Sunday, August 17, 2008

Sick@hostel :(

Hostel life… Ahh… seriously one of the best moments in one’s life… days filled with pure joy with literally having nothing worthwhile to do ever (unless u think chatting and playing cards as some valuable piece of work. ;)) Days in the hostel are the times when all enjoy day-in-and-day-out. Hostel days can never be replaced by anything ever; it’s literally a once in a lifetime experience!
But this clover transforms itself into hell in a snap when you fall ill. Trust me life becomes sheer distress when you are ill and upon that stuck in hostel. Here people keep taking all precautionary measures even at the slightest symptom of an illness.
Last week I was able to experience the same. Had fallen ill, nothing big just a fever, but still one in hostel could be terribly difficult. Came back from class, took up a crocin and slept like the whole day missing lunch, snacks and all. No mom screaming at your back to have food properly. Guess this is personal, doing anything on your own during these times could be tricky. When the news spreads around one by one everyone drops in to give you Get-well-soon wishes (the only good part ;)) and pieces of their own self-diagnosis and old illness stories. The worst part is to give roll call during these days. Standing in those endless lines with girls moving in all directions, and correctly that day the warden decides to have a chat with all those in ahead, it starts getting suffocating, but still there is a roll-call to give. Feeling of nausea surmounts you overcoming all you thank god when this whole ritual end. I end up going back to my room take up another crocin and there I’m fast asleep again.
I wake up next day morning with the whole body aching and feeling very feverish. I know it’s high time I go to the most dreaded and hardly visited place of the college the Hospital! Just called so but totally bereft of any proper doctors or equipments. Once in there I know it was a grave mistake. I get in, she (the doctor) asks me my ailment, I say-fever, she’s like fine, and just asks me a few more questions, and starts scribbling on to a sheet as she’ll be tortured to death if she doesn’t send a patient out in record time. The basic diagnosis for fever, i.e. checking out my temperature wasn’t done. God!! Where did I come? Taking those tablets from the dusty pharmacy I make my way back, hoping for a quick recovery.
But that’s one of the last things that happen. Took up the tablets and went off to sleep again. Correctly that was a day when almost everyone had full day class. The hostel was kind of totally empty. Around afternoon I realize that I can sleep no longer (shocking!!) but then the moments after that was pure hell, it was like watching grass grow, had literally nothing to do, just kept staring up at the roof.
Man, was happy when college timings ended and then there were people flooding back into their rooms. At last humanity around!!
Now cured and hale and hearty, back to enjoying hostel life… Ahh. Bliss.;)
The day was pure hell, never ever do I want to fall ill in college again and go to that filthy place again. Signing off praying for good health ahead for everyone!

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

The other side of mall!!


Shopping!! ahh.. a single word that can get me flying up with Ecstasy!! this weekend when i went back home.. first on my schedule was to go shopping.. Stuck in trichy far(can't even dream of a simple store here) And lo! to my shock(happy one!) there was a sale at a nearby mall!! Whoa! full day we planned to leave and correctly as the clock struck 3(dunno why such an odd time, but assumed less ppl would prefer shopping at this hour)the doors were shut and we were all ready for our endeavour!!;)
When we reached the mall there were strict entry restrictions had to pass through the detector then the bag checking and all!! Whew! Guess due to the recent scare caused due to these chain bombings.. But all our hopes of happy shopping experience were totally shattered when we entered the shopping arena ;) the place was a pure mess.. All clothes thrown about. getting something sensible and of your size had become an herculean task!;)Even after getting a few good ones getting a chance to try them out was tougher. long queues lined outside the changing rooms.. Man.. it was an experience in itself.. It was hellishly crowded guess everyone thought on the same lines as us. And after all that long queues and getting some crumpled outfit when u plan to bill it. that is another tiring task in itself!!:P After all this we ended up buying just one dress.. We were almost ready to dump it instead of waiting(again) outside the changing rooms! But as luck had it we saw kinda fast moving line and joined in, but Murphy's law had its toll(again!!) and ours ended up moving in fashion to make a snail proud of its speed! But then once billing was done guess All's well that ends well... but just after we leave we understand the terribly paining heels and dying calves and growling tummies only thing we freaky shoppers could hope for was to sink into the plush seats of a food court! Ahh... few minutes later sipping into my icy cool milk shake(oh! my diet's shattered again, but didn't i burn a lot too today, guess an occasional binge would do!!;)) It was bliss.. First time happy that our shopping trip was over.. The mall was kinda overflowing with freaky shoppers, romantic couples and jobless teens!! Man.. walking calmly through this crowd had become near impossible!
Back at home feels heavenly, lying down(binging again!;)) Ahh... this is bliss... Never going for a sale again..
Made a plan to go home next weekend and mom just calls me up sometime back and says a new sale and then my eyes glisten again!! some ppl just can't change!!:D

Thursday, July 17, 2008

This mad ad world!!!

Long long ago maybe when our parents were kids or around the time when Television just arrived in the Indian markets, there used to just a single channel which aired programs for just (too many justs, can’t think of anything to replace it!) a small stipulated period of time and yes! There were no advertisements then. But then we have gone a long way. Now checking most of the major players in the television industry, in a half an hour program ads span at least for half the time. Making it the competition stiffer and ads just need to get better. But that’s way not what’s happening nowadays. Its like most of the ads are here without even a teensy-weensy bit of idea, they kind of just rely on flaunting big stars or skin to get the eyeballs. But then are they the ones who actually succeed in pulling the crowd. I feel a big NO!
But I would seriously like to commend some of the ads which I find to be really good and definitely amusing (err… in the right way!;))
Like the latest nokia 1600 ad which I find a real nice one.
This ad starts of by showing what everyone wishes for. Like for example they show someone hoping that even I’ll have a permanent address one day and a few ladies on a bike saying even we’ll proceed one day, a family who dream for wheels of their own, and then they reach the point where they say jab kismat ki ghanti bhajeygi hum tayaar honge behtar clarity wale nokia ke saath..
This ad shows how they have aptly merged two visibly abstract topics and depicted as a wonder thought provoking ad definitely emphasizing the mobile’s strength of greater clarity and longer talktime. For this matter I’ve always found nokia ads a real good piece of advertising.
Chlor-mint- Ahh.. Another witty idea put in here.
For this matter all their ads focus on their tagline ‘dimaag ki ghanti baji’
Their ad with the guy entering late into the class in the reverse fashion or the late night partying guy entering his house at dawn just to face his angry dad whom he cool’s down with a witty remark or the animated ad of the evolution of man and gaddu(donkey) being the same all along as he didn’t have a chlor-mint so his dimaag ki ghanti nahi baji!!
Airtel ads have always been to the point and definitely eyeball grabbing! Showing their new innovations in a subtle manner like a young couple talking about it in a playful manner makes you just sit up and watch, at least once, the idea being simple gets in, in a jiffy!
There are a quite a few ads, which you feel like watching repeatedly this is what I would call good advertising.
There are those ads of MTV On the job too, which is kind of interesting.

But most of the ads work in the other way they kind of get you irritated with the product and makes you the channel off in the mute mode.
Like the water purifier ad in which Smriti Irani a.k.a Tulsi comes to house and tells them the importance of boiling water. Oh come on! Tell me some family, which is kind of well off (at least that’s how they show the house in the ad with well dressed actress and all) with a proper gas connection who drink water straight from the tap. Oh talk about brilliance they definitely thought of an idea of involving their purifier but didn’t think of any logical connection for it with the scenes.
Another terrible ad I’ve seen is that of Hayward’s 5000(or something like that) which has Suniel Shetty and Sanjay Dutt fighting off villains (totally armed with guns and all) with just the bottles and the pressure created by the soda on the cork. Ahh… excessive use of filmy physics where even if the good guys are totally unarmed they can fight off an army with very highly stretched laws of science… man on the contrary these ads are way away from the idea.
Why should someone have this soda, after all we do not have to fight of highly armed villains on a daily basis? Next time you are stuck with a big robbing mob just try to think straight and logically and not fight them of with soda bottles.

Some of the other types of interesting ads are the musical types, which kind of get you along. Like the close-up ad with the phatphatiya hassi and the confident one. They have always kind of banked on this retro music and voice with tangy line making them sound cool and next time they come on TV you are like ‘jab hasney ke maukey aate hain!!…’
And not to forget the hutch err vodafone ad.. this ad i would say single handedly brought up the pug demand to soaring heights. and the ad's definitely pull crowds due to eye candies!! they are just so cute...
I actually don’t know why I’m writing about this but after writing it definitely feels like a weight off my chest. Whew! This ad mad world!!

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

caged freedom

This is a work of fiction any resemblance to anyone living or dead is totally coincidental and unintentional
When tough times are here can happy times be far behind.
I know I’ve morphed the lines of a great poem to my whims but then whatever may come I’ve always been a true optimist.
Even when problems spurt out from the left field always tried my best to keep my composure. People always how tough can it be for me to be positive always when you have been born with a silver spoon. I agree maybe I was born filthy rich but then it was that which made it worse.
Always there were restrictions. I’ve never known how it is have loads of friends or steal mangoes from the neighbors garden, playing a prank and running away, playing cricket on narrow streets and running away after a 6 i.e. when the ball cracks someone’s window pane and they come screaming. Have seen only these sights through movies but then it kept getting worse as nowadays everyone however be his economic condition is shown rich and living in mansions.
Friends that I have now or maybe had were all those rich arrogant snobs. Never have I even once felt in place with them but they were my only windows to humanity. With parents ever busy cracking million dollar deals had very less time for their only child.
But then all those days changed with the untimely demise of my dad. I was left all alone and to fend for myself. My mother (step-mother infact, mom died as and when I was born) turned the tables and took over the whole property and business leaving me with nothing but a trust which dad had created for me which was what I could say fool-proof but I could only reap its benefits when I become 21. Having just turned 18 a few days back didn’t think I would ever think of the trust. Now I was left all bereft of the pleasure that I always took for granted. But I never did I ever care about the money. No one cared for me any more left all alone in this world the first thought that came across was to explore the world.
Always wanted to be like a common man enjoying small joys in life and finding pleasure in every work (or at least that’s how they were shown in movies). After out of the house first time all alone on foot. Knew that no one would even realize I had gone missing back at home. Didn’t know where exactly I wanted to go but just kept walking. Reached a railway station, in all these 18 years of my life not even once have I traveled by this chugging array of many tall cars. The first ever time.
The railway station was terribly crowded didn’t know what to do or where to go. Saw many youngsters climbing onto a train just copied them. Got in and saw people sitting everywhere on flimsy blue colored long seats. Suddenly a fellow in a black coat came over and kept asking everyone something for which as a reply the passengers took out a small but of paper and showed him. Wondered what that was, slowly realization struck must be tickets! Which I had totally forgotten about. Oh! My god! Scared with no other choice in hand I jus kept retreating back till a reached door labeled toilet. Immediately went inside it and hid. My brains had totally stopped working just kept praying desperately. After what I felt like an hour I slowly mustered up enough courage to get out and try my luck. Ahh.. He had left. But then the adventure had just begun. As I came out I couldn’t believe my luck. There she was standing outside my dear nanny who must be possibly the only person who loved me truly and vice versa. Both of us were totally shocked and speechless for quite a while. I couldn’t believe my luck.
Overcome with joy we just kept on talking and talking not thinking where we were standing. And then came a sudden turn and both of us were thrown out of the train.
Fallen on the parallel tracks last sight which I had was her smiling a clear blissful one, wondered how could she smile so even at the mouth of death.
That was my last memory when I woke up next couldn’t see much but saw loads of blurred faces around all smiling and looked very happy. Suddenly vision cleared out and saw their faces but couldn’t recognize any. Could hear a babble of joy. They all were saying I was very lucky. Apparently I had fallen into coma for the past 11 years. But my first question was where was my nanny, the smiles disappeared they said she had died as she hit the ground. She was anyway in her last stages of leukemia and those were possibly her last few days. My desire to live had died. Who was there left for me? My legs had also got paralyzed making me a cripple for life. One trip had made me lose so much that meant the world for me. Now with the trust money and with the help of some Samaritans planned to start afresh. Now with all the freedom I ever wished for being a common man I am free now but still with bounded to destiny.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Oye-Bubbly!!


Wow... Bubble-Wrap--the plastic covers with those small blister like protrusions are a delight in themselves… God knows how many hours all of us have spent bursting those small little bubbles… guess its something no one can deny …irrespective of your age it is a perfect pastime from which immeasurable pleasure is derived… There are simply innumerable moments of joy when I’ve fought for a small piece of bubble-wrap from anyone…and then when you decide for a small portion and then start bursting…ahh… bliss!!!
It was simply awesome when we bought some big thing and guess what it was fully covered in bubble-wrap!!! Wow … fights which used to break out whenever that material makes its entry were not found as everyone had more than what we could even imagine to ask for!! But then the newfound pleasure started dying out as it started getting monotonous and we had all the freedom break as much and still have loads more left… after a few days you bet our fun had died and then it was just hoarded up somewhere totally forgotten…
Many weeks later when we got a small gift (something like a small show-piece) and guess what fights broke out again… no prizes for guessing it was covered in our long-forgotten love ‘Bubble-wrap’!!!
Its right when people say excess of anything can kind of have the opposite effect…
This is something that made me realize that great things do come in small packages and it’s the packaging (at least in my case) the most important one!!!;)

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Love Story 2050


This is what I call the limit!! Lately I believe I’ve been like paying installments to get a coffin for myself, in short I’ve been going for all what I could call some the biggest ever ‘flops’!!! Today I went for Love Story 2050… Man, this definitely forms the topping…
It starts off like all the other usual movies… A rich dad who has almost nil time for his love-craving son... And the son shows his anger by scraping his dad’s favorite car… Then comes the usual melodrama of a dad scolding his son, and the son saying how bereft of love he is and goes out of the house and like any old film starts talking with the stars i.e. to his late mother about his loneliness and those clichéd moments follow!!!
Then as usual the heroine is introduced laughing like hell… Running around butterflies and somewhat coaxing them to come and sit on her hand… And lo! The guy falls for her… What I feel here is that the heroine’s role has been made pathetically boring and usual types… you know. Those actresses who just keep laughing at everything, smiling at everyone and when they do something stupid they hit their head and all that usual superfilmi stuff… what I would say that there is absolutely nothing new in this flick…
The 2050 mumbai comes only in the 2nd half… okay I don’t think in just a span of 42 years we are gonna start traveling in flying cars but all that is perfectly pardonable as the picturization of future is damn based on conjectures so chalo that’s okay… but wonder why but 2050 mumbai is filled with foreigners… but they still have kept the essence of old nation in the future by having a virtual maid called Kanta bai and there being a Calcutta pan shop where the pan’s are given by a robot who uses mumbai slang… Then comes the large number of brand endorsements… all ceat tyres ad, but when cars just fly and not move like usual on road where are the tyres used!! And there comes the lux ad’s and voila they still have Priyanka Chopra but after all she’s Zeisha here, jokes apart but those parts are what I could say some of the only bearable moments… The robot Q.T and the teddy boo are cute and fine… then there is this faceless villain with chip embedded on the bald head who is apparently a super scientist whose voice carries an unbelievable resemblance with that of Mithun da…
This is a movie where evry1 would run outta the theatre screaming i hate love stories!!!Altogether I could say this movie is something all would love to miss… I dunno whether it was my feeling or something suddenly when a good song came by suddenly you can see people stretching and suddenly comes up a small chatter… When the movie ended there was this group of girls I was walking behind and a few were kinda trying to strangle one and she was like I’m terribly sorry for booking and all… lol… could say the promos and the trailers were the only successful part of this movie as they were good enough to pull one into the theatres… And ya, the music, that is really good… the songs are and attractive part of this venture… And boy! Harman. You’ve already lost your originality. By the uncanny resemblance he holds with Hrithik no one I guess would ever consider him… acting wise there is nothing great in him but his dancing skills are terribly good maybe that’s why all through the starting when he tries to woo his lady love he keeps breaking into dance every moment…but he definitely does that well… and PC is her good old self but the script is terrible… wonder why did she ever agree for this maybe coz of He(/a)r Man;)… Guess this movie ll be remembered till 2050 one of the biggest bore’s!!;)
Waiting for a good one…

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Auto's....no!!!!!



I’m sick, tired and irritated with these autowallas… Chennai is a nice place to live in, as long as you want to go somewhere and decide an auto to be your conveyance. Believe it just means hell breaking loose… this place has autowallas who just charge depending on the place you coming out from or way people have dressed… The way they charge is just terrible… these people always just seem to run at multiples of 20. Even if you want to go some meager 2kms they will be like “gimme at least 40rs!! ” what!!! And when you say its like very high they start of calling you names and saying about how the sky is falling correctly on their head… sad man. Seriously the state of the autos in this city is just pathetic… Trust me. They can go kms without any passenger but if you ask them to drop you somewhere nearby for a reasonable charge they’ll be like “price hike ma. Sorry” and demand for something like its double… I don’t know what they think but I guess they think all those who travel in an auto are some multi millionaires in some I-love-auotwallas-and-I’m-ready-to-give-them-anything game show….
Price hike has made everyone worry but its these people who know how to make hay while the sun shine or in better words how to make money while price hikes… its then their already skyrocketing prices are jus doubled… or guess if there is some hartal(Here most of them are hardly violent) and life proceeds as usual but its only and only if you hafta travel by an auto you realize… they take up the opportunity to rub us clean outta money…traveling by them in simple words means paying through your nose…
They should realize people go for other means as simply not everyone can afford an auto ride…It would be for their own good if they charged in a sane manner…
In every city I know.. even the metro’s like mumbai, banglore have proper auto services and they charge them by proper totally working meters!!
Almost every issue in this state is taken care of. But when will this problem be ever looked into!!! Why don’t we take up the cue and work to improve our present state…Will we be ever able to see a day when we can travel with a sane motor running and fare decently charged on it!! Guess I'm asking for too much…