2061 : Skoda Octavia VRS 2013

If this does not make you fall in love with the Skoda, I wonder what will. This is most definitely my next car.
Skoda Octavia VRS here I come.

Watch video here.

2060 : Hey I saved the world today

This happend last week. I was with Raavan, who likes to spend infinite time in the Honda, since he thinks he is learning to drive (it helps that he idolizes Senna who used to drive a Mclaren Honda).

He was inside the car, and I was standing outside soaking in some much needed vitamin D. The rains had just stopped in the past 3-4 hrs and the roads were beginning to dry up.

I looked onto the center of the road, and I saw a dry craggy earthworm trying to find moisture and hope.

Cars were whizzing past, I figured the wriggler wont last more than a few more seconds. A few minutes later, when a lean period ensued on the road, I saw the earthworm was still around - and still craggy and crawling.

I looked around saw a gutka wrapper lying around (you will get that by the ton in Mumbai). I looked around, making sure that no cars coming in the near vicinity, walked quickly, bent and picked up the craggy earthworm on the gutka cover.

Balancing delicately, I dropped it on the nullah on the side of the road.

I would like to believe that one gesture of mine, saved the world - so much for the butterfly effect :-)

(Seriously, I do believe that every act (bad or good), eventually adds up. So think before making a choice. An average human makes 35000 choices a day. Be mindful and choose wisely.)

2059 : 99 parts of your life

(Continuing from my previous post)

I have completely shunned this connected world of mine. I will do this till I reasonably can. I struggle with the idea of a world - where the whole idea is to fill up time.

I also don't understand the idea of taking a break by going to a movie, or a visit to a mall over the weekend especially.

I don't understand the idea of having a party which has more than 10 people.

I don't understand the idea of having a vacation, where the whole idea is the see a new place, almost to an itinerary.

Here is my idea of a perfect evening. Three piping hot Garlic Nans, alongwith any food you like (lets say Paneer Handi), and two huge bottles of dry red wine. This meal should be treasured for over 5 hours and could include loved and dear ones. This is what I want to do for my birthday party. In essence do nothing. Let Floyd play their Diamond Shining bit in the background. Perfect.

I don't need no vacations, I don't need no movies :-)

Aha....maybe its really the idyllic fool in me kicking in :-)

2058 : Let the blood run amok

Running clears my mind like no other. Running gives me a sense of perspective that I dont hope to achieve with any other urban equivalent.

Running puts me back on my feet quite literally.

Like today as I ran, I realised how some very valuable relationships in my life were completely broken. Did it really take a run to get a grip of life?

Not really, but in this modern world, there is a little alone time - and in that sense for a person like me - everyday is like waging war with oneself.

2057 : Getting jazzy with it

My newfound love in recent years is Jazz. I am totally addicted to it, especially the vocals that come along with it. I wish I could play it all day at my work place. Once I settle in, I most probably will.

I just like the sound of the horn, the trumpet, the cello, the sax and the cymbal laden drum......all going around in circles.

I wish someday my daughter sings like Norah Jones. That is something to really look forward to.

2056 : The sounds of silence

Maybe I am the only lost puppy in this urban adrenaline doused lalaland. So often I just need to get 10 minutes of silence. I dont want anyone talking to me, I dont want my phone ringing, my blackberry buzzing, or doorbell humming. Music is fine - especially if it is Ella Fitzgerald or Billie Holiday, thats the only noise I choose to accommodate.

Just like others need vacations, I need my time to connect with myself. In the last few days, this need has never been stronger.

This familiar city which feels alien is bothering my insides a bit. It does not help that this city also makes it very difficult for me to quite literally breathe :-)

2055 : Tom Thum beat box at TedX

You have to see this to believe how awesome beatboxing as an art is. A lovely way to end your weekend. Very very inspiring.

2054 : Growing older

If I ever needed a clear sign that I am growing older (and how fast!!), its this. There was a time when I would comfortable jog    10 rounds of Raheja Vihar - and today I quite literally find 3 rounds similar to climbing everest.

My goal for this year, before ending December - I want to be back to jogging 10 rounds.

I hope for my own age that I stick to this one.

The journey has started. The destination is like the carrot on the stick.

2053 : 50 shades of plastic

I am probably being too meditative, but I am really in a spot of internal turmoil. This city that I grew up in, seems to be filled with plastic and silica. There is so much in the plastered behavior of the city, that at times I have to shake myself to make believe that I am not in Barbieland.

Finding your lost roots can nevertheless be an arduous task, but when do find them, to realize that they are now mummified is another bucket of recoil.

2052 : Wife shall be happy

I was telling someone that my new house shall have two kitchens. He immediately said, "your wife shall be very happy". I felt like taking a brick and bludgeoning him.

Not because of his sexist remark, but also because he could not seem to believe that I enjoy a good kitchen much more than my wife.

This is the same kind of person who says, "Oh you have a 3 series"...."that should keep Vijay happy" :-(

And unfortunately these are the very folks who chair a LGBT conference. What a bunch of phuckeeng phuckfaces?

2051 : My mind is chattering

....just like the feathers and wings of a pigeon, who woke up to find its feet stuck in solid ice.

2050 : Lets celebrate the Buddha nature.

There are scores of Zen stories which remind us that just letting a stone be at rest is possibly the best way for  us to live. The true Buddha nature of the stone is to rest, the true Buddha nature of the fire is to burn, the true Buddha nature of the beast is to bite, and the true Buddha nature of the bird is to fly, and the true Buddha nature of a mind is "letting things pass it by".

On days like today, I wonder why returning to stony silence is not such a wonderful thing?

2049 : Wrecking it up

Human beings are definitely far more than just quasi complex. We are probably the only organic race, which has defense mechanisms which are completely counter intuitive.

Vaccinations are a good example.

Even at a macro relationship level, we all have our defenses up and ready all the time. Sometimes to the point of loving the very thing we are protecting against, and at other times, loathing the very thing, we very much want. Happens to all of us right? You can relate to this?

I do feel sad when I see some of my loved relationships crumbled and crushed like a cookie. I do keep reminding myself, that a good Buddhist must first learn to die with grace :-)

2048 : Shiv please fire your copywriter

I could find this on the net, but if you are driving in Bangalore, do look out for these huge HCL hoardings which scream "No Boundaries within our 50,000 employees" and shows a cricketer in the follow through of a smack shot.

I would assume the intent of the message was literally to say "No boundaries" within our firm, we are one single message.

Take a step back. A cricketer within the throes of a smack shot is hopefully searching for the boundary, for him that is really manna.

So in summary - cricket is completely the wrong visual aid to say "no boundaries".

In cricket its a boundary that we need, and in real life, in some cases, we need to break the boundaries.