It's wifi, baby

It has arrived... finally... I have been waiting for it with bated breath. Everyday my net friends would ask me;
"Yaar kab hum aaram se pehle ki tarah baat karenge?"
My phone bills were huge... but, now I have wifi in my room... YEESSS!!!

I have given up sleep, food, books, studies, friends (A, A and I chat on mssngr.. we stay in adjacent rooms)... I wait to return to my room; so that I can chat and blog and call people on google talk.
Yestarday I downloaded Picasa. It is an amazing software, I have been looking for something like this for a long time now. I hate yahoo photos. Picasa is simple, fun and easy to use... it searched all the image files on my lappie and organized them into folders. I can edit photos, save them, mail them, blog them...



I was pretty down last night... and I need to thank a few people for helping me cheer up:

• A and A: thanks for giving me space and not trying to get me to talk about it.... for fighting over me (I knew what you were talking about) and making me the LSG (Leader support group)
• Sphinx: for your encouraging comment you posted... thanks
• R: thanks for your msg "Good u r not disheartened, it may sound philosphical but its true; when god doesnt give small success it means he wanna give you a big one" (Reference : your mom)
• APC:thanks for promptly replying to my msg and saying; "It does not have any CV value... trust me"
  
• My best friend: thanks for staying up all night talking to me... What would I do without you?

PS: This is in reply to the comment on my previous post: PL is project leader for the market research project. We have a selection process where we have to work on a dummy project, make a report and present it.

End point Pics

Rangoli Competition

Here are the photos of the Rangolis prepared in TAPMI on Ganesh Chaturthi.

PGP 1, Section 2

PGP 2, Section 1

PGP 2, Section 2- The winners

Finally, my report is done. You can get a peek at it on 31, August in TAPMI Library.
The past few days I have been watching movies all the time:

1. Elizabethtown:
I had read the review on someone's blog (I forget who). It is nice, simple and romantic... my fav lines from the movie:
Guy: I am not used to girls like you... (It struck a chord coz.... well, I am hoping someday someone will say that to me... guys do say it to me; but it means : "yeah, I am not used girls like you... You are a girl, arent you?)
My fav scene is one in which the guy and girl are about to kiss... and then they dont, because they like things the way they are. A kiss could spoil it all...
And of course, I love the way they talk on the phone all night... I love all-night conversations.

2. In her shoes:
This is one lame movie. I dont understand why Hollywood actresses settle for such crap roles. Cameron is potrayed as a bimbo in the movie... she is strutting around in skimpy clothes. I know the role demands it, but...
When I watched Terminal few months back, I was disappointed that Catherine had such a menial role. She is so talented.






3. Monster-in-law:
Jennifer should stick to singing... she over-acts and it is so irritating. Please avoid this movie at all costs if your sense of humour is like mine.









4. Jism:
I had heard a lot about this movie. The cast is pathetic. Bipasha with her husky voice drives me mad... but to her credit, I dont think any actress has as much sex appeal as she does. John cannot act, but his sexy bod makes up for it (atleast in this movie). The movie is ok kinds... I guess the hype is because it is the first time raw passion has been potrayed in a commercial movie.





5. Fire:
I love this movie. People label it as a lesbian movie, but it is soooo much more. It is about desires, tradition, love, need, hypocrisy etc. I especially like the way the relationship between Radha and Sita (Deepa Mehta could have avoided these names) has been potrayed... the tenderness, compassion, blend of new and old. Sita with her open mind frees Radha... while Radha provides her with the love she was craving for.




6. The devil wears Prada:
I dont think many of you must have heard about this movie. It is based on a book. I had read the book years ago (and it is one of my favorites).. no, no, it isnt intellectually stimulating or anything... it is a fun, girly book. The movie is great too. It is about a girl (Anne Hathway) who ends up working for a fashion mag under an impossible-to-please boss (Meryll Streep). She has to stick around for a year if she wants her dream job but ends up losing a lot.. friends, bf etc. The end is different in the book... and Anne's bf in the movie is HOT.



7. Earth:
Another of my fav movies. I dont think I need to comment on it... songs are good too. It is based on the book "Ice-candy Man" by Bapsi Sidhwa. The book does not end where the movie does.









Movies playing in my room this week:

• Pirates of the Carribean 2
• Munich

This is the first time I have been tagged.... Yippie!!! I am so excited... thank you, guruji.

Ps: Anyone who reads this post is tagged... Rules: You play your whole music collection with shuffle on, ask the question, leave a comment and go to next song.

1. How does the world see you?

Turn Around: Phats and small
Lyrics:

HEY!
What's wrong with you?
You're looking kinda down to me-e

'Cos thing's ain't getting over
Listen to what i say

Got to turn around
Got to turn around


Fits yaar...


2. Will I have a happy life?

Doncha' Think its time- Elvis

I've been yearning for a little romance
I wanna know when you gonna give me a chance
Kiss me honey, tell me your mine
Doncha' think it's time

I've been yearning for a sweet embrace
Rub my hair till I'm a total disgrace
Kiss me honey make my life divine
Doncha' think it's time

I don't wanna walk without you
Walkin' right by my side
It hurts me to see you talkin'
With the other guys

I get so warm when you touch my cheek
You thrill me so much that I can hardly speak
Love me honey tell me you're mine
Doncha' think it's time

I don't wanna walk without you
Walkin' right by my side
It hurts me to see you talkin'
With the other guys

I get so warm when you touch my cheek
You thrill me so much that I can hardly speak
Love me honey tell me you're mine
Doncha' think it's time
Doncha' think it's time
Doncha' think it's time
Doncha' think it's time

Nice song... but It aint time for me to lead a happy life?


3. What do my friends think of me?

Just like Heroin- Linking park... ooh, I like that.

When you look into my eyes there's nothing else to see
Nothing but your own mistake staring back at you

I was best student in a class
Now all giving me ass
I just cannot hide sense of guilty
But I will follow my illness
To the possible lines
I'll choose right decision
And show to world that I am not guilty by ASSOCIATION

Go away you
Go away you
Go away you

Just like a heroin I'm falling apart
Breaking my heart my angel left me!

I m too week to face me
I never know why she only run so far away, far away from me
I never know why she always runs so far away, far away

Far away you
Far away you
Far away you

Now you see Heroin is the reason, reason, reason¦
I cannot tell you how to make it go
Now matter how I do how hard I try
I shouted the outside!

Fear, scary
Fear, scary
Fear, scary


4. Do people secretly lust after me?

Mama - Spice girls... (what the f***???)
This is embarrassing... yes, I do listen to spice girls (sometimes..).. it brings back memories.
So, I guess people dont secretly lust after me... :(

5. How can I make myself happy?

Under the Bridge - Red hot chilli pepper

Sometimes I feel
Like I don't have a partner
Sometimes I feel
Like my only friend
Is the city I live in
The city of angels
Lonely as I am
Together we cry

I drive on her streets
'Cause she's my companion
I walk through her hills
'Cause she knows who I am
She sees my good deeds
And she kisses me windy
I never worry
Now that is a lie

I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all the way

It's hard to believe
That there's nobody out there
It's hard to believe
That I'm all alone
At least I have her love
The city she loves me
Lonely as I am
Together we cry

I don't ever want to feel
Like I did that day
Take me to the place I love
Take me all that way

Under the bridge downtown
Is where I drew some blood
Under the bridge downtown
I could not get enough
Under the bridge downtown
Forgot about my love
Under the bridge downtown
I gave my life away


Amazing song.... I guess I should be happy alone... only with myself...



6.What should I do with my life?

To the moon- Savage Garden

Cool... this is what I have always wanted to do.... wanted to be an astronaut... till I realised I need to study physics... hated physics.... whats the point of studying the universe as an ideal system???


7. Will I ever have children?

Latka - Hindustani
Ok, this one makes absolutely no sense....


8. What is some good advice for me?

Phoolon ke rang se... I dont even know which movie is it from. Ok, got it... it is from Prem pujari. The singer is Kishore Kumar. Hmmm.... interesting.


9. How will I be remembered?

Nahin samne tu - Taal... dont know how it fits here, but this is one good song. A R Rehman is fantastic... he gets better with each movie but none of them is comparable to the music of Taal.


10. What’s my signature dancing song?

Papa Dont preach... Do you still wanna dance with me?


11. What’s my current theme song?

O Suniye Dil jaaniye - Kya Kehna... Hmm... this is perfect... No more comments on this!!!


12. What do others think is my current theme song?

What a girl wants - Christina... BINGO!!!

I wanna thank you for giving me time to breathe
Like a rock you waited so patiently
While I got it together
While I figured it out
I only looked but I never touched
'Cause in my heart was a picture of us
Holdin' hands, makin' plans and it's lucky for me you understand


What a girl wants
What a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
And I'm thanking you for knowing exactly
What a girl wants
What a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thanking you for being there for me
Yeah Yeah


A weaker man might have walked away
But you had faith
Strong enough to move over and give me space
While I got it together
While I figured it out
They say if you love something let it go
If it comes back it's yours
That's how you know
It's for keeps, yeah, it's for sure
And you're ready and willin'
To give me more than


What a girl wants
What a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
And I'm thanking you for giving it to me
What a girl wants
What a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thanking you for being there for me
Yeah Yeah


A girl needs somebody sensitive but tough
Somebody there when the goin' gets rough
Every night he'll be giving his love
To just one girl


Somebody cool but real tender too
Somebody, baby, just like you
Can keep me hangin' around
With the one who always knew


What a girl wants
What a girl needs
Whatever makes me happy sets you free
And I'm thanking you for knowing exactly
What a girl wants
What a girl needs
Whatever keeps me in your arms
And I'm thanking you for being there for me
Yeah Yeah


13. What shall they play at my funeral?

Tricky one... Chura liya hai tumne jo dil ko.... Ok, I cannot stop laughing at this one.... heehehhehehhe... perfect again!!!


14. What type of men/women do I like?

To be with you - Mr. Big

Hold on little girl
Show me what he's done to you
Stand up little girl
A broken heart can't be that bad
When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you

I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you

Build up your confidence
So you can be on top for once
wake up who cares about
Little boys that talk too much
I've seen it all go down
Your game of love was all rained out
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to hold you

Chorus

Why be alone when we can be together baby
You can make my life worthwhile
And I can make you start to smile

When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you


15. How’s my love life?


Bheegey Hont tere- Murder... Hope this means "passionate".... ;)

Hiiiiiiiiiii.... I feel so relieved. My presentation is finally over. It was quite bad... The profs actually laughed at me... It doesnt help that they laughed at almost everyone else.

The market research fair of TAPMI is called BrandScan. It is the largest in the country. The process is as follows. Proj com sources projects for TAPMI. Nominations for PL (Project Leader) are invited. PL selects one LSG. They are given a dummy objective for which they have to make a research design and a disguised game. After submission of the report, they have to present it the project to a faculty panel. Depending on the number of projects sourced, PLs are selected (the no. is between 10-15). They select LSG (Leader Support Group) consisting of 4 people and the work begins. During Nov, BrandScan is on. Teams are alloted at random to the PL and they have to help him/her out. For 2 days, there is a fair in Manipal which is one of the busiest days for a TAPMIan.

So, the process has begun. My LSG is H. We are both relieved it is finally over. We will be disapppointed if we dont selected after all the hard work put in. But then failures are a stepping stone to succes. I will be devastated but I will take it my stride.

For the last few days I have barely talked to anyone... not friends or family. I was too freaked out.. just wanted to get this over with. So, today I called my friends and family. I have brought 5 movies... no classes tom and I have no intention of opening any books. To de-stress myself, I went to one of my fav places on this planet... End point at Manipal. You have to see it to believe it. When I was leaving it was quite dark and there were fire flys everywhere. Imagine a huge dark tree with fire flys around it. It is a beautiful sight. Whenever I go to End point, every crap I go through in my life seems like it is worth it if.

I sometimes wonder why we have to earn, get married, complicate our life... if only we could live amidst nature and do nothing. What if we could live near the beach... eat fruits... gaze at the sun and then at the stars... if it is cold, we can find shelter under the trees or in the bushes...

I love to lie on my back and gaze at the stars... I have not done that in a long, long time...
Earlier, my friend and I would go to the place we call "Hillside" and lie on the grass, gaze at the stars and converse. The fact that it was just friendship made it all the more wonderful. Even though he turned out to be a bastard, those are still the best moments I have had at TAPMI... and definitely the best conversation. He has a very soothing voice... sometimes, we whispered to each other because we were awed by the beauty that lay ahead of us. We didnt want to disturb anything incase it was sleeping. Then there were times when we went there for morning walks, so that we could admire the place when there was light. In the early mornings, there is the moon in one part of the sky and the sun in the other part of the sky. I have explored most of the place and go there anytime I want a break.

Umm...

I was watching "Friends" last night and this is how it went.
Phoebe: Chandler, do you believe in soul mates?
Chandler: No
Phoebe: Good, because I just met Monica's soul mate.

Question is: "Is there one right person for each one of us?"
Problem is, when I like someone, he does not feel the same way... when someone likes me, I dont feel the same way... sometimes, both of us like each other, but it does not work out...
So, should I find someone with who the liking is mutual and consider him as the right person or should I wait for the "so-called" right person.

I dont have the answers... but I am definitely scouting for them. Any help will be appreciated.

Why am I even thinking about this? I have to work on a presentation.

I have been wandering around the blogosphere. It is a nice place. I get to know various people.. their feelings, aspirations etc without being friends with them or telling them anything about myself. Everyone at one point of time or other dicusses religion. With religion, it is like... you can love it or hate it; but you cannot ignore it.
My first stint with religion was when I joined Sophia. It is a convent boarding school. We prayed all the time... before b'fast, before school, after school, before lunch, before evening studies, after evening studies, before going out for walks (so that no harm would befall us on the way), before going to bed.... I dont feel guilty about not praying anymore... I have reached my quota for this lifetime. I didnt understand the prayers... they came to me mechanically... they still do.
When I left school, I was staying with my parents (at home). They are staunch Hindus. They wanted me to pray everyday and chant "Om" like they do. Now I am a very flexible person but I dont like to be forced into anything. So, I rebelled (I was a teenager then... it came naturally to me).
I stopped praying after that... because I wanted the freedom to pray the way I was comfortable with.
That does not mean I dont believe in God. I do... but I dont believe in idols. I believe in the Supreme power... a power which guides us, which has a plan for us.
But "God only helps those who help themselves".
If I dont take any steps towards my destiny, it'll never be fulfilled. This prevents me from being complacent.
Sometimes I can feel that power in music, in poetry, in people, in nature.
Another amazing thing is how there is a plan for each one of us. Everything happens with good reason. Like, there is a reason I came to TAPMI... I realised it after a year... after I noticed the changes me... in my life.
We meet people and drift apart... Everyone in our life is there for a reason, a purpose. They leave once their purpose is fulfilled.

Hi.... I finally had one of those really hectic days and it is going to continue atleast till Thursday. I hate it when I dont have anything to do... This is what my day was like:

8.15 am : SMS from H : Hi, lets meet at 9.30 am.. what say?
Me (to myself) : Where am I? Meet? For what? Is it morning already?
(to H) : We decided 10 am... lets stick to that.

10 am to 11.30 am (in coll) : Brainstorming, making the ppt and generally getting bored

11.50 am to 1.00 pm : Sales mgmt class

1.00 pm to 3.00 pm : Brainstorming about relationships, writing executive summary

3.00 pm to 3.30 pm : Lunch in canteen

3.50 pm to 5.00 pm : H goes for class while I read brand mgmt case and then sales case

5.20 pm to 6.30 pm : Brand mgmt class

6.30 pm to 7.30 pm : Check mails

8.00 pm to 8.30 pm : Dinner

8.30 pm to 9.00 pm : Print-outs and bash up H

9.15 pm to 10.30 pm : DTMT class (the Baap of all classes)

10.30 pm to 11.30 pm : Blogging and chatting

11.30 pm to 12.00 : Phone and "Friends"

12.00 : Time for bed

Everyday I decide, after this write-up I will treat myself to a movie.... but that never happens. But hopefully, I will be a little free after Thursday. And then I will watch a movie... a good one.
My friends in other B-schools are surprised when they get to know that 100% attendance is compulsory at TAPMI. I have never cribbed about it even though I lost out on a lot of grades in the 1st year when I fell ill.
My seniors (who are working now) are uneasy when they are free with nothing to do. Thats what TAPMI does to people. They have inculcated a hobby or some activity to keep themselves busy.
Yawn!!! I better turn in now... have a class at 9 am and "bunking" isnt even in my dictionary any more.

Every weekend I call friends in B'glore in the hope of bugging them (and making them commit suicide.. hasnt worked as of yet). This is how it goes:

Me: Hiya. Whats up loser?
A1: Hi. You pain-in-the-neck. Now what do you want? Let me sleep. Dont you have any assignments to do?
Me: Yeah... you just reminded me... See ya. Will bug ya later.

OR

Me: Hiya. Kya chal raha hai?
A2: Oye, main tere se baad mein baat karta hun. I am shopping.
Me: Shopping for?
A2: Clothes, bicycle... anything that catches my fancy. I am earning big bucks now.
Me: Ok, bye... I will go back to being broke.

Yeah, A1 and A2 are working in these IT companies and earning a bomb. I am JEALOUS. I wish I could say I will be doing the same next year... but I know I wont. I am not interested in the IT sector... I dont mind earning less (I probably will... because of the sector I am looking at) but I want a good job profile.
Anyway, last night A, A and I made plans about what we want to own in the next 5 years. Following is my list:

• Apartment: I know it is a long way to go. But I desperately want to own an apartment.. something I can call home. It will be furnished by me and have my stuff only. Even after I am married, I will not sell it off or share it with my hubby. It will be my private nest.
• Cel phone (probably the better version of Blackberry): I love gadgets and I want to own the coolest phone that is available in the market.
• Laptop: I do love my laptop... but I want to buy an Apple or Dell lappies. Those babies are beautiful...
• Tirth Yatra: Ok, this one is for my parents. It isnt something I can own.. but something I will gift them as soon as I can...
• Clothes: Not ordinary clothes... but I wait for the day when I can afford to buy my casuals from Wills Lifestyle. I love their clothes. There is nothing even remotely ugly in the showrooms and every tee or pant flatters my unflattering figure. And the fabric is soooo soft....

Yep, thats all... I dont expect much... now, do I? ;)

I came across the website of the NGO CUPA which works for animal welfare. I love animals... not just pets, but animals. I have never had a pet because:

• my parents dont like pets. They think they are high-maintenance
• I have never really stayed at home... and there is no way my mom will take care of an animal
• my house is on the 2nd floor... so, pets are not a very practical option

But over the years I have had my own tryst with animals... and when we live in India... we can love or hate animals... but there is no way we can ignore them.

• When I was a kid, I went boating with family and friends at Nakki Lake at Mt. Abu. We had bought some powder to feed the ducks and swans. I put the powder on the tip of my finger and offered it to the duck. The duck bit me (if I can call it that). I burst into tears. My uncle then demonstrated. He put the powder in the palm of his hand and fed it to the duck without any hassles. Common sense, I guess.
• When I was in the 1oth std, I came across a baby bird fallen from its nest. The nest was destroyed in the rain and the mother was nowhere to be seen. So, Sally and I took charge of the bird. We fed it water and tea through soaked cotton. We didnt leave it alone for one moment. A small shelter was built for it. At night I kept the baby in my locker. It was very, very cold that night and I was afraid to leave it outside. The locker was well-ventilated... but it died at night. Sally and I buried near the grotto (beneath Mother Mary's statue). I have even written a poem on the bird...
• To date 3 wounded and sick pigeons have landed at my home. I tried to feed them but they died... (no, I did not poison them).
• At my nani's house, the street dogs are an integral part of the family. I have grown up with them. It was always a time for excitement when one of the bitches gave birth to a litter of pupies. We would feed them, play with them, make shelter.... despite my nani's warnings. Grown-ups are spoil sports when it comes to animals...

"Dont let them in. They will dirty the yard. Dont touch them. You will fall ill. Guddu, how can you let it lick your toes? That is soooo disgusting. Dont feed them."

• When I was in engg coll, we found a puppy in the hostel which was abandoned by the bitch. We fed it milk and water. It was too young to eat anything. After a few months, it disappeared. We assumed it had found new friends. Then one fine day, it entered our lives again. Initially, the other girls would drive it away but when I told them it was the same puppy... it was given royal treatment.
• In my 3rd year of engg, the bitch gave birth to 4 puppies. Since it was monsoon, we made a shelter for them out of cardboard boxes. Taking care of them was tricky because the bitch snarled at us everytime we approached the puppies. 2 of them died, 3rd fell off the stairs and the bitch hid the 4th one near the terrace.
• When I went to Singapore last year, outside Underwater World, a guy was charging $5 for clicking a pic with his python. I was teasing my mom and asking her to go for it. She challenged me instead. Well, now I cannot resist a challenge... so, I went for it. I clicked a pic with the python around my neck and both my hands supporting it. That is one of my biggest achievements.. too bad I cannot put it on my cv.
• I find snakes very fascinating... I dont know why. I watch every programme on snakes on Discovery and National Geographic. I dont flip the channel even during break, incase I miss something. Snakes are sexy... mysterious and dangerous.

Maybe some day when I end up alone, I will have a snake as a pet.. now that would be fun.

Ok... I am tired, sleepy and completely exhausted... but I cant sleep... so, here I am blogging away to glory (yeah, I come up with the wierdest reasons to blog).
My dummy project was about married couples... so, now I can walk marriage, talk marriage, eat marriage, read marriage (like Amitabh says in Amar Akbar Anthony) and as my best friend sweetly calls me "mentally married fellow".
I have been thinking and brain-storming a lot these days... and I have come up with a list of "desirables" (not mandatory) in my hubby.

• Has to be my best friend or atleast strive to be my best friend
• Should have a sense of humour. Humour is the biggest turn-on.
• Should love me. Yeah, it isnt the first priority... because love can always develop.
• I should find him attractive... this is again something that can be worked on...
• Should be willing to cook and clean and share all the household responsibilities... I aint going to wash his clothes if he is not willing to wash mine
• Should be committed... to me, to his family, friends, work etc (not necessarily in that order)
• Should be good with kids. This is very imp coz I am not sure how great I will be with them. I dont think I will be able to discipline them and will probably be one of those overly permissive mothers.
• Should respect my family... if he wants me to respect his family
• Should be a good friend (not only to me)... I hate guys who dump their friends because of their gf. I would walk out on such a guy.

Yeah, I guess that is about it. See, I dont expect much.

Yesterday was Janmasthmi. In Gujarat, temples are decorated for a week before Janmasthmi. (Yeah I visit the temple when I am not forced to do it... I am one of those people who will never do anything they are asked to do... ). Everyday the decorations are changed. One day it is balloons, another day it is dry fruits, next day it is flowers.... but everyday it is beautiful. I still remember how I loved to swing baby Krishna. Since the temple would be crowded, Dad would guide my hand towards the swing and I would get a feeling of accomplishment.

Aah... the simple pleasures of childhood!!!

Last year, on 15th August, I attended Swar Sandhya. It is a musical evening organised by AAF and Musicom in TAPMI. It was amazing. I was looking forward to it this year, but I missed it because of my project even though I am part of AAF... It was my loss entirely.

"If I had been a loved person, I wouldnt have become a writer. I suppose I started writing because I had certain weaknesses in my system. I thought I was weak and vulnerable. That's why we attempt poetry. Poets are like snails without the shells, terribly vulnerable, so easy to crush. Of course it has given me a lot of pain, each poem. Each poem is really born out of pain, which I would like to share. But then you live for that person, the sharer of your pain, and you don't find him anywhere. It is the looking that makes the poet go on writing, search. If you find someone, the search is over, poetry is over".

--- Immortal words by Kamala Das... writer and poet

Today was an amazing day and I am feeling nostalgic. No, I am not missing school days or home or even engg days. I am missing TAPMI seniors. I met some of them today and it brought back so many memories. Every meeting was fun with them. I worked with them in AAF, Update, BrandScan, Atharva etc. Some of them were amusing, some nice, some protective, a few broke my heart.
Convocation was a sad day for us as juniors. The seniors looked happy and sad. They were bidding us good-bye, introducing us to their family, hugging each other and making plans for the hols that lay ahead. We just watched them with a heavy heart. Thankfully, I had work to do and I missed most of it. A friend left without even meeting me. He called me later to apologise. Few weeks back he told me he left because he couldnt say Good-bye. I understand. I hate good-byes too. And now I dread my convocation. How will I say Good-bye? How will I explain to my parents why I am crying and what TAPMI means to me? How will I leave?
I have never visited my school again because I dont want to come to terms with the fact that it has changed... that I am no more a part of it. I didnt even visit my engg college even though I passed by it this time. I didnt meet some of my friends because the memories hurt... because I crave for the old days.
Will we form the same bond with the juniors like we did with the seniors? I dont know about the others... but I have not managed to do that. Maybe last year, I was eager to make friends... I had time for other things... academics were not my first priority. Now I have become disillusioned with people... with friendships... with the games... I interact with people I work with.. keep to myself... sometimes, I dont even have anything to talk. And I wonder how did the seniors manage to break the barriers, bring down the walls, find the time to interact with us... despite the hectic schedule.
I miss you guys.... a lot. I am looking forward to Homecoming... for a weekend with you.

I came across this post on Virdi's blog... and I am amazed. Atleast there is one man (and I dont mean Virdi) who knows something about women. Guys, plz stop messing it up and learn something... if your sakes, if not ours.

How to keep a woman attracted to you by David Deangelo!!!

If a woman feels no ATTRACTION for you, then she's not going to want to be anything other than FRIENDS with you. There are a couple of exceptions:
1) If she wants something from you
2) If you've pursued her for so long that she finally "falls into affection" with you – and decides that you're probably marriage material. There are probably other exceptions, but these two cover about 99.97873% of the situations you'll run into.
The bottom line: If you want to a woman to be more than FRIENDS with you, then you're going to need to trigger ATTRACTION inside of her (another great benefit is that you will be more in control of the direction of the relationship, too).
Well, one of the amazing aspects of ATTRACTION is that it can be TURNED UP. You can actually AMPLIFY an initial attraction... if you know how. Of course, if you DON'T know what you're doing, you can also DESTROY a woman's attraction to you as well (without realizing it). This happens a lot more often than you might think... as most men don't have any idea when a woman is attracted to them.
Also, if you don't know how to AMPLIFY ATTRACTION, then you are most likely GOING to destroy it whenever you do accidentally create it. I'd like to talk to you about two important concepts when it comes to AMPLIFYING attraction. You may have heard me mention them before.Here they are:
1) TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK.
2) NEVER LET THE LINE GO SLACK.
It's kind of hot that they rhyme, too.So let's talk about these two concepts and how you can use them to amplify and accelerate this wonderful physical and emotional state called ATTRACTION inside of women.
TWO STEPS FORWARD, ONE STEP BACK
I realized a few years ago that women don't get "turned on" the same way men do (duh). I know, I know... I'm not so bright. It's pretty obvious. But, more importantly, I learned that men get turned on like "light switches", and women get turned on more like "volume knobs". A man can go from being not interested in sex to completely ready and totally turned on in about 30 seconds. Hell, it's probably more like 3 seconds. Or .3 seconds.Women, on the other hand, usually start out with a spark of attraction, and if the situation goes the right way, she gets more and more turned on... to the point where she's ready to have sex.This can happen relatively quickly, but it usually takes HOURS. One technique you can use to actually AMPLIFY any initial attraction that a woman feels is to use the technique that I call "Two steps forward, one step back". This simply means progressing a little bit (like maybe kissing her) and then stepping back for a little while (maybe leaning back and holding her hand or not touching at all)... and then moving two steps forward again (maybe kissing her, then kissing her neck)... and stopping again... and so on.
This builds up anticipation. It makes her think about what's happening... and want it more and more. Women love to be given a little bit, then teased... so they are waiting in anticipation of what's going to come next. Of course, since you keep taking a step back each time, it even amplifies the anticipation and sexual tension further.
Now, a MAN wouldn't usually say "do this a little bit, then stop and tease me so I want it more". For most men, this sounds like a foreign concept unknown in these parts. Crazy talk, even. But not for women. If you doubt me, find the nearest attractive woman and read her what I just wrote. And watch her face between paragraphs. You'll see. And you just might learn something.
NEVER LET THE LINE GO SLACK
Once you start to "get" how this process of women getting turned on works, you're going to need a way to gauge how fast or slow to go... and to keep a woman interested without turning into a WussBoy who calls her 10 times a day.
I call this concept "Never let the line go slack". Imagine that you are holding one end of a rope,and the woman is holding the other end. Both of you are pulling gently... enough to keep TENSION in the line. It's a little game. If she starts pulling, you need to give her a little bit of slack... but not so much that she gets it all. And if she starts letting go, you need to pull a little more to take up the slack and keep the TENSION up.
This is a great metaphor for the concept of SEXUAL TENSION.Most men haven't the SLIGHTEST IDEA IN THE WORLD what sexual tension is. But ALL women know what it is... Sexual tension is a key to success with women. So imagine that you're out with a woman for the second time. On the first date you held hands and kissed, and on this date you're walking around in the mall together. Let's say you've been teasing her a little bit, and she's been hitting you and saying "stop it!", but she's laughing so you know that she's having fun.
Further, let's say that you've teased her so much that you can tell that it's actually starting to get to her. Maybe you were teasing her about her shoes being ugly, and she stops after the tenth joke and asks "Wow, do you really think my shoes are that ugly?"At this point, she's letting go of the line a bit... and you need to do something about it to keep the tension up. So you might say "Oh, no... they're not that bad... I'm just giving you a hard time". At which point she might say "Wow, good. I was starting to worry that you really hated them and that it was bothering you". And now you have the opposite situation... both of you are letting the line go slack at the same time with this whole "No, I think your shoes are fine" and her saying "Oh, I'm glad you were just teasing me" thing.
So you have to do something! You might say "Well, if worse comes to worse you can always donate them to the Salvation Army so a needy girl who doesn't care if her shoes are ugly can have them". You'll probably get hit, but it puts the tension back in the line again!
Of course, there's an art to doing this correctly, and you will improve with practice. You can use this in just about every area imaginable, from how often you call a woman to being able to tell when it's appropriate to give a compliment (and then say something to take it back in a funny way!). The problem is that most guys let things go too far in one direction... they call every day for a week instead of letting the woman call them back a couple of times, and waiting a couple or a few days to call.Or they hang on a woman's arm every minute when they go out together, rather than giving the woman some space and letting her come find him. Or they give a woman a compliment, which the woman appreciates, then they start giving her one after the other after the other... which comes across as ULTRA WUSSY KISS ASS BOY... and drives the woman away.
Don't do to much of anything... and never let the line go slack for too long!
When you use these two concepts together, you will find that not only will a woman become FAR more attracted to you, but she'll STAY THAT WAY for as long as you want her to.If you DON'T do these two things, then you're probably going to find that women will do things that make no sense to you, and they'll RARELY want to be anything more than "just friends", because they just don't "feel it" for you.

http://www.pkblogs.com/bvirdee/2005_05_01_bvirdee_archive.html

Hey. this is one of my fav poems (written by me) because it describes me completely... with all my contradictions and it has my fav lines in it:

Me???

There is a bridge I wish to cross,

across the river,

the bank seems like a mirage,

greener than ever.

Dare I move away from here,

away from the old and comfortable,

I have nothing to lose,

maybe lesser to gain.

It's the journey that excites me,

the destination holds no charm,

I'm a lone traveller,

seeking something; oft nothing.

Sad though life is,

I wouldn't give it up,

though freedom is what I like,

it's stability I crave for.

"Who are you"; you may ask,

a riddle you may never want to solve,

a child with emotions so superficial,

it makes you want to laugh.

Dont trample me, dont control me,

I may wilt,

I need to be ME,

no matter how bad that may seem.

I dont write this for myself,

I write for all I meet,

for There is some of you in me,

and a lot of me in you.

Hello.... This post does not have a common thread running through it. These are some of the thoughts I have had in the last few days:

The other day this is what a friend said to me about her bf;
"He is not the perfect guy but he is a perfect guy for me"
Wise words and so true. Sometimes I look at wierd guys with smart girls and vice-versa and wonder (dont we all???); "What are they doing together?" I guess, they complement each other. If this is the way it is supposed to be, I need an absolute saint to complement me.

Something I realised about "Friends". After Ross and Rachel break up, Ross moves on. He falls in love, gets married, gets divorced and in the end goes back to Rachel (for the beginners... sorry for ruining the suspense *sarcasm*). But Rachel does not find anyone... sure, she dates men but she does not fall in love with anyone (Joey does not count.. she was only attracted to him)... Why doesnt she move on? Is it because the director is a MCP? Is it because when it is over, it is definitely over for a woman? So, if Rachel had moved on, there would be no future for Ross and Rachel? I hate the episode where they both break-up. I think both are right (yes, "technically" they were on a break and yes, Rachel had every right to feel devastated).

Ok, there is a difference between falling for a guy and wanting to be with him. I would never want to be with a guy I fall for... simply because, the guys I fall for add some spice and excitement in my dreary life and the guy I want to be with is the one I love and want to spend my life with. I may never even talk to the guy I fall for.... Yeah, I am wierd. So, here is what makes me fall for in a guy:

• Good talker: He does not have to be a sweet talker, but if he talks well I will definitely fall for him... no matter what. During my CAT preparation, there was this guy in my GD group. I was doing fine till he joined my batch. After that day I did not speak even once during the GDs... I loved to hear him talk and hated it when anyone interrupted him.
• Good sense of humour: I love guys with a good, mean, tongue-in-cheek and blunt sense of humour. I love it when he teases me and cracks jokes on me. And it only adds to the charm if he laughs at my jokes (and understands them).
• Chance-pe-dance: I love guys who can flirt.... not blatant flirting, but those who can grab the opportunity and flirt subtely. Ooh, that is so irresistible.
• Geeks: Yep, I love geeks. Even if they dont possess any of the above skills, but are geeky... I find them cute ("cute" for me has nothing to do with looks).

We analysed a case on Terry's in Brand Management today and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes the cases go over my head because I cannot relate to them. I really wonder how people work in companies whose products they dont use or like. I would love to join Nestle, Cadbury's, L'Oreal, Pepsi etc because I love their products. I would never be able to relate to customers of companies like Infosys or TCS... they are great companies but I dont see myself using their products.

We are all enjoying 2nd year a lot. Now 1st year made us disciplined and helped us manage time blah... blah... blah... but we had to study courses we didnt care about. But now there is a sense of responsibility. Since I have selected the courses, I will be the only one responsible if I dont learn anything. So, I try and do the pre-reads, analyse cases, work sincerely on assignments (I did that even in the 1st year... but... now I love and enjoy doing it).

Hi... This is the list of movies I have to watch...... I will be updating the list regularly to add movies I need to watch and remove the ones I do watch:

1. Munich
2. 
   
3. Pirates of the carribean-2
4. Pushpak
5. Amelie
6. Schindler's List
7. 
   
8. Philadelphia
9. Bombay Boys

This is a fwd I received on orkut courtesy Anu... liked it because it is soooo easy to say these things. I dont think I would be able to do even one of them:
1. Have a firm handshake.
2. Look people in the eye.
3. If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
4. Keep secrets.
5. Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
6. Always accept an outstretched hand.
7. Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
8. Avoid sarcastic remarks.
9. Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90% of all your happiness or misery.
10. Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
11. Lend only those books you never care to see again.
12. Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have.
13. When playing games with children, let them win.
14. Give people a second chance, but not a third.
15. Be romantic.
16. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
17. Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
18. Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for your convenience, not the caller's.
19. Be a good loser.
20. Be a good winner.
21. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
22. Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
23. Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
24. Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
25. Live your life so that your epitaph could read, No Regrets
26. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the one's you did.
27. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
28. Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.
29. Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it foryou.
30. Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.
31. Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.'
32. Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
33. Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
34. Marry only for love.
35. Count your blessings.
36. Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home.
37. Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on yourability to deal with people.
38. Don't expect life to be fair.

Have you pursued research or have been interested in pursuing research in a field which intrigues you?

The XTC Group now gives you an oppurtunity of publishing your research papers and other general articles of interest online on the following website:

http://indianresearch.tripod.com/
(Please copy and paste the above address on the browser address bar if the link doesn't work)

We are still in the process of evolving the website. We have had some invaluable contributions by Dr. Sankaran, Dr. Badri and Dr. Lalitha Sreenath and are in the process of getting some research papers from the faculty and students of top B-Schools, including the IIMs. To have a glimpse of the profile of our authors please visit the following link:

http://indianresearch.tripod.com/id6.html
(Please copy and paste the above address on the browser address bar if the link doesn't work)

We would be most glad to have contributions from you in terms of research papers and/or feedback about the existing publications. Please visit the website for Indian Research in order to know the details for publishing articles. We will also be providing a certificate of authentication of your article being published on request.
We are also working on a website of a similar nature which will publish literary articles. This site is under construction and can be viewed at:

http://indianmusings.tripod.com/
(Please copy and paste the above address on the browser address bar if the link doesn't work)


___________________________________
Abhishek Sinha

I think, therefore I AM!
Website: http://abhishekrocks.tripod.com

Hello.... It is a beautiful, beautiful day. Yesterday I was in college for 11 hours straight (I am so proud of myself). Actually, I have a quiz tom... have to read 70 pages and I didnt want to leave it for the last moment. I have sworn on my lappie;

"In the 2nd year I shall not leave anything until the last moment... excepting the report, the assignment, the ppt and a few others"

Well... anyway, and then I returned at 8 pm and thought to myself;

"Now I shall have yummy dinner, relax and fall asleep while watching friends... AAH, I deserve it"

But guess what, I return back and realise that I have left my keys in the room and my roomie is in college. Usually she is back early but yesterday (of all days), there was no way she could return before 11 pm. So, this is what I did

• Talked on the phone (Aah... technology is a blessing... my life would be empty without it)
• Had dinner (was so depressed... I had chicken to cheer me up)
• Distributed Business World to everyone's rooms (I had nothing better to do... 'N' was so surprised to see me... I never go to her room... she almost fainted with shock)
• Made a few (a lot) of changes in my blog.... forgot to save the customisations I had made in the previous template and had to add the code for it all over again... Did I say I love technology?
• Finally, when I could not keep my eyes open any longer, I went to A's room and was drifting off to sleep when roomie (the angel) arrived and carried me back.. even though A didnt want me to leave

And then finally... finally... I fell asleep while watching 'Friends'. The past few nights I have not been able to sleep before 2 or 3 am... Even if I fall asleep, some phone call wakes me. So last night was heaven and I didnt even have to keep the alarm because I didnt have classes in the morning... Yippie!!! I felt like I was in heaven (well, almost... ).

So, guess what time I woke up today??? 8.45 am... yes, 8.45 am...

H was bored and messaged me: Morning. What you doing?

Now, I cannot go back to sleep once I have been woken up in the morning and I wanted to murder him...

Me: Still in bed. Plz get a life!!! Why are you up soo early?

H: Well, I just went to the gym.

Me (in the most grumpy tone): You are a mean mean mean bad bad boy. Sob... Sob... Sob...

H: Anyway, I am sleepy... will msg you later

Me: What the ****... you *****.... ******* Why did you even wake me??? you *******....

H: Umm... well, bye.

So here I am... up since 8.45 am.. watching friends... and blogging about nothing at all....

Umm... This post is a trip down the memory lane of my Engg days... but first, Happy Friendship Day. I dont know how the concept came into existence.. I guess the card companies created it to boost their sales... Well, they seem to have done a good job.
Anyway, the rains always remind of my previous hostel... I was in the govt hostel and the terrace was out-of-bounds since some female had committed suicide from there. But we made it a point to get drenched in the first rains of the monsoons on the terrace. These are some of the memories

• When it rained at night, we would gather on the terrace and perform our special "rain cum tribal" dance
• The hostel was huge and it was difficult to keep out the cows and dogs. These dogs lived with us in the corridors and created a nuisance. Once the girls chased a dog to the terrace and locked him there. He jumped from the terrace and died... God, rest his soul.... but I cannot stop laughing over this.
• Mobile phones were not allowed in the hostel since they consume electricity... but we kept them anyway... one of my friends was having a late night conversation on the phone when a dog snarled at her. She got so scared, she jumped from the 2nd floor. She was found by the warden with a cel phone in a broken hand.
• Every year one of the girls made the warden cry in front of all the girls... that was hilarious
• We spent the reading vacations cooking on a stove. On birthdays, all the girls assembled in the b'day girl's room and were served a delicious dinner cooked by her.
• There was only one TV in the hostel which was black and white and the knob was also missing... the TV room was the source of a lot of fights... since only Doordarshan played on it, the fights were because of the light. Once the fight between 2 girls got so physical, it was better than any movie I have watched.
• Our fav sport was the water sport. Due to lack of entertainment, we played with water even though there was scarcity of it. There were times when we had to fill water in buckets and carry them to the fourth floor for the next day.
• Our rooms were full of lizards... Now it takes more than a lizard to freak me out:

It was late at night and I was sleeping peacefully.

Roomie (screaming her lungs out): AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! Help

Me (sleepy): Umm, kya hua?

Roomie (freaking out and in tears): There is a lizard in my cupboard. What do I do?

Me: Nothing... just leave your cupboard, it will be gone by morning. Good night (going back to sleep)

Roomie (to herself): What a callous b****!!! What do I do now? sob...sob...sob...

Well, call me callous but 2 years later this same roomie was called for consultations when lizards infested someone else's room.

This is another incident. 4 lizards had made the the room of my friends their adda... these girls hated lizards. They came up with innovative ways to drive them away... using peacock feathers, lemon etc etc. Nothing worked. One night they got so frustrated, they started aiming paper balls at the lizards.

Me: Leave the poor lizards alone.. what have they done to you? They actually save you from the insects.. you ungrateful people!!!

Them: Instead of lecturing us, just make the balls. Today is D-Day.. it is either them or us.

And then all 3 of them burst into tears, it was sooooo funny... more so, coz I could not laugh.

There was this time when a dog was sitting outside V's door. S was sleeping in the room. She could see his tail from beneath it and freaked out. It was midnight and screaming for help didnt really help... so, she makes this call to my roomie.

V: Hi, Mitali. Bul hai kya? I need help. Mere room ke bahar kuch hai. Ask her to come and check it out.

M: woh toh so rahi hai... Kya hai room ke bahar? V, mujhe bhi dar lag raha hai. Main kaise aayu?

V: Shivangi ko bula le. Plz help karo...

M and Shivangi mustered the courage and left the room and drove the dog away. Cel phones can save lifes...

The reason I was asked for is I am considered to be this fearless female... nothing scares me... not lizards or dogs or heights or death. Hell, death is just another adventure... isnt it?

Arts and Aesthetics Forum

Ok... Ok... dont start groaning... I know I am obssessed with AAF. I would drive H mad with plans for AAF during MIP.

Me: You know this year all cultural activities should be organized by AAF.

H: Shut up.

Me: You think a lot of people will turn up for "kite-making" workshops?

H: Shut up

Me: We need a new logo. I dont understand what the current one symbolises

H: Shut up

Me: I like the tag line though.. pretty original. Arun conceived it.

H: Shut up

For the uninitiated, AAF is the best thing that has happened to me at TAPMI. It is a forum which was created to encourage creativity at TAPMI.... AAF is supposed to be the fourth dimension of TAPMI. Apart from organising cultural activities and a drama competition called 'Dionysia' (it is the flagship event).... AAF puts up creative contributions from students on the fortnightly wall magazine called 'Srijan'.

When I stepped into TAPMI, I was fascinated with Srijan and wanted to see my poem up there... but I thought there is a selection process and none of my poems would stand a chance (they are all soooo kiddish). I wanted to contribute the poem under 'anonymous' but Arun wouldnt allow that.

So, I applied to AAF even though I was not sure what it was all about. The members of AAF were Arun, Saikat and Shake while the ex-AAF member was Biplab. Saikat and Arun had seen me working during Episode.... anyway, this is how the interview went.

Them: Hi

Me (nervous): Hi

Them: Introduce yourself

Me (I hate hate hate hate this question): blah.. blah... intelligent.. smart.. beautiful... lucky to have me

Shake: Do you know my name?

Me: yes... Shake

Shake: Where did you hear it?

(His team won Episode.. so the correct answer should have been.... At valley view...you led the team to victory... I am soo impressed with you)

Me: Ummm... I heard someone call you in the canteen today

Shake (wanting to kill me): Define a particle

Me (what the f****!!!): Umm... blah.. blah... undefinable

Shake: What is infinity?

Me (Help!!!!): blah... blah... blah...

Shake: Do you know the name of our flagship event?

Me: nope

Shake: Do you know the name of the wall magazine?

Me: nope

Arun: Do you have any suggestions for improving AAF?

Me: nope

Them: Ok, thanks... you can leave

So, you can imagine my surprise when I got selected. I was not very happy initially... and it got worse when the seniors forgot to invite me for the AAF party. They sent a message through the other members... and I was hurt.. so, I did not turn up. I had made alternate plans anyway.

The first event was Swar Sandhya organized on Independence Day with Musiccom. AAF was responsible for the promotions.... we had to paint posters and put them up on the notice boards.... now, neither of us are painters and we were scared shit. Somehow, we begged people to help us out and till the last moment we were doing damage control.... we thought the senies would freak out at the shoddy work... specially since Saikat is an amazing painter... but guess what, they actually applauded our efforts. I did not miss even one AAF meet after that... I really enjoyed them...

• Arun was always in a hurry.. rushing to meet Riya
• Saikat was the silent and gold-hearted guy who appreciated everyone
• Shake always had some criticism to offer... and loved to pull our legs with the so-called-latest (non-existent) guys in our life.

Since we were one person short, we wanted a painter to join. S volunteered... initially, he didnt turn up for the meetings... some of his hilarious excuses:

• I got drunk last night (by 9 pm)... would you want me to come drunk for the meeting? I am a professional
• I was in the lib only... I was studying... and I lost track of time. I realised one hour later about the meeting (meeting was in the lib basement)
• I have to go for a smoke.... will be back in 5 mins... (no sign of him after that)

The Srijan update was left to us after the first few months... I would msg the senies to inform them:

Me: Hi... Srijan has been updated. Comment, crib... criticise.

Arun: Damn good job... you guys rock. Keep it up!!!

Me: Arre yaar, bolne se pehle dekh toh liya karo

Arun: C'mon... we trust you guys to come up with the best

Me (to myself): Yippie!!!

Before leaving, the seniors transferred the legacy of AAF (paints, sketch-pens, glitter, papers, budget, mission and vision statement) to us. It was a proud moment.

This year, we received very few interested applications for AAF from the junies. And none of us were sure about how to judge a person on the basis of one interview...

So, the following desperate call was made to Arun.

Me: Arun... I need help. AAfF interviews tom.. kya kare? First tell me, how did you select me??? My interview was pathetic.

Arun: Dont even ask about the interview. We were so disgusted. But then all the other candidates dropped out and we were left with the 3 of you... isliye le liya.

Me (horrified): Kya?

Arun: Aur nahi to kya... no other committe or fora would have taken you. Be grateful. Dekh interview mein ask questions like "define a particle, infinity.. what is creativity.. " Give them words and ask them to say whatever comes to their mind first... like,

Say, red... if banda says apple... take him in.. but if he says doctor.. throw him out.

Me: You are kidding right

Arun: No ways... it worked for us.. hehehehe. Best of luck!!!

Best thing about AAF:

"What you can do at AAF is only limited by your imagination"