Going overboard!!

Its basic human tendency to go overboard, or rather its our birthright to go overboard!! Why not? We get bliss out of it!! I would not want to analyze why one tends to overboard. Go figure out yourself!!! Yet, I will throw in an idea about what 'overboard' I am not talking about!!!

I am NOT talking about Over or as if over the side of a boat or ship.


Instead, I am talking about going to extreme levels; due to enthusiasm!! curiosity!! hyper-energetic!!!

See!! See!! Just like me !! I am so hyper-energetic at the moment that I want to use !!!!!! as much as possible!!!!

:-D !!!!

How many times in a day do you go overboard and do things out of your way?? Is a day too much? Well, I bet it isn't!!

Errr...did I just analyze? See!! I told ya I am hyper-energetic at the moment!!!

NO!! I have not consumed any alcohol yet!!

Well, coming to the point, I go overboard whenever I hear a new song. I keep listening to it back to back with the 'repeat' mode on; until I really start hating the song that I loved!!

I go overboard trying to help my colleagues, friends, playing agony aunt. They don't thank me!! forget thanking, they don't even realize the importance!!

No cribbing! I am happy happy!!

I go overboard most times when I safely hide my credit card in a purse and hide the purse beneath heap of clothes in the cupboard. When I want them, I search and search in vain!! After much futile attempt, I call up customer care and block the cards, and Lo!! I remember where I hid them!!!

I go overboard ordering a sizzler, beans spud, mushroom caps grilled; at my favorite restaurant. Only that, when my order arrives, I feel I can eat them for 3 days!!!

A guy goes overboard wooing the lady, in vain; because he has got everything wrong right from her choice of perfume to her hatred for onions!!

Women go overboard trying to look slim and end up being anorexic!!

A computer goes overboard, trying to multi-task and multi-process and multi-thread....(Computer jargon...mind you..All 3 are different); in vain and then hangs itself!!!



A daughter-in-law goes overboard trying to keep mom-in-law happy, only to face her wrath!!

A son-in-law goes overboard trying to keep both his newly wed wife and his mom happy!! Is it ever possible????

Hmm, Neha goes overboard trying to prove that she is CONCEITED while I go overboard trying to prove that I am HUMBLE!!!

:-P

And here is the final straw!! Whoever has the guts to GO OVERBOARD, can pick this award!!
Yeah?? ..........Yeah!!!!!

You Poor? How lucky!!!

Sometime last week, there was one more report about Indians being targeted in Australia. That's no news!! I know!! I am up to date Ladies and Gentlemen!!. What caused an uproar was because of one Mr Overland, the Chief of Police, Victoria. His advice to the great Indian diaspora caused quite an uproar among Indians in Australia. He asked the Indian students to 'look poor'. No display of gadgets, no jewelery, try looking as poor as one can. To deter attacks, transform yourself to tramps and beggars!!

Whats the big deal? Common!! why take the man's statements wrong? Don't you all know being poor is the new hip thing around town nowadays? Just look around you. It is cool to be poor!! Everyone is endorsing it. Wealth and poverty are not the same as you think, anymore.

A friend of mine invested around 10000 INR in a bicycle; to commute to work. The humble bicycle once used by postmen and milkmen is being used by CEOs and elite rich to commute. My milkmen has got a cool 120 cc motorcycle now!!

With our politicians chanting 'austerity' as their new mantra, trains and buses have become their favorite mode of transport. And if they fly, its the 'cattle class'...ooops!!! I mean the economy class.

And yes, does anyone remember cotton or khadi being a symbol of working class? Just go try buying a pure cotton dress. I bet you can't measure how big it makes a hole in your pocket. And yeah, not to forget the extra money you need to splurge to maintain the cloth. It costs Rs 25 to wash, starch and iron a cotton Saree!! Its better to leave cotton alone for the rich!

And how does a millionaire want his house to be? House made of bamboo, thatched roof....Nah!! not such houses where the ceiling would look if it pours!! With cooking utensils being earthen wares, made of clay! Don't believe me? Walk into a posh high-end restaurant and see what they serve the food in. The earthy earthen utensils, which are cheap to afford; have been transformed as a substance of sophistication and projected as an affectation.

My grandma had large collection of brass and copper vessels which she used to cook. Off late, I don't see them being used by any poor folks, but is a display which decorates designer homes and bathrooms! They are sold at exorbitant prices as antiques.

And the food? Gruel; the humble food made with coarse grains only; staple food of the poorer folks are the staple health food of the rich and the swanky. Unpolished rice, grains, cereals.....are all packed in glamorous packets and sold in super markets as health food.


Image from www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/tramps.Html

Hmmm....so all typical characteristics of poverty has become a symbol of status and suave for the elite. So are you not lucky if you are poor? Think!!

A Birthday Wish, few pictures with stories

Few more pictures to share. However, the ones I would be sharing here are NOT MINE. I have taken the liberty to use them in my blog as it belongs to a very good friend of mine. I genuinely feel that it must be shared; more people see them and feel some unexplainable joy, because that's what I feel each time I see these snaps.

They will absolutely! as they make me happy each time I see these amazing pictures again and again; they never cease to amaze me. The collection is not exhaustive; so I am going to share the ones I love the most.

Each picture has a story; a story of a passionate lover of nature, a story of an ardent admirer of even the most frivolous object, a person who can get crazier and freakier and do anything to capture the beauty of nature. I am not exaggerating here, I am only playing down. I say this because some of the pictures have changed me forever. It has taught me to appreciate small things, to pause amidst the fast life and take in the beauty that's in abundance all around us but we are blind to see them. It has taught me to believe that everything has a reason behind and whatever happens; its for good.

I have learnt all this because of my friend who celebrates his birthday today. Before sharing some of his marvelous snaps, I would like to wish him on his birthday.

MANY MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY GAUTAM. And congrats on reaching your Quarter Century or Silver Jubilee :-D

And yeah, I started developing a keen interest in photography after seeing his works. So He is my Guru. I try my best to be half as good as him. Now to some of his pictures and the story behind few of them.

On the way from Leh to Manali. This picture was taken during a short lunch break. Instead of eating something to revive his strength, he has roamed around and captured these tiny mounds.

On the way from Leh to Manali

Keep waiting for these creatures to fly and then snap!!!


Night sky.....

Freaky guy that he is....had this penchant to capture The Taj Mahal at 6 AM. I would say its all worth the effort.


How perfect would this be if not for that concrete piece!!

Heights of craziness here. He wanted to see the golden temple at sunrise. Seems he missed it as the train was delayed. Still he managed to capture the golden temple at sunrise. Wonder how? He simply slept by this pool in freezing weather and woke up at sunrise!!! Wont believe me? Please see the next snap.

Golden Temple at night. In the foreground is his bed!

A beautiful silhouette of a man seeking solitude. That man in the picture is his friend who was just walking ahead of him. If it were me, I wouldn't have had this idea of a beautiful picture, instead I would be running to keep up pace with the friend.

In Gautam's words - "Majestic view of the almost unclimbablee peak, Indrasan (6220 m). The flatter Deo Tibba (6001 m) by the right side behind Indrasan. And yes, we did not even think about going to that avalanche, rockfall, landslide prone area. It would also have a number of hidden crevasses. Climbing it is tougher than Everest."


The famous musical fountain in front of Bellagio Casino, Las Vegas.

What can I say? Instead of seeking blessing, photographing a sadhu


Can you guess what it is??

Hazy and obscure smoke from agarbathis(scented stick). He captured this while sleeping inside a truck's cabin. Can you spot the lady walking?

Snowy railway track while on the way to Grand Canyon, Arizona


Road side mutton tikka in Leh


Leh - desert?

On the way to GC, Arizona


A young Lama and an older lama at a Buddhist monastery in Leh. Observe the old man, calm and serene and now the kid. :-)

Khardung La - 37 kms from Leh. It is the highest motor able road


I don't know what word to use to describe the craziness here. Its raining. On the terrace is the water tank. Collect some leaves and twigs and place the camera on it. Set timer. And sprint to the other end of the water tank to capture a self portrait!!


Do you remember Polar Express? This was captured on the way to Grand Canyon, Arizona


An old ship in San Deigo


12:30 AM. Everyone is asleep. Neighborhood is calm. Our man decides to write a poem to his friend as a birthday gift. Starts writing a couple of lines, spots a book on India nearby. Some creative thing flashes. Runs outside, collects some dry leaves, places them on a table, keeps the book and a rose beside along with the calligraphic pen and the paper on which the poem is being written. Lights a candle and captures this abstract picture very quickly to light out the flame to avoid fire alarm set off

Don't believe me? See the next picture.


Background of the abstract


While walking on the streets of NYC, found a couple with their young kid. The father is lighting mom's cigarette while the kid is looking at them....


A busy Promenade street in LA, people rushing. How beautiful it is to slow down, look around and take in the mood. Gautam just did that!

Hmm, interesting photo. I forgot the story behind it.


San Deigo skyline

I would keep sharing more photos on and on. Let me just stop. And this is Gautam finally :-) Contended and happy.

PS : Gautam, I hope you didn't mind me sharing your snaps here without your permission. Just took the liberty. Many Many more happy returns of the day again :-)

PPS : I was awarded Most Courteous Blogger Award by Gautam few days back. I thought today was an appropriate day to put it up. This is what he said - "This award is only for Insignia, for being so courteous to all those who visit her blog, and for respecting the point of view, and critics of every visitor."


Thanks a ton Gautam for finding me courteous. I do know I am way too courteous than required most times, but thats the way I am, and I find it tough to change!!

Colors

Few pictures that turned up really vibrant and colorful. These are potpourri; I clicked them at various times. They are ordinary pictures, very amateurish, however I like them. It brings a smile on my face whenever I see these.

Farmer's Market-LA. Dazzling fountains; in the background is a movie hall showing Sweeny Todd and The Cheesecake Factory beside.


The color....The soft petals...Magical


Is this earth or heaven?


A colorful huge guitar in Universal Studios, LA


What say? Luscious red!! Don't you want to bite into it?


This mug has colorful dragons and other Chinese good luck motifs. I picked it up from Tibetan village near Coorg


Don't know if this berry is edible? But it was drenched in rain. I still recall watching these beautiful things while having a hot cup of coffee in my office campus


No post picture work. This was how the sky was.


A field with sunflower plants I saw on the way somewhere.

The only picture we could get from different cameras at this dark hour was the board. We could not picture ourselves :-|

I found these colorful but my friends found it an awesome food. :-) Different individuals have different views.

480 pounds Pumpkin. Won some award. Found this displayed in a winery in Napa Valley


NYSE, Wall Street. The American flag in all its glory

The ever popular Times Square.


Flamingo Casino... I was familiar with this logo as a kid, having seen in so many movies!


Fans like projections from the ceiling. Does anyone know where this is? :-P


I was loitering the streets of Palo Alto, when I came across a street market. The picture is simple but somehow beautiful


I have shared this snap earlier too. I know!! But cant stop myself!! Aren't they gorgeous?

Dream Girl

He first saw her just after she wore her helmet and started the ignition of her bike. Something of her caught his attention. It was her long flowing tresses. He wanted to get a glimpse of the lovely face. Yes...lovely face. He was sure that she definitely had a lovely face, her tresses complimenting her.

He was seconds late, she had her helmet on, was about to speed off, her wavy hair gleaming in the sun, soft and silky, he wanted to feel it. What was happening? He was attracted to her. An impulse told him that he should not let go of her. He wanted to know her. It was all happening in a jiffy. He had to decide his next move quickly. But she was already leaving the place.

He knew!! He knew he had to follow her. Off he went, started his vehicle and sped. He spotted her riding few yards away. He decided to follow her. She had a perfect height and was slim. He was dreaming about such a woman all these days. He was observing her as she sped ahead of him, her faded jeans, her shoes....He just wanted a glimpse of her.

He did not know how long he had to follow her, but he decided he wont quit unless he saw her. He continued to follow her for a while. She slowed down her vehicle, he noticed it was the traffic signal. It was noon and the roads were virtually empty due to the sultriness and the heat. He squeezed his way so that he could stand beside her. The digital clock at the signal showed 148 seconds more.

His mind was racing fast, should he initiate a conversation? Should he continue to follow her? He could not take his eyes off her flowing hair. He wanted to feel the softness of her tresses, forget himself!!

To his luck, she took off the helmet and when he saw her, he was awe-struck.............

For he saw a perfect and neatly maintained goatee.

Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara

I read Gayathri's latest post on "Phir Mile Sur Mera Tumhara". She had linked the video too. I did comment on her post, but I want to shun it more and vent out my anger some more. So this post!

That was the first time I was seeing the video. A couple of my friends told me about it, I wanted to watch the new version. But didn't find the time to tune into Zoom and wait for it. But I am glad that I didn't take that trouble, because its just not worth it!!

I recall how much I loved that song "Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" on National Integration, I still tune in to DD just to watch this song. It makes you feel good, feel good about the country, the essence is purely patriotism. The actors in that song was just like a common man, who truly represents India. The simplicity of the song; its a legacy in itself. The new one doesn't stand anywhere near the old humble and sweet song.

The new one lasts for 16 odd minutes, the tune is different, the ordering of the languages are different, few languages are dropped!!. And more than that, it seems to sell Bollywood more than anything else. Its packaged to promote celebrities, their spouse and their kids. Yesudas and his son, Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amitabh and family, Dr L Subramaniam and his family.........

Are we not fed up of seeing Mr Amitabh and is son and daughter-in-law in almost all commercials? We see them in his video too. And the 3 Khans - out of which Salman must be mentioned. He features with a vest; thankfully he was not shirtless.

And Deepika Padukone; what was she wearing??? Was she advertising toilet soap? What did Karan Johar, Shiamak Dhavar, Ranbir Kapoor do for national unity and integration?

They wanted to sell Bollywood, why take such novel and pure thing and use it for their selfish needs? Do we have to look up to them to feel patriotic and derive inspiration? A plastic Sonu Nigam; expressionless ; expect to arouse a patriotic emotion? Shahid Kapoor as rockstar!!!

Is 21st century India only about movies and those all empty film stars? Where is the common man who truly represents India? Where is the culture we are proud of? We get to see a couple of sports personalities at the end; 1 minute or so of that 16 minutes song; otherwise its only actors and actresses!! Where are the real heroes? Where is Dr. Kalam? Where is Ratan Tata? Where is E Sreedharan? Where are the commandos who fought during 26/11? Where are the real folk artists who breathe and live art? Show Nano!! Show Chandrayaan mission!! Our achievements!! where was it all?

It was really disgusting to see talented artists like ARR and others participating in this purely commercialised venture. With all glam no substance, all jazzed up and no life!!

Reel life heroes are NOT Real life heroes!!

Its disgusting! Insult to the older legacy. MILE SUR MERA TUMHARA......they have mucked up the whole intent!!
Very very sad, doesn't deserve even a mention.