The Travesty of being an Apostrophe

The Travesty of Anna Hazare: Impartial & Unpolitical- Are you serious bro?

2011-10-13T02:14:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This is a rant. If you don't like them, well, you have been warned.

So, this one is especially for all the "I am Anna" topi wearers out there and for those who swear by Kisan Baburao Hazare's name (without knowing what his real name is because of course THAT doesn't fall under the mandate of the bandwagon jumping coolness).

I was just wondering if you would care to humor me and wager a look at his completely neutral and non-political message which is being posted & reposted everywhere on teh interwebz by Anna loving people & communities like 'India Against Corruption' which again, mind you are totally impartial pages and have only the nation's interest at heart & mind; without as much political motive as the number of 'I am Manmohan' topis sold during the All India Ramlila ground Carnival in Delhi this August .

Well, if you're still reading, then I would assume I have your attention and without doing any more 'funny or die' one-liners, I would like to draw it to the message Hazare has given out ahead of the Hissar Lok Sabha by-election scheduled for 13th October, 2011 -

"Don't vote for Congress and choose the candidate with a clean image."

~ Anna Hazare.

Now as soon as I saw that message, I was almost laughed out out loud at the awesomeness of it. It made me realize a number of things and reaffirmed another few; with one of them being why Anna Hazare has spoken so little during this entire period and whenever he has spoken its been vague allusions to Gandhi & some stuff about staying hungry and some names of politicians. Well, the reason is that the man isn't exactly MC Hammer on the mic and that all this while the talkers in the movement have been mouthpieces who have orchestrated the entire communication.

Anna Hazare: Schooling MC Hammer since 1959

Anyway, while I sorta knew that Steve Jobs he is not (RIP sir, yes we miss you and I assure you the internet is still talking about you as well); I did NOT expect him to be so outright and direct in his message to not vote for one party irrespective of the merits & demerits attached of the candidates involved.

Therefore, I decided to move my slow self and take the pain of looking up the bio on the 3 main candidates who are contesting for the Hissar seat and without further ado (I say that a lot but, don't let it happen it, do I?) I would like to present it to you. Here is an analysis of the affidavits of the political heavyweights who are locked in a triangular contest in this fiercely battled election, throws up few interesting observations which may have a slight foot-in-mouth effect to some of the Anna happy & righteous campers:

1. Candidate's Name: Kuldeep Bishnoi
Party: Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC)
No. of Criminal Cases: 01
Total Assets: Rs. 48,85,98,245 (48 Crore+)

IPC Details: Attempt to murder(307), Rioting(147), Rioting armed with deadly weapons(148), Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty(332), Voluntarily causing hurt on provocation(334) etc.

2. Candidate's Name: Ajay Singh Chautala
Party: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)
No. of Criminal Cases: 02
Total Assets: Rs. 40,16,68,149 (40 Crore+)

IPC Details: Punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence, and where no express provision is made for its punishment(109), Punishment of criminal conspiracy(120B), Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property(420), Forgery of valuable security and will etc.(467), Forgery for purpose of cheating(468), Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record(471) etc.

3. Candidate's Name: Jai Parkash
Party: Indian National Congress (INC)
No. of Criminal Cases: Nil
Total Assets: Rs. 3,16,54,301 (3 Crore+)

IPC Details: Nil

Umm.. yeah. No more dirt on the 3rd guy, sadly. Who is from the CORRUPT, EVIL Congress and whom Team Anna (Oh by the way, Dis IZ So KEWLLL ! They should just make it an IPL team by this name next year!!) has urged the people of Hissar not to vote for.

Well, All I can say after going through that is.. ARE YOU SERIOUS BRO??!?

So, yeah! I am quite sure that the voters of the Hissar Lok Sabha Constituency MUST, without looking at any facts, listen to Anna and vote for just about anyone or anything including an 'I Am Anna', topi as long as it is not a Candidate of Cong.. (Shhhh.. Don't say the dirty word!!). Well obviously, since a speech by Anna & a million reposts & retweets of it by IAC & other affiliate pages is all that is required for people to make up their mind on whom they consider as the cleanest, least corrupt and most suitable candidate and whom they should vote as their representative in the Lok Sabha in this by-election.

Also, an interesting dessert to the main course (You didn't think I'd let you go without some sweetness?). Anna's aide; wingman Prashant Bushan was assaulted by some right wing douchebags yesterday (on live TV in court premises and everything) and one of the brave soldiers turned out to be a dude with a misplaced sense of Bhagat Singh wannabe-ism who also happened to have a history or working for youth BJP. And yea, that could be just incidental; unfortunate right? Sure, except SURPRISE! The IAC page while condemning the attacks, makes ZERO mention of the said person by name and absolutely no dwelling on his BJP attached past is done what so ever!

Hmm.. I wonder if they had been equally unconcerned and non-past-dwelling in approach had the guy been an ex youth Congress worker or God forbid! If he was from the same Village as Mamohan Singh's driver, or maybe... NO! But okay, lets venture, if he was (I'm almost scared to imagine the possibility of this).. A distant cousin of the third nephew of the maternal uncle of the half brother of the maid who works in Rahul gandhi's 3rd grade classmate's house!

So, based on that I can confidently say that it's clear that ABSOLUTELY no political faggotry is taking place what so ever in Anna Hazare's camp. Although I do sometimes suspect if his camp has a coffee table with a copy of "How to survive an indefinite fast 101."

Well, team Anna including you Kisan Baburao ji (and we always thought where Paresh Rawal borrowed his screen names from), I strongly suggest that you (besides approaching Siddhartha Malaya for investing in the said IPL team), do your research and homework well and refrain from coming up with such infinite pearls that are obviously totally impartial and don't reek of any ulterior, politically influenced douchebaggery at all!

Do it for your own good, because your charade will come crumbling down sooner than you would like it to if you are exposed for being the politically controlled puppets that you are.

Sincerely,

~Someone who is not a complete idiot.

The Travesty of Somalia

2011-10-04T00:17:00.000-07:00

"We can't fix all problems, but the ones we can, we must."

~Bono, at Live8 concert, 2008

Hi everyone,

I didn't think I would post on this blog again after my 'retirement' announcement last year. In the time that has passed since, not only has my personal & professional life changed drastically; but I have also created a new blog titled Entrepreneur by Accident where I have started posting again recently.

However, last month, there was an personal setback which me & my family endured recently which drove me to post here a few days ago.That was the passing of my beloved Babaji, my paternal grandfather; who I loved dearly and will always do. I hope whoever read my eulogy to him would pray for his soul in heaven.

Now, today, I am posting here again as I was moved by something else; this time not personally related to me, but worth writing about more than anything else I could think of, that was not of personal consequence to me directly. Well, that subject is the subject of Somalia and the impulse to write about it stems from an article I read recently on the English Al-Jazeera website.

The article talks about the plight of Somaia; which, I am sure, we all know about; and have seen, heard or read of in some sort of media at some point of time. However, the sad thing is; and this is something that drove me to write about it- that we are hardly ever moved, or even intrigued by this subject to discuss it, talk about it and share it with those whom we know.

The power of human word is HUGE and it translates best to new media like social networking & blogging. I would know something about that, as this media forms a major part of my full time occupation. And I gotta say that I'm saddened to see how topics of trivial importance become national issues and on other occasions national issues spiral into one direction by careful controlling of people behind it & cahoots with the popular media. What saddens me even more is that people who share these pieces of news and articles with each other are the same people whose voice can address an issue like Somalia but these very people choose to tune themselves out and focus on something else.

I, like the author of the article am going to acknowledge the power of mediums like Twitter & facebook and the impact they can and have made to socio-political issues in Egypt, Tunisia and of course, in our own country, with the whole Anna Hazare campaign. The question the author asks is that will people take notice only when Somalia trends on Twitter? Sadly, I think the answer is "Yes". However, rather than being disheartened by it, I am going to try and do something about it. This is social media right? The media of the people? Well, that's great, because I AM people!

Starting today, I am going to tweet & post on Facebook some news, articles, facts and heart wrenching stories about Somalia endlessly till it trends and catches some people's attention. I am okay if people jump on the bandwagon 'Just cuz its cool!' because I have seen that even that helps, it really does- as long as you have the numbers.

Therefore, Somalia is going to feature in a majority of my tweets and I try to gather support & rope in some active Twitter celebrities on the way as well. You can support me in this if you choose to my Twitter handle is @Manyu_s and the hashtag is #Somalia.

And oh, why am I doing this, you ask? Well, just because there are people dying there, little children, and they are human. And so am I.

Peace & Justice.

Eulogy- Shri Rameshwar Prasad Sharma; 1928 - Aug 29, 2011

2011-09-15T08:06:00.001-07:00

My Babaji was an extraordinary man.

He was born to parents with humble resources in a village in U.P. and lost his father when he was still a child. He, along with his elder brother, was raised by his mother; who stitched clothes in the village to make a livelihood. The family had some agricultural land in the village and he learned to be a farmer and a man at a very young age.

My pardadi had the good sense to get her sons educated at a time when India was still not free and secondary educated was rare, especially in small villages in U.P.; where no one knew any other way to be except agriculture. At the age of 20, Babaji was married to my Dadi and soon after they moved to Delhi where they created a new world of their own, at a time when the country had just found freedom and things were still falling in place one piece at a time. My grandparents had five children; two sons & three daughters; out of whom my father was the second eldest child and the eldest son. The first decade after my grandparents’ marriage was the toughest for them. Their children were growing up together and the responsibility of their education as well as upbringing in a city like Delhi was a big challenge in those days when skilled employment was still an uncommon concept. Their first few years in Delhi saw the family moving from one small house to another with both of them doing any odd job they found. If there ever were two people who personified perseverance, then it is my grandparents. They loved each other and their family and never let the tough times come between themselves & their happiness.

;

Eternal love: Dadji-Babaji at their 60th Anniversary; July'08

Their perseverance paid off and Babaji managed to secure a job in Delhi Cloth Mill (DCM) where he worked till his retirement, while Dadiji who holds an M.A. in Hindi (a degree she earned after marriage and birth of 2 children) joined the DCM elementary school as a teacher. Over the next two decades, while the going was still tough; they had a place to live (DCM gave staff quarters to all employees above grade II) and food on the table, while the children had education and clothes and it was all they ever asked for from God. Today, out of their five children, the eldest & third daughters (my Buas) are secondary school teachers in top schools and the youngest daughter is a Doctor, holding the position of Director Professor in one of the top Govt. hospitals in Delhi. Out of their two sons, my uncle; the youngest, is an advocate in the Delhi High Court, while the elder, my father; was an Assistant General Manager with the India Today group before he passed away. It would be fair to say that my Babaji was a great father who despite his limitations, ensured his children went on to become highly successful people with comfortable lives; even if it meant he spent most of his adult life toiling to pave their way. I know he didn’t mind it one bit.

As for my personal relationship with him; I don’t even know where to begin. I would like to think I was his favorite grandchild. He adored me, and doted on me just a little more than the others. However, even I didn’t realize the extent of his love till my father passed away about 12 years ago while I was still in School. Shortly after this, my mother had a nervous breakdown due to the shock and while she recovered gradually, she wasn’t able to return to her job. At that time, Babaji was retired and had gone back to our village in U.P. to pursue agriculture as a part time activity to keep him busy and also stay financially independent. He took the responsibility of me & my sister completely upon himself and along with my Dadi, they both took the role of our parents. While Dadi took care of the house, Babaji made sure we not only completed our school education and went on to college without any hitch, but also got the other things that a teenager or adolescent (as was the case with my sister) needs as part of the growing up process. He had a modest income from land but he made up for it by never giving a thought to what he ate or the clothes he wore; as long as we were well fed and well dressed.

Even more importantly, he was there for us as a pillar of strength at all times. Never did I feel daunted by any problem because I knew Babaji was by my side to face it, and times, ahead of me, to shield me from it. He was also our philosopher & guide and he would constantly remind to us the importance of being responsible individuals and staying away from vice.

The most incredible part of it is that through all this, never for a moment did he cease to smile! He was without a doubt the happiest and most joyful person I have ever known. He always had a joke to share and a smile to give. He was easily satisfied, content and thankful to God for what he had. He was loved, respected and adored by all his children and all of his 10 grandchildren and that alone meant the world to him. Their happiness meant the world to him. All of his family getting together, under one roof, just being happy in each others' company was the biggest festivity for him and he made sure it happened often. Family or not, everyone who came to him got only affection and they always went away with a smile.

With all the grandkids & one great grandkid

Today, he is not among us, but before he left, he saw to it that his favorite grandson became a self reliant & responsible man; to take care of the family he is leaving behind. And yet, while that may seem to be the truth and while we may be blessed with all amenities & comforts that life requires; I don’t know what I would do without him. I don’t know what we would do without him. I just can’t imagine going on without that smile, without that laugh, without those hilarious words he mispronounced with so much confidence. We’ve all lost a very important part of our lives; for some, a father; for others, a grandfather; for my Dadi, her life partner of over 60 years and yet, I feel I have lost various people at once, because for me, Babaji wasn’t only my grandfather; he was my friend, he was my father and he was my hero.

If in 50 years from now, if I can look back and say I have been even half the man he was, then I’d consider myself to have had a successful life.

My Babaji was an extraordinary man. And I will always miss him.

The Travesty of an early goodbye.

2010-02-03T21:35:00.000-08:00

Its now time to make a change, just relax, take it easy; you're still young, that's your fault; there's so much you have to go through.
~ Cat Stevens/Mohd. Islam

Dear friends,

I am Abhimanyu Shankhdhar, and I post here today to say that lately, I have not found the inspiration or passion to post on my blog that usually drives me to write, and that much I'm sure has been evident from the obvious lack of content here.

Therefore, today, I post to say to all of you that I will be taking an indefinite self imposed exile from blogging and I do not know when I will be back with my next blog post, or if I ever will be. I initially thought about just taking down this site and creating another if and when I wanted to write again. However, I have decided that this blog will remain here and if any of you would like to come back and read any of my previous posts then it will be a huge compliment to me and you're welcome to do so.

I also want to say that its been an honor to be followed by each one of you on this blog. Your comments and appreciation has made me better and made it worthwhile to post. To have 19 followers on a blog in today's day and age is close to nothing but to have 19 people (and some more who don't officially follow me but read almost every post) read what I write and take out a minute to say they liked it or it touched them in some way is for me; priceless, and I want to end this post by saying a huge "Thank you" to each one of you from the bottom of my heart.

Obviously, in the real world I will meet and talk to you often and therefore, this is not as bad as it sounds (or maybe its worse, for you guys! :D).. Sorry, couldn't help that wise crack there.. I'm allowed one, aren't I?

Take good care people.
~ Abheem/Abhimanyu/'Manyu/Joey/Whatever floats your boat etc.

Save the Earth. One Click, One Tree

2009-12-31T00:01:00.000-08:00

"My hands are small I know, but they are not yours, they are my own... And I'm never broken" ~ Jewel

Greetings readers! Its the last day of the year and I'm back with a just-in-time blog post to wrap up what has been a hell of a year for me in so many ways. Really, 2009 had so many ups and a couple of downs too in all fairness.. But in all, I learned and saw countless new things despite this being the first time in the last SIX years that I didn't travel outside the country OR the city (of course not counting the NCR) AT ALL! Really.. Isn't that incredible?

Anyway, they say as you grow older the years begin to fly by and I'm learning that it's the bloody truth.. :/ Therefore, I'll save some time and get to the point here. As you would have noticed, my blog posts are rarely about this and that and I usually have a topic to address. However, I don't really talk about one thing in more than one post unless its.. Well, Michael Jackson.. :p So, it may come as a surprise to some of you that I'm going to talk about this again...

Wait! What am I doing? Wasting MORE time! Alright, its ENVIRONMENT that I wanna talk about! Yes, that's right, and as some of you who read this blog often would know, I did a post on environmental issues and our part in them right around World Environment Day in June. For those who need a recap, you could read it here, but what I'm about to say this time around in not just generic environmental 'dos and don'ts' or how big of a sham Copenhagen was etc etc.. Instead, I wish to introduce and explain a way that will help us; yes YOU and ME to make a difference, albeit small, but a difference nonetheless- and how! You really pretty much gotta do nothing (at least in the immediate beginning) and still be a part of this movement known as 1Click-1Tree.

Now, what this is, is an excellent and novel Corporate Social Responsibility initiative started by 141 Sercon; an events and outdoor advertising company based in New Delhi with offices all across India and Asia- and as part of this initiative they have taken upon themselves to plant 5,000 trees in various places in India in year 2010. However, they just don't wanna stop at planting a tree- they want people like us to take responsibility of these trees.

So basically, the whole idea is for one person to visit the 1Click-1Tree website and choose a type of tree from the options that are there and enter it along with their name and e-mail id on there. From thereon, the Sercon guys will take over and plant a sapling of the tree chosen by you at a designated place in your city. However, that's not where it will end; once the tree is planted, it becomes YOUR tree and you will be sent and e-picture and GPS quadrants of the location of the tree through e-mail. That's where Sercon's involvement ends and OUR involvement begins. Do you visit your sapling? Do you monitor its growth? Do you ensure that it doesn't dry out and die? Cuz remember, planting 5,000 saplings is not that difficult, but seeing that those sapling grow into 5,000 healthy trees is sure as heck a huge deal. So as soon as you're sent the picture and location of your tree, there is no third party involvement from there- Its between you and nature from that moment on.

So this was it guys, this was really what I wanted to introduce and propagate. Those of you who know me, would know how strongly I feel for such issues and how urgently I believe that we need to step up to the plate and take responsibility for our planet. I'm hoping each one of you who reads this clicks a few buttons and chooses a sap to be planted.. And I'm hoping even more that each one who does that sees it through and makes sure it becomes a tree. I always believe that we CAN make a huge difference if every one of us did something seemingly small collectively.

I'd love to know your thoughts on this guys, as always I'd love some comments! ;)

That's that for now Earth lovers! Have a huge blast tonight welcoming the new year and be safe. May 2010 be 10x better than 2009 for y'all!

Peace!
~ The man with a thousand names.

Remembering John Denver

2009-11-09T23:16:00.000-08:00

"Come, let me love you; let me give my life to you. Let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms. Let me lay down beside you, let me always be with you. Come, let me love you.. Come love me again." ~ John Denver

Hey everyone, welcome back! I realize that my posts are becoming increasingly sparse with every outing and every time I sit down to write; there are so many things I want to include that I end up giving it up altogether and move my attention to facebook or Youtube.. :|

Now that's not always a bad thing, cuz its Youtube where I got the inspiration of writing this particular entry (while searching for some good ol' country music). The intent, as it must have been aptly clear from the title- is to remember and discuss the life & times of one of the greatest musicians of modern times and one of the biggest musical influences in my life- the country music legend John Denver.

Now I don't wish to do a bio on John as that's what Wikipedia was invented for and thus I've given a back link to John's info page there as well. What I do wish to do is talk about his music, his influences (or at least as I understood them), his contributions and achievements and lastly some of my own fond memories attached to John Denver's music. So here goes-

John Denver- The Artist

Born Henry John Deutschendorf, Jr.; John Denver has been one of the greatest country artists of all time, and that's saying something. But what made him so and probably what was the best thing about him was that he didn't just make country songs, he made songs about the country and its evident in most of his biggest hits like Country roads, Rocky Mountain High, Montana Sky etc. He loved the world he lived in and he loved wearing a cowboy hat and riding a horse with a guitar flung across his shoulder. He loved breathing in the morning breeze of the mountains and watching the sun set in the valley from his porch. He lived the life we all like to dreamabout but are too skeptical to really try and achieve cuz we think its not in the scheme of our things to do in the immediate present and near future. John Denver did what we all secretly want to do but openly deny AND he made wonderful songs about it which made us smile, with both wonder and envy..

John Denver- The Philanthropist

While the major part of his life was what seemed like enjoyable bliss, John did have his share of sorrow like the rest of us. From being happily married to the woman of his dreams and writing the most romantic song EVER (Annie's song) in her honor and generally being the hottest selling artist of the 70's; he went to having not just one but two failed marriages, Alcohol abuse problems including two cases of drunken driving; in one of which he was found guilty and convicted. Add to all this the takeover of rock/pop music resulting in a general decline of country music's and his own popularity, and you'd have a story that you wouldn't exactly term as a fairy tale.

However, amidst all the turmoil, John found a way to focus his attention on something he felt passionately about- the nature and how it was fast depleting. Thus began his journey as an environment conservationalist and through his well established public image he started using his first passion- music to support his new found love- saving the natural resources; something he was actively involved in till his untimely passing in 1997.

John Denver and his influences on Me

This is what makes this post so special for me- the fact that John Denver's music and his work has inspired and influenced my life in more ways than I could imagine.

I still remember humming Annie's Song each and every moment of the day when I was a teenager and later taking up guitar lessons just so I could learn to play this song- its true, its impossible to be influenced by one single song more than I was and am by this one! As time went by, I started collecting a variety of John's music and his live work and have fond memories of listening to the Wildlife Concert that he arranged and performed at in 1995. I remember going to Goa and singing Annie's Song with a Goan hotel band and dancing and singing along to Calypso (esp the yodeling bit) on our tour bus. In a much more recent incident, I remember wanting to sing Leaving on a Jet plane and almost coming to tears on the day of my flight to Auckland last year; a trip that at the time I thought was gonna be much longer than it turned out to be- and ironically, on my unexpected early return I remember humming Country roads in the flight back.. :)

In October 1997, John Denver piloted on a newly acquired aircraft that he had test flown for 30 minutes just the previous day. However, as fate would have it, he forgot to re-fuel the plane for the next day's flight and in the saddest of incidents, the plane crashed down within minutes of take off; leading to John's untimely demise. The words from the song Leaving on a jet plane couldn't have been a sadder irony..

On that fateful day, the world was robbed of one of the greatest and most popular artists it has seen and 12 years on, we remember him as a singer who sang about the joy and happiness in the most simple things in this world, and how the simplicity makes them so wonderful. I truly believe that we need more musicians in today's world to put the same joy and passion in the way they make their music. We need artists to not only talk about improving the world, but to actually make music about how the world should be in all its beauty and splendor. We need people to feel the same uninhibited passion as John did about life, being alive and just being a part of this wonderful world.

Rest in peace John Denver; great musician and great man.

That's it for this one friends, till the next time I see you; Kiss me and smile for me, tell me that you'll wait for me.. :)

~ Abhimanyu.

Mirrors

2009-09-05T08:45:00.000-07:00

How's it going my friends!

Well well.. As it is said- you start one thing and you don't know where you'd end up with it. That's exactly what's going on in my head as I find myself with a re-kindled interest in poetry writing. So as it turns out; much to my delight- my last venture wasn't a one off thing.

And to continue that, here's a brand new steed from the stables of Abhimanyu Shankhdhar, it was written for a friend who is a designer and wanted a few lines for a photo-shoot. However, once I got down to it, I decided to go on with the theme and convert it into a full blown, albeit short poem.

Here it is, hope you guys like it. Even if you don't do leave your thoughts.
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Mirrors

When the moonlight shines a pearly glow
the night mist turns to haze.
With her foot she stirs a circle below
Distorting the reflection of her gaze.

Beyond the hills, a purple night falls
Its shadow half covering her face.
In the eerie silence a soft voice calls
As the waters go still without trace.

Her soft brown hair dance gently like silk,
As the soft crimson wind by the lake
Meets the dark almond eyes turned to mirrors of light,
In their wizardry pure magic they make.

~ Abhimanyu Shankhdhar

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That was it! I think it brings out the mood I was trying to catch pretty well but I've been wrong about things before.. ;)

So like I said before, I'd love to know what you guys think. I may not be very good, but I'm better than I was before; and its got a lot to do with the fact that you guys kept saying the truth. :)

That's all for this time travestians! I gotta admit I'm liking the whole poetry thing and who knows, this may become a regular feature on this blog. Again, I'd like to know from you guys if that's something you'd like to see on here. I'd look forward to what you have to say.

Till the next time I see you, enjoy the weekend and be safe!
~ You know who

Jealousy

2009-08-20T04:39:00.000-07:00

Dear readers,

This is an unusual and an unusually short post by me.. To be really precise, it's a short verse that I penned down today in a moment driven by a beautiful inspiration.

Some of you may know that I was a very keen poet about 2-3 years ago and used to write a new poem every week or so (no kidding!). However, over the years I have gradually gone on to write more stories, articles, reviews and of course, blog posts. :) Well here is a Return of the King sort of a day in my life and I hope its not a one-off occurrence.

This is also the very first post in this blog that doesn't have a 'Travesty..' title- which dare I say was becoming a li'l repetitive and let's be honest, no one ever said the title will have to have that word in it.. The blog itself, of course, is still called The Travesty series.

So anyway, here's the little poem- like I said, I've written it today and I will probably make up a new verse or two and add to this first attempt; as I do with a lot of my poems-

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Jealousy

I'm jealous of the Kohl that resides in your eyes; beautiful as I find it, when it meets your wonder.

I'm jealous of the clothes that drape your skin; thankful but I am to them, for keeping you warm.

I'm jealous of the water that washes your face; kind while I think it, for refreshing your senses.

And I'm jealous of the air that surrounds you; indebted though it has me, for it becomes your breath.

~ Abhimanyu Shankhdhar

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That was it guys, hope you liked it and if you did let me know. In case you think there is something amiss or you feel could be added to it, please be kind enough to make that suggestion.

I will be back soon with a full blown post about a couple of things that have been brewing up in my head and I really wish to write about them before the stirring dies down. So look out for it on your email alerts, facebook updates, text messages and the likes.

Till then, recite your rhymes well! ;)

~ The white wizard.

The Travesty of a book-to-film adaptation- Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince review.

2009-07-25T03:04:00.000-07:00

It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little difference to choose between the two, but Dumbledore knew - and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents - that there was all the difference in the world.
~J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

^ Brilliant quote, hey? Very inspiring. Takes a lot of courage to beat our own mind sometimes. "The mind is an amazing thing.", someone once told me. I guess they weren't too far off the mark in any way you'd like to interpret that.. :)

So, my mind told me to make the 2nd part of the HPB movie review immediately after I gave everyone that teaser in the previous post... Which in a way renders my 'cute little sneak' useless, but what the hell.. I have the thoughts in my head fresh and I'd rather post this now than later. Plus, I'd be doing two posts in a day, which has only happened ONCE before in the history of blogosphere (as far as the 'travesty..' series goes, of course)! :P

Now, as I said earlier, I was waiting for this movie for a long time, ever since it got delayed from its original date of release in Nov last year and as it is natural, the anticipation was brewing up in my mind for months. Therefore, when I went for it, I had made sure I'd view it as a movie that is based on a book and not as a mirror image of the book itself.. Something that I feel a lot of people do when they watch such adaptations and also something that I address in my previous post. So, lets look at Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince; the movie based on the book by J.K. Rowling, of the same name.

On with the review then-

Director David Yates and writer Steve Kloves return after their successful pairing in the previous Potter movie, The Order of Pheonix and again, they succeed in recreating the magic (pun intended). The film scores in its screenplay, the special effects which seem to keep getting better with each movie and most importantly it has that newness that makes it a different part of a very familiar series. Let's see how-

I'll be honest, as a huge Potter fan, one of the things that had me worried about the Potter movie adaptations till a few years ago was the feeling of repeated-ness. After the first four films, you could sense a same old, same old sorta vibe. So, it was pb a good thing that the fifth film was directed by Yates; who brought a freshness that was clear to see in ..Phoenix. In the sixth edition too, while the good things from the last movie remain, Yates add a new mix of human feelings and takes it to a very real place for the viewers.

For probably the first time, he throws light on the adoloscent lives of his 3 young protagonists and portrays them as the school going teenagers that they are. So while the usual Quidditch and wand waving continues, there is a lot more romance, jealousy, humor and sexual tension that the viewer experiences as the events unfold.

Also, I just LOVED the jokes... There was friendly banter all trhoughout the movie between Harry, Ron & Hermoine which was very real and genuinely funny. One leaf that the writers had so far failed to take from Rowling's books is that in all 7 parts, she puts in some very smart and tongue in cheek humor in there with all the serious business. And for the first time I saw that in a movie. The reason it made such a difference is cuz at the end of the day as many spells they cast and Death Eaters they fight, all 17 year olds like to have their share of laughs.

However, there were things that I didn't like; most important of them being the amount of time and explanation given to the epicenter of the story; the Horcruxes. I do feel Yates could have built more on that to leave the last movie (which he'll be making in a two-part edition sometime in 2010-11) poised even more nicely than it is.

Also, the sequence of Dumbldore's death esp; the bit where Harry stands there and watches even as he is free to act (unlike the book where he is under a 'body bind' curse) didn't quite work for me. Why didn't Harry save Dumbledore before Snape and the others came? It was just him and Malfoy! Was it just cuz Dumbledore 'told him not to'? Oh come on, since when did Harry Potter start doing everything his teacher's (including the headmaster) told him to...? So yeah, they sorta let the ball slip a little there if not entirely drop it.

But other than that, it was a GOOD film and the thing I liked most besides the real characterization was the feeling of evil stirring all along.. Something that keeps you on the edge, despite having read the book and knowing what would eventually happen - well done!

So thats it readers! My first blog review in the books! Feels good... Real good! :)

Hey, on a side note, I hope Yates or whoever makes that decision- gives Daniel Radcliffe some block heels to wear in the next two films, cuz unless he miraculously gains a few inches, everyone including Ginny weasley is gonna look taller than the hero (they kinda already are)! Ha! Well, truth be told, men with slightly above average height are much more heroic and braver than tall ones (and I say that without any prejudice or reference to my own height whatsoever).. So actually, 'ts all good yo! :P

In other news, I recently did a story for http://www.theindiatube.com/; an exciting venturer to promote Indian culture and tourism - Which was published about 10 days ago. In the story I cover a very unique and interesting north Indian eating joint. You can read that story here.
Wow, I actually made this more exhaustive and sorta better than I had hoped to.. Maybe I should leave long intervals between my posts..? :P
Till next time, Dissaparte'! :)

The Travesty of a hiatus- Back with a Film review!

2009-07-22T21:32:00.000-07:00

Like a comet, blazing across the evening sky, gone too soon. Like a rainbow, fading in a twinkling eye, gone too soon. Shiny and sparkly, splendidly bright; here one day, gone one night.
~ Micheal Jackson

Well-ah! Ladies and Gentlemen, boys & girls, Children of all ages! I am back and I am raring like a bloody steak! (did that make any sense..? Who cares? :P)

Sooooooooo.... Have you missed me? I think some of you have, if a few facebook messages, wall postings, text messages and even phone conversations are anything to go by. And I wanna say I appreciate that more than I can say - Thank you!

Now, obviously its not like I'm doing this just cuz you guys ask for it.. Which, mind, is one of the main reasons no doubt.. And I'm also not doing this just cuz I don't want the blog to die (again, a part reason none the less), BUT (and its a big but, no pun intended) I'm back today with a brand new post cuz I HAVE MISSED THIS! Yeah!:)

So, before I begin there's only one more thing left for me to ask you... ARE YOU READY??

I will take that as a "YEAH!" and begin then..

A LOT even by the most conservative estimates has happened since I last posted and the most noteworthy & saddening of them being the untimely passing of Michael Jackson.

Allow me to take a moment and pay homage to an artist who was an icon and an inspiration to more number of people than internet connections can reach out to all around the world! And that's no stretch.. You know, we hear King of Pop, highest selling solo artists etc etc.. But what people often overlook, or maybe don't realize at all- is that his was and IS arguably the most popular and well known name in the world.. Ever! At least thats what I think.. What do you think? I think you think that I think right.

So on that note, may MJ's soul rest in peace - The King is dead, long live the King! To read a more detailed and a very befitting tribute to the pop icon, check out the tribute post in Rakesh Vanamali's blog Redifing oblivion.

Moving on to happier things, I saw a first day screening of the movie I was awaiting since the beginning of this year with two other of its biggest fans that I know of and hold dearest- and I will say that I was not disappointed! Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince rocked my boat (ha!) and I don't care what anyone says, it worked for me and it worked for those I saw it with so like they say, 'ts aall good, yo! :P In fact, I'm gonna do a short review of the movie here, something I haven't done in my Blog yet but before I do that I wanna say something else related-

Now, one of the biggest complaints people usually have with book-to-movie adaptations is that it didn't do justice to the book. Well, I usually like to tell such people that they need to re-look their definition of the word justice. Now, we all realize and yet often forget is that a movie can't be more than 120 to 150 minutes long on an average and therefore, cannot have the same amount of content that a 500 page book has. Therefore, a film adaptation WILL have less detail, WILL modify sequences a little and WILL be abridged.

So, if you're someone who's constantly coming out of a movie theater with that complaint then here's my advice to you - Don't watch an adaptation. Cuz not only will it seem like a waste of your time and money, but more importantly, it will spoil the interpretation of the story in your own head.. You'd love the book and hate the movie; and will always be confused about the title as a singular entity.

Don't get what I'm saying? Picture this- If someone asks me what I thought of HP6, my reply will be "The book or the movie?" However, if I were to ask the same question to one of the people I talk about above, They invariably say, "Oh I loved the book, but they screwed up the movie!"

Well, I loved The Da Vinci code the book and HATED The Da Vinci Code the motion picture, but not cuz the movie omitted details from the book, or had a different characterization but simply cuz it was a badly made movie. The screenplay, narration, direction and other things important for making a good movie weren't done well. Simple.

Phew! With that out of the way, I have a little change in plans.. Just like series itself, I'm gonna review the film Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince in the very next Blog post.. The idea is to make you wait just a little bit more and keep you cursing me and waiting me to post the next one ASAP, both at once! ;)

Am I a vic-head, or am I just wicked? :D

Stay tuned... Expelliarmus!

The Travesty of Mother Earth

2009-06-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

'Did you ever stop to notice all the children dead before? Did you ever stop to notice, the crying Earth is weeping sore?'
~ Michael Jackson

Hey homies! Its been a long long time and I have no excuse. I have just been so caught up in the inconsequential that finding time for myself and more importantly; my readers, were put on the back burner.. Admittedly due to my poor time management skills. :|

Anyhoo! Now that we're here let's get on with it without wasting more time. Now, before I begin with the subject of this post there're a couple of things I need to get out of the way. The thing is, that I've been suggested changes in the title, in the writing style, use of words, layout etc.. by some people lately in regards to my blog and my posts. The idea is obviously to make my blog more searchable, marketable, more 'non-generic' in terms of layout (You still use a blogspot background?), and more advertisement friendly.

Now, while I appreciate that very much and understand that these people are well wishers; I wanna make one thing clear- My Blog is purely an outlet of my thoughts and emotions. Its just what a weblog was originally supposed to be: an online journal or an e-diary. I am not looking to popularize it or SEO-ize it beyond a certain level and I'm definitely not looking to make money through it. I know that sooner or later I will take professional blogging up and that's when I would look at all these things, but till then, I'm content with the comments and kind words my readers leave and hope they become more in numbers over a period time.

So, enough appetizers! On with the main course now-

Did you know that May 5th was World Environmrent Day? I participated in a poster making competition as part of a very imaginative team and ended up winning it.. Yay! The theme of course, was 'Environment' and my group won cuz we showcased how the Earth would burn down and nothing would be left for the generations to come if we keep abusing our natural resources at the same rate as now. My question is, does our job end there? True, we gave out a strong message, made a 5 minute impact and went back to our lives of burning petrol, using paper towels and slowly killing the very planet we live in!

The hand that rocked the cradle turned it in a flame.
Lets wake up and save the Earth, cuz we're to blame.
~ Winning slogan

Something's gotta give, man! How selfish can we become? So selfish that we're not even considering the interest of our very own children? What sort of a world are we gonna hand over to them? And it's not science that we need to apply to save the world either. All we gotta do is turn the engine off at a traffic light, NOT use paper for wiping our hands in a washroom or a restaurant; I mean how hard is it to carry a handkerchief? We all were taught to keep one in school, yeah? And start a car pool people! It not only saves precious fuel, but precious money too! And that's just a few ways, there're a dozen other things that we can do in our everyday lives without breaking a sweat to prolong the life of this planet. It doesn't even take effort; all it takes is concern.

If some of us still think that all this doesn't really matter then try to watch Earth2100; an American TV program that talks about how we may end up, sooner than we expect.... Its happening, its real... Dystopia has begun! We better wake up and smell the burning future before its too late. It is our problem - Lets fix it.

Well, I won't harp on about it any further but I REALLY needed to talk about it. In other brighter news, yours truly was interviewed by tickledbylife.com recently on a topic that's been a subject of debate since time immemorial, and is also something I've touched briefly in one of my previous posts- The tussle between science and religion about the origination of this universe. In the interview, I answer questions like What is God? and God or Big Bang? etc. You can read the interview in its entirety & leave your thoughts/comments here. You could also take similar interviews at tickled by becoming a follower and active member of their unique and intellectually stimulating website.

Talking of intellectually stimulating, I'd like to recommend my dear friend and fellow blogger Rakesh Vanamali's pan 68 country Blog Redifing Oblivion to all my readers. Its a great read and if you like my stuff, then you'd find this to be much more enjoyable and thought provoking. Check it out!

Wow.. So another one bites the dust, hey? I'm glad I didn't give in to the temptation of delaying this post to another day cuz I think it came out really well and more importantly, the way I had seen it in my head. If you agree (or differ) then you know what to do - Comment! :)

Till I see you next, save the Earth!
~ Caped Crusader.

The Travesty of Black Tights.

2009-06-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome! Its late and I dunno why I'm doing this... But this was something I had written some time back and meant to convert it in a Blog post for some time now. So it'll be short, topical and really one dimensional. I'm not even sure if it'll be a big hit with anyone cuz its very interest based. But I wanna get it off my chest anyway.. So, here we go-

Now, as some of you know I have a degree in Fashion from NIFT, Delhi and conversely a keen interest in Fashion too (even though thats not what I do for a living). Therefore, when I wrote this as an article for a famous fashion magazine I thought I could curtail it and put it on here as well.

Soooo... This one’s neither here nor there; and yet, it’s practically everywhere! That’s right, the latest religion in fashion; which we might as well term The Black tight movement- certainly managed an enormous and somewhat radical following in the year gone by.

The by-now-ever-present fad replaced everything on the street; from good old denims to a pair of tall, wonderful legs in 2008, and how! It evolved from what I really believe was a need to be able to flash that little skirt despite the freezing cold, into a phenomenon that engulfed women’s fashion all around the world; irrespective of the demographics, the climate and more importantly the combination of clothes it was worn with!

Now don’t get me wrong here, I’m no sworn enemy of the black tights per se and also, to an extent agree that whoever came up with the idea originally had the novelty to combine comfort with chic quite effectively. To be completely honest, it made terrific sense to pair the tights with something leg revealing in cold weather and at the same time, very smartly concealed those slightly chubby legs that otherwise kept you from buying the hot new skirt. But like all good things in fashion, what was essentially meant to be worn selectively and sparingly, outlasted not only the winter but also the poor little skirt itself! One saw them combined with Flared Hem tops, long T’s, Kurtas, and even the prettiest dresses- at times taking away rather than lending to the aesthetics of a primary garment and weighing down the style quotient!

So, what I’m really saying here is that while the magical pair of tights is by no means passé (well, not yet), it should definitely be used as a flavor to add that little bit of spunk to the primary garment every now and then, rather than as a staple diet of dressing up where it has to be worn everywhere with everything till it has been done to death!

So, that was it really.. Yeah! In other parts of the world in the past few days, Susan Boyle went the Adam Lambert way and the ever saddening human ability to get tired of a good thing too soon reared its head. But then like I had earlier said- SuBo is already a star and she can do without the win. Although I do hope she recovers from her illness (news has it that she was admitted to a local clinic recently).

That is pretty much it boys and girls. If someone has seen Angels and Demons , the movie; then please post a short review cuz I loved the book and don't wanna be let down by an unworthy film adaption. Also, keep commenting as always. I appreciate it more than I can say!

Till I see you next, wear some black tights (or not)!

~ 'Manyu

The Travesty of being unattractive - We shall overcome!

2009-05-29T00:23:00.000-07:00

Heyo! Listen to what I say yo..
~ RHCP

Right! As promised, it took me less than what it took me the last time to come up with a post since the last (did that make ANY sense?). That being said, this will be swift and unlike the last few times, I do have a very clear idea of what I'm going to post about. On with it then, hey?

Now, lest I give out the wrong ideas, its not a serious issue in terms of gravity but its a thought provoking one. It is also a very very popular one and I've been indicative about in my Twitter and Facebook activity lately. For those who still haven't guessed it, its the most amazing and highly popular phenomenon known as Susan Boyle. For the uninitiated, Susan is a middle aged single woman from a small village who entered the popular Britain Got Talent? reality show and was sniggered and scoffed at by the pompous snobbish young audience for her haggard appearance and less than plain looks. She wasn't taken too seriously by the judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan either; who couldn't hold back a smirk as she came on the stage and declared that she wanted to become a professional singer...

That was until she started singing... What followed, is by now legendary and let me say that you have to see it to believe it (if you're one of the very few who still haven't) but she proved one thing- we live in a world defined and governed by superficiality. We are cynics who're eager to judge people on looks and will build a person up or bury them down based solely on how they look and dress.

There are very few who dare to stand up and ask to be counted despite their unconventional looks, clothes or color of skin and even fewer who actually get a chance and manage to prove themselves. Whats even more unfortunate is that its women, who get the messier end of the this stick more often than not. Such is our society sadly, and that's what makes Susan Boyle that much awesom-er! So much so, that the 48 year old virgin from Scotland is being hailed as a mascot of victory for talent over vanity. And honestly, while I can't see her not winning the show from here (although strange things do happen and we as a society take derisive pleasure in pulling down those whom we ourselves put up on a pedestal), the fact is, that its not even about her winning the show anymore. If she does go on to win then that would only help her in living her dream but even if she doesn't (the finals are tomorrow and she is in it!) she has shown that a person can stand up and be noticed in today's world irrespective of looks, background and X-factor. Susan Boyle, is already a superstar, a hero and a symbol of hope to millions around the world! More power to her is all that I can say!

You can latch onto the Susan Boyle sensation by watching her breakout video here or watch it at My Youtube channel (where you can catch a glimpse of my other crazy random shenanigans too).

In other happenings, although Adam Lambert lost in the American Idol Finale, the show itself was a heck of a gig! Man, I cant even begin to describe how orgasmic (edit?) some moments were.. I was so tired of jumping out of my seat at one point that I decided to keep standing! No kidding! My favorite moments were the BEP reunion and performance, Allison with Cyndi Lauper and Lambert performing with KISS!! Holy Shyte!!! That was the markout moment for me without a doubt. Hell of a show if I already didn't say so.

Aaaand the IPL is over and again, I'd have liked to see the other finalist win - this time mainly cuz I'm a huge Anil Kumble fan for a variety of reason, but that on another day, hey? :)

Soooo.. That's it My preciouses **Gollum voice** ha! I'm gonna wrap this one up right here. I appreciate the kind comments I keep getting and I hope it continues. I'm gonna be back with a surprise (or maybe none) in my next post- so watch out!

Till I see you next, vote for SuBo!

~ The man with no shame.

The Travesty of Truth... And Faith

2009-05-22T00:16:00.002-07:00

Load up your guns, bring your friends. Its fun to lose and to pretend.
~ Kurt Cobain

How LONG has it beeen!! Well, the answer is- Very long. I've been caught up, but that's not an excuse. So without further delay let's get this Mofo (edit?) on the mojo!

Now then! Whats gone down since I last blogged? First and foremost- Congress wins! YESSS!! Just what I was hoping for! **Does a li'l jig**

The BJP and its allies must be singing the famous lines at the beginning of this post :P Eat your hat out; respected Mr. Advani and not-so-respectable Mr. Modi- and ride into the sunset on your Hindutva laden bullock cart, while the nation turns a corner with the new blood riding its swanky and fuel efficient automobile!

It certainly smells like teen spirit (pun intended) as far as Congress is concerned right now. Not only did the right party win and the right person will take the top office; but more importantly, we'd probably get the youngest cabinet we've seen. Plus, a stable and durable government means a stronger economy- an indication of which we got with the Sensex jump within a day of the results.

Good times are ahead for the nation, I predict (Knock on wood)!

Changing the mood a bit, I was privy to an interesting conversation between a group of young, but very well informed and intellectual people recently. The topic of the conversation was not so young though- it was something we've been wondering and talking about since eternity. The possibility of Life Beyond this World and the Existence of the Paranormal.

VS.

Roight! So while it'd prolly not be appropriate to say who thought and said what; I can tell you that everything from Area 51, to Roswell, to the Bermuda Triangle to the haunted house in Ashok Vihar (just cuz its not on the web don't mean its not true, mister! :p) came up and of course, like it generally is with such discussions, there were varied opinions and no conclusion was drawn till the very end. Heck, I doubt those who were a party to it were looking for one anyway. Anyway, the reason I mention this in a post is cuz such conversations are not only very very fun, but they also tell you a great deal about the human psyche (thats what its always about isn't it? :p).. Now, I' m gonna break this into points A & B-

So Point A is, that when you get statements like "NASA hides a whole lot of facts from us!" or "Bermuda Triangle is really an extra terrestrial base'"(Ha!?), you can see a very inane human trait coming out in the conviction and passion with which these statements are made - Belief.

Correct. Its always about what we believe - and for us, that itself is the fact. I'm a great believer in these words- Truth lives where faith resides. Which is why I think that faith is the basis of most things in this world- including Religion.

As far as what my stand on these things is ( cuz I know that's precisely what you're thinking) - I will echo a psalm; Mark 9:23 and say what Jesus says there-

All things are possible.

So, I have faith in the existence of a higher power, a supernatural force; popularly known as God. And I believe that if the human mind can imagine it, then its possible. That's how a man landed on the moon, and that is why we have aeroplanes- Cuz some kid who spent more time playing with kites than reading books believed he could fly and got laughed at, yet believed it none the less!

That being said, having passion in what you believe and standing up for it isn't by any means a bad thing- its a good thing. A man with no faith, is a man with no hope.

Point B is a little graver- why is our first thought when we talk about ET is that would take over our world an d destroy us?

Why don't we think something like 'Okay, so the ET dudes are here.. How can we work with them to solve our problems, and see if we can help them solve some of their own in return.. Yay!" I'll tell you why- Cuz when we don't have that outlook towards fellow humans, then how the hell would we have it for some Slimy Green Goblins from galaxies away...? Says a thing or two more about human tendencies, dunnit? We doubt before we trust. We're cynics first and sensible later... Thats cool, eh (sarcasm)? Well, that's it really... I hope I made a point.

^Aliens for Peace?

In other news, Delhi plays Hyd in the 1st IPL Semi final this evening.. And the season Finale of American Idol happens tonight as well. Here's to DareDevils and Adam Lambert winning. Even if they don't though- We'll still live. :)

So that's it Elmur Fudds! (lawl).. I'm looking for a wabbit... But I'll try my best that the gap between this post and the next is lesser. Your kind words of encouragement WILL help it! You can also follow me on Twitter and FaceBook to see how my online life looks by clicking on these words in the post or on the permalinks at the bottom of my Blog page.

Finally, The weekend is upon us! And at the risk of sounding British- have a good'un, stay smashing and Cheerio!

~ He who must not be blamed :P

The Travesty of a hot, hot day II: Of sequels and prequels

2009-05-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

Do you like sequels? I'm all about them, be it my movies, my songs, my pictures in Orkut and FaceBook or as you can see here.. My Blog!

Well, well.. It keeps getting hotter and hotter 'round here in Delhi dunnit? Again, I don't really have an agenda today but I'm realizing that as a blogger, that's a good thing! You don't have to limit yourself in the realm of one topic.

Now, the title of this post is a continuation to that of the previous but the contents would probably be a little different. I will however, as a good poster, touch on some previous points of relevance. On with the show then-

So, Prof. Arindam Chaudhry called me and offered a job on his brand advertising team. I almost accepted but the thought of the hectic work schedule made me decline politely.. Yeah, that and something to do with morning dreams were the main reasons why I didn't join in the IIM bashing shenanigan! :P Seriously though, I should clarfiy myself here- I think IIPM is one of the very best in the country as far as management study goes and any prospective management students reading this should not take my last post and an indicator in making a decision on joining that institute for a course.

Moving on, we're down to the Final TWO in the season 8 of American Idol and big surprise! Its not the highly expected duo of Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey squaring off, but Lambert against Kris Allen! The look on Simon and Paula's faces as Ryan Seacrest declared the 1st finalist to be Kris was... Well, priceless. Its anybody's guess now as far as who America chooses to be the winner of the biggest reality show (although my 10 bucks are still placed firmly on Adam Lambert's eyeliner laden garb).

^ The Final Two
Kris Allen (Left) with Adam Lambert

In other reality TV news, I've become something of a regular watcher of Zee's dance reality show Dance India Dance. The thing that makes it unique of course is a) its not yet another singing show, and b) Its a dance show free of small time wannabe TV celebrities and although I'm not a big fan of the excessive crying by almost each contestant; be it girl or boy AND the judges (read Gita Kapur) on every damn episode, I so enjoy the dancing which in all honesty is just plain brilliant!So mad props to Mithun, the 3 judges- Terrence, Remo and Gita and whoever else who came up with the idea and mad love to the contestants who put on a heck of a show week after week! In a few days or so, when we're down to last few participants, I may do a review and share my thoughts 'bout who I think is gonna win and why.

^ A still of Terrence Lewis with the participants from DID

Hmmm... What else? The polls are done and the counting is on. I just saw the trends on TV and without divulging on whom I'm rooting for, I'd say that I feel we're headed in the right direction and cross my fingers... God speed! :)

Well that's it.. Its officially just 60 days left (unless they change the release date YET again!) for the release of the most anticipated movie of the year... Yes you guessed right - Warner Brothers' Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince! I just saw the trailer, and I am super excited to say the least! If you're a fan then you can view it at - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBGbKCm_pQQ OR you can check it out on My profile page@FaceBook; I'm listed as 'Manyu Shankhdhar

Welll... Thats about it for today. Interestingly, someone asked me a day or two ago "Why is everything on your Blog 'A Travesty'..?"For those of you with similar questions, please go to my very first post which is something of a prequel and was written with the very intent of answering such a question somewhere down the road - Looks like that bend is right about... Here!

With that I'm gonna sign off, folks. I've been a li'l disappointed with the absence of any comments or feedback on my posts lately, but I hope that will change; now that the weekend is upon us and you lovely ones will have more time on your hands to take a few moments out for the Apostrophe man. :)

Till I see you next, Stay cool!

~ You know who.

The Travesty of a hot, hot day..

2009-05-11T23:56:00.000-07:00

Hello, and phew! Is it hot outside or what?? As I type this I find myself very fortunate to have the comforts of a roof and air conditioning, among many others. But thinking of the crazy Delhi heat that outside is right now, I can only hope that the rains make their way here soon and things cool down a li'l bit.

I don't really have an agenda as far as this post goes, but I wanted to post something today as its been a couple o' days and the uneasiness of not posting has already begun to creep in. So, I've no qualms in admitting that albeit this is a Blogging for the sake of Blogging sort of post, there still won't be any half hearted-ness what so ever!

Welllllll.... There's been something that's caught my attention lately and more than anything, it has made me chuckle a little! Its a marketing gimmick that has been running for quite some time and I'm not sure how effective its been but the fact that the said strategy continues for over a year means that it must be yielding the dividends those making it expect it to yield.

I'm talking about celebrated management expert Prof. Arindam Chaudhry and his promotion of the famed The Indian Institute of Planning and Management, popularly known as IIPM. Now, if you've seen an IIPM newspaper promotion lately, what do you instantly recall? One phrase, one stat..? What is it? I'll tell you-

Dare to think beyond the IIMs!

Now, I know where Prof. Chaudhry is coming from. There is a huge IIM or nothing outlook in a lotta management study aspirants in this country and if you ask any prospective MBA student that which college in the country would he like to go to for his post graduate study; then you can be rest assured that 9.9 times out of 10 you'd get the staple IIM answer- and with good reason! IIM has arguably the best course structure and curriculum of all Management institutes across India and what's even more important- their students are placed at the topmost jobs, with the topmost salary packages (something that's maybe a byproduct of the huge reputation itself) but mostly, its just that tag, a medal that one wants on their shoulders to flaunt to the world. Therefore, I don't blame AC for the '..beyond IIMs' message in its entirety, BUT I am not too sure of the signals he's sending out with the whole them and us approach. Even more than being a touch negative in terms of strategy, what bothers is the free of cost marketing and brand promotion that he's doing for the very institute he wants his audience to look beyond!

Let me draw a comparison here. I dunno how many of us follow pro wrestling (Yes! I know its fake, but its fun!!), but if you're a fan of the Sports Entertainment business then you'd know that there're only two major promotions (Organizations) in America that offer the wrestling product in a mainstream, ultra commercial way - World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), and Total Non-stop Action (TNA)- and while the WWE is clearly the leader and the big brand, TNA has the potential and the ability to match up and an draw audience. However, the main reason that they constantly fail is because they keep bringing up and berating WWE on their programming at the slightest opportunity! Sadly though, instead of rising their ratings keep dipping cuz what they inadvertently end up doing, is generating awareness and interest in the minds of the fans for WWE!

Aaaaand, our dear Prof. Chaudhry is doing the exact same thing with his marketing of IIPM. Even in his rating reviews he has a mention of the IIMs. Something like this-

IIPM Ranked 7th among all business schools in India (Ahead of 2 IIMs!!)

^ Its easy to see where the emphasis is- Not on IIPM being ranked 7th but on it managing to surpass 2 branches of the prestigious IIMs. Even in his promotion of his own venture, Arindam accredits his direct competitor without probably even realizing it.

Of course, you well never hear any mention of IIPM in any of IIMs newsletters or press releases- Much like you'd never know a wrestling company known as TNA even exists if you watch WWE programming only.

Whats my point? Wellll, through this post, I wanted to look at one of the things that are really wrong with the way people think today- Something has to be made to look bad in order to make something else look good. Sad but true, hey?

I hope it made sense to you guys. If it did, please comment and even if it didn't- leave feedback to let me know.

Thats it for this one guys! I'll be back very very soon with something even more stimulating.. Till then, stay brilliant!

~ Mr. Travesty.

The Travesty of the next 'Idol'.

2009-05-09T00:12:00.000-07:00

Mermidans! Brother of the sword! Do you know what lies there, beyond that beach? Immortality- Take it, its yours!

Saw a scene from Troy and thought I'd quote it here... I love epics- All of 'em. Be it Troy, Gladiator, King Arthur.. Yeah Alexander I hated, but then that only makes it an exception that proves the rule, hey?

Well, this one's really gotta be short and this time I-mean-it.. :P I gotta be somewhere in a bit, and I'll keep this breezy. Shouldn't be tough- cuz I have a topic that I wanna post on, and its very 'interest based'.. So allow me to begin this by asking a qualifying question? Do you like music? If yes, then do you follow American Idol?

Yes! Apparently, its the most watched show on Earth or something.. I dunno abt that.. I'd have thought it was Kyunki.. Ha! Anyhoo, I am fan and keen follower of the father of all reality/talent hunt shows and watch it every week and I'll be honest, in the last couple of years I could see the X-Factor (ironically, thats also the name a new music talent show Simon Cowell has started in UK) fading.. With all due respect to the participants, there was no real drama and a sense of Anything can happen! was missing.

This year though has been vastly different, and thankfully so! The quality of the competetion and the unpredictability factor has been maintained all through and there is no clear winner, even now! That's great I think! In last night's show, Allison- the only remaining girl contestant was voted out; which leaves the top three to be an 'All boys' affair. Let's look at how they've fared-

So, we have Adam Lambert, Danny Goke and Kris Allen for our final three. Now, If you've seen even a few episodes this season then you'd know that Adam has been the most consistent and outstanding performer with Danny closely behind but its Kris, who is peaking at the right time. He is bringing out his best and matching the first two in every way, sometimes even surpassing them lately!

While Danny is the emotional favorite; with the recent unfortunate happenings in his life (his young wife's sad demise) and the constant feel that he still loves her and sings every song in her memory (even though he himself mentions her seldom)- Adam is the star as far as the vocals and versatility go. I'm telling you; as a ardent music lover and a musician myself -this guy can SING! He has shades of Steven Tyler and Darren Hayes (no matter what you say about him, Hayes has one of the most melodious soft male voices in the world, in my opinion) rolled into one. Lambert falls in the same soft-male category, but what really works for him is that he is willing to use his extraordinary range to experiment and come up with unbelievably-amazing arrangements and performances every-single-time!

As for Kris, he is truly the dark horse but what really works for him is the female fan following. Besides his boyish good looks and guitar playing ability, he also benefits by Danny's 'wife card' (While likeable, Danny is clearly not a man a woman would want to go out with right now because he needs more time to overcome his loss), and Adam's rumored homosexuality- something Adam himself hasn't spoken about openly (with good reason), but something that constantly keeps coming up on the Internet.

So there you have it, m'friends- Your final three. Each one of 'em has something going for him and only time will tell who walks out with the Idol crown (even though they're stars by now and will be on the readio at some point of time including Allison, Matt and even Anup Desai).

As for my pick- I'll go with pure ability here and say- Adam Lambert FTW!

Sooooo.. Thats it for today, warriors (ha?!?).. I'm gonna get on a jet ski here and get my act moving or I'd be late for the Bat lair..(??)

Please leave your comments and feedback.. Till I see you next- Sing for the moment!

~ 'Manyu.

The Three Legged Travesty

2009-05-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

I am back, and I'm better than E-e-ever! **Does a li'l jig**

First up, its been a hell of a day and I'm terribly late (though still just in time) for this Blog! I'm gonna keep this short and divert from the original plan a bit. Originally, I wanted to talk about the different parties and their Prime Ministerial candidates in this year's General Elections. However, I haven't been able to do the required research and I do not wanna put up a half baked toast in your plates here. So, What I'm gonna do is divide this post into three legs- In leg one, lets talk a li'l bit about the elections and do the candidate review at a later day (before the results, of course); in Leg 2, we'll touch on another topic briefly and in Leg 3, I have a small surprise for you! :)

So without further ado, let the shenanigans roll!

Leg I: The Travesty of the Electoral Season

Okaaay! How's it hangin', my countrymen! Its that time of the year again, huh? The time when we all look back at the 5 years that went by, even before we could say Laloo and throw our arms up in exasperation because the administration in charge didn't do enough; didn't stand up to the plate; didn't meet our expectations; etc etc..

Who's to blame? Well, the answer is simple- No one. Most of our lives we are dissatisfied, discontent, unhappy.. Why? Cuz we are constantly placing the blame. No one including our politicians and ourselves, is willing to accept responsibility for anything that goes wrong! I can't recall when I heard someone saying honestly that they dropped the ball and take responsibility for a major mishap.. The opposition is constantly pointing fingers at the ruling party, the ruling party at the neighbor, the neighbor at 'Big brother'; who in turn points not only the finger, but the missile at a random oil-hub and fires!

Where is this going? And what do we do? We are the worst, for we point our fingers in pretty much all directions! So in interest of time and length, I wanna say that its time to change things and with all the focus and involvement from different sections of the society; this is probably the best chance we have had in a long long time to change things. So, the first step is to get out of the house and take that walk (or drive) to the polling booth. The second, and equally important step is - Do your research- Its maybe too late but probably there's still time. What works for well connected and educated people like you and me is that we have the access to a wonderful tool known as the Internet, that has everything these days.. Its as simple as conducting a search with the keywords- Electoral candidates with criminal backgrounds and you'd at least get any idea of whom NOT to vote for.. Then out of the rest, make your own choice out of free will (Choices, remember?)..

Its-that-simple.

Now onto the next topic that I want to talk about today. Again, I will in all probability do another post about this looking at it in detail; but lemme ask you this- Do you have a dream? An ambition? I'm guessing a 100% 'Yes' as an answer. Question II- How many of us are doing something that is directly in tune with our dream? The percentages change, don't they? That, I believe is one of the biggest travesties of the modern world.. Especially in our country.

Leg II: The Travesty of Unfulfilled Dreams

Now, now; don't get me wrong here- I love my country just as much as anyone else, but in our society, the baggage of stereotype is such a heavy one to carry that most people end up putting the small bag carrying their dearest ambitions down somewhere along the way..

Yet again, I can only explain it with my own example here. At different stages of my life, I have dreamed to be a Fashion designer, a Professional Musician, a Writer, and an Interactive Media professional. Always, I've begun only to give up a few steps along the path to realization. Always, I have had only myself to blame. Finally though, I am moving in a direction with purpose and resolve like never before! I don't know how far or how successful I will get, but there is one thing that I've realized- I sleep better and more content when I compromise the overheads in life; like money, designation, social status, etc- for my dreams than when I compromise on the dreams for the overheads- something I have been doing all this time, and I'm sure a lot of us have done and continue to do.

I once read somewhere the following words-

The difference between dreams and accomplishments is purely desire.

We all love to say and quote things like these but we seldom follow them. I, finally, have taken it upon myself to go through the hardship that is involved in getting where I want to be. If I do, you'll read it here, but even if I don't; I'd sleep well at night. :)

Leg III: What job were you born for?

So here's the surprise! Taking it forward from the previous Leg, here's a little quiz that I want you all to take out 5 minutes from your valuable time and attempt. Not only is this quiz an application developed by me (a personal first) and something I'd like feedback on from each one of you; but also a small questionnaire that would probably tell you what you're best suited for and might just rekindle a little dream hiding inside you.

The quiz is on FaceBook (I assume everyone has a FaceBook account? If not, then I recommend creating one- Its not only a great tool for keeping in touch, but also for building professional networks). Once you have a FB account, enter http://apps.facebook.com/home.php?ref=canvas in the browser to go to my profile, and take the quiz!

Soooo... That does it for this edition for the 'Travesty...' series, my stars! I'll see you again soon with another story, another experience, and another perspective on the phenomenon we call Life!

Till then, keep shining!
~ Abhimanyu.

The Travesty of Choices and Destiny

2009-05-05T00:08:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome, yo!

You have entered the bizarre world of Apostrophe', where every single word can be changed by a mere touch! Its a lot like life actually, where every single thing can change by a mere choice. Thats what I have on my mind today.. Choices! Since time immemorial.. When Adam chose to taste the forbidden fruit.. Or when Willy Shakespeare famously wondered 'To be or not to be?'.. Its always been about choices, yeah? On with the show then-

Sooo, do you believe in Destiny, my friends? Well, turn the nozzle of that gun to a 180 and I'd probably say No and Yes. No, because I don't think everything that happens is already written and will happen no matter what we do... I feel that its a very defensive and almost submissive thing to blindly assign things to fate or destiny as its cool-ly known. And Yes, because I believe that by making certain choices in life we can create and influence our destiny, of course you may argue that eventually the choices that we make were also destined to be made by us...And honestly, I won't have a rebuttal. So in a way, its a never ending circle- but which side of it you begin with, is of paramount significance.

Now even when talking about these things, one has to careful of the situation. For example, it rained in Delhi yesterday against all forecasts, trends, and common logic. So, you could say it was an act of destiny, hey? I on the other hand, would argue that the Gods read my Blog and were moved by my complaint against the extreme heat! (Lawl) Seriously though, what I'm trying to say here is that there are some things we just can't control. Sometimes, if we're lucky, then we still may be in a position to influence these certain things in some way. However, there are many occasions when we can't even do that.. The weather is one of those things.

Our lives though, are a completely different can of worms, aren't they? And believe it not, but they're NOT controlled by destiny, at least not entirely as some people swear by! I swear, the number of times Ms. Angel eyes and Jabroni Joe have had an animated (read fist clenching, punch drawing) conflict of opinion on this is incredible, but trust me- its true, its damn true! And I'm gonna prove how! :)

Example time again- About 6 months or ago, I quit my stable and well paying job of 5 years to go for a Masters in Business Administration (Yeah, I know its called an MBA) from an international university, only to leave everything and come back home in less than a month! Reason(s)? Various- Financial, personal/family situation, my mother's health, etc etc.. The fact is, that I uprooted all I had to move base and did a 360 within a few weeks. Here's the icing- something similar happened about 3 years ago as well, the only difference being that it was an Indian univ at that time... Strange, hey? Unfortunate?... Fate, did I hear you say? Touche' ;)

There was a time, (and there still is the odd moment) when I thought the same way. Its so damn easy blaming it on destiny and my ill-luck, but the fact of the matter remains that I chose it all myself! I chose to come back, when I could have stuck it out. I know people in similar situations who stayed back.. It happens all the time, man! Not with me, though.. I couldn't have taken that chance and left it all on a sleight of hand, or a twist of fate. Guess what else? I'm glad I did it cuz its a chance I just couldn't have taken. I chose, and therefore I am!

Its that-damn-simple.

So here's your punch line. In almost every situation we get to choose. It may be between the good and the bad, the easy and the right, to vote or to not, to ask or to wait, to say a Yes or a No... It could be anything, but we ALWAYS have a choice. Its upto us to make it, and even if we don't choose, we're still making a choice- that of not making one. :)

Our lives are all about the choices we make. Most of these choices are tough and take a lot of courage to make. A lot of times it easier to do nothing and let things take their own course... Sometimes, we sacrifice our dreams when we do that.

Most importantly, and this is the shocker- destiny exists- but its not a pre-written script; its a product of some significant moments in our lives and the choices we make in those moments. The more important ones become who we are- They become our destiny. So we can choose the way our destiny unfolds, or let destiny choose the way our life unfolds.

Reading that last line, you might say that what's the difference? Well, I say that its like the difference between being a hero by sacrifice or one by courage; between doing whats easy, or what's right; between getting lost in the crowd or making yourself heard; If you think these are one and the same, then it makes no difference at all. But if you understand it, then it makes all the difference in the world.. :)

Well that's it for now wild ones! Hope that stimulated your minds enough to warrant a comment (in support, or against- is immaterial- just say what you feel!). I have an interesting and informative post coming up about the General elections and the different parties/candidates lined up for tomorrow, so make sure you tune in! However, even if you don't- its a choice that you'd be making.. And I can dig that! :)

Till I see you again, stay super!
~ You know who.

The Travesty of being a Hero.

2009-05-04T07:30:00.000-07:00

Whazzaaa!!! I am back!!

Sooooooo.... Two posts in a month and then the next two within a DAY! What a turnaround baybay! yeah! Well, its been a lazy day with a lotta creative flow of thought, and a walk in the unexpected untimely rain has only made me feel lighter and better! On with the show then-

So, whats our little travesty today? Well, its a most unlikely one; that, of being a hero.

It may sound absurd but don't be naive, even heroes have the right to bleed.
I may be disturbed but won't you concede, even heroes have the right to dream.
And its not easy, to be me..

~ Five for fighting

The word Hero is defined by Webster as-

i)A person who is endowed with great courage and strength; Or

ii)A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life.

Now, why would someone who has great courage and strength and is noted for their nobility find it a travesty to do what they do (Apart from the 'sacrificing one's life' bit, of course)? Well, for the simple reason that sometimes playing the hero becomes such a big deal, such an expectation to live upto for our own selves that we put waaay too much pressure on ourselves trying to trump it each and everytime. Sadly though, the law of averages says that sooner or later, we're bound to buckle under..

Lemme share an interesting incident that happened not too long ago. While talking to an old friend of mine who got married a couple of years ago and moved cities (from one) to another major Metro; she mentioned that she would be visiting her mother in a few months and I told her that it would be an opportunity for us to catch up after a long time, to which she said "I don't know if my husband would like that yaar.." Now this is one of the most intellectual and liberated women that I have known during all my years, and I always knew her to make her decisions and stick by them. So what went wrong?

Well, she married a guy who while is a wonderful person; is probably not the most compatible man for her. Why did she take such a decision when she knew him to be that way (which she did by the way) before they got married, you will ask? Simple, she did it to make her mother happy- and now she avoids doing things that would please her but might not sit well with her husband, soon she would do similar things for her children - all of it because she made the choice of being her mother's hero (which mind you, is one of the most noble and dutiable things to do). Where is this going, you say? Well, I'm certainly not making a post on the 'Plight of the modern day woman' and the person I'm talking about perhaps has as ideal and comfortable an existense as you can imagine. She is also, by no means 'sad', but while talking to her, I sensed a void that I never thought I'd see when I knew her back then.

So, all I'm trying to say that we see NUMEROUS examples around us where people do things to make others happy and compromise on their dreams.. Some say, that thats the way to live life.. But I say that those who love us are concerned about our happiness too and eventually they understand and support the decisions we take in life. But more than anything else, its crucial to realize that being a hero is not always about making sacrifices.. Sometimes, its about being who we are and standing up for it, and if we have the strength and courage to do just that- then we're truly Heroes.

Well, two contrasting posts in one day, hey? I hope I can keep the thoughts flowing and keep it this regular. For those who read this, please don't forget to post your valuable comments. Your feedback is more important to me than any ad space I can get ;)

Till next time pretty ones, keep up the awesomeness!

**Makes mental note to not use the term "pretty ones" for the next 33 light years**

~ Mr. Apostrophe'

The Travesty of not being able to Blog

2009-05-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

Okaaaaaaay! So FINALLY eh? Finally, I'm down to being direct and outright desperate (maybe a little too early for my own liking?)... But seriously man, I have only myself to blame. I'm already one month into this blog and I have a mere TWO posts! WASSAPWIDATT!?!

Dewwwd... This is not what I had in mind when I began this blog. Sure, things haven't been exactly ideal in terms of getting enough time with a new job and then my mother's illness.. More importantly though, the flow of thoughts, that creative stimulation, it just has not been there!

But enough is enough and its time for a change. I read somewhere; I think it was a James Hadley Chase novel- 'If you want something done, then you might as well do something about it'. Yeah, regular sort of a line I know, but its kinda how I feel about this blog right now- and I've finally decided to do something about it. So.... Let's get this bad boy on the road!

Whats up then? This one's gonna be breezy.. It'll be about this and that, and here and there.. No heavy stuff today.. Li'l Joey and pretty Angela will have to wait for another post till happily ever after comes... But we're all praying it comes, yeah? :)

Well, the general elections are upon us; and I'd probably do a post just on that subject. I may even look at different candidates and who's worth their salt and pepper(?). Anyhoo, I wanna take a second to slide in a strong advise and urge you that if you're reading this, then please exercise.... Ahem, I mean yes, that too.. Look at that flab on the side, chunky! But more importantly, exercise that right to vote.. For whomever (is it whom, or who..? I never know..) you fancy.. But DO vote, okay pretty ones?

Now that we have that moral message out of the way, I wanna say how boring this summer has been thus far... What with the heat (Man don't we love the heat?), No IPL this year (Goes to answer phone).. 'What? What do you mean it's happening in SA..? Oh, okay..' Ha! Well, that.. Was awkward.. So anyway, I was saying no IPL in India.. What if I wanna go out and catch some 'Live action', and no, I don't mean what you're thinking smart Alec.. This is still a family Blog. And hey, how could I forget? NO MOVIES!

Will someone tell the producers and the cinema owner guys to shake on it, or hug it out, or kiss and make up, or do the funky chicken to call it truce or WHATEVER! I don't care! I wanna see some new movies and not a 1371#92&301908th re run of 'Oh Darling, yeh hai India!' .. Even if its a Shah Rukh Khan movie.. In fact, especially cuz its a Shah Rukh Khan movie.. Damn, to be honest I won't even mind watching a SRK movie as long as its a new release.. Okay I didn't mean that.. I can't take a movie that has the Bad-Shah of Bollywood, but ANYTHING else would do! I heard Mithun was making a comeback..? Just bring it sir!

Thankfully, Holly flicks are still coming out and I'd prolly catch one of them very soon.. God speed the Prince (any Potter fans out there)!!

Well, my non sense is done.. Oddly enough, it made more sense to me than it has done in a long while.. I hope I get more people to subscribe and make more comments.. Not cuz I'm selling it, but cuz it's a cool blog to buy! :p

That's it for this time lovelykins. Till the next time, stay awesome!

~ 'Manyu.

The Travesty of being responsible: A letter to God

2009-04-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

A letter to God

Dear God,

Yet another strike in your world, another massacre, another instance of a man’s thirst for power quenched temporarily with the blood of innocence, till the next time it raises its venomous head and strikes again.

What’s unfortunate, and somewhat ironic, is that the perpetrators of this madness call it a crusade, a mission, in your name! Surely, that’s absurd, isn’t it? For nowhere in the sermons and the preaching that’s Yours; dwelled by those sent down from your village above- does it say that a man be killed to prove another's loyalty to You, to establish faith in religion, or to achieve salvation from the heavens. Then of course, it must be about power. A charade- poorly masqueraded in Your name, under the pretence of faith and in the quest of nothing but selfish gain; of a man, a clan, or a nation.

Then, tell me God- what can those who know and understand the bloodiness and pointlessness of this by-now-common-but-not-any-less-appalling carnage do, to stop it? Can we do anything? Can it be stopped? It can be- as has been shown by some other nations in the world, that not only can this ghastly snake like monster called terror be pre empted and stopped, but also nearly eradicated - if the will to do so is strong enough.

Then what is it? Does this nation lack the will? Are our leaders not effective enough? Are we a nation run by inadequate men? Do those, who have the power to make important decisions not use it as well as they can? What is it that goes wrong? I think I know the answer- Questions. That’s right, we ask way too many questions, point too many fingers, expect too much from others and do too little ourselves!

Let’s look at a few more, different set of questions, shall we? How many of us follow all the laws? How many times have we offered a bribe, or used an influential relative’s name to save some time and inconvenience? Do we ask for a receipt when we buy a commodity or do we prefer to save the 12% VAT? Did we litter the packing on the street last time we had a snack? How many of us got our passport or our drivers’ license through the proper channel and means? Lastly, and probably most tellingly, did we exercise our right to vote in the recently concluded elections? Till when would we go on candle light vigils at drop of the quintessential hat convincing ourselves beyond the shadow of a doubt in the process of how righteous we are as people, but on our drive back home would consider it an incompetence not to break the speed limit or jump a traffic light on a cop-free intersection?

True, there are leaders and politicians in this country who’re corrupt but can we proudly and honestly say we’re not? And yet, we grab the first opportunity and call for the heads of those who’re in power whenever something goes wrong and offends us, but choose to conveniently look the other way when it suits us! Politicians; just like us, are people! If we resort to underhanded and immoral practices day in and day out; sometimes without even realizing it, how can we blame anyone else for the same thing?

If charity begins at home, then so does the improvement- If each one of us takes the responsibility and ownership of doing everything the right way, then soon, sooner than we expect, we’d see an ocean of change around us!

Dear God, thank you- for giving me the answers that I sought. For making me realize that the solution to everything lies not around me, but inside me. May I have the courage to change myself and may the world change with me. And so be it, Amen.

In the beginning..

2009-04-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

God created Man. Centuries later, I was born and thereafter, all hell broke loose.

So who am I? That is something that anyone following my blog will wonder at some point of time; once they're a regular reader of my stuff. So essentially , I'm not expecting many people to read this post before they've read a few of my subsequent posts and have begun to wonder who the creator of this awesome piece of marvelousity is. So, this is really what you'd call a 'prequel' and even though that makes little sense right now, one day it will- trust me.

The clock strikes 12, the moon drops burst out at you from their hiding place.
It's a nexus of the crisis, and an origin of storms.
Just the place to hopelessly encounter time; and in came me....

So said Blue Oyester Cult and James Hetfield confirmed. Well, I'm the storm, and the also the lull after (before?) it.

So, why Apostrophe? And what travesty? Later, my dears.. Later. For now, I'm gonna tell a li'l story-

It happened somewhere in Rome..

Ever since he knew its meaning, little boy Joe wanted someone to love and be loved by. It was the only worthwhile ambition in his otherwise empty and devoid life. "What a joke!", he'd often wonder. Having lost his father at a young age, and being never quite known to his own mother despite her physically being present had left him disillusioned and looking for Somebawday to love! like Jim Carey would say..

Not too far away from there..

Ever since she was born, little babe Angela constantly found not only a silver spoon, but a gold baby feeder in her mouth and diamond studded diapers around her waist, which obviously were quite uncomfortable at times. She had an affectionate mother and a doting father. Life was perfect and yet, it was colorless. Need I say more..?

Yes! You're right on the money, and so are you, and you and YOU there on the far left - Come on kid! You can raise you hand higher and smile a little. You're right for a change! So my dears, like you must've guessed by now; little Joe grew up and fell hopelessly in love with little Angel's divine glow who in return fell even deeper in love with his simplicity and earnest love, and they lived happily ever after- Until, reality bit....

That, my friends, is the Travesty -

Your guess is as good as mine on what hit them- It could be anything; Maybe it was Princess Angela's father, King George the XXXIIth, who put his foot down and did more than just frown upon his daughter's association with poor boy Joe (I know I didn't specifically say he's poor, but isn't it obvious?), or maybe it was the difference in lifestyles and Joe boy's own insecurities that drew them apart, or perhaps Angel baby's indecision to take that stand against the big bad world, or maybe ALL of that- but the fact of the matter is that Every once in a while, right in the middle of a peaceful existence, there comes a travesty. And how we deal with that travesty and whether we overcome it, or succumb to it decides what sorta stuff we're made of! That is what my blog will talk about; stories, incidents and happenings from our daily lives that present us with a travesty and a reaction at every step. Of course, every once in a while it will just be about random non sense too.. But then since when did that become an oddity? Lawl!

And yes, as we go along, we will keep coming back to the Joey-Angela love story from time to time - Just to see how they fared and what became of them. Savvy?

As for the Apostrophe, that is me; Your blogger host who's just an inconsequential symbol on his own, but give me a word, and I'll make it cool!

So I'll leave this one right here pretty ones! I hope you learned a little bit about the 'Man behind the blog' today.

Till I see you next, listen to the stars

~ The man with no name.