Just wrote this poem – I guess my first one! Tried to make it simple and clear. Has 6 verses with 3 lines in each. Also kept complexity by making 3 more poems from this one – first line from all the 6 verses makes the first, second line from each makes the second and similarly for the third. Thought not great, they mean 3 different aspects. Enough of ones, twos and threes … let me start.

Thoughts leading to Conversations,
Feelings, Touch and Beyond,
Stairway to Heaven;

Lite Metal, Gitter and Yoko,
Maroon Canvas and two Pears,
Suddenly felt the Breezy Beamer Beautiful;

Brew, Bipolar and HaHa,
Lost in us we were,
Constantly the pedal kept in check;

Desires my heart for trips to towns unseen,
To keep it beautiful as ever,
A Flat tyre would you risk?

Proprosal and refuse thou shall not,
Break with a mac I will ,
While you check your London eye;

Get Clarity with focus and time,
Relax I shall at the Sasoon Docks,
Always waiting for my Kanya-Kumar-i to SMILE

I have 272 friends! (in facebook). To make your own follow these steps and then copy the html code!)

Having dipped my DSLR in the seas of pondicherry, I was in a quagmire. I realized I needed another DSLR (want a 40D Canon), a iMac and badly have to do tax savings. After all that I want to end the year with some decent savings. This meant a bit of financial restructuring in life.

The last shot before mother nature decided to taste the camera sniff sniff!  

First time, I briefly felt I should have been in the US, so that I wouldn’t have to deal with finances in this way. In a one man startup, struggling to get a project, lack of clarity in what I want from my open relationship (a long distance one). So many things in my mind. More $$ in hand would really diffuse the tension

As I am living all by myself, I thought it would be better to share a two bedroom apartment with someone else so that cost of living would come down and it would also help to have someone to talk to when i come back home. Note: This is my first time living alone and I kind of like the silence mostly. But sometimes being alone translate to be lonely!

At this juncture came across another good friend who was also looking for a roommate. I met her in Bangalore as a blind crib-date {don’t ask me what that is!} some months back. BTW, I now have great bunch of 5 to 6 people in Bangalore now … in the so called circle of trust and its neat. Surprisingly most of them are from the Bong Land and have a good virtual presence!

Putting one and one together – we decided in the so called liberal attitudes in life to room together! Me being the so called Tam Bram – told her will just check with my Mom and girl friend before I confirm. I ask my girlfriend and surprisingly she says okay. Mom is not in with the idea but feels if I am confident then she is 50% there with the concept.

I get back to her and say yup ‘Its a Thumbs up’. All clearances obtained! She is like okay even I will confirm with my family. She has a conversation with her mom and shares it with people in the circle of trust via email. You can read the entire stuff on her blog – This is my Truth. I am just sharing the excerpt!! pheww {Note: Me refers to her here}

Mom – Flat? have you seen already? how much would be the rent…
Me – would be around 8-9K have not yet seen but will start looking
Mom – 8-9k that’s costly how would u afford?
Me – will share it with a friend
Mom – who friend
Me – one amongst the close circle that I hang out with here, Ted, I told you about him, now don’t freak out at him being a guy…
Mom – of course I would freak out..
Me – why, what’s with him being a guy, and if it was a girl all was good? Can’t 2 girls be lesbians? Please mom, is there only one relationship possible between a man and a woman?
Mom – Thank god your dad is not reading all these lines, he would have died of shame reading all these, although I have always been walking ahead with changing times.
Me – Yes, there is no other option, you’d have to change with me and with changing times…your daughter is no ordinary daughter I can’t lead the plain and simple life that most people lead, I am not causing any pain or trauma to you people, am I? but I have certain principles in life, like you know the Marxist principle that maamu follows, whether it’s marriage or death you don’t do extravaganza, that way I have some feminist principles in my life which I cannot discard… mom please don’t get annoyed…

[Now pay attention, this is the climax ]

Mom – Ok, we won’t do extravaganza, if you don’t want a pomp and show…at least you could have done a registry…

The End

Lol… Mom thought I am planning to live in with a guy instead of marrying him. The conversation went for another half an hour with me trying to tell her that’s its ridiculous to get worked up just because my flat mate is a guy. Tried to tell her it means nothing. Nothing.

So, this is our culture, tradition, which reduces human beings to a dick and a pussy, that’s all we stand for, my pussy and your dick cannot be kept in the same box because they would start fucking each other for no rhyme or reason. Two pussy however can happily stay in the same box cause they can only brush against each other and not fuck, two dicks can also stay together cause they can only hold hands and sing songs but not fuck at the apparent side. Oh, some buggers do fuck from the not so apparent side but we shall nail them down soon, those criminals committing ‘un natural offences.’

Then one of the friends from the circle of trust takes it to the next level!! Constant Motion replies:

lololololololololololol……………………………..

all I could think of while reading this e mail was of Vinu and Vinu’s face.

Yes its all about it, a “D” and a “P”. Dip the “D” and make “P” pregnant. even our emoticons, the smilyes that I am typing (:-D and ) consist of a “D” and a “P” what a realisation.

The whole world revolves around these 2 alphabets. What other better use can a D and a P have in English language?

A for ass, B for boobs, C for cunt, D for u know it already, E for Erotica, F for (yes you know that as well) G for G Spot, H for Horny, I for Intestine where all the sperms travel after an anal sex thinking they are travelling “up above the world so high”, J for Jobs, (hand, blow etc) K for kinky, L for lust, M for masochism, N for narcissist, O for orgasm, P for (yeah u got it right too) Q for Queenie, R for ruptured vulva, S for SEX, T for the T of Copper, U for your ass, V for virgin, W for women, a lot of women, and some “wow” effect, X for the X factor and xtacy, Y for You fuck yourself (which basically means you have been dumped after a good fuck) and finally Z for those x and y chromosomes which failed to make a baby BOY or a baby Girl but made something else instead.

so you realise now, the whole world is about Sex which makes it D.P.S and no that’s is not Delhi Public School, that is Dick Pussy and Sex.

Well, Now thats D-P-S!! I take guts to reply and say I N Z Y are not sounding great and pat comes the reply:

I for Incest or Intercourse
N for Nuts or Nymphomaniac
Z for the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz that one can catch after a good SEX
Y for Yaar bina chan kaha re …sona nahi chandi nahi yaar se mila arre pyar karle…..(basically breed like a rabbit)

I don’t know if we are going to get the apartment, whether my mom and girl friend are going to be okay. But the circle of trust is going great guns. Two of them are getting married and I have been given credit to play the role of Cupid and talks are of adopting me! Whatever happens ;P I am glad I met Samy, Vinayak and Snigs.

BTW, there are more mails that followup from Samy’s sister etc…. but I think this post is getting too long and hot to handle ;P Hope you didn’t bored reading it! a big post after long time from my side …

I think I started using facebook as I was able to get in touch with my old friends from the US phase of my life. Also it helped me socialize virtually as orkut started getting banned everywhere and to top it – there is so much fun stuff to do!!

The facebook apps have totally inspired me – will blog about them soom but I thought will share some screen shots from the update feed and invites feed. Also from the comparison and personality app! These are something that are fringe benefits of a social networking site that I derive good amount of bang for the buck spending my time on facebook.

For starters its always nice to log in and see something like this:

And then being posed these questions is so fun – would like to dine with my advisor from Berkeley or my cus from Phili?

Or wonder who would make a better mom and who would I sleep with! {both being hot that well know friends!}

And of course worst of all who has a better body – a Indian chick I don’t know that well or a close hot friend from uzbekistan?!

And a personality test to match personalities with friends is always cool. I think it might even help employers to hire the right kind of people … save yourself joining the wrong type of job etc!

I got a mail from my friend Vijay who is spending his first Independence day on foreign soil at Singapore and he wrote this lovely mail:

Hi!!!!!!!

Today morning, I had been to the Indian High Commission in Singapore
where they had held a get-together on the eve of Independence day.
There was a flag hoisting by the High Commissioner, who read out the
Indian President’s speech.

Then, a cultural society here called the ‘Temple of Fine arts’
rendered Bankim Chandra Chatopadhyay’s most famous composition- ‘Vande
Mataram’. And the song was so melodious and beautiful that the slow,
lilting tunes are still ringing in my ears. It was particularly
poignant for me, being the first Independence day that I was standing
on foreign soil. That one moment, listening to the lovely composition
that must have etched itself in so many minds across generations and
with thoughts drifting back to what India meant to me, and the gentle
lyrics “suhaasinim sumadhurabhaashhinim sukhadaam varadaam
maataram….vande maataram..”, made for an experience, which will
remain unforgettable…Felt so good about this that I really wanted to
share it with you..

Take care,
Me

I wrote back saying today what I did on august 15th truly (I am not that proud!). I had plans of waking up early; take my DSLR and go trotting around Colaba. Noone of which became a reality.

Guess what I did

saw ‘Bheja Fry’ till 1am. Read Tyrst with Destiny twice at 2am.
Chatted with my girl in Delhi for 2 hrs. slept at 4am.

Woke up at 12:30 pm. Didn’t step out of my house the entire day.
Didn’t look at any Indian Flag. No speech ;P or vande Mataram songs.
Saw ‘The Good German’. Waved through the newspaper. Read two books -
“Made to Stick” and “The five dysfunctions of a Team”. Saw two
episodes of LOST. Lovely aaloo curry and thair sadam. Caught up with
some friends. Wrote feeling patriotic on facebook (which I was).

Guess, it was just ‘me’ of being ‘Indian’, ‘independent’ and ‘enjoying
freedom’ in my own lazy unproductive way!

Vanakkam,
mein ;-P

But I think I would love to finish the post with these two pic, two things that really matter to me, my life and India:
My Mom

and my love for the nation (the pic is a metaphor, the candle is still not burning; light is yet to come!)

I guess you can see some differences in all three of us (Praba, Dolly and me) schoolmates over the last 20 months. This is us now:

And this is 20 months before:

Our lives have changed to a good extent in these 20 months. Praba is married and off to another continent, Dolly has had her ups and downs, but has manged become more beautiful (including lovely mahabs trip with my Dad, Sis and her) and myself – moved to Bangalore and I think haven’t added more fat

Whenever – I am in a soul searching mood, I log onto my flickr archives and dig deep. Its a visual diary I keep and enjoy going back to. this month being July I went back to July of 2006 and 2005 and somehow found 2005 more lively to think back.

Summer in NY with Friends:

Cheap return travel:

Memorable dates with the mysterious Trisha

Awesome roomates at Berkeley: Pritish and Abhay boozing and

and Rahul geeking:

and yeah the eternal sunshine at Berkeley and Oakland:

Apurv and I enjoyed our 10 day trip to Har Ki Dun (North Uttrakand) and back. As the trek schedule was not fixed … our trip kind of sprawled out in the following way: (estimated deg C)

My Flickr Set (255 pics)

Month: June, 2007

15th night – 28 deg C
Home to Bangalore Airport ( Two Wheeler, Auto)
Bangalore to Delhi (Flight)
Delhi Airport to ISBT Terminus (Taxi)
Delhi to Dehradun (a/c bus)

16th – 18 deg C
Dehradun to Sankari via Mohri (Rickety Local Bus)

17th – 15 deg C
Sankari to Taluka (Walk)

18th – 12 deg C
Taluka to Seema (Osla) (Walk)

19th – 8 deg C
Seema to Har Ki Dun (Walk)

20th – 6 deg C
Stay at Har Ki Dun

(pic from Apurv’s Flickrstream)

21st – 18 deg C
Har ki Dun to Sankari (Walk and Mules)

22nd – 25 deg C
Sankari to Dehradun (Car – Ambassador)
Dehradun to Rishikesh (Bus)

23rd – 25 deg C
Rishikesh to Delhi (Bus)
ISBT, Delhi to Guest House, East of Kailash (Auto)

24th – 32 deg C
Visit to South Extension, Delhi (Auto)

25th – 36 deg C
Visit to Delhi University (Metro and Tri Cycle)
Visit to Tibetan Refugee Camp in Delhi (Auto)
Return to Bangalore (Flight)

I just have to highlight the diversity in landscape and modes of transpost taken during the trip! It had alsmost everthing right from walking, Mules, tri-cycles, two wheelers, autos, cars and flight …

Best ride was walking on the Mules on the edge of landslides Letting your life depend on the steps of hybrid of a Donkey + Horse – I think nothing comes close … ha ha That does say a bit about me right!!!

MORE PICS HERE. (its a guest pass for myset!)

Yesterday’s post on ‘Finding Kiran‘ made be think of my Yosemite visit to the park. I went there with Vipin, Vijay and Chetan. I had a Film SLR then! This photo below was taken from the film using a digital camera when I came back to India and was thinking about what things to print. (Note: no post processing)

Saw this photo and it reminded me of the path less taken. We were coming back from the trek I think and I saw this. My mind wanted me to take this trek instantaneously but looking at my friends mood, I decided to drop it. May be life would have been different had we done this trek? Seems in consequential – but you never know as it happened in Kiran’s case.

My friend Anil just mailed this in, please do mail / circulate this … I personally know Rabin and Arindham – lovely folks. Sorry to hear about this. Its saddening to see that people are assuming Kiran is dead without a proper search operation.

http://findkiran.blogspot.com/ … The rescue efforts seem
to be less than adequate. It’s amazing that this has escaped all news
channels. I have known Kiran personally during my stay at IIT Kharagpur and
feel sorry about the lack of proper response from park officials.This message is going out in the hope that it will help in someway in the search and rescue of a KGPite who has gone missing in Yosemite National Park (in Northern California).

Please contact: if you think you can help in anyway.

Arindam Chakrabarti: 510-717-7447, mailto: arindamchaks@gmail.com
Rabin Patra: 510-717-2999, rkpatra@cs.berkeley.edu

Here is what is known till today:

YSSKS Kiran has been missing in Yosemite since 12:00 noon on
Saturday May 19, 2007. His friends saw him get washed away in the water but lost sight of him moments after. Kiran could have gotten caught on the shore
immediately after.

As of 1:00pm on Monday May 21, 2007, Search and rescue officers say they are assuming he is already dead, and that his body is trapped in rocks under the water. We believe that this is just an assumption and not a confirmed truth. He may be lying injured and unconscious close to the river. We must make sure that all actions are being pursued to find him quickly.

Here is what is known till today: Kiran has been missing in Yosemite since 12:00 noon on Saturday May 19, 2007. His friends saw him get washed away in the water but lost sight of him moments after. Kiran could have gotten caught on the shore immediately after. As of 1:00pm on Monday May 21, 2007, Search and rescue officers say they are assuming he is already dead, and that his body is trapped in rocks under the water. We believe that this is just an assumption and not a confirmed truth. He may be lying injured and unconscious close to the river. We must make sure that all actions are being pursued to find him quickly.

Kiran’s parents are in India and have been notified of this accident. His father is making arrangements to come to the US immediately. Kiran got his B.Tech. (Hons.) in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Kharagpur in India in 2001. He got his Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota in 2006, and is working in NVidia in the San Francisco Bay Area. We want to find Kiran quickly and hopefully alive. We need your help with the following items as soon as possible:- Assistance in getting the media to highlight this horrible accident in Yosemite, and influence continued and full-fledged search and rescue efforts by the appropriate agencies. Reaching out to Congressmen and Senators to influence continued and full-fledged search and rescue efforts. (We are currently reaching out to the IIT, University of Minnesota, NVidia, San Francisco Bay Area, and other social networks.)