Random Musings

I’m up late, watching the Euro 2008 match between Greece and Sweden, and it’s bally hilarious. The poor Swedes are trying their best to play football–you know, put the ball in the net–but the Greeks seem determined to play via the Socratic Method. If you’ve ever faced this in school or college, you know how irritating it is.

” Socrates used to tick off people doing this; they thought he was mocking them by asking them stupid questions or tricking them into being confused because he was clever. They brought him to trial, convicted him, and executed him. While execution is not as much a potential problem today, the method still really irritates people when you (as it seems to them) “show them up” in subjects they think they are expert. Illogical people do NOT like this method used “on” them; and they cannot see it as a method that is being used “with” them in order to help them.”

So in football, the Greek chappies pass the ball around in the back line.. and pass in the back line.. and KEEP PASSING IN THE BACK LINE!! For TEN MINUTES.

It’s extremely boring, and frankly, I was nodding off. I think Sweden was nodding off too, and I’m certain I saw Ibrahminovic pull out a cell phone and send a SMS. It might be an iPhone, that holy of all phone holies, and he might be watching a couple of Youtube videos of the Brazilians.

In any case, it’s half time now, nil-nil (inevitably), and the teams are out of the dugout. Let’s hope that Greece remembers what happened to poor old Socrates.

The month of April was full of eventful events. It started off with me playing soccer, and managing to injure my knee. Not a simple injury, I had to go and tear my ACL, PCL, and get a grade two meniscus tear in the bargain. I need surgery to get this fixed, and of course the Doc is busy, and can’t operate before July.

So here I am, limping around, barely able to walk. I’d got a job in Bangalore, the one I had interviewed for, and I was looking forward to moving there, but apparently, fate has other plans for me, and means to keep me in Jaipur for a bit. I hope my employers don’t fire me!

April was also our last month in college. Now, when you have spent five years in one place, from the age of 19 to 24, it is a bit of a wrench to think that you will never come back there again, and that college days are over. All the late nights, sitting and talking in Tillu’s room, laughing at Mama’s antics, these are now only memories. I’m not very sentimental, but I must confess that when I looked at my empty room, where I’d spent four years of my life, I felt my eyes grow misty.

That room saw me through all sorts of good times, bad times, and medium times. It saw me start to write online, and make lots of money doing so; it saw me sit and stare blankly at the walls when it would seem like life is really not worth doing anything at all with; it saw all sorts of things.

Still, I’d always wanted to leave my room as if I had never lived there, and I think I managed that. No posters, no marks on the walls, no nothing. Just an empty room, with no trace of my presence.Does that seem weird? Maybe, I don’t know.

I didn’t have too great a time in college, for a variety of reasons. But I did make some very good friends, who got me through five years of law school with pretty decent grades. And I must say, that it was a fun time overall.

The last month was a blur of eating out all the time, going for Taj breakfasts at the drop of a hat, staying up all night ( well, that we did anyway), and of course, me being me, reading a lot of books.

I spoke to some people that I had never spoken to in five years, and found that they were quite nice. I think they were surprised by me too. I was extremely surprised and embarrassed to be voted a certain title, and all that.

Standard usual passing out of college tales I think. But yes, I will remember them. Especially looking at my room, and saying good bye on the station to Tillu, who was one member of the triumverate of Arun, me and him. We were the ones who always stayed up, and his room, with all the posters, and windchimes, and the fridge! was the scene of many a late night conversation. I’ll miss that, as I will miss hanging out with Arun and Tillu. And who can forget Ruthwik, dropping in for a chat. Here’s to all you guys! Addu, don’t get pissed, you’re here too.

Anyway, that’s done and over with. I am now home, and resting my leg as much as possible. I am confused again, cause my job now seems to have receded a few months, till I get my leg fixed. Ah well, such is life. I’m a little down and out too, for many reasons, but that is not something I am going to write about here.

I apologize for the post being just a wee bit maudlin, but hey, it’s my journal, and I write what I want

Cheerful stuff later.

In college today we had the 100 mt sprint. Now that was one event that I really wanted to win. I graduate next month, and I doubt very much that I will be doing any competitive running after this. Long story short, I did win, very very narrowly, but I won. woo hoo and all that. Now I can graduate, safe in the knowledge that if nothing else, at least I was the fastest chap in college

It’s a useful skill to have. When trouble arrives, I can be a hundred meters away in 11 seconds! In social situations, even though you can’t really run, at least at the back of my head I know that if push really does come to shove, poof! Nag is gone! Yes, I know, I sound like a total coward. However, the social situation I am talking about is not one when a belligerent drunk comes bumping into me, looking for a casus belli. Those are different. No, I am talking about situations where one cannot fight one’s way out, and where it would be rude to use wit.

Anyway, I did of course pull my hamstring, so now I am limping all over the place. And yes, before you think that this is an extremely narcissistic post, let me tell you that in the three on three football that followed, I scored twice.. for the other team , so I am suitably chastened.

Played three on three basketball too, when my friend and teammate Arun managed to crock his ankle, leaving just Tillu and I. The other team was kind enough to offer to play two on two, and we played on. It was not a very fun game, and it was all my fault. I played very selfishly, and did not pass the ball to Tillu at all. So though we won, it was not fun at all. Sigh.

Anyway, enough of this. I am off home tomorrow for Mom’s birthday. And then onwards, to Delhi and Bangalore to watch Iron Maiden.

Yes, and my phone committed hara kiri yesterday, so I lost all my phone numbers. I have since bought a new phone, but it’s not activated yet. If you know me, please call me in a day or so, so that I can save your number!

So that’s that, for the moment.

A nice alphabet there. Stands for so many things. Delhi, dreary, devastating, dull, dastardly.. see what I mean?

Of course, being a regular to this journal, you’ll know that an opening like that signifies that I have nothing to write about, and so am trying desperately to hold your attention with a catchy opening line.

Well, it worked, didn’t it? You’re still reading. So stop complaining.

I’ve been hanging around in Delhi more than I have been in college this sem. Been coming here every chance I get. This time, I came for the CLC debate, and had fun. My teammate was debating for the first time, so we ended up having loads of fun, and heck, we actually managed to qualify for the quarter-finals! Got knocked out eventually to another DU team doing another prepared debate (sigh!), but at least we did fun debates.

Now I’m hanging around with my brother and Choti, my sis-in-law.  We are eating lots of food, watching lots of movies, and having nice long conversations. I’m probably going to be hanging around here for a couple more days, before I head back to college.

I’m watching bits of Gone With the Wind.  Viven Leigh and Clark Gable.. What a movie! The sets, the acting, the whole spread out lavish extravaganza. Bravo!!

Oh yeah, I may be going to watch Iron Maiden perform live at Bangalore! My bestest friend (heh heh heh), has agreed to pay my way, some part of it at least.. So B’lore, here I come!! It ought to be fun, considering that Maiden is supposed to be one of the best live performances around!

A friend of mine is down in the dumps, and I’m hoping to help out. I guess February is a blue month. I was down and out too for a while, which is why I wasn’t writing at all, but now I’m better, for the most part.

Oh well, I have no job, no money, no admission to any Univ, anywhere in the world, and no idea what I am going to do next! Sounds like fun!

Over and out!

Beware the autumn people says the book. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury, and I have just read one of those books you remember for a lifetime. I felt like this when I read Second Foundation, years ago. The end of that, when Preem Palver, First Speaker.. Oh boy oh boy.

This book is dark, spooky, macabre and brilliant. It draws you in from the very first page and grabs you by the throat and does not let go for two hundred and ninety thrilling pages. I won’t describe the book anymore. If you like to read, read this. End of story.

I was reading a few blogs and emails from people in my college, and I noticed something curious. We use very long words and weird sentence construction. The blogs especially are guilty of this. For some reason, it seems to be cool to write stuff that is difficult to understand. Not because it is difficult to fathom, but because it is difficult to read.

This thing that I write is not really a blog. It’s more like notes to myself, and for friends to read. And yet, it’s been criticized for being shallow, boring, and too simple. Well, it IS shallow boring and simple.. but not to me. I write for myself, and for fun, not to sound smarter than I am. If you don’t like it, I’m not forcing you to read it! I like to read what I wrote six months back and remember how I felt when I was writing that.

Should I sprout existential philosophy? Use big words and complex construction? Would you be impressed? Well, I hate to tell you this, but if you get impressed by big words and complex construction, I don’t want to know you! Call me opinionated, if you like, but that’s just me. I’d rather talk to someone who would wear another fellow’s cap. “Charles was the kind of fellow who would never wear another fellow’s cap.”.. Which book? heh heh.. see, now I’m showing off. You are welcome to roll your eyes and go click on some link to somewhere less mindless and narcissistic..

I wonder why it is that when we write, we try and be as obtuse as possible. This seems to be an pan-Indian phenomenon. I’ve been a law student for five years now, and I’ve read a reasonable amount of cases and articles written by eminent lawyers and judges. With some refreshing exceptions, most of these people seem to believe that the more they write, the better.

Our examinations from day one are weighted this way. I just wrote a paper today, in which I filled quite a few sheets. The paper could have been answered in half the space, or possibly even a quarter of it, but I had to do the filling up nevertheless. This starts in school and gets worse in college. Some teachers do try, by putting word limits, but most of us are incapable of writing briefly. We seem to freeze inside if we are asked to write within 250 words. The general opinion is, “Write everything, something has to be correct!”.

Is it just me, or does someone else prefer brevity? I do a little bit of writing for some websites and the like, and this was the first thing my editor told me when I started out. Smaller sentences! Active Voice! First person! These three rules made writing suddenly so much more fun. Where I used to write eight sentences, I now write three.

I think law students especially love to use humongous, poly-syllabalic words, in the belief that it makes them sound erudite. The previous sentence could easily have been “Law students like to use big words. They think it makes them sound smarter”. Which would you prefer? Does studying law make people like this, or do such people only study law? There’s a conundrum (a puzzle?)

This is one major reason for me not wanting to practice. The idea of writing briefs in stilted, antiquated English that takes eighteen hundred words to get an idea across, leaves me cold. You might say I am not talented enough, and I’d cheerfully agree.

Oh well, I’d welcome comments. I know I’m not a very good writer, so please refrain from ripping apart my syntax and grammar.

Ah the shifting capitals. Back in college after a whirlwind trip home, which consisted mostly of food and watching the cricket match..in the stadium. The match unfortunately was a low scoring affair, but at least we won.

Now I am sitting up, and trying hard ( or hardly?) to finish a project or two.. or three… or four!! And given that I am leaving for Bangalore day after, I don’t exactly have unlimited tracts of time at my disposal. And of course, me being the way I am, I’m still not working. Just faffing around, reading, listening to music, looking out of the window, and writing on this useless journal of mine.

What I need is a Deus Ex Machina. Something that comes out of nowhere and saves my sorry, lazy, no-good, ass. But if wishin was fishin, then well, who knows what.

Now is the winter of my discontent and all that blah. The rather blather of freezing water, and the feel of phones that do have wired connections to the wall, black cats in my room..

That was the mental equivalent of a little hiccup. But the cats part is true. While I was away, my good friend, who shall go unnamed, accidently locked a little kitten in my room. The results, as you can guess, were not very pretty. To be fair, the culprit did spend loads of time cleaning up, so I guess we’re even. But I mean, a kitten? Now I have had rats, mice, frogs, dogs, and a kitten in my room. A regular menagerie.. Nature lover I am, and apparently the sentiment is reciprocated.

Well anyway, another night has passed, and it’s early morning. I am supposed to wake up a few people, so off I go to do that.

poinK poiNk

I’ve been dying to re-read A Room With a View lately. Unfortunately, I don’t have the book with me, and the one copy that I know of in college I can’t borrow, for various silly reasons. Anyways, so it suddenly struck me that Project Gutenburg would have the book, since it’s out of copyright.

I was right, they did have a freely downloadable version. Now I don’t like reading books on my computer. Sitting in front of a screen just does not compare to the visceral experience of curling up in bed with a nice book and something to munch on, late at night. But still, beggars choosers and all that, and I did really really want to read it, so what the heck, right?

One-thirds of the way through it so far, and I’ve paused to write this entry. This is a book that you must read. There is something about it that is just beautiful. The first bit, in Italy, is like a river meandering through a spring meadow. It’s slow, and has birds flitting about, and lazy bees humming just at the threshold of your hearing. The smell of fresh cut grass rises up.. difficult to explain, but that’s what I feel like when I read this.

Books do that. They transport me away from my mundane existance to places of beauty and magic. Places of mystery, and suspense, and beautiful maidens. Where you never know what’s around the next corner, unless the book is an old friend, dog-eared and time worn, but which is always welcoming. I don’t understand reading a book only once. The only books I’ve read once are the ones that I don’t like. Books I like I read over and over, at suitable intervals. When I remember only the broad strokes of the book, and not the subtle brushwork, I like to take it off the shelf and go through it again, safe in the knowledge that I not going to meet any unpleasant memories.

Another book I love with all my heart and soul is The Pickwick Papers. Sam Weller is one of my all-time favorite characters, and Snodgrass, Tupam and Winkle are perfectly suited to be admirers of that great man, Mr. Pickwick himself. The variety of characters and situations, the bittersweet nature of the book, and it’s insightful glances into the nature of human existance mark it as a true classic. And to imagine that Dickens wrote this in his early twenties.. just about as old as I am today!

Oh well, I just felt transported by A Room With a View, and I wanted to share the feeling with someone, even someone as ephemeral as you. Thanks.

And my blog has been discovered by all my Bengali relatives.. It’s a bit like Columbus discovering America,in some ways. Hello to you all, enjoy your stay here, and do not believe everything that I write. I might just be messing with you.

So life in college is proceeding at a snail’s pace. We have exams in three days, so obviously I should be studying right now. Just as obviously, I ‘m not studying! Heh heh. And I have no intention of studying till the apocalypse is upon me ( read exams the next day.

OK, I’m off to install Fedora, and I’ll write a first impressions post in a while.

later

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. That is what has happened over the last two weeks. I went to Calcutta, met Rohini, my favorite sister, her mom and her dad and we had great fun. Three days later, I’m in college and I find out that her father had a brain aneurysm. He passed away two days afer that.

Pappuda, as he forced us to call him, was one of the most fantastic people that I have had the privilege of knowing. He could make a perfect stranger feel like a dear friend within five minutes of meeting him.

Anyway, I will not write much about him on this public blog, except to say that he will be missed.

On a happier note, I finally met one of my coolest relatives. He’s a geek like me, so we got along really well, especially when we both pulled out Thinkpads… heh heh.

So many things have happened that it’s impossible to write about it all. Anyway, I’m back people.. Rejoice or cower, as the fancy takes you.

Later