Meme or Maimed

Coming from -xh-, some serious questions.....have admitted myself to the emergency ward....just in case.....

1) It is important to be liked by others...no. Nope, it is not important to be liked by others:
This is a question which has many connotations - one simply cant live alone - need some sort of recognition - good or bad (people have had blog posts on this).
Now depending on what you are in life - I mean to say profession or stage - It can matter a lot or not matter at all.
An actor for instance cannot deny the fact that he needs to be liked by others....whereas a cricketer can tilt either way but has to be liked by the selector and personally I am a free bird - you like me or no I exist nonetheless......

2) Obedience is a virtue:
Well civil disobediance is also a virtue.....so again these short questions cannot have a direct answer - one needs to dwell into it.....who are you abiding to, where are you, what are you obeying.....
A soldier cannot disopbey.....he will put the whole battalion into jeopardy....whereas a child should disobey - only then can he find out differences between good and bad choice....

3) People are not malicious but they become so because of bad experiences or circumstances:
To a society of malicious people they are a boon....like the terrorists - to us they are bad but circumstances or simply ignorance leads them to their path....and in that group of people - he/she might be revered.....its which side of the fence you are on - if oppressed you find the other malicious - if oppressing you dont.....

4) Education broadens our view and makes people more humane:
Depends, sometimes too much education imparts lot of logic and maimes you - whereby simple things are made complicated - it also imparts coherance to norms and prevents one from taking a risk

5) People who have no money troubles are happier:
Nope - money is the root of all evil - having a lot or having none - hail the middle class......

6) As people get older they get wiser: (hope his attorneys dont charge me for plagarism)
Here I agree with -xh- so copied his answer.....
It depends. For some guys, wisdom comes at an early age, but for some, it never comes. Wisdom is not linked with age, but with experiences one go through and circumstances one have to endure. So, nope, people mat not necessary get wiser as they become old. But yeah, they can become more senile as they become old ;-)
Also to add to it - you loose wisdom tooth so how can you be wiser....

7) You can live on love and fresh air:
Yeah if you are a robot.....programmed with "love ke liye kuch bhi karega" software.....be realistic guys

8) There is a celestial guardian angel looking after each one of us:
I dont know if they are also born at the same rate at we humans.....we are 6 billion that means there are 6 billion of em.....now isnt that a bit too much.....and who is looking after the celestial angels - what if they make a booboo....

9) All living beings reincarnate:
Yeah I was wondering about the scar I have on my head......I never got hurt there in this lifetime......

10) Heaven and Hell are places you go to after death:
Nope I will disintegrate to dirt and dont know if they want it in either of the two exotic locales..........(kind of dirt will depend what they use - wood, gasoline or some environmentally friendly human disintegrator when I die )

Now I am supposed to Maim few others.....
Cinderella, Jeevy, Pri, Preeth, Veens

You guys cant hit me cause they are shifting me from ER to I see you.....

deTAGment

Was tagged by 2 bloogies and again yesterday by 2 others

Raaji
Pri
Solitaire
Cinderella

For some personal reasons and questions therein...tried to avoid the tag before - sorry Raaji and Pri....
Just thought have to fight the personal demons and do it....or else it will keep haunting me :)
So discreetly deleted those questions and reconfigured from all four tags...

1) What is the world suddenly decided to rotate in the other direction? (my question)
It will be fun....everyone will be confused and dazed.....

2) Name Three Most Valuable Assets? (raaji's Question)
Tangible Assets : (my means of daily survival in the US)
Cell phone, Laptop and Car

Intangible Assets :
Freedom to think
Perseverance to perform
Courage to withstand

3) If you have the chance, what would you probably say to your beloved one?
Sorry no answer

4) If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, who are the 3 blog buddies you would take with you?
KP - he is mah gujju buddy here - together we will plan a resort there and make lotsa money....
Cinderella - Need an intern (she is a fresh arhitect graduate) there to help me plan the resort (btw if the boat has some space you can get your significant other too)
Ashu - she needs a break from her "break"
and if possible Mez to - she needs a break too and KP and Ashu can instill some cricket into her.....

5) Where is the place that you want to go the most?
Top of Mount Everest.....want to feel what it feels like to be in top of the world...

6) If you can have 1 dream to come true, what would it be?
Mt friend SRK speaks out my mind :) ....bas itna sa hwaab hai (you tube link)

7) Till now, what is the moment that you regret the most?
I dont regret. Beleive everything happens for a reason....say "FCUK IT" and move on....

8) What are you afraid to lose the most?
My sense of humor....

9) What would you do if you found a briefcase full of money?
Honestly...I want to do this for a long time....I would stand outside Churchgate Station in Bombay and randomly give money to as many people as possible....
Will acheive two things -One get a pic in MID-DAY and Page 3 - local papers with some headline like "paagal gujju" (cheap thrill) and
secondly all those stressed people will smile for a moment in amazement.....worth a lot more than that bag of money.....
and also keep 500 bucks out of it....have as many idli-sambhars in Sanman (churchgate) and vada pau (near my school) and give a generous tip to the waiter who is still there 18 yrs after I left school - do it everytime I visit bombay....

10) If you meet someone that you love, would you confess to him/her?
Confession is for a crime.....love is about professing......

11) List out 3 good points of the person who tagged you (dunno anyone of you personally - so please no offence - this is based on your blog outpourings)

Raaji - Philosophical, Spiritual and Humble (all her posts)

Pri - Naughty, free spirited, subtly sarcastic (humorous kind ) (most of her posts)

Solitaire - Inrospective, concise (her comments), proactive (social issues)

Cinderella - Doomed (its good for architects - best design comes out this way), passionate (her writings), free spirited


12) What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?
Be as you are....and let me be..too

13) Which type of person do you hate the most?
Hate is too harsh, I have not yet been able to love someone properly....

14) What is your ambition?
To fulfil my dream as stated above in song for question (6) (jyada nahi maangta - am not asking for much)

15) What is the thing that will make you think someone is a bad person?
Someone who manipulates everone....for ulterior motives

16) If you could do one thing different in life, what would it be?
Dunno - really - I take life as it comes.....it hurts when certain desicions have to be made.....but I strongly beleive "Everything happens for the Best" - so just hang in there :)

17) Something which made u laugh today (pri's question)
Looking at myself in the mirror :P

18) How do you deal with a friend who has wronged you ? (cinderella's question)
Give them a hug and let them be....dont indulge... (jaddu ki jhapi - like munnabhai - it works really)

19) How important is love for you to get physically intimate with a person ? Be honest here. Not rational.(cinderella's question)
Very important....or else it can become an emotional nightmare sometimes....

20) Name one favorite song of yours. (I guess Solitaires question)
Another Brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd) (youtube link)

Ok done....now the tough part....passing it along to 8 people....People whose blogs I follow and think are tagged or not and have not done it yet....
Ashu
Backpakker
Gunj
Hammett
Jaggu
Mez
Phoenix
-xh-

Bheja Fry

Back to the busy work schedule - holidays are over. Driving around last few days - stuck in traffic - shopping for essentials - in other words at many instances had some random thoughts..... Sharing them with you (if bored please do comment appropriately)

1) Premise - It is freaking cold here since the past few days (temperatures as low as -32 degres celcius (-25 d F). Even stepping out to visit a site - have to wear a full armor of protective gear.
The mind actually stops functioning - guess all the fluids in the brain are frozen or freezing.

Surmise- What if there are aliens who actually come down to earth - and say they come here - are we fresh meat for them - they dont have to open a fridge - we are live baits walking in this freezing temperature - so will they go - ah these looks juicy - lets gobble them......

2) Premise - It was a full moon day. Was stuck in traffic on the highway. Looked up and saw the brilliance.

Surmise - What if Star Trek were really true (its a big possibility - arent we having a cell phone and wireless internet) or space travel as similar to what is proposed by Richard Branson in his Virgin Galactic program becomes affordable and many more people are able to travel to the moon.
Will we take all our current worldly problems alongwith us - or will we format our brains and start afresh.
And if moon becomes so accesible - what will the poets and writers romaticize about.
And hindi films will have to rethink the dialogue "Mai tumse itna pyar karta hu - ke tumhare liye chand aur taare tod la sakta hu" ( My love for you is so deep that I can capture the moon and stars for you)

3) Premise - A huge hoarding of Victoria Secret (those interested in what it is and its history can read the link) and few streets later a poster of Gandhi in a Indian store.

Why?- This was a weird thought but it did occur nontheless - should we have a khadi version of apparels and call it Kasturba's Secret in India.

4) Premise - Walking out of a supermarket saw a couple hoarding gallons of water. Honestly at some places here water is more expensive than beer. What a great marketing feat.

Surmise - Will we end up paying for canned air soon?Is someone already scheming this ridiculous idea?

5) Premise - Ordered some books online. Got a big box with Air Pillows cushioning them. Simply popped a couple - cheap thrill

Surmise - What Air was trapped in this? What did I just breath?
Can someone back home cook some delicious food and trap the aroma in such a Pillow and ship it to me.

These are enough for now. They say empty mind is a devils workshop - I have a freaking 24/7/365 running factory up there.......

Current State of Mind :)

Meanwhile enjoy these : (dont miss the last one)
(NSWF - Parental Advisory - Explicit Content) - youve been warned !!!!!
- Tech Support 1
- Tech Support 2
- Tech Support 3
- Tech Support 4

and if not yet satiated - here's the site "illwillpress"
PS - no offense to the techie blogies

RGV Ki Aag - Ceedy Ka Paani

Remember this scene from the epic Sholay.
This is a scene where Jay (Amitabh) approaches Mausi to talk about possible marriage of Veeru's (Dharmendra's) and Basanthi (Hema Malini)

Just my take on it - What if it took place in the current internet era.
The basic assumption is that Veeru, Jay, Basanthi and Mausi!!! yes fan wielding Old Mausi are all internet savvy and Ramgarh is technologically connected to the world.
Mausi : Son, I have this huge pressure on my mind, I wish I can get Basanthi married. Then I will be at peace with myself and dont have to put her profile on Shaddi.com
Jay : Yes, you are absolutly right, you do have a lot of pressure on your shoulders.
Mausi : But, I cant simply get her married to any stranger, can I ? It is very important to know which Tech Company he works for, his internet browsing hours and habits and his per hour billing rate.
Jay: Per hour rate, well once he is off the bench he will start to make some money and then once he has to take care of wife and the kids he will actually go out and seek a job.
Mausi : So, it means he is does not have a job and is not looking for one!!!!!!!
Jay : No, no, where did I say that, he sits in the internet cafe all day and keeps posting his resume.
Mausi : What, all he does is post resumes!!! What about going to these new offices that have spurted on the outskirts of Ramgarh.
Jay : Yes, Mausi, he will also do that, once he gets time in between blogging and commenting, his long chat sessions and scrapping to girls on Orkut, Facebook and MySpace.
Mausi : Scrapping girls!!!!!
Jay : Yes, Mausi, you know how these internet meeting places are. Allows for ample free speech and e flirting.
Mausi : So he is flirt!!!!
Jay : He and flirt, no, no, he simply wants to make some good friends there. But once he sees a cute profile and some nice posted pictures, what is he supposed to do? Its not Veerus fault is it?
Mausi : You are right son, he scraps women, flirts with them online, but it is not his fault.
Jay : Oh you are getting a wrong impression,.......he is very naive and straightforward.....get him married to Basanthi once and he will simply cancel all his online profiles.
Mausi : Oh!!!!! You are trying to explain this to an Old lady. Has anyone ever been able to give up his online addictions.
Jay : Mausi, you dont know him well, he is not that kinda person, once he gets married he will stop seeing porn and have live sex chats.
Mausi : Oh!!!oh!!!!.....now this was the only thing left. So he also frequents these kind of websites.
Jay : Yeah, whats wrong in that? So many people frequent these websites to increase their libido and add spice to their personal lives.
Mausi : Ok, so atleast tell me how does he manage to pay for all this when he does not even have a job.
Jay: Oh, he is smart, he has it all figured out, he is part of a group "internet fraudsters", he uses other peoples credit cards and information.
Mausi : Oh well, one thing I noticed, your friend does all the crazy things online but you still are all praises for him......
Jay: Now, now, what can I say Mausi, I always try to portray my online avatar - BigHeart. So should I consider this marriage fixed.
Mausi : FIXED !!!!! Are you crazy, I cannot marry Basanthi, to such an online deliquent. I am a real aunt not her step mother.
Jay: Sigh!!!! it is so sad, even though i tried to explain to you everything in detail....you still refused.

Poor Veeru !!!!!!!!!

Splash of COLORS

Caught up at work and put the thinking cap in the laundry.
So sharing some pictures meanwhile :)

Hi there The Tree Beckoned Shaking in Mild Wind - Captured it forever.
Edison, New Jersey (vibrant color of spring after a dull winter)

Knowledge defying gravity
Exhibit at Ground of Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ (click for link)

Google ke choote choote tukde (damn I want to be a kid again :)
(little pieces of Google)
Play Pen IKEA - Elizabeth, NJ (click for you know what)

Breaking the monotony
Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London

Inlay Glass Mosaic
Mor Chowk, City Palace, Udaipur, India (better High resolution pics)

Mikes "Lights"

c:Hey Mike, whats all this smoke in your room. Have you been smoking all this while.
Why dont you open the freaking windows.

m:Stop ceedy, dont. She will vanish. Close the door quick.

c:(with a puzzled look on his face)Vanish, who, where, WHAAAAT?
I cant stand here dude - here is your carton of marlboro lights

m:Ohhh thanks man, how was your India trip.

c:It was great as usual, but it seems you are in some sort of a mess. Wheres Tracy?

m:She is the one who will vanish again.

c:(now i always thought mike was cookie but did not expect him to turn delirious in a matter of two weeks) Dude did she finally leave you for good!!!!

m:Yes man, she did physically but her smoky ghost is all over my room (smiling). Every time I take a ciggy puff, my mind gets Light, I breath her presence in me. She travels the annals of my mind, touches every vein and purifies it, my eyes start to twinkle, the lips are wrapped around her. Then I let her out, slowly, I see her apparition, those penetrating eyes, the cute face, that sultry figure, the silken hair, her inviting arms.....(he kept on going)

c:Dude yes but why all the smoke - you let her out of your system, why not out of the room (I could not beleive that I was actually agreeing to his whole story and giving him suggestions)

m:No man, I cant let her go so easily, the smoke forms her visions, she dissapears and reappears in different forms. I am wrapped by her presence. I miss her physically but will not let her leave this room.

c:Ok, I am tired, will talk to you later.
(Later lying on my bed I kicked myself - had I got Mike 400 sticks of pain or pleasure - or to be more precise almost 4500 forms of Tracy's Ghost)

Karmacy - Desi Flava

Interesting Desi Rap(Indian Rap)-group called Karmacy - Enjoy
Passage To India

Indian Rap in 5 Languages

Specially for my Gujju friends : Gujarati Rap Song

An Honest Attempt

If you have not read my last post Me and Mrs. Muller - 32 Days, please do so before reading this post.

http://ceedyreflections.blogspot.com/2007/12/me-and-mrs-muller.html

First of all it is a work of fiction - so nobody died.
I did not try to confuse anyone - just was experimenting with a style of writing.

Explanation of what I was trying to accomplish:

Some time back had seen a movie Memento (Imdb Link).
Here is the WIKIPEDIA Link that explains the concept of the movie - it unfolds in two seperate narratives one moving forward in black and white and one in reverse chronological order in color.
So similarly I attempted to write a story The way we are trained we like to read the book in a sequence or an artical from top to bottom. This post tries to play with that notion.
If interested there is also a philosophical movement "Deconstruction"(Wikipedia Link) based on similar principles.

I specifically used two colors - Black for narrative for Ceedy and red for narrative of Mrs. Muller.

The Story actually starts in the second paragraph - you read all the alternate RED PARAGRAPHS till you reach the end. Then you start reading the second last paragraph in BLACK as you move upwards till you come to the start of the story.

The First paragraph is actually the END of the story and the last paragraph is the MIDDLE of the story.

The disjointed nature of each three lines is because they happen at different times in the over a period of 32 days - where each of them depicts a feeling or an idea that is important and pertinent.

Hope this helps.