AKS

The one week old beard of mine was getting scratchy now. I decided to shave off the stubble's.

Here I stepped into the bathroom, gosh shaving cream seems to be absconding.

Just felt like trying out a new alternative! "Colgate - Gel"

Mann it worked out well, and the cooling crystals gave a perfect aftershave lotion effect.

Sometimes, even your shampoo / conditioner works well for the shaving foam.

And if you're running out of your aftershave try Listerine!

Listerine being a bacteria killer, can also be used as a deodorant.......



Stop giving those ugly looks, as if you've never opted for alternative's in your life :P

This would be an effort to make life more simple.

Someday i'd try Iodex for greasing my bicycle....

Was browsing through my folders, came across some photographs waiting to be uploaded.







Travelling in a bus, when my seat was in the drivers cabin. I've started enjoying the ride from the "cockpit".


Also including the "Diya" from this diwali celebrations. Wasn't in a mood of playing with the shutter.

What among the following factors contribute the most to you turning into an insomaniac due to sleepless nights ?

1. Bed Bugs
2. Painful Breakup
3. Coffee
4. Nostalgic dreams
5. Exams
6. Work Load

My Observation:
All of them are equal partners in the crime....Just not in that order..hehehehehe

Where the mind is without fear and the head held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action; Into that heaven of freedom,my Father, let my country awake.

.......Rabindranath Tagore

Indeed a very beautiful poem that I came across Today by late Mr. Harivansha Rai Bacchan. The last para holds a very special place in my heart!! It inspires......


लहरों से डरकर नौका पार नहीं होती
हिम्मत करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

नन्ही चींटी जब दाना लेकर चलती है,
चढ़ती दीवारों पर सौ बार फिसलती है,
मन का विश्वास रगों में साहस भरता है,
चढ़कर गिरना,गिरकर चढ़ना न अखरता है,
आखिर उसकी मेहनत बेकार नहीं होती ,
कोशिश करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

डुबकियां सिंधु में गोताखोर लगाता है,
जा-जाकर खाली हाथ लौट आता है,
मिलते न सहेज के मोती पानी में,
बहता दूना उत्साह इसी हैरानी में,
मुठ्ठी उसकी खाली हर बार नहीं होती,
हिम्मत करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

असफलता एक चुनौती है स्वीकार करो,
क्या कमी रह गयी,देखो और सुधार करो,
जब तक न सफल हो नींद चैन को त्यागो तुम,
संघर्षों का मैदान छोड़ मत भागो तुम,
कुछ किये बिना ही जय-जयकार नहीं होती,
हिम्मत करने वालों की हार नहीं होती।

-------- Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Last Tuesday, a holiday. I was visiting Prof.. After a while of studying, I just felt like listening to Vividh-bharti radio station. It was a semi cold cloudy morning, spiced up with the back to back kishore kumar's songs. I cast out a look......the weather's worth sitting at some distant dhaba, with chai and poha.

Lazing around in my room, I grab my camera and start shooting abstract pictures. The title i'd thought while clicking this one >>

From Batcheet Bak-Bak Aur Bahot Kuch

10th August 2006

Sheer CREATIVE NONSENSE DIATRIBE as discussed by baba bongs and me
on Sep 26 on gmail chat!

Me: hehehe
ani gf wagre
kon navi britneyla bye kelas ka?
ata kon gathliyes

Saurabh: britney kon...???

Me: britney bongale

Saurabh: hehe britney spears.... ticha marathi madhe surname... britney bhalerao asel
lolzzz
:D

Me: hahaha. BRITNEY SAURABH BONGALE

Saurabh: lol

Me: HEHEHEHE

Saurabh: britney bongale... porancha naav... britania bongale
lolzzz
aareeeeeeeeeeeee
:O
:-s
lol

Me: HAHAHA
awadla
naav mala

Saurabh: :D

mag loka mala british bongale pan mhantil

Me: hahaha
masta ahe
tu kalwaycha mulga
california la
gelas
naav kadhlas
british bongale

Saurabh: lolzzz
to ek dialog aahe mahitiye ka...
anand bombay to goa jake don bann gaya
tasach...
kalva ka koli kali jake british bongs bann gaya
Sent at 1:47 PM on Saturday

Me: hehehhe

mastach

Saurabh: :D

Me: hahaha
apan picture banvoo tujhawer

Saurabh: ha...
ekdam...
aare megh...
story dokyat aali pan...
kalvyachya khadi var ek choti hodi
tya hodid ek nakhva...
typical koli costume madhe...
to me...
mag kalva khadi madhe tufaan yenar... 26 julya cha paoos...

Me: hahahaha
ho
ani tu beshusddha

Saurabh: ti hodi samudrat janar

Me: paadtos

Saurabh: me behosh

Saurabh: nantar hosh madhe yenar tevha samor swatantrada devi cha putla
statue of liberty

Me: hahahah ?? Wah kya Doka hai tumhara dost.

Saurabh: :)
mala samajnar nahi...
me valhat valhat US madhe entry karnar...
mag tikde mala pirates milnar...
aani te hamla karnar... pan

Me: Mag Kahani Mai twist......tula immigration wale pakadtil

Saurabh: nahi nahi....
aik tar story

Me: kay

Saurabh: me marathi manus... aapan warrior...
me tya pirates cha mitha jahaj... budavnar...
majya chotya hodi tun me tyanchyavar jaala taknar...
tya jahajat mala hostage milnar
llolzzz
hahaha

Me: bara sang...bolo bolo tell tell

Saurabh: tila pirates chya tavditun me vachavnar...

Me: ho

Saurabh: ti immegration sagla handle karel... green card milnar mala lagech

Me: ani mag bush kaka

Sauarbh: ticha naav britney thevu

Me: tujha shall wa shrifal satkar karnar
pan towar

Saurabh: ho...

Me: aliens hamala karnar

Sauarbh: aani mag kolyachi lungi aani laal topi jaoon tya jaagi suit boot aani hat yenar

Me: ho
pan aliens cha kay

Sauarbh: ha aanu tyanna pan...
te kasa honar...
ki maja satkar mhanun te mala cali cha ek lake bakshis denar
me tikde panyat ek palm beach type motha hotel bandhanar
maja swatacha 5 * cruse asnar
tikde panyatun armagaddon sarkha koni tari ailen yenar
pan majhi heroin ji aahe na...
tichyakade super natural powers asnar...
mermaid sarkhi ti masa hou shakel...
mag tichya mdatine me tya alien la haravnar....
aani asha prakare me aani majhi heroin jagala vachavnar....
aani mag sagli kade aanandi aanand
happy ending mhanun bongs britney chi family.... lovelyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy
movi hittt hai bhaaaaaaaaaaaayyyy
house fulll
wht say...

Me: arrey wah
mastach
spielberg la vikuyat ka story

Sauarbh: aani mag.... achanak... punha ek jordar tufaan yenar...
me punha kuthe tari vahat janar...
mag saglyanche dole ughadnar....
aani kalvyachya khadi madhlya chotyashya hodit... tyach kolyanchya dress madhe me asnar...
:)
wah wah...
subhan allah.... excellent story baap....
Me: arrey wah
mastach
tussi gr8 ho

Saurabh: :D
blog lihi hyacha...
hahaha...

Me: haha
tahamb hi akkhi
story blog wer takte

Sauarbh: ha taak...
:)
Saurabh: tu pahili audience hya movi chi.. first critic...

Me: Sure.....

The Ultimate Dilemma:

A few days back I was facing a deadly internal battle. A slew of open-ended questions were circulating round and round in my brains--- both cortex and amicdala J
Should I or should I not?
Will I be able to recreate the magic?
Will I be able to pull this off?
Will I be able to live upto the expectations of people who have entrusted me with this responsibility?
What if I cannot make it?
It has been eons since I felt the fire in my face?
Should I take my chances or just chicken out?
It has been 6 years since I last held the MIC in my hands?

After all, it was an opportunity in itself to become a Master of the Ceremony at an Official Function.

So I said yes……..

A little bit of background:

These exact kind of questions gripped my mind back in July 2001. I was selected for our College K.J. Somaiya Arts and Commerce’s Cultural Forum- Literary Department after appearing for the written test and 3 Interviews with the CF Panel, Vice-principal and Principal.

I was given the job of hosting the inauguration function. I had never done this before. It was a maiden attempt.

I remember the first time I went on stage I was gripped by a jumbled feeling. There was happiness of facing the challenge and there were butterflies of a lot of “ifs” and “buts” hovering in my stomach. I remember standing there looking the audience in their eye with a smile. Assuring myself that I can do it and then beginning to host the function.

But I somehow knew that I was cut for stage. So I took up the challenge head-on. And after that for 3 consecutive years I hosted more than 10 programmes in front of a crowd over 700 people.


Present Day Situation: Continued

I said yes but there were a lot of things that needed to be contemplated. It was different to host a programme in front of 700 cherubic youngsters who looked forward for all the fun and hosting a show in front on your employers and guests was a different ball game all together.

I was going to host a full-fledged corporate function which was going to be graced by national and international dignitaries and an audience of a whopping 200 people. And I had less than 2 days to prepare. There was heavy performance pressure and I didn’t want to blow my chances at this opportunity.

OMG!!!!!!

I saw my quote calendar- It read “ There would be nothing to be frightened of if you refuse to be afraid”

And I assured to myself- What the heck – I can’t keep on brooding – I need to start practicing the one lettered Golden rule “PREPARE”
So then began a tedious phase of scripting, rehearsing and re-rehearsing AGAIN!

Thanks to all my friends who patiently gave me a keen ear, their precious time and genuine feedback & helped me in practicing the act!!!

And then the D-day arrived:

There I was all dressed up appropriately very much looking my part….hoping that I would speak my part fluently as well.

Familiar Feeling:

Do you know the feeling when you suddenly find something you lost years ago. And you find it in exact intact position. That’s what I felt! Once I went on the stage, faced my fears, coaxed myself in giving my 200% I could sense the positive energy that filled me.

Revelation: I found out that no matter how the circumstances change for an individual, his/her innate positive talents and traits never completely vanish. They remain, waiting to be re-explored!

Of course I went with the flow and did put up my fumble-free, confident, expressive best performance! More than the abundant appreciation I received from my peers I think what was best was that it gave a facelift to my sagging self-worth.
The feeling: Absolute Sense of Achievement in its Simplest Form.

I remember my personality Coach Ritika Ramtri Mam telling us: “You cannot grow until you challenge yourself” back in May this year.
I know she was right. I experienced it. I guess it works wonders!

Last weekend when I was home, my mom made me clean some of my old books and papers! It was a different feeling rummaging through my old homework in pink ball pen, doodles, receipts of library for over-due books, speeches, scripts of my dramas, small poems, tit-bits about sweet nothings, messages written to friends during lectures, study time-tables which were never followed, sheets full of paper games like love percentage, x and o, bricks etc. It was fun going through all the memories of my pre-graduate years. On one of the sheets I found a Phone Number with Anil M written beside it. Hmm Anil Mukundan! My College Buddy! Anil was one year senior to me! I had been trying to find Anil on the Social Networking sites but couldn’t. I was super-elated to find his number. I just prayed that it would be still in a working condition.

Circa 2001 -2003
I, Anil and Rupesh were inseparable pals in our college days. We shared a great wavelength. We participated in dance, dramas and all the social activities together. We hung out at each others houses after college and went for movies etc. I was in first year, Anil was in second year and Rupesh was in third year. Anil though very tall and heavy would give any lean dancer a run for his money. He danced with high voltage energy levels. Anil used to call me his little guinea pig. As he studied Psychology he needed constant bakras to haul up and take to his HOD as subjects. I always became his bakri. I used to go with him as a subject in our college as well as Mumbai University, Kalina Campus for his Masters Degree. All his Psycho- Friends (read those who studied MA in Psychology) became my pals. We both had a very bad habit of breaking into long sporadic laughing spurts. He was my DAD in our serious college drama and we broke into giggles at nothing and would not stop soon. So much so that our Director had a tough time controlling us. One afternoon we both sat on a bench on Vidyavihar station and started talking in weird noises ( read in a voice that resembled the noise that comes when a record player gets stuck)so much so drawing the attention and curiosity of the by-standers. Anil had a vast female following and we even betted if he would become the rose king of the year!! We always addressed each other as Kaminey and Kamini!! All three of us used to go and sit at Nariman Point and talk about where we wanted to take our lives! Anil always wanted to go Mollywood to try his luck. But now he is a HR professional. I guess that still gives him a scope to try his acting skills. Hahaha. Except for Rupesh, I think none of us got what we wanted!!! But I guess it’s all a part of the game!! hehehe

Hurriedly I dialed his number and guess what it rang!!! Anil picked up and after doing a lot of TP I told him who I was. It had been 6 long years and life had changed its tracks. I could sense the happiness in his voice. He told me how even he had tried to get in touch with me. We jabbered for almost an hour about his shifting of house, his career with Citi Bank, his fiancé, his x-girlfriends, his family, myself etc. It was absolutely gr8 to get in touch with you @Nil- Hope we never loose touch now!!!!

It is so kewl to find a old friend again by a strange stroke of luck!!! : )

Time is trying hard…Fading your worthless memories
Trying to heal my wounds perhaps…

But how will it delete the sorrow
That’s etched painfully on my heart?

For years it shall remain constant and depositing
Like a self-inflicted burden on the soul

Bringing to life with every moment of truth
The ghosts of yesterday from the Graves of our past………

-By Me

We all've tried calling up spirits - via - planchet, at least once in our life time. Each one's got a different experience. Here I pluck another experience from my memories.

[SEPIA]

At the dinner table we (Mihir, Vijay and me) were discussing existence of spirits. Mihir was putting in a load of positive reports. He had tried it a few years back, they had recalled his grandpa. He gave us a second hand experience about planchet.

That day after our dinner, me and Vijay were desperate to try out doing planchet. From the very begining Mihir was reluctant to help us. By midnight we were all set for the experience. An A4 size sheet was used to draw the required format - A to Z, 0-9 and YES, NO. We managed a mini steel bowl as our cursor. According to our knowledge we'd done everything we had overheard and read. We lighted a kerosene lamp, a few incense sticks were alighted. I pinned down the sheet on an engineering drawing board. Mihir was done giving every excuse for not joining us.

After meditating the name of the person we wanted to recall from the past, we received our first shock.

Vijay was finding it difficult to breathe. I managed to regain his breath by pumping his chest with my palms crossed. He soon regained his breath. As both of us took a huge sip of water. By the time Mihir was in the room.

In last few months I ran through some funny teaching experiences. Here're some for you.

Sarish:
Last winter I used to teach a kid as a part-time as a home tutor.

I gathered a great amount of experience as well as freely experimented different tact's for teaching. This guy had flunked all his subjects in his prelims. We were working hard for improvement of scores. The kid depicted a preying mantis. Bulging eyes, weak body, brush hair type. We used to find it comfortable to catch up at 0430 hours in the morning.

I came across the most wiered name. Sarish had a school teacher named > Samuel Chitale!

One fine morning I had a fitness fits. I was jogging my way to his place. I was in a denim, a T-shirt and a Shabnam. The police patrolling van on the round spotted me running on the street. I was stopped for the enquiry. As I informed them about my details and purpose, I scored a lift in a patrolling van. :D

I still remember that evening, I was called up for some difficulty busting. I had no prior notice. My evening schedule was procrastinated by 1 or 2 hours. By the time I reached his place I had cultivated a good amount of sourness. I was struggling to hammer in the mathematical procedure to solve the numerical, and his younger sister was constantly smashing my efforts. She claimed she was bored, and had nothing to do, and she wanted me to suggest her something. The first thing that hit me was > Somersault's! I explained her the route for her somersault's........and the girl (5-6 years young) started that instantly! I scored 2 disciples there ;)

Had a hearty laugh at the girls behaviour as I sat describing the incidence to my friends! lol

Ketaki had scored me an off once. She called up Sarish's mom, pretending my aunt. And managed to convince that I was unwell. Thanks for that Ketaki :)



Hemant:

This summer, I was at home spending my vacation. My mom cant stand me sitting jobless staring the T.V and step jumping the channels. Our maid's son was (supposed to be) weak at maths. Mom asked her son to visit us every morning. I was set on 2 tasks. Wake up by 0800 hours, and teach a...........

Day1:
I saw his text-book. It was all in marathi. As I was unfamiliar to solving numerical in marathi, I took a moment for buffering. Then I started with Squares and Square Roots. With a brief introduction to the topic we proceeded to the illustrative examples. just to test his grasping speed, I asked him the Square root of 16. He took a while and answered - "32?" he saw my expression's change. He fired his second guess - "8." Okay, this guy was weak at tables. A few minutes later Hemant was struggling to find the square root of 4.
We was totally a foreigner to the concept of tables.

Day2:
We spend time clarifying the differences between 68 and 86.......the Grade VIII kid was having great difficulty at maths.

Day 3:
I discover his position in maths. On being asked 1x1 =? I fielded various answers in my gloves! right from > 11 to 2!

Day 4:
We start with even and odd numbers.

Hemant had some kind of fear regarding maths.
Had he been blessed with a good maths teacher in his childhood, today he wouldn't have to face the humiliation of detention. It was not that he had a very low IQ. it was just maths what kept him at a distance from maths.

The fear against maths is hyped in our childhood. Each and every of the numerical is simple. Just lack of good teachers makes maths monotonous.