Week 2

Sun 31 Jul 2005, 1215 pm

Inspite of the busier than busy schedules there are some who still find the time to blog ... pleasures of staying at home I guess. Want to know whats up at FMS? Check out Ankush's blog for two reasons:

1. He blogs
2. He blogs well

Ankush's Blog

However this reference too comes with a disclaimer. Dont believe everything he writes. Right Ankush?

-S

Week 1

Sun 24 Jul 2005, 2100 hrs

Well after week 1 at FMS my creative instincts have surely gone for a toss. Hence couldnt think of a better title for this one.

Also for those who wanna know how I am being treated by FMS, please follow the link below: (btw posts by Vincentian are mine :-) )

http://www.pagalguy.com/forum/showthread.php?p=252157#post252157

Will post later, hopefully if I get some free time.

-S

Day 1

15th July 2005, 1145 pm

Tomorrow is the first day @ college. Have to report at 7:30. Morning. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn.
Goooooooooooooood Niiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggggggg ...

-S

Saurabh n Me

15 July 2005, 1150 am

Saurabh left this message on the blog today. It so amazingly sums up every moment ...

Dude.... I can never forget those long walks down main street at 4:00 am.... or just about anytime. The times we'd sit on that stone near Marz-o-rin and discuss life and all its complications. how life just stood still for a few hours and the world would make a little sense.

The RK lunches and the Blue Nile Biryanis.... the wild rides on my bike and the sober long drives in your car. The pub 14 steps and the bench in your garden. The beer guzzling night at baker's hill and the ways of Babajan chowk. your mum's delicious food, and your dad's amazing sense of humour. Viki's antics and Diya's cute smile. From love life to career talks, from shopping sprees to the early morning jogs, from doing random things for home to those gala parties in your garden, from teaching you how to drive to the long trips to mahabi and Mulshi... Shiv Its been 8 wonderful years of friendship. And I couldnt have been happier to see you leave home... you know I have been after your life from donkeys years.

I wish you the very best in your new life my friend. I hope every experience helps you grow in more ways than you can imagine and add to your character.

All the best!!

....and remember I'm just a phone call away!

Cheers!
Saurabh

-S

Khaali bore dopaharon se hum to jhola uthake chale ...

Wed 12 Jul 2005, 8:50 pm Somewhere between Pune and Delhi

I know I said in the previous post that it might be my last :-). Just don’t have much to do on the flight.

Nice people still exist ;-). Why do I say so?

I am allowed 30 kgs of luggage on this flight. I had 60. Was so mentally prepared to shell out as much as I paid for the ticket for the additional baggage :-(.

Dad always warned me never to check in with someone else’s baggage. Its basically risky especially on international travel for one could land up in a mess like drug dealers etc etc. And today I was in a position where I needed someone to check in with me. It was after all a matter of 30 x 70 = 2100 bucks! Just then a gentleman, Kunjal, probably in his late twenties strolls into the airport with a small bag. Here was my saviour! Explained to him that I was shifting base and thus had extra baggage and would be great if we could check in together. I was so sure he would deny. He smiled and asked, “I hope theres nothing fishy in there!” And I answer, “Nahin Yaar!!!!”

That’s it we checked in like the best of mates. He gave me my boarding pass, I thanked him, we exchanged the normal pleasantries and he left for security check. Thanks Kunjal!

-S

PS: I have been thanking so many people that my blog almost seems like an acceptance speech ;-)

The Final Countdown ...

Tue, 12 July 2005, 850 am

I leave for Delhi today. Dont know whether this blog will ever have another post on it :-) Depends on whether I feel like it or not. All good things in life are after all short lived ;-)

Dont want this to sound senti or anything. But yes, the feeling of leaving home does leave a rumble in the stomach. 12 hours from now, nothing will be the same again. And I hope I love it. Somewhere I always wanted this and this is the closest I will get to sharing my thoughts on the World Wide Web :-)

G'bye Pune ... G'bye Home ...

-S

A tribute to my barber!

Thu Jul 07 2005, 1232am

This may sound absurd to most, but what the heck, this is my blog and I think this deserves a mention, so here it is!

I went for my monthly ritual today, a haircut. And for the half an hour or so that I usually spend there inclusive of waiting time I am generally flipping through pages of the latest issue of Filmfare. That half an hour is the time when I give myself a dose of filmi gossip! My barber (wish I had a name for him) earlier also had Sportstar on his stands, which was my first choice, but I guess they were either not too popular or simply got unaffordable!

However today it was not Filmfare that kept me occupied. Remembered all the times that I have visited him and how well he knew me. Most of my friends probably change barbers every other time (I dont know for sure, coz we dont discuss tht!) I have not been that fortunate or unfortunate.

His grand dad cut my grand dad's hair, his dad cut my dad's hair and as tradition would have it, first father and then son, cut my hair!

Remembered the time when I accompanied my Dad on the scooter on a Sunday morning for a haircut. I was so short then that he had to put an extra plank on the arm rests and then would make me sit on it, so that I could see myself in the mirror!

Most of my realisations of growing up have been in his small little shop. First it was the freedom from the plank, seriously it made me feel like such a kid! Then the first time that I went for a hair cut alone! Oh man, I was a big boy! Dad and I now always went separately for the haircut. He would still go on the scooter and I had my own cycle! Then there was the first time he gave me a shave. I remember feeling so odd asking him to do that! After all I had grown up in front of him, literally!

Remembered the time when he gave me my first haircut after I had those 8 stitches removed from the back of my head. He was so careful not to hurt me, and till date he remembers the spot so well that I have never had to tell him to be careful in that region. He just did it so naturally! And especially the time when in school I kept insisting that he cuts it even shorter lest my khadoos Class Teacher or those idiotic Prefects (I joined tht gang later!) find it long :)

And now, after a 23 year long association, for the first time I shook hands with him. Told him whenever I am back in Pune next, I will plan it in such a way that I need a haircut then. :)

Will have to find a new barber in Delhi ... oh man what a thing to worry about!!!!! But for somebody for whom this change comes once in 23 years its worth a mention!

-S

Sarkar

July 07 2005, 1220 am

Saw Sarkar the other day.

No, I have not taken to reviewing every other movie I see (may be thats why I have not written about Parineeta!) The reason for this is simply the political streak somewhere in my blood (my grandmother being the first ever lady corporator of the Pune Cantonment Board and my grandfather being a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for quite a few years as a Leader of the Opposition). Also another reason is, though I do not agree with all his actions, I do admire Bal Thackeray for reasons I will not get into right now. And Sarkar was slated to be based on his lifestyle and I wanted to know how it portrayed Mumbai's most powerful man. Surprisingly it is nowhere close to Thackeray.

Came across this article on rediff that more or less reflects my opinion about the film, though not entirely. for eg. I did like the Govinda theme that plays throughout the film. However it is quite accurate and most importantly has saved me the time and energy!

http://in.rediff.com/movies/2005/jun/30sarkar.htm

-S

PS: Can anyone find me a Godfather in politics. I am serious. I want to give it a shot.

The first DVD :)

Wed, Jul 6 2005, 1240 am

I dont know whether this deserves space but I just felt like it ...

Burnt the first DVD on my laptop's DVD burner ... and it works!!!!!!! Just dumping all the data from home machines to DVDs now :)

-S

Pune

Tue, July 05 2005, 11:00 pm

Here is just a list of things I will miss about home and Pune, my home for 23 years.

792, Agarwal House, Agarwal Colony – the 150 year old bungalow – my home
Troubling Mom each time Jassi goes through a sea of emotions, thankfully she has stopped watching it now!!
Sharing those lighter moments of life with Dad
Teaming up with Dad and troubling Mom!
Mom always wondering how my wife will handle me …
The two little angels in my house, my nieces, Diya and Ayaana
Convincing them that Mickey Mouse was my classmate!
4 am walks on Main Street
Sitting on the stone wall on MG Road discussing life, career and … babes!
Marz o Rin
St. Vincents, Vincents Street and all its surroundings
Scouts
Vincentians
Pub 14 and all its members
Bumping into friends everytime I am on Main Street
Masala Dosa at Priya
Irani Biryani at Blue Nile
Mini Pakistan! Its actually a real time simulation of Karachi or Lahore!
Ghar ka khana … everything … mango shake, chicken, the breakfasts, lunches and dinners
Family get togethers on birthdays and anniversaries
Holi, Diwali celebrations at home
10 days of Ganpati Bappa
Inox
The dude in Coffee House
Cellium and the Cellium Gang – though no one is now in Poona
My room with all its mess
Mahabi with all its temples, the drive, strawberries and everything
Maharashtrians and Marathi
Vaishali
Madhuban
Just Baked
Koregaon Park, aaah!
Oshoites ;)
Kapila’s Kati Rolls accompanied with … you know what!
The PICT Gang
My school teachers – they still think I am a good student!
My desktop … has seen a lot more than just books and study material ;)
Thums Up, don’t know how Delhiites can prefer Coke and Pepsi!
Knowing every street, every lane of Pune Camp, where I grew up, makes you feel like the king of the land
Broon Maska, Omelette Bread at Yazdaan and the ‘cutting’ chai
Late night drives to Corinthian
Raat ke 2 baje station ki coffee or chai
Misal, Vada and all other accompaniments of ‘Pav’!!!!
The weather

Will add more as I think of them :)

-S

Its July ...

2nd July 2005, 1:05 am

So far I have simply been enjoying myself to the fullest. Had a break which I doubt I ever will have the good fortune of enjoying again for quite some time.

Suddenly today it dawned upon me that the month of July is here. Just another 10 days before I leave for Delhi. New surroundings, new friends, new activities ...

At the same time, its goodbye to Pune ... home since birth :) For so long I never felt anything about leaving this city ... but today somewhere its sinking in. I am leaving home and knowing fully well that if I do come back it may only be for a 10 day vacation ... and thats being optimistic! Cleaning my book shelves ... which I havent done since school, organising everything on the comp for Dad so that he doesnt have any issues when I am away, finishing all that Mom has wanted me to do for so long and I have kept pending, tidying my room etc etc.

Dont know what to write further ... ending this quite abruptly. Good Night :)

-S