Twenty Five years on Planet Earth

February 23, I woke up a bit stiff and bitten by mosquitoes in twenty different places, don't know if it was a single mosquito or a troop of mosquitoes. Got up had my bath and bought chocolates to distribute in office.

It was fun and I got a greeting card and a chart paper full of birthday wishes. In the evening went to a really expensive boutique cum restaurant called Anoki and met some of my former colleagues. They bought me a chocolate cake and a pair of dolls as a birthday gift. I think this is the first birthday when I did not get a book as a gift. Usually someone gifts me a book or I buy a book for myself. May be this will be a year of new experiences and new joys.

The restaurant was a high-class high cost one, but the bloody fellows did not even give a class of water free of cost, you need to buy a bottle of Himalayan mineral water to quench your thirst. My friends ordered some variety of coffee and some Mexican-Spanish dishes. I ordered a non-alcoholic pinea-colada, I loved it and I think I am going to be a regular of Anoki just for that one item.

The bill was presented I paid for it close to Rs 750(birthday treat) and left for my room. It was good to have a reunion with my colleagues. It is nice to know that you have friends who care for you and are there to lend you a helping hand in times of need. I thank God to have given me such good friends and I wish that all of us remain good friends all through this life. Such good friends are priceless and the time that we share together inspite of our respective hectic schedules is invaluable.

I received a lot of phone calls from friends and relatives wishing me on my birthday, but I was expecting one call and was getting worried that the person had forgoten me or was angry with me, but late in the afternoon, the call finally came and I was relieved that the person remembered the date. Thanks God thanks for that too.

So I have completed twenty five years on Planet Earth, have evolved from a toddler to a man, passed out of school, college and have secured a decent job. I have had my fair share of frustrations, depressions, fights, friendships, enemities, crushes, disappointments, joys, failures, successes. I guess that is what life is all about, and life is all about living life kingsize.

Let me see what happens this year and what I blog post 23/2/2008.

Cheers.

A New Beginning

So I have finally moved out of the shelter of my mother and family and started living on my own. Well to be more precise with my friends and my cousin. Travelling to office has become simpler, no more herculean journeys of four hours a day(to and fro)to commute to office.

I will be sharing a flat with my friends and cousin. It is a double bedroom and double bathroom/toilet flat. Four of us would be staying, of which two have night shift(Call-Centre). It will be a new experience to be without mother, father and T.V.. Yes, that is the problem no more T.V., no movies on dvd, no live telecast of matches. I do believe the World Cup fever will ensure that we will buy a T.V. so no worries on that aspect. Will be returning home every or alternate weekend.

Let me see how this new phase of life treats me and how I face the challenges it throws.

More posts will follow, perhaps a new blog altogether something like Four Men in a Room.

Cheers and Keep Reading.

Does God Exist?

Before I start my article let me make one thing clear, I believe in God, worship him/her go to temple regularly, perform puja regularly and have a deep and unshaking belief in God and the power of sincere prayers. I am not an atheist, so having made my stand clear I will move on to the article......

THE ARTICLE

Recent happenings, the past forty days or so have proved the sorry state of affairs of child security in India. On one-side we have the Nithari horror, where two men indulged in their sexual carnage on unsuspecting children, killed them, cut their bodies into tiny pieces and even put them in acid.

Now the Kochi incident, where a pleasure trip, that turned into a tragedy. A hundred students and some teachers visited a dam at Thattekada near Kothamangalam. One boat sprung a leak and it sank quickly. As per the last news received 15 children and three teachers have died and some children are battling for their lives in the hospital.

I will never forget the news clip of a father hugging the bodies of his two children, twins who had died in the accident. The government will pay compensation, there will be some hue and cry about security, and then for two three years an anniversary with the lighting of candles and lamps will take place and then everyone will forget everything.

How many of us remember the Kumbakonam school tragedy, where more than a hundred children died in a stamppede when a fir broke out in a private school. God where are you? Are you watching all these events from heaven or from wherever else you stay. Please answer my questions. What sin did those unsuspecting children do, to suffer such a horrible death. I shall not take Fate and Sins committed in previous lives/biths for an answer. If these children could die for their sins committed in a previous birth, then what about Osama-bin-Laden, George Bush and hundreds of other terrorists and politicians who are the direct and indirect cause of the deaths of thousands of innocent people. When will they be punished?

The question shall remain unanswered and life will go on as usual. If you find some injustice happening to somebody, please take a stand, you need not bash up the perpetrator in filmi style, but atleast you can inform the police or someone else who may lend a helping hand.

God please let justice prevail and let innocent children live without fear and grow up to be adults.

I know that the article has deviated a lot from the beginning, but I have poured out my heart and if even one person changes his attitude after reading this article, I shall feel that I have done something worthy.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Fall of the Titans-Collapse of the Australian Juggernaut-

Michael Hussey, is utterly depressed and so is his team, he has led Australia to its first white-wash in a long period, personally I don't remember having witnessed an Australian whitewash by any team.

Australia scored 300 plus runs twice and they have been well and truly beaten by a confident Kiwi team. Today's match was an absolute delight to watch, hmm well I was at office so I could just check the scores on the net. Australia posted a mammoth total of 346 runs mainly due to the herculean effort of Matthew Hayden, who remained unbeaten on 181, the highest score by an Australian in ODIs.

Hussey would have been confident of a face-saving victory when New Zealand were 4 wickets down for 41 runs. Never in his wildest dreams would Hussey have thought that he would be captaining the losing side at that juncture. Well as they say-"Man propses and God disposes." The disposal came in the form of three brilliant knocks by Fulton, Brendan Mc Cullum and Craig Mc' Millan. They scored 51, 117 and 86 respectively.

In the 50 th over New Zealand required 7 runs to win. Nathan Bracken bowled the last over and Brendan struck a superb six and four to seal the match in favour of the Kiwis.

All of you doomsday critics wait before you write off Australia in the World Cup. The services of Lee, Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Andy Symmonds were missing in this Trans-Tasman Series. In the World Cup three of these players and perhaps Symmonds will play for Australia, so the results could be different. This double series loss for Australia is good for World Cricket and now every team believes it has a chance to win.

Let us see another 23 days to go for the grand spectacle of sport. Wait and watch.

Three Cheers for Dada

It has to be the mother of all comebacks. Three months ago no one would have even dreamt that the Prince of Kolkatta, will return to international cricket. As they say-"there is no substitute for hard work." Sourav sweated it out in the gym, lost weight, played some good knocks in the Ranji Trophy, showed flashes of brilliance in South Africa and proved his class against the Caribs and the Lankans. When Sourav was declared Man of the Series in the India-Sri Lanka one day series, millions would have heaved a sigh of relief in Kolkatta.

I pray that his form improves and he wins matches for India in the WC, maybe the Cup of Joy itself. Let us hope for the best.

Go Dada, Go, make Chappell and your detractors eat humble pie.

Water Wars

In the wake of the judgement given by the Cauvery Water Tribunal after sixteen long years, some really nasty things are happening. Tamil Nadu has been given a larger share of the Cauvery water, which Karnataka feels should have come to them.

Here is a popular SMS message sent across - 'Sakkare Keli, Paaya Kodtivi, Neer Keli Panaka Kodtivi, KAVERI kelidre, Kav Yerovargu Baarusteevi. Jai Karnataka, Jai Kannada, Pratiyobbarigu Kalisi.
That means - if you ask for sugar we will give you sweet Payasam, if you ask water to drink we will give lemon juice, if you ask for Kaveri water we will beat you till the heat. Jai Karnataka, Jai Kannada, send this message to everyone.

It is shameful that political parties are gaining poularity by increasing tension among communities. All buses to Tamil Nadu starting from Bangalore have been cancelled. A blanket ban has been issued to stop the screening of Tamil movies in Karnataka. It is tragic. Aren't we all Indians, in all our cultural diversity are not we united as one family. Sons and daughters of Mother India.

I just pray that all differences are resolved and there is no rioting and conflict. Oh! God please show some sense to these selfish politicians.

A Case of Plain Stupidity, by me..

I had to deposit some money in my uncle's bank account. He stays in Coimbatore, and holds an account in a branch of IOB there. I went to a branch here in Chennai and filled up all the details and gave it to the lady in one of the counters. She finished all the procedures and handed me the receipt. I just asked her when the money would be credited into my uncle's account. She replied"It is done, into Mr. Ramesh's account." I just stared at her like an idiot, and said"Madam, there must be a mistake. My uncle's name is Sundar. He holds an account in R.S. Puram branch." If looks could kill, well the lady gave me a glare, and I almost kicked myself. I had not entered the branch name, and she had entered the amount in the same a/c number of that branch.

I apologised to the lady and she made some entries in her computer and said,"Neenga pogalam, coimbatore accountla money deposited."

Next time I think I will send a cheque.

Cheers.

Veeru ab tera kya hoga re....

Can Sehwag redeem himself?

As I write this, I wonder what thoughts would be going on in the mind of the Nawab of Najafgarh. The only triple centurion in a test match for India, is definitely in one of the most turbulent phases of his career. The tour of South Africa was a total disaster, and he was dropped from the team for the just concluded West Indian series of India. He has scored a century for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, but it is certainly not enough.

Robin Uthappa, demonstrated the art of pure accelerated big-hitting in his knock of 70 at Chennai, and he is certainly in the flight that India is going to take for the World Cup to be held in the Caribbean. If Sehwag does not score runs in the first two one-days against the Lankans, I believe that it would be a liability to include him in the World Cup squad. Remember that both Uthappa and Dinesh Karthick are in good form. I feel that Dinesh should also make it to the World Cup. India can play Dhoni, purely as a batsman and make Dinesh the keeper or the other way around.

Let us see if Sehwag redeems himself tomorrow.

Cheers.