But a child at heart...

     

     

      But a child at heart...

    Last year this day I spoke to all who gathered for my birthday dinner themed "The Last Supper." Many of whom I would not see after that day. One of the biggest and the most precious chapter of my life was coming to an end - now clearly a past and a fond memory. And now, just a year later, I couldn't be much happier. Coming back to Kathmandu and not knowing what the next move should be was frightening. But in retrospect its been an adventure like a leisurely summer picnic. Its been one of the most important years of my life and I have all of you to thank for it (you all know who you are). And now I know that embracing the change wholeheartedly is not a bad idea. With the right attitude and the right people "the change" could be exactly what you need. Life is good. And with everything going on I must be God's favorite child. And I'll definitely use all of your wishes. Thank you.

     And to the ones back in Shanghai (and scattered elsewhere) - you guys are still the brightest star in my life.

Stay insanely happy!

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Waves hello. Waves goodbye.

     

     My home screen reads "January 1." Exactly this time last year I was pulling out the confetti's from my hair from the previous night. I looked at my friend and asked what will become of me the next year. I was about to graduate and I had doubts about 2013. We are if anything, creatures of habit - drawn to the safety and comfort of the familiar. The idea of a new life scared me a little. But turned out new was good. In fact it was great. It is really important to to look back and see how much you've grown. If you look back, you see that, in many cases, things happened exactly the way they needed to be. So this new year my wish for you all is to embrace the change whole heatedly. And who knows you might even start liking the change. 2013 was a beautiful and very important chapter of my life. Now clearly a past. Enough reasons to celebrate aaie? =))

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The Beautiful End.

     If I am a Romeo then Shanghai would be my Juliet. This however is not an ode to the city that I love. Past 6 years have been a precious chapter of my life - but things end. And quite sadly even the good things do. Last month I went through goodbye of multitude so high that it left a lump in my heart. Now in Kathmandu, the other city I looovvveee, I have all the time in the world to reflect upon the fairy tale like 6 years that I spent in Shanghai. Like every good story have some heroes, mine had some too. It was particularly hard to say goodbye to those. Among the stars in my life they will forever shine the brightest. So this is for them. Not for Shanghai, not for Kathmandu but only for them.

The end...

The beginning...

Perhaps this is the end,

Or the new beginning is it?

They say nothing comes with guarantees,

but right this moment as I write and pause

my beating heart loves you-

like a friend, a brother and a family.

Loves you,

like the only way I should.

And oh'dear - moments makes life.

And I dedicate this moment to you.

And how do I put it short and sweet?

Let's just say-

One day when you are in the crowded room-

full of strangers.

And you need a friend,

I will smile from across the room-

for you - Just for you.

<3
(7th July - 2013)

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Imagined our way through childhoods.

''Mum, I'd be back in a bit."

"Finish your homework first... Shailesh, come back before dinner."

     Fuck Facebook.  Outside… the original source of social networking! Ahhh... Kids today could probably learn a lot from putting technology aside for a second or two and getting out to enjoy the outdoors like we did growing up. They (as in parents) would call our names out on top of their voices, time and time again, to come inside for supper or a bath. Scarred, bruised and  heavy hearted (in fear of mumsies shouting at us), we'd return back home.
     I guess, outdoors was safer place back then. Man we sure would climb that guava trees only to be bashed later by Yamuna auntie (Oopsy! had to name), adopt those mongrel dogs (and would give 'em some weird local names Kaale, Khaire, Nakaale, Haku), fight for cheap bets. And as for our imaginations! Oh boy could we have fun with a piece of wood. I remember once I had this round metal. I'd play with it and turn deaf ears to my mum's protest for days. Later, my dad had to take it away (turned out it was a door knob). I was so upset. It was shiny and metallic and all the other kids wanted one. We just imagined our way through our childhoods and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
     And don't even let be begin about outdoor hiking and mini picnic. As I look back, am glad those things happened. I don't remember watching Jurassic park at home (actually, I do. Hello it's like my ultimate favorite movie). I don't remember playing video games with my cousins (don't recall much). But I remember how we promised each other among our friends to run through the graveyard at night (and we did and I was terrified), I remember how one of our friends was bullied and most importantly how we took his side and fought valiantly, I remember I fell into... (am such a motormouth. Shall not and will not discuss where I fell), those midnight ramblings on the balcony, phewww!!!
     Much on contrary, kids now days flash their motion sensor kits, PS3's, X-box. I'll bite my tongue and that admit these amenities are pretty darn cool but they've no idea that they are denying the "making of wonderful memories" they'll cherish later in their life. I just hope they get the chance to balance it out after all we meet real friends out in the wild and not while down with wire. And you Facebook addicts and Tweetaholics garb on to your sanity and just balance it out. I'll try to do the same. Until then how about organizing a picnic. Or else Friday night getaways. Do me a favor and get DRUNK while at it. Tell me how it was :)

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*my kinda song*

     I haven't been blogging much lately; but after oodles of days toil, I come back home and freshen up. Music is must after that. But lately there's been change in a pattern. I go out with this new friend (for late night coffee or drink or two) who is musically equipped as well. Hence, I've been listening to songs that I normally wouldn't. I deduce, if you feel passionately about something... SHARE IT. It'll let you see things from different perspectives. Getting back to the topic... SONGS. People often remember things after they see certain some souvenirs or they see a certain some places or they taste certain some foods. As for me memories come gushing in after I hear certain some songs (blast from the past). Yes, in my case it's fit to say certain some songs brings memories back to me. And I end up feeling super nostalgic after listening to 'em songs.

     Fresh out of school, I had attended this wedding anniversary. My cousins and I decided to dedicate a song to uncle-auntie who were happily married for 25 years. We picked the song "Stand by me" by John Lennon. I sang my heart out... Twice!!! The celebration was followed by crazy dancing in some cheesy bollywood numbers, one of which was "Beedi jalaile." And now as I give a listen to any one of these two songs, I go back to the time where families were together. Parents were younger... I was younger. How times change!!! As a child I would dance to the song "Humma humma" like crazy. Anybody who'd see me would inquire, "Baabu, would't you dance on humma humma again!!!" And guess what, I did every single time. As I watch the videos now, they crack me up. Is it only me or do everybody feel certain discomfort to see oneself in the video? Anyways am happy I danced, I smile as I think of those times. "It's a time to disco." Ahh... how we danced in this song when we were out in school trip. Every time I listen to this song I go back to that picnic venue when we were typical teenagers. We danced and the amused by-passers would clap and whistle. Yes, songs bring memories gushing back to me.

     There are different kinds of songs (pop, country, hip-hop, what not...) but the best ones are those which take you back to the place where you first listened to 'em. Would't you agree? What is you SONG blog bud's?

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amusing amigos!!!

     Don't we all live a dual life? For fuck's sake lets not get insightful, I just mean with the presence of social tools like Facebook and Twitter we've managed to make strata of friends VIRTUALLY, that too really good one's. Facebook might be virtual but the effect it has in real life is epic. Two of my Facebook bud's (Sabina and Mimi), always manage to cheer me up with their witty stats and boastful pictures. Schooled together but lost touch. Facebook helped us reconnect (BIG-TIME). About two weeks ago we decided to take some random snaps and dedicate it to each-other. Fortnight later we had our pictures ready and hence the dedication. Below are the results. No comparisons please. Its done from the place of (friend) love; each one of 'em are equally kewl. FYI :: I know mine is the awesomest ;)

I know we agreed on Sunday but I had ample time to kill at work and hence decided to upload today;) I wanted to do something else but decided otherwise... so to say this wasn't my original plan!! So, I held up my end of the bargain, its ur turn guys!! Told'ya I wasn't bluffing"... I assume mimi's reply would be "GULP" and bambina's "AM AWESOME"... lol. Bring it on.
THIS ONE'S MINE!!

My Photo Dedication. The best that I could think of. :) From left to right :: lil' bambina, strophicus,  mimi!!
MIMI'S

“Falling in love with someone isn't always going to be easy... Anger... tears... laughter... It's when you want to be together despite it all. That's when you truly love another. I'm sure of it." Mimi Sb and Shailesh ।।।।... i know i tagged you guys for this but... i just wanted you guys to believe that there is someone out there for all of us and we don't have to search for it... LOve will find its way :-)... Enjoy your weekend ♥ ♥ ♥
SABI'S

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of the good times and the bad!!

     Think of all the good times you've lived through and the bad; Of the times you laughed the hardest and cried; Of the times you were growing up and of the present. Look at the pictures stored in your hard disk or that you've stacked into the box under the bed. They all include people don't they? We are ego-centric being and prolly will deny it, but get real and admit it "WE ARE FABULOUS SOCIAL BEING." Without all the people who we surround ourselves with, all we will be is the tooney-looney lonely person - deserted, unhappy and faltering.


     How time flies. Just the other day I was with a friend celebrating his birthday. Along the length of our conversation we somehow went down memory lane. The laughs we laughed three years ago made us laugh again. The mistakes that we made... now nothing but a mere sweet reminder of how naive and ignorant we were (naive + ignorant = childish = awesome!!). Sweet heavens, how time flies!!! I'm fumbling through old photographs (of when I was a child) saved in my hard-disk and with each I get excerpts from the past. I smile and notice how young and wrinkle free my mum and dad were. How they've toiled through years to give me the life I'm living now. They must have had dreams to travel to the world poles apart, to buy the latest trending things but oh'well decided otherwise (happily) because I was in their life. I pause at one particular picture... of my friend who passed away two years ago in a motorbike accident. I was not in Nepal and when given the news reacted in the only way I could - by going numb. In the numbness my mind usually shuffles through the piles and heaps of memory saved inside my brain. Now as I hold the picture I think less of accident but of the life we lived before the accident happened. We had plans for the future. We planned to travel together. We planned to be friends until we die and make wonderful memories. Alas!! His death taught me me a lesson that memories aren't made, memories happen as we live life. Its happening now as I type and now as you read. I smile and tell myself at least I had few short years of togetherness with him to be happy about now.


     I came to China to learn the language (call me a weirdo). After my arrival I was shocked to see how many foreigners were actually interested to study this swilling oriental language. I decided to stay longer and picked my bachelors study in Shanghai. Downside - I always meet these amazing people who come from all over the world to learn language but after the culmination of studies they have to leave. Few goodbyes are particularly hard as they are already friends. Specifically, about one year ago I bade farewell to people who were hard to let go. But birds migrate back to their home and there's nothing much to ponder about it. Just enjoy the view as they flay away hoping to meet back again under right circumstances. But I have memories and stack full of album to refresh it. I smile and decide to call them. Few hours of chit-chat rejuvenates me and I think about bottling the feeling. Hence the blog. My blog buddies, close your eyes (or not) and think of all the good times you lived through. I bet a curve will show up in your lips... hold onto that. I deduce that people around us matter to us more than we realize. So try to have a good time while they're still around and memories will just happen, you don't have to toil a single sweat to make 'em!! Word of advice to ya'all, "keep your cameras close - click and capture the moments *say cheese*"


     Caio Ciao:P As I type, I miss my mum!! Who do you miss the most?

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not fair// sniff sniff :'(

 
     To the bestest fren i ever had. To all those mischiefs, all those high-school fun n' fooling around. To all those stories too embarrassing to be shared here.We shall meet soon. Teehee Samixya, to our frenship that still amazingly is as strong as anything:)//

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placid n' deceptive!!

roads cud be deceptive......i didnt knw tht as well....but me along with 3 of ma buddies had to re-adjust our perspective....placid roads can have predators.......bitter cold winter can give u pleasures......crowded places can b disturbingly calm.......and so called city hub can trouble u in da ways more than u can imagine<<<wang ba>>.....so hit da road at da strangest possible times.....am sure u will hav ur share of surprises.......:-)

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dingy n' dirty!!

....if we look dingy and dirty pardon us// what u see are the sleep-deprived pple// walking all day..eating all those "hen la cai"..and singing till wee hours of the morning..and for a change my ri'ben (meaning japanese) neighbour didn't complain:P// we might be at our dirtiest best but we are also the happiest souls here..(19th dec '10)

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