…when they continually said to me just before my board exams that if I worked hard for the exams my life was set. This is one occasion I wish parents were correct 
But then I did not really work hard for the board exams and scored only mediocre marks, maybe that’s why. Any of the 7 readers of this blog who studied meticulously for their boards and scored great marks care to leave a comment?
P.S. - I still love you Mom and Dad!
I just had a very hectic 30-40 days.
Trip to Bangalore was fun. Worked hard for a couple of days and then freaked out with Moin, Subodh and Sallu for a day. Pics coming up shortly.
Went home for Mom’s birthday. Had a nice time hogging on home food and spending time with family.
Suman and Sanket got engaged in Bharuch. Had gone there to attend the function and had a nice time. Bharuch is a nice small place. Enjoyed with Suman’s gang and with Sanket’s family. Had good dabeli, pani puri and lots of ice cream even though I had an upset stomach. Return train journey was fun. Photos coming up as soon as Sanket/Suman send them to me.
Murthy finally managed to send my new digicam over from the US. Technically not mine since I gifted the camera to Mom but I have taken most of pics till now. It is a Canon PowerShot A570 IS, a decent point-and-click camera though I am yet to take great shots with it - many snaps are simply overexposed.
Tons of work at office. Team is growing so lots of things to do. Extremely busy at work nowadays.
Went to Ahmedabad for Christmas holidays. Sanket, Subodh and Sallu were in town. Bharat (who is in Ahmedabad only) played host most of the time. Also met Pankit. Had a blast with these guys. Had lots of coffee, went bowling but mostly it was talking. Also had a party at a friend’s place. Enjoyed a hell lot. Photos coming up shortly.
Also went to Moin’s home on Bakra Id - had amazing chicken biryani! Moin was also flying to Riyadh the same day so said bye to him. Photos coming up shortly.
My friend Mona got married to Sanjay Nair (so now technically she is also a Nair!). They hosted a reception at the City Lake Restaurant in Vastrapur, met Ushma there (she is as much the prankster today as she ever was) and also met Sanjay for the first time. Nice chap though could not talk much with him since there were many people vying for his attention. Was really difficult for me (and for Sanket) to drag ourselves to the reception after the party the previous night but I am glad we did. Photos coming up for this too.
My friend Pratik is also getting married in January. To Pulkit - I know I know it’s a guy’s name… I am still thinking of a good nickname for her. They make a nice couple. Am still getting to know Pulkit. She is my new best friends for reasons that will not be disclosed on this blog Pratik and I are sort of the founding members of the Devdas chapter of the Prakash gang so am both happy and sad that he is changing boats. But I still have enough people for company so am not too worried
Suman and I went down to Ahmedabad for New Year’s eve too. Sanket came down from Bharuch. Pratik, Pulkit, Mona, Pravin and Bharat. Ushered in the new year with lots of food, phone calls, dancing, singing and masti. Photos coming up in a few days.
Saw Taare Zameen Par with family (Dad, Mom and Nani). Liked the movie but was really happy because my family also loved it. Dad very rarely likes Hindi movies but even he loved this one! Mom and Nani also loved it… I wonder if it was because they had seen Om Shanti Om just a couple of days back? Hmmm.
That’s all for now. Hopefully I will blog more regularly this year. Happy New 2008!
I keep having these bouts of determination and enthusiasm when I blog many times in a week and then there are times like these when I hardly blog at all. Sometimes I do not have anything to say, sometimes I am just to lazy and once in a blue moon I am too busy to blog.
Life is going on as usual. Nothing new to report. Work is normal. Personal life is normal. Well… as normal as normal can be 
I have about 6 posts as drafts that I hope to complete in a few days and publish the final version. Keep your fingers crossed.
Brother has moved to Vizag and I am sort of missing him. Actually we used to hang out at least once in a week when he was in Mumbai. Lots of friends from abroad have landed up in India (or will be arriving soon). I am trying to meet as many as possible. I met Bantu in Ahmedabad. I also met Mona, Nehal, Pulkit and Pravin. I had a nice time with all of them. Janak is also in India for a week and yesterday we met up for a few hours before he left for Ahmedabad. We talked about old times and new and we realized that he, I and many of our close friends were in the same boat in more ways than one. So none of us will be really alone Sobha is also in town… not sure if and when we will meet up but it felt nice talking to her after such a long time (nice detailed talk is still pending).
It is wedding season and I am making many trips outside of Mumbai to attend the engagements or wedding of many of my close friends. I have about 9 such events lined up but will not be able to attend all 
I am trying to attend as many as I can but simply cannot attend all because of the schedule. I wish I could take a month’s leave, chill out at home and attend all the functions!
Well… that’s all for now. Take care and enjoy life!
My parents and grandmother had planned to come down to Mumbai a couple of weeks back and stay with my brother and me for a few days. However weather at that time was quite unpleasant (continuous rains) and I too fell ill. So they postponed their trip and moved the plans to this weekend.
They arrived in the morning. I have planned lots of things for a couple of days (Mumbai darshan, malls, dinners, lunches, shopping, meeting friends), a trip to Belapur to see my brother’s place and some time at my room resting and talking. They seem pretty satisfied with the cleanliness of my rooms so that is one goal scored My place is always neat but then parents always have different benchmarks. My Amuma (grandmother in Malayalam) poured the sugar from a plastic cover into the jar containing rice and that has been the only mishap till now They are coping admirably with my limited amenities, they always do actually. Amuma and Mom are full of questions (How can you trust the Bai? Where do you keep the valuables? Why are there no curtains in your room) and Dad is observing everything silently. Unfortunately Vineet’s schedule does not permit him to join us… I am missing him
I am taking them to InOrbit in some time. We are also going for a movie in the evening. I am taking them to a nice restaurant for dinner. Tomorrow I have hired a cab to take them to the 5-6 typical Mumbai landmarks. Friends are coming to my place in the evening. All in all I am going to have a nice weekend. Will keep you updated.
Aah… weekends. Usually my favourite part of the week. Went to sleep very late last night. Was playing around with the blog and reading stuff.
Also started reading a book called Programming the Universe authored by Seth Lloyd. Lately I have been rereading some of my favourite stuff, Harry Potter, Asimov books, Sherlock Holmes etc. Too much of fiction actually. So this time when I walked into a bookstore I decided to get something I usually would not get. Picked up this book at random, read a random page and liked the quantum-mechanical thingamajig the author was talking about, so bought it. Read a few pages and seems interesting. The initial pages in such books are always easy and interesting. It is later that the fun starts… I have still not complete reading A Brief History of Time. Hopefully this book will be easier to finish.
Have lots of errands to run over the weekend. Parents are coming for 4 days next weekend so I have to get the house in order. Nothing big, my rooms are usually in good shape. But have to do some cleaning, call the plumber, call the electrician, order for a new gas cylinder and so on and so forth. I also have to plan how to take them around in Mumbai. I just hope the weather stays pleasant, that it does not rain and it does not get too hot.
That’s all for now. See ya soon!
22 years ago on this day my brother Vineet was born. When Mom was carrying Vineet I would talk to her tummy every day. Every day before going to sleep I would kiss it. I wanted a sister (not sure why) and I would always treat my would-be sibling as a “she”.
One fine day he was born. I was at the daycare center; my aunt (Sobha Amaye (Amaye=bua in Mallu)) picked me up and we went to the hospital in the bus. I don’t remember the exact conversation but I have a distinct impression that she was trying to convince me that a brother will also make a very good friend. We reached the hospital, I was still not convinced so I was a bit sad. Mom says I created a scene… but I guess when I saw Vineet lying between 2 tiny pillows beside Mom I fell in love with him, my anger melted away. Mom says it took full 3 days to pacify me totally… but I guess the real hard work was done by Vineet himself
Happy Birthday Vineet!
It’s life as usual.
Vineet had a less hectic schedule than usual so he came over to my place late in the evening. We went out to this nice restaurant called Cascade in Thakur Village, Kandivali East. Decent ambiance, very good food and excellent service. Then we went to the CCD in the same building as Cascade. And believe it or not I did NOT have coffee. I was too full to have anything else.
It is still hectic at work. Vineet and I are going home this weekend so that should be a nice break from routine. Punit is coming back in another couple of weeks. Murthy might be moving out in a couple of weeks.
Those are the updates from me for now. Over and out.
…Its really hard.
They call it the “Quarter-Life Crisis”. It is when I stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about me that I didn’t know and may not like. I start feeling insecure and wonder where I will be in a year or two, but then get scared because I barely know where I am now.
I start realizing that people are selfish and that maybe, those friends that I thought were so close to me aren’t exactly the greatest people I have ever met, and the people I have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What I don’t recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren’t really cold, catty, mean, or insincere but that they are as confused as I am.
I look at my job (part time)… and it is not even close to what I thought I would be doing, or maybe I am looking for a job and realizing that I am going to have to start at the bottom and that scares me. My opinions have gotten stronger. I see what others are doing and find myself judging more than usual because suddenly I realize that I have certain boundaries in my life and am constantly adding things to the list of what is acceptable and what isn’t. One minute, I am insecure and then the next, secure.
I laugh and cry with the greatest force of my life. I feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and I try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where I’m or move forward.
I’m heart broken and wonder how someone I loved could do such damage to me. Or lay in bed and wonder why I can’t meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. Or maybe I love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why I’m doing this because I know that I’m not a bad person.
One night stands and random hookups start to look cheap. GETTIN WASTED AND ACTING LIKE AN IDIOT STARTS TO LOOK PATHETIC. I go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with my friends about the same topics because I cannot seem to make a decision. I worry about loans, money, and the future and making a life for myself… and while winning the race would be great, right now i’d just like to be a contender!
What I just realize is that everyone reading this relates to it or related to it once. We are in our best of times and worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.
~ Vineet
NOTE: This is not completely an original piece. I got this as a forward some time back but I could relate to it so much it’s as if I had written it myself. It is not identical to the forward I got because there is a lot of me in there, especially towards the end. I will try to find out the original author of this piece and give credit to him/her but that will have to wait for some time since I have my exams going on right now. Bye!
I am Vineet, Varun’s younger brother presently pursuing Hotel Management at M.S. Ramaiah College in Bangalore.
I love bartending, it is one of my hobbies. I sometimes bartend for Tulleeho (in India they market all the brands owned by Diageo) and also at private parties. Since my 2nd year I have been participating in inter-college competitions and usually take part in the Bartending competition. Have won 3 of them in the last 2 years.
All the bartending competitions usually have the same judging criteria - innovativeness, flair, concept, grooming of the bartender and also his style in presenting them. One has to make an innovative cocktail. Last year there was another inter-college competition at KLE College in Bangalore. I had won the same competition there the previous year and wanted to win this time also.
Considering I am a big lazy bum I usually have to be pushed and pushed and pushed (until I fall over) to come up with something innovative.
We had 2 days left for the competition and I still had no idea what to make. It usually takes more than one brain in the Service team to come up with something innovative. So I, my Food and Beverage Service lecturer, Mr. Bobby George and another friend of mine, Asif Khan were sitting and wondering what to make. Asif had this wonderful cocktail which included Bacardi (white rum), dark rum, lime juice, sprite and crushed ice.
Around the same time Tata Steel took over Corus, the 2nd or 3rd largest Indian takeover of a foreign company, increasing its steel production so much so that from 56th it became the 5th largest steel group (wowwwwwwwww). Another company Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN) lost the bid for Corus. It became clear to us that this would be news for at least a week.
So we decided to build a concept for our cocktail around this news. I like experimenting with alcohol, like using chilies, mushrooms and dates for infusion in Vodka, chocolate and cherries in Bacardi, various spices in old monk(dark rum) etc.
The name of this cocktail is Footprint. This is how the idea goes…
The most important rule that we follow is use the cheapest ingredient while first making a cocktail. This is because in case you realize you have made a mistake midway you do not have much loss (considering each cocktail would be priced around 300 to 400 rs in a good hotel in Bangalore). The judges were big shots in the hotel industry).
Method of preparation:
That’s it! And now a huge round of applause!
I kept talking while making the cocktail. Considering I have a loud voice I had everybody’s attention (including the judges) and nobody realized (except Mr. Bobby George who was sitting right up front in the 1st row. I think that’s what caused it…he he he) I made a mistake of not using the sprite at all though I had mentioned it while making the cocktail. As a result the cocktail was a little strong but fortunately to everybody liking.
By the way we chose the name Footprint because of what Ratan Tata said at a press conference:
” Tata Steel, an Indian steel company, now has global scale and a footprint in Europe. “
Looks like we have finally arrived. I hope you liked the idea.
P.S. I won the competition.
So Cheers to Tata Steel, to India and to the best bartender you have met so far!
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce my brother Vineet who is going to make his blogging debut in a few minutes. Some of you know him from the real world, some of you know him from my blog. But all of will, I am sure, enjoy what he has to say.
He is also the first guest blogger to star on my blog. The next post will be by “da man” himself. Welcome Vineet!
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