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 :)