Magadheera

Though i am a big movie buff, i dont watch too many telugu movies especially the newer ones. But i have to shamelessly accept that i saw Magadheera thrice in theatre!! Gasp!!
So..i was wondering what is so good about this movie that i didnt even hesitate to watch it the third time and infact suggested that we go for this movie on a long tiring friday night. Honestly, I dont know...as of now, let me attribute it to my latest crush, Ram charan tej! :-)

Grrrrrrrrrr..

What do you do when you are in an extremely bad mood and feel like punching that "someone's" face if they come in front of you? I feel like it right now..i so want to vent my frustration out that i am unable to concentrate on anything else. steer clear of me today!

Iktara

what is it about this song that makes my heart race each time i listen to it..is it the uniquely melodious female voice or is it the male chorus singing like they really need somebody's attention;is it the beat or just the lyrics..probably the way the song is instilled into the movie or maybe its just ranbir kapoor..maybe the soulful music?
i love the way she sings ..
main tho kisi ke hoke
yeh bhi naa jaani...
simply beautiful...i am listening to it while writing this post...
Hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do..iktara from wake up sid!

Mind Vs Heart

What do you do when your heart rules over your mind? In the sense, you want to do something which is morally not right or you might regret it later sort of thing. But still your heart longs for it and you are torn in between making a decision. You almost yield to temptation. I think most of us would have been in this situation. Well, to start with, taking a long breath definitely helps. Think rationally for a minute...when i say a minute, it might sound like a very small amount of time. Trust me, it takes a phenomenal effort to think rationally even for that minute. Just for that one minute, let your mind rule over your heart. Think only about the negative aspect of the "morally wrong" thought and how and why it might affect your life later. You can even conjure up some negative aspect to it just to convince yourself...i dont see anything wrong in that. just by building a negative energy around that whole thought can make you feel good at the end of that one minute because you would be happy that you are not going to do it..I have tried this many times and it has worked..
When you know how to control your mind, you get the ultimate power to let it control you.
I think this is the most abstract post of mine till date!!

Random thoughts

A cup of hot and strong coffee..long talk with a close friend on life, love, people..pleasant smell of wet earth from the first showers of rain...no electricity at home...a candle light flickering due to the gusty winds outside..wearing an old pyjama and tee...on a cozy bean bag..on a friday night...
This is the first picture that came to my mind when i thought about what i wanted to do right now..some of the small pleasures in life!!

The Reason

I'm not a perfect person,
As many things I wish I didn't do,
But I continue learning,
I never meant to do those things to you,
And so I have to say before I go,
That I just want you to know...

I've found a reason for me,
To change who I used to be,
A reason to start over new,
and the reason is you.

I'm sorry that I hurt you,
It's something I must live with everyday,
And all the pain I put you through,
I wish that I could take it all away,
And be the one who catches all your tears,
Thats why I need you to hear...

I've found a resaon for me,
To change who I used to be,
A reason to start over new,
and the reason is You...
~ By Hoobastank
Simply WOW!

intense thoughts

Well, i happen to think a lot these days during my bike rides from office to home and vice versa..a lot of intense thinking infact! I enjoy it because thats the only time i devote to myself and my thoughts. The journey takes about half an hour one way ..so essentially its about an hour of intense thinking per day..one hour just for myself..I came up with so many different analogies, different solutions , different approaches i should take that i am really surprised(rather elated) !!
For example, i came up with this co-relation between life and road the other day..life is essentially a one-way with no end. When you are on the road for the first time, you falter. But with experience , you grow to overcome your fear. Vehicles are your opportunities to reach your destination faster and not everyone is blessed with a vehicle(could call it as the 'luck' factor in life). Vehicles are not the only way to reach your destination. There are other things like gas for your vehicle, energy within you to ride, time factor etc. All these things can be related to hardwork, determination and doing the right things at the right time in life. The people on the road are friends,peers, well-wishers you meet in your journey. You may get along well with them or might end up having a brawl(as is the case while driving on the road). When more than one person shares the same goal as yours, thats when a traffic jam is created. Ultimately the smartest one gets his way across. Potholes and speedbreakers are the pitfalls and troubles in your life. With experience, you learn to handle these gracefully. well..i could go on and on..
Talk about an idle mind on the road :-)

Attitude ..hmmm

this is one of my favourite topics! well, i came across this weird description of someone on orkut..'i am so and so with a simple attitude.' Now..how can someone qualify their attitude as simple? not only that, can someone please define 'simple attitude' for me? No offense here..but is it really possible to say that i am someone with a simple attitude towards life?have you ever come across someone who loves to have a complex attitude (if there is something like that) and believes they have it? i have only heard of positive and negative attitude...well maybe if i extrapolate, i can say that this person doesnt take too many risks and is happy with simple things in life..again i maybe wrong!
On the same lines, i would share a quote here which i come across a lot (almost everyday)- Attitude is contagious...Is yours catching?

why blog?

Recently i was talking to one of my friends about blogging and then he asked me "why blog? if you want to write something for yourself, why not compose it in a mail and save it.." Though i think i defended myself successfully, this kinda got me thinking.
well i started writing (or thats what i would like to call it :-)) for entirely different reasons. I thought it would be a good forum for essays and improving vocab for an MBA aspirant (long back then)..and then slowly i started realizing the power of blogging. Though i started this entirely for myself to capture my thoughts running at the back of my mind, i began to enjoy reading my previous posts. It was like a mirror of my own mind. It might be a simple experience or thought for somebody who is reading it.. but for me it is like a re-run.. showing a different perspective and reminiscing..giving a deeper insight as to what i could have done better given the same situation at this point of time..sometimes your mind is not clear as to what it wants and i found writing at that point of time helps a lot! it ,sort of, sets things clear because when you write, you try to write the right things...
I would be lying if i say that i dont write for others to read...or atleast that i dont write with the hope of others reading it..its next to impossible..if you think blogging is a one way communication, then you are highly mistaken..you are talking to someone and he is listening to you(by reading your post)...whether reading that post makes a difference to him is a different question..so 'hope' is definitely a motivation factor..it is in fact the ultimate killer and the reason why people think blogging is better than composing a draft and saving it.
But as always, sustenance is the key to anything!

Updated!!

I finally found time to update my flickr with pictures of my recent pilgrimage trip in Karnataka. have a look when you get time and make sure you leave your comments in there..

Moods..

Have you ever wondered how many different moods a man can be in? happy, sad, fear,anxiety, anger, disgust, frustration etc. Mood is nothing but a state of mind. So what exactly causes this change in the state of mind? A common belief is that chocolate lifts your spirits up or listening to a peppy song puts you in a good mood... When the change is in the state of mind, why is it difficult for the mind to control itself..as in why is it difficult(i wouldnt say impossible here) for someone to go into a happy mood from a depressed state rather than wait for external factors to influence him? How come the external factors (say a friend consoles him) influence him to such an extent that he is able to come out of his depressed state easily? the bottomline is why do external factors make such a big impact on us when controlling the state of mind is in our control..(food for thought)
watch out for more cranky posts like these from me :-)

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
-- Steve Jobs
Very true and very apt for my life!

The best poem!

When i was really young (probably in 1st or 2nd standard), there used to be one thatha in my apartment who used to write telugu poems for leisure and he happened to write a poem on me..it goes something like this -
silala nunchi silpaalu chekkinaaru
srishtike andhaani thechhinaaru
which means
they made sculptures out of mere stones
and brought beauty to the whole world!
That is really the best poem somebody has written for me ! For those of you who dont know, shilpa in telugu means sculpture!

strange thoughts

for the past three days, i tried to write some posts..titled them and it ended there. my thoughts just dint flow..it was a strange feeling. well, it was not like i didnt know what to write but i was probably not able to express myself. people who know me, know how much i love to talk..so this is really strange for me.
Hmm...need to take some time off to think about this. i am still contemplating as to whether to publish this post or not

chennai pattanam :-)

I would be doing grave injustice if i dont talk about chennai in my posts where i have spent 60% of my life!! well, the best part of my life :-)
Basically, i am telugu settled in chennai..thats how i used to introduce myself in bits during those ragging sessions...for a long time, i have wondered whether my heart belongs to telugu/tamil. its like i have been suffering from an identity crisis...
Coming back to chennai(let me preserve my identity crisis for another post), i really dont understand why chennai is so underrated! agreed that the climate is hot and humid but dude, you have a beach out there..you cant expect snow! the people may seem narrow minded, people may seem a little old fashioned,no nightlife blah blah blah ..all i can say these are only pre-conceived notions.. chennai is a beautiful blend of all cultures.early to rise and early to bed is what the people believe in!At 4:30 in the morning, people are up and kicking! the smell of hot filter coffee ,hot idli vadas and sambhar filling the air will awaken your hunger spirits :-) .Go to the beach on weekends and you will be surprised to see that the place is infested with people..families to be more specific. kids playing frisbee, father and mother helping their children wet their feet in water or the guy selling hot 'sundal' (boiled chick peas) strolling by to find a buyer, the colorful 'paper' windmills or the trolley icecream...wow! you long to be with your family after seeing such sights! Mount road, St.Thomas mount,Gandhi mandapam etc. speak volumes about the history of the place. Chennai is one place where carnatic music is still considered as one of the main genres of indian music. Out of personal experience, i can tell you that people are definitely more friendly than any other place i have been in. I mean when i go home, almost the entire colony knows that i am home and they enquire about me! This place is home to me..It is such a big relief from Bangalore to just be there to enjoy the laid back life. All i can say is- never judge a book by its cover.. read it to experience it.
Finally,this post is dedicated to all ignorant people who detest chennai ...chennai rocks!! :-)
And oh, did i mention A.R Rehman is also from chennai :)

Paths of Glory- A book review

"Paths of Glory" By Jeffery Archer is the story about a man who set out to follow his larger than life dream and whether he succeeds or not forms the rest of the novel.
The book begins with the story of George Mallory's eventful childhood. There are some parts which are truly memorable especially the parts where George feels women should have equal rights as men and argues with his dad to send his sisters to a decent college , his way of getting admission to Winchester, his mountaineering ability, his adventures with Finch,trying to climb eiffel tower etc. Some of the instances has Archer written all over them! George then tries to woo this woman (Ruth) whom he falls in love with at first sight. He even climbs a clock tower in venice to prove his love for her! George finally settles down by marrying her and starts his own family and thats when the reader begins to get disconnected as the book starts getting into a slow pace. The book takes an upturn when the Everest mission sets in. Mallory is the leader of the climbing party which is selected to conquer Mount Everest. His dream- to be the first man to set his foot on the summit of the tallest mountain in the whole world! It was so important to him that inspite of a drastic first attempt, inspite of being a father to 4 kids,inspite of a loving wife, he sets out to try it one last time. You really dont feel much when he actually dies on the mountain while returning back..i dont know if it was because i felt slightly disconnected or because i was not able to imagine the whole scene vividly... Archer, in my opinion, didnt put his best effort in describing the scene up there (i dont quite blame him since he himself has not been there!!) The only heartwrenching moment is when Ruth receives George's letter after his death..truly remarkable..thats the only time when i actually got emotional. I would definitely not rate this book among Archer's best books..not even in the breath of Kane and Abel :-)

Tired and out..

my eyes are closing ..my body aches..my brain is completely shut slowing every task that i do today..no no! i am not in another mood swing of mine..i am just a sleep deprived soul. i wish to sleep on my soft bed right now, all cozy and comfortable, drifting away into my world of dreams. How i wish i had a magic wand with me which would transport me to the place i want! there would be no traffic jams if all of us had a magic wand..wouldnt that be wonderful? what if there are too many people wishing to go to the same place? first think first serve (like first come first serve)? who would wish to come to office then :D..
well..i think by now you must have realized that i really need sleep...Thank God Its Friday!

Addicted

"Addicted By Enrique Iglesias"- I have been listening to this song all day long...Somehow it strikes a chord with me.Frankly, the lyrics are not great but there is something about his voice which makes me cringe...a pretty old one but definitely worth listening to if you are a sucker for romantic songs like me!!

atlast!!

I realized that i should remove pessimism from my blog...looking back, i would say 50-60% of the posts have been either complaints or looking at the worse side of my life!! i decided i am going to look beyond all these things and stay positive..it definitely keeps me going..
last week i had too many things happening -both professionally and personally and thats when i was almost at the edge and a little more push i would have tripped and fallen...i am really thankful to have come out of that and now i realize i dont have many things happening :-)
or atleast i am happy with the way things are right now...i like to keep myself busy..do many things at once..i like it when many people approach me for my help..somewhere it makes me feel important and i feel like putting in more effort to make things better for them..i think a little bit of selflessness is required to feel good..
anyway,i just re-read the post and saw that nothing would make sense to anybody else except me ..which in a way is good :-)

crap

happiness eludes me,
tiredness is all over me,
stress consumes me,
this is me at this particular moment...
the past week has been sort of a roller coaster ride. A mix of emotions, mental and physical stress, high expectations..what else can i say!!i long for a happy ending to all these..i am still looking for a beautiful rainbow at the end of this storm..a rainbow which would bring in all the colors and zeal required in my life.is it my perception or is it really happening to me? am i correct by hoping for the better or should i be prepared for the worst? i have never been able to answer this question myself...

Monday blues

Today can easily be counted as one of the worst days of my life...no sleep last night, no electricity at home and a heavy downpour in bangalore..rather i should have worded it as due to heavy downpour in bangalore, there was no electricity at home and thus no sleep last night!! doesnt matter now..the last thing i want to look at is grammar!!
i got up at 9:15 for work which is miserably late..managed to get ready by 10:15..rode about 6 kms(my office is about 7 kms from home) only to realize i forgot to carry my office laptop! damn..$#$#^$%#%*&^(^(*&%..after cursing myself a million times, i took a U-turn to be surrounded by endless traffic..it took me another 45 minutes to get home..picked up my laptop and started to ride to office again..i think everyone in the world ganged up to rage a war against me today as i was caught in every damn bloody traffic signal..with no one to blame, i meekly rode all the way when it started to drizzle..i was praying to God silently asking him to postpone the rain for atleast 15 minutes..i think God heard me and it kinda stopped once i reached 6 kms (the same spot where i remembered about my lappy).. and then it happened!! a guy on a bike rode his bike like it was a ferrari through slush and a second later, i saw that all that slush was on my pants..grrrrrrrrrrr..
I somehow managed to sail through the whole day trying not to fall asleep at my desk...i thought i should definitely blog this before i forget..i am sure i will have a good laugh when i go through this much much later :-)
PS: I am planning to blog everyday...i hope i do it!

growing growing and growing up

well..i know its been almost a year since my last post..work kept me really busy in the past year..growing old is tough..hmmphh(with a huge sigh on my face!)
everytime i meet my niece, i sooo envy her..she is in upper kinderGarten and has a perennial smile on her face! i have never seen her with a sigh(except when she doesnt get to eat kurkure)..her only tension in life is to watch Pogo!! Her homework is writing ABC..and reading rhymes..
now who wouldnt want to switch places with her? why is it that we always want to grow up in our childhood and fulfill our dreams of becoming something, study hard during teenage..and go to college..and when you finally achieve what you always wanted, you end up wanting to be a small child, waiting to be pampered and have no tensions in life!! life really is a full circle...
i think i should stop here before it gets too heavy for a friday evening ;-)
happy weekending!