thinKinBLaQ

Good Bye Blue Skies

2010-05-15T18:58:00.003+05:30

My Experiments with Black & White.

Goafest 2010 - Did Digital Survive?

2010-04-13T14:12:00.002+05:30

Goafest 2010.
Just like the oldest profession in the world - advertising, would like you to believe, this year was supposed to be a celebration of the freshest. And just like advertising, it failed to deliver this promise.

'No Scams This Year' was another feature being marketed right from the start, bringing about a lot of hope to the guys with more sincere & really published work. The first few minutes inside any of the rooms soon shattered this marketing myth as well. The entries shamelessly reeked of scam, another promise broken. Walking among the them felt like taking a virtual stroll inside the Archives. There would be succour if the work, scam undoubtedly, was at least fresh. This year saw recurring themes, ideas & rip-offs. The judges obviously, had to have a gun to their head while short-listing these. I shudder while another reason comes to mind, that the rest were just not good enough.

Another reason which had many seething was the bastard child treatment which Digital received. Once again a fact: bigger agencies are struggling to get their digital arms up & running consistently trying to convince brands that they have what it takes thanks to their mastery of traditional media. Unfortunately, a lot of clients buy into this, their brand managers being old suits who simply cannot comprehend or perceive the power of the medium. So their BIG idea on the internet (something which a lot of bigger agencies are shamelessly pitching & executing) is to have their TVC on youtube or God forbid, with an added bit of interactivity, which translates into a quiz based on their TVC. Many of these brand managers are thus, conned into believing that this works with inflated numbers & clicks which are bought at a pittance. This puts these agencies in a very comfortable place, thus, not changing, eventually asphyxiating & crippling the medium. What no one realizes is, that the online space can completely overthrow the traditional, lesser engaging forms of media. People WANT to talk, not only listen. Its in their blood & you can't stop them. The BIG FISH know this & are scurrying around, groping in the dark to make their mark in an industry they do not want to understand. But don't be fooled, they don't want you to know this. They make every attempt to appear calm, be in control, throw their weight around.

LOL (That's laughs out loudly for the uninitiated traditional medium oldies) @ the big fish, because the bigger are, the harder they fall.

PS: Some people might call this a mindless rant, sour grapes or pure insanity. i call it my opinion & you're free to oppose it. Buy me a drink & I'll be more than happy to debate this ;) (all the oldies - That's a wink by the way)

In This Picture

2009-03-02T11:24:00.000+05:30

Screw the Spirit of Bombay!

2008-11-28T01:11:00.002+05:30

For long have people slept, for long has this one sentence comforted us into our holes. 'The Spirit of Mumbai' is ignorance. It is loathed with 'calm down, it will be okay'. IT IS NOT OKAY! We have been beaten, bludgeoned, battered, bruised & yet we 'bounce back'. NO! Lets not bounce back. Get MAD! Get angry. Shout scream & cry. Weep Bombay. Weep for you are sleeping. Constantly saying that this is a bad dream & it shall pass by dawn. NO! It shall not. We slip deeper into the darkness & we stay silient.

This is a plea to everyone. Do not sit down. Do not let them take you into the night & kill you. Silence the ones who tell you that you cannot do anything. You can do EVERYTHING! Awake. Arise & feel again. Do not be insensitive. Do something about it. Join a movement. Take up a cause. DO NOT SUPPORT divisive politics. Condemn it. Refer to all terrorists as cowards. Do not glorify them. Glorify the heroes that have laid down their lives for yours. Here & at the border. Push the government to lay down firm policies & a federal terror law that NO ONE is above of. ACT NOW.

The Spirit of Mumbai does not it bounces back... the spirit of Mumbai wants to fight back & now is the time! Jai Hind!

FundaMENTALists!

2008-10-07T12:12:00.008+05:30

Before I begin what some may call a very partisan & biased read, I would like to put you through an exercise. Nothing much, just a small & simple exercise, something that will be fun if you allow it. Here goes then. Simply spot the difference between these 2 pictures.

Now there will be those who will argue that one is human while one is a primate. Both look relatively peeved with something & both look like they could use a banana. Where the fruit is applicable is rather quite debatable. But for the other few who do not see any difference between the 2 whatsoever... congratulations.

Before you go up ahead & light those effigies bearing my image (how the hell do they get those so quickly? do they have a stock of them somewhere...I wonder) this post is not anti-hindu or anti- any religion. Nor is it as a call or a plea to help minorities that be burning off in the distance. Nor is it anti-monkey or any other sort of animal. This post is simply put - ANTI-FUNDAMENTALIST! Period.

The angry monkey you see above does not belong to a religion. His kind are found everywhere, set to stand up & fight for anything. Be it religion, caste, creed, colour of the skin, vegetable prices, unclipped toenails or bad breath. The 'Fundamental Fool', your typical unemployed 'nothing to lose' youngster transcends every boundary known to man. Religious or political.

These gems of society wail & wallow in self pity shouting out to the world that they have been wronged. They take to violence in order to claw back their rights. They are there because no one else bothers to take up such an issue. I reckon because everyone is out there with a job & a family to feed. But no, these guardians of 'our' rights & 'our' sentiments have to be out there restoring sanity to our world.

Every religion is plagued by this 'It hurts our sentiments' fundamentalist. Constantly trying to fight tooth & nail over a sordid issue that is frankly, worth less than a million buckets of human waste. Land, blasphemy, conversions, insults, the list is endless.

An appeal goes out to everyone with at least one ticking grey cell. PLEASE OPEN YOUR EYES. DO NOT CO-OPERATE. Refrain from acknowledging their propaganda let alone discussing it. These antics that they resort to, violence, murder, constant protest & the odd hunger strike is to distract you. Take you away from the real issues. Issues that them & their kind have no answers to. Answers that all of us need to ask...

Look Jesus! I'm saved!

"Down with Europe! Hey BTW, where are we?"
"Errrm... Europe."
"Shite."

"See Shoumak. I told you this would be better than any movie we could go for. Come on! You're missing out on the fun. Get stomping already!"

!!!! WAKE UP !!!!

Of Suicides & Statues

2008-08-24T00:02:00.006+05:30

My great city will soon have something else to shout about. Something that will make it a little more popular among its peers. London, Paris, New York will all look in awe at a monument that will set my country back my Rs.500 Crore! What a matter of pride it will be. We will all stand tall, gawking at the mighty statue. A monument & a symbolof our prosperity, unity & peace. It will be a message to the world, that we too aren't far behind. The statue will encompass the true spirit of the city as it stands alone out there at sea. Facing wind, water & the future. It will carry with it, on its huge shoulders, all our hopes & prayers. All our wants will disappear & euphoria will embrace all who see it. This giant symbol of my city will be a sign to all weary travellers, the lost & the needy. It will welcome them with open arms, embracing them with a promise to pave their dreams with gold. There will be no more pain, there will be no more terror. Peace will forever reign. All thanks to this towering messiah of a monument. We will all be saved.

The truth is far from what I would like it to be. If wishes were horses then India & my city would ride like the wind. Ahead of everyone. In this nation of professional dreamers, the winners will always be the ones who sell us the BIG dreams. And who else can do this better than our chosen ones. Our elected saviours, the ones who have carefully & tediously studied every minute problem that you & I face as an individual, are busy as you read this. Concocting another intoxicating dose, made specially for your dreams. Thus, after many committees, meetings, tea, biscuits & some rather expensive international holidays...err...visits our city decides that a solution to all our problems would be to erect a giant statue far out into the sea. This will not only solve our problems of congestion, crime & resource crunches but will also propel us into the league of world class cities. What an achievement that would be! Viva La Mumbai!

I do not expect our blind parliament to open its eyes to our plight & hence I shall resist from addressing this message to them in any way. This message is intended to the intelligent human beings out there. The ones who go to work the day a bandh is called. The ones who sweat it out in crowded compartments, wade through knee deep sewage, spend 4 hours a day stuck in traffic, the ones who pay through their nose to get a square foot to lay their tired heads on...just to keep this city running. And yet, this statue will do them no good. Their hard earned cold hard cash, snatched away from them in the form of taxes will be spent on a cold hard monument left to rust far out at sea.

Our Politicians... on a really busy day.

But I'm sure our dictators feel& know differently. I'm sure that according to them (or their astrologers), this magical structure will yeild astronomical results. The statue is miraculously expected to stop farmers form Vidharba from committing suicide. Their crops might bloom & a bumper bonus too is expected. The Latur belt will never bear witness to earthquakes again. Inflation will drop to a meagre 3%. Salaries will increase. Roads will get better as corporators & corporations get less corrupt. Our trains will increase in size, or we might shrink, they will also arrive on time. All court cases will see the light of day the very same day the case has been registered. No innocent man will ever spend a night in jail again. Crime will be reduced by 300%. Women will walk the streets freely & without fear as all eve teasers will now suddenly grow a conscience thanks to the statue's ever watchful gaze. Property prices will be reasonable again, builders will start building towers closer to the statue, thus opening up a whole new world of housing solutions. Poverty will be reduced to almost nil & any & all migrants will be welcomed with smiles & garlands. And last but not the least, pigs will fly.

So if the Rs. 500 Crore (that's Rs. 500, 000, 000, 000) monument is totally worth it don't you think. Once we have achieved Utopia here, we should all support the Taj corridor which will reverse Global Warming as well. Jai Hind.

Guess the Act @ youCharades

2008-08-05T10:31:00.005+05:30

Awesome stuff coming up. Great to see video content being taken to a whole new level. extremely entertaining too :) And the babes acting 'em out are great :D Have a look. Or visit the site HERE!

Hope you like it :) Check out the youCharades site for more :D

The Girl Effect

2008-07-04T17:00:00.002+05:30

This is something that moved me to bits. An awesome video. To learn more about the Girl Effect. Please click HERE!

DSG Primal Leather Gloves - My Latest Buy

2008-06-24T10:58:00.006+05:30

DSG Primal Leather Gloves. Price: Rs:2,299/-

This baby is the latest addition to my collection of motorcycle gear. Actually it's my second piece, the first being my Vega Helmet.

The Vega Helmet

People do think that I'm being over protective or just too 'paranoid' investing my time & money in safety gear & keeping my bike in shape. These people for one, do not know what I went through when an A**HOLE rammed his car into me.

A**HOLE's Car. Yes I had enough adrenaline in me to limp right up to it & click a pic.

This baby's next on my list. Sweet sweet stuff this one :)

DSG Spike Jacket Yellow. Cost Rs. 4500/-

Looks cool & am sure feels even better! Am getting one for me AND my girl. Will post detailed review on the gloves & the jacket (once i get it) soon. Ride safe till then.

Hot Pursuit!!!

2008-06-05T10:55:00.000+05:30

Sports cars have dazzled & caught our imagination over the ages. Movies to magazines, we’ve swallowed them whole in the pursuit of these dream machines. Porsche’s, Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s. They’re all here.

The truth behind Bruce Springsteen's 41 Shots (American Skin)

2008-06-02T20:09:00.004+05:30

Bruce, known as the 'Boss' has a few rolling hits to his name. But the reason he's the boss in my book is simple, he's a revolutionary in every sense of the word. every word in his mighty verses stand tall & take note, making the world around them shiver in awe & in recognition. This is just one of his songs. It's called 41 Shots (41 Shots) & this is the history behind it.

What started this song off was an act of violence. Amadou Diallo, an american-african immigrant

in the US of A was shot by police officers who thought he was peddling drugs & was weilding a weapon which he was about to use. Now this could be a regular occurrence to many but this case was different. Diallo was shot 41 times... all for reaching out for his wallet. The police found no weapons on him. Justice... ? Makes you wonder...

Here's the boss.

Lyrics:
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots....
and we'll take that ride
'cross this bloody river
to the other side
41 shots... cut through the night
You're kneeling over his body in the vestibule
Praying for his life

Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
(It ain't no secret)
It ain't no secret
(It ain't no secret)
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living in
Your American skin

41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots and
Lena gets her son ready for school
She says "on these streets, Charles
You've got to understand the rules
If an officer stops you
Promise me you'll always be polite,
that you'll never ever run away
Promise Mama you'll keep your hands in sight"

Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living in
Your American skin

41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
(music bit)
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
41 shots
Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it in your heart, is it in your eyes
It ain't no secret
(It ain't no secret)
It ain't no secret
(It ain't no secret)
It ain't no secret
(It ain't no secret)

41 shots
And we'll take that ride
Cross this bloody river
To the other side
41 shots
And my boots caked in this mud
We're baptized in these waters
(baptized in these waters)
And in each other's blood
(And in each others blood)

Is it a gun, is it a knife
Is it a wallet, this is your life
It ain't no secret
It ain't no secret
(It ain't no secret)
It ain't no secret
(It ain't no secret)
No secret my friend
You can get killed just for living in
You can get killed just for living in
You can get killed just for living in
You can get killed just for living in
You can get killed just for living in
Your American Skin

(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in
(41 shots)You can get killed just for living in

The Grand Band Guessing Game

2008-06-02T19:40:00.000+05:30

Guess the bands people. ROCK ON!!!!

When Newspapers Attack!

2008-05-30T09:49:00.002+05:30

Headlines from the world over. Seriously, what were they thinking? Or maybe they weren't. :P

Ouch!

Really now? :P

And they blame videogames... sheesh!

This editor was fired for sure.

Now that ought to hurt :D

That is one EVOLVED dog tht man has there! :D

Jolie sure does look manly when she's preggers. :D

Sports Bloopers Extravaganza :P

2008-05-30T09:41:00.001+05:30

The times when sports is, ‘Not so happening’ :P Which one of them is the funniest. you decide :)

GAME CRAZY!!!!

2008-05-29T20:18:00.000+05:30

Gameshow’s from all around the world. Some we know, some we don’t & some that have seen Indian versions being made. Guess them all!

Psycho Killers - Time to HANG!

2008-05-29T14:42:00.003+05:30

They kill, they maim, & sometimes they make you smile…. sometimes. These killers are famous & you love them. Well how much do you know about them. Watch them carefully my dear, for they might just be behind you.

Sania Mirza Captured by Toons :)

2008-05-28T20:39:00.003+05:30

Sania Mirza the Toon - created by Abhilash P. Click here to see more of his work.

Eccentric & Outlandish Wedding rings!

2008-05-28T13:28:00.002+05:30

Found this one extremely interesting. Wanna spend the rest of your life with someone, u better make sure ur rings says it all. :)

This one's for the crazy ones. :)

2008-05-16T10:07:00.001+05:30

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify and vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do."

Rash Bikers Go Head To Head!

2008-05-15T20:11:00.002+05:30

Something fun we did.

Learn Bhangra in 55 Seconds!

2008-05-15T20:07:00.001+05:30

Oye Chak De Phatte! :D

When balloons attack! - Balloons ARE dangerous!

2008-05-15T10:45:00.003+05:30

Balloons, these dangerous weapons of mass destruction have been around since a million years. Evolving through time & now a perfect killing machine, the evil balloons have successfully disguised themselves as toys for kids. here we see an example of how one balloon, can lead to permanent brain damage.
Kids & Idiots. Please don't try this at home!

The victim suffered permanent brain damage. The alcohol company took no responsibility for this act of stupidity.

Ab-Surd! The Midnight Files - Episode 1

2008-05-14T10:25:00.003+05:30

Ab-Surd's a character that I've created :P & that Nixon plays awesomely well. Infact, there would be no Ab-Surd if it were not for him.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS VIDEO IS NOT INTENDED TO HURT ANY COMMUNITY OR PERSON IN ANY WAY! IT'S IN A LIGHT VEIN & SOME OF MY FONDEST FRIENDS ARE SIKHS, A RELIGION I RESPECT & REVERE THOROUGHLY.

A Tribute to My Friends

2008-05-13T10:19:00.005+05:30

Made this one as a tribute to the good times & the bad times that we've gone through. The highs, the breakdowns, both mental, physical & mechanical :P But whenever i needed them, i didn't even need to call out cause my friends were always there :)
Love you guys.

Here are the lyrics, they mean so much to me cause i'm sure all of us can relate to 'em. :)

Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
Or get yourself in a bind lose the shirt off your back
Need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare

This is where the rubber meets the road
This is where the cream is gonna rise
This is what you really didn't know
This is where the truth don't lie

{Chorus}
You find out who your friends are
Somebody's gonna drop everything
Run out and crank up their car
Hit the gas, get there fast
Never stop to think 'what's in it for me?' or 'it's way too far'
They just show on up with their big old heart
You find out who your friends are

Everybody wants to slap your back
wants to shake your hand
when you're up on top of that mountain
But let one of those rocks give way then you slide back down look up
and see who's around then

This ain't where the road comes to an end
This ain't where the bandwagon stops
This is just one of those times when
A lot of folks jump off

{Chorus}

When the water's high
When the weather's not so fair
When the well runs dry
Who's gonna be there?

{Chorus}

You find out who your friends are
(yeah, yeah)
You find out who your friends are

Run your car off the side of the road
Get stuck in a ditch way out in the middle of nowhere
(Well man, I've been there)
Or get yourself in a bind lose the shirt off your back
Need a floor, need a couch, need a bus fare
(Man, I've been there)

Man, I've been there
Oooh yeah.

This one's for the TechnoPhiles!

2008-05-12T15:22:00.000+05:30

Part of C2W.com's Embed and Win Contest

The Most Popular Quiz on Pop Culture

2008-05-12T15:19:00.001+05:30

Part of C2W.com's Embed and Win Contest

Song of the Weak - Heaven on their minds

2008-05-06T10:18:00.002+05:30

Here's something that just re-enforced my belief that people are way to blind to see what Jesus truly lived & died for. This is the part that Judas sings at the start of the film. He's a little ticked off with the Big J cause things are taking a massive turn & he knows that things are gonna get hot under the collar. With lyrics like "You've begun to matter more than what you say." make you wonder about religion & if fighting over it is really what God had planned for all of us. Tolerance was Jesus' biggest lesson & that is what we have failed to learn in the first place. Anyways, hope u delve into this movie a little more cause the philosophy it revolves around can really change the way you see things.

Rock on... Sod off...

Song of the 'Weak' - Blind Melon - Change

2008-05-05T17:53:00.003+05:30

starting today, will be putting up a song each week which has at some point in my life helped me get through a lot. hope u guys like 'em.

This week it's Change by Blind Melon. The lyrics speak for themselves. This one goes out to all those who have been laughed at for being different, for trying something new. It isn't angry & neither does it preach. All it says is... wait. They'll see the light... they'll see that what you are now... is the change they will go through & accept in the future. :)
Sod off.... Rock on...

The famous Contests2win Fridge! :P

2008-04-01T19:52:00.001+05:30

Well there are urban legends about our fridge at work. So here's a video that will lay all doubts to rest.
CAUTION: THE CORPORATE ALCOHOL CONTENT IN THIS VIDEO GOES THROUGH THE ROOF!
:P

April Fools - Indian Style

2008-03-31T13:48:00.003+05:30

This is something that the guys at C2w came up with for April Fools day. Could well go on to prove that we Indians could actually have started this tradition & not the dutch :P

Moods at Contests2win.com - Part 1

2008-03-31T10:26:00.005+05:30

We're a interesting lot. Not a day goes by where we get tired of each other. Here's an effort to put together a collage of the different moods @ C2w.com :)

UC canning a Financial Brief :)

Dr. J Proves That Fear Does Look funny

Dr. J gets malicious :P

Quick Cuppa Recharge!

Life's a Strip!

2008-01-29T18:22:00.000+05:30

Another random Comic Strip. Starring Rajveer, this one was born out of sheer boredom & a chance discovery of some old college photographs tht i happened to discover in my long forgotten D Drive :P
Hope you guys like it.

Another Urban Legend - Australian Monkeys!!!

2008-01-09T10:20:00.000+05:30

Here's something that the guys at C2w (the place where i work :P)came up with following the Aussie-India cricket controversy. Hilarious!
Sure there are no monkeys in Australia, but a few people do behave like 'em. :P

Life's a STRIP!

2007-12-02T23:04:00.001+05:30

and Kyle & Kolmon prove it! ^^P
Just something that the 3 of us came up with when horribly bored.

Click on the image to see it more clearly. enjoy & thanks for sharing a part of our life :)

Tiger's Woofs of Wisdom - On Hugs

2007-11-28T22:11:00.000+05:30

Blink

2007-11-28T21:42:00.000+05:30

Blink blink blink blink blink.........

the world can pass by in a blink,
in a shotgun blast,
in a bomb going off,
in being run over,
in jumping off a cliff,

and life goes on... blink blink blink blink...

time and time again,
we walk down these very roads,
and time and time again,

time will always pass us by, but we will never forget eachother,

never let us slip away,
although this time, time must fly by,
we will always relive those days.

i sit here and remember,
all of the friends tht i've made,
i smile as i think of the laughter,
that made me forget the pain.

but we will never forget eachother,
never let us slip away,
although this time, time must fly,
we will relive those days.

i walk up n remember,
the very first time i got caught,
i trembled n i shuddered,
i was in a real tight spot.

i lounge around the campus,
i remember the first kiss,
i will always remember,
because tht was my first wish.

i remember the times we fought,
the times when we refused to talk,
sometimes i think of those times,
n it pushes 'nother nail in my heart.

and life goes on... blink blink blink blink...

Tiger's Woofs of Wisdom - On Life :)

2007-11-26T22:05:00.000+05:30

Something that Tiger truly believes. You can never catch him taking life seriously... ever! :)

Tiger's Woofs of Wisdom

2007-11-24T12:48:00.000+05:30

Tiger's my really smart pup. He's a boxer-lab mix & he's really really smart. In fact, he's decided to contribute to my blog with his little woofs of wisdom. This one's his first of many more to come :)

this was my baby :)

2007-11-22T15:40:00.001+05:30

well if you wonder what i do @ work (when i did write concepts for games2win.com), have a look at this game. wrote the concept along with juneston. it's fun, the art came out great n 'scientist' did a great job on the programming :) hope u like it.
wrote everything from how it will function, the names of the jumps, gameplay features & all the text you see in it. went crazy when i was coming up with stuff, but it had to be capped 'in order to keep ethnic sentiments' in mind :P
the game's simple. simply type what appears in the grenades before the guy hits rock bottom. the dives get more complicated after each level. enjoy :)
P.S: If the sound gets too annoying, there is a MUTE button to the UPPER RIGHT CORNER. Click on it. :)

PaperView - Doodles of a Madman

2007-11-21T18:43:00.000+05:30

An idle mind is my own workshop, the devil was kinda ticked off but he does make a bad tenant :P
Drew these out of idleness, anger, frustration, epiphany etc. (not necessarily in that order) :) hope you like em.

It's a circle, a vicious circle.

"I didn't do it... I swear."

Speak now or forever hold your peace.
(This one was drawn on a piece of tissue. Desperate times these.)

Coming together.

Throwing it all away...

tickticktickBOOM

o-oh!

Suicide?

Absolute freedom is hell?

Holey! (?)

Split Personality

A character i created. Say hello balle balle to Ab-Surd! :)

err... the machine v/s us.

sleep. dream... wake up. deliver...

safe?

2 angels right there! Can u spot 'em? :P

2007-11-20T20:11:00.000+05:30

that's one right there behind me :) & the other one is the one that we're cruising on. hey hey hey, it might be a little cheesy but i guess love kinda does that to you. it puts you in a dreamy world where you can touch clouds as they pass by & pigs fly :P
credits to Vilsen who took this picture the following morning after our overnight at manori.

The Conspicous Baker or True Food Lover! LOL

2007-11-17T12:49:00.000+05:30

The guy who created this one sure does have a real sick sense of humor. :P
Saw this at my aunt's place who till i pointed it out to her didn't quite see her 'cute' little baker boy that 'hung' around in her kitchen in the same way as i did.
From the looks of it, this guy either died with a stiffy on or is a real food 'lover'! Any which ways, this never fails to crack me up :D
Current Status - Out of my aunt's kitchen n into some suitcase. Hopefully, i get a hold of it soon. :)

"Maybe he's just happy to see you :D"

A Closer Look at the 'Food Loving Baker'. Notice the look of total bliss on his face :P

Snapshots from my life.

2007-11-14T23:16:00.000+05:30

i tried capturing time, just a few seconds to cherish.
i might have failed in holding it in the palm of my hands,
as i watched it slip by like sand between my fingers,
but i did manage to seize a few memories, of sunlit skies & shadowed trees,
of heaven-kissed smiles & a little beauty in the breeze

Here are a few...

She knows that i am trapped, she seeks to set me free. She's looking for salvation, in her arms lies the key. Lonavla 2007

The road keeps calling me. And i answer every time. Road trip to Goa 2007

Sailing in the same boat.... as always. Manori 2006

Mysterious Steps in the middle of nowhere. Lonavla 2007

In the wind, the sweet music that they make as they dance to the beat of the heavens. Lonavla 2007

Lonely Rays of Sunlight. Falling through the window. Desperately trying to touch someone. Lonavla 2007

Afternoon's at Bandstand. Summer of 2005

She stands by me, looking over my shoulder. Keeps me from falling. Lonavla 2007.

i call this - work :D

2007-11-14T23:04:00.000+05:30

one fine morning in the middle of discussing a concept...That's us. We're bad.... real bad. Especially Juneston, but guess he's kinda bad in everything he does :P

this was during the first few months at work. the chimp u see in the clip is the games2win mascot - chimpu. Varun n i decided to have some fun one day (as usual) n this clip was born. lemme know if u guys would like to see some more videos of featuring us 'work' :)

Tigers Nest - Where you meet the heavens

2007-11-08T12:01:00.000+05:30

Believe it or not. This place really exists. Hopefully, my retirement plan includes this beautiful monastery located somewhere in Burma.

The human spirit

2007-11-07T00:45:00.000+05:30

She cruises on the dark chunky mass of road at around 70kmph. She's smooth alright, I have to literally get myself off my seat in order to hear her hum the loveliest of songs. I watch as life passes me by, 6 inches below my feet, streaks, moving along, in one direction. And it gets me thinking... thats us. Those little dots on the road. Tiny pieces. All inked together somehow. We're all human. Aren't we? Are we?

These are a few conclusions that I have drawn over the past few years, brought about by my insolent stubbornness, radical ideas (which have peeved & on rarer occasions, amused my friends & family) & a lot of dimwitted self talking & what i like to call 'personal blabbles' that i've had with God. Yes, I do talk to Him, cause He's the only one who acknowledges my madness blindly.
Anyways, coming back to my own conclusions, i have incurred the following:
1. The Human Spirit is blind.
2. The Human Spirit belongs to no particular religion.
3. The Human Spirit does not rationalize.
4. The Human Spirit cannot obey the laws of the land.
5. The Human Spirit cannot be bound, physically or mentally.

It is BLIND because it does not see colour or beauty. Neither does it see or acknowledge gender or fear. It simply refuses to discriminate.
It belongs to NO RELIGION because it simply refuses to be bound.
It does not RATIONALIZE because people often do really stupid things in order to save someone or help them in need, often putting their own safety at risk.
It cannot BE BOUND & thus does NOT OBEY ANY LAW. Come on... try stopping the human spirit. It will just keep going.... an admirable trait.

To end with, this is a song i heard just a few days ago. Worth a listen. The Human Spirit... kick-start it in you... today!

the song that is changing my life right now...

2007-10-31T01:04:00.000+05:30

The Who - Reign on me

Get this one. You'll never regret it. Awesome to sing when your in a car, alone or with a friend. Or on a bike, with the earth moving six inches beneath your feet. If your lonely, if your in love, if your out of love, if your depressed, if your on a high... if your on the top of a mountain or at the bottom of a river.... this song crosses all boundaries of time space & spirit. Heard it in a movie called 'Reign on me' starring Adam Sandler. It's tragic, it made me think. It made me love this song.

Posting the lyrics & the video. Hope you guys like it.

Only love
Can make it rain
The way the beach is kissed by the sea
Only love
Can make it rain
Like the sweat of lovers
Laying in the fields.

Love, Reign o'er me
Love, Reign o'er me, rain on me

Only love
Can bring the rain
That makes you yearn to the sky
Only love
Can bring the rain
That falls like tears from on high

Love Reign O'er me

On the dry and dusty road
The nights we spend apart alone
I need to get back home to cool cool rain
I can't sleep and I lay and I think
The night is hot and black as ink
Oh God, I need a drink of cool cool rain

Till death bring us together...

2007-10-31T00:15:00.000+05:30

A friend's dad passed on today. I got the message from another friend who in turn got it from another.I rushed to his house at about 10.30 p.m. after work, saw him standing at the door staring at his dad who appeared peaceful in the hall. friends & relatives surrounded him in his moment of sorrow.

I was there, so were a couple of our other friends. Some whom i had really met after ages. And in that moment filled with sorrow, despair & grief... i saw hope rise up. Like a pillar shooting straight out from the earth, it stood alone, graceful & serene. We shall all mourn our friend's father's passing. But till we have each other, till we stand beside each other, tall & ever supportive, nothing, not even death can take us apart.

Battle of the Indian Bands

2007-10-30T10:17:00.000+05:30

The Indian metal scene has evolved. It has had it's share of ups & downs (mostly downs) with bands making & breaking it. Have always been a fan of the great Indian Rock phenomenon, hence the battle of the bands. Most of em are my favorites, u can add a few if u want.

For long i've seen & heard metal heads come out in defense of their bands, swearing, shouting, raising their voices & at times their fists. Well it's about time we decide this shit. Go ahead... VOTE!

Add entries, just in case i've missed a few. U can email em to me along with pictures.

Ciao.
Sod off. Rock On.

i cannot... i refuse

2007-10-30T07:52:00.000+05:30

i dont wear a mask i do not like to hide my darkness does not overshadow what i really am so i cannot change i refuse to walk a differrent road no matter what i cannot adapt i cannot be someone else i cannot leave myself behind in the sand nor can i speak of change. i am myself and i do not regret my reflection i am myself and my tongue does not roll in different ways i am myself and my eyes do not see wither i am myself, my shadow still remains mine... it did never happen, this truth that you claim, different worlds and different people, running away from so many things, peace in bottles broken sought, peace in a heaven of repentance bought, the air you buy is borrowed, the soil you till is stained with blood, i cannot be someone else, because there are things that i will not do, no matter what they nail me to, i cannot leave myself behind, salvation is never near, i cannot change, my shadow is mine, myself i remain... i cannot.... i refuse... to change

The need for crazy people.

2007-10-29T09:46:00.001+05:30

Something that I had written a long time ago. Thought it should resurface :)

(May 23rd 2006)
something stirred me up today, it dug up a
feeling that i hav not felt in MONTHS! i was numbed down, docile,
being pushed into line with the system. then today i attended a
wedding with my dad. One of his long time buddies was finally tying the knot. a hindu wedding, so
there's no song and dance as such. just add lotsa ppl, chaos and pure
joy to the occasion n thts just it. while at this wedding i happened
to meet many of his friends. his tuff to the bone, cop friends and his
sweet talking 'family' type friends. both were pleasant and nice to
meet, well mannered and very jovial people. the hardships of life
never once showing up on their faces for fear of passing it on and
spreading an epidemic. just so u know, they work closely with my dad
on the on-going development work in parel. its been on since the last
13 years now.... my dad faces some real staunch opposition from his own
community, the east-indians of parel bhoiwada. they even tried to
excommunicate us on these grounds. all my dad wants is that these
people move out of their old broken homes and move into new one's that
will be constructed in their place. But no! they shall have none of
it. the latest news that we received is that there is a 'supari' (a
hit) taken out for him. i was there when he got the news. i listened
with wide eyes and fists clenched. i still shudder while i write this.
but when i saw him...he was smiling. not a grin, not a guffaw, just
a smile. one and only one thing passed through my mind at that
instant..... he was 'crazy'. he just had to be.

i decided to confront him, ask him if it was worth it, if he cared
about us, about his family, about himself. i did...and what he told me
has changed me forever. he said,"yes, im crazy!" he said it in hindi
and in marathi. thats all he said. he smiled and i was silenced.

later on during the afternoon his friends asked him if he wanted me to
take up after him, "in the same line" they said. he said nothing, he
just looked at me and said nothing. and in those 3 or 5 seconds he
said more than what a million bible's can hold. and after that he
smiled once again. i think he smiled because he knew my decision. he
knew that i loved the people close to me very much, he knew that i
would draw blood, mine or someone else's for these people that i hold
dear.he knew that i would never do anything remotely possible to hurt
them in any way. he also knew.... that i was crazy.

crazy like him. there is a fine line between bravado and madness.
heroes are many a times madmen in shining armor. i learned this from
him. this madness he said drives them to do things that many men fear.
it makes them move mountains, makes them turn rivers into blood, makes
them die for what they believe in. he told me of the hundreds of
families that have gone to transit camp far away almost 13 years ago.
some as far as mulund. all in the hope that when they return, they
will have better houses, a better foundations for their children's
dreams. he told me about the numerous people who died waiting for this
dream of theirs to come true. they died feeling cheated. but not once
did they blame my father. and this is what hurts him the most. he
feels he has betrayed these people. he cant sleep at night because
these people talk to him, wail and cry. his own mother, died in a hope
that he knew was almost lost. she made him promise her that he will
never give up his cause. and that is why till this day he strives.
he's crazy. he's crazy about his family. he wants to see us in a house
that wo'nt turn into our graves on a rainy day. he crazy about his
friends, many who he has not met in years. he's crazy about their
families. he's crazy about people he dose'nt even know, he wants them
to come up in life. yes my dad is crazy. and i write this with tears
in my eyes, hope in my heart and a prayer on my finger tips... that i
can one day be as crazy as him. i love you dad.
regards,
clyde.
kylo n i alway say this, that we can never be as great as our fathers.
no matter what, no matter how much we try. there is some truth in
this. but kylo, our fathers have taught us this.... the ones holding
the ladder are far greater than the ones that climb it....fin.

we know now....

2007-09-04T19:59:00.000+05:30

who controls us? is it our thoughts, our conscience that is always behind everything we do? or are we compelled to act in a certain way, or worse, we unconsciously follow every command made by a controlling force that we cannot identify. have u ever stopped & wondered why you do certain things that you do? like get in line when someone shouts the order out or think only when told to. are we conditioned to follow? just like our superiors who blurt out orders that were handed down to them by their superiors... as they were conditioned to follow. and for those who do not follow, lay waiting names & labels that society has created. society is nothing but you & me. it is us. 'we'. we call them rebels, revolutionaries, anti-social, criminals, weirdos... the list goes on... and so shall we. call us your names. persecute us. throw us out. unleash the laws made to profit you on us. beat us, blacken our faces or burn us to the ground. every time that we fall, we shall rise again. stronger than before. each time, we will last longer than before, you cannot stop the inevitable, you cannot stop change. just like you cannot stop time. there will be change. there will be a revolution, the corruption will end & the system shall fall. for we know... who controls us.

leaving...

2007-08-30T23:03:00.000+05:30

the river runs dry, just like my eyes, i'm tired of crying, why do you always leave me, alone sitting by the fire, waiting for you to come back, to turn around and come back, to look around, please come back.
you always leave me, when i need you the most, when i'm down in the dirt and my sweat turns to dust, when i have fallen so many times that it just refuses to hurt, when the skies are so dark that the stars begin to bleed in blood of black.
when i'm all alone in a world so far away from you.
i'm cold, just like a window basking in the sunlight, alone, cold...

2007-08-30T22:54:00.000+05:30

the sands flow through my wheels like hope through paper skin, she shines in the sun, black, with a dark light of her own, the wind chalks out its wayward poetry in its dancing speckles of dust, a poetry that i can feel and taste, i hold her as she glides on a path tread by many, i calm her down because she knows it's hers alone.. she sits poised with grace, dancing with the stillness of time, demure, under the night sky she burns in the moonlight, i look into her eyes and see the stars play with her in her song, she sets me free, angel, with wings on both sides, come... fly away with me.

an ode to my friends...

2007-04-06T01:20:00.000+05:30

what's left with tomorrow, when all your hope is lost in today.
well look to the horizon little one,
that dying sunset will only bring you new friends.

an ode to my friends...

you are my pillars of salt,
you are my sunset skies,
my waning morning winds,
my wholesum friday dying.

my messengers of hope,
my doves of peace,
my words when i cant find none,
my friends, and an ode is not enough....
i must in every breath breathe a word of thanks,
and do so till time itself does end.
for without you, there was none and none shall ever be,
many thanks now, and many more to follow...till eternity.

thank you.

sorry i'm late

2007-03-02T22:36:00.000+05:30

i'm late.
the story of my life.
every time i decide to get something done, time steps in and takes a nice long wizz all over my plans. this happens so often that i wonder if time is really an old man afflicted with a bladder so weak that it hangs by a string.
my friends, family and a few strangers that would bother to take time out to pass judgement, all know about my continuous conflict with time. they carefully jot down the many instances where time has stood victorious over my beaten down body relieving himself on occasion.
"wear a watch for heaven's sake!" they scream and drooble on. Why? I don't see the need to be time's door mat. I'm quite happy being his diaper thank you.
sigh... the story of my life....
i'm late.

i believe still....

2006-09-25T22:53:00.000+05:30

everyday, i open my eyes to this world. i see a new morning. a new ray of hope and a prayer to change the world fr the better. BAH!
this is certainly not wht ppl who actually sit up and do things for themselves say. no! they do not associate themselves with teh frivolous misguidings of a new morning, because they know that there are many out there who will never see the light of day again.
and these ppl are the only reason i have the courage to dream. to work towards that dream. i was witness recently to the passing away of one such individual. Mr. Conrad Vaz, was an amazing person. if you would meet him for the first time, you would never guess that this person once had a hundred plus men under his command when he was union leader at metalbox. or that he took under his wing hundreds of streetsmart orphans when he was at snehasadan. Handling both his family as well as his extended family, with grace and with humility. i know each and everyone of his children today, i feel like i look into his eyes through his children.
every moment when the feeling of helplessness is shoved down my throat by this hollow world, i look up at the skies, at those dark clouds hovering above and know at once. that without these dark reminders to keep us company from time to time, we would never know what sunshine truly is!
and when i look at people like mr. Vaz, i immediately know... that i believe still.

when forever ends...

2006-09-23T16:15:00.000+05:30

at some point in time, we pretend that we can see the future.
we fool ourselves into believeing that everything will be fine, great, that the skies will always be blue and that storms will run away from us and take cover.
no matter how much we try and deny it, it will be a fact in itself that all of us fall. the real question is, are we smart enough, or strong enough to get up again.
how many times have we come across things in our lives, be it relationships, emotions, inanimate objects, moments and so much more... that we say to ourselves, "this is gonna last forever." and the truth is, it could. so we never actully lie to ourselves, we just hope. and hope in its true and purest form could never be a lie.
the saddest part is that many a times we see 'forever' falling apart and breaking into pieces falling into the abyss of the past. taking along with it, our dreams, our time and our hope.
it could happen to anyone, and at any point in time...
and then we realise how much we will miss this secure, warm feeling that let us sleep at night with a smile on our face.
when forever ends...

2006-09-01T11:53:00.000+05:30

2006-09-01T10:53:00.000+05:30

It all fades away,
nothing in this life is ever permanent. nothing...
from the time you are born till the time you pass on from this physical realm into a madmans hallucination of hell or heaven, you are changing.
you are ridden with guilt, the guilt of your fathers, your forefathers and your brothers.
you will bear burdens in order to earn the right to breathe. you live in a shell that you despise.
everything around you is falling apart and all you do is stand and watch , as the flowers fade away. as they fall through your finger and wed the earth below. sleeping eternally, at one.
it all fades away...