3 wise men

Putney literally booted back to life a few minutes ago. One of the first things I've done after entering the flat was to get my laptop running. Amol was on facebook even before I opened my browser. The journey from Liverpool back home which should have only taken 4 hours instead had us on the motorway for more than 6. Ashish, being the "alpha male", prefers being driven around and hence it was just the 2 of us taking turns at the wheel.
At Liverpool, an oblique reference was made to the three of us in the context of a new bollywood movie called 3 idiots. I found the reference funny and under the influence of some alcohol being compared to anything popular does provide an invitation to flatter oneself. The alpha male amongst us I'm sure would not refer to himself as an idiot, wise is what he would prefer. And Amol and I agree probably concur. So, here's a list of things that the 3 wise men accomplished over the past few days -

• Drove 300 miles to attend a new years party in snowy Newcastle
• Managed to get their car stuck in ice, but managed to save the day with some engineering ingenuity. Those degrees weren't wasted on us.
• Were in 3 different dance floors at stroke of 12, teaching (or atleast trying to) the ladies how to groove. By the way happy new year guys, don't think we wished each other.
• Lost the keys to their hotel room, the engineering degrees didn't help this time.
• Met Amol's cool family on New Year's day, savouring some nice homemade cake and wine
• Found themselves in the cosy abode of an old-boy from school a few hours later. Another few hours and bottle of Scotch and Bacardi later, the 3 of us were convinced that he was family. We did shed a few tears.
• Post new years eve, which was a rather cold Jan 2 we watched American Pie : The Book of Love in our family's living room. However a fourth wise man used to join us every now and then, the 3 year old son of our hosts. What was challenging especially for Amol was to distract him during all the naughty scenes in the movie. Hilarious!!!!!
• Later that evening, an hour's visit to another old-boy's house in Preston stretched until the next morning. The reason : Ashish celebrates his idea for an epic book.
• This morning begins with some appams and egg curry, one of the best we've tasted.
• An hour later we are at Manchester airport putting our Preston hosts on a flight to Kerala. Were they convinced that the only way to get rid of us was to go on a family holiday? Keep guessing.
  

Maybe the six hour drive was contemplation-time, for us to ponder over our trip and deliberate whether we could have done things better....................
I see a lot of scope for improvement. Amsterdam next?

A Putney Christmas

was spent with men I've grown up with. A few pints of ale at the local pub set the tone for the day. Amol's pork roast ensured we didn't go hungry. The rest is not history but made for a good time.
I'm not Christian but I can enjoy a good christmas.

Hangover thoughts

Xmas parties are serious business, a realisation over a hangover. Especially in a day with 18 hours awake, 8 at the office and the rest in a few bars around town. Rankin, Josie, Richie...good souls and all too human....just like the rest of us.
Note to self : Pick up Nons from Paddington, train arrives at 1520.

District 9

The must-watch this year, blows you away with its multiple layers. Excellent!
Village voice does a better job reviewing it. Read it.

Moving on

Everything's changing again. The post-LSE honeymoon began to unravel from June with Papps and 4 moving base. Bell and Adroit still remain the wide-eyed wanderers, un-jaded and carefee. And as for the devil, he wears pants with gold zips along with past baggage, ideals, grand dreams and cynicism. Sefton gets ready to pack up.
Everything's changing.
Nathen broke into a smile the minute he saw me, maybe he knows his dad and I are great mates. Shinjini was wary, maybe she didn't like the sight of this strange bearded man wrestling her dad, but she'll know her dad and the strange man are great mates too, having done many of life's journeys together. Ved looks out from the corner of his eye sheepishly when his Ammaman admonishes him, but comes running into his arms with a smile when his uncle wants a hug, maybe he knows his mum, dad and I are one team. Chengez, Chinaal, El Presidante and Indira Pillai's son.....still struggling with the thought of settling down, but maybe we'll get into the last coach of the train heading to the world of crying babies, nagging wives, and yet.........junior falling asleep on your shoulder and the Mrs. staying up to have dinner with you alone after a long day will make it all worthwhile.
Everything's changing.
But change, that's not something new. Sometimes the turn towards something better went awry along the way.. and the sudden turn towards darkness led us into light later. But change came along, resisting it led to stagnation.
Everything's changing...again, and its not what happens that matters............its what we make of it that truly does.

Dubai 2014

A post after a long while seated at the Dubai airport (excessively opulent as ever). Mum has meandered into the duty free by herself, women and shopping - they can never get enough!! The last trip home was a hurried one, but very fulfilling - can hopefully achieve more this time around.
I continue to pen thoughts at random times, but privately. These days the urge to write occurs most strongly when I make attempts to solve life's puzzzles, in trying to understand and address the emotions of oneself and people in my life. And these are matters better left out of the public space. Opinions, on the other hand, are something I prefer to be vocal about and I exhaust myself trying to explain and further inform my point-of-view.
I will be swarmed by children this time around, none my own, all the progeny of friends and family. I like kids until they decide to bring the roof down; and car keys, funny faces and you're assumed I'm-cool-with-kids attitude doesn't seem to be of any help. A bail-out from parents or grandparents is my resort.
Boarding in an hour. An old pair of headphones I owned finally broke. Time to get a new one.

Reflekt