ATTN: We Hauv Bhaat We Hauv

Remember when I said in April of '08 that I could finally see myself making my way back. How about now feeling the finish line up close? :)

Sincerely,
Punekar

Fever. Sore Throat. Ulcer.
Work sucks. All my hard work might just get reset in the coming weeks.
I learnt to eat dinner from the left side of my mouth.
It's freezing outside.
There are some days when don't care just doesn't work.
Either I need to take don't care to a new level (I think that's beyond me) or I need to sleep it off (that might work for my fever too).

Nothing is foolproof.

It's 1:52 AM. Ideally ...

Its 1:52 AM. Ideally what I would've liked to do is to make a couple of phone calls, 2-3 bikes, off to Bombay. Just because. Also since it was Dennis' birthday yesterday, I would've liked to have done it yesterday.

Most likely we would've stopped at Lonavla or Khandala to see the sunrise, a cutting chai and then continued to Andheri East. And since we've come to the city, might as well continue our ride all the way till Marine Drive.

Next Weekend: It's 1:52 AM. Ideally what I would've liked to do is make a couple of phone calls, 2-3 bikes, off to Goa ...

Doctor Cometh :)

After 5 years, I will be meeting a very dear friend of mine. Sure we met on and off when I went to India on vacation but that can hardly be defined as meeting up. She is one of the precious few people who can really brighten up my day by merely speaking to her. We haven't been in touch, and for a change I am not the one to blame but what matters is come January 31st - February 6th, we will try and get back lost time.

I can't thank God enough for the friends He has given me.

Trying to recuperate from the football session. I knew I was overplaying, but still I continued. It's football, after all. Now I need to recover before Thursday night's session. Just like old times, only this time I don't have to hide my injuries, muscle pulls from mom. There were times in school when I would sprain my leg in a match and go back the next day to play with my sore leg. The previous night when everyone's sleeping, I would slowly sneak into the bathroom and get a bucket of warm water to dip my leg in it, get the blood flowing. Sustained effort for about an hour and then prepare ice packs to tie to my leg and sleep. Next morning walk straight in front of mom. fight through the pain. Just a matter of getting my ass to the ground, get the pain-killer spray and play the match.

There are just too much adventures and little pleasures when a kid. I miss them.

158th Post

I am not supposed to like "Tum Mile". Especially since I absolutely dislike Emraan Hashmi. The man cannot act (ok maybe a lil) , dance or have a personality. A very ordinary movie, very ordinary story and above all it stars Emraan Hashmi, exactly the kind of movie I am not supposed to like.

But still I liked the movie, maybe because of the songs, maybe not. You cannot always be objective about things. Some things just are. Like my love for football. I cannot objectively explain what does football have to do with happiness. But some things just are.

Gee!! I am so judgmental :)

What do you do when you hear an Indian, or rather once an Indian mutter, "Gee, that's a nice pic!!"

One, you laugh, second you think he/she is gay.

"Gee, mate" "Gee!!" Seriously?? Does that expression come naturally to you?

Imagine this, you are born and brought up in this state called Maharashtra, the mother tongue being Marathi, which according to me has the ghatiest touch/accent to it (no offense, I am the proud owner of one too) and now 3-4 years down the line, in this country called USA, you hear the same person saying, "Gee, that's a nice pic!!"

I am sure there is a ghati Maharashtrian out there who just turned in his bed muttering, "Gee-chya...."

I heard this today and it took me completely by surprise. In US, one out of every four women physically abuse their partner/husband. Yeah, you read it just right. Apparently 20 years back (thereabouts) the ratio was 1:10 and now it's 1:4. According to the psychologist being interviewed, this number is skewed since the number is based on reported cases, quite a large number of men might not be reporting it out of sheer embarrassment.

I was quite taken aback when I heard this. Not because a woman can't beat up a man, but just that there are so many stereotypical stuff that is just assumed in life and stats like these come as a real eye-opener. I am not trying to trash womankind, I am against any form of violence or physical abuse, period but if I have to a step back, stereotyping is something that happens to everyone unknowingly and I am so much of a believer in not stereotyping but in spite of that, it just happens. Some situations, people that come to my mind and I have, at a later stage, figured not to stereotype are:

1. A sick person (terminal case types) is subject to sympathy and cannot think wrong/evil/selfish (you get the point)
2. The leader is the strongest person in the team and he can make no mistakes.
3. Pastors are perfect, in other words they are not humans.

I have a lot more that comes to mind but those could be controversial. Every now and then when one of those stereotypical spell is broken, I am amazed at how we tend to unknowingly set assumptions and have our sub-conscience make conclusions and store it in our CPU's.

I wonder how many more are there to be broken, but hopefully I am becoming a better/unbiased person as time passes.

Someone said "Darn those trees" was good ol' times

I have not quite comes to terms with when and how last decade went by. Agreed a lot has happened but yaar a decade, a DECADE!! which is 10 years, just like that... gone. Seems like yesterday when all those computer geeks were figuring out the Y2K deal. Y2K came and went and just like that 10 years have passed.

Kya yaar, somehow doesn't seem fair I ain't getting back those years. Seems like I have been in the US for eternity and it was really in 2005 that I came to this side of the world. All this time crap is bakwaas yaar. Whoever put that 2010 next decade thought in my head is an evil evil human being. I was blissfully unaware and incognizant of the year and it was meant to be just another new year up until now. Worst of all I don't know why I am writing about it.

By the way, why are the 3 idiots team and Chetan Bhagat bickering? Just chill na. There is a much deeper, profound issue I am dealing with, no?

I think I might delete this post at some point later.