Something Out of the Ordinary

I woke up to an awesome start to July , not literally though considering the fact that we (Ali, Abu, Shaun, Zoo and Me) didn't really sleep the night of 30th June. It was a superb night. An experience i will never forget. Made a few new friends in (Rash, Pri, Dydoo, Bhavuk, Paras and Kunal) and not to forget my already friend Tin x 2.

We were to leave for Amritsar (Siddy's wedding) (that also being an experience i shall never forget) and we had to camp the night somewhere before heading to the airport at 4:30 in the morning. We had Abu being the full on entertainer, cracking jokes and yes! dancing. Witty comments were a galore. Good music - thanks to Shaun and Me... :) :)

This post is just a big thank you to my chud buds for being there (Ass we missed you). We had the most amazing trip as a group together and we don't know when it shall happen next... Soon INSHALLAH.
As well as a big thank you to the boys for having us over and letting us create a ruckus knowing very well that we might be inviting trouble.

It was a day i never imagined possible. I was anxious about how everyone would get along and man, were we all a house on fire. Of course, 4:30 came before we realized and we said our goodbyes, headed to the airport to experience Something Out of the Ordinary - Part 2 (The big fat Punju Wedding)

Bookmark RULES

Today is a day
Like a reminder in my book
A book mark of sorts that i can come back to
Long after i have turned the page
Reason for this being
I trust blindly
I give - most of the times without expectation
I care with all i can
I fight (sometimes) with all i have
And Life sometimes seems Unfair both in a good way and in a bad way
When i count my blessings, i see others sorrows
When i see my sorrow - i am blind again
I want to see
I want to feel
I want to live
Every emotion
Because  the only way to live is to FEEL EVERYTHING.

RULE # 1: Seeing is not ALWAYS believing
Never blindly believe what you see.

RULE #2: Always follow your heart/ gut feeling
It will never let you down

RULE #3: Be nice to people
The world can do without the unnecessary BS and you never know what someone else might be going through.

RULE# 4: Never Judge
You never know what one is capable of...

RULE#5: Believe
In yourself, in your values and all that you dream.
Believe because you are the only one responsible for yourself.
Believe because you have every right to.
Believe because if you believe it - you can be it.

Lastly, Nothing and absolutely Nothing in Life is Permanent.
Not even Life itself...
All of these have been written time and again by different people but i need this to remind myself of little somethings all the time...

A MAJOR DISCONNECT

Many times in life
There are times of strife
We try to understand why
Things are the way they are
It is about money and also about power
About who's the boss and how much dough one can shower
Status and name and claim to fame
Some day will drive us all insane
A disconnect between our wants and our needs
We all are checkers on a board game
But ultimately we are all Human
And we are all the SAME.

Written on 3rd February 2012, Haridwar

Beta, What's your Age?

To all those guys/ girls who are of..... :)
It was 1:30 am on 30th Jan morning and i was itching to write all day long the previous day. Infact, i had been day dreaming about writing a post since my trip to Chandigarh even though the trip was just an overnight stay. I did make a few friends there. :) :)
The actual inspiration for this post is Wedding Ceremonies, technically speaking "Receptions". The thought process sparked off as we attended the Maharashtrian Style reception of a close friend's brother. I have attended quite a few ceremonies from Oct 2011 - Jan 2012. The one you attend with friends is all fun and games but the ones you attend with parents is a different ballgame in itself.

Typical things that you could generally observe:
1. Close relatives come to you and ask you what you are doing career wise. Exclaim in fake disbelief when you say you are working followed with a "OH! I met you when you were a baby. Look how big you've become."
2. They quickly proceed to ask the all important question about your age and won't stop themselves from taking a gibe at you by saying -YOU are next in line to get married with the sarcastic smile plastered on their face. :p
3.Overtly concerned extended family then immediately divert their attention to one's parents and repeat your age and say: "He/ She is -- years old, time to get him/her married". The smile still in place without moving a millimeter.

I have been through this a couple of times and each time my answer has been pretty much the same thing worded differently. Mostly, i try to humour the goodnatured familee and then try to diplomatically change the topic. Many a times i fall short of words or just look around embarrassed with and SOS expression and then dad steps in. I remember he recently said.."Marriage, for her is a WIP that hasn't started yet :) :) " Oh, what would i do without my daddy dearest around to save the day?
Moms on the other hand might actually start looking for suitors... *Yikes*

I have nothing against weddings per se. They are out and out fun for everyone except the parents of the bride and groom who are worrying about every tiny detail. One thing i would never understand is the joy that extended families get in wanting to set you up with someone... I mean WHY??? Why should boys have all the fun while the poor girl who happens to catch the bouquet is deemed as the next bride to be? Wow, i'd never survive that nightmare. :)

It is not like i am against the whole marriage business. I am sure Shaadi.Com and the rest are very profitable but i am  also sure, I, for one have a long long way to go. So aunties and uncles i do hope you read this before we meet at the next wedding and the above ensues. Before yet another time when you go, "Beta, What's your age?" I know why you are asking this and i am sure my answer won't change, at least for sometime.
Like the famous Robert Frost's Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, i would say "and miles to go before i leap and miles to go before i leap".

This one is dedicated to all my friends of ...marriageable age ;) ;) I am pretty sure you have been through this before.

Special thanks to K whose conversation about a wardrobe change into Indian attire was hilarious. Of course, i didn't mean to eavesdrop and tried hard to concentrate on the book in front of me but your conversation was more entertaining than the conspiracy of Don Corleone's cronies :)

This post was penned 1:30 AM to 1:50 AM 30th Jan
Published at 6:26 AM ( when i was Sleepless in a Hotel room of a quaint little town in India, since sleep keeps itself from me i'd just wait to watch the sun rise.... )