6 days - no coffee

I have now gone nearly 6 consecutive days without tea or coffee. Although I am suffering extreme withdrawal symptoms such as praising 'The Wonder Years' in my sleep with KR trying to carry on a coherent conversation with me until he realised I was sleep-talking.

In other stories of withdrawal - for some reason, I cannot log on to BBC News when I'm on the NYU wireless network. I think it some evil plot to deprive me of my commonwealth sports (more coffee withdrawal symptoms evident).

I hope for the sake of my sanity that I can at least access it from D'Ag...pls pls pls

I have located a place which serves cheap(ish) Guiness, but not necessarily showing the rugby. I have been referred to other pubs which may. I have also located Irish classmates. Updates will follow.

NYC - First Impressions

I might want to just stop typing at some stage, so I'm going to put some random observations down in bullet form:

• 2 days of Air India sponsored jet lag does not help the cause
• Someone to show you around does
• Went for the Mets v. Padres game courtesy KR's luck in a raffle. Baseball is actually quite fun to watch, although, probably more so because there's always something happening rather than the actual game itself. We had fairly expensive outfield'ish tickets, but thanks to us getting thrown out of what we thought were our seats, KR decided to try and sit up closer to home plate. That it was a cold and wet evening, meant a number of the regular box seats were empty. We ended up watching the last 2.5 innings about 30 feet from the batter. An exciting game (Mets coming from one run behind to win in the bottom of the 9th) seemed to try and press home the fact that baseball can be fun. But as I said in an email to one of my English friends - 'give me the Wankhede crowd anyday!' Am kicking myself for not carrying the camera.
  
• After the game, we decided to explore Flushing Meadows, which is across the road. Although all relevant areas (USTA Tennis Centre) were shut (it was nearly 11), we got to the 'globe'...it is HUGE!! All those shots on the sports channels must be either on fish-eye lenses or from 1.5 km away.
• There is a Dosa thela outside the NYU Law School building. I have consciously refrained from consuming his wares, lest I end up with cravings every evening when I shift into the next street.
• I am struggling to come to terms with the idea of ultra-fast internet access 24X7 (minus downloading though). I fear it will be even more difficult for me when I move in to my place.
• As my academic career progressed, the distance between my place of habitation to my place of study progressively decreased. It is now going to be frighteningly short. The entrance to my 'hostel' is about 30 feet away from the rear wall of the Law School building.
• A (the larger one) comes in today. It's been a while and I think we shall make all attempts to make inexpensive nuisances of ourselves
• I have quickly given up, admittedly with minimal efforts to the contrary,all efforts (at least until I move on Sunday) to retain my shakhahari status. The worst bit is that the food here is ghastly
• Am trying to get US Open tickets for cheap, although that seems an oxymoron in this city
  
• Air-conditioned subway trains make for far more pleasurable travel than the Motherland's nauseous equivalents
• I still haven't got the 'feeling' that I'm an 8 hour flight away from anything I can call home. 16 hours for the puritans...
• I fear I shall have to put on an American accent at times to allow many of the local yokels to understand the precious words that exit my mouth...

That's it...time to do some reading for tomorrow's exam. I very much fear that blogging activity over the next 9 months is going to either be excessive or nearly non-existent. I hope for the sake of my grades - the latter. I hope for the sake of my sanity - the former....

Traversing

17 August 2007

So I’m sitting in Heathrow’s Terminal 3 and waiting at Gate 32 to board (once again) the aircraft. In what was, from my perspective, a completely futile action, we were made to de-plane, go through Heathrow’s de-shoe, de-laptop, de-everything security check before being made to walk all the way around the terminal and wait for the aircraft to be ready. A surprisingly heavy backpack coupled with the awful seats on Air India (notice the new name sans hyphen!) has ensured that my lower back has been announcing its existence. Somehow the non-stop flights may have some utility, but then again - 16 hours can be very trying…

Am kicking myself for not carrying the smaller A’s number. It would have finally put to use the pound coin that is permanently in my wallet.

Thanks to the use of several individuals’ good offices carrying the acoustic girlfriend has not thrown up any problems…phew…

It still hasn’t sunk in that I’ve left. As I told Footnote Unaware, that’ll most probably happen when I take off from the Motherland, which if all goes well, should be a matter of 60 minutes.

I feel tired enough to sleep a little more on the flight now, so I’m not too worried about jet lag, especially since I was already on BST after staying up 2 nights in a row…

The landing into Heathrow was beautiful. It’s a great day out there (17 degrees, clear sky) and we flew right across London in what was pretty much as close to a chopper tour that one will get in a 747. The only regret is that I wont get a whiff of fresh air.

They’ve started boarding and the lines have begun forming. Time to start packing and reading Law 101 in-flight…that’s the bit I’m not looking forward to.

Epi: After recurring bouts of sleep, I think I've finally got over my jet lag over 36 hours after hitting NYC. Reading status: nil. Hitting Manhattan today...

The Day

Today feels like a different day...

"Starvation and the hunger, the suffering and the pain
The agonies of all-out war, when will it ever end?
The struggle for the power, a tyrant tries again
Just what the hell is going on? When will it ever end?

No hope, no life, just pain and fear
No food, no love, just greed is here "

Childhood's End by Iron Maiden

Of Sport

As with most weekends over the past month or so - this one was also meant to be a sporty one. Unfortunately, I missed two key events - the Wallabies-Springboks test and the Federer-Gasquet match. I am extremely upset about the former in particular, particularly considering the dismal levels of rugby available on TV. I did catch the Wallabies-All Blacks test last week and it was a great match. Unfortunately, the Wallabies won it thanks to a sin-binning. If they had to win it, I would have preferred to watch them do it against 15, than 14. Gregan and Larkham have played their last tests at home, which means I've also missed the last opportunity this season to listen to 100,000 people singing 'Waltzing Matilda'. I'm hoping I get to catch the return leg of the Bledisloe next Saturday - the Haka must suffice.

Venus has completed her demolition job of women's tennis. Henin might have made it a good match, but...

Federer-Nadal: You can't not admire Nadal. A born clay-courter getting through the draw twice on the cow's grass (Lendl said that, not me). Unfortunately, it also tells you a great deal about how slow the grass has become. The Rafter-Ivanesevic match, I think basically marked the end of serve-volleyers. We don't see 45 aces a match anymore, and it's far more entertaining to watch players slug it out in long rallies, (call me a stickler for tradition if you must) but then we may as well play Wimbledon on Rebound Ace. What's the point of putting green grass on Centre Court? Mario Ancic, Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi (plus Henman of course) are probably the only true serve-volleyers in the top 100. Its a real shame - it's such a beautiful game...

This is from Iron Maiden's latest offering, and while they played it in B'lore, it was a while before I read the lyrics in detail: this stanza is incredible...

"More pain and misery in the history of mankind
Sometime it seems more like
The blind leading the blind
It brings upon us more famine, death and war
You know religion has a lot to answer for"

For the Greater Good of God by Iron Maiden

They're almost here

After a week or so that I rather wish hadn't ever existed, the monsoons have begun rolling into Bombay. It's remarkable that after all these years, it's the little things that nature provides that fascinate me the most.

A few days ago, I saw one of the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen - anywhere. There was this incredible lilac colour to the sky and the Malabar Hill to Bombay Central or so skyline in a perfect silhouette.

Today the sea decided to tell Bombay it shouldn't be ignored in our obsession with the clouds. It was pretty much the roughest I've ever seen it in a long while. As I rode back after a sumptuous lunch courtesy D Aunty, the tide appeared to have come in so quickly that people were stranded at Haji Ali. Even with all the wave breakers that have put in place, this was the first time I can recall some serious waves hitting the Haji Ali sea face walls.

It got even better on Worli sea face. Actually it was incredible - I'm sure there will be photos in tomorrow's papers. The waves were like the waves of old - not going as far as the other side, but rather going at least 30-40 feet straight up. There was a huge gathering as people came in for a Sunday afternoon picnic(?). Can't describe it...but wonderful to see...

"The dust has finally settled on the field of human clay
Just enough light has shown through
To tell the night from the day
We are incomplete and hollow
For our maker has gone away
Who is to blame?
We'll surely melt in the rain"

Say I by Creed

Lost - then found...and how

On my ride into town yesterday morning, I managed to somehow jump the phone out of my pocket on to the road. After realising it some way down, I head back as far as the start of the Mahim causeway - looking down at the road and asking every BMC sweeper on the way whether he/she had found a phone. No luck...

I then proceed to report late on my first day and do the customary lockdown of the sim. Calling didn't seem to help... I reckoned a car had probably gone over it.

At around 2:30, appa calls saying that somebody found the phone, somehow got in touch (some details still unclear) and had left it at a dry cleaners which is pretty much where I went back trying to retrace. (start of the causeway, if you're heading north). I rush back and retrieve the phone...but the good samaritan isn't there anymore...

I was right about one thing - a car did go over it, from the looks of things. No more dabba criticism now please - its working fine this morning.

A word of appreciation also for the call centres who I continually bash around.

That's the great part about this city - not so much the actual fact that one can get his phone back in this manner, but that it never stops throwing surprises at you.

I think I'm going to miss this place...

Water Ahoy

The rains have come...not the monsoons from the looks of things. Just a pre-monsoon thundershower - a long and pretty heavy pre-monsoon thundershower - resulting in some awkward flights from Del to Bom.

The 1st rain smell was unfortunately not all there in the present place of inhabitation...need to call SB and make sure we do the 1st rain walk one last time. Can't remember the last time we did it - must have been 2003, I think. It's one of my favourite memories that I'll take away from Wallace and Bom...

One last time...

Anger Vent

The absurdity continues... The omni-present, ever-ready to protest, infinitely wise and self-proclaimed sole representative of the Marathas - that Indian SS, continues to exhibit its abject insecurity. See here.

Perhaps at some stage, someone ought to explain to these half-wit bumpkins that when you pick a trade name - and it involves the name of a place - it needn't necessarily be the latest/correct name of the place.

And while we're at it - considering the fact that they exhibit little knowledge of company balance sheets - here's a link to explain what goodwill means and why I can't (and shouldn't) just randomly change the name of my establishment of Bombay _____ to Mumbai _______.

Me tube

In celebration of the fact that this post is my 100th, I have decided to follow illustrious footsteps and blog a YouTube video. The much improved connection speeds in Delhi have got me hooked to the latest internet phenomenon...

Unfortunately, I seem to be facing some recurring problem with linking my blog to YouTube and so, you shall just have to follow the link and watch...

I have also chosen a 'classic' bit of footage - but not exactly in the same sense as the one posted by the footstep maker...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=b8z5JON-fOc

I didn't know this - but the music in the 'Cat Concerto' Tom&Jerry is Listz's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2....enjoy!

The Grief Unveiled

Can you believe that a person can go from this and this:

to this:


in a matter of 90 minutes?

Arrrghhhh....
If you look closely at the 'after' picture - you can actually spot the tear in my eye...

"The north is to south what the clock is to time
There's east and there's west and there's everywhere life
I know I was born and I know that I'll die
The in between is mine
I am mine"

I am Mine by Pearl Jam

Of Grief

The locks are gone...

As I walked into the barber's, he takes a look at me, desperately hoping that I'm there for a shave and nervously asks, "Haircut?".

Me: Haan
Barber: Setting karna hai
Me: Nahin, chota chahiye

At this stage I can hear him cursing Fate under his breath, as also the other barbers at the place.

What ensues is unarguably the longest haircut I have ever had, both in terms of time and hair. It takes a little over 35 minutes. During the course of this 'process' ('event' seems too momentary a word to use), I learn a great deal about hair. For instance:

The position of your parting depends on how the hair is cut. It seems to explain why I was unable to get a middle parting going at the peak of my hair presence. It also seems to explain how NY managed that new hairstyle of hers sometime back. (my brag about me having more hair than her no longer stands...)

Even N, the friendly vaahan chaalak was most disappointed when I returned with my present ishstyle. He, alongwith one half of the grand-parents and the scores(?) of my ardent followers all endorsed how good the hair was looking.

And so I return to my grief...

The camera battery gave up as I was transferring the before and after pics and so the scores(?) of loyal readers of this blog will have to wait another day for them...

"If I cancel tomorrow the undead will thank me today
Fly in the space of your prophets I mock your morality plays.
The moon is red and bleeding, The sun is burned and black
The book of life is silent, No turning back.

Only the good die young
All the evil seems to live forever"

Only The Good Die Young by Iron Maiden

RIP shoulder length dreams...

This is one of those posts I would advise myself not to write - because it is evidence of great grief that surrounds the 350 odd cubic centimetres of space that I occupy.

This evening signals that last day that the flowing locks remain a part of my 'get-up'. Whilst the goatee is the product of a mere 2 weeks of sacrifice and care, the locks have been a 5-6 month project.

This must be what its like to spend months building a model of the White House only for the director of Independence Day to decide that it looks best when blown up and filmed with high-speed cameras. Apparently blowing the model from the inside is exactly what happens when a death ray from the aliens' spaceship comes down on it...

Before and after photos will assuredly be taken and posted...

RIP: May you find your reincarnation on the cold glistening scalp of a needy, rich, bald Indian...

"The killers breed or the demons seed,
The glamour, the fortune, the pain,
Go to war again, blood is freedoms stain,
But dont you pray for my soul anymore."

2 Minutes to Midnight by Iron Maiden

Rise and Talk, my Metallic Beauty

The English, particularly those who would ostensibly qualify to be in the higher echelons of their white-collars, love to pamper themselves and rest their over-worked grey cells for approximately 3-4 minutes every weekday.
Despite being, in the very least, of average intelligence, these select individuals (most disturbingly) seem unable or unwilling to read the floor number appearing on the display inside a lift. It seems to be some sort of annoying national obsession, although I suspect it may actually be to cater to guidelines for the visually challenged.
Today, for the first time, I was met by an Indian talking lift. I am now terribly frightened that India is going the UK way. I'm glad I have to bear neither for a while soon. Amongst various other trite information such as the floor, the weather, the news and what I suspect was a 60's jazz song, the lady (thankfully Indian) also gives you the exact time - to the second!
In other news I have watched Eragon, Spiderman 3, The Importance of Being Earnest, 8 episodes of Season 18 of the Simpsons and 1 episode of Two and a Half Men in the past 2.5 days. Of these - Eragon and the single episode were alright. The Simpsons is as good as ever and Oscar Wilde is, of course, wonderful regardless of whether you're sober or not (I was when I watched it).
Spiderman on the other hand is (and I'm putting it very mildly) absolute crap. May I be struck with a lightning bolt if I pay to watch the 4th installment.

Smoke near the Water

This evening, I was enjoying a walk on Marine Drive, happy in the knowledge that thanks to the breeze blowing, the only thing posing any sort of abnormal danger to my health was Pantera screaming out 'I'm Broken' into my already under-sensitive eardrums.

Somewhere in the middle of the third chorus, I get a waft of diesel smoke (as I have a hundred time before). I know what it is, but for some reason - it really bugs me today, which is why it features on this post.

It's a generator at the bus stop powering the lights in the hoarding above the bus stop. I suppose that when people pay good money to advertise on prime location bus stops like those on Marine Drive, they expect it to be of some use 24X7. But surely when we (a) already have a severe power situation and (b) really can't afford any more pollution; you would think the authorities might wake up and do something about it.

Pull a power line to the bus stop if we must have hoardings with lights or at least insist on solar power. But, all that's far too difficult to implement and so we continue giving walkers on Marine Drive what they really came to find - clean air.

In other news - I will get through No. 35 too. Just one more now...

"I wonder if we'll smile in our coffins while loved ones
Mourn the day, the absence of our faces, living, laughing,
Eyes awake. Is this too much for them to take?
Too young for ones conclusion, the lifestyle won.
Such values you taught your son. Thats how!
Look at me now. I'm broken.
Inherit my life. I'm broken"

I'm Broken by Pantera

What the heck...

After Evidence, I've taken a 24 hour break (a complete break) in celebration of the fact that I had 5 days (now 4) to my next paper. These 24 hours have included a Die Hard marathon...watching all 3 in the order: 1-3-2. This took place thanks to a swap with NY where I traded one of MY CD's for the Die Hard DVD (mine again), which she's had for months. Somehow I feel she got the better end of the deal.

 

The break is scheduled to come to an end in about 15 minutes, which is why I decided to blog as my final act...

 

News is that I am terribly disappointed in the final line-up. After the SF draw, I was really hoping for a NZ-SA and a new addition to the list of WC winners. Unfortunately, both have got so comprehensively thumped that it would have been a travesty to let them through. Despite AD's general weirdness and Lankan heritage(??), I'm with her on this one...

 

In other news, my withdrawal symptoms have finally died down after showing themselves off for 10 days. Phew...

 

Pretty incredible lyrics these - when you think about it...Dave Mustaine ki jai!

 

"This morning I made the call
The one that ends it all
Hanging up,i wanted to cry
But dammit,this wells gone dry

Not for the money,not for the fame
Not for the power,just no more games

But now Im safe in the eye of the tornado
I cant replace the lies,that let a 1000 days go
No more living trapped inside
In her way Ill surely die
In the eye of the tornado,blow me away "

 

-Tornado of Souls by Megadeth

34 down 2 to go!

One more eats the dust...will pass...

1 Down 3 to go

I figured I'd email a quick update....exam was ok - will pass. Just 3 more now...

One for the books

This is likely to be my last post until the 25th, if not the 5th. These exams have seen an unfortunate change - no book is being read on the side and so, I have to lull myself to sleep with mental revisions of situations involving Frenchmen getting married to Englishwomen in Italy under Polish rituals in the vain hope that when they remarry, the bigamy trial Court will be so confused with the validity requirements of the previous marriage that it will effectively say, 'Go do what the hell you like'!

Since we're on the issue of sleep - this photo is to ensure you don't. Part of my pre-exam boredom, really. It is also to give AD an indication as to where I stand to aid in her noble, yet what will undoubtedly be futile efforts to educate me about hair care and all that tripe...

The beginning of the end?

Is it just me, or has Gmail and a host of other Google sites become prohibitively slow, or at least significantly slower for those of you with fast connections? Is the 'free' and 'open internet' concept that Google has admirably advocated and successfully carried out these past 4-5 years finally reaching the inevitable bubble-burst stage?

Perhaps its time to begin looking at alternate avenues for a permanent email address and begin shifting. Or perhaps its time to switch to POP3 - at least that way I'm unlikely to feel the pinch as much.

In other news, characterisation in Conflict is just ridiculous. I am willing to make a phone call to anywhere in the world to speak to anyone who can explain it to me in 10 minutes. Such was the concentration to try and understand what on earth it is that I didn't notice the horrible irritation being caused by the longer than usual stubble on my face until a few minutes ago. This resulted for the 2nd first-time activity in as many days - shaving at 1 am.

When on the topic of natural keratin products - the hair continues to grow. Unfortunately frontward growth is far exceeding backward growth, which results in my eyes often being given the cliched message that ignorance is bliss. Anyone with any tips as to how to ensure ponytail'ish growth rather than broom growth will be treated to a Rustom's ice-cream.

Time now to explore Conflict in lesser detail than I have over the course of the past 12-odd hours.