Geo the brat!

Ok. Quills the princess has ordered me to write about my childhood :) Its called ‘The Wonder Years Tag’. The tag is to list 8-10 things that you liked as a child (0-12 years) and 8-10 things you disliked. I don’t remember too much about my childhood, guess I am getting old. Just some vague images flashing…


1. When I think about the happy times of my childhood, the best memory I have is about a Christmas Eve night journey. I was very young. All my dad’s siblings and their families gather together at my ancestral home for all the major occasions. So this time, for some reason I couldn’t reach my ancestral home until the day before xmas (I don’t remember the reason now). All my cousins were enjoying there. My dad’s youngest bro came to pick me up late in the evening, and that night journey to my ancestral home, where all my relatives were waiting for me, all the houses on both sides of the road decorated with stars and lightings, all the people on the roads and junctions celebrating xmas… that journey was too good. One of the best memories I have about my childhood.

2. The next thing that comes to my mind is about the time I have enjoyed on play grounds. As a kid, I (and my friends) used to play cricket in the rubber plantations, football in paddy fields (after harvest), shuttle in our courtyard and then a lot of other simpler games. We used to play till our moms practically dragged us in.

3. Theres a somewhat big water stream near my place. Its not as big as a river, but it still had enough and more adventures packed for us kids, especially during monsoon. We used to spend hours and hours there taking bath, swimming, diving, and fishing with our towels etc.

4. Daytime was entirely dedicated to games or water sports :_) When I was doing neither, I was cycling. I used to go cycling through the inner roads, ‘inventing’ a new route whenever possible. Used to enjoy those cycle rides through the countryside.

5. I remember the school annual celebrations. It used to be so much fun. All of us participating in something or the other… Me being the shameless exhibitionist I am, I used to be part of as many events as I could. I still remember those dramas with painted faces, skits etc… One added advantage was the prizes and cash awards which we used to get on the annual day.

6. In line with what I have written as point 1, the time I have spent with my family is truly priceless. The thing that I miss most these days. Whenever we all are together, it’s a real festival.



Now the things that I dislike.

1. First and foremost – Sunday school :_) Used to have endless negotiations with my mom to arrive at treaties where by I was to attend one, and then bunk the next two and so on :_). The threat that they wont let us marry if we don’t pass 10th grade catechism was the only factor which motivated me to drag myself in ;_) (Looking back, I should be proud that I was very clear about my priorities in life from a very young age ;)

2. I used to hate it when we were forced by the school authorities to attend ‘first Friday’ prayers, retreats or any such religious activities.

Cant think of anything else. I don’t remember hating any specific food items, or studies or anything like that. I don’t even regret having a lot of ‘street fights’ ‘school fights’ (corrected after Venus's exclamation) with my class mates. That too was fun. I think I really enjoyed most of the other things about my childhood.

The blog tag

Alexis has tagged me with this one, to write about my blog.

1. Are you happy/satisfied with your blog, with its content and look? Does your family know about your blog?

I am satisfied with this crap, otherwise I wud have hit that Delete button long back. I have hand picked each topic to project those aspects of my persona which I want to be projected. I keep changing the look and feel of my blog as and when I please. So I am satisfied with the content and the look of my blog.

Except for a single member, no one from my family knows about my blog. (And a hi 5 to you the single member, I know you are reading this.)

2. Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or you just consider it as a private thing?

Hmm yes and no. I want some of my friends to see my blog and at the same time wish to hide it from some others.

3. Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?

I don’t think so. I don’t think it changed anything substantial.

4. Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?

These days, yes. I used to blog hop during my initial days of blogging, not anymore. Now very much happy with the circle of friends I have made here.

5.What does visitors counter mean to you?Do you care about putting it in your blog?

Yes I have put visitor's counter in my blog. The fact that there are some people to read whatever trash I write is the only thing that motivates me to write.

6. Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?

Usually, I don’t do it. When it comes to imagination, I am pathetic. So unless I have seen your pic, I picture a blank face, whenever ur name is mentioned.

7. Admit. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?

Yea… I have made a lot of friends through blogging. In fact the only close friend I have right now in the vicinity is someone I met on the blogworld. So it does help. ( I know you too are reading this, so a hi 5 to you too)

8. Do you think that bloggers society is isolated from real world or interacts with events?

I don’t think its isolated or anything. Blogging is so much part of everyone's net life these days that any TDH you meet will have a blog of his own. So its very much part of the mainstream.

9. Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it’s a normal thing?

Not at all. I am open for criticism. I do criticize others, so I make it a point to listen carefully when I am being criticized.

10. Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?

Show me one.

11. Did you get shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?

Nah.

12. Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?

I don’t even think about whats going to happen to me tomorrow. So do you expect me to think about whats going to happen to my blog after me? I very much live for the day.

13. What do you like to hear? What’s the song you might like to put a link to in your blog?

I am not a songaholic. Songs are the things which I put as background noise when I work. So don’t have anything to pick for this section.

I tag Venus :)

Labor Day weekend

Its been a long time :)

After a long long time, got a chance to be behind the wheels again.
Had a trip to Minneapolis for the Labor Day weekend. A Kia Spectra. 1200+ miles. 3 of us. Was nice to clock 120 mph, that’s more than 190 km per hour, and the vehicle was still ready to be pushed harder. The only deterrent was the threat of a speeding ticket. I wont mind a ticket to hit may be a 150+, I am going to rent out a better beast :) (eying on a porsche ;)

They are right, to experience the American way of life; you need to hit the freeways. I am sure I can drive for days at a stretch in conditions like this. Hit the road early, and before you realize, you wud have covered miles and hours. Have breakfast from Denny’s or IHOP. Enjoy those egg delicacies, bacon, sausage, pancake… More miles and hours… time for lunch. Its absolute bliss.

And that too, leaving for a destination which is 400 miles away, with the help of a couple of google map print outs and reaching without cross checking with a single soul. Can’t think of doing the same back in India.

The funniest part was, even though we could escape tickets when we were cruising at 120+, we got caught towards the end of the journey. When we were just 15 mins away from our place on our return journey, we got a speeding ticket for driving at 53 when the limit was 35. :) I dread to think of the consequences had we been booked when we were doing the actual stunts :))

We have been to AJs (that’s what Ajay calls himself these days) place. The eligible bachelor of a cognizant company who goes around in a red Mustang has turned himself into a superb cook. His culinary and bartending skills have touched envious heights :) Food and drinks were just awesome! A trip to Duluth to complete the weekend.

A picture tag

Here is tag from Alexis. Sorry Alexis, I am a bit late :)
Here I go...

1. Most desired celebrity


Aishwarya Rai
I am crazy about this super personality. Indian but truly international. A face which will cheer you up and a smile that will knock you down.

2. Want to do this some day



Scoring a goal in a world cup match. Going out there in the middle, sharing the same field with those giants, and then tossing the ball in.

3. Want to visit this place


Yea rite. It’s a podium. Yes, an F1 podium. I am crazy about driving. So nothing like being invited to that ‘place’ for all the right reasons :) Let me make it clear - I dont follow F1, just that I am crazy about driving.

4. Random Favorite


Do you recognize this guy? Yea he is the living legend - Diego Armando Maradona. God of millions of football fans. I like him for his heroism in bringing up his club and his country from nowhere to the spot light. And then for fighting all on his own and coming back even after being ignored by everybody else, . This god was there in the stands this time, for each Argentina match, cheering them. I admire him for his spirit.

5. I was tagged by Alexis.
Comment:Post the picture of the place where you were tagged, and if you picked up the tag yourself then the picture of the place you picked it from. Click on the image to see the enlarged view.


Tagging the kickass dude.

They hit 'me' once again

Of all the places I have been to, Mumbai is my dearest. I simply adore the spirit of that city, the feeling of being treated as a ‘Mumbaikar’.

And those bastards hit me where it matters. This is not the first time, and probably this wont be the last also. But then, we don’t care. We will fight back. Just to prove all those bastards wrong, we will stand on our feet again, continue our work as if nothing happened.

Long live the brotherhood!