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

Love is a feeling

Winter sailing

The snowflakes continue to fall in the twilight,
Softly, and in no hurry,
As the earth and all its wounds are covered in a blanket of white
We tried to discover the sea of tranquility in waters unknown,
Little did we realise that it would form on land,
No waves, and ripples none,
just an endless swathe of quietude,
stretching over tree branches, roof tops and...
....almost seamlessly into the mind of a weary traveler
bringing calm to both earth and man.
The sea of tranquility won't last forever,
it will melt and the waters will vanish forcing us to confront what had lay hidden,
but the first blade of green grass, the tender leaves breaking out on the maple trees,
will be a reminder of hope, of growth that cannot be stifled
and the promise of a fresh start.

Dream On

Sometimes we reach junctures when following our hearts seems impossible and the world pushes us down paths we wouldn't have consciously tread upon. But walk we must further on, along paths unknown. Our fantastical dreams of the future, our companions for the journey.

To you 4, for introducing me to this song. Get well soon.

Recession in real terms

I walked down to the local GP's surgery this morning to register myself. An unusually bright sun lit up the sky. It wasn't a busy day at the surgery and probably was the reason why the nurse was quite chatty. As she took down my details, she got to the point of employment and I unashamedly had to admit that I wasn't in any form of employment.
So well, it's official now, the NHS records have me listed as an unemployed 28 year old Indian man.

The balance of emotion

When hearts break, do they break even?

And the story goes on

The last day at Lilian Knowles, in a symbolic sense the last day at LSE. A certain kind of life or rather a lifestyle that I had known for the past year comes to its sweet end.
I was at uni earlier in the day, picked up the FT for 25p as usual. Induction benches were beginning to pop up at St. Clements. A group of Indian students were hanging around outside the Tuns, excited. Would they realise the opportunities for intellectual growth, accepting and understanding diversity (of people and views), and for creating long lasting friendships? I hope they do.
After helping Adu and Shreya move out of the hall, this last night at Knowles left me with Tiny at the wrestler's place. We had a feast, and one of the men at the counter threw in some extra food for us for free. Kind! I kidded myself sitting there like an out-of-business mafia boss with my loyal henchman and friend Tiny. We stayed for a little longer than usual.
Tomorrow, a few of us return to unknown waters, and the story goes on.

I am the storm

It was me on that road
But you couldn't see me
Too many lights on, but nowhere near here

It was me on that road
Still you couldn't see me
And then flashlights and explosions

Roads are getting nearer
We cover distance but not together
I am the storm and I am the wonder
And the flashlights, nightmares
And sudden explosions

I don't know what more to ask for
I was given just one wish

It's about you and the sun
A morning run
The story of my maker
What I have and what I ache for

I've got a golden ear
I cut and I spear
And what else is there
Roads are getting nearer
We cover distance still not together

If I am the storm if I am the wonder
Will I have flashlights, nightmares
And sudden explosions

I don't know what more to ask for
I was given just one wish
.
.
.
There's no room where I can go and
You've got secrets too

Birthdays

The 28th was ushered in effortlessly and with no artificial displays of pomp, thanks to a few close friends. The evening before began with a walk by the Thames and then a dance, courtesy the Thames festival. Food was had by the Tower Bridge and a band playing some good music served as dessert. A pleasant walk to Brick Lane and we found ourselves in a bar which had the ambience of a student house party. The bar counter and the dj's turntable seemed to have been stuck into the basement in a hasty fashion. A few drinks and we stepped out onto the street where the bar's ambience spilt over. And as the clock struck 12, I found myself on the couch of a sheesha bar with company I love and who let me be the freak I am. I couldn't have asked for anything more.
I am 28, unemployed and the road ahead looks very good.

Enchained melody

The beast strains at the irons wrapped around its legs, its been at it for a while. Blood stains metal as it bites into flesh, but the beast seems unaware of the pain. It never rests, the times it lays still serve a mere purpose of physical recuperation, its spirit is tireless.As it bares its fangs and gnarls, its agitation could be easily mistaken as harmful intent. But I think it has more to do with captivity and less with malice.The chains are strong and won't break, wrought iron forged and welded to serve a purpose, a leash for beast or man, whoever has to be reined in. Does the beast realise this? I move closer to the beast, I stand merely an inch away from the farthest the chains would permit its fangs to reach. There is undying rage in its eyes, it glows. It stares back with all its fierceness, every muscle straining, every claw drawn out. I look deeper.....

The beast......I recognise him.

Wimbledon 2008

The game epic.....and Nadal is king!

Epilogue – Euro 2008

My first trip across Europe was fulfilling to say the very least, and these days when I find myself back in my country in perfect bliss amongst family and old friends, my restless mind chooses to enquire the reasons why I had a great time travelling across Europe. It doesn’t take me too long to figure it out. Wherever I went, I experienced the sights and sounds of places not through the senses of a detached tourist, but rather through the understanding of an insider. Friends, in Paris, in Athens made sure I felt at home and that made all the difference. Their exuberance when describing their countries, their cultures, their cuisines….helped one understand and appreciate what one saw a whole lot better.
My dear friends, I could travel around the world and see the most marvellous sights, but without you they would just remain pictures on a digital camera.
You turn them into memories.

The day we conquered Paros

The 6th of June 2008, a description of this day in my life deserves a separate post. Most days we wake up and go through the motions of life without wondering what the day would bring, without wondering about the new experiences that would befall us. Some days are great and some days not so. And on rare occasions you get a perfect day, the 6th of June was one such day.

We didn’t have a plan, the plan was not to have one. And yet the day involved experiences that could have been planned, but the joy lay in the day’s events unfolding itself without a guiding action, each moment as good as the previous. I won’t delve into details, but the day involved a car and five individuals, each one willing to travel down the unknown road armed with nothing but a good spirit, great camaraderie and an infectious enthusiasm to explore. We drove all around the island…. there were beaches, there were coves, there was a traditional Greek church, there was a small bar on top of a cliff, there was a sunset at the port, there was a Sicilian house…..and there was us.

“I feel like a child”, said one. It couldn’t be truer. The trouble with adulthood is responsibility, courses of action demanded by our environment, and the worries that ride with it. If for a short time span we are able to disconnect and enjoy life for what it is we become children….and childhood is sweet.

Greece

Jun 2, the four of us at the Milan airport, where 4, Pappu and I found ourselves cursing Guanxi for the umpteenth time for missing out on the Greek leg of this trip. Number 4 began his obsession with Sparta the minute he heard the air hostess greet us in Greek, the next one week we would be travelling with an Indian mistaking himself for a Spartan from the era of Leonidas, a case of dual identity one could say.

We landed in Alexander’s country fairly late in the afternoon… the weather and the people showed a lot of promise. In some time we met up with our friend Xara at Kifisia who took us to the first authentic Greek restaurant I’d ever been to. It didn’t take us long to decide to have a souvlaki and upon running a quick cost-benefit analysis in our heads, it took us even lesser time to figure that the souvlaki would figure predominantly in our diets for the next 7 days. We met Aliki later in the day , who took us to a pleasant café where we had our first taste of Raki. No. 4 did get a little carried away and played holi with it, toppling it all over Aliki’s bag. We did beat him up later. That the Greeks are a very hospitable people became evident that very night itself, when Aliki’s mum laid out beds in the living room for us to crash. In the wee hours of the next morning, with a charming smile Mrs. Velliou made us some Greek coffee and we were off to Paros. The next 5 days would be a journey through tranquillity.

All we did at Paros can be summed in the following steps
• Wake up late
• Have a light breakfast
• Head to a beach, each day a different one
• Swim
• Return in the evening and take a shower
• Head into town for some great food
• Hit the clubs
• Hit the sack just before sunrise

When I look at these bullet points I know it does no justice to Paros or to the time we spent there. But that is the truth, we did nothing more and nothing less. And maybe there lies the beauty of the time we spent at Paros and the state of mind all of us were in, it is next to impossible to describe in words.