Politically Incorrect

Choice of Union

2011-10-27T23:01:00.001-07:00

I am usually the least interested in discussing about the 'M' word. But with so many people around me getting into it & talking about it, I am forced to let my mind think about it & try to understand what it is all about.
According to me marriage , living-ins are basically the same. As the essence of commitment should be felt by d two individuals & not enforced upon them by societal pressure.. If all people in relationships feel so it would definitely bring more earnestness in the union, call it by whatever name.. I know that it may seem inappropriate to cite d example of brad & angelina.. coz indian society continues to be hypocritical .. (partly coz I am an ardent fan of angie).. But human relations ought to be the same world over.. Both of them love each other stay together, raise kids together with both being equally committed to their kids emotionally as well as legally.. Just like any other family.. The only difference is that they hven't gone through a process of a wedding!
Is this possible in an Indian set-up.. ? Though I would love to say yes.. The truth is v r still bound by d shackles of age old traditions.. But quiet aware of d global thought.. Thus, creating a weird concoction of thoughts..
I definitely don't wanna sound anti-marriage.. For me its just a celebration of love & full time companionship. An occasion to socialize with long lost friends & family & seek there blessings & well wishes before embarking on a beautiful journey together.
But it isn't as simple as that is it? Since times immemorial weddings were always known as an expensive affair.. But now its a crazy industry driven by peoples' carnal desire to show -off their wealth/ hospitality.. But inspite of everything you do the guests are always going to have something to say about the biryani you served or the liquor collection you had..
So for the middle-class it is therefore preferable to save that sizeable portion of wealth for a luxurious retirement, or the world tour which they always thought of indulging in. But people fear social ostracization.. the fear of losing social standing drives people to conform to the drivel. Most of which is pretty outdated. Unfortunately, it is true that it easier to conform to d standards then to explain to each & every person u know about your radical views. Most of whom are boneheaded & unreceptive of new thoughts.
The most common accusation is of having loose character & lack of respect for ones culture. Culture is something that needs to be understood from the core & its fundamental values should be adapted into our modern lives. Blindly aping it without knowing its essence is shameful.
The mid- path would be a registered marriage. Ironically, for some that piece of paper called marriage certificate would make all the difference on d world.
The most common idea is that people living in don't need to have commitment towards each other. This attitude can turn quiet dangerous. It should be more like the, ' We are together & we need not prove to he world that we are together attitude.'
So the bottomline is, what do I conclude at the end of my ramblings?.. Which cause m I supporting?.. My answer is, none in particular. I feel that it is a personal decision based on existing circumstances. Most importantly people should not be judgemental of others & relationships r to be valued higher than rituals.
As for me, I'll probably go for a 'big fat Indian wedding'.. Atleast if I think so, I'll be driven to increase my bank balance ;). Cheers!

My Hero

2011-04-03T01:38:00.000-07:00

.. 20-20 world cup winners,No.1 team in test cricket, IPL Trophy, ,.. & now the wold cup !! His performance has SHUT UP every1 who had ever written him off, wanted him to be sacked questioned his decisions or called him a FLUKE.. DHONI is an analyst par excellence, shrewd manager of talent. He will remain one of the BEST captains cricket will ever produce .. & his humility & grace in victory is seen in the way he happily let his team mates bask in the glory while he himself slipped into oblivion retaining his trademark coolness & composure. Could anyone have imagined that a few years ago that this erstwhile ticket collector from Ranchi would change the face of the game..Love u Dhoni-u inspire me.. U r my mentor..

Design.Believe: Final Sheets 5 & 6 [3/4]

2011-02-27T05:15:00.000-08:00

Design.Believe: Final Sheets 5 & 6 [3/4]

Kamal Malik, Principal Architect, Kamal Malik Architecture, Mumbai | aecworldxp

2011-02-17T08:57:00.000-08:00

Kamal Malik, Principal Architect, Kamal Malik Architecture, Mumbai | aecworldxp

Can't explain this feeling within me...

2011-02-11T23:26:00.000-08:00

Did you ever fall for someone you know you shouldn't?
Try hard to fight your feelings, but you just couldn't?
You fall deeper with each passing day,
But try to hide it in every possible way.
He's only a friend, and nothing else--
That's the lie you keeping telling yourself.
You keep on saying he's just a bud,
But deep inside, you're falling in love.
You get so giddy when you meet his eyes,
But keep reminding yourself it isn't right.
A simple glance turns into a stare,
But you pretned that you don't care.
It's "not right" for you two to be.
Is that why you hide it so no one can see?
But how long will you pretend?
Keep lying that he's just a friend?
Perhaps your feelings you can never show.
Perhaps it's "wrong" for him to know.
Your friendship can't be risked over this,
So being his girl is an impossible wish...

Perceptions of Life

2010-08-28T06:19:00.000-07:00

My career has always been one of my top priorities. I continue to work hard on my career. But sometimes I do feel that for all the hard work I put in the results I get could be much better. There are people who don’t put in half as much work that I put in, plagiarize others work, make the best possible use of sweet talk and use many other shortcuts to get there work done. So what should I do about it. I obviously cannot stop them from doing what they do. So should I also feel that all the work I am putting in is meaningless. Thats when I remembered one of the great Quotes of Rancho from '3 Idiots'..

“Never try to be successful, pursue excellence
Success is the bye product & the result
Excellence always creates Success & it is a process of continual improvement
Never run after success
Let it happen automatically in life”

I then realized that I work for works sake. I enjoy being a designer & I work without any expectations of money or fame. After all these five years, I can now say finally become a Purist! It is not about the marks, its all about the self satisfaction u get when you produce your baby. And believe me this has worked for me in the past one year. When you work on anything with utmost passion, It gets reflected in your work. And I am happy that today, most of the profs think highly of my work.

But then again, my colleagues aren’t too pleased about it. For every single praise I get from my superiors, there is lot of backbiting and gossip aiming to malign me. It used to disturb me earlier. But now, I just pity them. Whenever I see someone doing better then me, I get influenced by them and try to emulate their qualities. I now feel that I better now not feel depressed due to the loneliness induced by others, who I earlier called friends. The positive part is that I could finally separate the wheat from the chaff and get to know the people who are true to me.

Its not the quantity of friends that matters. Its their qualities that matter. I don’t feel the need to change myself for anyone’s sake. Neither do I feel the need to conform to the trends. If people accept me the way I am , its good. If people don’t, its even better. Ultimately, each one of us is fighting his or her lone battles. It’s my passion that remains my ultimate driving force.

South Canara – A Tropical Paradise in every way

2010-06-08T10:13:00.001-07:00

It’s been a while since my last post. I finally found the time and urge to blog about after a refreshing trip to Karnataka. With lots of spare time on my hands owing to the ongoing vacations, I now begin to write my most detailed travelogue ever.
A family vacation is what everyone looks forward to.. But I had second thoughts about it.. My disinclination was mostly based on my exhaustion than anything else. I was fresh from the month long bombardment of exams and juries and all I needed was some time to unwind before commencing on any journey. My family practically forced me to join them and thank God they did. It would have been extremely unfortunate to have missed it.
I was wrong about the trip right from day one, I half expected it to be a sort of pilgrimage but it was in fact a delightful blend of fun & relaxation. The best part of the trip was that there was absolutely no planning involved as we had just decided to go the previous night before departure. With no booking whatsoever, we just went with the flow as we explored one location after another.
Our first stop was the coastal temple town of Udupi. We reached there in the morning & the ride there by bus was quiet pleasurable. There were these quaint little cottages with mangalore tiled roofs surrounded with lush greenery on all sides Some even had the backside of the cottages directly facing the sea. All that was required was a hammock tied between two coconut trees and Voila! you have your own house cum Beach resort. If a person ever gets bored of the sea (If at all such a thing is possible) there are always these thickly forested hills running adjacent to the sea side .With such abundant natural beauty, it is obvious that any person would fall in love with the place.
We visited the Shri Krishna Temple & set off by car to Kollur travelling across the Mukambika Wildlife Sanctuary and then to Shringeri travelling across the dense Agumbe Forest where it was dark even during mid noon time as the sunlight had to trickle down through the dense vegetation.
We also had a delightful drive across the Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary (Kudremukh being the highest peak of Karnataka) & then continued our journey covering many important spiritual locations before finally reaching Mangalore.
Mangalore was nothing similar to what I had in mind. It is a hip & vibrant city filled with classy hotel and malls. Our favourite pastime was to keep an eye on the continuous flow of visitors going to the mall from our hotel room window. I sort of felt that people did more shopping there then in Mumbai. Some parts did however retain the old world charm, with their winding irregular streets & mangalore tiled houses. The food there was simply superb & the pricing was nominal too.
The journey from Mangalore to Hassan took around 4hrs.Hassan is home to one of the most exquisitely carved series of temples in India. The temples of Halebid & Belur are famous all over the world with many foreign tourists streaming in at all times of the day. Then, there is also the gigantic monolithic statue of Gomateshwar in Shravanabelagola.
The terrain and the climate slowly started changing as we journeyed from the flat & dry plains of Hassan to the Mountainous & misty terrain of Coorg. We made a stop at Kushalnagar in Coorg District which is home to the Golden Temple situated in the SOS Tibetan village. We then crossed Madikeri to reach Talacauvery- the starting point of Cauvery river. We were welcomed by the Fog slowly creeping into the landscape & enveloping the Mountains above & the valleys below. Water is said to sprout from the spring in Talacauvery thrice in October. On our way back, we covered all the vanity points in Madikeri, including Omkareshwara temple which is built on the lines of a mosque.
I guess I so Karnataka at its best. I realized that there were so many pristine & scenic locations that a normal traveler may be unaware of, but I would prefer it to remain that way. The best guide a person can ever find is his own curiosity. That’s why I don’t usually prefer package tours. The satisfaction I get out of exploring a place on my own is much more than blindly following the tour operator & seeing what he wants me to see.
Some of the high points of the trip are:-
• Authentic Udupi food.
• Being mistaken for a Naxalite at the army security checkpost at the start of the Horanadu forest due to my attire (I had covered my face entirely to protect myself from heat & strong wind)
• A fox crossing our path while driving through Agumbe forest.
• Sipping hot piping tea in the middle of a tea plantation in Horanadu.

An interesting incident took place when I was returning from the trip via Chennai. It happened while the train was passing through Andhra .It made me want to go back to my roots so badly. Watch this space for more….

South Canara – A Tropical Paradise in every way

2010-06-08T10:13:00.000-07:00

Matrix

2009-10-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

The Matrix trilogy has always been an all-time favourite. It is an action , sci-fi movie deeply rooted in symbolism & philosophy. I found these religious interpretations of certain tracks of the movie definitely worth a mention..

The Matrix Revolutions: Symbolism

Symbolism of Names

Rama Kandra We meet Sati's father Rama Kandra in the Train Station but we first see him in Reloaded in Le Vrai Restaurant. He's being hauled off in this scene and we can assume this is tied to his negotiation with the Merovingian to get Sati out of the mainframe. Rama Kandra, (usually Ramchandra) was an incarnation of Vishnu in Hinduism. He destroyed demons in his quest to rid the world of evil.

Kamala Sati's mother Kamala is another name for Laksmi which is the Hindu goddess of wealth and good fortune.

The Rama Kandra family are tied closely to the themes of Hinduism in the Matrix. Bernard White, who played Rama Kandra told Cinescape magazine that he had a copy of the Bagavad Gita with him all the time during filming. He also did a live performance of the Bagavad Gita in L.A. and urged Matrix fans to see it because it's a 'great spiritual inspiration for the Matrix films'.

Club Hel The club that the Matrix crew visit to learn how to find Neo obviously stands for Hell. The Merovingian rules the 'underworld' here like Hades from Greek mythology. Hades was also the character who stole Persephone and forced her to live with him in Hell.

Trainman Programs are smuggled in and out of the Matrix by the Trainman. He built the Train Station program and the Merovingian controls what goes in and out.

Symbolism of Music

Navras
by Don Davis (found on the Revolutions Soundrack)

Navras plays over the closing credits of Revolutions, and the words of the main chant are taken from the Upanishads.

This is what you hear:

Asato ma sad gamaya,
tamaso ma jyotir gamaya,
mrtyor mamrtam gamaya.
Shanti, Shanti, Shanti.

Which translates to:

Lead us from darkness to the light,
Lead us from knowledge of the unreal to the real,
Lead us from fear of death to knowledge of our immortality.
Peace, peace, peace.

And if that doesn't symbolize the entire Matrix Trilogy, I don't know what does.

Dilbert- 'The Architect '

2009-07-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

A Tribute to Michael - My King

2009-06-27T04:27:00.000-07:00

It’s been barely a month since my grandma passed away & I already have another reason to mourn. I reached home today morning and got the most shocking news about the demise of my most favorite artist, performer & Icon. About a month ago, I read an article in the newspaper about ‘Michael Jackson slowly dying’. I never really realized the true seriousness of the news until now. It’s surprising how much we take a person for granted when there’s time & we miss the person dearly when is just too late.
I spent my entire day watching his songs on VH1 (They were having a Michael Jackson tribute all day) when I came across a very special song which took me back in time. I was still a two year old kid when I first saw Michael in his hit single ‘Thriller’ when my Dad was watching it. My Dad was & still is a big fan of Michael Jackson. I loved that song so much that I used to run to the TV every time it was aired. Again, I used to run out of the room seeing the scary zombies in the video & still continued to listen to the song from the door.
I always felt that Michael has been one of the most misunderstood people. He was taken advantage of right from his childhood. His father kept cashing in on his in-born talent throughout his childhood. His first performance was at the age of four, so complete burnout at the age of 50 was inevitable. In his career spanning 46 long years he has never ceased to amaze the people. He was a star right from the the beginning, this can be seen in the early performances of Jackson 5, where he outshines all his elder brothers.
The most extraordinary character of his songs is that each one is so different & ingenious. Each song is a gem, unique in its own way. I possess all of his records, the earlier ones in the form of cassettes. I would have liked experience at least one concert of his though. I missed the golden chance when he came to Mumbai the last time. Though he was aware of his waning health, being the showman that he was, he wanted to give his one last concert, his swansong in July. Unfortunately, his dream remained unrealized.
Over the last decade, Michael’s name has been synonymous with controversy. He was dragged in & out of court for countless reasons which I am not interested in mentioning. Sure, he had his quirkiness but that doesn’t make a person bad. I guess everyone was after his money. These issues overshadowed all the good causes he relentlessly worked for and propagated. He had addressed many core issues in his songs be it Poverty, World Peace, Equality, Racism, Aids Awareness, Support for African victims & the Environment. He has in fact donated millions of dollars for these causes. He helped to make the world a better place.
With his demise, one of the greatest music eras has come to an end. He has made the most momentous contribution in the international music world & his greatness can never ever be matched by any artist in the times to come. I salute this man & I will always remain his biggest fan all my life.
P.S- This posting got delayed by a day thanks to the crashing of the web world yesterday due to the tremendous traffic yesterday.

Missing You...

2009-06-17T04:39:00.000-07:00

I heard this Amazing song 'Missing' by Everything but the Girl. I found it extremely addictive because of the subtle way it expresses the pain experienced after emotional detachment.I guess many people in this world can relate to it including myself.Here it goes :

I step off the train
I'm walkin' down your street again
And pass your door
But you don't live there anymore
It's years since you've been there
And now you've disappeared somewhere
Like outer space
You've found some better place

And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you
Oh
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

Could you be dead?
You always were two steps ahead
Of ev'ryone
We'd walk behind while you would run
I look up at your house
And I can almost hear you shout, down to me
Where I always used to be

And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

Back on the train
I ask why did I come again
Can I confess?
I've been hangin' 'round your old address
And the years have proved
To offer nothin' since you moved
You're long gone
But I can't move on

And I miss you
Oh-oh (Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, yeah
(Like the deserts miss the rain) And I miss you

I step off the train
I'm walkin' down your street again
Pass your door
I guess you don't live there anymore
It's years since you've been there
And now you've disappeared somewhere
Like outer space
You've found some better place

And I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, yeah
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, and I miss you
(Like the deserts miss the rain)
And I miss you, yeah
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

Deserts miss the rain
(Like the deserts miss the rain) Like the deserts miss the rain
(Like the deserts miss the rain)

Remembrance....

2009-06-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

People come into our life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When we know which one it is, we will know what to do for that person..
When someone is in our life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need we have expressed.
They have come to assist us through a difficulty, to provide us with guidance and support,
to aid us physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend and they are.
They are there for the reason we need them to be.
Then, without any wrongdoing on our part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer we sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into our life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring us an experience of peace or make us laugh.
They may teach us something we have never done.
They usually give us an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach us lifetime lessons,
things we must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Our job is to accept the lesson,
love the person and put what we have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of our life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant!!

P.S -Thank you for being a part of my life,
whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime,
I will always remember you...

Grand Memories

2009-05-30T05:57:00.000-07:00

As I look into my Grandmother's eyes
I seem to feel a bit surprised
She sits there in her silly old chair
Clicking her heels, it's too much to bear

See she can't walk, sing, or speak
She is thin and looks very weak
It saddens me to see her so
That life has brought her to a terrible low

She can remember a little from the past
But the present goes by way too fast
She knows her son you'll see
It's hard for her to remember me

I wish I knew how she was feeling
Maybe there are secrets she is concealing
I wonder what goes through her mind
As she sleeps there in a bind

Speak to me Grandma; wake out of your trance
Please get up, move, or dance
I want to see again the sparkle in your eyes
Because I know that's where the truth lies

You used to sing with a glorious tune
Tomorrow to hear you sing was never too soon
You saved so many lost souls everyday
Taught them about God and all he has to say

You were so strong, mighty, and bold
Your life was too short to already been sold
I miss hearing you sing and pray
The hours are cutting short, it could be any day

I want you back sound body and mind
I wish there were a key I could find
To bring you back out of this state
Oh why did this have to be your fate

This must have been God's very plan
To watch you grow and see your wings span
You've served him right from the start
He welcomes you to his home and heart

My love for you will never die
I will hold your Sparkle in my eye
I know I'll be singing with you someday soon
Walking through the gates of heaven,
singing the same glorious tune

IPL Fever Ends

2009-05-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

The IPL fever which had gripped the cricketing world for a month came to end yesterday after a dramatic victory of Hyderabad Deccan Chargers over Bangalore Royal Challengers. The outcome of this year’s tournament couldn’t have been better as the teams which finished last & second last in 2008 finished first & second this year.
Deccan Chargers were my favorite ever since the team was announced last year. They were the best team on paper but they weren’t able to get anything right last year. But this year they were consistently good & hence they lifted the cup which they rightfully deserved. The Bangalore Royal Challengers also did a great job by climbing the points table from the near bottom to the top.
The arrangement of the closing ceremony was incredible. It was breathtaking to see the night sky adorned with lanterns & fire crackers. The laser show also made for a pretty interesting sight. This however was not reflected in the performances organized. It was disappointing to see Akon lip-synching to his own song & appearing disinterested throughout the act. Even veteran singer Eddy Grants performance became repetitive to the point that it seemed boring. And the worst part was the so-called dance performance by Katrina Kaif on the Pussycat Doll’s version of ‘Jai Ho’. That was an enormously bad representation of Bollywood dance on an International Platform.
It is needless to say that the biggest winner of IPL 2 is South Africa. It earned a considerable amount of revenue hosting it, not to mention the enormous amount of donations made by the franchise owners & BCCI to the charitable organizations in SA. The same money could have made much difference in our own country considering the vast number of people suffering of poverty in India.
The positive part of taking IPL to SA was that it added a truly global touch to it. Since, SA has a substantial Indian population the spectators were just as passionate as in India. Can’t wait for the next IPL, till then I hope all the Indian team players recover from the fatigue caused by this before the T 20 world cup..

‘The Guy-Liner’ Vs ‘The Guy-next-door’

2009-05-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

...........................................

Adam Lambert

Chris Allen

I have been an avid follower of ‘American Idol’ ever since it’s first season aired back in 2002, much before its Indian counterpart hit the television screens in India. Its crisp & professional setting leaves very less or no time for drama unlike the singing shows which bombard various television channels in India & for this precise reason I still remain its fan..

I never planned to watch this season so intently but I got interested when I saw Anoop Desai audition for it. The thought of seeing an incredibly talented Indian-American on one of the most esteemed & iconic platforms of American pop culture got me hooked. This was what I thought before I got to see Adam.

From the moment I saw this guy, I realized that he was different..different because he was by far more talented than the best whom I had seen so far, different because he was not only a great singer & performer but also a musical genius, different because he did not conform to the trend & dared to be himself, different because he was gay…

I was not surprised when news reports came in much later about the controversy surrounding his sexual orientation. Though Adam & the producers of the show have always maintained their silence on this issue the truth can be felt the same way I felt it. I am sure it would have broken the hearts of many females to see this good looking crooner kissing a guy but that would be selfish on their part wouldn’t it?

I never felt that this would ever jeopardize his chance of winning the contest as the high notes he reaches would easily shut the critics up & when America could elect its first Black president, Adam winning seemed more believable. Besides, he could be an Icon for the gay crowd & carry forward their message to the people.

The final showdown between Adam Lambert & Chris Allen was like a battle between two diametrically opposite personalities. The cool & calm good boy-next door as opposed to the hot & fiery Eye-liner wearing Adam made for an interesting finale. I was shocked when Adam Lambert lost out in the final to Chris. Chris is a very good singer& also a nice guy, but it was easy to see that Adam was at least three times a better than him. I firmly believe that the public got it wrong this time & the reasons could be many:-

1. The fans of semi-finalist Danny Gokey defected toward Chris.

2. Chris’s boyish charm won over the quintessential rock star image that Adam projected.

3. People didn’t vote because of the blatant favoritism of judges towards him which made people think that he would anyway win irrespective of whether they vote or not.

4. Some would have been turned off because of the controversy surrounding him.

Whatever the reason may be, Adam has always remained an epitome of humility despite the fact that he is put at such a pedestal by the media & the judges. He has a good heart & that is seen through his music. This is seen when he goes ahead & thanks his musicians publicly after every performance. He even proclaimed that he was fortunate to be sharing the stage with Dannny & Chris, whom he regards as fabulous singers.

In a way, I sense that not winning might be beneficial to Adam:-

1. He might get more creative freedom with the music company he chooses & get to make the kind of music he wants.

2. He might outsell Chris in the long run.

3. He hits the music scene as an individual artist not carrying the baggage of ‘Idol’.

I can proclaim without flinching that he is iconic & will remain so in the times to come. There are very few who can sing songs of U2, Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, etc. with such panache’. And I will always remain his fan irrespective of whether he kisses a man, woman, or a cow!

You know you are an architecture student when..

2009-03-14T07:24:00.000-07:00

....your roommates say "good morning," and you reply "good night."

....you carry a toothbrush in your backpack.

.....'Coffee' is you favorite drink.

...all of the gifts you give are wrapped in tracing.

...after all of your expenses, you can't afford to pay attention

...you have 3 or more cups of black coffee in one night

...you hear the same song on the radio 3 or more times in one night.

... You know the different taste between Fevicol and Fevibond

... You can stay alive without sunlight, communicate with people nor having foods but you would commit suicide if the plotter doesn't plot your work out

...the only sleep you get is during lectures.

...You've lost your house key and u realized week later

...you sleep more than 16 hrs at weekends

...u dance madly at 3 am though u aren't drunk

...you note something with your rotring

... You are an expert and Photoshop, illustrator and auto cad but u don't know how to use MS excel...

....you've got 2 subjects / day but u got to study it whole day.

...you only leave work to buy supplies.

....you've ever dreamt about your models.

...upon hearing 'supermodel', you think of a nicely crafted-foam core model.

...your parents have more of a social life than you.

...your 14-year-old brother has more of a social life than you. .

...you know all the 24-hour food places in the area....

....your friends get more sleep in one night than you do in one week

..You consider 3AM an early night. ...

...you say "It's only midnight- I have plenty of time to finish."

...you confuse sunrise with sunset. ...you ask what time it is, then ask "AM or PM?"

...you slice your finger, and the first thing you think of is if you'll be able to finish your model.

...you understand why architects have glasses and white hair.

...you call some great architects as if they are you friends.err... Frank... Tadao. ...

...you know all of these are true, no exaggerations.

...you can listen to all your CD's in one night.

...your friends favorite brand names are Prada DNKY etc... But yours are Mastex, Staedtler, pentel, rotring

...you dare not to have a gf/bf coz no one can accept for what u are

...you can conceptually compose the food on your plate.

...upon hearing 'Weekends' you think of sleep.

...you start wearing all black.

...you have no life, and admit it.

...you start to critique a radio selection's selection of songs.

...you confuse today and tomorrow.

...you can write a 6-page term paper by procrastinating. .

..you hear "Didn't you wear that yesterday?' followed by "and the day before that?"

...you count the number of days (not hours) you've been awake.

.... respect", "coolness', and "hatred" are all based on how much sleep you get, or lack of.

...your bed has collected a layer of dust on it.

...concept of time is not forward, but a countdown from the time a project is due ("What time is it?""4 hours 'till").

...you contemplate dropping out 3 times a day.

...doing models all night long excites you.

......When you're not sure what day of the week it is

... When you have slept straight through a day and into the next day after a final review.

.. When lack of sleep makes you feel and act as if you are high

... When any flat surface is seen as a place to take a nap (underneath the tables in the computer room (that's where it is the warmest), in hallways, on drafting boards

... When friendship with a senior seems like a good idea because they might be able to help you on your project

... When friendship with a junior seems like a good idea because their final review is before yours and therefore, they can help you produce once they are finished

... When the books that you read consist primarily of photographs and not so much of words...

...When you have to ask your fellow architects to give you wake up calls

... When you have three or more alarm clocks in your room.

... When you skip classes because you have too much work to do.

... When you have an inexplicable mark running off your page because you fell asleep while drafting

.....you lose your eyesight and you gain backache and neck ache

...when Pink Floyd lyrics actually make sense

...when a 102 degree fever or sore throat is to you no excuse to miss a jury.

Who wants to be a Millionaire??

2009-02-04T02:38:00.000-08:00

The word 'millionaire' is the most over-used word in our vocabulary these days. Each and every person from all walks of life has fantasized about becoming a millionaire some time or the other.For this very reason, the shows like 'Who wants to be a Millionaire?' and movies like 'Slumdog Millionaire' are extremely popular among the masses. We admire those who have jet setting ultra luxury lifestyles, but in many cases these guys are just simple people who just happen to own a million (well at least in Asia).. I found an inspirational blog posted by Singapore's youngest millionaire. It showcases the fact that being grounded is the best way to handle success in life...

A Blog Posted by Singapore 's Youngest Millionaire

By Adam Khoo

Some of you may already know that I travel around the region pretty frequently, having to visit and conduct seminars at my offices in Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailand and Suzhou ( China ). I am in the airport almost every other week so I get to bump into many people who have attended my seminars or have read my books.

Recently, someone came up to me on a plane to KL and looked rather shocked.. He asked, 'How come a millionaire like you is travelling economy?' My reply was, 'That's why I am a millionaire. ' He still looked pretty confused. This again confirms that greatest lie ever told about wealth (which I wrote about in my latest book 'Secrets of Self Made Millionaires' ). Many people have been brainwashed to think that millionaires have to wear Gucci, Hugo Boss, Rolex, and sit on first class in air travel. This is why so many people never become rich because the moment that earn more money, they think that it is only natural that they spend more, putting them back to square one .

The truth is that most self-made millionaires are frugal and only spend on what is necessary and of value . That is why they are able to accumulate and multiply their wealth so much faster. Over the last 7 years, I have saved about 80% of my income while today I save only about 60% (because I have my wife, mother in law, 2 maids, 2 kids, etc. to support). Still, it is way above most people who save 10% of their income (if they are lucky). I refuse to buy a first class ticket or to buy a $300 shirt because I think that it is a complete waste of money. However, I happily pay $1,300 to send my 2-year old daughter to Julia Gabriel Speech and Drama without thinking twice.

When I joined the YEO (Young Entrepreneur' s Organization) a few years back (YEO is an exclusive club open to those who are under 40 and make over $1m a year in their own business) I discovered that those who were self-made thought like me. Many of them with net worths well over $5m, travelled economy class and some even drove Toyota 's and Nissans (not Audis, Mercs, BMWs).

I noticed that it was only those who never had to work hard to build their own wealth (there were also a few ministers' and tycoons' sons in the club) who spent like there was no tomorrow . Somehow, when you did not have to build everything from scratch, you do not really value money. This is precisely the reason why a family's wealth (no matter how much) rarely lasts past the third generation . Thank God my rich dad (oh no! I sound like Kiyosaki) foresaw this terrible possibility and refused to give me a cent to start my business.

Then some people ask me, 'What is the point in making so much money if you don't enjoy it?' The thing is that I don't really find happiness in buying branded clothes, jewellery or sitting first class. Even if buying something makes me happy it is only for a while, it does not last. Material happiness never lasts, it just give you a quick fix . After a while you feel lousy again and have to buy the next thing which you think will make you happy. I always think that if you need material things to make you happy, then you live a pretty sad and unfulfilled life.

Instead, what make ME happy is when I see my children laughing and playing and learning so fast. What makes me happy is when I see by companies and trainers reaching more and more people every year in so many more countries. What makes me really happy is when I read all the emails about how my books and seminars have touched and inspired some one's life. What makes me really happy is reading all your wonderful posts about how this BLOG is inspiring you. This happiness makes me feel really good for a long time, much much more than what a Rolex would do for me.

I think the point I want to put across is that happiness must come from doing your life's work (be in teaching, building homes, designing, trading, winning tournaments etc.) and the money that comes is only a by-product .

If you hate what you are doing and rely on the money you earn to make you happy by buying stuff, then I think that you are living a life of meaningless.

Regards,

rk.

You know you are from Mumbai (Bombay) when:

2009-01-27T03:33:00.000-08:00

You know you are from Mumbai (Bombay) when:

1. You say "town " and expect everyone to know that*this means south towards Churchgate.

2 You speak in a dialect of Hindi called 'Bambaiya Hindi', which only Bombayites can understand.

3. Your door has more than three locks.

4. Rs 500 worth of groceries fit in one paper bag.

5. Train timings (9.27, 10.49 etc) are really important events of life.

6. You spend more time each month traveling than you spend at home.

7. You call an 8' x 10' clustered room a Hall.8. You're paying Rs 10,000 for a 1 room flat, the size of walk-in closet and you think it's a "steal."

8. You have the following sets of friend: school friends, college friends, neighborhood friends, office friends and yes, train friends, a species unique only in Bombay.

9. Cabbies and bus conductors think you are from Mars if you call the roads by their Indian name, they are more familiar with Warden Road, Peddar Road, Altamount Road.

10. Stock market quotes are the only other thing besides cricket which you follow passionately.

11. The first thing that you read in the Times of India is the "Bombay Times" supplement.

12. You're suspicious of strangers who are actually nice to you.

13. Hookers, beggars and the homeless are invisible.

14. You compare Bombay to New York's Manhattan instead of any other cities of India.

15. The most frequently used part of your car is the horn.

16. You insist on calling CST as VT, and Sahar and Santacruz airports instead of Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport.

17. You consider eye contact an act of overt aggression.

18. Your idea of personal space is no one actually standing on your toes.

19. Being truly alone makes you nervous.

20. You love wading through knee deep mucky water in the monsoons, and actually call it ''romantic'.

21. Only in Bombay , you would get Chinese Dosa and Jain Chicken.

22. You always argue with Delhites than Mumbai is way better than Delhi

23. You still refer to the city as Bombay not Mumbai.

24. When you love bragging about the filmstars and cricketers you've seen.

25. Every three months you look at your street and say "Why're the digging the road again?".

26. "Change" is "Chillar", "Ditching" is a "Kalti" and "Trouble" is "Jhol".

27. "Gheun Tak" is your life ideology.

28. You have been shoo'd away from Marine Drive at 3am by the cops because of an "Unlawful gathering of persons"

29. You actually pay for your rickshaws by the meter.

30. You actually think 30Rs for a Sada Dosa is pretty reasonable.

31. When u call cops ;kaka' and they let you go if you show of your marathi speaking.

32. Amitabh bachchans house is a landmark.

33. You have been to matheran or mahabaleshwar during the summer vacations.

34. You see men (not gay apparently) holding hands and walkin the street.

35. The note to coin changing machine at Churchgate station is idolized.

36. During cricket season all the roads are blocked because people in the streets are looking at television screens in display windows.

37. Automatic vending machines have a sales person sitting next to it just to help you.

38. There are more movie tickets being sold in black than at the ticket office.

39. It takes longer to get off from your house to the station than from one end of Mumbai to another by train.

40. Every cab and rickshaw driver makes small talk with you

41. You see Herd of people walking at four in the morning to Siddhi Vinayak temple.

42. ‘Bun Maska’ and ‘vada pav’ is the staple diet of most collegians.

43. HORN OK PLEASE is written on every truck, tempo and heavy motor vehicle.

44. You cant drive for more than 10 mins without abusing someone

45. "Townies" think they need a visa to go past worli to the suburbs

46. When u use the word "yaar" in almost every sentence u speak.

47. You call onion as "kandha" and potato as "batata"

48. You think of a spicy tangy snack whenever you hear the work chat .

49.You are back to work next day after the city is bombed - Truly the spirit of Bombay.

50. You call the cabbies & waiters BOSS .

51. You prefer wada pav by jumbo king anyday on comparision wid Mc donalds burger.

52. Your pricipal form of entertainment are all the aunties who scream obscenities at each other at the drop of a hat and threaten to pull the others hair/ push out of the train at 11 in the night!

53. Your idea of a full body massage is wat u get while trying to get off/ board a train at dadar!!!

54. At 3am in morning you can still get wadapav or butter pav bhaji.

55. When there's no place to breathe in the trains but there's place to play cards and sing bhajans!

56. When the traffic almost makes good friends with the person in the car next to you.

57. You know what the term "video coach" stands for in the local trains...

58. Random strangers butt in wen you are discussing cricket or politics to give their personal (unwanted) opinion.

59. You say that Pani Puri is waayy better than Gol Gappa's even when they're the same thing.

60. There is always one 'pan-waala' on the corner of street

61. You aren't surprised when somebody throws a water balloon at you while you're walking on the streets during March.

62. Seeing "Mein Kampf" being sold openly on the streets in abundance seems like a perfectly normal thing to you.

63. You consider the local train "empty" when you find a spot for your two feet to stand on.

64. When someone asks u "east" or "west" side of a particular station.

65. When "chalta hai" is the most commonly used word.

66. When you find cars on the Road even at 4 in the morning.

67. You have hung on to dear life at the local door.

68. You take the "Weight and Your Future for Rs.1 only" machines at the stations seriously. ... At least the Future bit, it always exaggerates about the weight.

69. When you think everyone who lives to the south of you is a snob and to the north of you sucks.

70. You behave like a foreigner in any other part of the country.

71. You see couples cosying up in rickshaws in almost every small lane.

72. You want to get into the train already that is already in motion & you have 5 hands taking you in..

73. When you instinctively say "pudhey challa" instead of saying agey badho or move ahead.

74. Chal, paka mat!" is an overused part of your vocabulary.

75. Crorepati, Lakhpati, Hazarpati, Chillarpati all travel in local Trains daily.

76. You treat mumbai as a country itself.

77. You drink 2 sips of tea called 'cutting' more than thrice a day.

77. When you see the dabbawallas on the station and fishwali kolis in .

78. When you call the BEST bus, BST, even though BEST is painted on every single public transport bus operational in Bombay.

79. You know 'bhai' means a guy who has no brotherly feelings.

80. Making a loud kissing noise is how you tease girls in Delhi, but making that same noise is how you hail an autorickshaw in Bombay

81. You don't differentiate between U.P. and Bihar. All you know is that's where the 'bhaiyas' come from .

82. If someone calls u "aap"-- u start laughing on their faces...

83. When your lunch is delivered hot in a tiffin at exactly 1pm from home every working day.

84. When you are stuck in traffic even at 1:30 a.m

85. You see two office-goers play a game of cards in your evening local train.

86.When ... you have argued with the TC that traveling first class after pass expires is legitimate since you havent processed the railway concession yet!

87. When you use the phrases, 'Chillum-Chili' and 'Chili-Mili' and are not talking about a spicy dish.

Hail Slumdog

2009-01-27T02:28:00.000-08:00

‘ Slumdog Millionaire’ , you may love it or hate it ,but one thing for sure, you can’t ignore it. I went to see it purely out of curiosity. Just wanted to know of the ways in which India is projected as an intensely poverty stricken third world country. I just can’t help it. There is enough proof that the only art of India the ‘goras’ appreciate is the art of degrading India. The enormous appreciation earned by Aravind Adiga for his book ‘White Tiger’ is the best example. I would rate it as the most disgusting book I have ever read. I could feel my blood boil reading his mortifying portrayal of India as a massive garbage dump. I felt that ‘Slumdog’ would provoke the same reaction from me. Surprisingly, I liked it.

‘Slumdog’ has come across a lot of criticism in India. But I felt that the movie was well made & the focus was more on the ‘rags to riches’ story of the protagonist than the Indian poverty. The harsh realities are depicted in a more subtle manner. The high point of the film is the excellent work done by the child actors’ .They bring about an innocence in whichever sequence they are a part of, which might be otherwise disgusting. I firmly feel that our Bollywood filmwallas must learn a lesson or two in editing from their Hollywood counterparts. The film is crisp and maintains its pace till the end and that made it thoroughly enjoyable, well at least for me.

All said and done, I feel that the only reason it garnered so much publicity and awards is because of the colour of the director’s skin. If the same movie would have been made by an Indian it would have not been acknowledged. Indian film industry is one of the biggest film industries in the world. I fail to understand why Indians are so crazy about Oscars. Our films cater to a large population & are made according to their taste. So why do we need the Oscar Jury to judge us? ‘Slumdog’ was made by a foreigner for a foreign audience & incidentally the story was based in India. So, I don’t get the reason why we are so excited about the 10 Oscar nominations it received.

It is nice to hear that A.R Rahman’s work was appreciated by them. A.R Rahman is one of the best music composers of all time and he does not require an Oscar or a Golden Globe to certify that. In the words of Salim, in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, ‘India is in the centre of the world’. I know that a time will come when the biggest Hollywood stars will vie for an Indian award.

Architecture Jury Critique..

2008-12-16T03:02:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the best comments by lecturers and professors I’ve come across, most of these quotes are from online blogs reading (archinet), some are from words of mouth while others are first hand experience, here goes:
“Why are you here? Don’t come back next semester.”
“Here’s a Rupee. go call your mom and tell her you’re not going to be an architect.”
What is that boxy thing (model)? A coffin?
Your design sucks!
Your design is very tasteful… … for the tasteless.
“Is this a … structural… glob of glue?”
“When I went to school, at a different school than this one, there were students who would present projects like this one.And they would fail.”
“Your project looks like something that’s been through a trash compactor”
“This space that you’ve designed is the type place where beggars and dogs go to die”
“Are you in interior design?”
“Why are you studying architecture if you’re producing things like that?”
“Hey, everyone, gather round this project, come in close…because this is a great example for everyone of exactly what NOT to do..”
“This drawing isn’t worth the paper it is printed on.”
“This (model) is great…..just don’t let your dog play with it next time.”
If you build this and after 10000 years the aliens see it, they would understand why humans extinguish
“Have you ever considered a career in accounting?”
“So your parents are pay Rs55,000 a year for this.”
“Your theory is bullshit. You don’t need that”
Prof pointing to part of a model, “Did you chew this?”

And some more...

“You don’t care about this project, do you? So I won’t say anything about it”
“You have good sense of humor but architects don’t…”
“Anyone got any matches… so I can burn this”
“Architecture? I think you should just go straight to becoming a demolition man because you just created a mess”
“My dog would not even live in this”
“I like where u put that balcony, looks like a good place to jump from after setting eyes on this horrible building”
“Do u draw with you mothers eyeliner”
“Were you on drugs when you did this (model)?”
“Where did you shove your colour pencils when you draw that”?
This girl presented her project, and at the end of it the tutor asks her how long she spent on it, she explains that she spent all night and worked really hard on it… He tells her that she’s lying because she’s wearing make-up, and if you have time to do your make-up, you have time to work more on a project… He then proceeded to fail her
Tutor - “Can i use your model as an example for the other first years?”Student - “Yeah of course you can!”Tutor - “Don’t get excited, i want to use it as an example of what not to do”Student - “Oh…”
A Girl brought in a model she had finished with plaster. When she entered the room, students and crits thought it was a cake and started singing happy birthday. Needless to say she was devastated.

This is our India..

2008-12-02T06:08:00.000-08:00

1. Do not worry about those who have come thru boats... Our forces can easily defeat them. WORRY about those who have come thru votes.... Those are our REAL ENEMIES….

2. What a shame and disgrace to every citizen of India that the elite NSG Force was transported into ordinary BEST buses, whereas our cricketers are transported into state of the art luxury buses, these Jawan s lay down their lives to protect every Indian and these cricketers get paid even if they lose a match, we worship these cricketers and forget the martyrdom of these brave Jawan s. The Jawan s should be paid the salaries of the cricketers and the cricketers should be paid the salaries of the Jawan s.

3. An ace shooter shoots and gets gold medal, govt gives 1cr, another shooter dies while shooting terrorist, govt gives 5 lakh. WHO DESERVES MORE?

Huh... This is our India ....

LIGHT AT THE END OF A DARK TUNNEL

2008-12-01T08:54:00.000-08:00

What saved The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower from turning to ashes in last week's terror attack, was its architecture. A significant portion of the hotel's sixth floor caught fire late on Wednesday night after terrorists set one room on fire. Had any other structure suffered a similar attack it would have been reduced to ashes. The building is still standing today because of its marvellous architecture, complete with a huge atrium, proper ventilation, large windows.

ATRIUM

The building has a large atrium, or open space, in its centre, which prevented the fire raging on the sixth floor from lapping up the entire building. Had there been lesser space, the fire would have spread to the floors below. However, because of the large atrium, the fire could only rise. Hence, while the sixth floor has been destroyed, there has been little damage to the fifth floor. The floors below are nearly intact, except for the mess created on the ground floor.

WINDOW

The large windows in the lobbies and galleries facilitated the fire from getting out. .

GIRDERS

Another factor that has managed to keep the building standing tall are its girders - supporting beams - which have stood the test of time and fire. The fire officer said that those prevented the roof from caving in. Considering that the building was built at a time when wood was the predominant material used for the basic framework and decoration, most of the balustrades are still standing erect, and are only charred a bit.

FIRE RESISTANT DOORS

Fire Resistant Doors (FRDs) are thick wooden doors which are layered by fire-resistant materials. These doors are so powerful that not only did they not crumble down, but also prevented the fire, raging in the corridors, from entering the rooms.
The Sea Gull Lounge on the sixth floor which was shut, for instance, hasn't suffered any damage. One of the rooms near the dome was saved because of the hotel's marvellous FRDs, and around 40 people were rescued from that room.

MATTRESSES

The mattresses in the rooms of the hotel are also made of special fibre and foam that prevent fire from spreading. Hence, the charring was restricted, rather than a fire spreading from the bed to the rest of the room.

Mumbai Burning

2008-11-26T21:17:00.000-08:00

It was Thursday night , as I finished my dinner and settled in front of TV, I saw myself staring into the TV screen seeing the most elegant and majestic building in Mumbai bursting into flames. It took me a moment to digest that scene. Mumbai has witnessed a multitude of terrorist attacks in the past years..Right from the 1993 bomb blasts. Every time it happens the media again tries to brainwash the public into thinking about the ‘Spirit Of Mumbai’ ,and the common man continues to be resilient going about his business putting all that happened behind him. But how long can we Mumbaites allow ourselves to be trampled upon. Don’t we deserve freedom??-The freedom from the fear of being attacked the very next second.

We consider living each day a challenge , unaware of the fate that beholds us .. We never know when and where we might meet out fate..Could be in the train we catch daily to go to work , Could be the in the theater where we go to catch our weekly flicks. Till recently the so called elite society never imagined itself to bear the brunt of these attacks, as the rarely use public transport , go to the places which have the best security in the country . This attack on the Taj hotel made everyone realize that there is only so much you can do to protect yourself from highly motivated and remorseless terrorists.

The manner and the location of their attack seem to be different each time, thus taking our authorities by surprise each time. The Taj Mahal Hotel is not just any hotel but the symbol of Indian prestige. An architectural marvel of its time and still remains so. It is a monument erected in testimony of the start of industrialization in India. In spite of the repeated grenade attacks the external façade of the hotel is still intact . This shows that the grand old structure is as graceful as a palace and as sturdy as a fort.

There are many factors which cause India to be such a weak target.

· The Politicians

The ruling government is learning nothing whatsoever from the repeated terrorist strikes this country is facing. In spite of the recurrence of such incidents they have not yet enforced any strict law which deals with terrorism. The earlier law POTA which could have been effective had also been repealed.
It is in the country’s best interest to remain united. Yet many politicians continue to play divisive politics. Certain politicians propagate regionalism. Such actions distract the nation from the core issues plaguing us i.e.- terrorism, infiltration ,etc. There are also many who are involved with minority appeasement. Politicians are now never ‘for’ the people. It has become politicians’ v/s citizens.

The Police Forces

The police forces try to do their best for the cities, but it is now time to face the bitter truth – the force is neither trained nor equipped enough to handle such terrorists. You have these terrorists carrying the latest ammunition pitted against our cops who carry around rifles which look about a century old. Its just not fair to these cops.. For the sake of their security and ours the government should spend a little more of our tax money & provide them with better weapons atleast.

· Crisis Management

I honestly don’t know if the government has a plan for crisis management. But it sure doesn’t look like it. I just saw only one fire engine used to put out an inferno with a defunct hose pipe which could not even reach the fifth floor of the building. Such is the condition!

Indian Media

Whenever a crisis strikes India, the numerous TV News channels try to be one up on the other in televising not only the gory details of death but also compromising tbe identity of eye witnesses and the persons caught in the cross fire.If the media continues to report on this situation without any discretion ,they will continue to endanger the lives of the hostages and put the rescue operation of the armed forces in jeopardy...

· India’s Policy
India’s take on terrorism has always been defensive. Why should we always wait for something to happen & then react. Our only chance to save ourselves is to declare a war on terrorism and attack all the terrorist training camps in & around India, improve our intelligence services and stop infiltration. Only if we stop this at the source, we have a chance of resisting it.

I thus conclude by saluting all those brave jawans who have lost their lives trying to save our countrymen. We are proud of you! My sincere condolences to the families of all those people who have lost their lives. May their souls rest in peace.

Speak Out

2008-02-25T07:01:00.000-08:00

How many times in our life have we suppressed our true feelings and settled for a more diplomatic alternative ? How many times have we reserved our comments on trivial issues just for the sake of avoiding hassles in our everyday life.It's the common perception of people that leading a clean life corresponds to a controversy free life.When your friends ask you to rate their new dress or when your loved one asks you to comment on their cooking ,most of us would give vague replies just to avoid confrontation.
This trait is common in most people.It is the trait of being diplomatic.This can be brushed aside as an insignificant issue as we lead very busy lives to be affected by them.But is this really of any good in relation to the problems affecting our society?It starts of with trivial issues and then it brings us to a state of indifference.
Injustice looms in our society.It may either affect us ,or someone we know or someone we don't know altogether.In either way it should not be downplayed.Rules are made and are (supposedly) safegaurded by the same people who break them.On a personal note,I find it extremely disturbing to see people puffing smoke on near me at bus stands,obscene scriblings in railway coaches ,girls being eve-teased,animals being hurt for the sake of pleasure,etc.
The worst part of this predicament is that the public has become so indifferent to the situations around them that they choose not to react or offer support.They just want to get along with their daily lives as if nothing has ever occured.Can we ever forget the chilling incident in which two innocent girls being killed in broad daylight by a lunatic in front of bystanders.
It disturbs me to witness the apathy that some people have towards the need of others.The people who do speak up do'nt have it easy either.I have encountered many incidents where people ask me,'Tumhaara Kya jaata hai?' when I do speak up.I remember the time when I confronted a group of guys hurling stones at dogs. The fact that I may be a lone crusader only encourages them to question me.
The only way we can save this country is by becoming more aware and actually responding to the things happening around us .The only thing we have to do is 'Speak Out'.