Common

Wonder why they called it common cold - because this is a nasal misery too common to the human species, or because more than 100 viruses cause the same kind of symptoms to us homo-sapiens or maybe just to freeze off the panic that the very idea of consulting a physician creates? The last point won't stand for me atleast, it's been 7-8 years I last gave myself THAT torture. Luckily, I never went victim to anything much, not even the epidemic risings like Reality TV or IPL. But this khhhoold, it has consistently struck me atleast once every season, six times a year. I find one self-explanatory theory to the etymology. So bloody common.

There is a characteristic cycle to the patheticness that beckons. Day One strikes with a scratchy feeling down the throat. It's the signal, like, Oh Boy! Day Two, the little viruses party up and down your throat. "Hey, look we are tiny-winy germs..we are here to swell up your throat and make you leak slimy liquids. And even though we have remotely nothing to do with rest of your body in the later days, we give you fever and body pain now!" This day, you keep waiting for that one huge jerk of a sneeze.. but it never happens.

As if people never had a better occasion to annoy you! Come on.. you don't have to watch the full 3 hour TV telecast of a Bollywood award ceremony to come out with a conclusion that IT IS RIGGED! Most of us were at it right before you scratched your ass at the beginning of the show, some 10 years earlier. Every sound of tak-tak-tak or dhumm-dhumm is amplified to quantities you simply cannot agree to believe. Yet those sounds extract your agreement. There's nothing funny in the world anymore. Facebook, oh dear facebook! It's a weekend, and everybody's THERE. Checking-in with "The club can't even handle me right now", and hey look, you're so out of control that you use the club's wifi to update on a social site about how crazy you are, you brain-swallowing monster! Or well, let's share these pics of malnutrition-ed kids because Zuckerberg is fucking nuts. 1 share = 1dollar. Yayy, that's the way I roll, bitches! And then a pic with a sketch of a boy on his knees, crying; a broken heart in the top left corner; 50+ people tagged; and a mourning shayari.. Come on you toote dil ki dastaan! Even we didn't get a Dairy Milk each time I cried my heart out to my father! Only later I had a revelation to stop with all the begging for Dairy Milk. Crackle and Nutties - real stuff! Mazel tov.

Day Three, the morning, I find myself gasping hard for breath. Choke day. And a visit to the wash basin after completion of each sentence. Meh! Haldi waala doodh(with ginger+sugar) and Black pepper in soup are opportunistic Gods. Well, all Gods in all religions are opportunistic, to be honest. How can I forget water boils at 100degrees and that is pure nosef*** with those green liquid pills!

The state is the same, brain does not work; can't read/do anything that makes sense; every nonsense is irresistible. Total garbage, and annoyance.  Good for nothing. I did one braveheart thing to go to the movies, and thank the nature for Tarantino! And more; still as I was busy singing "Ghhhirl, you'll be a woman sooon.." there are total midair-mindf*** soundtracks in this one. "Ooo Django! you loved no one.."

I sometimes wonder what is wrong with me. Then I just smile and proudly reach for the toilet paper. Sigh.

Okay, I just lied. No toilet paper. I reach for the jet spray. I swear, I don't know how to use paper in there. Sigh.

Childhood Heroes

"He's still practicing!"
.
.
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Two girls peeking into a dark basement would exclaim. This was a TV ad that showed a young man working on his stroke-play all by himself. I don't quite seem to remember what the brand was. But I've always admired the man.

Rahul Dravid. I won't begin without accepting that I had a man crush on him, and probably still do. Where Cricket was religion and Sachin was God, I was busy practicing square drives in the grounds of Lucknow. And that square-cut! Trying hard to exact it. The feet movement, the back-lift, the swing of the bat, even the tenacity on my face. And sweating as much! Sigh.

That square cut.

So immense was my admiration that it became visible in my timid game, as friends started appreciating my off-side game, coupled with my tendency to getting stuck on the crease. Needless to say, I considered that to be the most important skill of the game. And among other things, nothing beats pineapple jam over brown bread, yet!

I was busy collecting those "Britannia runs" before the 99 World Cup. And then that London coaching obsession! Just watch this ad, Britannia, HOW CAN YOU NOT? :P Swastha khao, tan-man jagao! Ting-ting-titing ;-) Thank You, Prahlad Kakkar!

His game was always class. For ODIs in late 90s and early 2000s, when only openers and pinch hitters were expected a strike rate of 100+, he maintained his game of building the innings in the middle overs. I mentioned strike rate because that was a time when 280 was a very winnable score. And 280 means run rate of 5.60. Later when the game changed itself and 300 turned too common, he took charge an started pacing his innings towards the end.

This catch against Pakistan still gives me goosebumps. Fans pick Jonty Rhodes for his fielding, but I found it all in my favorite cricketer. One of the best fielders at slips, his reflexes were perfection. If anyone recalls the couple of brilliant catches at the position against the Aussies! Oh!

Dravid, 191.

Only ever a controversy that took shape around this man was the ball tampering case in Zimbabwe in 04. That too, he never made a comment, and his coach and captain distinguished it as "an honest mistake". I believe them. The other being Sachin's 194 not out. Dravid was the stand-in captain for Ganguly, and the innings was declared right when the Master was on the verge of reaching a double hundred. People say it was competition, some say they it was Ganguly who prompted from inside the dressing room(he was visible from the glass). I always say I'll never understand. It was the first time Sachin reacted in a press conference, claiming he was shocked. I always look at Dravid's reaction after he got out for 191. He certainly knows what a double hundred means, as much as any other batsman. That was a sad incident, reasons behind which we'll never know. I'll willingly forget this.

T20 was a form he didn't play much. And as much as I dislike the (too)short format, I'm glad he didn't. I just pray this format does not ruin the attractive game.

As Hayden stated, "All this going around is not aggression. If you want to see aggression on cricket field, look into Rahul Dravid’s eyes"
BA DUM TSS!

On this day, 14th March, Dravid and Laxman got involved in the greatest partnerships of all time, 12 years ago.


387 minutes, 357 runs, no wicket!

I love this headline! It was a turnaround post a follow-on. It was a turn around for Indian Test Cricket, which the dejected media rejected as "ghar ke sher". I couldn't have managed a better date to lay my hands on the book I was craving for since last seven-eight months!

Timeless Steel. Proud owner!

In the times where the Sachin-s and Messi-s are worshipped, brilliant as they are, I've always been inspired by the Dravid-s and Gerrard-s. When he played his final match in international cricket on my birthday last year in January, I've felt blessed. I know, obsession alert! :P Anything, Jammy!

"When you play for 16 years, you will face highs and lows. There have been many disappointments and great highs. There is a huge sense of satisfaction that I have always given it my best shot. I have left no stone unturned in trying to become the best cricketer I can become. Absolutely no regrets"

W - Day

India's little mark on the world's social revolution, where they recognized the might of a lady named Mary Kom, the revelation of the fighting spirit within the likes of Saina Nehwal.. Simultaneously, with the outcry and supportive response against the shameless incident of Delhi, and many more.. with the outburst of general sentiment.. With that compassion to challenge the law, the system.. I hope we can really create a happier space together for those whose contribution naturally tends towards making this world a better place, my gentler counterparts. And then have enough conviction to wish you, a Happy Women's Day. 

AWARDEE

Still in the hangover of the Oscar morning last week, getting my 100% guesses incorrect this year, I never noticed destiny was waiting for me. No kidding, my drama teacher had an idea that human faces have more expressions than life has twists. Combining that with the only compliment I've ever received from a pretty lady at a party with all the dhik-chik music, much like the movies, a comment over my narcissistic singledom - I have too many expressions on my face. 

I know!

 What a golden opportunity to say, "But I was not farting!" :P If I had ever cracked that, either the joke or the expression-thingy, I've always wondered if I am the lazy-extreme who refuses to get off his ass to receive an Oscar and further deliver a world-transforming speech, ending with, "Kids, brush your teeth two days a week!" My sister, being a dentist would then give me a part of the business share. But then internet makes life easy. And inevitable that it was, I've already started collecting accolades to keep the world running. 

There's a LIEBSTER award, for outstanding contribution to study of deuterium isotope for advancement in nuclear power rescources. Or, simply because someone was kind enough to consider your blog worthy of it.  Thank You. I got both, you don't say. If you had a school friend like me who was eager enough to learn German, ahem, "Ich liebe sie" post-visiting an International Physics Olympiad, you'll know what Liebster stands for. Thank this affection of co-bloggers for a day or two we can think of ourselves as real-time writers. Hehe.

Anyway, here's the little deal. In order to provide an opportunity to show-off, and yet avoid excessive gloating by the oh-feel-my-thoughts narcissist bloggers, there is a set of questions devised by the nominator who finds you fit enough to run this marathon. Post 11 things about yourself. And 11 nominations for Liebster. That I don't read much blogs, makes that last part tough, hence I make it easy :P

And so here I am, with me :P


1. I always wanted to be an Army guy after watching Border. I switched my imaginative-career to being a Cricketer. Then Table Tennis came along. Sometimes a painter. Then a singer. In time I realized I could be the Prime Minister. Now, all I want is to be a kid again.

2. I went to an all-girls' some "Sneha Kala Kendra" during a summer vacation to learn painting & sketching. My sister and me. Sigh? Not yet. In time, I was learning to dance with a group of 15 odd girls. To kill some spare time spent otherwise waiting for the faculty. No sighs, wait for it! Soon I found myself dancing to Chhaiyya Chhaiyya in a very girly manner. The other song was Main Kudi Anjaani Ho! from some* movie, I guess. I almost killed myself :P

3. I found a 500 rupee note on the footpath once. I left it right there.

4. I found an iPod on the road, I kept it for a year. Pseudo-moralist, I call myself :-/ :D

5. A colleague of mine says I should stop cracking jokes on myself, especially the ones that depict me in lower self-esteem-shit. Sad that he'll never know what a genius I actually am.

6. I liked to sing in my own voice and scale everywhere till my voice was normal. Now I just do that in Bathrooms. I might dance sometimes, how'll you ever know? :D

7. Now I like to read myself out loud, in a crushy, heavy voice with philosophical pauses and pseudo-intellectual sighs.

8. I once jumped off the walls of my school in 6th standard, with a friend. We jumped back in immediately, everything outside felt scary.

9. I never read complete rules. Even when I do I struggle hard to follow. 11 is getting hard :-|

Well, enough not-so-much-about-me. On to the questions.


1. If you could keep just 5 songs in your iPod  which ones will you keep?

Never easy, this. I'd change that every few days. For now,

Strawberry Swing - Coldplay
Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Led Zeppelin
Meethi Boliyan - Amit Trivedi
World Spins Madly On - The Weepies
Sorrow- Pink Floyd

2. If your house is on fire, what is that one thing you will save?

iPod.

3. Cats or dogs?
None. To own up, I'm scared of all animals. And for some reason, there hasn't been a dog(pet) that hasn't barked it's heart out at me. And cats, they have nails! Plus, it's hard to understand there expressions/thoughts, and that unpredictability.. well, SHIT!
Although it would be a fight between puppies and kittens. And puppies it will be!

4. Mountains Or Seas? and why?
Mountains. And there isn't much any reason to that except "ever since I was a kid, I..."!

5. Do you believe in destiny? One instance you witnessed it if the answer is yes.

I believe in free will, so no.

There are two ways of thinking. The sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. It is destined to, is one. I'd rather see it as earth's rotation. It is inevitable in either case. The concept that people possess about Destiny encourages ignorance and blocks the simple idea of free-will. What's worse, it deprives me of the greatest power to humankind, to make a decision for myself. Unless I am a mutant. Well, secrets.

A couple of events we can't intervene, celestial/natural phenomenon and another person's free-will. There, knowing the reasons won't impede the inevitability, but reasoning sure is more comforting than an explanation that goes "..meant to be". Bleh!

6. If it was declared no phone week, will you survive?

I'd probably be the one to declare it. A no phone world.

7. Whats your sun sign, and do you believe in it?

Don't know! Leo in a Kundali, Aquarius by the newspapers' birth-date thingy. A friend says some sun/moon difference. Leo just feels cooler. Plus, it supports my anti-emotional, over enthu'd, dramatic self. It goes against my introversion though. Believing? I believe 500 million people belonging to the same sun sign doing the same things mentioned in a 5-line horoscope on a daily basis - if true, doesn't make much of a difference. If not, I have a million jokes prepared for that ;-)

8. One moment you could erase from your memory.

I have had a happy kinda life! Nothing specific, I'd say. Memories induce emotional response. So any memory(unknowingly) that is behind provoking my anger..

9. If you were to sell yourself(not for prostitution ) as a commodity, what would you price yourself?

Beyond my imagination. Still, let's assume a post apocalypse era, with a few thousand survivors, thus making human life rare.. and thus, precious. If the lowest selling price would be 1 acre of land (some 0.4 square kilometers) of cultivable land(again, rare) and the highest bid would go upto 30 acres, I would land up somewhere at 8-10 acres, maybe :-/

10. Have you ever read any of my articles? If yes whats your favorite till date.

Quite a few, and the favorite would be Neophytes. Or Spiritual Awakening.

11. What will you like to be in your next life? And Why?

Next life is a dubious concept. IF true. But then again - Dog. Reason is no more than I don't want to be a human. Too many responsibilities and expectations. a shorter ife span. Better ears to enjo music. And then when I shout out loud - BIAATCH - no one would feel offended :P