Back on Blog - this time with Pics !

Phew ! Feels like a sabbatical :) Good to be back here after so long, feels nice to rant about my very own space. The past few months have been slightly hectic...mostly occupied with work (new fiscal, you know the drill), travel schedules and of course my ever lasting 'short' weekends where I always thought about getting back but I was left short of my own space - lethargically speaking :P !!

I have loads to write about now and considering the fact that I'm so full of ideas I'm just not able to comprehend where to begin with (another excuse!?) and thanks to Navneeth, who has been reminding me on a timely basis about updating this space.

So to begin with I'd like to share some images which I managed to capture over the past few weeks...errr...months, thanks to my new Cybershot! Here you go...

Farmhouse Lake side view - how serene...hmm....

Osho's !! Get slippered !

Ashram Lane - Koregaon Park

Welcome to Mumbaiiii - Expressway !

Roadside Flea Market

Will be back with more ! Gotta run now...I'm employed and this doesn't pay me :P

Got Beer???…..Will Drink!!!

(While I’m writing this piece I swear to drunk I’m not god……yikes!!!)

Summer’s back and I’m trying to wonder why coffee, tea or any other drink doesn’t invigorate me. The only thing that I can think of having something right now has to be chilled and the first thing that comes to my mind is ‘Beer’. Perhaps it’s time once again to get together without an occasion being in place (Come on you don’t need reason to drink beer or do you?!)

My recent escapades started off on a blistering Sunday afternoon where it was next to impossible to resist myself from having a draught along with coleslaw, ham, cheese & egg sandwiches (Slurp…that did make me feel hungry!). This was followed by a visit to one of the city’s finest pubs, Purple Haze where pitchers were flowing like there was no tomorrow (read: Monday @ work…Hic!!!).

The following weekend was bliss (or was it…can’t seem to recall…maybe I was hung-over). It started off at a co-workers place where the lager drinkers gathered to have beer (what else) in order to beat the heat. The day passed by with people walking in and out of the apartment & the buzz got carried forward through the night at Spinn (Both ways if the need be).

Sunday was again a night out at Geoffrey’s before I started getting the feeling why it was getting chronic (or was it? Didn’t really bother to understand why)

Week on week it’s been happening and it feels routine now. My systems immune to it and the highs (& lows) which follow are just something to ponder about (really?)

Now all I want to do is let the next 30 days pass by (to have more beer) because there’s finally reason to guzzle all the more! (I don’t really care…I still will). A four year long wait is going to be put to an end (for sometime) beginning June 9th when the best footballers/teams from the world finally embark in Germany to kick-start the FIFA World Cup ’06. I can only wait to watch the moment when the Messi’s and the Robinho’s of the world come face to face (*sigh).

So till the time I’m living the moment, to all the folks I’ve crashed mugs & guzzled beer with (& to those I’m looking forward to having a couple) see you at the game all ye hooligans ;) (With beer of course…& if Italy’s winning…it’s on me!)

& yeah…those who care to be a part of this…holler back... “Cheers!”

(PS: The writer in question here is highly & helplessly inebriated on what else but Beer)

The look out for Smitha !!!

Now who else could this piece be dedicated to other than Smitha (I guess the title says it all). So Ms Queen-of-procrastination who’s miles away decided to stand by me with effect to the previous post “The Rendezvous” which apparently inspired her (ahem) to post this piece where she raised several sentiments on what goes into the decision making process and why life couldn’t be like Bollywood movies where you always end up marrying just the right person and things always seem to work out just fine! & those of you who have no clue what I’m talking about here’s the link: http://spaces.msn.com/smitha26/blog/cns!AC0EF42397560B4E!574.entry

So the typical-traditional-Indian family starts dropping the societal-pressure at a time when you already feel you’re in a state of crisis trying to juggle with your career, family, friends etc. and to make it worse when it’s ‘right-here-right-now-time’…Yikes!!!

So I’ll vouch with Smitha especially with the number of things that you need to consider, the thought process involved before transitioning and making the rest of your family extremely joyful (I’m not getting into the specifics here…I guess everyone who hasn’t had a chance to shop in ages and probably everyone elder to you).

Last thing you would not want to do would be to make that big decision of your lifetime by seeing a 4 by 4 gleaming picture of that so-called-eligible person! You would rather have had some quality time (read: months…not minutes :P) spent with that person to give it a reality check of how things might work out mutually instead of spending the next 2/3rds of your life with someone who you don’t even know!

(Btw Smitha do you like to go to rave parties…lol)

Another valid point raised which I’d like to point out was about following certain trends especially when you’re the oldest in the family (I can empathise with you dear)! What I don’t seem to understand here is why can’t we just let things happen??? (or do they?). We’re traditional in fairyland you see ;)….errr…or should I say Bollywood inspired :P

Things don’t seem to work the way you expected them to be, but come on, looking at it on the brighter side you never know what’s in store for you! (I’ll try to learn classical Smitha, but would you like to accompany me to a rave? ;)

Lastly, never make that decision in haste. I’ve seen a few lives become mundane and so routine like it’s some sort of an obligation you have to live with. Would definitely like to recommend this to my HR-executive-friend who mentioned about a similar situation she is caught up with. Speaking of which a definite message needs to be conveyed to the aunties of the world who have decided to accomplish a wasted mission (not always) of trying to fix you up with the next eligible person that comes to their mind.

So Smitha, does your lookout end here? Or do I gather more people to join in the bandwagon? ;)

Btw is the rave plan still looking good? Or do you wanna go watch Rang De Basanti? (LOL)!!!

The Boiler Room !

No! This is’nt about another steaming room to sweat it out like the way the title of this blog might make it sound, but a flick released sometime in 2000 which I happen to watch a couple of months ago during a rainy weekend night in Bangalore with a few friends.

A must see for all people in the profession of sales. Here are some of the dialogues of the movie I found out:

Man on phone: Take me off your list.
Seth Davis: Fine, fine. I'm gonna take you off my list of successful people today.

Jim Young: And there is no such thing as a no sale call. A sale is made on every call you make. Either you sell the client some stock or he sells you a reason he can't. Either way a sale is made, the only question is who is gonna close? You or him? Now be relentless, that's it, I'm done.

Jim Young: They say money can't buy happiness? Look at the fucking smile on my face. Ear to ear, baby.

Jim Young: Anybody who tells you money is the root of all evil doesn't fucking have any.

Greg Weinstein: Don't pitch the bitch.

Seth Davis: I read this article a while back, that said that Microsoft employs more millionaire secretary's that any other company in the world. They took stock options over Christmas bonuses. It was a good move. I remember there was this picture, of one of the groundskeepers next to his Ferrari. Blew my mind. You see shit like that, and it just plants seeds, makes you think its possible, even easy. And then you turn on the TV, and there's just more of it. The $87 Million lottery winner, that kid actor that just made 20 million o his last movie, that internet stock that shot through the roof, you could have made millions if you had just gotten in early, and that's exactly what I wanted to do: get in. I didn't want to be an innovator any more, i just wanted to make the quick and easy buck, i just wanted in. The Notorious BIG said it best: "Either you're slingin' crack-rock, or you've got a wicked jump-shot." Nobody wants to work for it anymore. There's no honor in taking that after school job at Mickey Dee's, honor's in the dollar, kid. So I went the white boy way of slinging crack-rock: I became a stockbroker.

Broker: I know you're not standing on your front porch with a bag of money waiting for me to call you. But I'm not some 18-year-old selling a cure for AIDS. I'm 46 years old, I have 22 years market experience, I know this business. So pick up your skirt, grab your balls, and lets go make some money

Jim Young: There's an important phrase that we use here, and think it's time that you all learned it. Act as if. You understand what that means? Act as if you are the fucking President of this firm. Act as if you got a 9" cock. Okay? Act as if.

Seth Davis: Its strange to think how that knock changed everything, everything, hey don't get me wrong here, I don't believe in fate, i believe in odds.

Greg Weinstein: Don't you have a canoli you can stick in your mouth?
Chris Varick: Don't you have a menorah you could shove up your ass?

Jim Young: You Want details? Fine. I drive a Ferrari, 355 Cabriolet, What's up? I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you could possibly imagine. And best of all kids, I am liquid.

Richie: Get the fuck out of here before I put you in a mayonnaise jar. When was the last time you closed something huh? You couldn't close a fuckin' window you moron!

Greg Weinstein: I hope this is better than the last batch of shit you gave me. Produced more wood than Ron Jeremy. I don't want you to yell, "Reco!" anymore. Know what you should yell? "Timber!" Yeah, Mr. Fuckin' wood. I hear you fuckin' makin' your calls. It's bullshit, all right? I mean if you want them off the phone so bad, why don't you just hang up? You should get them excited. You know, excited? They should beg for a broker on the first call !!

Hmmmm……let’s get out there and close some deals !

Closing !! *Hmpf….trying to ;)

The Rendezvous !

Sunday - 1:30 p.m.

The room felt like a furnace with the sunrays entering from the window making the summer heat feeling sultry & oppressive on a Sunday afternoon. Like usual, woke up late (I guess that’s what most Sunday’s are meant for) and while flipping through the ‘Mind Over Matter’ columns in the TOI, my cell phone’s ‘Just Jazzy’ ring tone started ringing aloud. A glimpse at the display screen showed up an uncanny 12/13-digit number, which was tough for me to recognize. Eventually left with no choice I answered the call and this is how “The Call” went:
(Some sections of the conversation have narrations & Hindi dialogues because certain statements can’t have the same flavor (read: humor) when expressed in Hindi only)

Lady: Hellooooo! (Excited)

Me: Hello? (Curious)

Lady: Girishhhhhhh! Kaise ho?

Me: Ummm…I’m fine, thanks……Sorry…… lekin maine aap ko pehchaana nahi?

Lady: Pehchaan kaunnnnnn??? (For a moment I thought one of the winners of the Great Indian Laughter Show had called up)

Me: I’m sorry but guesses have more or less landed me in trouble for calling out the wrong names (for the wrong reasons too sometimes!)

Lady: Beta (*son) it’s me…your mami (*mum’s brother’s wife)…from Abu Dhabi. You forgot me so soon?

Me: (Areh baap re!) Errrr…ohhhh…. Kaise ho mami? It’s been quite sometime since we spoke. Hope everything is fine at your end?

(So now that I’ve identified who the caller is I shall change the caller’s ID to ‘Aunt’)

Aunt: Everything is fine here beta, you tell me how are things at your end in Bangalore? When do you plan to come to Abu Dhabi?

Me: Everything is fine here Mami, work keeps me busy throughout the week & I really can’t say when I can come down next. Kaam se chutti milna is very difficult!

Aunt: No wonder you haven’t stayed in touch with us….mere Guddu ko toh hamare liye time hi nahi hai?

*Now Guddu used to be my nick when I was 3 years of age but my aunt never seemed to give up this habit of addressing me even now (sigh). Old habits die hard….did someone say? Getting miffed by the whole ‘Guddu’ affair i decided to snub it off the very instant and change the matter.

Me: So when are you planning to come down to India…errrr…..Bangalore? (*Geez – now what?)

Aunt: Agar tum Shaadi kar rahe ho toh phir hum aayenge? (How Sindhi!)

Me: Shaadi !! (*GULP) aur itni jaldi?….ha ha…your kidding me mami ! Abhi toh mein bachha hoon…khelne kudne ke din hain mere!

Little did I know that my comments we’re going to backfire and by now I realised how stimulating the call was…I even skipped my chai…read on to know how I dug my own pit! Dang!

Aunt: yeah yeah…I know you must be loitering around clubs & pubs with all your sweethearts in skimpily clad clothes! (Do I need to give any explanations for this?) It’s high time beta you get serious about settling down, now that your 24 & have a job! (Is that all these days?) Waise…have you ever given this a thought?

Me: (Fed up of being nagged) Not really mami, I think it’s a little too early for me now…yawwwnnn….(hope your not yawning with this piece…it’s contagious)

Aunt: Everything seems to be early for today’s generation. Waise…just to let you know…I have a very close friend whose daughter I think would be ideal for you. (Yeah right! Does she go to rave parties too??!!)

* So in order not to disregard her concern for me, I decided to gratify her by asking a couple of questions so that she reckons she got me thinking about it atleast.

Me: So whose this girl and what does she do?

Aunt: (Elated) Well her name is Priyanka….Priyanka Gangwani and she recently graduated in Arts. She knows how to cook (this & that and blah blah…while in the meantime I was checking what movies we’re running in PVR). Also beta, she lately started working in a school as a geography teacher.

Me: (Still not involved) so aunty, where is she from?

Aunt: (Jubilant) She’s from Bareilly! (no offence meant :))

Me: (Taken aback) Kya? Yeh kahan hai? (Now the only thing going on my mind was the track ‘Jhumka gira re, Bareilly ke bazaar mein…’)

Aunt: (Convincing) Oh noooo…don’t you know where Bareilly is? Your geography is very poor…tch tch !(and Priyanka is a geography teacher…what a conjunction!) Bareilly is in U.P. and it’s a beautiful town. ‘Priyanka Chopra’ bhi Bareilly se hai….woh jo Miss World bani thi….pata hai?? Bluffmaster movie mein bhi hai….yaad aaya??

Me: (Fussy) Lekin woh Priyanka ‘Chopra’ toh nahi hai naa??

*I felt my aunt was the Bluffmaster in this whole gimmick. But think about it…what if the girl was Priyanka Chopra? Yeah, yeah I know u guys don’t have high hopes…read on…

Aunt: Priyanka Chopra kaise hogi? Sapne dekhna bandh karo aur meri baat suno….(*Sapne..yeah right!??)

Me: (Interrupting) Pehle aap mujhe yeh bataiye…..ke aap meri shaadi ke peeche kyon padi hain? I am in no hurry so I want you to tell me frankly why all this? (*I’m pretty sure she was running some home-marriage-bureau)

Aunt: (Low) Actually there hasn’t been a wedding in the family for almost 10 years now and since you’re the first in line I thought i should be considerate enough to help you with the right partner. (*For a moment I was touched because a lot of NRI’s do miss out on a lot of family functions and they usually look forward to such events. But the actual reason came right after this.)
And it’s been so long since I bought new jewellery, wedding clothes, ate pani-puri and danced to the best bollywood numbers (read: Jhatkas, matkas, thumkas).Now I really wish you decide to tie the knot soon so that I get to fulfil all what I mentioned…sighhhh! (*I’m pretty sure she was imagining all of this on the phone which was followed by a moment of silence)

Suddenly or rather fortunately, it just struck me to remind my Sindhi-aunt of the phone bill she was running while she was discussing her vague plans for my so called wedding with Ms Priyanka-geography teacher-Gangwani.

Me: (Charged up) Aunty, I think you’ve been on this international call for quiet sometime, you must be running a huge bill already? ---

Thinking that my Sindhi-aunt would realise the fortune she spent on an international call trying her conviction skills, which resulted in little or rather no hope, she would eventually decide to hang up or for all you know, give up and let me continue the rest of the day which lie ahead. I was quiet, smirking on the phone when she responded back confidently with a rebuttal, which evoked mixed reactions in my mind and I was left flabbergasted! Read on to find out what the reply was:

Aunt: (Con-fi-dent) I’m your aunt my dear child, I possibly know every step that you take. Smart move Guddu, however, I’m using SKYPE and I don’t run into bills and it’s absolutely free of cost. All I pay is for internet charges. You might want to keep yourself up to date with technology. And just to let you know, I’m also going to have a word with your mom today in the evening and share Priyanka’s snaps with her. Have a good day son, take care and eat well.

Me: (Dumbstruck & trying to utter) errr……ummmm…alright, take care, good bye!

*That’s not the end of the Rendezvous!

I’m fortunate to have a very understanding mum, who stood by me as far as my decisions were concerned. I spoke with her a couple of days ago and she bought this is up. Apparently, she told me that my aunt did pay a visit home to meet her and share Priyanka’s snaps with her over evening tea. This is what my mum had to say:

Mum: “Girish, I’ve explained to your aunt about your priorities and why it was too early for you to get married. I pretty much agree with you. Oh by the way, I did get a chance to take a look at some of Priyanka’s pictures and I think she looks very very pretty……especially in pink”

DANG !!!

Signing off,

Girish.

Waffles for thought !

Been trying hard not to think about it but somehow it's even started disturbing me during my sleep recently creating an urge to have it all the more. To actually look at it on the brighter side, I seem to be looking forward towards having them for breakfast every weekend (wish I could have it everyday in bed...sigh!). The kitchen's truly not my department although I've tried my hands at it a couple of times but somehow the end result doesn't look appealing one bit and hence I've always ended up ordering food from the Chinese guy down the road. So folks, just to get your attention back on track I'm talking bout the 'Belgian Waffles' for breakfast and trust me on this, it can sometimes get worse than a nightmare when hunger strikes during hibernation hours !

Served with fruits, whipped cream, icecream, peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, butter, jam and many other ingredients would be a temptation worth indulging in for. Let me just tell you how it all started when a close friend of mine decided to take me out to breakfast (like all the time I couldn't resist to say no for free breakfast) and so we hit this place situated in Koregaon Park, Pune called Gourmet on North main road & right besides German Bakery. The reason for choosing this place was first of all both of us decided to zero in on something different (read:continental) and not the usual idli-dosa combo which we we're already fed up of having at Madhuban after college hours every single day...phew !

Sitting right besides our table was this middle-age-firang-lady in an Osho gown who was being served waffles while the two of us we're still deciding on the 2 page menu the-have's & have-not's ! Seeing the lady savour the delicacy of the batter cake with toppings of honey & melted butter we couldn't resist our curiosity and after a quick-quiet exchange of looks we decided to try the so-called-pancake.

Somehow this time the order was really late or I just felt that it was some sort of a patience test as 10 minutes to the order seemed like hours & i'm guessing this always happens when your eagerly awaiting something !! After the much awaited wait we had on our table 2 plates of square-shaped-grid like appearance which we "drenched" it in melted butter and honey/maple syrup only to indulge ourselves in the so called "Belgian Waffles" all for just 45 bucks ! And while I'm posting this piece of blog I feel like hitting the nearest 24/7 place which can serve waffles because I know I'm going to be in-&-out of sleep :)

I do miss having waffles with Taroon and Navtej who have always obliged to accompany even at the mere mention of this traditional breakfast dish. Often on weekends it became a must- have and I still remember feeling nostalgic when Navtej used to fret & fume when I used to dish out the word 'Waffles' in front on him and we just couldn't resist and ride ourselves all the way till Koregaon Park.

It's been long since I made my presence felt at Gourmet but I do look forward to it in the next trip I'm going to be making very soon to Pune. In the meantime i do know as a matter of fact that the Taj Residency in Bangalore, off M.G. road does serve waffles...but is there any other place I could explore in this city for the same and not go through sleepless nights dreaming about breakfast & waffles !!??!!

I'm really starving now...anyone for breakfast??

Signing off

Girish !!!

Thanks...Ms Pragati Deshmukh !

Pragati, you don't seem to be in touch very often but once a while your e-mail on occassions does make me feel nostalgic. I had a ball on my birthday, wish i could post a few pics here but somehow they did'nt turn out to be very clear and to answer your question...i turned 24 this year :) Btw when was the last time we met ??!! ;)

hey girish..
how u doing?? wish u a very happy birthday.... whts happening at ur end?? im all well.. the same.. busy with work... but now life has got organised since im working with a more corporate firm where i got fixed timings unless i have excess work and i have official sundays off!!!
so wht r the plans for ur birthday?? how old do u turn?? well... have a blast and dont really care abt how old u turned!!! :)
rest all well.. take care... keep in touch...
byeee...
Pragss

Men from Mars...Women from Venus ?!!

Stumbled upon this element of humor where i'm still trying to figure out what have planets in this universe really go to do with the male/female species. That said it does'nt really matter as long as the post below conveys a message and i'm really not trying to generalise here. Read on :)

I never quite figured out why the sexual urge of men and women differ so much. And I never have figured out the whole Venus and Mars thing.I have never figured out why men think with their head and women withtheir heart. I have never figured out why the sexual desire gene gets thrown into a state of turmoil, when it hears the words "I do.

"For example, last night, my wife and I were getting into bed.Well, the passion starts to heat up, and she eventually says "I don't feel like it, I just want you to hold me."I said "WHAT????!!! What was that?!"So she says the words that every husband on the planet dreads to hear..."You're just not in touch with my emotional needs as a woman enough for me to satisfy your physical needs as a man."She responded to my puzzled look by saying, "Can't you just love me for who I am and not what I do for you in the bedroom?

"Realizing that nothing was going to happen tonight I went to sleep.Today I opted to take the day off of work to spend time with her. We went out to a nice lunch and then went shopping at a big, big unnamed department store. I walked around with her while she tried on several different very expensive outfits. She couldn't decide which one to take so I told her we'll just buy them all. She wanted new shoes to compliment her new clothes, so I said lets get a pair for each outfit.We went on to the jewelry department where she picked out a pair of diamond earrings.

Let me tell you...she was so excited. She must have thought I was one wave short of a shipwreck. I started to think she was testing me because she asked for a tennis bracelet when she doesn't even know howto play tennis. I think I threw her for a loop when I said, "That's fine, honey." She was almost nearing sexual satisfaction from all ofthe excitement. Smiling with excited anticipation she finally said, "I think this is all dear, Let's go to the cashier".

I could hardly contain myself when I blurted out, "No honey, I don't feel like it."Her face just went completely blank as her jaw dropped with a baffled "WHAT???!!!"I then said, "Really honey! I just want you to HOLD this stuff for a while. You're just not in touch with my financial needs as a man enough for me to satisfy your shopping needs as a woman."And just when she had this look like she was going to kill me I added,"Why can't you just love me for who I am and not for the things I buy you?

"Apparently I'm not having sex tonight either" !