Saturday, December 30, 2006

2006!

Another interesting year, full of vigor and sensations during which I was able to visit my motherland which ended my years long thrust to visit the pious Hinduland.
The year did start on wrong foot. Technically I was sick for 1/4th of the year. The first phase lasted the longest, which started on New Years Eve and ended in April sometime. It was nothing major, but one flu attack after another and at one point seemed like it is never going to stop. But it didn’t end there, I did get sick a few more times and then in India it was like salt on the wounds. Remember my bees stings, and ER experience in India?... yukkkk!
The best part about 2006 was to be able to see my childhood-school & college friends. Most of them got married and looked a little different, more or less. It was the greatest feeling to meet the ones I spent most of my life with. Old memories of playing cricket on the streets and in the front-yards, back-yards and parks all came alive. The biggest shock to me was my own house in Delhi, it looked different and for first couple days I felt that I am at someone else’s place. Things looked funnier and some things looked even beyond that. But when I entered in my room, it was still the same. There was dust all over, but most of the things were intact. My bed, my table, my chairs, my books, my magazines, my video games, my toys, my newspapers clippings … my things … and above all, it smelled like me. I am not kidding, it SMELLED LIKE ME. Even after 8 years, I could feel it. And for a moment, it was like waking up from a dream in my own room. When I was in my room, last eight years felt like a dream to me. I looked at my old belongings and was re-united with old, innocent me and the precious memories which I almost forgot about.
Before my Indian saga, my parents visited again this summer and had blast with them. During that time I ate a lot and very healthy, that is all I am going to say (besides my mother really needs some cooking lessons and I wonder why my dad didn’t chose to be a chef :-) ).
July’s trip to Argentina was amazing, and I felt liberated by getting out of the USA for once. I enjoyed every single moment in Buenos Aires and cherished every single drop of Malbec :-). August-September were followed by my trips to England and India.

I dedicate this year to my family and friends. I hope the coming year brings me more peace of mind and give me courage to fight for the causes I believe in. I am still as bold and blunt as ever, perhaps a little wiser. And on that note, I wish you all a Happy and Prosperous 2007.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

The vicious Iran!

A nuclear Iran is more dangerous than the combining the entire Muslim terrorism all over the world – from Sudan to Russia & to England to Kashmir, India. There are many powerful countries which seem to be less concerned about this major threat to humanity. Surprisingly there are many countries which don’t want to put any sanctions on Iran for its declared nuclear program. There are also a few countries which are not even favoring strict monitory sanctions on Iran if it doesn’t stop its nuclear agenda.

“The fact that the leader of a nation such as Iran can threaten the very existence of another nation, as he does towards Israel,” is a good enough reason for the world community to make sure Iran doesn’t achieve this devilish goal to attain its nuclear dreams.

I find it bizarre that world is not commenting on the recent comments made by Iran’s leader which are very provocative in nature and should be condemned by UN and every single nation. The following comment was made by Iranian leader about the state of Israel on Monday, “We will soon witness its disappearance and destruction.” For me this is a good enough reason to go in and destroy every single nuclear reactor site or even the suspected ones.

This is the time when the EU, the UN and the Arab world take necessary actions to prevent such kind of vicious dream of an evil empire.

Monday, November 13, 2006

Who is a Hindu?

I am starting this conversation about religions today. Although I respect most of the religions and philosophies, but I am not a fan of philosophies which preach violence and I have been very blunt about this fact. I am a proud Hindu and I a big fan of “Tao” also known as “Dao” faith and their very realistic philosophy. In Dao-ism everything depends on “The Way” which follows “the natural flow of things”.

While what other religion can be more liberal than Hindu-ism? Its philosophy says it all. Who is a Hindu? Let me state this little stanza which summarizes this complex and harmonic religion and its followers:

“A Hindu is one that believes in one God who incarnates, as and when he feels fit, in the shape and form he wants. God creates, sustains and destroys when time comes. Many names and forms are given to each with the love and affection of each individual devotee. Our Dharma is eternal, so is God and all the souls. It is our conviction that body dies but not the soul. The old scriptures are guide to salvation and an individual can steadily make his way back to God in the speed and path selected. Karma (deeds) and results of Karma are the basis of our lives. Knowing that good karma will bring good results and vice versa, our lives can be guided towards fruition of Salvation termed as Moksha. Guru plays a very important part in molding our lives and whilst the Holy book Gita can be accepted as Guru so can the word of a saint. A Hindu may or may not agree to some of the points above but he will willingly give his fellow human the right to practice religion as and how the other sees fit.” ( http://www.albany.edu/~hindu/ )

After reading this, the hope for peace in the world looks achievable. It would be so much easy and rational if we just “believe in whatever we believe and let others believe in whatever they believe”
One other question I would like to ask to all the sane people of the world. “Do you think God/s care if we worship him/her/them/it in a certain manner or with a specific name? - and that too if he/she/it/them exist!” – I don’t think so!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The day after!

It couldn’t be better day for all the liberals and NOT narrow minded people of the states. Republicans got their ass kicked in congress as well as in senate. Losing majority in both houses means an end of irrational and illogical conservative ideals of bigots.
To make things sweeter, John Sweeny lost this wholesome RED house seat to Democrats.

First causality of this rout is Rummy, and I hope there are many more to come. The following are the front page images from the newspapers.





Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Political Platform!

Today is the big day. I mean it is going to be a complete rout out for EVIL-licans (Republicans). I am very excited and am planning on staying up all night to view the results and watch these loosers LOSE. ONE seat I would ReALLY like democrats to snatch is NY dist.20. This thug named John Sweeney needs to go and it is about time this RED seat turns blue :-)
*keeping my fingers crossed*

Where I stand on the issues at the moment:

I support Stem Cell research
I am pro life and but I do not support making abortions ILLEGAL even though it is unethical and morally wrong to abort a fetus!
I am for stricter GUN control laws
I support EQUAL RIGHTS for everyone. (If you are not with me on this issue, I do not want you in my life)
I am totally for wars against terrorism.
I believe in capital punishment.
I support a timely pull-out of troops from IRAQ and Afghanistan(Let those fkced up people settle their disputes among themselves)
I support attacking the nations which support any form of terrorism. (even the sympathizers.
I support every move to ban and/or stop illegal immigration.

ABOVE ALL
WHEREVER I STAND, I STAND WITH ISRAEL!

Thursday, November 02, 2006

India after 8 years! - Part I

August 16th
Immigration Counter @ Delhi Airport
Where is your old passport? The immigration lady asked me right after my landing at the IGI Airport in Delhi. I was surprised by the rudeness and also by that question. After all I have a valid Indian passport which proves I am an Indian citizen and that should be enough for her to verify my identity. Sadly, without even arguing I produced my old passport. There she fired another ridiculous question. “Where is your US visa” For heaven’s sake, I am coming FROM the US, not GOING to US. Instead of telling her that “MORON, my US Visa is on my NEW passport”, I asked, “what difference it makes and why do you want to see that?” … she replied …. “Aisse heeee” .. That meant “no reason” … … .. ..

August 16th
British Airways counter (Lost & Found)
A charming girl was helping me out about my luggage which got stranded at Heathrow airport for some security reasons. This guy “A Sikh man” who was a British citizen (who probably got the asylum in the name of SIKH militancy when Sikhs butchered Hindus in Punjab) interrupted the girl and started inquiring about his luggage. When being told that yes this is the right counter and he will have to wait until she is done with this other passenger (me). His response was, I am in hurry and I have people waiting outside. MIND YOU mister, I have people waiting outside as well …… That was exactly what the girl told him.
I was surprised and I appreciated her response. That was enough for me at that moment to forget about my bad experience at the immigration counter.

Sept. 3rd
Airport Lounge Part I
I have about 30 minutes till boarding starts. I am thirsty and am looking around for some vending machine for water. There I found a vendor selling water and soda. The man was reading an evening newspaper and seemed to be very much into it that he had no idea about what’s going on outside his newspaper world or someone is trying to get his attention for last 25 seconds. After a reasonable wait, “Hey mister, can I have a bottle of water” that was all I said. He got up, gave me a bottle and I gave him 20 Rupees. He placed a 5 Rupees coin on the counter for me and went back to reading the newspaper. Mister, this sign says it is 12 Rupees, I said. He looked at me over his newspaper, and said “Do you have change?” I said No, I do not. His expressionless face stared at me and uttered “ME NEITHER” and he pulled his newspaper back up in front of his face, and there he was back to his reading.

Sept. 3rd
Airport Lounge Part II
After going through, thorough and multiple security checkups I was finally in the boarding lounge. When BA staff started boarding us, they found out that my shoulder bag is not tagged, so they sent me back to the security check. While I was there, the security personnel looked at me and rudely asked “WHY DIDN’T you get it checked?” I did, I said. Either you people didn’t put the tag on or it fell. He told me to get back in the line which had at least 100 people. I was amused by the absurd rudeness. I refused to go back in the line and I bluntly told him that it must be some idiot like him who didn’t do his job properly. Anyhow, after hissing and puffing and showing me his red drunk eyes he finally checked the bag, put a tag on and with a THUD, dropped the bag in front of me and left without saying a word. I was astonished with the ill treatment at every step I was getting on MY airport in MY own country.
Ironically, if it was in the US, I would have blamed it on the staff for being selective and racist and Gods know what and who else … ……….
*sigh*
This is my India!

Saturday, September 16, 2006

234 years!

I am not going to get into the crap of apologizing for not updating this blog and not writing anything over here in past 234 years. Yeah, when you count it correctly it has been exactly that many years.
Anyway, its not like I didn’t have anything to write or didn’t have any time to write, it is just that “I didn’t write”
I have been busy lately. First parents visited me (as most of you have even met them), so I have been busy with them, then I went to Argentina, then to the UK and then to make this year as one of my International traveling year, I visited India. And oh my!, that Indian trip was after 8 long years.
Basically doing all this along with being with YOU GUYS and .. he he he never mind (remember the rules? ) kept me very busy.
Aight, I did write a journal about Argentina, which I might post it here (summary), There is not much to write about my UK experience and there is NOTHING I am going to write about the Hindu Land.
Already then, that is it for now, mebbe I will peek in here soon and do my "jibber jabber" :-)

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

A lil bit of this and a lil bit of that!

A long due visit to Providence and New York City is finally taking place this weekend. And full coverage of the visit will be made available on the namasteny blog after the weekend.

Recommended Books:
A million little pieces “aka – a million little lies”
The Tender Bar

Movies :
Watched a lot of movies in this year so far. But only a couple were able to move me a tiny bit here and a tiny bit there. “Million Dollar Baby” was a long time due in my, to be watched list, but got a chance to watch it with Keith and what an amazing movie I have to admit. In Roger Ebert words "The kind of movie where you sit very quietly in the theater and are drawn deeply into lives that you care very much about". Another movie I liked was “Rang de Basanti” (Hindi). Saw it when my Pain in the Ass (PITA) brother made me watch it by emotionally blackmailing me. It was about time to finally watch an OKAY Hindi movie which wasn’t really great but wasn’t bad at all. I didn’t like the ending at all, actually it was a very dim-witted ending, but that didn’t lure me away to give credits to this otherwise amazing movie.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Happy Valentine's Day :-)

Dear ******,

I really can't believe how happy I am to recieve this card full of "hugs" from you and what you wrote in there about how you'd like to send many hugs from ***** :-)

Anyway, how are you doing *****? It's been ages since I heard from you. How is life with you? I so want to talk to you right now but I don't even know how to reach you and where you are at the moment. Life takes so many turns at times but sometimes it makes people very distant for no particular reason. Well I believe it is all fate (well not entirely), we all come in this universe with our fate written up there somewhere in gods' files or probably computers these days or something similar.

Anyway, i am very happy today and am playing the silly music of your **** while I am writing to you. May St. Valentine brings looots of love and happiness for you during this year.

Lots of love and thinkiing about you .... ..... :-) *hugz*

Always Yours
Me

Thursday, January 12, 2006

Peter Pan!

I saw Peter Pan; a show which I felt was so good that I feel this need to mention it today over here. I have heard of Cathy Rigby’s gymnastic abilities but now I am her fan because of her performance in the show.
If you haven’t seen it yet, it is still not too late to go watch it, they are still here at our lovely proctors till 15th. I saw the movie Peter Pan very recently only because “the sucker” wouldn’t let me go home unless I watch this movie with him, so I did and I fell in love with it. And yesterday, Patrick gave me an opportunity to watch the show, when I had no plans to go and see it. Cathy Rigby’s performance was great, and her gymnastic abilities made her character looked very real and very Peter Pan-ic type. I think I am in love with her, NOT.

I am going to watch Phantom of the Opera sometime next week, depends when the gang is willing to go and get drunk after. So perhaps it will be a Friday or a Saturday.
I will give reviews after I see it. Again, I am expecting it will be better than the movie, which I absolutely love already. Especially the music.