A thought and some nostalgia..

A funny thing happened today... I was standing outside in the afternoon cause I had nothing better to do :)... Usually, no matter what time it may be, there's always a few cars going up and down the 19th.. Now I know its thanksgiving day but still, there were no, absolutely no cars on the road.. And it was really really quiet... I mean all I could hear was a few birds chirping and a squirrel frantically moving around rustling the leaves that lay dead on the grass.... It was kinda depressing to think that this is probably the last time in a while that I would hear birds and see squirrels.. In a few days, all I'd see is the grass covered in a white sheet of snow.... No birds.. No leaves... I really didnt want to see another Duluth winter.. Its harsh.. and can break the spirits of the best of us... Looks like I dont have much of a choice :)...

As I was standing there, I began thinking of home... The Delhi winter... Sitting outside in the sun, on a lazy afternoon.. Eating moongphali (peanuts, for the uninformed ;))... The rewris (til papdi), gajaks, chikis... Drinking doodh jalebi at night.. or even the kesar piste ka doodh.. Moong Daal halwa.. My black jaipuri rajai.. The morning fog in Delhi.. I thought about the time when my pockets used to be filled with kaju, badam, pista and kishmish... Its a sad thought that those times are long gone... and they will never come back... Whoever said nostalgia is a good thing :(..

My Lyrics for today:

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Pink Floyd - Wish you were here ( from the Album: Wish you were here)

Random ramblings of a sleepless mind

There have been so many things that I've been meaning to write about... But I just dont get around to it.... I wonder why.. Its not like I dont get the time.. I just dont know. Well here goes..

I was reading the latest Time Magazine (thanks to Anya's subscription ;)) and the cover story was about the Fallujah invasion.. How else can it be termed I dont know... Here are a couple of narratives from the article -:

"In the side street below, twin bombs erupted. A detonator cord led to the adjoining home, and someone thought they saw a movement. The platoon lit up the house with volleys of automatic fire tripping a battery of hidden devices. The house blew forward and a young sergeant on a balcony took a shrapnel in his groin."

"An insurgent jumps out of the cupboard. Bellavia falls down and fires, spraying the man with bullets. At some point another insurgent drops out of the ceiling. Yet another runs to a window and makes for the garden. Bellavia hits him in the legs and lower back as he flees. When its over, four insurgents are dead; another has escaped badly wounded."

My question to anyone who is willing to listen, is this.. Would you allow anyone to come to your country, push you around, install a puppet government and tell you that they're doing it for your good? I have another question, would you be willing to go yourself, to a war which might cost you your life, when you dont believe in it? Would you not expect better from your commander-in-chief? Truly, this is no war on terrorism... Hell these are just a bunch of fighters who are sick of the U.S. trying to act as global policeman for its own good.. Where does Al-Qaeda come in.. The narrative here describes how one of the insurgents was injured. There are so many more such accounts where human beings were just killed... Because they choose to stand up for their right to freedom? Since when did human life become so cheap? Who am I kidding... since eternity...

Another thing that has been bugging me since last week.. The Ron Artest incident in Detroit on Friday night. For the uninitiated, read this. What I want to ask is, why are some players and coaches defending the culprints? I mean think about it.. As a sportsperson, you know that you'll be heckled when you play (and play well) against the home team. Now I know he got hit by a glass full of water but that does not mean that he should just go into the stands and start throwing punches and all and sundry. People idolize sportstars... They worship them... Kids treat them as role models.. I just hope that what Ron Artest did does not become a role model for some others.. It was just a disgrace... Where are the Michael Jordans of the game?

The Vikes won... Man they tried so hard this time and got the results... Hopefully things will look up.. I'm an eternal optimist when it comes to the Vikings.. Unfortunately, the Packers won too.. So we have a tied division.. Lets see where we go from here..

Life goes on as usual.. The wind is howling outside... winter cometh.. :(

Now I've seen everything !

You have got to check this out.. I mean the lengths to which people go to in this country is just unimaginable... Its just a 10 year old grilled cheese sandwich for crying out loud !!!!! The current bid is at $69, 107.69 . People just spend their money on any stupid thing dont they? This is just a country full of weirdos...

Wanna get high?

I remember talking about this a year back with the gang during one of our usual 3 o'clock at night timepass talk... At that time most of the people did not believe it.. well TOI is not really a great source anymore as Anya talks here, but still, the news is there ;)... So people, Iodex and bread DOES exist :)...

My lyrics for today:

Now while the beat is slow
Here in your arms I sway
Now that the light is low
Something I want to say
I guess you've known it for a while
that I mean trouble
I only want to see you smile
And I burst this bubble

The hardest thing is to let go
When love is real...
Like a flower loves a bee
But I know you're meant to give yourself to someone else
Not me

And I could carry on with you
Does that sound crazy?
I think you feel the same way too
And you can't face it

The hardest thing is to let go
But it's not defeat
When you set somebody free
And I know you're meant to be yourself with someone else
Not me

Can you let go?
'Cause that's love that's real
Like a flower loves a bee
And you know you're meant to give yourself to someone else
Not me

Somebody else not me
Meant for somebody else not me
Somebody else not me

Duran Duran - Someone Else Not Me (from the album: Pop Trash)

P.S.: This song is a must hear.. I'm not much of a Duran Duran fan and everyone knows they're over the hill.. But this one, from their 2001 album Pop Trash is just too good.. the music, the words... you just gotta hear it..

Morning Ritual

Thats me every morning :)

My lyrics for today:

Oh, look around you
Look down the bar from you
The lonely faces that you see
Are you sure that this is where you want to be

These are your friends
But are they real friends
Do they love you the same as me
Are you sure that this is where you want to be

You seem in such a hurry to live this kind of life
You've caused so many tears and misery

Look around you, take a good look
And tell me what you see
Are you sure that this is where you want to be

Don't let my tears persuade you, I had hoped I wouldn't cry
But lately, teardrops seem a part of me

Oh, look around you, take a good look
At all the lonely used-to-be's
Are you sure that this is where you want to be

Willie Nelson - Are you sure (from the album : Other Songs)

Always there for me... shining..

Whenever I have a real bad day or when I cant sleep at night, I go outside and sit for a while, looking at the stars... There have been so many times, I've just driven to the lake and just sat there looking at the stars and the water... It makes my mind feel a lot more at peace than it is before.. I dont know why.. They've been there always... The first night that I spent without sleep... The nights that I used to stay awake to study but just didnt... Those nights when I used to be on the phone till 4... The nights when I used to just hate myself for being so stupid with my life... And tonight, when I'm feeling kinda nice... I've just always felt so amazing, looking at them.. The pitch black sky and the bright dots that are so abudant, so radiant, so powerful.. People say, stars tell you your destiny... Some other people say, stars are your ancestors... Science tells us its just Hydrogen being burned into Helium.. But for me.. They've always been the one source of peace and serenity... If I ever have my own house, I'll make sure that I have a room just for star gazing... Wont that be just amazing? *sigh*

Be it the hazy Delhi night sky, the chilly Mussorie hotel terrace, the Juhu beach at 1 in the morning or the edge of Lake Superior... These friends of mine make sure I never feel alone ever.. Not even when I feel like I have noone else... I have them.. and that for me, is the most wonderful thing in the world...

My Lyrics for today:
There's a road - long and winding
The lights are blindin' - but it gets there
Don't give up - don't look back
There's a silver linin' - it's out there somewhere
Everybody wants an answer - everybody needs a friend
We all need a shinin' star on which we can depend
N' so tonight we're gonna wish upon a star
We never wished upon before (to find what you're looking for)

There'll be times - in your life
Ya when you' be dancin' n' shit - but you ain't gettin it
But don't get disillusioned - no, don't expect too much
Cuz if what you have is all you can get - just keep on
tryin' - it just ain't happened yet
Everybody wants ta be winner - everybody has a dream
We all need a shinin' star when things ain't what they seem
So tonight we're gonna wish upon a star
We never wished upon before - (gotta get where you're
headed for)

Everybody wants some kindness - everybody needs a break
We all need a shinin' star when things get hard to take
So tonight we're gonna wish upon a star
We never wished upon before

Bryan Adams - Star (from the album 18 till I die , also O.S.T. - Jack)

Of sleepless nights, halloween parties, a whole day of programming and a 15 minute walk

I've discovered something.... Alcohol doesnt have the same effect on my sleep as it used to.. I can recall a time not long back when a couple of shots of tequila made me sleep 8 hours... Damn I didnt sleep 3 last night and tequila was not all that I had had ;)... Oh well.. happens I guess..

We went out last night.. It was halloween and also Anushri's last night in Duluth and we thought we'd party (that justfies the drinking :D) ... I must say the people over here do dress up with some enthu when it comes to halloween.. There were like a kazillion costumes.. and everyone was having a great time... Our dear Nagu had a lot of fun with a MGD beer bottle cap... If you know him, I'd suggest you ask him why ;)... Damn it was the first fun thing I've done in a long long looooooooong time..

The Vikings are self-destructing again... yeah the same time as last year... and the same team has started the run... The Vikings were 6-0 last year before they played the Giants at the Metrodome... They lost that game and just won 3 more games after that and did not make it to the playoffs.. Today, it was the same story.. It was just stupid the way they played today.. No other word for it... Damn, try comparing our esteemed cricket team and the vikings... Too many similarities there...

So I go to school in the afternoon and sit there for 10 hours trying to solve a stupid stupid seg fault/bus error problem... Nothing works.. Rack my brains for hours.. and when I finally give up and am walking back home the damn freaking answer hits me... It didnt come to me in the 10 hours that I was sitting there.. It came to me in the 15 minute walk back home... Guess I shud've walked home earlier... It wud've saved me a ton of hair that pulled out in frustration :D

My lyrics for today:

Bichhad Gayaa Har Saathi Dekar Pal Do Pal Ka Saath

Kisko Phursat Hai Jo Thaame Deewano Ka Haath

Humko Apna Saaya Tak Aqsar Bezaar Mila

Humne To Jab Kaliyaan Maangi Kaaton Ka Haar Mila



Isko Hi Jeena Kehte Hain To Yunhi Ji Lenge

Uf Na Karenge Lab See Lenge Aansoo Pee Lenge

Gham Se Ab Ghabraana Kaisa Gham Sau Baar Mila

Humne To Jab Kaliyaan Maangi Kaaton Ka Haar Mila

Jaane Woh Kaise Log The - O.S.T. Pyasa (Singer:Hemant Kumar, Lyrics: Gulzar)