Underneath their flabby exterior is an enormous lack of character

Just had a chance encounter with one of India's greatest vices.."the corrupt babu"!! Thing is, we'd requested for a new caller id phone in exchange of our trusty old P&T coz you know, change is always good.Add to that a hoard of crank calls and you have a sound reason to get CLIP for your phone.

So anyway,its been 2 weeks since we applied for the new set.Normally it ought to have taken not more than 6 days for the gentlemen from BSNL to come down and replace our existing set. So I finally go and meet the SDO of the local exchange office in this regard.Apparently the phone's been sanctioned for quite a while but they were too busy to replace it.Nevertheless,I requested them to take some action.The SDO asked me to get a copy of the last bill and the old set itself and only then would I be given the new phone.Seemed redundant,but I agreed anyway to again come back.

The the gentleman lays out his alternate plan..."Kya dobara aayiyega,babuji,yehin chai paani ka intezaam kar dijiye aur phone le jaiye.Aapko naya phone bhi mil jayega,daudna bhi nahi padega aur set bhi rakh lijiye.Aayiye baithiye"

And all this after I had agreed to get the original bill and set and settle this legally.I know it sounds cliched and  all, but what's appalling is the sheer shamelessness of the officer in question in asking for a bribe openly.That too when BSNL has taken significant steps in being transparent in its processes.Ultimately,I guess its technology can only do so much.The system is only good as its people,I for one have no more respect for an institution that s seemingly on a "modernisation" phase.

Peace (sigh!!)

Some more of my work from LaLaLand!!

The Vice that is a Friend!!

There is a joy that banishes all reason,

An ecstasy so vast it has no shore,

A craving that devours all decision,

A lust for nothingness that lusts for more.

There are angels in pursuit of pain

Who take Satanic pride in degradation,

Who'll drag you down the hill and back again

Revelling your sweet humiliation.

Just like a fire fanned by a hot, dry wind,

Or like a flood that sweeps away all will,

This wall of pleasure leaves no one behind,

No sign of life where all one loves lies still.

So does the soul in anguish hate the joy

That soothes the hate that does the soul destroy.

Heart Of A Lioness

Although I am a big fan of "Animal Planet", (considering that I studied with quite a few) , few of their shows have left such a sigificant mark on my life as the documentary, "The Heart Of A Lioness" presented by Saba Douglas Hamilton. As much as I admire the lady herself,(for more details "Google" Her), the documentary itself is mind-boggling!!

A lioness has a change of heart, for one small antelope - a baby oryx - this land of predators becomes a land of miracles.Astonishing the scientific world, a young lioness, adopts a baby oryx and mothers it with infinite tenderness for 16 days. Foregoing her most basic needs she proves both a tender and fierce protector. The Samburu people call her "Kamunyak – the blessed one".

Seeing Kamunyak for the first time is nothing short of witnessing a miracle. Appearing out of nowhere, the lion and the lamb curl up side by side.Saba follows them for days. I'm not alone in my astonishment, gawping gazelles bark out their alarm, not quite believing their eyes.Kamunyak has turned nature on its head and mystified the world. She’s moved off into the vast wilderness of Samburu and who knows if she’ll be seen again. But while she remains an enigma to the scientific world, she has become a legend of the people of Samburu. They way they tell the story is that she was barren and that god gave her a child. That one day, she will rise up in front of them as surely as the African sun. But what remains with is the poignancy of her tale.

If you do get a chance,please watch this fascinating documentary that has becoe a legend in Kenya and shaken world wildlife experts.

Peace

The poet in me was never dead....It was simply banned for life(and for good reasons!!)

Confessions of a Secret Admirer….

Whose gift this is you cannot know.

My heart is in your keeping though.

You will not mind my writing here

To tell you that I love you so.

 I know that you must think it queer

For me to love and not come near

But linger by some frozen lake

This most romantic time of year.

 I sometimes give my head a shake

And ask if there is some mistake.

It's lonely out here 'mid the sweep

Of bitter wind and icy flake.

 My love for you is dark and deep,

But it's a promise I will keep

As from afar I watch and weep.

My Take on Life..

So few realize what life is all about

If I knew nothing else, I knew warmth,pleasure,

Despite everything,I knew love.

People look for what they can measure:

A degree,money,family they can brag about,

Reasons others might wish them prosperity for,

On days like other days were moments i treasured,

Life like other lives,humdrum passing without..

A Sense of Being...

The being of being is Being;The being of nothing is none.

And if you find this so much nonsense,At least it will do you no harm.

Now nothing is nothing, for certain;And something is something, for sure.

Since something cannot come from nothing,It must be eternally there.

And though it is hard to imagine,Since time is our air and our sea,

No thing will ever be nothing,Though we will not always be we..

 

Helplessness...

As I type out these letters I can't help but feel sorry for a friend.Its nothing grave,except both me and her face the same dilemma..of helplessness.I wish I could do more and make a difference.The irony is that my hands are tied because of the systemic inefficiencies of a particular insti I would have loved to name here.And her's because of (as I understand it) emotional turmoil. 

If you are reading this,all I want to say is "I'm sorry" I couldn't do anything significant and wish that you take care of yourself and not worry yourself to kingdom come....Things will turn out fine, maybe even better. So please stay calm and tke care of your loved ones too.

Advice is not one of my strongest points but I tend to dole it out in lumpsums for the people I care.

( Regards, "Dadaji")

Feverish & Lovin It...

Its been a long time coming..I have chronically weak immunity,which normally leads to me falling sick every 2 months max.This time though things are different.I have not been down with common cold for the past two months and frankly,didn't like it...Sounds weird??Lemme explain..

Now i agree there are certain disadvantages (read, coughin like a grandma,snot drippin all over etc etc) but I'm an eternal optimist.And logically there indeed are quite a few advantages of bein sick.

1. You r not expected to work or do anythin around the house (yeaaa)

2. Everybody's extra nice to you..(at least 2 me coz i kinda get cranky)

3. You can finally convice your mother to make you that oh-so-amazin chicken soup that you love.

4. Its a 24 hr TV marathon!!

5. Its a trip to paradise for gamin freaks like me :) 

6. I get to order around the house instead of bein at the receivin end.

7. Sleeeeeeeep..................!!!

8. Leaves me abundant time to catch up on a book that I've been tryin to finish for a long time (Atlas Shrugged!)

9. I can finally play chess with my father..sounds nerdy but not that bad ;)

10. I can blog all I want..So beware!!

Comeback Kings..

11th January 2009,Chelsea lost 3-0 to one of their fiercest rivals, Manchester United,and the first thing that came to my mind was.."What Next?" See, I have been a "Blues" fan since the days of Zola,Le Saux And Desailly, 2002 to be more accurate.And contrary to what some might say, its not just about the money for for the Blues.I have seen them play long before the days of Abramovich and they were always classy... 

So comin back to present day football, seemed all was lost with Scolari making silly tactical blunders... Then came the "Era of Guus!!" And lo behold, my team was back where it deserved to be!!With only the blind as a bat referee to blame for some of the worst decision in footballing history,we had to reconcile ourselves to not being at Rome.

I guess we did get adequately compensated what with, the better team winning the Champions  League and us winning the FA Cup...I wish Guus didn't have to go.He created a spark so reminiscent of the "True Blues" and with Carlo Ancelloti stepping in, I'm a li'l sceptical about Chelsea.Nevertheless,its my team and of course with the transfer market abuzz with big money moves, I can't for the next season to start.How I wish Kaka and Pato come to the EPL, if only to see what they are capable of....

So we will see you at the Community Shield, "Sir" Alex Ferguson.

Peace