And I do it

I just made a fool of myself on a stupid zoom call. Zoom , i now officially hate you. I am so emabarassed that i need to vent here. WTF

In any case, I must acknowledge that over a period of time we will make a fool of ourselves .

a. In class 12th the way I got swayed with the physics prac means i cannot go back to BHS easily

b. In Infosys i emailed 15000 ppl inadvertently

c.  Now this zoom call

So every 10 years , shit happens. Looking forward to an error free next 9 years

Recession

I think no one would approve of people getting drunk and creating a scene anywhere. If they get too drunk the law should punish them. But yes, people should be able to choose to be able to go to a pub either for a drink or even a mocktail.

Tragically politicians in India as a breed will stoop to the lowest possible levels. Them preaching morality is like a mockery of the entire population. With Lok Sabha elections coming close by we will see a lot more such drama in the coming month. And no political part is above playing it dirty. It has generally being felt that the MNS was given a lot of space by the Maharashtra CM as another party on the Marathi issue would divide the Marathi vote and help a congress victory. What will happen will be seen, but I won’t be surprised if the MNS makes big inroads into the Shiv-Sena bastions in the state.

What should be debated on a national level and which we don’t, is what such a development will bode for the nation. A US president (not Bush definitelyJ)at the end of his term said "I hope history will judge me and say he appealed to the best and noblest qualities in people rather than their dark and sinister traits".

I wonder which Indian politician can say and hope for the same! The one who has never fought an election ,maybe!

From: Balaji Shenoy Posted At: Friday, January 30, 2009 11:12 AM Posted To: MYS General Conversation: In lines with the communist party Subject: Have we solved ALL other problems?

Very well said Syed.

I wanted to write about this subject myself in the BB, but don’t think I could have put it any better than you have.

I certainly don’t approve of someone emerging out of a pub (or even a local liquor shop) and misbehaving with the general public. Certainly such behaviour antagonizes the people who live around such establishments and I can understand them protesting. But even then, there are already laws to deal with such problems (even if the implementation is very iffy). If however someone goes into a pub, has a drink or two and goes back home without creating a nuisance to anyone, then I don’t see why it should be a cause of problem for anybody.

And isnt’t funny to see the current lot of politicians (of all people) sermonizing the rest of the society on “morality”? The very same people who don’t blink an eyelid before endorsing criminals and people with a dubious past for a seat in the state or central assembly.

And its as if, they don’t have anything else to worry about – if they had completely sorted out issues related to security, economy, general social well being (improved infrastructure and public transportation, introducing efficiency in public health care centre’s, providing safe water to drink for all, sanitation, housing and education for those who cant afford them, creating awareness about global warming and the energy crisis that the world is facing, the need to conserve power and electricity, conservation of forest and wildlife) etal, then I would have been OK with them initiating discussion and debate on our changing social and cultural mores. Even then, it should just start as a debate and discussion, and not by thrusting your opinion on people by vandalising public spaces or trashing up people.

Thanks and Regards,

Balaji Shenoy

From: Syed Ashraf Husain Posted At: Friday, January 30, 2009 10:40 AM Posted To: MYS General Conversation: In lines with the communist party Subject: RE: In lines with the communist party

I am not sure how many of you read the Delhi Chief ministers comment on pubs. Its on the first page of today's Times Of India. She says "I believe youngsters who go to these places without the knowledge of their parents are mature enough to handle themselves". I may not have written the exact words but it was close to this.(Also could someone post todays wonderful TOI editorial on the same)

The Delhi CM comments are a refreshing wise opinion by a political leader on a topic that seemingly has raised the hackles of so many and enthused so many others. When Dijvijay Singh condemns pub culture he plays to a very conservative audience. But the question is do we really need social policing?

Also people have got the issue wrong. Its not about alcohol. Its about men and women mixing. And specifically women drinking. Because there is no mention of bars or all those sleazy shops selling alcohol by the roadside. Tomorrow there could be a demand of seperate colleges for guys and girls and seperate offices in the IT industry. The whole idea of saving the culture smacks of chauvinism.

Let me confess that I dont drink. But I have been to pubs and they are not the dens of vices and immorality that they are made to be. In fact people probably get more drunk in the all male local bar than in a pub. Pubs are a decent place to hang out with friends and simply chat. As is a restaurant.

As for culture let me assure it changes. We just need to look at India in the last hundred years. At the beginning of the century going abroad or marrying out of caste was reason good enough to be ostracised from society. Read the Birla family history and you will realize it was widespread.

Fifty years down the line it was still felt the ladies place was in the house. 25 years back most marriages used to be arranged by the family and bride and groom used to first see each other after the wedding. I haven't heard of one such wedding in a long long time. Of course it still continues in many places but my point is the trends change.

Culture is fluid and it transforms itself depending upon the person. On the other hand values last. If someone was to define Indian values and try to bring about an awakening of them through a peaceful movement ,he would probably have my support.

But sorry no cultural policing in my name.

The Memories of My Past

 

I started this blog nearly 15 years ago. To be honest, I was active initially and then the enthusiasm waned. I have never been back for years.

When I look back, the same thin happened with blogs. Blogging was the coolest thing in 2005. In 2020, its all social media site- fb, ig or twitter. I went to fb and the decay of blogging corresponds to the same period but now I  have been off fb for years.Writing was always an escape and if I am coming back its because, I need an escape.

Too much has happened in the years. Even as I sit back and think I will blog again, I wonder if its pure nostalgia. There are so many old comments on the blog. 

I will be back  but this is now a private diary. I am pretty sure no one wanders here during this season of eternal drought.

~Ashraf

I am back

Yes,  I am back with a new resolve to blog regularly. The last couple of years,  initially had me focussing inwards to look at and then I hit a writers block.

However somewhere I had diverted from the path of creativity. Being fully employed did not help. Somehow a stable income tends to kill my creative expressions.  It however also makes me super unhappy and miserable. Writing after all as I say is an escape

So I am back.  New phone and all.  Trying to make a sense of it all.

No one wanders here I know.  But when did I say I wanted thousands here.

Tell Series , Natie Krish my thought

I was watching this video

http://vimeo.com/26291835

This was interesting because Natie Krish is a billionaire who lost nearly everything and then got it all back.

Here are the key points from my perspective

a) Fight for things you believe in

b) Look at the bigger picture

c) Inflation will not go away and that's why invest in real estate. Don't worry about it, recognize it

d) I see opportunities where others may not. It may be an instinct

e) Look at businesses that have a recurring cash flow. So choose a supermarket or a life insurance company as opposed to a construction company.

f) There are a lot of things I would have done differently. But then does it matter. I could still have been in SA

g) Avoid public companies. Keep em private

h) There are no supply chains in China for small companies

i) Communism has disappeared from china. Being richer is good now.

j) You have to be the leader wherever you enter. HOW- you do it better, you do it differently

A long break and news

So I was in Hong Kong two weeks and I had a rocking time.

KICC has been one long journey and I so wish it had not ended. There was always so much to do. :(

But it ends and while at times it hurts that we didn't win at the international finals, I realize it was an incredible experience to go all the way to HK. We defeated all the teams in India and that was achievement enough.

I now have wonderful memories from HK and friends in so many countries. I will talk more of it later. Right now just want to get it out of my system.

I Do Not

I do not see, 

what others see,

In shallow depths and vain facades,

But only seek to see,

How the smallest of cogs fit into

this miracle of an existence

I do not hear, 

what others hear,

When shouts ring out in the silence

But only strain to hear,

The sounds of the individual lost,

In the crowds at the retreat

I do not smell,

what others smell,

The odours of our daily existence,

But only savour the smell,

Of people and flowers,

Of a different reality.

I do not feel,

what others feel,

As they stumble on in life,

But only seek to feel,

The sand papered reality,

That my mind creates.

I do not taste,

what others taste,

As they walk through this world,

But only try to taste,

The bitter flavour of emotions,

Crushed under people’s feet.

By Syed Ashraf Husain

PS - another of the poems I have started writing searching for a deeper meaning

The Great Argument

PS- This is an entry for a creative writing contest at a premier institute's festival. 1.5 hours , 1000 words flat. Every thing here is imaginary and any resemblances are purely coincidental. Unless of course, you know better.

Enjoyed penning the  story . Maybe I should do more of storytelling.

“It’s over !“ she shouted over the phone.

Taken aback by the fury , I could only mutter, “What , why? Everything was fine in the morning.”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know anything. I know from your posts on facebook. Its over.”

And then before I could reply back I heard the sound of the call being cut. Pleading with a terminated line was not high on my list of hobbies, so I gave her a call back. And then once more and then more after that but she had switched off her phone. She was suddenly unreachable in every meaning of the word and I had to step back to analyze it all.

 _________________________________________________________________________________________________

The first call was of course to Varun, my alter ego.

As his phone rang 1200 km away for a moment I wished he was closer. Then my thoughts got pushed out as his voice rang out loud over the phone.

“Hellos,dude can I call you back. Kind of stuck in a conference call”.

“Dost, it’s an emergency. She broke off.”

“Whaaat!! She did what.  thought you two were made for each other and never fought. Wait, guess I will have to cut short my other call. Hold on”

As he turned his attention to the client call trying to terminate it, I had a few moments to myself over the broken conversations I was hearing from Varun’s side. It seemed a little sudden. I had been introduced to her around six months back and even as I was shaking her hand , I knew I was falling for her.  The wooing began almost immediately. I smiled through stuff, tried to be a little less me and a little more her and it seemed she was doing  perfect job of pretending I did not exist. Varun and I would be forever exchanging notes, two bumbling fools trying to walk a path they both were utterly incapable of.

In the end , desperate times needed desperate measures. It all appeared to be going nowhere and one day I called Varun and said ,it’s time. I was gonna ask her to dinner.

“Are you sure. I think you will get your heart broken.”, he gently suggested.

“I gotta know man. Can’t be hurt more. If she says no, you know me what I will be doing”

“Jumping off a roof?”

“Bast!@#, I will be writing sad sad poetry. And fools who know nothing will appreciate it for the talent never knowing it was her not me who gets credit for the poetry.”

“You know Saleem Sinai, the reason we are good friends is coz you never fail to find something to laugh about. And what if she says yes ”

“I don’t really want to imagine stuff but I guess it will be the start of a story of the stuff that fairy tales are made of.”

“Ahh you ,the eternal romantic at heart” came his mocking reply.

“That’s me.”

I took three days to gather the courage to call her. It was funny how I, who could effortlessly chat with strangers was mortified with fear at the prospect of calling her. Once I thought I had the courage, I called. My heart was pounding as the phone rang. All for nothing as I later mused for the call rang out before disconnecting.

But the dice was cast and now I needed to persevere. I waited and the next time the phone was out of network coverage area.

The third time was almost mechanical. There was no adrenalin rush or a pounding heart. And then I heard her voice- “Hi”. All the gathered courage vanished like the dew before the midday sun. I was suddenly all alone and terrified. But I whimpered something out and just got ‘Dinner with me?’ out to her somehow.

There was that pause and I was already imagining the polite refusal. If there was ever a chance of her saying yes, my riveting performance on the phone had killed it definitely.

But instead of the no ,”Yup, when” came over the phone. I wanted to shout in joy but I meekly gave her a location and time.  The time for the shouts would be later.

With that dinner began a new adventure. From that dinner , we kind of slid into dating without ever loudly acknowledging it. There were dinners, adventure trips, concerts and hours hanging out. The formality vanished and it had been perfect. Then why…

___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

But the thoughts were interrupted as Varun came back on the phone and said,”Saale ,what did you do?”

“Nothing. But she said something about facebook.”, I replied back.

“Idiot, facebook today morning on her wall. I had asked you to stop messing on facebook.”

“But it was all harmless!!”

“Go back and see how she took it.”

And then started the painful journey of going back to a day of rambling on facebook. It had just been me and Varun commenting on her status. I was reading bottom down.

“Single is independence. Freedom and free will” , was my last comment on her status. Suddenly the harmless joke seemed pretty sour.

“Doubles is over rated and over hyped”, Varun had posted.

“Doubles is a flavor of its own. Gotta try it once” , was me earlier.

“How do you like your pizzas and friends- singles or doubles”, Varun again.

“I like winning for the trophies”, I had joked

“I have a hot date and I hate the whole setup”, was Varun alluding to his life

“Truth only ok.”, I had asked Varun

“I really like you and all your ‘special’ friends man. You are all so  awesome”, Varun had intoned.

“I just want a pizza and world peace”, was my first piece.

So this  was the whole argument. I had tapped into her insecurities and somehow tripped on a landmine.

Then I just looked at her status that started it all.

‘ i ’.One character in small was all she had posted.

The Great Argument.