Mathematics in their current avatar. I've been an enthusiast ever since I remember, absorbing Einstein's Theory of Relativity at age 9 and being introduced to the joy of Quantum Mechanics and Particle Physics when I was 14. That sums up my exposure to these topics, and I've kept abreast of the latest developments in Physics ever since.

The Point Is...

2011-05-08T03:28:00.002+05:30

Internet cables have been cut in my area because the Metro is coming up right outside my place. For the last week I've been without internet access at home. I didn't mind it much since I work about 12 hours at the office and I'm constantly connected to the net from my phone -- 2G for now until my operator introduces 3G in Mumbai -- Which may be a while off considering the paperwork and money involved for all parties. There’s nothing like rampant corruption to put a dent in progress.
This brings to mind the issue of Anna Hazare’s fast against corruption. I will not go into details here because I don't believe any of you reading this have been living under a rock and need me to elaborate. My personal opinion on him and what he has done for this nation is one of awe and nostalgia (?), remembering the lessons I learnt in school of Gandhi and his very powerful movement of peaceful retaliation, known to us all as "Satyagraha". Martin Luther King Jr. would have approved mightily.
Having turned 25 yesterday I feel like I've hit a milestone. Reflecting back on the years past, I think I'm at my most stable right now (I don't care to define "stable" because it may mean different things to different people). This may or may not be a good thing, because stability brings with it an ample amount of stagnancy in my personal growth, which is death for my delicate soul.
Finding something to do with one's life is so very important. A cause, a direction that is in tune with one's core values, ethics and beliefs. I knew I'd find it, just never thought it would be something I could do for a living, seeing as how anti-establishment I am. Doing Social Media has given me that opportunity and I thank my uncle for pushing me into this field.
Brings to mind a quote by Gandhi, "Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it".
My uncle's loss has been a great blow to my family and I. I admit I have been a difficult person to live with during my teenage years, but over the last few I've been a more sober, calm person with an understanding of my eventual responsibilities. This statement in no way absolves me of my waywardness, but I bear my cross with his strength.
I think he left me with a lot of real life lessons, and I truly wish right now that I'd gotten to know him much better than I did. I regret not having taken that effort. Appreciate the people in your life daily, just for them being there.
An important lesson I've learnt over the last year is the value of hard work. There really is no substitute, and yes, that sounds clichéd. Regardless, I believe that working hard AND working smart gets you ahead. It's ALL about the hustle in the end; whether you hustle or get others to hustle for you (I'd prefer the latter state of affairs, thank you very much).
There is something in setting goals. Daily goals, weekly goals, monthly goals, half yearly goals, yearly goals, 2 year goals, 5 year goals, 10 year goals, 15 year goals, 25 year goals. Yes. I have goals for ALL those time periods. Do you? Why not?
Make a list, even if it exists only in your head. You will have direction. Never a day will pass when you question the purpose of your existence, because you will be living with a purpose. I read "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari" many years back and the one quote I remember to this day from it is "The purpose of life is a life of purpose". I now know the truism of that statement. Read the book in its entirety to understand the profoundness of this message.
The greatest life lessons we learn are from the mistakes we make and survive. Don't be afraid to fail, be afraid of giving up.
That's all the randomness I have for you today, folks. Stay tuned for more of it. Or not.

Resolutions For 2011

2011-01-04T12:04:00.000+05:30

Generally, I don't make New Year resolutions as a thumb rule, but this time around I said what the heck, and succumbed to the temptation. The reason I don't make New Year resolutions is because it's statistically proven that the majority of people who keep them fail in their endeavors, and I've seen a lot of them fail. After exploring the primary reason for that happening, which I'll talk about, I decided to put this ambitious (seems to be) list together.

Now the reason people fail at resolutions, especially New Year resolutions, is because they lack a plan of action on how to go about achieving their goals. "I want to lose weight" or "I will give more time to my hobbies" are vague, uninspiring and consequently, doesn't do much in jolting one to action and changing one's life. "I will exercise 3 times a week with the goal of losing a kilo a month" is actionable and a real target. Not that I personally wish to lose any weight, this being just an example since at least one overweight person may read this. Anyhoo, the point is, break down all your resolutions into actionable steps and you will significantly increase your chances of success.

Now that that is out of the way, here are some (I will probably keep adding to this list) of my resolutions for this year 2011:

1) I will read a book a week. I got this idea from a blog post on how to do go about doing this and thought it interesting enough to take up. Also, I'm nearing the end of my 2nd book for the year so I have a slight head start.

2) I want to put together a list of all the books I've read. Ever. It's difficult, but not impossible.

3) I want to gain 15 kilos, spread over the whole year. Achievable, if I put on 1.3 kilos a month, considering I've done 6 kilos in the first month and 7 in the consecutive month, once. Check out Tim Ferris' article on the routine I used to achieve such gains.

4) I want to finally get to 100 posts on my blog, and although I wanted to get to that milestone by the end of 2010, it was not to be. In the next 2 months I will put out about 2 posts per week, making a total of 16, and getting me to that mark.

5) I will not visit Goa until I've made a trip to a different part of the country. There's a lot to be seen and I've fallen into the habit of picking Goa as a vacation spot.

6) I will work diligently and take advantages of the opportunities that present themselves. I put this in here because I'm slow with decision-making,tending to weigh the pros and cons for way too long.

7) I will make myself more available to friends, make new ones and network for work and pleasure.

I think this does it for now.

Reflections

2010-11-30T14:47:00.001+05:30

Counting this post I will be 16 posts shy of the 100 mark. Some time in the last few months I had thought of getting to 100 before the year end. Not certain whether I can achieve that goal, seeing as I have very little time for self or reflection. I have started work of late, having completed a course in Digital Media and will be busy with internship for the next 5 months. Hopefully after that I'm recruited in a good ad agency so that I make a lot of money before 40 so I retire to a shack on a beach in Goa and spend my days combing the beach in just pants.

This year has been good to me so far. Now that it's almost over I realize that in the quest for achieving something I've lost a part of me. I've neglected certain aspects of my life and what was very important to me, in another time it almost seems.

I think of myself as old, but on recent reflection know, I have a long way to go before I tag myself as such. Maybe I never see myself grow old or have kids or see my friends get old. Either way it doesn't matter, for such thoughts are best left 'unthought' (I just made that word up).

I'll be honest with telling you that the reason I haven't been writing often (or well) is because there isn't much darkness in my soul anymore. Not that there's much light, but i feel like I'm in the middle of something; like a neutral point between two...non-neutral points, for want of a better analogy.

As this year draws to a close I can say I have more answers than questions. That state of affairs not necessarily being a good thing. Or bad. It just is. Life has taken a sudden turn for me this year. Going from sitting home to being productive has been a welcome change. I feel like I'm heading somewhere, a feeling I've not known since a long long time. It is a nice feeling and one that I feel the need to explore further.

Harley Ad - Rough Draft

2010-10-17T04:38:00.000+05:30

You are who you are, and not what others tell you to be.
You make your rules, and the world agrees,
Your thought becomes action because you have the grit to make it so,
The world falls into step with you, because you won't have it any other way,
The battles have been fought, the war has been won and all that remains is you.
At the peak. The pinnacle of who you are. And this is all that remains.
You. and. Harley.

Here's the final ad, check it out.

Twitter accounts of the top 50 stocks (people and share price) on Empire Avenue

2010-09-22T21:22:00.000+05:30

Here’s a list of the top 50 Influencers (by share price) on Empire Avenue (as of 22^nd September 2010) and their twitter accounts [This is a list of the top people stocks only]:

1. Chris Latko (CLATKO) - http://twitter.com/clatko

2. @adrielhampton #gov20 (ADRIEL) - http://twitter.com/adrielhampton

3. @dragon_flaming :}~~~ (SLEEP) - http://twitter.com/dragon_flaming

4. William Pitcher (RZR) - http://twitter.com/empirebuilding

5. Allie Wojtaszek (ALLIE) - http://twitter.com/AllieW

6. Lance Taylor (RANGER) - http://twitter.com/lancetay

7. Gina Montana (21GUNS) - http://twitter.com/Gina21Guns

8. Fray Close (POOKA) - http://twitter.com/fraygulrock

9. Carolina Millan (MILLAN) - http://twitter.com/CarolinaMillan

10. Reign Smith (REIGN) - http://twitter.com/reigny

11. Cris Sand (CRISAN) - http://twitter.com/CrisSando

12. rafael allende (HALUNK) - http://twitter.com/HalunkeValnor

13. Christine Douglas (XINE) - http://twitter.com/xine23

14. Claire McGonigal (CMCG) - http://twitter.com/clairemcgonigal

15. Ron Heigh (PWND) - http://twitter.com/ronrss

16. Chace Kostelny (DJPHNX) - http://twitter.com/DJPh03NiX

17. JOSH (JOSH) - http://twitter.com/helpimahostage

18. Colin Eagles (COLEAG) - http://twitter.com/colineagles

19. Eleanor Thibeau (LDYHXC) - http://twitter.com/LadyHardcore

20. Janine White (JIW) - http://twitter.com/jiwhite

21. Lyne Robichaud (PAPIER) - http://twitter.com/Lyne_Robichaud

22. Tara Hunt (ROGUE) - http://twitter.com/missrogue

23. Brittney Le Blanc (BRITL) - http://twitter.com/britl

24. Craig Miller (MILLER) - http://twitter.com/craigwmiller

25. @yashvir dalaya (YASH) - http://twitter.com/Yashvir

26. Robert Wright (DREVIL) - http://twitter.com/the_dr_evil

27. Paul Pichugin (PAULMP) - http://twitter.com/paulmp

28. Fred Fortin (FORTIN) - http://twitter.com/FredFortin

29. ucana 422 (UCANA) - http://twitter.com/ucana422

30. John Moore (JMOORE) - http://twitter.com/JohnFMoore

31. Rodrigo Vega (ROVEGA) - http://twitter.com/rodrigovega

32. Miss Destructo (MSDSTO) - http://twitter.com/missdestructo

33. Juan Ignacio Rela (JIR) - http://twitter.com/Johannrela

34. Jerry Aulenbach (BACON) - http://twitter.com/ZoomJer

35. Marc Rogers (CJUNKY) - http://twitter.com/marcwrogers

36. Darren "Pacres el Toro" MacEachern (ANGLER) - http://twitter.com/humantrader

37. David Hawkins (ATHEOS) - http://twitter.com/AtheistDave

38. RENE BUSTAMANTE (CHOOSE) - http://twitter.com/Rene_Bustamante

39. Katie Vallem (KT1018) - http://twitter.com/KT1018

40. Mario Hipol (LAUGH) - http://twitter.com/mariohipol

41. Marian Kelly (MKPUMA) - http://twitter.com/MK_Puma

42. Bruno Guglielminetti (BGUG) - http://twitter.com/Guglielminetti

43. Frédéric Dénommé (ZEN) - http://twitter.com/zenzizi

44. Nicolás Copano Vera (COPANO) - http://twitter.com/copano

45. Jordan Hodges @jordanshodges (JORDNH) - http://twitter.com/jordanshodges

46. Laurent LaSalle (LAURNT) - http://twitter.com/LaurentLaSalle

47. Nicoel Mitchell-Duff (NICO) - http://twitter.com/alohanico

48. Corey Tyhurst (COREYT) - http://twitter.com/CoreyTyhurst

49. Marina Dim (MIMI) - http://twitter.com/xmoraix

50. Chris LaBossiere (BOSS) - http://twitter.com/ChrisLaBossiere

Women to Avoid!

2010-09-18T11:27:00.001+05:30

Every single one of us has made mistakes with women. We've been conned, duped and dazed by physical attraction. We've made fools of ourselves by kissing the feet of females who treated us like dirt. We've wasted countless hours and spent small fortunes chasing after women who lied to us and used us, and turned out to be rotten.

But do we learn from our experiences? No. Every time we think it's going to be different. We think if we just try harder, or do one little thing differently, the result will change.

Well, it's not going to change. If you keep pursuing the same kind of woman, you'll just get your heart broken over and over again.

Keep a watchful eye out for the following list of women, and you'll be one step closer to curing yourself of habitual bitch-dating:

1- Miss Feminist

This woman postulates that all the ills of society are orchestrated by men and the best thing a man can do to improve himself is cut off his testicles and grow a pair of ovaries. She believes that women are angelic creatures who would make the world a utopia if only the male "patriarchy" would allow them to. Any woman who promotes these absurdities lives in a fantasy world and will have no problem at all treating a man in a way that she would never herself abide by. You can easily identify her by her incessant mantra, "All men think with their penises." Avoid her at all costs.

2- Miss Take

She's out for your money -- pure and simple. Miss Take is the ultimate in high maintenance. She expects a man to finance her entire life just because she is biologically female. To her, a man should pay for drinks, dinners, trips, flowers, and jewelry, while she feels absolutely no guilt or compulsion to reciprocate. Sheis nothing but a whitewashed prostitute. Miss Take thinks her vagina is platedwith gold and is worth a million dollars. She is greed personified. Since she has no concept of someone else's feelings, her only interest is in getting what she wants. And don't be fooled -- some apparently very "nice" girlsare the greediest of them all.

3- Miss Romance

This type of woman lives in a fantasy world of Lifetime Channel movies and romance novels. Everynight she goes home alone to spend hours flipping through her bride magazines,imagining that, at any moment, Prince Charming will ride up on his white horse,sweep her off her feet, and offer her a problem-free existence for the rest ofher life. The Miss Romances of the world have been coddled by parents and family, told they are "princesses," and have absolutely no idea that real life consists of paying bills and cleaning toilets. Miss Romance will expect to be taken care of, will be a dud in bed, and will, almost overnight, turn into a shrieking nag. Run.

4- Miss Elusive

This woman is closely allied to Miss Romance, but with a dark side. She is usually one of the"walking wounded" -- someone who has been hurt in past relationships and so subconsciously avoids or sabotages new relationships in the present.Your association with her will be one of utter frustration, as first she shows great interest in you, but very quickly runs away -- then repeats this cycleover and over again. Miss Elusive is the queen of mixed messages. She will flirt with you and date you, but you'll never get past "friend"status. What you will get is a million excuses for her unavailability, all calculated to deceive herself that she just doesn't have time for a relationship. Save yourself some heartache -- don't get involved with her.

5- Miss Angry

Like Miss Feminists,Miss Angrys really don't like men. They scorn the male gender and can rattle off all the wrongs and misdeeds of every man they've ever encountered. To Miss Angry, there's no such thing as a nice guy -- they're all "jerks,""creeps" and "pigs." Many of them have lots of simmering anger at men, which can explode at any moment like an erupting volcano. Unless you're into lots of drama and screaming, stay away.

6- Miss Insecure

This woman seems great at the start because she's very nice, accommodating and treats men well. But her inner insecurities don't take long to surface. Pretty soon she's calling you 10 times a day, asking to see "where the relationship isgoing," or because she "just wants to hear your voice." She needs constant reassurance that she's attractive, and worries incessantly abouther makeup, hair and the alignment of her clothes. She's clingy, needy and compulsively agonizes that you're going to leave her at any moment for"someone better." This kind of thing can get really creepy reallyfast.

7- Miss Bitch

Miss Bitches are the sulkers, pouters and ball-busters of the female world. They are very unpleasant people who treat their fellow humans poorly, care only about themselves, andaren't concerned at all if they hurt you or anybody else. Most Miss Bitches qualify as Miss Takes, too. Miss Bitches are usually good-looking and well dressed, and you can easily identify them by the scowls on their faces as they imperiously strut through the world.

8- Miss Me

A close relative of Miss Bitch, Miss Me is entirely focused on herself. Miss Me needs to be the constant center of attention no matter what she does or where she goes. She is a selfish, self-indulgent, self-serving narcissist who was raised as "daddy'slittle girl," and expects the same from you. Unless you enjoy the company of spoiled brats, stay far, far away.

9- Miss Desperate

Whether it's her babyclock ticking or she's the last of her girlfriends to trap a man, Miss Desperate wants to get married -- now. She doesn't care who the guy is or whathe does -- as long as he's got a penis she can drag him to the altar. Watch out for this one!

10- Miss Turncoat

She's a conniving little piece of work who's an expert at conning men. Miss Turncoat will tellyou exactly what you want to hear until you're hooked deep into the relationship (or married) and then the truth comes out. Overnight, your sweet little girl turns into a demanding, greedy, mercenary harpy who will browbeat you into submission if she doesn't get her way.

11- Miss Tease

Usually, you can spot Miss Teases a mile away because she flirts with anything in pants and flaunt her sexuality at every opportunity. Sometimes she sponges off older men; sometimes she's a ball-buster who enjoys getting men sexually excited and then walking away; and sometimes she just basks in her sexual power by attracting men like bees to honey. No matter how she operates, you can't trust her because she craves male attention and if somebody better comes along, she'll dump you in a heartbeat.

12-Miss Controlling

She is a subtly nasty one who will wind up directing every phase of your life. She will tell you what to wear, where to go, who to talk to, what friends you can have, what you caneat -- everything. And if you try to stand up for yourself, she will cut offsex, cry, scream, pout, or use any other deceptive female tactic until you givein and succumb to her demands.

YOU'VE BEEN WARNED!

These are some of theworst of them. Obviously, there are some good women out there who share onlyportions of these negative qualities. But it's always best to be on the lookoutfor the Misses listed above.

They ain't all bad.

Of course, it's not all black and white. Keep in mind that many women may show some traits from more than one category listed above and still be great girlfriend material.

If your girlfriend gets a little teary-eyed over Hallmark commercials but is strong in many other ways, don't convince yourself that she's a Weeper. After all, it's not exactly news that women tend to be more emotional than men.

You should simply watch out for the types of women that take things to the extreme and make you miserable. It all comes down to this: If you're unhappy more often than satisfied in your relationship, it's time to hit the road, Jack.

4 MORE Things to Consider Before Getting a Tattoo Done

2010-08-16T13:26:00.010+05:30

When I posted 'Things to Consider BEFORE Getting a Tattoo Done' the response was overwhelming. The clamor for 'more' was nearly deafening.

Thanks you two.

For all the love.

So without further ado, here it is..

1) Get the spelling right. Especially if it's in a language you don't know. Read: tattoos in mandarin.

Yes, I said Mandarin, you ignoramus.

That's what YOU call 'Chinese'. Mandarin, not ignoramus.

You're stupid.

Don't get Chinese tattoos if you're not Chinese. Period.

2) Communicate with the artist as to what you want. Remember, a tattoo is pretty permanent.

Just in case you forgot.

3) Understand and accept that it's going to hurt. A lot. You didn't think that 'looking cool' came without a price did you?

Shithead.

4) Have sex. Lots of it.

'But how does sex help?' you ask.

It's no wonder your parents birthed a monkey like you.

And there you have it folks. 4 MORE things to consider.

Why not 5 is what you're wondering.

Coz this is all I got Mr. Niggles.

Read the original article here.

Follow me on twitter here for more bad humor.

Things to Consider BEFORE Getting a Tattoo Done.

2010-07-26T20:58:00.003+05:30

I’ve got two tattoos and helped half a dozen friends pick their designs so I speak from some sort of experience on this matter. If you’re thinking of getting one done, you may want to keep in mind these points -

1] WHY are you getting it done? What prompted the thought of scarring yourself for life? Coz it’s cool?

Bandanas were cool once.

You see where this is heading?

2] Don't make it so mysterious that people scratch their head trying to make sense of it. Sure, a tattoo is supposed to be a personal thing, in which case if you do want to be mysterious, may I suggest getting it in a place where people will be spared the sight of it?

Thank you.

Nobody likes inside jokes, especially if they’re not in on the inside joke. Ditto with mystery tattoos.

Oh, and getting your name tattooed in bar-code is asinine. Don't go there.

Really.

3] Try and have the tattoo pertain to who you and your belief systems. Remember a tattoo is an extension of who you are. It will define how people perceive you. So if you're a guy and get a kitty tattooed on yourself don't blame others for jumping to the wrong conclusions about your sexual preferences.

Or other conclusions.

4] Have a good story to accompany the tattoo. Because people will ask you what it’s supposed to mean. You don’t want to stumble through that explanation with shifty eyes and beads of sweat on your forehead.

Also someday your kids and grand-kids will ask you why you have a sagging tattoo of a bowling ball on your arm.

Try explaining THAT to a 5 year old.

5] A tattoo is going to stay with you for the rest of your life so decide how much exposure you want it to have. By that I mean if you tattoo your forearm and get out of your house without a full sleeve shirt on, deal with the stares. You're going to get attention, like it or not.

But if you’re a wannabe, that’s why you got the tattoo in the first place. For the attention dumbshit.

And that concludes that.

Follow me on twitter here.

12 Douchey Questions

2010-06-29T19:13:00.001+05:30

Been more than a week since I last posted something here and since the World Cup is on I don't get the time to compose my thoughts and write anything worth putting up. So I thought let's just do a meme for now since I haven't done one in ages. Here's 12 random and useless questions I answer and I'll try to not run out of patience before I get to the end. Picked this off someone's blog so I haven't read the questions and they're as much a surprise to me as they will be to you. Enjoy.

1. How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?
Ok, looks like this is going to test my patience. Who the f*** keeps shoes in a closet!?! Probably about 8 years old.

2. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year? If so, what variety?
This question is culturally irrelevant.

3. Do you know how to ballroom dance?
Believe me, I tried learning. I didn't try very hard. But hey, on the positive side I got 2 girlfriends out of it! Long story. Go me.

4. Were you a responsible child/teenager?
Totally. Right up until I was 20 I was the designated guy who bought condoms for everyone.

5. How many of this year's Oscar-nominated movies did you see?
I'm not sure of what's on the list, but I've wanted to watch 'Shutter Island' for a while. I'll try and catch it soon.

6. If you're going to have a medical procedure done, such as having blood drawn, is it easier for you to watch someone else having the procedure done or have it done yourself?

I read this question thrice and I can honestly say it's not making much sense to me. I don't care about medical procedures. Not squeamish in the least. I had the chance to watch doctors cut open my thigh and shove a rod in and hammer it but the damn local anesthetic didn't numb my leg enough. So they put me out. Bummer.

7. What is your favorite day of the week and why?
I don't know what day today is. What day is today? It's all the same, shades of gray.

8. Do you miss anyone right now?
Hmm. My grandfather. A mountain of a man and I am not alluding to his physical stature.

9. Do hospitals make you queasy?
I don't mind being operated upon or injected (I've had a needle shoved in my spine to inject anesthesia - problem is, it hurts BEFORE the anesthesia has effect) or whatever but hospitals, with their smell and the general aura of dying/people in pain does make me uneasy.

10. At which store would you like to max-out your credit card?
A mobile store. I've done that twice in 4 years now. Still paying the bills. Lesson learnt.

11. Are you true to the brand names of products/items?
Couldn't care less about who's name I have on my underwear.

12. Which is more difficult: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when he/she is telling you how he/she feels?
Both situations involve feelings. No effing way would I be comfortable.

And that concludes that guys. That was the douchiest piece of tripe I have written since... the last douchey piece I wrote.

A New Look!

2010-06-16T13:35:00.001+05:30

Randomly surfing the other day I stumbled upon this website http://www.allblogtools.com/ which makes it really easy to add sharing widgets to ones blog. It was about time I changed the look of my blog, having kept it much the same for the last two years. The final look is up for all to see. I've always liked the color 'sky blue' and consciously or unconsciously it manifests itself in parts of my life, and now my blog. I hope the new look is more pleasing to ones eyes.

Why Self-Improvement May Not Be What The Doctor Ordered

2010-06-13T06:54:00.002+05:30

Self improvement is a billion dollar industry. The industry thrives on you believing that there's something wrong with you. That you're incomplete the way you are. That you're worthless.

I am the by-product of billions of years of evolution. A biological machine that is perfect in every regard. I'm primed to do the job I was created for. And that job is to survive long enough to procreate, to pass on my genes and continue the race.

The very basic assumption of our society is that we are inadequate in some way or other. In this manner we are peddled penis enhancements in the same breadth as a certain author peddles a ‘secret’ for better living. Stuff like that makes me nauseous these days. I won’t for a moment pretend I was above such puerile bull, hitching on to the self-improvement bandwagon with ardor. If the whole world tells me that I'm inadequate in some way or another, then I must be! is how my thought process works in this regard, and so does yours I bet.

There’s a noise around us. The noise of people telling us what to do and how to be and what is right or not and what is good and bad. The noise isn’t easy to ignore precisely because it’s all pervading.

It only takes a moment to be aware of the noise that's around you; the noise of newspapers and magazines telling you that you’re unattractive, of TV ads promoting machines that will give you 6 pack abs with almost no effort; of a million books telling you how to make that first million dollars or the one telling you how you should keep smiling and ‘think positive’, even though you may have lost your job, your home and maybe even family.

The noise tells you that you are only a few steps away from achieving perfection, and yes, you can buy it, and it's at half rate for a limited period only!

Even if you're a skeptic at first, somewhere down the line with years of being exposed to that noise, you begin to believe it. You are mired into the ugly web and society conditions you to go to the gym and take your vitamins and put on your sunscreen so that you can look and feel perfect.

What's happening here in the background you ask? What’s happening is that you are programmed to believe you are imperfect and then given a solution to your imperfections! Hence the popularity of fairness cream (why is being 'dark' a bad thing again?) or any of the assorted 'brand' images we are bombarded with in every waking moment.

I’m not saying don’t buy into it. That it’s ALL a scam. That it’s only feeding the $500 Billion industry that is Self-improvement. There may be some good people out there who do this so that you can be a better person. But ultimately know this – ALL these people speak through personal experience; and that’s something you can’t buy. Eventually you need to stop reading and get out there and put things into action. Lying back with your head on the pillow and muttering positive statements over and over like some book suggests would probably get you nowhere. But don’t take my word for it. Read all you want and try and put those ‘principles’ into practice. And come back to rub it in my face and tell me how you made your million following those principles. Maybe I’ll renege on my words in this post and dedicate a post on your magnanimousness. Till then, peace, it’s 7 am and I really need to sleep.

Only 2 Days More For The FIFA World Cup!

2010-06-09T14:31:00.001+05:30

It's that time again, after four whole years we see the world come together again for the commonly loved sport - Football. I will be supporting Portugal, to a great extent because of the presence of it's captain, Cristiano Ronaldo. That man is undoubtedly one of the finest players in the world, so you haters can take a piss. Here's the fixtures for all the matches. Enjoy!

A Social Animal

2010-06-03T16:41:00.003+05:30

It's been an ordeal. Yes, that is how I'd like to describe this 'no social networks' self-imposed abstinence. This 'ordeal' was compounded by the fact that on day 2 (Monday) I formatted my phone and lost my phone contacts. The online backup I managed to bungle and ended up with nothing. 0 frickin' phone contacts. Upsetting? Yes. Pissing off? VERY.

I had made a note of what I did all through out the first 24 hours and lost that as well. Coupled with a about 2 dozen other notes, some very important. I've managed to survive that alongside.

I'm not saying there haven't been positive developments which have come as a direct result of my fast. It's got me going out a lot more, making more calls, just wanting the company of people. I think that social networks take care of that to a large extent for a lot of people.

Man is a social animal. That is all I remember from my civics textbook back in school. And it's something that has been reinforced in me over the years. This need for being a part of a group or society has its roots in our ancestry and is, to a great extent, why humans today are the superior race on this planet. Being social enabled us to fight off stronger foes in the jungle, raise our offspring in a secure and loving environment and work towards the general survival of the societies we were a part of. This is still, largely, how our brains are wired. Our brain rewards us every time we partake in any activity that is deemed as a group or social activity, because it directly influences our survival in a positive manner. On the other hand, if we stay away from interacting with others too long, our brain releases stress hormones that adversely affect our well being. It definitely is a physical response that you feel when you can't log in to facebook or twitter. Ever heard of solitary confinement and wondered why prisoners dread it? People have gone insane and have been severely psychologically destabilized as a result of being incarcerated in solitary. THAT is how much being alone or without company affects us.

Logically speaking, social networks are a great way to stay in touch with people you can't reasonably connect with on a regular basis. But take that too far and you end up disconnecting yourself from the real world, preferring to stay connected to people from the comfort of your armchair or through a phone. Ask me if you have any doubts about whether that really happens to people. The thing is, although social networks may give the illusion of being connected, what it really does is allows you to connect and disconnect as you please, switching on or off as your mood fancies. This may seem great at first, having the choice to be with people or being alone, instantaneously, at the push of a button. But ask yourself, is this a really healthy way to maintain or build relationships? Is the time when you switch off spent in fruitful contemplation and productive activity or is it just the interim period between 'log ins'?

I've completed 100 hours of staying logged out of my social networks. I will be the first to admit it has been hard. It definitely wasn't a walk in the park for someone who's connected 16 hours a day. I sleep the other 8 hours, just in case you wondered. I'm going to quit with this experiment now, for what I had to learn, I've learnt while also having a deeper understanding of how things work and my personal duty of going out and meeting people more, as opposed to being virtually connected.

Over the past 100 hours I've heard people call me crazy, asking me how I've managed to stay away and basically shaking their heads in disbelief. The most important thing I learnt about quitting something is that you don't try to 'wean' yourself off your addiction. That's never worked for me when I tried to 'cut down' cigarettes. What was finally successful was going 'cold turkey' and not giving in to the temptation of puffing on a cigarette. Resist long enough and you'll get used to it. It's the same with quitting any other bad or unproductive habits I guess. You give it up cold turkey and not think about what happens or how much you need it. Pretty much ignoring every plea your body and mind cry out. Stretches the will power, it does, but you'll be the better for it eventually. Peace.

Project: Log Off

2010-05-30T12:53:00.001+05:30

Since my last post I've come to the conclusion that drastic measures need to be taken to curtail and maybe desist my addiction to social networks. So I've decided to go on a self-imposed detox program that would last 7 days/168 hours.. *gulp*. The purpose of this exercise would be two-fold. To de-addict myself from my rabid dependance on social networks and to increase my productivity during this week. It would be interesting to see how I fill my time without the distraction of perpetually being online and connected. I will entitle myself with the use of emails ( which I require for responsing to correspondence from certain mailing lists etc) and the use of the general internet for research into work and business related topics. Also, I will have the use of my blog, mainly to document what I indulge in during the next 7 days. I will of course have my phone handy, just in case anyone needs to get in touch with me and can't do so online. Time to wrap up and log off everything now. In a few minutes I will be offline. See you guys in a weeks time!

Log Off

2010-05-24T20:59:00.000+05:30

I realize how incredibly dependent I've become on being 'connected'. Social networking and social media is a perpetual staple that I feed on throughout the day, consuming voraciously as if preparing for a famine. If I'm not online on the computer then it's the phone I use to connect to Twitter, Facebook and other news feeds. Calling me an 'Information Junkie' would be an understatement. By and large I've noticed that it's not just me but a lot of people who feel anxious and disconnected the moment they cannot get on to the internet, be it from a computer or a phone or any other device. And it's a worrying trend. A question that has become increasingly common nowadays is 'What did we do before there was Facebook?'. There are no really good answers to that one.

On the other hand the usefulness of a micro-blogging platform like Twitter makes it possible to consume information faster than ever imagined. It connects one to the pulse of human consciousness, what people around the world are thinking and talking about in real time. The benefits of useful information cannot be overstated. At the same time a dependence on being perpetually connected and consuming information is damaging in itself. As humans we need to switch off our fleeting monkey brains from time to time and be with ourselves more, to have internal conversations with the self and discover who we are in a quiet, peaceful environment. Being too externally connected acts like an excuse for people to not get to know themselves better. Social networking online is like masturbation and getting out there in the real world and getting to know real people is akin to sex. Fucked up analogy, I know.

I feel guilty when I'm with friends and we're all doing something and I suddenly feel the urgent need to 'tweet' what I'm doing. It annoys my friends but more importantly it distances me from the reality of the moment, wanting to connect to a virtual world and share my thoughts with a virtual base of 'followers' to see what they have to say about it. I feel that some day I'm going to completely disconnect and live a hermits life. Unfortunately it's not going to be anytime soon.

Boom

2010-04-27T01:19:00.007+05:30

Like a waterfall, a calm washes over me,

a dullness in my mind, yet a sharpness of the senses,

lights, sounds, people, explosions of clarity,

time speeding up and slowing down,

alternating in its rhythm.

I inhale again, feeling the harshness in my throat,

yet, a smoothness as I let go the smoke;

with reverence I pass it around,

for one respects that which is given with love,

nature's heart being generous with its beautiful bounty.

Grass - a word that does this magic herb little justice,

this potent, powerful substance, which gods approved of,

and ascetics use to gain insight,

to escape the trappings of the body;

who are we to refute that which is sacred?

As I ponder all this,

the joint nears its end,

Another hit,

a burning of the lips, it's almost over;

time is serene,

let's roll another one.

Finale

2010-04-11T16:09:00.004+05:30

I asked myself this question today. What if I had just one day to live? What would I do in those 24 hours? The answer was right in front of me, glaring, not with menace but with an air of silent disdain. Death I did not fear, for the Reaper and I had met on several occasions, but something greater; greater than death itself. My great, secret fear is to have departed this world a statistic. Nothing more, nothing less; Just another notch in some dusty tome. No name, no face, just a cross to acknowledge my having existed. That is what I truly fear. Don't ask me why. I should ideally not care but I do. I care about what the human condition has become. We as a race, have stagnated and mediocrity is what most of us ascribe for. Society has us believing that it's best to be slaves to the masters, to follow the order and the beliefs that they feed us. The reinforcement is right there in front of you, it's in your face, 24/7. If you're not watching it, you're dreaming it.

I wish to teach people the truth. The truth the way I see it. Sure it's fucking subjective. MY interpretation of reality. What I teach would not be for those who would prefer to lead their delusional, ignorant lives, with their blinders on, focused only in the direction that the jockey that is society rides them in. It is for those who would like to rise above mediocrity and disillusionment and let the light of their being shine through the murkiness that is life's window.

Death. To die without having left an indelible mark is fearsome. Enough to make me snap out of this daze I find myself in. To make me take that first step. And then the second. Until I finally reach a goal. What goal I'm not really sure. For what is a goal but and endpoint to self actualization? What happens beyond that, beyond the point when goals are met? We need a new drive, something else to believe in, to pursue and to achieve. A new goal. The cycle never ends.

I wish to write. i realize that it's not just a form of expression for me anymore. In fact it probably never was beneath the surface. It's neither a form of self-aggrandizement or masturbatory glorification. Rather, it's my way to stay immortal, by making people think and question and ponder over my words and it's lessons. My goal then would be to change lives. That is what I think truly makes me happy. Not writing. Not teaching. Those are means to the greater end. It's the drive beneath that veneer, the drive to make people look inside themselves and realize their own infinite beauty.

I care naught for money or fancy possessions. For what are they, but the product of some slick marketing? Advertising that tells me what underwear is 'cool' or what brand of cola I should drink? Fuck that. What I care about is that one moment of joy when someone thanks me for teaching them what I know, or for just being there for them by being a presence in their lives. That is what's tangible to me. Damn straight it's a selfish act. For what act can be deemed selfless when one derives some degree of pleasure from it?

I wish to be thought of not as a smear on a windshield that's quickly wiped off but as a rainbow that brought color and hope to someone's less than colorful being.

I do not wish for immortality of body or soul; but immortality in the mind of men.

Unbound

2010-04-05T00:05:00.002+05:30

The urge overwhelms,

My heart beats faster, my pupils dilate,

every time I see someone light up,

the smoke signalling it's invitation,

like a punch in the face, a mix of emotions hits me;

'you're killing yourself',

'you're going to die someday anyway',

echo the voices in my head,

and in that din of noisy silence, I hear her voice,

Distinct and clear, burning a hole in my brain;

hoarse but melodious.

'Don't do it', she says,

No reason, no explanation.

...'don't do it'.

And from those simple words,

I find a strength I have never known possible,

temptation has no hold on me any more,

the voices in my head become mute,

her strength becomes my strength,

a calm comes over me.

I quit.

Avatar

2010-02-18T20:13:00.002+05:30

The movie 'Avatar' was described by a friend as 'an acid trip' Another wondered aloud if James Cameron, the director of the movie, was tripping on something. Easily one of the best movies I've ever seen, the visuals and plotline are incredibly bewitching and near orgasmic. Those who thought the movie was just about the special effects and lacked any depth of story have a very superficial manner of thinking. The story is about 'connections', the premise that we are all 'one', part of a greater whole, inseparable from that which is 'without'. The 'within' and 'without' co-existing like yin-yang, not opposites or separates, but complementary elements that are each dependent on the other.

Many ages ago man lived in harmony with his environment. The Pagans had Gods for every element in nature. They worshipped the trees, the clouds that bore water, the rivers, the sun that gave light and warmth and life to the crops, even animals. They respected their surroundings and 'Gaia', the ancient name for mother earth. Sometime in our 'development' as a race we forgot the lessons of old and replaced them with 'modern' thoughts and ideas, with virtual boundaries that separate us on a physical and emotional level.

Avatar shows us that its beings, the Na'vi, share more than a superficial connection. They possess appendages that fuse with other beings on their planet, not just their own species. This can directly be interpreted in the context of human beings co-existing with other beings on this planet. Sharing a near spiritual, harmonious bond of co-existence. It is something we've forgotten to do as an 'advanced' race.

The message is clear. Take action NOW, to repair the damage that's been done so far, before the little that's left of the planets richness is robbed, not by an extraterrestrial race, but sadly by its own residents.

The Writing On The Wall

2010-02-07T01:44:00.004+05:30

Read the writing on the wall,

Read what It says to you,

That life is grand but time is short,

To experience things anew.

On and on we live our days,

And everyday seems the same,

dwelling on the past and its miseries,

Who else but ourselves to blame.

And looking back on these days we'll find,

That what we did was 'fine',

And regret the moment when we had the chance,

but didn't cross that line.

The Ache

2010-01-10T19:22:00.007+05:30

The pain fades away, only a distant memory of what was, remains,

in its place a dull throb, I need more,

pain is my salvation, without it, I can know no pleasure,

sugar is dust, wine is bittered,

song is deaf to my ears,

the rhythm of my body, fettered.

She is my mistress, fickle, teasing,

so much more she makes me want her,

to reach out, to feel alive with her caress, her sweet caress.

Enliven me to my very marrow, make me feel the essence of your soul,

the reason for this beautiful scar,

aching, yet tremendously fulfilling, that jagged welt.

Dedicated to Mitchelle, my inspiration.

Universal Oneness

2010-01-09T23:56:00.002+05:30

Ever wondered how big the universe is? It's pretty fucking huge. Lots of room and if scriptures or whatever sacred authorities are to be believed, inhabited solely by us humans on a grandiose speck of dust we call 'Earth'. Ain't that convenient. All that space and just us to excrete in it. Wonder what 'God' was thinking. "I'll build a mansion the size of a country and have it lived in by ants". Seems strange to me, all that trouble for a bunch of beings who are hell bent on destroying themselves and the planet, not to mention possibly creating rogue particles that may destroy the universe (Read: Large Hadron Collider). Eeps. If there's advanced intelligent life forms out there, they better watch out 'coz us humans be coming!'

On a serious note though, we have entered a new year and I sense something. A change that is to come, an awakening of some sort, like on a spiritual level. Bear with me folks, I have a couple of years to go before I'm admitted to a loony bin. Haven't yet hit the peak of my insanity. There's a book I read a few years ago, probably the best book I've ever read and quite possibly changed the way I viewed the world from that point on. It's called "The Dancing Wu-Li Masters" by Gary Zukav and it talks about a fusion between spirituality and physics. There are several different pronunciations of Wu Li in Chinese, each with a different symbol and meaning, but spelled and pronounced the same in English. Some of these meaning are : Physics(hence the name of the book), Patterns of Organic Energy, My Way, Nonsense, I Clutch My Ideas, Enlightenment. The book talks about what sages and mystics of old have been saying for thousands of years and what our physics has only just discovered in the past few decades. That there is a connection between everything contained in the universe, a connection so subtle that we cannot 'feel' it with our limited senses. When Einstein came up with E=mc2 (where 'E' is 'energy', 'm' is 'mass' and 'c' is the cosmological constant or 'the speed of light')it was a profound statement that changed the way the universe was thought of. What it basically connotes is that energy and mass are the same thing, not just interchangeable forms of the same thing but THE SAME THING. We are all, at our very core, patterns of energy.

The book, in the chapter named 'Enlightenment', talks about a theorem that is so on the fringe of theoretical physics that most physicists are unaware of it. It is the most famous legacy of the late physicist John S. Bell and is named 'Bell's theorem' after him. The discovery is known as the most profound in all of science and completely perturbed Einstein, who unwittingly helped further the theory in his quest to debunk it. Bell's theorem today is largely ignored because of it's implications to science. If we were to believe in Bell, the universe as we know it is vastly different from the universe as it IS.

Here's an excerpt from the book. It's a heck of a lot of reading, but I'm in the mood to inflict pain, so here goes -

"Bell's theorem showed that either the statistical predictions

of quantum theory or the principle of local causes is false. It

did not say which one is false, but only that both of them

cannot be true. When Clauser and Freedman confirmed that

the statistical predictions of quantum theory are correct, the

startling conclusion was inescapable: The principle of local

causes must be false! However, if the principle of local causes

fails and, hence, the world is not the way it appears to be,

then what is the true nature of our world?

There are several mutually exclusive possibilities. The first

possibility, which we have just discussed, is that, appearances

to the contrary, there really may be no such thing as "separate

parts" in our world (in the dialect of physics, "locality fails").

In that case, the idea that events are autonomous happenings

is an illusion. This would be the case for any "separate parts"

that have interacted with each other at any time in the past.

When "separate parts" interact with each other, they (their

wave functions) become correlated (through the exchange of

conventional signals) (forces). Unless this correlation is disrupted

by other external forces, the wave functions representing these

"separate parts" remain correlated forever, For such correlated

"separate parts," what an experimenter does in this area

has an intrinsic effect upon the results of an experiment in a

distant, space-like separated area. This possibility entails a

faster-than-light communication of a type different than conventional

physics can explain.

In this picture, what happens here is intimately and immediately

connected to what happens elsewhere in the universe,

which, in turn, is intimately and immediately connected to what happens elsewhere in the universe, and so on, simply

because the "separate parts" of the universe are not separate

parts."

PHEW! (What the fuck is Yashvir high on, and where can I get some eh?)

What Bell's theorem intrinsically 'proved' was that the most fundamental particles in the universe communicate with each other INSTANTANEOUSLY, across thousands of light YEARS, probably even from one end of the universe to the other! Faster than light communication. There's only two things that come out of this. That either there is NO free will, and that everything is superdetermined, or that it leads to the many worlds theory, where the world is constantly splitting into separate and mutually inaccessible branches, each of which contains different editions of the same actors, performing different acts at the same time on different stages, which somehow are located in the same place.

There may be still ways to understand the failure of the principle of local causes, but the very fact that it must fail means that the world is in some way profoundly different from our ordinary ideas about it. (Perhaps we really are living in a dark cave).

So coming back to what I was saying earlier about there being some sort of change and spiritual awakening (I don't sound all that whacked anymore, do I?) and about feeling these things, there is something in store for us. I don't know what it is, but this is the best time to be alive, when future generations will look back and imagine what it must have been to live in this day and age of such great changes, where mankind would make the decisions to tackle the challenges imposed upon it and work in unison to create a better planet.

Goa Bliss!

2010-01-07T11:10:00.001+05:30

What's that word I'm looking for? Bliss maybe, yet that doesn't cover the gamut of emotions running through me. Goa is incredible right now, and that is heavily understated. The past few days with friends has been an exceptional run up to this day, the last day of the year and a few hours away from the first day of the new year. Just watched and filmed the sun setting on a personally bad year and with hopes that the next sunrise will bring in with it a better year. I Wish every one of my friends a very happy new year. May it bring prosperity and happiness to all!

Posted via email from yash656's posterous

Rainbow Colours Of Somber

2009-12-13T01:14:00.000+05:30

For someone who's supposed to be good with words, I'm all out at the moment. A whole bunch of conflicting thoughts have been running through my head lately, not making much sense, and I hear a voice, more a whimper really, of reason, telling me to snap out of this funk. I feel like a monkey with a million thoughts running through my mind, nothing concrete, always flitting from one random topic to another, not wanting to pause or rest on one and dwell on it out of some unfounded fear that that action may make the other thoughts less important and undeserving of my immediate attention. That doesn't make much sense logically, but I'm not feeling very logical at the moment. This post really doesn't have a message or a moral. There is no inspiring or heart wrenching story. Nothing to make you go ha-ha either. While I type this I have no clue how it will end. You're really wasting your time reading this, instead of wasting your time on other mundane, mind numbing activity.

Disturbingly, that's what life has become for a lot of us. We keep our minds distracted and saturated throughout our waking hours, and when it can take no more, sleep and have muddled, irregular dreams on inconsequential things. What's worse is that most of us don't realise that our minds are pretty much programmed to make us act in a certain manner. Breaking the programming creates turmoil, and turmoil is equivalent to pain. Being humans we tend towards pleasure and away from pain, and hence stay within the boundaries of our programming. Going about our day to day activities, not asking the very fundamental questions of our being, our nature and our 'raison d'etre' or reason for existence. Most people even believe that asking such questions is unimportant and purposeless, choosing instead to stay ignorant and unenlightened. I think such people fear that what they may discover if they probe too much would be devastating, not in terms of what they find, but in disrupting their long held, carved in rock, belief systems. Belief's being inexorably tied to our egos, it's more difficult than it seems to change or modify them. But questioning and refining our beliefs is the first step towards leading a more enlightened and fulfilling life.

As I'm nearing the end of my short diatribe, I look at the length of this post and realise that I've negated the very first sentence. Hmm.

A Man's Answer To Every Question A Woman Asks

2009-11-27T01:04:00.003+05:30

Again, for lack of inspiration in the last few days I'm posting this facebook note on here. It's pretty tongue in cheek and a fun read. Enjoy!

1. WHY ARE MEN SUCH JERKS?

It's a testosterone thing. Much similar to your PMS thing, we men suffer from testosterone poisoning. Why do you think the average life span of a male is typically 10 years shorter (and it's not just from all the bitching and nagging we have to endure)? Hormone modifies behavior. We're just misunderstood.

2. WHY DO MEN ALWAYS HAVE TO OGLE AT OTHER WOMEN?

Again, this is a testosterone thing. Do you honestly think that all the testosterone just fell out of our bodies the moment we met you? Besides, women do it as well. Women are just much better at not getting caught. I'm fairly certain it's some sort of photographic memory deal. Women take one quick look and memorize it for later reference. Since men lack this ability, we try to burn it into our memory by staring as much as we can.

3. WHY DO MEN ALWAYS TOUCH THEMSELVES, ESPECIALLY IN PUBLIC?

We occasionally need to adjust our little friend and make him happy. It's much like adjusting your bra. Being in public is just an added bonus.

4. WHY DO MEN ALWAYS SAY SUCH STUPID THINGS?

We like to. It's actually a whole lot of fun to see our partner frustrated by a few simple (and well-chosen) words.

5. WHY ARE MEN SO UNCOMMUNICATIVE?

You'd learn to keep your big mouth shut too if every time you open it you get into trouble with your partner.

6. WHY DO MEN HAVE TO ACT LIKE SUCH RETARDS?

Well, we don't actually have to; we do it because we enjoy it. It's the old fashioned pride in a job well done that's missing in so much of the world nowadays.

7. WHY CAN'T MEN JUST SHARE THEIR FEELINGS?

Do we look like women to you? Why is it so hard to understand that men and women are different? How are we supposed to share how we feel when we have no idea how we feel? Unless we're experiencing some extreme emotion like rage, hatred, disgust, or a brick on our foot, we have no idea how we feel. Personally, I get a headache whenever I try to figure out how I feel.

8. WHY CAN'T MEN CUDDLE MORE (I.E. LIE DOWN AND HUG)?

Please... How many hours do you think there is in a day? We oblige you as much as we can, but who the hell (besides women) can stand lying around for hours on end?

We men... Men hunters... Need go roam... Starve in cave... Must go find wildebeest... Now sitting on our asses for hours on end on the other hand is a whole other story.

9. HOW CAN MEN SIT ON THEIR ASSES ALL DAY WITHOUT MOVING?

Men have very powerful sets of sitting muscles developed by evolution that enable us to sit for extended periods of time without getting tired. In prehistoric times, it was often necessary to sit in one spot for extended periods of time while hunting for prey. The more successful hunters were able to sit very still for very extended periods of time thereby passing on this ability to their progeny. The fidgety types were all gobbled up by saber toothed tigers etc. The end result is that almost all modern men are born with this innate ability.

10. WHY CAN'T MEN JUST SAY, "I LOVE YOU?"

Men are taught from a tender young age to be self-sufficient. To say that we love you is equivalent to saying that we need you. Most men consider that a character fault. It's not easy to admit to one's own character faults.

11. WHY DO MEN SAY "I LOVE YOU" WHEN THEY HARDLY KNOW ME?

Ho, Ho, Ho... Aren't you special? Well, some men think it's a sure-fire way to get into your pants. Surprisingly, it actually still works quite well.

12. WHY DOESN'T MY PARTNER EVER ANSWER ME?

We just simply don't have the energy to answer every single one of your questions. If we think we do not have the answer, or that you will not like the answer, we simply remain quiet and save the energy for other things.

13. WHY WON'T MEN EVER PICK UP AFTER THEMSELVES?

Why should we? It doesn't really bother us that much. Besides, we know damn well you'll pick it up.

14. WHAT'S WITH ALL THE BELCHING AND FARTING?

This usually only occurs after months of courting. It's our way to let you know that we're comfortable with you. Believe it or not, it's actually a sign of affection. Besides, holding it for extended periods of time gives us stomach cramps.

15. WHY DO MEN HATE SHOPPING?

It's an evolutionary thing. Men hunt. Women gather. We just want to go out, kill it, and bring it back. Who wants to spend hours and hours to look at things we have no intention of killing? Err... buying?

The Language Of Men And Women

2009-11-14T20:32:00.002+05:30

This is one of those popular notes passing around on facebook. Couldn't resist sharing this one on the blog though. Enjoy!

Women’s English:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes = No

No = Yes

Maybe = No

I’m sorry = You’ll be sorry

We need = I want

It’s your decision = The correct decision should be obvious by now

Do what you want = You’ll pay for this later.

We need to talk = I need to complain.

Sure go ahead = I don’t want you to.

I’m not upset = Of course I’m upset, you moron!

You’re so manly = You need a shave and you sweat alot.

You’re certainly attentive tonight = Is sex all you everthink about?

Be romantic, turn out the lights = I have flabby thighs.

This kitchen is so inconvenient = I want a new house.

I want new curtains = and carpeting, and furniture,and wallpaper…..

Hang the picture there = NO, I mean hang it there!

I heard a noise = I noticed you were almost asleep.

Do you love me? = I’m going to ask for something expensive.

How much do you love me? = I did something you’re really not going to like.

I’ll be ready in a minute = Kick off your shoes and find a good game on TV.

Is my butt fat? = Tell me I’m beautiful.

You have to learn to communicate = Just agree with me.

Are you listening to me!? = [Too late, you're dead.]

Was that the baby? = Why don’t you get out of bed and walk him until he falls asleep.

I’m not yelling! = Yes, I am yelling because I think this is important.

The same old thing = Nothing

Nothing = Everything

Everything = My PMS is acting up.

Nothing, really = It’s just that you’re such an asshole.

Men’s English:
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I’m hungry = I’m hungry.

I’m sleepy = I’m sleepy.

I’m tired = I’m tired.

Do you want to go to a movie? = I’d eventually like to have sex with you.

Can I take you out to dinner? = I’d eventually like to have sex with you.

Can I call you sometime? = I’d eventually like to have sex with you.

May I have this dance? = I’d eventually like to have sex with you.

Nice dress! = Nice cleavage!

You look tense, let me give you a massage. = I want to fondle you.

What’s wrong? = I don’t see why your making such a big deal about this

What’s wrong? = What meaningless self-inflicted psychological trauma are you going through now?

What’s wrong? = I guess sex tonight is out of the question.

I’m bored. = Do you want to have sex?

I love you. = Let’s have sex now.

I love you, too. = Okay, I said it… we’d better have sex now!

Yes, I like the way you cut your hair. = I liked it better before.

Yes, I like the way you cut your hair. = $50 and it doesn’t look that much different!

Let’s talk. = I am trying to impress you by showing you that I am a deep personand maybe then you’d like to have sex with me.

Will you marry me? = I want to make it illegal for you to have sex with other guys
.
(while shopping) I like that one better. = Pick any freakin’dress and let’s go
home!

I don’t think that blouse and that skirt go well together. = I am gay.

What I've Been Reading Lately...

2009-11-03T23:52:00.002+05:30

I've been reading a lot of stuff online the whole of last week and as is wont of me, mostly the paranormal, philosophical and highly dubious pieces of literature having to do with confidence tricks and 'cold reading'. Also read up on some Gnostic gospels, especially a little bit of the 'secret gospel of Mark' and Jesus' 'favourite disciple'. Read a bit on Aleister Crowley, once declared the most evil man on Earth and his big bad 'secret of sex magick'. Yes, i read weird stuff.

I converted some of that reading material into pdf files for those that would wish to read it in a more convenient manner. Here's the link to the philosophy of Carpocrates, a philosophy which has made a very favourable impression on me since the time I've read it. Also one of my all time favourites has to be the deeply philosophical movie series of 'The Matrix', and here's a distillation of the philosophies that went into the movie : the-Matrix-Trilogy-Philosophy.

The other esoteric stuff can be found on google but I suggest you not go looking around for the 'big bad secret of sex magick', for what you will find isn't in the least bit pleasant.

33 Random Questions...

2009-10-30T14:19:00.002+05:30

Ok, so I've done random questions twice before, I think, but I just can't seem to tire of them. Here's a bunch of 33 random questions I answer, picked off another blog...

1. What was the last thing you put in your mouth?

Food? A cuppa tea and 2 slices bread. I'm a light breakfast person.

2. Where was your profile picture taken?

At a party where I only knew 3 people.

3. Can you play the guitar?

No, but if you hum the tune...

4. Name someone who made you laugh today?

I aint naming no one! Ok, it was Ceanne!

5. How late did you stay up last night and why?

Was up till 2 a.m watching Constantine. Nice movie if you're into the whole supernatural, end of the world stuff.

6. If you could move somewhere else, would you?

Nope. I love the smell of this city and the people and I think it keeps me sane. Relatively.

7. Ever been kissed under fireworks?

Yep! New Years 2008! Other times, I don't remember.

8. Which of your friends lives closest to you on Facebook?

Jarvis I guess. Wow, I never thought of that one before.

9. Do you believe ex's can be friends?

HAH! When pigs fly maybe! Which is never.

10. How do you feel about Dr Pepper?

WHO?

11. When was the last time you cried?

Uhm, been a while, probably sometime last month.

12. Who took your profile picture?

Some random stranger.

13. Who was the last person you took a picture of?

Reagan. Look, do I have to give any more names out?

14. Was yesterday better than today?

Everyday is exactly the same.

15. Can you live a day without TV?

Sure. Now if you ask me if I could live without the computer...

16. Are you upset about anything?

When I'm upset, I quit being upset and be awesome instead. True story.

17. Do you think relationships are ever really worth it?

Worth what? Nothing you do in life ever really matters 'cause you're gonna die someday anyway. Wow... I'm really positive today.

18. Are you a bad influence?

Maybe. Maybe not. That's for other's to decide anyway. I just do what I do.

19. Night out or night in?

Night out, some days and night in on other's. I like to keep a balance.

20. What item(s) could you not go without during the day?

My handkerchief. Yeah, some of you'll saw that coming!

22. What does the last text message in your inbox say?

"Nuh.not really.ask a friend.is all i cn say!", typed exactly the way i got it.

23. How do you feel about your life right now?

My life's fucked up, but I'm not unhappy...

24. Do you hate anyone?

Uhm, not really. There's two guys I'd like to punch in the face, but that's just 'cause they're assholes and deserve it.

25. If we were to look in your Email inbox, what would we find most?

Spam. Lot's of it.

26. Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass?

Yep. If you had said TOMORROW, maybe not!

27. Has anyone ever called you perfect before?

Haha. That'd be the day!

28. What song is stuck in your head?

I'm yours - Jason Mraz. Don't ask me why, I don't really know.

29. Someone knocks on your window at 2:00 a.m., who do you want it to be?

I live on the 3rd floor so that'd be a balls-in-the-mouth moment. Last time 'twas the devil who came knocking.

30. Wanna have grandkids before you're 50?

I won't last that long, come to think of it. So, yes, Grandkids before 50 it is! I'd have to marry earlier than 35 though. And that's not the plan right now. Hmm. Can I adopt Grandkids?

31. Name something you have to do tomorrow:

Saturday tomorrow and there's a party tonight so don't think I'll be up before noon. But maybe meet someone I haven't seen in really long. You know who you are.

32. Do you think too much or too little?

Think too much. Always.

33. Do you smile a lot?

Smile and laugh a lot. Helps keep everyone around me happy, although I may not really feel that way, deep inside. Ah, who cares! :D

Cree Indian Prophecy - Warriors of the Rainbow

2009-10-22T20:41:00.001+05:30

Last century an old wise woman of the Cree Indian nation, named "Eyes of Fire", had a vision of the future. She prophesied that one day, because of the white mans' or Yo-ne-gis' greed, there would come a time, when the earth being ravaged and polluted, the forests being destroyed, the birds would fall from the air, the waters would be blackened, the fish being poisoned in the streams, and the trees would no longer be, mankind as we would know it would all but cease to exist. There would come a time when the "keepers of the legend, stories, culture rituals, and myths, and all the Ancient Tribal Customs" would be needed to restore us to health, making the earth green again. They would be mankind's key to survival, they were the "Warriors of the Rainbow". There would come a day of awakening when all the peoples of all the tribes would form a New World of Justice, Peace, Freedom and recognition of the Great Spirit.

The "Warriors of the Rainbow" would spread these messages and teach all peoples of the Earth or "Elohi". They would teach them how to live the "Way of the Great Spirit". They would tell them of how the world today has turned away from the Great Spirit and that is why our Earth is "Sick".

The "Warriors of the Rainbow" would show the peoples that this "Ancient Being" (the Great Spirit), is full of love and understanding, and teach them how to make the "Earth or Elohi" beautiful again. These Warriors would give the people principles or rules to follow to make their path light with the world. These principles would be those of the Ancient Tribes. The Warriors of the Rainbow would teach the people of the ancient practices of Unity, Love and Understanding. They would teach of Harmony among people in all four corners of the Earth.

Like the Ancient Tribes, they would teach the peoples how to pray to the Great Spirit with love that flows like the beautiful mountain stream, and flows along the path to the ocean of life. Once again, they would be able to feel joy in solitude and in councils. They would be free of petty jealousies and love all mankind as their brothers, regardless of color, race or religion. They would feel happiness enter their hearts, and become as one with the entire human race. Their hearts would be pure and radiate warmth, understanding and respect for all mankind, Nature and the Great Spirit.

They would once again fill their minds, hearts, souls, and deeds with the purest of thoughts. They would seek the beauty of the Master of Life - the Great Spirit! They would find strength and beauty in prayer and the solitude of life.

Their children would once again be able to run free and enjoy the treasures of Nature and Mother Earth. Free from the fears of toxins and destruction, wrought by the Yo-ne-gi and his practices of greed. The rivers would again run clear, the forests be abundant and beautiful, the animals and birds would be replenished. The powers of the plants and animals would again be respected and conservation of all that is beautiful would become a way of life.

The poor, sick and needy would be cared for by their brothers and sisters of the Earth. These practices would again become a part of their daily lives.

The leaders of the people would be chosen in the old way - not by their political party, or who could speak the loudest, boast the most, or by name calling or mud slinging, but by those whose actions spoke the loudest. Those who demonstrated their love, wisdom and courage and those who showed that they could and did work for the good of all, would be chosen as the leaders or Chiefs. They would be chosen by their "quality" and not the amount of money they had obtained. Like the thoughtful and devoted "Ancient Chiefs", they would understand the people with love, and see that their young were educated with the love and wisdom of their surroundings. They would show them that miracles can be accomplished to heal this world of its ills, and restore it to health and beauty.

The tasks of these "Warriors of the Rainbow" are many and great. There will be terrifying mountains of ignorance to conquer and they shall find prejudice and hatred. They must be dedicated, unwavering in their strength, and strong of heart. They will find willing hearts and minds that will follow them on this road of returning "Mother Earth" to beauty and plenty - once more.

The day will come, it is not far away.

The day that we shall see how we owe our very existence to the people of all tribes that have maintained their culture and heritage. Those that have kept the rituals, stories, legends and myths alive. It will be with this knowledge, the knowledge that they have preserved, that we shall once again return to "harmony" with Nature, Mother Earth and mankind. It will be with this knowledge that we shall find our "Key to our Survival".

This is the story of the "Warriors of the Rainbow".

Only after the last river has been poisoned,
Only after the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find
That money cannot be eaten.

--CREE INDIAN PROPHECY.

Finally On Alexa's Charts!

2009-10-22T20:34:00.002+05:30

Just a week into my campaign of getting the blog ranked again on Alexa, it has now been ranked at 19,152,070. Although a far cry from the glory days, it is still a promising start nonetheless. I will continue to try and raise it through the ranks, for my own satisfaction of course. Next post coming up after this. A little something I read today and was deeply impressed.

A Short Notice

2009-10-15T20:33:00.000+05:30

For the last few months I've been syndicating entire posts onto my facebook notes, whereas earlier it used to be just the first paragraph or 255 words, whichever is lesser. The point of doing that was to make it convenient for people to read the entire post without having to click through to the blog. The drawback to this is the loss in pageviews the blog suffers thereby not allowing sites like Alexa to give me an accurate pagerank. What all that jargon means is simply that I'm now going to give blogger permission to only publish part of my posts onto the notes and the rest, at the cost of a minor incovenvience, you'll would have to click through and get on the blog. This would of course be greatly appreciated by me and I want to thank you guys beforehand for taking the trouble. I'm going to quit writing now before this turns in to a thank you speech. Next post would be coming up soon. Ciao!

Being Me...

2009-10-13T14:40:00.006+05:30

*Sigh* I don't know if I can put this delicately, but try I must. This is a blog Ladies and Gentlemen. An online account of my misadventures, my thoughts and opinions, a form of entertainment much like stand up comedians and Karan Johar movies. Okay maybe I'm not as bad as the latter there. The description of my blog reads, "This blog Is about the random events that happen to me... Makes good reading to myself when I get bored.." See where I'm going with this? Your praise is always welcome and criticism is much appreciated, but please lay off the inane half-assed critical comments. I've really had no cause for ire, you regular readers being most forthcoming and accommodating, at least before this 'friend' of mine decided to comment on my previous post. Her comment led to much confusion and torment in my delicate soul. "Who's side was she on?" , I asked myself for her comment seemed to defend the right of people who uphold the beauty of the English language, myself included, yet she goes on to berate me for my "missing commas and semicolons". Which made me wonder if there was something in the past that I had done to her to cause her so much grief. She did hate my ex girlfriend who's as big a bitch as she is (debatable issue, I admit), but so do I now and that should make us allies I believe.

Anyway, my point here is, this is a 'blog' and not The Times Of India. I'm not trying to change the world here or influence people with my half baked writings, which are utterly opinionated. A 5 year old who's just learnt to spell will inform you of how factual that is and would elucidate you on the pure entertainment value of my blog. But if you want to read quality literature then I suggest you go pick a copy of Shakespeare's Hamlet, or if you're into the fantasy sci-fi genre, Tolkien or Rowling should be your cup of tea. Don't run your mouth off on my blog with mindless uneducated comments, which is just a public display of your arrogance and ignorance. But maybe you're just PMS'ing in which case I sympathise with you. Can't really imagine bleeding a fuck load every month. I'd be a very pissed off bitch too and would probably bite just as hard as you. But if it's not that then it must be 'cause I stepped on your toes (unintentionally) when you were teaching me to dance, or think you're ugly and that haircut makes you look like a 12 year old school boy. Sure doesn't mean you take it out on me in as lame a manner as commenting on a post that's visible to about 4000 people on facebook, give or take. You do the maths.

Also a moot point, but one that I feel deserves a mention is the fact that this blog was once among the top 500,000 blogs in the world, or the top 0.5% as calculated by Alexa, based on pageviews and unique visitors. A little more maths on your fingertips, or a calculator for some, would tell you that's about 100 million+ blogs in the blogosphere. How's that for putting things into perspective?

And of course this blog is about me ranting! That's what I do best! Sit and complain about the inferior imbeciles that surround me and are the bane of my existence. Sure I think I'm superior to you. I wouldn't be a very successful asshole if I didn't, would I? Trying to show me down doesn't make you a bigger asshole than me, although that could fact be argued in some circles. But if being an asshole is what gets your juices flowing I suggest going for it. Whatever sails your boat man.

Death Of A Language.

2009-10-10T10:30:00.001+05:30

You know what rattles my cage? What really get's my goat? It's the mutilation of the English language; the rampant misuse so often indulged whilst 'chatting'. "Language evolves" I hear you say and I'm all for it, knowing that English itself is a mishmash, a hodgepodge of several languages. But using words like 'okie' in place of 'OK' or 'okay' is just pushing it. Definition of 'okie' by Merriam-Webster - "sometimes disparaging : a migrant agricultural worker; especially : one from Oklahoma in the 1930s". Made me wince too when I first read it. Makes me wonder how people could use words that have a different meaning entirely from the one they intend. How many of you'll actually say 'okie' when you'll converse face to face with a person? Don't you think it may make you sound slightly MORONIC? So start restricting yourself when you're typing too. Liberalism is best when used in moderation. Yes, I just made that quote up to fit my agenda, so sue me.

Certain things are acceptable of course. The big disadvantage of conversing online is the lack of tonality and facial expression that is required while talking face to face to make oneself understood. This has given way to using words like 'lol' and it's counterparts, too numerous to mention. Also the use of emoticons serves a similar purpose, hence their popularity.

What is definitely not acceptable is "????????????" or "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!". IT HURTS MY FUCKING EYES ASSHOLES. Really, are you that retarded? That alphabetically incompetent to use punctuation so liberally (criminal I should call it) to put your point across? Is that how you TALK when you speak? I see a whole bunch of you spitting venom at me right now, for sometime in our previous conversations you'll may have been prone to such vagaries. Yashvir, in all his goodness, forgives you all. Actually I take that back. There should be laws against such rabid abuse of a language I find such pleasure in, and you'll perpetrators should be punished accordingly, keeping in mind of course the severity of you're crimes.

aS UnFoRgIvAbLe iS WrItInG lIkE ThIs aNd ThInKiNg iT tO Be rEaLlY CoOl!!!!!! Gah! Who came up with that I wonder. Maybe our schizophrenic brethren trying to write in code so that they wouldn't be understood by the illusory spies that stalk them. If you have a tendency to write as such and see or hear things that others can't then get yourself checked because those are signs of a disturbed personality, an imbalance of chemicals in your brain. Blech. Nauseated is how I feel when subjected to that vile, demoralizing piece of unabashed literature (read: compost pile).

It fills me with dread to think about the future, the English that would be spoken by my kids and grand kids. I shudder to think that they would resort to some sort of pseudo-communication; probably grunting and using single syllable words, somewhat reminiscent of how cave men used to communicate back in the good ol' days of raw food, no shower and human sacrifices to please rain gods.

Here's a list of 15 Words added to the dictionary. A clear sign of things to come. There is no justice in this world I tell you.

The Truth Is Out There.

2009-10-02T14:32:00.001+05:30

I belong to the tribe of people who believe that this universe isn't us Human's exclusive domain but contains life forms in abundance, albeit the majority probably not being sentient. Now there are a whole bunch of people who have shaken their heads in disagreement at this statement of mine and said there is no proof; the same people who believe in God, go to church on sundays and cross themselves when they pass a temple. These same people would be hard pressed to give scientifically accepted 'proof' of God's existence and would resort to stating instances of 'miracles' and quoting 'The Bible', like that book is sacrosanct and written by 'God' Himself. My point here is that nothing is certain but some things are more certain than others and I will go out on a limb here and state that the probability of the existence of extra-terrestrials is greater than that of God.

Let's take the Sphinx in Egypt as exhibit number 1. Egyptologists are of the general opinion that the Sphinx was built during the reign of King Khafre about 4500 years ago, or 2500 B.C. There is mounting geological and historical evidence that the theory of the Sphinx built by Khafre is flimsy at best. The new evidence that has surfaced shows that the Sphinx has to be much older than earlier assumed; as old as 12500 years or built around 10500 B.C. As we know the Egyptian Civilisation is the oldest known human civilisation and came into existence 4500 years ago. But evidence shows that the Sphinx predated the Egyptians by 8000 years. So who built the Damn thing? For more reading on the topic go to http://jcolavito.tripod.com/lostcivilizations/id17.html

Let's take 'The Bible' as exhibit number 2. It has long been discussed that the Bible contains evidence of our ancestor's interacting with 'Aliens'. I won't go into the details here but for more reading check out this page: http://www.doomsdayguide.org/UFO/ufo_aliens_in_the_bible.htm Gives you something to think about doesn't it?

I haven't even begun to mention Stonehenge or the crop circles or any of the other anomalous objects and sightings that have been in place or observed probably before the advent of fire. I'm not trying to convince the skeptics of my point of view, just detailing a small portion of the evidence and hoping that people would open their narrow minds and let go of their narcissism of thinking that this universe which contains hundreds of billions of stars could be generous enough to have us humans as it's only hosts. Time to let go of our egocentric 'God created us in his self-image' attitude and embrace the facts as they stand before us.

Social Phobia

2009-09-20T18:07:00.001+05:30

When I was much younger I had all the symptoms of someone with chronic shyness more commonly known as social Phobia. Most people have the misconception that shyness is akin to introversion but they are distinctly different issues. Shyness can be defined as a feeling of discomfort or inhibition is social and interpersonal situations which can prohibit one from pursuing goals, either academic or personal. The degree of shyness varies too, from mild social awkwardness to debilitating social phobia. On the other hand an Introvert can be defined as one who prefers solitary to social activities but does not fear social encounters as does the shy. A shy person may not want the isolation that pervades their life and may long for social contact but the thought of doing so may fill them with dread. The symptoms are manifested as acute worry, increase of heart rate, sweating and other psychological and physiological symptoms. At some point I realised what social phobia was doing to me and decided that if I want to lead a fulfilling life and do the things I want to do then change I must. It was difficult at the outset to change years and years of bad mental programming, to thrust myself into social situations and go through the sheer mental and physical anguish. I learnt an important lesson here; the more I did something I feared the less I feared it and the more I enjoyed it. Along with that came the feeling of having accomplished something, like a hurdle being overcome. The more I socialized the more socially aware I became. The side benefits of that being that I got better in my interactions with women. I could relax around them and enjoy their company without being worried or being 'stuck in my head'.

Making new friends and meeting new people once ever so often became an obsession, but of late I seem to have slowed down; almost lost the drive. I've caught myself in time and won't slide down to being anti social again. It's definitely not fun being chronically shy and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.

Posted via email from yash656's posterous

Gloom

2009-09-08T15:18:00.001+05:30

I've officially hit rock bottom. It's been only two days since I last had a drink and already I feel depressed; a sign of withdrawal maybe. It's scary how this kind of thing has managed to creep up on me. it never crossed my mind that I could get addicted to booze. Or maybe 'addiction' is too strong a word. For now I'm goin to keep away from it and try to cut down on the cigarettes too. Those don't help either.

Had a shitty dream this morning that may have triggered this bout of gloom I feel today. Seems like life is passing me by while I stand impotent; unable to do anything or make decisions that will give me a start in some direction. The problem is that of choice. I'm afraid to make one for the thought of making the wrong choice, picking the wrong path fills me with an indescribable dread. It eats me up from the inside, wondering if I will regret making some decision even if it's forty years down the line.

But it's not about me anymore. I've been selfish all this while, living in the fantasy dream land that I'd created for myself in my head. There are people who are depending on me, who've placed their faith in me and believe that I can do better, be better. I'm sick of disappointing them time and again, disgusted with myself for getting to this point. It's not too late, it's never too late. But difficult it will be.

I resolve to make changes, for living like this has made me a shell of the man I used to be. Time to reclaim what is mine and make some people proud.

Where Is The Muse?

2009-09-06T12:48:00.001+05:30

Been a long time since I last posted something. It's become more the norm than the exception now. I'm not really proud of it but there it is. I seem to have lost the will to write for the people who really appreciated aren't around me anymore. I lack my muse. The one who loved what I wrote and loved me more for it. Sad really. But life goes on as has mine and I live with the emptiness, the hollow feeling where what you do has no purpose, no meaning until she gives her stamp of approval. I may not be sober right now but heck, there's been other days I've been worse off. I don't promise to post anything soon, for life is dull and routine, and until some shit happens that is worth posting you'll won't be seeing much of me here. Gone are the days when blog rank mattered. There's other things to be hooked on to. Damn addictions will be the death of me. Sooner rather than later. So until some future date, I bid you goodbye.

The Wisdom Of Gilgamesh

2009-07-07T01:17:00.001+05:30

THE PARTING WORDS OF THE FISHWIFE SIDUR TO GILGAMESH :
"When the heavenly gods created human beings, they kept everlasting life for themselves and gave us death. So, Gilgamesh, accept your fate. Each day, wash your head, bathe your body, and wear clothes that are sparkling fresh. Fill your stomach with tasty food. Play, sing, dance, and be happy both day and night. Delight in the pleasures that your wife brings you, and cherish the little child who holds your hand. Make every day of your life a feast of rejoicing! This is the task that the gods have set before all human beings. This is the life you should seek, for this is the best life a mortal can hope to achieve."

Goa Diaries

2009-05-23T00:18:00.009+05:30

The trip this time around to Goa certainly did not disappoint. I do wish I could have spent at least a day more but my trip had to be cut short keeping in mind other commitments back home. The 4 days I was there were incredible though and had a hint of that very first dream trip we had made to Goa years back and still spoken of with legendary fondness. The first day I got there was spent at Palolem beach in the south of Goa at one of the beach houses we had rented. The beach is incredibly beautiful with white sand and the bluest water and far away from the riffraff that one finds in the north side of Goa. It was troublesome traveling that distance from where my bus had stopped at Mapuca but it was well worth the trip and I forgot my agonizing journey the second I landed on that beach. Most of that day was spent at Cocktails And Dreams, a shack on the beach close to where our place was. Smoked up and drank Beer and soaked in the beauty of that place. Met a little trouble maker that goes by the name of Urvi for a little while and then got back to the Beer which had my name on it.

That night we had dinner and then decided to party back at our place till the wee hours of the morning. Music on the Ipod hooked up to the speakers, Beer, the lovely friends and the faithful hashish and I would not want to be anywhere else in the world at that moment. We hit the bed at 4 in the morning and had decided to get up at 7 to take a boat and visit the nearby islands and to see the dolphins. Punctually and much to my surprise we managed to get up and make our way across to the boat where we set sail on our trip to the honeymoon island and the butterfly island. The bonus was we actually did get to see Dolphins and got a whole bunch of videos and photos of the scene. The minus point being me and Ceanne got sea sick and and were really intent on getting back home since the boat trip had gone on for 2 and a half hours. I crashed in the room for about two hours after we landed on terra firma and then me and Gabby made our way back to Cocktails And Dreams for some much needed Brunch and Beer along with the Hash which is like our staple diet when in Goa. That evening we decided to get a move on to Ceanne's house because the guys had to collect their bags and I needed to get to the north of Goa to keep an appointment with a certain someone. Unfortunately I couldn't get in touch with her until a minute after the guys decide to put their clothes in the machine for washing. Fuckers.

The next morning we wake up later than mid-day much to my chagrin because I had decided to meet Sienna before she left back for Bombay. Again that wasn't to be since some of the guys decided to travel to Margao to check how much it would cost them to put their bikes in the train back to Bombay for they had ridden the bikes down to Goa and didn't wish to ride back. Which meant my going down to the north would be postponed for a couple of hours at least which led up to some anxious moments wondering whether I would make it in time to meet the Coopster before she caught her bus. It so happened that Neil and I decided to ride it down to the north ahead of the rest of the guys but we didn't manage to make it in time. Some other time Chino.

We parked our bags at Neil's place in Shiolim and were off to Candolim where a few friends were staying. The rest of the gang joined us soon enough and we were busy smoking up and drinking. I realised that Neil's place was the inside of Hell disguised as a house. It really was that hot. Only managed to get some sleep that night after another session at the balcony with the usual intoxicants.

The day after we had decided to go do some water sports which meant that I couldn't very well do much of anything because of my bad leg. So my friends went ahead and hit the banana boat first and soon after did the Parasailing, which I was glad I didn't go for since some fellows on the boat along with our friends had their parachute cord snap and drifted down to the sea. I got to ride a jet ski though which was good enough for me, what with the right leg not being what it used to

The last morning of my stay there wasn't exactly filled with action and substance. We were at Infantaria for breakfast after which Gabby and I were left back since he had ordered for something that was taking way too much time in the kitchen. The rest of the guys had decided to move off to Arambol beach and we were to join them. But we managed to not find the entrance to the beach and so decided to go back to Neil's place and await the return of the rest, which I assumed would be before 6 p.m since our bus in Mapuca was at 7. Kimberly returned with Jarvis at around 6.10 p.m which was cutting it really close since that barely left us enough time to get to our destination. And once we move out Berly forgets her MP3 player and so we have to return back to the house and the clock has already chimed 6.30 p.m. We did however manage to get in time to Mapuca and the bus stand where I searched in vain for a store which would sell me a book and a pen but it wasn't meant to be. I wanted to get a little writing done on the bus because the travel time was 12 hours through the night. We decided to buy a strip of Avomine which promptly knocked Berly and I for the rest of the night till we reached Bombay. Never felt so rested in my life and couldn't have been happier to get back home and on my computer and Facebook which I missed so much.

I still wish I could have spent another day in Goa and have already been planning the next trip which would be sometime in the coming 6 months. Cross your fingers and hope it becomes a reality.

Return To Paradise

2009-05-15T13:24:00.005+05:30

OK so the title of this blog is borrowed from the movie of the same name and no I'm not going to Malaysia. But Goa is no less of a paradise for me and a trip down there at least once a year is a must. This time I was supposed to ride down with a few friends and make stopovers at Sindhudurg and Ganpatipule. But I decided against that mainly keeping in mind that my leg may not be able to take the stress that such a trip would place on it. It's only been 6 months since the accident that broke my thigh bone in half and I decided to exercise a certain amount of prudence and restraint which is quite unlike my usual half assed self. I did join Ballroom Dance classes though which is quite like my usual half assed self.

I have a feeling this trip is going to be different from all the innumerable trips but then I've said that to myself every single time I leave for Goa. The plan is to do the usual things; smoke up, drink and enjoy the beauty and serenity of the beach from the comfort of the shacks in the company of old and new friends. I'm a little nervous about riding a bike again but have no choice in that regard. Yes, I live dangerously.

It's also been a year since I got the tattoo done and wanted the second one done this time but can't do it for the lack of adequate padding in the shoulder area. I wanted a Dragon sleeve that would involve a lot of pain on this frail body of mine no amount of Hashish could dull. Maybe the next time after putting on weight in the gym.

I'l be posting about the trip once I get back and as always there will be an adventure with my name on it. Until then I hope Mumbai doesn't miss me too much.

As Promised.

2009-03-31T15:02:00.002+05:30

I had mentioned in an earlier post that I was thinking of starting a new blog dealing with a more specific part of my life. The first post will come up on the 02.04.09 and for the time being it will be only for a few people until I decide the time is right for it to be more mainstream. It would be a discussion of my views on certain topics and also a commentary on what is happening in my life as regards this particular area. More on it in another post..

A Meaning For Life.

2009-03-21T14:41:00.001+05:30

In the beginning there was nothing. Then there was a bang. A very big bang. From that bang came everything. The stars, the planets and the empty space that's not so empty. Then came the lifeforms. First they were simple. Then they grew complex. Then they grew self-conscious. They decided to explore their surrounding. They created fire, hunted and grew crops. Then they looked to the skies above and wondered. They wondered if there were others like them out there amongst the stars. So began the quest to find out if they were alone in the nothingness. They built machines that would travel out of the world they inhabited. Machines that would touch the stars someday. They built machines that would touch the depths of the oceans someday. They created machines that would wipe out all life on their planet someday.

Then came the awakening. The beings realized there was more to their existence. They discovered their soul. They began to listen to it, and heard the sounds of the universe they inhabited. The universe spoke to them and told them the meaning of life. The meaning that we had lost in our quest for knowledge. The meaning that we knew yet did not know. And the universe spoke to everyone. Man and woman, old and young, rich and poor. The wisdom was finally delivered through the soul. The people were given this simple message. To find "The One that makes you whole". For each person has just half a soul. And his lifelong quest should be to find the other half. His Soulmate. The one that would complete him. And relive their past lifetimes as a whole. For we are destined to live forever. Not through our physical bodies but through our souls. The quest to find the other half in each lifetime for all eternity, until everything goes back to nothing and the cycle of death and rebirth of the universe will be complete.

132 Stupid (Some Not So Stupid) Things

2009-02-18T13:37:00.001+05:30

Another one of those Facebook posts that I found interesting and thought I'd put it up here. This is a bunch of stupid and not so stupid things that one can do and you have to put an 'X' next to the ones you've done and leave blank the one's you haven't. I've done 94 out of these 132 Stupid Things...

Level 1:
(X) Smoked A Cigarette
(X) Smoked A Cigar
( ) Kissed A Member Of The Same Sex
(X) Drank Alcohol

SO FAR: 3

Level 2
(X) Are / Been In Love
(X) Been Dumped
(X) Shoplifted
(X) Been Fired
(X) Been In A Fist Fight

SO FAR: 8

Level 4
(X) Had A Crush On An Older Person
(X) Skipped School
(X) Slept With A Co-worker
(X) Seen Someone / Something Die

SO FAR: 12

Level 5
(X) Had / Have A Crush On One Of Your Facebook Friends
( ) Been To Paris
( ) Been To Spain
( ) Been On A Plane
(X) Thrown Up From Drinking

SO FAR: 14

Level 6
( ) Eaten Sushi
( ) Been Snowboarding
(X) Met Someone BECAUSE Of Facebook
(X) Been in a Mosh Pit

SO FAR:16

Level 7
(X) Been In An Abusive Relationship
(X) Taken Pain Killers
(X) Love/loved Someone Who You Cant Have
(X) Laid On Your Back And Watched Cloud Shapes Go By
( ) Made A Snow Angel

SO FAR: 20

Level 8
() Had A Tea Party
(X) Flown A Kite
(X) Built A Sand Castle
(X) Gone mudding (offroading)
(X) Played Dress Up

SO FAR: 24

Level 9
(X) Jumped Into A Pile Of Leaves
( ) Gone Sledging
(X) Cheated While Playing A Game
(X) Been Lonely
(X) Fallen Asleep At Work / School

SO FAR: 28

Level 10
(X) Watched The Sun Set
(X) Felt An Earthquake
( ) Killed A Snake

SO FAR: 30

Level 11
(X) Been Tickled
(X) Been Robbed / Vandalized
(X) Been cheated on
(X) Been Misunderstood

SO FAR: 34

Level 12

( ) Won A Contest
(X) Been Suspended From School
(X) Had Detention
(X) Been In A Car / Motorcycle Accident

SO FAR: 37

Level 13
( ) Had / Have Braces
( ) Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night
(X) Danced in the moonlight

SO FAR: 38

Level 14

(X) Hated The Way You Look
(X) Witnessed A Crime
( ) Pole Danced
(X) Questioned Your Heart
( ) Been obsessed with post-it-notes

SO FAR: 41

Level 15
(X) Squished Barefoot Through The Mud
(X) Been Lost
( ) Been To The Opposite Side Of The World
(X) Swam In The Ocean
(X) Felt Like You Were Dying

SO FAR: 45

Level 16
(X) Cried Yourself To Sleep
(X) Played Cops And Robbers
( ) Recently Colored With Crayons / Colored Pencils / Markers
(X) Sang Karaoke
(X) Paid For A Meal With Only Coins

SO FAR: 49

Level 17
(X) Done Something You Told Yourself You Wouldn't
(X) Made Prank Phone Calls
(X) Laughed Until Some Kind Of Beverage Came Out Of Your Nose
( ) Kissed In The Rain

SO FAR: 52

Level 18
( )Written A Letter To Santa Claus
(X) Watched The Sun Set/ sun rise With Someone You Care/Cared About
(X) Blown Bubbles
(X) Made A Bonfire On The Beach or anywhere

SO FAR: 55

Level 19
(X) Crashed A Party
( ) Have Travelled More Than 5 Days With A Car Full Of People
( ) Gone Rollerskating / Blading
(X) Had A Wish Come True
( ) Been Humped By A Monkey

SO FAR: 57

Level 20
( ) Worn Pearls
(X) Jumped Off A Bridge: off a wall of a bridge
(X) Screamed "Penis" or "Vagina"
( ) Swam With Dolphins.

SO FAR: 59

Level 22
(X) Got Your Tongue Stuck To A Pole/Freezer/ice Cube
( ) Kissed A Fish
(X) Worn The Opposite Sex's Clothes
(X) Sat On A Roof Top

SO FAR: 62

Level 23
(X) Screamed At The Top Of Your Lungs
( ) Done / ATTEMPTED A One-Handed Cartwheel
(X) Talked On The Phone For More Than 4 Hours
(X) Recently stayed Up for a while talking to someone you care about

SO FAR:65

Level 24
( ) Picked And Ate An Apple Right Off The Tree
(X) Climbed A Tree
( ) Had/Been In A Tree House
(X) Been scared To Watch Scary Movies Alone

SO FAR: 67

Level 25
(X) Believed In Ghosts
( ) Have had More Then 30 Pairs Of Shoes
( ) Gone Streaking
( ) Visited Jail

SO FAR: 68

Level 26
(X) Played Chicken
(X) Been Pushed into a pool with all your clothes on
(X) Been Told You're Hot By A Complete Stranger
(X) Broken A Bone
(X) Been Easily Amused

SO FAR: 73

Level 27
( ) Caught A Fish Then Ate It Later
( ) Made A Porn Video/got asked to make one
(X) Caught A Butterfly
(X) Laughed So Hard You Cried
(X) Cried So Hard You Laughed

SO FAR:76

Level 28
(X) Mooned/Flashed Someone
(X) Had Someone Moon/Flash You
(X) Cheated On A Test
(X) Forgotten Someone's Name
( ) French Braided Someones Hair
(X) Gone Skinny Dipping
(X) Been Kicked Out Of Your House
(X) Tried to hurt yourself

SO FAR: 83

Level 29
(X) Rode A Roller Coaster
( ) Went Scuba-Diving/Snorkeling
(X) Had A Cavity
(X) Black-Mailed Someone
(X) Been Black Mailed

SO FAR:87

Level 31
(X) Been Used
(X) Fell Going Up The Stairs
( ) Licked A Cat
(X) Bitten Someone
(X) Licked Someone

SO FAR: 91

Level 32
( ) Been shot at/or at gunpoint (does bee bee gun count lol)
( ) Had sex in the rain
(X) Flattened someones tires
(X) Rode your bike/Driven your car until the fuel light came on
(X) Got five pounds or less worth of fuel

TOTAL: 94

Not bad overall I think....

25 Random Things About Me

2009-02-11T13:56:00.003+05:30

This post has been doing the rounds of Facebook for a while now and finally I got tagged in it. The 'game' involves writing 25 random things about yourself and then posting it on Facebook. It gets interesting when you tag 25 other people on your list and they in turn write 25 random things about themselves and so on and so forth. So without further ado here it is; "25 Random Things About Me".

1. I am left handed. That's right. That is the source of my unbelievable intelligence.

2. I love women. OK maybe that's a slight understatement. Can't blame me for making up for all the years I lost out on, can you? Which brings me to...

3. I'm a Venusian Artist who's transitioned to a more natural form of 'Game' suited to my own personality. Don't ask me what it is. That's what Google is for, idiot.

4. You got that right. I am arrogant and conceited. Can't help it if I'm superior to the rest of you dumbasses.

5. I love to write but don't think I'd ever do it professionally even though I've been invited to. I just don't see myself writing stuff I'm not passionate about. I'm passionate about voicing my opinions against dumbfucks. Don't think they'd want to print some of that stuff in a newspaper.

6. I have a list of things that I want to accomplish in this life. I have yet to get started on it.

7. Yes, I am a rabid procrastinator.

8. My greatest fear is to die an unknown, not having left a mark on this planet's history.

9. As a child I always wanted to be a detective growing up. That's the influence of the novels I used to read, spy thrillers mainly.

10. As a Teenager I wanted to be a Theoretical Astrophysicist and my idol was Stephen Hawking. I was a super nerd alright.

11. My idol now and forever will be Mystery a.k.a Erik Von Markovic who changed not just my life but the lives of countless frustrated men the world over.

12. I'm almost 23. And completely clueless with what I want to do with my life. I'm not sure if that's such a bad thing either..

13. I like to sing. Which doesn't mean I sing WELL by default.

14. I love spicy food. I think I could make a meal of raw chillies if I was hungry enough. Although that would really make my asshole burn. Strange, but speaking of burning assholes reminded me of my ex. Hmm.

15. I'm a philosopher at heart. My greatest inspiration would be Friedrich Nietzsche.

16. At varying points in my life I've been a devout Catholic, an Atheist, an Agnostic and finally believe in a 'force' that is part of us and the universe and binds everything together. Oh, this isn't some religious mumbo-jumbo by the way. Read Bell's Theorem for more on Quantum Connectedness. Yeah, I can see you playing tic-tac-toe in your head.

17. I'd love to live in Mumbai forever. There's something about this place that stays in your blood and gives you a perpetual high.

18. I have a natural instinct to gamble and take risks. Calculated ones. After all I do value human life and above all my own human life is very sacred to me. Yes, I Love ME. Deal with it.

19. I need my cuppa tea in the morning to get started. I can get pretty irritable if I don't get my morning chai. Trust me, you don't wanna fuck with me before I get my morning chai.

20. I could pretty much live on Beer if there was a food famine. My genetics makes it almost impossible for me to get a Beer Belly. Envy me losers! hah!

21. I broke my nose while boxing in School hence the slight curve of my nose towards the left.

22. I had a bike that I fondly referred to as 'My Baby'. She's rusted and worn out now and won't be good for even the scrap metal dealers. Story of my life..

23. I now have a broken leg and no social life. I think being AWAY from society may have been my greatest contribution to it till date. I'm not proud of it okay.

24. I have a tattoo on the left side of my chest of a heart with a dagger going through it with the inscription on a flag that reads, "Soldier Of Fortune". That means a person who seeks adventure for it's own sake. Suck my balls, all ye who scoff.

25. When it comes to dancing I have two left feet. Now you know.

The New Old Me

2009-02-03T01:38:00.003+05:30

It's been a while since I put something up here. It's coz I got nothing. Nada. Zip. My brains drawing a blank. Nothing has happened to me in the last 2 months. Not since the accident that broke my leg and led to my forced incarceration at home. I don't think I mentioned the accident here. Just a lousy thigh bone fracture. They needed to shove a rod in the leg to hold the bone in place. Which means I now walk with crutches. It's temporary girls. I'l be back to what I do best in no time. But for now I sit here on the computer and while my hours playing mindless games on Facebook. The damn site has become a boon for me. Who would've figured that.

My 2 month hiatus from society has led me to contemplate on certain issues and aspects of my life. Not that it has got me anywhere. I have become more laid-back and unconcerned about things than I've ever been. That is slightly alarming since I wasn't gung-ho to start with. But everything in it's own time. I am also a Commerce Graduate now and anybody familiar with my relationship with formal education would disbelieve the fact that I actually STUDIED. Rest assured my friends, I didn't. If you can't beat the system then you join it, and then beat it. That's all I'm going to say on that topic. Mainly to avoid prosecution.

I don't know what has happened to the ex girlfriend by now but I'm sure she's got a special corner of Hell to roast in and wish she'd hurry up and get there. (Yes dear reader you were impatient to know when I was going to begin my rants weren't you?). The only good that came of that breakup was that I was able to help other guys get through their breakups with minimum pain. Those women have hot spots in Hell too.

I've been learning Portuguese on account of Brazilian women who add me on orkut and are pretty insistent on chatting. They have the view that sex in India is slower and more passionate because we have the 'KamaSutra'. I don't like to burst their bubble and enlighten them with the sordid facts. Oh, I've been learning the KamaSutra too.

It's going to be 2 more months before I walk on my legs without the help of crutches. I'm not sure yet but I think I've found a great cause to be a part of, to give back what I have taken and to better lives in the bargain. I'd probably stop posting on this blog from April onwards and start a new one to reflect the new life that I will begin to lead.

An entirely new story would begin then and the people who call themselves my fans would be more than glad for me to take that step. After all, it's time India had it's very own PUA. *wink wink*

Rating And Dating!

2008-12-19T20:15:00.004+05:30

A rating scale has the obvious advantage of simplifying something into a logical and coherent structure. To use it to rate women, even more so. I see you men wincing and you women baying for my blood. But it's an unsavory fact of life and one must accept it just like Scientology and Madonna. You can deny it all you want but these elements do exist.

The most widely used scale is the 1-10 rating system. The women are slotted on this scale based on certain purportedly objective characteristics. Although one might argue that one's subjective tastes color the rating handed out. The one's at the top, i.e. a 10 is someone we really want to be with and may be someone out of our league. Then come the 8's and 9's who we like and may also be dating. Then come the 7's who are actually 8's without the make-up. And then come the 6 and below who are generally not to be 'gamed'. This rating system however modified in it's various forms holds some resemblance to the one I roughly outlined. Now I personally used this version of the system and noticed some flaws. For e.g a girl who would be rated a 10 by me would not even begin to appeal to a friend. Does that mean that she isn't fucking hot? No, it just means that my subjective judgment of her ability to put out easily clouded my objective rating by maybe pushing her up the scale a point or 2. Other times there would be a girl I would be attracted to based on certain..uh..qualities and yet would find that I would only rate her a 7. Which is low according to my standard rating and would lead to confusion on whether I should pursue the girl or quit.

Thus I came to believe that this system though it has served me well in the past now needs to either be modified or discarded completely. Then it came to me, the most simple yet profound method of rating which is actually a misnomer since it doesn't involve digits. I just had to ask myself 1 simple question and the answer to that would determine whether I would go ahead or cut my losses and look elsewhere. The answer would also be closed-ended which would eliminate any ambiguousness by only allowing me a yes or a no as my choice. The time has come to reveal the question which may at first sound stupid as it did to me too but one will meditate and savor the question and maybe even roll it around in one's mouth till one comes to terms with it's profoundness.

"Do I find this woman attractive?" is the question guys. Pause and let it sink in and marvel and delight in it's simplicity. Once you're done silently mumbling thanks to God for giving me to the world here's why I think the question kicks ass. It makes it possible to add my subjective judgment to the equation thus making a rating much more personal. The margin of error is reduced which means I wouldn't waste my time on that girl who is a perfect ten when it comes to looks but thinks scoring 97 in an I.Q test means she scored 97%. Gad! Unless you actually are that stupid yourself, but even then the system would still work. It would also give me an opportunity to know a wide variety of women since I would have normally constricted myself using the old system to only really hot bimbos who thought Barack Obama referred to military quarters in Africa.

I know my pioneering work in this field will be a great boon to a lot of guys out there who think about these sort of things but find no one to answer their questions. You can be rest assured that nothing is too stupid for me to devote a little time to writing on these days. And if I do get that call from the Nobel Committee I know it's only my readers that I have to thank for making it possible.

Foolish Questions

2008-12-17T19:12:00.003+05:30

Here's a bunch of foolish but interesting questions that I found on the web. By the end of it you will indeed question the extent of boredom's grip on my life. Enjoy.

1) How can you tell you’ve run out of invisible ink?
2) If a jogger runs at the speed of sound, can he still hear his mp3 player?
3) Why are most nudist people you wouldn’t want to see naked?
4) If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
5) Why do you press harder on a remote control when you know the battery is dead?
6) When you’re finally holding all the cards, why does everyone else decide to play chess?
7) Do molecular biologists wear designer genes?
8) Are part-time bandleaders Simi-conductors?
9) If most accidents occur within five miles from home, why don’t people just move?
10) How many weeks are there in a light year?

The Terrorists Mind

2008-12-13T12:51:00.005+05:30

The recent terror attacks in Mumbai fill our minds with horror at the heinous acts perpetrated by the terrorists. When it took place I had no words to describe how I felt and I still don't. The only question that keeps ringing in my mind is 'why?'. Why did it happen? More importantly, why is a terrorist a terrorist? What makes a person slay innocents without remorse and justify such acts as righteous? There are differing opinions out there of different psychologists, all compelling but since terrorists don't really volunteer for psychological analysis there are differences in what motivates terrorist.

There's the anger without guilt theory that is put forward by Rona Fields, a Washington D.C. psychologist, that says that the way a terrorist defines right and wrong is very black and white and mostly influenced by a charismatic authoritative figure. They have a total limitation to the capacity to think for themselves. A terrorist develops gradually from a young age (typically boys aged 10-16) who are easiest to recruit "at the stage of development of moral judgment called retributive justice or vendetta." This "an eye for an eye" stage of emotional development was described by the Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, she adds. In "societies where there's been inter-generational, inter-communal war," Fields says, many adults never outgrow the vendetta, and are trapped in righteous indignation, which Fields found among "all the members of all paramilitary organizations I examined. They believe there's a difference between right and wrong, but when they do something in the name of the cause, it's justified."

These true believers, she adds, "are angry, but they don't feel guilty about their anger."

On the other hand some experts argue that the suicidal terrorists instead of being psychopathic wackos are actually rational people effectively pursuing their goals. In fact David Long, former assistant director of the State Department's Office of Counter Terrorism says that not only are terrorists not crazy but they don't share a uniform personality type and he goes on to say, "No comparative work on terrorist psychology has ever succeeded in revealing a particular psychological type or uniform terrorist mindset." Still, Long wrote that terrorists tend to have low self-esteem, are attracted to groups with charismatic leaders, and, not surprisingly, enjoy risk. Oddly, Long concluded that many terrorists are ambivalent about violence and guns.

John Horgan, a psychologist at University College Cork (Ireland) says, One of the major appeals of fundamentalism is the remarkable ability to see the world in black and white terms." Fundamentalist terrorist groups, Horgan adds, offer persuasive inducements to would-be bombers. "We shouldn't underestimate the lures of joining these groups. Some have specific ideas of what the afterlife involves. Allah will forgive the sins of both the suicide bomber and his family."

Suicide bombers, he adds, are often "seen as heroes in the Palestinian struggle. You can see the pictures of martyrs plastered on walls. The families are praised... and the families of the bombers usually receive some financial reward."

One goal of analyzing terrorists in psychological terms, obviously, is to deter or prevent attacks, but the present situation is not encouraging. "There are not just people ready to die, but people who want to die," Horgan notes.

Rather than analyze terrorism in terms of psychopathology, Horgan and others prefer to see it in the context of culture, politics and religion. Terrorism, he says, "is a product of its own time and place. You're not going to find personality traits that will allow you to predict that one person or another is more likely to become a terrorist."

Horgan also suggests looking at the process of screening and training that creates terrorists and selects those best suited to individual "jobs" or leadership. "We don't see the protracted process of indoctrination that terrorists go through." To understand motivations, he says, the focus should shift from personality to process. The excessive focus on the psychology of terrorism echoes the mistakes of criminologists a century ago, Horgan concludes. "Early criminology was characterized by attempts to find differences between the criminal and the non-criminal. We ignored groups, culture, opportunity, the development of people's involvement."

Similarly, until terrorists are studied in the context of their lives, "psychological profiles" and pathological diagnoses are unlikely to provide a satisfying explanation for evil -- or a conclusive warning.

Getting to the root of terrorism doesn't mean killing more terrorists. That would be futile as another terrorist would simply take his place. The solution would be to know what motivates people to become terrorists and change the conditions. Also a weeding out of extremist elements and propaganda spread by the influential few for their own gains is required. That is the real root that needs to be got at and eliminated.

Excerpts taken from an article written by -- David Tenenbaum and Eric Zuelow.

State Control

2008-11-14T02:31:00.002+05:30

Now here's a thought. Ever woken up one morning feeling shitty and hungover from the previous night? Everything seems to get worse; there's no water in the tap, the toothpaste ran out, the toilet is clogged, you burn a hole in your pants and you're getting late for work. What a morning! You get to work an hour late, your boss shouts your head of,f dumps work on you that will take a week and says he wants it by midday. You feel like ripping the man's head off and taking a crap on his desk. You end up being rude to your co-workers, berate the peon for getting you tea that was warm and not hot, mess up your work and wish a bomb would go off beneath your desk to rid you of this misery.

Same scenario but this time a slightly different outcome. And so you get off to work after all that stuff happened, walk into the office with the broadest smile on your face, nod to everyone and have people tell you you're looking great, walk up to your boss and apologize for being late and tell him that you'll get the work done to make up for the time lost; You joke around with your co-workers about how the clogged toilet almost exploded when you flushed it and how the hole in your pants reminds you of the grunge look you had way back in college; You compliment the peon and tell him what a great job he's doing and that if it wasn't for him office productivity would fall on account of people not getting their caffeine fix regularly. You get the work done, drop it on your boss' desk and get a pat on the back with the boss' saying, 'what would I have done without you?'

So what's the difference here? ATTITUDE. The same scenario but different endings all dependent on the way you CHOSE to react. What I'm talking about here is something called 'emotional state control' or just 'state control'. Your responses to people and events and the way you influence them with your 'state'. Picture two average looking guys, one who is surrounded by people at a party and they're laughing and enjoying themselves around him and the other stands in a corner nursing his drink. One chooses to be happy and playful and mix around and the other does the opposite. Here we notice how our emotional state influences other people's state. If our state is stronger than others around us then we will influence them with ours and they will in turn adopt our state as if it were a contagious disease. In this manner one can make others feel what one wants them to feel merely by feeling it in oneself first. You can make people love you by feeling love, feel sad because you are feeling sad and so on and so forth.

Here's another scenario to demonstrate a different aspect of state control called a 'state break'. You're at a club and you see this cute girl at the bar so you decide to walk up to her with your new found powers of state control. You smile at her and say hi and she responds and you get the conversational ball rolling from there. Things go great and you've built enough attraction in her for you to go for her number. She gives it to you and you decide to exit thinking it was a great night and she'll definitely be responsive when you next speak to her. You decide to wait 2 days before you call since you don't want to seem too interested. You call, she picks and you reintroduce yourself. The conversation seems awkward, she seems impatient and finally you ask to meet her sometime when she's free for coffee. She says she's going to have to call you back but the tone of voice isn't too promising. She eventually never does and doesn't take your calls or return them either. What went wrong here?

Let's examine this situation. When your in a bar or a club there's a certain 'feel' to the place. The loud music, the dim lights and the alcohol and smoke make the experience surreal. You're in a 'state' and so are the other people there, in the same state as you. This state is very different from your normal life and you go to such places only to be in that magical world where you can be free for a while and experience something different from the daily humdrum. Now what happens when you get outta there? You get out and the state starts to wear off. Eventually you will go back to your normal state and will no longer be as responsive or open to other people's advances as you were in the club. When the guy does call the girl up her state will be completely different from what she was in at the club. She may blow him off even though she thought he was great the other night. Pretty hard but a fact of life.

Well don't be disappointed too much with that last story. The way to avoid the female from flaking is to build an adequate amount of comfort after building the initial attraction so that when you re-initiate contact at a later time she knows you're not calling to continue building attraction so you can bang her but so that you determined that you'll had something in common and may be more interested in knowing her. This is a whole different topic by the way and I may just address it in a different post. This is all I got for now. Next time we will discuss frame control. I promise I'll keep that short.

Approval Theory

2008-11-03T14:04:00.000+05:30

So I've been thinking lately about how we interact with people especially one's we have just met, and draw certain conclusions. Have you ever noticed that unconsciously you're acts and general behavior are done to seek approval? Everything from nodding you're head a little more vigorously than you normally would to cracking that not so funny joke and expectantly awaiting positive reactions from the crowd are done to get approval. It's not really a strange and surreal concept if you think about it. Our value as human beings depends on other people's perception of us and not on what we think of ourselves. That is to say that our value is not so much as what we are but of what people think we are. So to seek approval is but natural. But what happens when you realize that everyone seeks everyone else's approval? You become socially fearless with the knowledge that people seek YOUR approval as much as you do theirs and armed with such knowledge you can overcome shyness, and 'perform' social feats that you never thought you were capable of. From walking into a room full of people you don't know and chatting them up to building lasting relationships with people other than your childhood friends is a power that can only come with this realization. I tell you, go out, talk to strangers, even if it's just commenting on something, you don't need to have a conversation just an acknowledgment from the person that you said something. So try it and see the difference it makes in your life. Let go of the need to seek approval, to seek acceptance, to sometimes act like you're cooler and not talk to others because you would be the bigger loser if you keep that attitude towards every new person you meet.

Those of you who think that the more people you know the more superficial the relationships would be should dispel of this erroneous assumption. There was a study conducted that showed that people with a wider circle of friends are more likely to keep in touch with their friends as opposed to those with a smaller circle. They were not only more social but also more caring and concerned about the well-being of their peers. So make the change in yourself and see the quality of your life change.

Here I Am Fuckers!

2008-10-21T06:24:00.005+05:30

Sonofabitch. It's been more than a month since I last wrote. Things have been happening at a frightening pace and my mind was preoccupied with a gazillion things. The breakup with the ex wasn't too easy on me either. Took me a month to get over her but here I am still standing and better off with the experience of dealing with it. Plus my understanding of women has gone to a whole new level. And my wariness of the fairer sex has grown substantially. If you're wondering whether I'm going to go into a rant about what a bitch the ex was you're wrong. Ha! She deserves a fate much worse than worthless words on a blog that maybe 3 people read.

I've started working. Again. My 6th company and the thought of it makes me wonder how in a very short span I've managed to work in so many places. Either I'm really good or they have no taste. Anyway It's a great place to be working at and I have no plans of quitting anytime soon.

I got a new digicam as well; a Polaroid 8 megapixel for all those who are wondering about the pixels. Takes great pics but battery life sucks. Can't complain too much coz I got it for a bargain 5 grand. The bike would hopefully come next month and the laptop, the month after. A replacement girlfriend is already in the pipeline and if all goes well the notification should be seen by all those on facebook who have no life and gossip about others lives. Mo'fuckers.

There are people coming into my life and others drifting away to other cities and countries even. The relationships will survive however, for I'm not one to let go of the people who care for me and who I in turn care for. This goes out to Lara and Adele, two great people and awesome friends who's presence I won't miss for they are always present in my heart. That's all the cheesiness coming from me in this post.

A good lesson I've learnt in recent times is to never feel bad if someone tells you you've fucked their happiness. They're just out to make you feel like shit and bring you down to their level. Blow me bitches, here I am.

That's all for now folks. No more shit happening but when it does it will come up here. Don't know when the next one would come up but I'm going to be much less polite. It's 6.30 a.m now and I should be getting some sleep. Adios Amigos.

Alcoholic Necessity

2008-09-11T02:06:00.002+05:30

Aah. Who doesn't know the pleasure of that poison in their blood. From the first sip the absolute passion flooding down your throat, exploding in your stomach and sending the most relaxing sensations zinging through your body. Minutes later, the sensation of calmness and requiem buzzing through your brain and sending shock waves of calm through your senses. We drink to celebrate, we drink to drown our sorrows, we drink to forget, we drink to remember the good old times, we drink to dull emotional pain, we drink to feel good; to puke and pass out.. and drink we do.

I drink for all these reasons and many more. Albeit drinking doesn't need a reason. It is reason enough for itself. The beginning and the end of itself. I say that if you don't drink then you have missed out on one of the greater meanings for life itself. The slurring of tongue, the haziness of mind, the numbing of the fingers, the singularity of thought and the desire for expression of societal repressions are a thing to be experienced in one's lifetime. Go out. Have a peg or a pint. Have fun. Let go of your anger, your hatred, your troubles and the things that are dragging you down and remember that we live for ourselves and that we owe no one nothing, this life is to be lived by the moment and for the moment and all that matters at the end of it is the sum of our experiences. Wouldn't you want it to be good at the end of it all and recollect those memories of youthful exuberance and extravagance?

I am not trying to make converts here with this post. That is not the intention. Well maybe it is a wee bit. I am strongly opinionated towards the propagation of this part of human culture. But the grander message of this post is that I am piss sloshed as I write this. Good night. I love you all.

The Trials Of Great Men

2008-09-10T02:04:00.003+05:30

I observe a phenomenon among men of power, money, fame and prestige. 8 times out of 10 they are the kind of people who are polygamous, choosing to enjoy the company of several women one after another rather than being with just one for the length of their lives. I ask myself why this is so and proffer an answer to this question. It's just an opinion people don't quote me on this.

Great men got to where they were by maintaining a steadfast belief in themselves and their vision regardless of the obstacles that stood in their way. The ability to not let life and people push them around and to never compromise their values and beliefs to 'adjust' to a situation but rather to adjust the situation to suit them. And this becomes a personality trait for them that lasts through their lives mainly because they were so successful by being uncompromising that not being so doesn't make sense.

Somewhere down the line this trait creeps into their personal lives and here is where the problem with their relationships begins. Relationships as we all know require a greater or lesser degree of compromise. You just can't have your way all the time. These great people just don't think so, I believe. They probably are as uncompromising in their romantic relations as they are in their business lives. But what is successful in business may not be the case in relationships with the opposite sex. Ironically women are attracted to men who are steadfast in their beliefs and pursue their dreams yet when it comes to the point where the relationship has to enter a different phase they tend to get ticked off at such men for being 'stubborn' ( notice the way 'steadfast' turns to 'stubborn') and having no time for them 'coz men work so much. Hence leading to the union coming to a premature end. Not that it bothers men of such standing. They, after all, have a line of women who would want to be in their mere presence and they know that fact. They couldn't care less. And so they continue through their lives from woman to woman not understanding why at some point the association with a particular woman fails.

In the words of Tryon Edwards, “Compromise is but the sacrifice of one right or good in the hope of retaining another--too often ending in the loss of both.” How verily true this is and how much have I lost in the past before learning the lessons I have learnt. *sigh*

Now that you all know this, please note that this will be the main reason for the failure of my past, present and future relationships with women. Do not ask me what happened in my past relationships with women. This post is the answer to your questions about them. If it doesn't answer your questions then find a better pastime like differentiating between the taste of wax from your left ear and the right one. All Greatness comes with sacrifice, and ending this post in the words of the great Benjamin Disraeli, " If you are not very clever, you should be compromising".

The Chapters Of My Life

2008-09-09T01:48:00.002+05:30

Books have been like friends to me since a very young age. Each one was a special friend with a special personality. Someone I could learn a lot from and inculcate in myself those characteristics I learnt from them. And life itself is a lot like a book. Each and every individual has a story to tell. Maybe it won't be a bestseller; maybe no one will ever read your life. But you know for a fact that to live the life you have takes only an author as unique as you.

Incidents in life are like chapters in a book. One needs to finish a chapter to move on to the next. Yet, you dare not forget the previous chapter lest you lose the rhythm of the story. Think about it. We try to forget painful memories; try to erase them from our minds. But do you think you would be the person you are today without that incident happening? It's like you're tearing out a chapter from your life. Would your life continue to make sense after that?

But a chapter must close for another one to begin. The inspiration for the next chapter comes from the previous chapters. One must go on till the book of life ends. Make each and every chapter memorable. Memorable doesn't mean happy only. A good chapter is one that stimulates you. That has a mixture of pleasure and pain, happiness and sadness and boredom, love and hate and drama. Above all drama. After all, isn't life a stage and all of us mere actors on it?

A very important chapter of my life has closed. I rue it because it was a beautiful chapter. One that gave me everything. Yet I cannot let this chapter define the book. So I must move on to the next. Who knows what may happen in this next chapter that has begun? I just have to write it as I go along improvising all the way. I'm not doing too badly either.

I Am My Own Grandfather

2008-08-23T15:07:00.002+05:30

This little anecdote was something that I had read in a magazine years back and bits of it came back to me so I did a google search and managed to find the whole thing. Apparently Mark Twain wrote this and it was rediscovered by a bunch of singers and made into a song. It's quite interesting and sticks in your mind making you wonder what was Mark trippin' on when he wrote this. Here is how it goes...

"I am my own grandfather"
I married a widow who had a grown-up daughter. My father, who visited us quite often, fell in love with my step-daughter and married her. Hence, my father became my son-in-law, and my step-daughter became my mother. Some months later, my wife gave birth to a son, who became the brother-in-law of my father as well as my uncle. The wife of my father, that is my step-daughter, also had a son.
Thereby, I got a brother and at the same time a grandson. My wife is my grandmother, since she is my mother's mother. Hence, I am my wife's husband and at the same time her step-grandson; in other words, I am my own grandfather.

How's that for something to think about for the rest of the day?

I Am Alive

2008-08-21T15:37:00.004+05:30

I realize it's been 2 weeks since I last posted something here. I've been caught up and distracted by several things. Work has been the main culprit and the loss of internet connectivity for a few days had left me frazzled. Plus the night shifts I'm doing have been taking their toll. But I intend to put some stuff up in the next few days. Have a couple of drafts that I had started but didn't end up polishing off. No matter now. Hopefully they all come out the way my loyal readers (if there are any) would like them to be. Have some good material up in my head for the next couple of posts and the mother of them all that I've been wanting to write for a while. Too much suspense I know but I won't keep you guys waiting for long. Promise.

Friends For Sale

2008-08-06T14:19:00.003+05:30

I have been using Facebook for a few months now and wasn't really a fan initially for the interface was much more complicated than Orkut which is simple and allows one to easily initiate conversations with friends through scraps and suchlike. But what got me addicted to Facebook were some of the applications. Not only are they innovative but highly addictive and provide hours of entertainment. One of my consistent favorites and one that I discovered just about a month ago is Friends For Sale.

The concept behind Friends For Sale is simplistic. You buy friends or strangers ( who have installed the application ) as pets and when they get sold you make a percentage of the sell price as profit over and above the original price paid back to you. You can choose to buy back or let go once the price seems unreasonable and choose to look for 'pets' that are reasonable and whose price you think would appreciate once they are 'discovered' by other traders. Also when you are bought as a pet your price appreciates by 10% of your previous value and you make a percentage of the profit in FFS dollars. Now this might seem like a passing fad and something one would get bored of in a day but that is not so. I haven't tired of it and I have a very short attention span. I gave it a bit of thought to see what could be the reason as to the addictiveness of this game.The reason I think is the extreme social nature of this application allowing users to freely interact with one another and forming groups, tackling the application and one's success in the game with strategy and team work. You go about checking out other people's pet 'collections' and maybe buy one or two if you like any and leave a comment on their profile thus initiating a conversation with a complete stranger from a different part of the world and an acquaintanceship being born when he or she replies back.

I have been fortunate to be part of a group of guys called FFSGG ( Friends For Sale - Guys Group ) who play this game and are as or maybe more passionate than me. They are great players, great people and great friends. Here's to all the guys at FFSGG. You Rock!

No More Social Networks

2008-08-02T12:00:00.000+05:30

I have been spending an inordinate amount of time on social networks, upto 12-14 hours daily. The ridiculousness of it all struck me just yesterday and in a fit I almost deleted my orkut account. But then I calmed myself, spoke to a few people who advised me not to act so rashly as I'm bound to regret it a week later. Which was true of course. The dependence on social networks is scary but real. I need my daily kick as do a lot of other youngsters. Which is scary 'cause it's as addictive as drugs or cigarettes and has similar symptoms of withdrawal like anxiousness for example. I certainly feel it. These so-called social networks have made me more a social recluse than anything. I'd rather sit at home and chat and play games online than go out and actively socialize with people in the flesh.

Not that it doesn't have it's plus points. I've met some wonderful people through these websites and there's no denying that fact. But the ratio of the number of people I've eventually met to the number I've chatted up is abysmally low. The effort I've put in to try and build relationships with most people has been absolutely wasted. The time and effort would have been better spent strengthening the relationships I've already built. Not to mention how much loss I've suffered in the amount of social intelligence that I could have gained from real approaches and meeting new people in the flesh. That's going to change now and I've promised not to log onto my orkut profile for a couple of days at least. I'm going to make do with facebook for now. And limit the time I spend there as well. Also I'm going to make the effort to go out to meet my area friends at least once every day for an hour or so in the evenings. Need to get back into the game and make real friends as opposed to virtual ones.

Almost Dead

2008-07-31T15:29:00.000+05:30

There's a saying that goes thus, " We live only twice; once when we're born and the other when we die". Well i know I've certainly felt alive when I've almost walked into the white light. There are 2 incidents that come to mind very vividly. Twice when I've come so close to knocking on Heaven's Door I could smell the barbecue inside.

The first time was when me and a bunch of friends had gone to take a dip in a Well. Problem was, I couldn't swim. Unfortunately I was under the influence of certain of nature's natural 'stimulants' and was in an ebullient mood. So what if I can't swim? That's not stoppin' me from tryin' nosiree. There's always a first time to do things, so why not now? My logic seemed infallible. So I jumped. Right smack dab in the middle of the Well. Well it certainly felt different than the pool at Water Kingdom though I couldn't put my finger on which part. I didn't have the time to think that far. I was more taken up at the moment with figuring out what I was supposed to do next with my hands and feet. I didn't make any earth-shattering discoveries. But maybe a minute after I jumped in the guys on the outside realized that something was wrong. They came to that conclusion after watching me struggle for life and air for a whole minute. Guess they were 'stimulated' too like I was. Anyway one of them jumped in and pulled my lame ass out of that well. We had a joint after I dried myself up. I sure needed it.

The other time was when I decided to borrow a friends motorbike for a couple of days. I'm used to the drum brakes on the front wheel of my bike whereas his had disk brakes. Which means better braking but unless you're used to it they can be hazardous to health as I was soon about to find out. It was about evening time and I was cutting through traffic when the Rickshaw ( the bane of Indian roads) right in front of me braked hard. I swerved off to the left but there wasn't enough of a gap so to avoid banging into him I braked. Hard. Now the thing with disk brakes is that the wheel comes to a dead stop. Which it did when I jammed the brake. Not good when you're doing about 40 kph. The front wheel skidded out from under me and I was thrown off. I was on the ground and traveling without the bike which had ended up under a truck not 2 feet from me to my left. If I had to fall to the left of that bike it would have been me under the truck and the bike watching me.

Still gives me goosebumps thinking of those times. I guess I have the Devil's own luck as the saying goes. Comes in handy it does.

Chocolate - The Food OF God's

2008-07-28T18:11:00.001+05:30

I woke up one morning and as is customary for me, read the day's newspaper. In it was an article that piqued my curiosity. The article was about a study that had discovered that women actually prefer chocolates over sex. Wait till the girls hear about this, we'll all be havin' a good laugh and slappin' our thighs. To my chagrin though, I was the one being laughed AT. Women actually do seem to prefer chocolate over sex, albeit to varying degrees among different women. But the general consensus is that the study has some merit. Another part of the study surveyed women from different countries of the world and their tendency to avoid sharing chocolate. Guess what? Women from Brazil are least likely to share followed by Indian women. That accounts for all the missing chocolate in the house. I can't blame the women though. I profess to like chocolate almost as much. After all the scientific name for chocolate is Theobroma, which means Food of the God's.

Chocolate has a number of different chemicals that stimulate various regions of the brain. One of the regions that a certain chemical stimulates is also the same region which becomes more active during sexual arousal. Women also tend to crave chocolate just before the beginning of their menstrual cycle. This is due to the fact that serotonin (a chemical receptor and neurotransmitter) levels go down and chocolate seems to stimulate the production of it. Thus the effects of menstruation are more muted than without chocolate. Or maybe it just makes it a lot more sufferable. Also the melting point of chocolate is just slightly above the human body temperature which is why chocolate melts instantly in the mouth. The sensation is quite a pleasure in itself I might add but then nobodies really a stranger to that feeling. And anything that's food for the God's is good enough for me. I was wondering aloud to Anika, a close friend as to why civilization didn't die out when women discovered chocolate. She tells me it was the Aztecs who discovered it and where are they now?

Understanding Consciousness

2008-07-22T01:07:00.001+05:30

As humans we pride ourselves on being conscious and aware, whereas the rest of the animals are not blessed with such an ability.The God's themselves may have blessed us; created us in their own image for we are special. That is the central theme behind some of the world's biggest religions. In the face of all evidence to the contrary religions go about preaching unscientific views on the history of the world and about the creation of this universe and its inhabitants.

Human consciousness has only begun to evolve fairly recently, as recent as 3000 years ago. There is much we do today that shows to a great degree that we are automations, performing even complex tasks without conscious deliberation. We can drive a car with one hand while talking on the cellphone. We function almost on an unconscious basis, from hour to hour, day to day. Our actions are more programmed than thought out. We react rather than act. Observe your own actions for a day and you will see instances of what I'm talking about.

This state of mind was first spoken about in the 1976 book 'The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind', written by Julian Jayne. The Bicameral Mind hypothesis supposes that the human brain once assumed a state known as Bicameral Mind in which cognitive functions are divided between one part of the brain which appears to be "speaking," and a second part which listens and obeys. "At one time, human nature was split in two, an executive part called a god, and a follower part called a man. Neither part was Consciously aware", says Julian. Hence the illusions about gods speaking to men and guiding their destinies. Of course such a hypothesis doesn't come without it's share of controversies and opposition. Also along these lines we have the hypothesis of Mythopoeic thought which more or less is similar to the Bicameral Mind Hypothesis. This hypothesis talks about ancient man's need to create myths to understand the reasons behind natural occurrences. This again comes back to our need to have and ultimate explanation for everything; a greater force that is responsible for all of nature's hidden ways.

In this day and age the concepts of myths and gods still prevail for the simple fact that man does not think wholly rationally. He needs an explanation for the phenomena that he doesn't understand. The truth is, we fear that which we do not understand. And we need to ascribe reasons for things being the way they are even if they have no scientific or measurable basis in reality. That is why religions prevail, wars are fought and people die. Out of a fear of the unknown.

Investing In Tomorrow

2008-07-11T00:09:00.001+05:30

I have mentioned in some of my earlier posts my fondness for numbers since I was very young. That fondness extended to my adult life and particularly with regards to money. Now why money, one asks? Why not measure the square feet in one's apartment or count the number of steps in a stairwell? Actually the answer to that is that having already done those particular things and long since having exhausted all possible avenues of things countable I stumbled upon the last option available. Money.

Money is a concept, subjective in nature. The psychology of nations drives the value of money. The most fascinating thing however is how money grows or gets devalued depending on what an individual chooses to do with it. What I mean is, for example a person keeps accumulating his savings in a bank for 10 years at an interest rate of 3% a year. Now you may say that the person will end up at the end of 10 years with a surplus amount of money if he diligently saves and takes not a penny out. Not so if inflation has a say in these matters, which it usually does. Inflation is what causes your money to buy lesser and lesser of something as time progresses. So at a 6% average rate of inflation over the same 10 years period compounded will mean a serious loss of savings by this person. 6% is not an unreasonable number as the rate of inflation these days is hovering in the double digits. A scary prospect for employed people on fixed salaries. Having learned all this at an early age I sought avenues which would beat inflation once I started earning my own money. And the best place for long term investments and a hedge against inflation according to the experts is the Stock Market.

Now you may have heard from your family members or an uncle who had put money in the markets and had lost a bundle that it's a risky place and no good has come of investing there. Your friends would no doubt have seconded this opinion and in the face of such strong 'facts' you will of course conclude that since these are the people who you trust the most they would most definitely be giving you accurate information and not hand me down opinions. But the truth is one needs to ask oneself as to the factualness of information received. Even the information given by others keeping your best interests in mind may just not be what you needs warrant.

So it is my firm belief that a primer on understanding the financial markets should be a part of the school or college curriculum to get rid of the ignorance on this subject that is prevalent even in educated members of a society. This way people will be able to make good decisions for themselves when it comes to picking a company to invest in as opposed to taking 'tips' from the family broker who would have his own interests in mind and be least concerned as to the state of your finances.

I suggest people to have some information on the workings of the financial markets and especially the stock market if they want to build a future for themselves where they need not be concerned with the devaluation of their savings. The greatest fear for me is probably being old and poor, not knowing what happened to my money which i had so carefully 'saved' all those years I worked. No, that's a scary future for me to envisage and I'd rather spend a little time learning today and taking risks today, knowing that if I fail I'm still young enough to get back on my feet and start all over again. Imagine being 60 and having to go to work instead of spending those years reaping the fruits of your hard work. No siree. My learning has already started and as a friend I implore all who read this to get started on the path to your own learning.

The Journey Of Life

2008-07-07T16:35:00.004+05:30

My last 2 weeks were really bad. And that's an understatement. I got a job, left that job, had the worst cold in years, suffered acute depression, suffered a bout of angst related aggression and felt that everything and everyone was useless and life itself was pointless. And no, that is not a typical morning for me. I am only just starting to recover from this onslaught of untimely maladies. I had lost the will to go on and it took a lot to snap out of that phase I was in. I still feel that my life lacks proper direction and there is nothing more to aspire for. I had a few ambitions growing up and they were more fantasy than anything but it's interesting the way a child's mind works. They do not understand that something can be impossible and that there are some things that you just cannot do. When they ask their elders why the answer is almost always, 'because you just can't'. Truth is, the adults themselves do not know why something can't be done, they were told by their elders that it couldn't and were brought up with those limiting beliefs that they go on to teach their kids.

As a child I used to read a lot of fiction novels preferably those written by James Hadley Chase. Most times the central character in the books would be a detective or someone from a government law enforcement agency. At that age these books inspired me to want to become a detective. Then I grew up. But by and by I lacked any real ambition until I decided to become a full time stock market trader. That was vetoed by my grandmother who said complete your graduation and get a job with a bank that will give you pension once you retire. Humph. All I have managed until now is about a year of working with contact centers. No more, No more.

Life is a journey and it is not the destination that matters but the experience of that journey. I plan on completing my grad by this October end and then moving off to greener pastures. After all I hear an uncle in Dubai calling.

Examinations, Results and Failing.

2008-06-26T00:19:00.004+05:30

Results are out and I have failed my Third Year Exams. Yes. To all who know me it may come as a mild shock, and yet it's the truth. So how did this happen you ask? Well I place part of the blame on myself. Working and trying to study at the same time is not really a good idea. You just can't manage it and expect to be excellent at both. Which brings one to the question; should one spend a quarter of a century towards the pursuit of an educational qualification? 25 years of your life dedicated to education before you get a job. It just isn't feasible to most including me who are from average middle class families where you more or less have to fend for yourself.

So then where lies the problem exactly? Is it us Youth who have their ambitions allegedly misplaced or is it the Government who fails to recognize that the Indian Education System is badly in need of an overhaul? I am not complaining about the Higher Education System in India. The IIM's and IIT's can hold their own against the best universities in the world. So why doesn't the Primary and Secondary Education System not have the same quality? Can nothing be done about it? Is is not important? You are 21 on average by the time you are done with your basic Education. After which you need to specialize because unless you have been living under a rock for a really long time you would know the futility of having just a graduation in this country of ours. The numbers show the stark reality of the truth. The number of Raw Graduates being employed is abysmally low, only a quarter of the two and a half million graduates that India produces being actually employable.

The success or failure of the Indian Economy Is directly dependent on the literacy rate of its population. Yet the quality of the education should be as important as the measures taken to increase the literacy rate. A comparison between India and China is imperative, nay, inevitable. China's Youth is almost entirely literate. To say that India is a Democracy while China is not isn't the best explanation our policy makers can come up with. In fact the failure of the political structure of the country may have something to do with the education system; having infested and stained rather than built and grown and nourished India's present.

There is an unrest amongst the youth of today towards the shoddy education system. Everyone seems to acknowledge that a degree in any stream holds as much water as an upturned cup. The longer the time before a change is made the more the youth of our country would be affected by the feet dragging of our not so beloved politicians and policy makers. I for one sure do not wish to be old and senile before these people wake up from their slumber and wonder what has happened to this great nation which was supposed to have become a superpower but has turned instead into a super mess.

Breaking The Million Mark

2008-06-18T01:18:00.001+05:30

Last July when I started this Blog it lacked direction. It was just going to be about random events in my life and my rantings on things; mostly relationships. Little did I know that it would turn into a hobby and then into a mini-obsession. My rank on Alexa at the end of March was somewhere around 10 million. Not really a score one should give thanks to the good Lord for but considering there are about 70 million Blogs in the Blogosphere, it was a decent enough head start. My posts grew more regular in April and after discovering and joining the Entrecard community I saw the traffic soar exponentially. Soon at the end of May my rank was just a little above 1 million. A good climb up the Blog mountain. And now my Alexa rank stands at 842,472. Woohoo! How cool is that eh? Gives me much more incentive now to go on and maintain the Blog the way I have in the last 3 months. Let's just hope my readers see it the same way I do.

Making Money Online

2008-06-13T02:15:00.002+05:30

I imagine that most Bloggers like me would like to earn some money online (Who doesn't?), whether it be using the Blog as the primary vehicle or not. So here I will list a few sites that I consider have the potential to make money.

1) Dneero: Dneero is one of my favorites. It is a site which has a simple formula; pay people for their opinions. All you need is a Blog or be part of some social network and you're good to join.

2) Bux.to: Bux.to is another site that has a lot of potential to make gains. The concept here revolves around a person clicking and viewing websites. Each website visited gives you a certain revenue and you can have people that you have recommended making money for you in the same manner.

3) Tempscript: Same concept as Bux.to.

4) Uronlinebux: Again, same as the 2 above..

5) Click4ads: I know this is getting monotonous but again this site is similar to the ones above.

6) Mginger: Mginger is a site that works only for people with Phone Numbers registered in India. The concept here is to receive ads on the phone and get paid to view these ads.

7) Youmint: Same concept as Mginger.

8) Ximmy: I just joined this new site which is actually a search engine with social networking built into it. They pay you too for writing reviews and building the community by inviting your friends to participate as well.

This is all I've got for now but I will keep updating this list as I keep on finding newer sites to make money on..

20 Questions..

2008-06-10T18:40:00.005+05:30

I found this bunch of questions on a blog I visited the other day and thought I'd take a shot at them. It's taking off from where I left off with 29 Questions..

1. At what age do/did you wish to marry?

Depends. The more important question is are there any takers out there?

2. What was your happiest moment when you were a child?

I remember pissing out my 3rd floor window and experiencing an unparalleled joy watching it hit the ground below.

3. Where is the place that you want to go the most?

I'd like to visit the Stonehenge.

4. Which part of you do you hate the most?

The part that tells me I HAVE to be good to people all the time. I have however managed to successfully ignore that part.

5. When you encounter a sad moment, what do you do?

I feel sad. What am I supposed to do otherwise? Dance on tabletops?

6. What are you afraid to lose the most?

My Collector's edition Spider-man costume.

7. If you win $1 million, what would you do?

Give it all to charity.. Yeah, right!

8. What do you love the most about last year (2007)?

I got a Girlfriend. And then some.

9. What would I change if I was King of the World for a day?

I would commission the most massive statue ever built. Guess who's image it would be in?

10. How do you cope with boredom?

I sleep, read, talk on the phone and surf the Web.

11. Till now, what is the moment that you regret the most?

I regretted it every time I asked myself the question 'should I?' and answered that in the negative. Now I'm just like 'fuck it, let's do it'.

12. What type of person do you hate the most?

Anyone who has an ego bigger than mine. Arrogant Bastards.

13. What is your ambition?

To be great at everything I do.

14. If you had one wish, what would you wish for?

That I become irresistible to women. Wait, I already am.. Drat! I wasted my wish..

15. How did you celebrate New Year?

With My Girl and a few friends. Unbelievable as this may sound, I neither drank nor smoked that night. And stop saying 'Hah, that's likely'. I really didn't.

16. What has been the craziest thing you've ever done in your whole life?

I can't recall any one incident but it would definitely have involved peeing. As you may have noticed I have a penchant for urinating in places considered inappropriate and even unlawful.

17. What do you look forward to in 2008?

To be employed. Please, someone gimme a job. I promise to try to not get myself fired this time.

18. If your life is a song, what title best fits it?

The song 'Wanderlust' By Fozzy.

19. What is your inspiration in life?

Life itself I guess.

20. Which world would you want to live in - Love without Money or Money without Love?

Logically thinking neither of these supposed worlds would exist so I think this question is just stupid and they should stop asking it at Miss World pageants.

Parting Company

2008-06-04T13:11:00.001+05:30

It's strange how people get really close to each other in a very short span of time. I got to know Lara through a common friend and we sort of grew on each other since we both share a love of writing and a weird sense of humor. Now she has moved to a different city in a different state and I feel a sense of loss. It wasn't like we were the very best of friends. Hell, I remember meeting her after 4 months once and not realizing it had been that long. Meeting online everyday was like a must and we had to chat about something or the other, most of it being vacuous. But now that she's so far away the feeling that I can't see her when I want to is a little depressing. Although I find myself overjoyed knowing that she is now working with The Times Of India, no mean feat I tell you. And Lara did it. I feel proud to have her as a friend and wish her all the best for her future. I may just take you up on that offer to live and work with you in Goa. This post is my thanks, for being a great friend and an inspiration (of sorts) and I'll always cherish the times and memories we shared. Let's party together next time we meet. Love ya Kiddo..

Getting Tattooed..

2008-06-01T14:23:00.006+05:30

I kept this part out of the last post on the Goa trip because it certainly deserves mention separately. We decided to meet this friend of a friend who is incidentally also a tattoo artist to score some 'maal'. One thing led to another and we found ourselves checking out his books on tattoo designs and wondering which one to get done and what part of the anatomy. Also vital was the need to budget since getting a tattoo wasn't part of the original plan and it was necessary to know how many meals and beers would be sacrificed in order to adjust a tattoo into the equation. Fortunately being good with numbers all was well and I selected my design promising to come back the day before my departure to Bombay and get myself inked.
The day of judgment dawned and I was forewarned by my tattooed friends that 'It's gonna hurt' with an expression that brought to mind the look sadists probably give when they're just about to start cutting you up. But the 'joints' were being rolled enthusiastically and I was offered to 'spark' the first one and dull myself to the pain that I was about to endure. The tattoo artist by the name of Noel asked me where I wanted to get it done and I chose the left side of my chest as the spot to be permanently tainted. I thought it was an apt spot since the tattoo would not look right elsewhere as you can observe from the picture. It just seemed like the right place. Noel proceeded to warn me with a slight laugh that 'It's gonna hurt there man, haha". Just what I needed; some more encouragement and this coming from the tattoo guy himself.
He drew the outline on my chest with a pen after shaving away the hair from the area that was to be tattooed. I was quite dulled by then and ready to be subjected to the mercy of his needle. When he started I found the pain bearable although when he got to the parts near the bony area toward the center of my chest is when I knew what pain he was talking about. I could feel the vibrations travel through my spine and tingle the tips of my fingers! Finally, two and a half grueling hours later he was finished and just when I had had enough of it. But the whole process gave me the kind of high that can only be felt and not put into words. I've already told myself I'm going to get my next tattoo done from him. It is an experience that stays with you for life. Literally..

Being Reborn..

2008-05-27T14:09:00.005+05:30

Aah! Goa! Can't live with her..Can't live without her.. My trip to Goa was excellent to say the least. This time around the trip was about shanti.. peace. 5 of the 7 days there was spent watching the sunset from a shack on the beach called 'Shore Bar'. It Is the most amazing place to watch the sunset and my soul was awed and humbled by the sheer picturesque beauty of the scene. There's not much to write about, almost all the days were spent in a hash-fueled daze for that extra calm. One afternoon was spent visiting murjhim beach, place where the turtles lay their eggs. We didn't see any turtles or turtle eggs so It was probably off season time for them. A day was spent in the south of Goa; much quieter than the north and a lot slower paced. Towards the end of the 5th day though I felt a little stressed and homesick for Bombay. I missed my usual fast paced life and the noise and smell and people back in the city I was born in.
Coming back home this was a memorable trip and probably the last trip made in the company of my childhood friends.. for we do not know where life will take us all.. soon we will part on the path that destiny has decided for each of us, paths that will take us away from each other..and someday hopefully our paths will cross, and we will relive the moments that made us feel a bond.. a bond with each other and with mother nature..And In Goa we will be reborn..

Vacation Sublime!

2008-05-12T01:09:00.012+05:30

Finally after a month and a half of exams It's going to be all over in 2 days and I will then be off for my well deserved vacation to Goa after almost a year. Just thinking of the beaches and the shacks and the sun, sand n' sea brings back fond memories of the best time of my life spent there in the company of my closest friends. The trip I made 2 years back with a few of my closest friends is still spoken amongst us with a wistful, reminiscent air. Hopefully we 'Kill It' there as we did that last time. I feel the desperate need to escape the city life and the daily grind and live free of the stress and the people and all things superficial. The urge to reconnect to that part deep inside of me that I seem to have forgotten is strong now and this holiday couldn't have come at a better time.

There may not be any stuff coming up on the blog for that time period, though I will try and update it while in Goa. I may also put up some pictures of the time we spend there on a different post.

22 Revolutions Around The Sun

2008-05-07T01:12:00.003+05:30

6th of May 1986, 22 years back I was brought into this world. 22 years later I have yet to make a mark on it. Aimlessly I have wandered through life up until this point and it all hit me a few days back when I realized how old I've become and how direction less my life really is. Rabid optimism is a characteristic trait of my personality but in moments such as these it fails me and a vulnerable side comes to the fore. A side seldom seen by most but often known by me in solitude. A feeling of helplessness comes upon me at such times and I am unable to think clearly to get things done. And when I do have the time I waste it in trivial pursuits and dissipate my energies on random and inconsequential nonsense. Maybe I am afraid of my tomorrow, of what I need to do and what I will become once I make a decision. Yet with this post I also promise to get down to brass tacks and make a final decision to do something from now on as pertains my career and stick to it. Hope Lady Luck doesn't desert me when I most need her. And now is the time I need her very much.

29 Random Questions...

2008-04-29T00:06:00.008+05:30

I was trawling through the web and checking out other blogs as usual when I stumbled on these random questions on Justin's blog and thought I'd answer them.

1. When showering, do you start the water and then get in, or get in then start the water?

I start the water first. That way I can test the temperature of the water and thus know to what degree i need to psyche myself up to get under it.

2. Do you read the labels on your shampoo bottle?

Yes. I'm particular about my brand of shampoo. How else do You think I maintain my long, luxurious mane?

3. Do you moan in the shower like the people on the Herbal Essences commercial?

No. I live with family. That's just plain creepy.

4. Have you ever showered with someone of the opposite sex?

Yes. Briefly. All I was thinking of was 'what do I wipe myself off with when we're done here'?

5. Have you ever been forced to shower with one of your siblings?

No, and me and my bro are happier for that fact.

6. Have you ever brushed your teeth in the shower?

Yes. Just for the heck of it. And oh, also in the toilet once.

7. Have you ever dropped your soap on your foot?

Yes. It hurts like a mother****

8. How old do you look?

Between 21 and 27. The next question is more important though.

9. How old do you act?

Pretty much on the wrong side of 16.

10. What’s the last song you sang?

That would be 'Bad to the Bone' - ZZ Top

11. Have you recently become a member of anything?

I joined a Gym recently 'cause I was pathetically scrawny and decided I'd had enough.

12. What are your plans for the weekend?

Go out clubbing with a bunch of friends and get wasted.

13. Do you kiss with your eyes open or closed?

Most times closed but sometimes open to make sure it is who I think it is. Just as a precaution.

14. What’s the sexiest thing about Condoleeza Rice?

I don't...

15. Does anything on your body itch right now?

My neck. Dunno why.

16. Who’s the sexiest famous woman alive?

Hmm, I'd say that would have to be Salma Hayek. Brother, she makes me weak...

17. Who’s the sexiest famous man alive?

George Clooney, undoubtedly. Beat me by a hair's breadth but I'm sport enough to admit it.

18. Does every family have a crazy uncle?

Every family NEEDS a crazy uncle. Who else tells you it's fine if you don't have a college degree and are unemployed?

19. Have you ever smuggled something into America?

Never been there. Though when I do I'd smuggle in a few Cuban cigars.

20. Does playing the guitar make a girl/guy more attractive?

I guess the Rock Star image does appeal to some members of the opposite sex. I play the piano so I guess I'm automatically slotted in the Elton John category.

21. Do you live in a city with a good sports team?

The Mumbai Indians are pretty decent I'm guessing. I'm not much of a cricket fan though. Please Indian cricket fans, don't burn my house for having said that.

22. Have you ever finished off the popcorn and ate the junk from the bottom of the bag?

I dont like popcorn. What's so likeable about popped corn?!

23. Have you ever had sex in a tent?

I haven't been in a tent. Yet.

24. What about in a boat?

Not in a boat either.. Or for that matter any goddamn mode of transportation.. Christ, stop it with these questions already...

25. Have you ever dated a Goth?

No. It comes right on top of my list though. Right behind sex in a tent and sex in a boat.

26. Would you rather receive amazing oral sex or have amazing sex?

This question is too deep for me to comprehend. Let me meditate on this.

27. Can you fix your own car?

No. My car fixes itself. Sheesh.

28. Would you want to kill George W Bush yourself if you were guaranteed to get away with it?

Yes. I'd just give him a Segway Scooter. Or a Pretzel. He can do a pretty good job without my help. The guys his own worst enemy.

29. Should guys wear pink?

If they can carry it off then kudos to them.

If you guys decide to answer these questions on your own post then send me the link and I'd like to read it. I have all the time in the world.

Here's the link to Justin's post just in case you'll would like to read his answers.

http://www.lifeofjustin.com/2008/04/28/justin-answers-29-random-questions.html

Disclaimer.. A First for any Blog

2008-04-27T13:56:00.004+05:30

The reasons for me starting this blog were to give vent to my narcissistic tendencies. It was never meant for educational or informative purposes and all thoughts expressed here should be taken with a pinch of salt and maybe even a bottle of ketchup for the flavor. I refer to everything that happens in my life and pick out what's interesting to put it up for the heck of it. All the blog does is to give an insight into the workings of my mind and the creative expression of it herein. There's a reason why this blog is in the entertainment category. Coz it's entertainment people!

Decoding the Spark

2008-04-23T16:34:00.005+05:30

I have observed time and again that women talk about a spark they need to feel when referring to the first few interactions with a guy. Now I feel the term 'spark' is very vague and ambiguous and that women themselves find hard to define clearly. All they can say about it is that it's a certain 'something'. That's no real help to a guy if he's interested in a girl and she tells him that she doesn't feel a spark. So I decided to investigate this mysterious phenomenon and see for myself if I could come up with any satisfactory answers.

From personal experience and from talking to a few women about this I know that they first and foremost respond to physical cues. The guys manner and body language play an initial role in influencing her subconscious. So the first thing we look at are the visual cues that we give out. What would be construed as positive and negative visual cues then? The very first thing would be the expression on your face. If you have the habit of keeping a serious expression on your face then break it. Start smiling a lot more. The guy who smiles a lot looks like the type who is friendly and approachable and a lot more comfortable with himself and the people around him. Also there must be a reason why he's looking so smug. Maybe he gets laid a lot hmm?

Next would be body language cues. The way a guy dresses says a lot about him. Be clean and wear clothes that are comfortable and stylish at the same time. 'Dress to impress' should be your credo. You can't dress like the average guy and hope to attract better than average women. Make sure you have the body language that says that you are the dominant male around here. Don't be afraid to make big gestures with your hands and be animated. Take up space with your body and don't slouch while sitting. Also make sure that you're not leaning into her but rather lay back and let her lean in. Maintain eye contact but don't stare which means blink frequently so you don't end up staring. Don' t cross your arms in front of you or have a guarded position. Keep your thumbs in your pockets if you have to with the rest of your palm out. That's the best place for them initially.

Be clean shaven or if you have facial hair make sure it's trimmed well and maintained. Also shave off those Chris Jericho sideburns. They're really not cool. Keep you're scalp hair looking clean and trim any excessive body hair.Now that you look visually appealing you've already considerably increased your chances with the opposite sex.

Now for the verbal part of it. A study suggests that 93% of interactions is body language and tone of voice and only 7% is the content of what you actually say. But it's vital nonetheless. There's a 3 second rule that I consider very important. In pickup the 3 second rule signifies the maximum time you need to take before making your cold approach. But I also think that the rule is applicable when it comes to conversing with someone you've just met. I bet there were times when you felt that you've run out of things to say and then the pause just grows and grows and the silence makes things get pretty awkward. So keep in mind that no pause should last for more than 3 seconds in at least the first 15 minutes of conversation with a girl. Either you're talking or she is.

At the end of the day when all is said and done remember that women are very intuitive and they will pick up on signs of weakness. Be a man and do not apologize for your desires as a man. Lead the girl and pretend it's a dance. Be fun, interesting, novel and enjoyable and the girl will have much to offer you. *wink* There's a lot more that goes into male - female interactions but is outside the scope of this post. Much goes into creating that initial spark in a woman as you may have observed from the length of this post and I think these few things that I've outlined will greatly increase you're appeal to the opposite sex. Hey it's worked for me. Somewhat.

As for the women, they would probably agree with me on these things though I wouldn't know how many would appreciate me breaking things down in this manner. And if you'll think that I don't fight fair then you're absolutely correct.

I'l be back!

2008-04-21T11:53:00.005+05:30

I haven't posted anything in quite a while as I have been busy with exams and have been a little ill for the last 2 days as well. There's a lot of material in my head that I want to write about and hopefully I should put something up in the next 24 hours. Interesting stuff coming up so keep checking back on the blog.

Drinking Daze

2008-04-15T15:43:00.002+05:30

Now drinking is a social phenomenon and generally practiced in any society irrespective of prohibition being enforced by the concerned country or not. As such I have observed from personal experience no ill-effects arising out of a night of solid drinking. Of course there is the hangover which feels like your head has been run over by a small truck to be dealt with the next morning, not to mention the clothes that stink vaguely of beer, vodka, cigarettes, puke and urine in no particular order of preference. Also if you're friends have been generous enough you might find their choice of alcohol and bodily fluids intermingled with your own. But for all this, it isn't convincing enough to discourage most of us, including me to not binge drink on occasion. I say occasion because I am fairly old at 22 to binge on a regular basis considering the amount of run over brain cells suffered as a result of the small truck passing through since I have been old enough to illegally drink. Takes it's toll on one it does.

But those few times I do drink to reminisce about trucks the next morning, hilarity ensues as seen through the eyes of my dear friends. There was this one time where I walked the neighborhood streets with my pants down at my ankles as I had forgotten to pull them up after taking a pee on the road as well as a dog. Or two. Or the time when I abruptly sat down after being hit on the balls by a considerably inebriated friend and upon being asked by someone as to what the matter was replying by saying "it's paining". Asked to elaborate I told them I was "hit on the FUCKING balls by a FUCKING idiot".

Also warranting a mention is the drastic exponential increase in charm my personality undergoes with every pint or/and large peg that goes into my alcohol stream. That comes with the realization that I am invincible and that no one or nothing can affect me. It only lasts as long as I'm drunk though. Pity. Life would be vastly entertaining and enjoyable if we could perpetually maintain that state. Other latent talents that are brought out into the open would include dancing to just about any song and miraculously singing along too. Mithun would probably find me embarrassing.

Relationship Mishaps

2008-04-14T01:04:00.004+05:30

Why is it sometimes hard for some to let go of people? And so easy for others? A childhood spent without having any close relationships has led me to be one of the latter kind. Should my upbringing be the cause of my inadequacy at sustaining a relationship? Few have survived my not infrequent tantrums and unprovoked aggression.

I was a shy kid not too fond of mixing around with others. i liked books and was exceptionally fond of mathematics. I discovered not too long ago the joys of socializing. I especially started enjoying the company of women. Any guy who says otherwise is lying. I mean even gay men enjoy women's company.

The problem most people seem to have with me is my brutal honesty and natural disposition for being blunt with words. People misinterpret it and think that i have a bad attitude and I'm more or less a prick. I thought those were good qualities; being honest and blunt and not a bad ass and prick. Having heard that from my so-called best friends time and again I am starting to believe that there just might be some truth in those statements. And for all those who think I'm pretentious and self-obsessed take a good hard look in a reflective surface. May be you will find a way to better understand others. Or you all just suck.

9 Steps To Passing The Exams.

2008-04-13T15:32:00.006+05:30

Two exams down already and I'm hopeful of passing both of them. The best part is I studied barely a few hours for each paper. Over the years I've refined my system of study to what it is today. Now putting this method up may cause some of you to try it out but it does come with a disclaimer. It's worked for me but may not necessarily work for you so proceed with caution.

Briefly then here's how it's done step by step.

1) Assimilate pertinent information:

It's important to know what subject you're studying for and the matter related to it. Once you do, all you need is to sift through the mountain of course material and find what would be required for the examination. Now the best way to do that is to have the question papers and solutions for the last couple of years. Sit down and start marking a star next to each question that repeats itself over the years. It follows that the more the stars the greater the importance of that question and the more the attention you need to pay towards it. This way of locating questions from the question papers greatly reduces the amount of material you need to go through. Instead of studying a few hundred answers your are reducing it to a mere 15-20.

2) Making associations:

The next step is the questions and their answers. I like to pick out certain key words from the text and underlining them so that I can immediately recognize the pattern of the answer by the key word itself. There will be a couple of key words per answer and you need to associate them with the question and each other.

3) Take frequent breaks:

If you find your mind wandering from the task at hand do not try and get it back on track. Instead take a short walk around and do other things till you feel you can get back to the books. A study conducted by neuroscientists found that learning works in a peculiar way. The information that you just take in replays itself in you're mind outside of conscious awareness just like a tape on rewind. This helps in the storage of information and makes the connections in your brain stronger so that the information can be quickly retrievable when you need it. So a small break is actually a good thing.

4) Reward yourself:

If you complete a particularly tough answer reward yourself with something. You could probably sit on the computer and surf the net if you wish. Anything that you're not supposed to be doing would work. A reward basically helps as a motivator to further study and complete the rest of the answers so that you can reward yourself again. Very effective.

5) Eat regular meals:

This one's pretty much common sense. Skipping a meal doesn't help. No matter how stressed you feel it won't do to skip meals. Your brain is a muscle that requires energy to run. Especially during these times of heightened activity it makes a lot of effort and is an energy hog. You need to have a lot of simple carbohydrates that are assimilated quickly into the body. Or just buy yourself a pack of commercially available glucose and make a drink to sip on.

6) Sleep Well:

Not sleeping well can make a great difference in how your brain performs. Most of what you study is reinforced while you sleep. Which means that no matter how much material you still need to get through, try getting in a 4 hour sleep at least in the night. Alternatively you can take 20 minute power naps. But no more than 20 minutes because then you will go into the next phase of the sleep cycle and to wake up from that stage will make you feel groggier than before.It would also help if you drank a cup of coffee just before you took that nap. Caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in so once you're done with that nap you'll wake up feeling as fresh as a daisy.

7) Revise to reinforce:

The revisions are absolutely vital to retaining information long enough to get through the paper. Without them you're as lost as a shipwrecked sailor. But also keep in mind that memory follows the law of decreasing gains. The more the revisions does not necessarily mean the greater the retention.

8) Stay positive:

It's easy to get stuck in a pattern of negative mind speak. Telling yourself that you can't do something or it's overwhelming is a defeatist attitude. Giving up before you try just doesn't make sense to me. Cut yourself short every time you find yourself thinking negatively and replace them with more positive thoughts.

9) Exercise:

Oxygen is very important for the optimum functioning of the brain.
That is where exercise comes into the picture. Exercise has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain. More blood, more oxygen, increased performance.

Most of these tips are designed more as a prelude for making you're mind more receptive to accepting information rather than focusing on the information itself. Also I have used this way of studying to get through my B.A exams. How it would work for someone else I cannot imagine. Hope this post can be of help to some people though.

Exam Shiver!

2008-04-08T23:26:00.000+05:30

It's exam time again. Whoopeedoo. Time for me to once again use my knowledge of the system to manipulate the heck out of it. I have found through my own experience that the Indian Education system discourages learning through hands-on experience and understanding of the subject matter and promotes rote learning. A student has no choice but to memorize voluminous quantities of information. Some people may be okay with doing so. I am not one amongst those people.

Being someone who never appreciated this form of education I decided to quit complaining and took up the task of beating the system with It's own rules. That is how I conceptualized a method to be able to open my books just 24 hours before an exam and manage to get about enough to pass that paper. Now this is definitely not recommended for those of you who want to get more than just passing marks but the methods and rules can be applied to make better use of your time and energy to efficiently study and utilize the free time created to pursue other much more stimulating physical or intellectual endeavors.

I will be posting the method as I use it in a day or two. For now I should be getting back to my books. Got a big paper tomorrow.

Radical Honesty and Dating Multiple Women.

2008-04-04T11:52:00.007+05:30

Radical Honesty is a self improvement program developed by Brad Blanton, PhD. It's goal being to make people give up their addiction to lying. All of us have the habit of telling little white lies throughout the day. We usually tell these lies to avoid confrontation and rationalize them by telling ourselves that we did not wish to hurt someone's feelings. The most common excuse for being dishonest is our societal need for being 'polite'.

That is where Radical Honesty steps in. The way Radical Honesty functions is to make us consciously aware of the times when we are about to lie and the motivations that compel us to do so, and then correct ourselves by being honest. It is a way to objectively focus on what we are thinking and leave out our subjective judgment and analysis of the situation.

I have found that I have been practicing this inadvertently in my relationships. Being a fan of Women and not feeling the need to restrict myself to just one, many a tricky question has been blown out of the water by just being honest. "Are you dating other women?" is met with the simple answer, "Yes, I am. In fact right after we get done I'm on my way to see X". No bullshit. no "uhm..don't you trust me?", no "I love you" or other underhanded half truths and evasive answers most men would employ when dealing with such a question. Sure you'd lose a few Women in your lifetime with such brutal honesty, but hey, always remember, It's their loss.

Of course, if I'm in a committed relationship dating outside of it is out of the question. Luckily I'm not. In an interview with Esquire, Blanton stated one of his 'seduction techniques' was "Wanna fuck?" , "That works?" was the authors question to which Blanton replies, "Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it's the creation of possibility."

This is the link to the entire article as printed in Esquire magazine.
http://www.esquire.com/features/honesty0707

My Foray Into Lifestyle Design

2008-03-29T14:40:00.000+05:30

I recently stumbled on the blog of Timothy Ferris, author of the Four Hour Work Week. The concept of Lifestyle Design Intrigued me much, apart from sounding cool too. I decided to try my hand at It And so I chose the eye gazing experiment for a start.

A little background on It first. Eye Gazing was the brainstorm creation of Michael Ellsberg and went on to become a rage In New York being featured In the New York Times, CBS news, ELLE magazine et al. It's a lot like Speed Dating but without the superficial conversation. Couples stare into each others eyes for 2 minutes without a word. Now that sounds about as intimidating as It probably Is. Imagine staring at a random stranger and being stared back, and then doing it 20 times during the course of one night.

Which brings me to what I'm attempting to do. For the next 48 hours I am going to test gazing into the eyes of other's, particularly strangers till they break eye contact. It Is a social experiment designed to broaden your sphere of comfort by propelling you Into doing something uncomfortable and then overcoming the discomfort. Try It for yourself and let me know your experiences.

Devil's Own?

2007-07-11T09:03:00.000+05:30

I recently started reading 'The Amityville Horror'. The book called to mind a most disturbing Incident that occurred to me early In my childhood. By writing about It I am placing myself at the mercy of people's ridicule. That fact has never stopped me and It won't this time. This story begs to be told.
This post Is decidedly not for sceptics of the paranormal. Neither Is It for the superstitious ones. I have taken a deep Interest In science since an early age, yet have acquiesced to the fact that there are certain things beyond It's realm. There exist things and phenomena that science has not been able to adequately explain away. An open mind and a whole lot of faith would be necessary to read through this post. Onwards with my story then.
I was around 6-7 years old. My brother and cousin sister being 4 and 5 respectively. That was the age when the prospect of entering an empty, unlit room could be considered fun and exciting and dangerous, not knowing what lurks In there. So one day, with the entire family In the kitchen, the three of us decided to play a game. The person who enters the room, climbs the bed and goes farthest towards the window wins. It was a game of guts and testing one's mettle.
So we go In, one by one climbing the bed, Me In the lead followed by my bro and my cousin In the rear. I walk towards the window, my body taut with excitement, but not wanting to be the first one to give up and race out of the room. I could sense the fear In the other two. So I'm finally at the grilled window waiting for the other two to either come closer or give up and run. I was sweating by then but being the eldest I could'nt back away. Suddenly, the two of them hightail It like bats out of hell. But the triumphant feeling of being the last man standing was shortlived. Because as I turned myself to follow them I saw out of the corner of my eye what seemed like a red glow coming from the window. I turned my head to see what It was and what I saw literally froze me. I could'nt move nor scream rooted as I was to the bed. There was a glowing red face outside the window. Just a face. With what looked like horns coming out from It's head. And then It spoke. Those four words that will be burnt In my memory till the day I die; "Your Soul Is Mine". And then It was gone.
As I look back years later I almost refuse to believe that anything happened. The only reason that I don't completely put It down to fantasy Is the fact that I have two witnesses to the Incident. My bro and my cousin.
By the end of this reading my mental stability would come to be questioned. I am still hesitant to put a name to the face. That's because i've always considered the devil as a christian concept to keep men's dick In their pants and women to keep them out. Dicks. More or less.
All I can hope for Is that someday, someone might give me a plausible enough explanation for what took place and allay my fears of going to hell.

I Am What I Am...

2007-07-09T23:30:00.000+05:30

I'm putting my ass on the line by discussing a topic that has been debated forever. The question of morality being subjective or objective is not a new one. Is It an individuals exclusive domain? If not, then who makes the rules? Who are the guardians of our moral attitudes? How does anybody claim the right to question or attempt to hinder my actions? I have asked myself these questions and have not been able to reach an adequate answer.
Yet I'l offer my personal take on the topic. First off, morality is subjective as well as objective. But I believe It's an empire belonging more to an Individual than society as a whole. The morality of a roadside hooker Is vastly different from that of a carmelite nun. Yet it is not within my scope to judge either of these people's moral attitudes. There are however, Instances In everyday life where people consciously or unconsciously judge others by their actions. Being as I am, my morality has become the grist for the gossip mills. Some of my behavioural tendencies, especially with regards to getting drunk and having fun Is looked upon with scorn and generally frowned upon.
So for all the 'guardians' of my morality I have just one thing to say, "If you don't feed me or clothe me or give me a roof over my head then you can take a hike". Period.

The Unlikely Saviour.

2007-07-09T09:39:00.000+05:30

How does a man control his instinctive urge to suck on a cigarette? Especially If he happens to be one who is trying to quit. And he finds himself In the midst of smokers who'll give chimneys a run for their money. In such trying times a person prays for something to relieve him of the temptation that he so naturally feels.
Enter gum. Chewing gum. A mainstay of the United States military for it's ability to relieve stress and improve concentration, It has finally found favor with me as an effective way to resist the dreaded fag.
Now If only they sold caffeinated gum. That's If the U.S armed forces don't already have a patent on It.

The Battle Has Begun!

2007-07-08T09:30:00.000+05:30

I quit smoking 3 days back. Yes. 3 WHOLE days. If you're one of my friends or even a passing acquaintance you would definitely stick your nose up at this declaration of mine. If not, then you really don't know me too well. This would probably be the umpteenth time I have made the promise of giving up smoking. Now only people who do smoke would understand that letting go of the cancer stick is not a mean feat. But this time I'm NOT giving it up for good. What I'm going to do Is not smoke until I have put on 5 kgs. In the Gym. So from Monday I hit the weights. What kind of twisted mind would dream of such a plan, I hear you ask? All I can say Is, nothing has ever made more sense to me.......
And in the words of Mark Twain, “Quitting Smoking is easy…I’ve done it a thousand times”.