twentieth 'dhoom'

चलो, इतना तो पता चल गया कि in order to type and see हिन्दी on screen, I need to use Firefox on Windows. Or, soon figure out how to fix this thing on my Mac.

I haven't yet shared my birthday adventures on this blog yet; am wondering if I should.

Well, I turned 20 this past Sunday on April 22, 2007. I don't get excited about any holiday, I actually hate days like Diwali, Holi, New Years etc... when people take a hiatus from normal life, and end up emailing, scrapping, snail-mailing everybody they know, even people they haven't talked to in years - except on these special occasions. I believe all these are a waste of time, money and energy. Yet, there's one day that comes every 365 days, when I go crazy. I have no idea why I do that, can't find a logical explanation. All I can say is - I go crazy on my birthday!

This year too was a lot of fun. I did some pretty नौटंकी-like stuff. You know, the usual me.

Can't share a whole lot, but the highlights are - I went clubbing, and there it was full of धूम!

Blogger in हिन्दी

Saw this on my Blogger Dashboard today.

और हम भी शुरू हो गए मामू!
Thanks to Anupama and Nitin.

The only problem is that Safari doesn't support the editing toolbar and therefore I need to use Firefox or Camino to be able to type in Hindi.

Another problem, I can't see what I'm typing in either Firefox or Camino because the Unicode is not recognizing the Devanagari Script. So, I only see question marks.

Need to try Opera next.

Should I Laugh? or Cry? or go 'WOW!'?

I think, I'm mad about this!

I don't know about others, but I hate reading news, specially long articles. I believe news should be two paragraphs at max.

I really like those write-ups which cover everything they have to say in 10-15 sentences. A full page article giving details, quoting people, and then describing the professions of those people for a half page are really annoying. In addition to that, there are news pieces that spread over several pages. What's up with that? I understand the need for details, but then I also understand the need for quick update.

All news websites should probably adopt the BBC style - a summary of the article before one gets into reading a 10 minute text.

PS: Got a call from Bhai Jaan. Schernekau - my 12th grade English teacher - has requested the satire I wrote for her class, she wants to use it as an example. After two years, when I read it again... it makes me laugh! That was the initial intention as well. Though, I still wonder if I was too harsh :-? Schernekau scribbeled only a few words on top of my paper - 'I think I'm mad about this' - the grade I received - a perfect 100 :) - along with that piece being published in the school magazine.

inLove

Intimacy, originally uploaded by idogu.

hosh waalo ko khabar kya, bekhudi kya cheez hai
ishq keeje, phir samajhiye, zindagi kya cheez hai!

unse nazarein kya mili, roshan fizaayein ho gayi
aaj jaana pyaar ki, jaadugari kya cheez hai!

khulti zulfo ne sikhaayi, mausamo ko shaayari
jhukti aankho ne bataaya, mehkashi kya cheez hai!

hum labo se keh na paaye, unse haal-e-dil kabhi
aur vo samjhe nahi , ye khaamoshi kya cheez hai!

-from Marasim...
written by Gulzar; sung by Jagjit Singh

Farewell.

enough is enough! 2, originally uploaded by urline.

zindagi khaab hai tha humein bhi pata
par humein zindagi se bahut pyaar tha
sukh bhi the, dukh bhi the, dil ko ghere hue
chaahe jaisa tha, rangeen sansaar tha
chand din tha basera humaara yahaan
hum bhi mehmaan the, ghar to us paar tha
humsafar ek din to bichhadna hi tha
alvida, alvida, alvida kehna hi tha

-Mukesh's Song.

Shady Shaadi

Listen to Gudgudee and Jaagte Raho. Two feel-good (and the only songs worth listening to) from the recent bollywood flick Just Married. Usually, I like Pritam's compositions. Lately, he hasn't been so amazing.

As per the 2+ hour film, it was nice. The end, however, ruined the whole thing. The writer could have thought of something else. Hell, after reading the script or at least when editing the stupid thing somebody should have said something!

On another note, how rational was it for the director to name the movie 'Just Married'? It's hard enough to find it on IMDb since in 2003 Ashton Kutcher's romantic comedy was released by the same name. Plus, there are a thousand other Just Married's on there.

SINGeet

powered by ODEO

Closed eyes. Light creases on the forehead. The 'bindi' area applying its gravitational force on eyes and the creases. Neck moving slighty around allowing the head to lightly wobble. A humming sound generating from the throat, finding its way out the nostrils. Lips moving apart, giving way to voice.

dil ke mere paas ho itne
phir bhi ho kitni door
tum mujhse, main dil se pareshaan
dono hain majboor
aise mein kisko kaun manaaye
din dhal jaaye haaye, raat na jaaye
tu to naa aaye, teri yaad sataaye

:)

I like Mohammad Rafi's voice and songs as well.
Lyricists are awesome people.
Music Composers are even better (sometimes).

I Have a Dream

There was a time - 6 or so years ago in 8th grade, to be precise - when I wanted to become a Radio Jockie (RJ).

I thought I had a good voice.
A voice people would like to hear.
A voice that'll move listeners.
A voice that could do miracles.

Blah, Shit, Crap!

This was in part because back in Xavier's, I ended up being the MC - Master of Ceremony - for a number of assemblies (both Class and Common assemblies).

[definitions of both...
Class Assembly is when one's section presents in front of their subgroup, example Junior or Senior school.
Common Assembly is when the entire school is present at one location. Classes ranging from Prep to 12th grade. These are done on occassions like Gandhi Jayanti etc.]

Many times, my classmates would vote for me to be the MC. And once the job was done, people - friends, classmates, teachers, even strangers would come to me and say 'that was amazing!' This made me believe I had a good voice. A voice people would like to hear. A voice that'll move listeners. A voice that could do miracles. Blah, Shit, Crap!

The reason I'm writing this is because, somewhere inside I still want to do that - become an RJ. Not until I retire of course, but for a while. It'd be fun. I want to hear myself on the Radio.

GSU has it's own station WRAS88.5 FM. The entire Atlanta area gets it. And, I wish to be on it someday.

Good Evening Atlanta...

Mukesh

I feel sorry for myself.
I believe you should too.
Why?
Because...
Because, I like Mukesh.
Mukesh, the singer!
Yes, I like Mukesh the singer.

Then why am I sorry?
Why should you be sorry?
Because...
Because, I like Mukesh.
And, because...
Mukesh is amazing.
And, because...
I discovered the amazingness of:
Mukesh,
His Voice,
His Songs,
His Pain...
a little too late.
Too Late, I say... Too Late!

Why Late?
Why do I say, Too Late?
Well, because...
Because, it is late. Too late, I say.
Too Late.

I wish, I wish, I wish.
I wish, I had known him before.
I wish, I had listened to him before.
I wish, I had discovered him before.
I wish too many things, I know.
But, really! I really wish I had...

Before you ask me 'Why?'
I'll tell you 'Why?'

I listened to many stupid sad bollywood songs
in an era.
In an era, now gone,
Left behind, fogotten.
But I'll remember it always.
Remember it because,
I didn't have Mukesh back then.

Oh, it would have been an experience.
An experience, better than the one I had...
only, only if I had known Mukesh.
Known Mukesh back then!

I know.
I know, I need to answer 'Why?'

It was a time
of
Life.
of
Love.
of
Pain.

Something, Mukesh would have made better.
Just by being there.