MERRY X-mas

I googled "Merry Christmas" and guess what! Ok I'l tell you anyway.
There was no reference of Christmas being a Christian advent (apart from the old faithful Wikipedia's). The bigger shock (rather anticlimax) was that I got the same kind of results for a "Christmas" search.

True, while Christmas celebration and the "holiday season" transcends all religion and regions in the present global village, I find it kind of disappointing in the over-commercialisation of this lovely and yet significant day.

Carefully trying to avoid being a Scrooge, while as expressing my views on this, I would like to hear your opinions as well.

Firstly, what would kids nowadays associate as the "Mascot" of Christmas? No prize for guessing here. Santa Claus, not of the Santa & Banta jokes. Ol Saint Nick the great patronizer. Nothing dastardly wrong here except to learn that some kids think Christmas is Santa's birthday. Even church programs include having a Santa for the kids. Its almost taboo to leave out Santa for Christmas nowadays. Google image search for Christmas has almost all Santa themes, and none of nativity on the first page.

Secondly, whats with all the decorations, and all so very expensive? Do we know that the Christmas tree tradition is of pagan origin. I have no qualms about the idea per se. But this I do - why should we incorporate the use of something which does not exist in our country or state in our celebration. Jesus was born in Israel. Christmas trees was apparently started by the Norwegian people. We want a Christmas tree, fine! Lets use our own - maybe the Jamun tree, lets use mango leaves and palm leaves for decoration. Holly is not Indian (and far from being a native of Mizoram). We pay 5000 bucks for a plastic imitation of an old pagan European custom symbol, which is made in China and sold in India so we can feel closer to the meaning of the incarnation of God???????

Don't get me started on shopping, seriously.

Ok I can already feel the "hambug" accusation here, but, I am not a spoilsport. I just think that rather than having the "traditional" X-mas symbolism adapted from an different region, lets have our own. Why, we already have (sort of)a few Christmas tradition in Mizoram, which, when done in the right spirit, are quite....Christmas-sy or simply "Masi". Like - roasting chicken, eating "chhangban" kan, carol rounds, visiting orphanages, and the uplifting festive mood across all ages AND the community feast.
Let us hold on to these and not try to "dilute" our own style and "tradition" blindly. Lets tell our future kids what Christmas is really all about. Lets learn and pass on that its better to give than receive.

Peace on earth good will to Man is indeed the greatest gift of all
"Aw a va mawi em he ni lawmawm hun tawite hi"

What's in a name

How many times have you been asked “What is your good name?”

My “good” name? It’s Mr. I’m-getting-really-bugged-with-Indian-English; would you like to know my “bad” name as well? By the way how do you know this is not my good name? Were you expecting a better one? Or shall I tell you my worse name, umm actually that was what my teacher called me when I didn’t know who build the Taj Mahal…..I think?? Or was it the one I was called with when my dad found out I gave myself a half-day off from school, without informing the teacher…oops slipped my mind, it happens, you know!! Anyway coming back to the name bit, what’s so good in a name? I mean there is nothing bad about your name, or having a name; it’s just a name, what you are called as by your friends, colleagues and family..and the rest of the 6 billion souls ; if only they met you, and read your name tag, well if you happen to have one on when they met you, of course not all at a time, I mean that would be statistically or physically impossible; and why on earth would you be having a name tag unless you were going for a conference or an interview, in which case, you are more likely to be having a number…like in prison.

And what is this thing called “Surname” or is it “Sur name”? Whatever the correct term is, I can do without it? Me, I have my Name, my family’s name and that’s it. Of course I also got my “pet” names, shortened names modified and sometimes affectionate ones – by which I am called, hollered, yelled at or texted. But, I ask you dear sir/madam, what in the name of…umm…what in the world is a “SUR”? To me, it doesn’t sound very pleasant, reminding me of similar sounding words like “sour” or “slur”

So I ask you again dear friends, what is a “sur”? but then, what’s in a name?

Of black pen, Bullet & "Bai"

There are very few things in life that could give a child a feeling of achievement as that of the transition from using a pencil to pen. The mighty, mighty pen -the symbol of maturity. As far as I can remember, I had been using black pens (black inked or refills, not a physically black coloured pen…duh). Why?I cant entirely explain, but I have been giving it some thought lately. Maybe because I wanted to escape the uniformity of using blue pens which is so cliché. I guess you can say I have a fetish for slightly unusual (not so, but just different) things (or this could be the extension of one’s need to be unique). I remember hanging out with frens who were not so popular – like a lanky Bengali lad, one very dirty boy (he never washed his clothes on weekdays) and another who by now had been convicted. I didn’t play or enjoy football as a kid, which was and still is almost religiously followed in Mizoram. And I still don’t. But I still play active basketball when most guys my age are happy to sit back and watch EPL on TV and call themselves “sport-lovers.” (not to mean a certain wedding planner here). I drive a 2^nd hand Bullet in spite of being very conscious about fuel price and mileage (the Indian effect), cos a Bullet is different and it totally rocks !! After years of ridicule, I am finally enjoying pork but I don’t go ga-ga over it or willing to kill for a piece. In fact, I have always opted for vegetarian food during my undergraduate years (very non tribal-like, I know). I don’t eat “bai” …why? don’t ask me cos I don’t know, I just don’t eat it. I don’t drink tea…tho I enjoy iced tea, and there’s a heaven n hell difference between the two. When my frens cram the whole night for a test or exam, I sleep at ten…..not because I know everything, but because I really don’t think much of last minute slogging.

I guess everyone is unique in his own way and when we learn to appreciate each others uniqueness and difference maybe we'll be better off a a species. And I write with a black pen.

Lessons from the other MJ

Of course you know him, at least if you are under 40 years Or if you remotely follow sports in some way, you cannot not know him. Ladies & gents, I'm talking about "His royal airness" "The best ever?" "?the greatest athlete of all time"....standing 6 foot 6, less than 5% body fat, soaring over guys almost a foot taller than him, poetry in motion ....the greatest Basketballer you would have ever seen -MICHAEL JORDAN.

Ok maybe I overdid the intro....and yes I'm not going to talk ablout him or his life but rather another basketball great....nicknamed The Admiral....the 7foot center of San Antonio Spurs - David Robinson. At the start of his illustrious career, MJ was at his peak, winning the NBA championship 3 times in a row. When Robinson watched that momentous ceremony on TV seeing MJ kissing the trophy, tears flowing down his cheeks, he thought "Something is wrong with this picture", "Is that what I want to be doing in my life?" "Sweat, bleed and give my all...so that in the end I can kiss a piece of metal?"

David Robinson rose in his career to be inducted into the NBA hall of fame, remembered as onr of the best Big Men to have played the game, won the championship and gave a beautiful testimony professing his faith in God in front of millions of TV viewers. He is also a well known philantrophist, an exemplary role model who has donated thousands to help kids finish their schooling.

David Robinson saw the big picture; he saw what many people missed out; saw what really mattered, rather at that point, he saw what DIDNT or WILL NOT matter in the big picture of life. Like many other basketball stars, his biggest inspiration was the great Michael Jordan, but of course, how? quite differently!

Patience - All we need is just a little

On a scale of 1 -10, I would consider myself score maybe 8, if you ask me how patient I am. Maybe bordering on to 9 if you take the subset of the Indian population. Thankfully,over the past 3 decades I have learnt to control my once fiery temper and fidgety mind to what I would now label serene, calm, somewhat still-irritable-but-stable and a little laid back.

However certain things in life, however silly they may sound, still do tick me off like-

1. Mosquitoes (especially those which start buzzing after u turned off the lights)

2. Child labour and unwarranted beating of children

3. Indians never able to queue for anything

4. Auto drivers cramping the roads trying to overtake other vehicles when it least matters

5. People lighting a cigarette in my house without taking prior permission

6. The sight of all Indian passengers rising up from their seats as soon as the plane touch down ( is it too much for them to comprehend that we all will be waiting together for luggage to arrive anyway)

7. Cruelty to animals

8. Those who treat the whole world as a big dustbin

9. The ever increasing cost of chicken biryani (or the shrinking serving portion)

10. People who think that elevator buttons have a “hurry” sensor which responds to excessive and rapid pressing

Hey I’m not that gloomy or “recess”-ed. Many things do make me happy as I have already posted and will do again. Til then, happy thanksgiving!

It's a small victory

It's a small victory for the common guy like me

1. To check out your old school snaps and realise that you are now taller than the big bully of Class5
2. To find Rs.100 in one of ur pant pockets/in a book/under the matress
3. To cook a full course meal (rice, alu & dal) and enjoy it thoroughly
4. To meet ur high school crush (who gave u the cold shoulder) and finding out she's not all that hot
5. To top-up ur pre-paid mobile phone with full talktime offers
6. To score a 3-pointer in a basketball game OR hit a six in cricket
7. To meet a celebrity
8. To wake up at 6 am and not feel sleepy
9. ...and to have a good "go" in the morning
10. To be able to complete this post knowing that I have night duty coming up, form entries and a seminar the next day and still feel good enough to be able to post this

An Evening Ride

Ol ye Faithful - O'Pooja at the start of the climb of Balumathi Hill, Vellore countryside


One of the 10 hairpin bends on the way to the top


Miles to go


a breathtaker on the roadside


Glazed


Going back


Mansion on the hilltop


Btw, my bike broke down on the way back

UNSUNG SONGWRITERS

Of course pun intended...ur welcome

Last week witnessed the 68th birthday of Bob Dylan, the undisputed best songwriter of all times. When any self-proclaimed music pundit talks about great songwriter, his would be the first name mentioned- respect. And also Lennon, Paul Simon, John Denver, Roger Waters and relatively contemporary-Billy Joel. I would like to portray a few of my favourite songwriters (tho i'm not that into music, jus happy to listen to good tunes...i'm not a fanatic) who I believe deserve a lot of appreciation, hence I call them my UNSUNG SONGWRITERS (list is not exclusive)

1. Björn Ulvaeus - The main lyricist of the world-rocking Swedish band ABBA, his songs (as well as music) transcend all ages and music lovers everywhere. Remember FERNANDO -

Can you hear the drums fernando?
I remember long ago another starry night like this
In the firelight fernando
You were humming to yourself and softly strumming your guitar
I could hear the distant drums
And sounds of bugle calls were coming from afar
..there was something in the air that night......

or OUR LAST SUMMER (from the movie Mamma Mia)
Those crazy years, that was the time
Of the flower-power
But underneath we had a fear of flying
Of getting old, a fear of slowly dying
We took the chance
Like we were dancing our last dance

These songs are pure delight in both music and lyrics department. Of course there is also Slipping through my fingers, Andante Andante, SOS.....i could go on and on. And dont forget, he also wrote music for a few musicals - one such is CHESS; check out One night in Bangkok & The Arbiter, they rock.

2. Jim Steinman (for Meatloaf) - Writer for the trilogy of Bat out of hell albums (the 1st installment being the 4th largest selling albums ever). I don't know much about his hardrock songs but we all know his song -I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That) with that horror-cum-love-story-movie style 12min video (yes longer than November rain) and the song I cud listen over and over again Rock&roll dreams come through. And one for the ladies, the passionate It's all coming back to me now (popularised by Celine Dion) goes like-

There were hours that just went on for days
When alone at last we'd count up all the chances
That were lost to us forever

But you were history with the slamming of the door
And I made myself so strong again somehow
And I never wasted any of my time on you since then

3. Babyface (Kenneth Edmonds) - The list of stars he had worked with is amazing - Madonna, Whitney Houston, Bobby Brown, Phil Collins, Brandy, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Pink, Michael and Janet Jacksons (whew anyone left?) , TLC (remember the cute Left Eye), Ev Vogue...etc etc.
But I would remember him most for the songs he wrote for BoyzIIMen - End of the road which was the longest #1 on billboard charts and I'll make love to you ........respect

4. Freddy Mercury - One could laud him for his amazing vocals (best ever in my opinion) or stage performance. But dont overlook his (as well as the other Queen members) talent as a songwriter. Why, he wrote the great Bohemian Rhapsody.....need i say anything more?
Check out Good old fashioned lover boy , it rocks and the well known to the younger generation number Too much love will kill you was written by Brian May.

Other notable lyricists include Elton John, Kurt Cobain, Eminem, Neil Young, Van Morrison, Dan Seals, Tom Petty, Bono etc etc...well its a matter of opinion...in this case my blog -my opinion!

Growing up in the 80s (Part I)

Anyone who had the privilege of seeing the 80s rolled by wud agree how magical it was.

Forget the technological re-tardiness, you had to be there to see it...unfortunately you cant now.....so let's reminisce and go back to Aizawl in the swinging 80s.

TELEVISION - TVs came to Mizoram in the early 80s (late 70s actually), but the common man could afford it only in the late 80s. No cable back then, we had to be content with cartoons on sundays (HeMan, Spiderman, Jimmy & the magic torch, few others i forgot). Those whose adobes happen to be located higher up along the west hills (McDonald, Dawrpui, Chanmari) and westward had reception to Bangladesh network which aired far better programs including cartoons everyday (see how small our joys used to be) and MacGuyver. I remember seeing my first episode of Thundercats at a fren's house after hearing so many lively discussions amongst the exclusive priviledged lot.

Of course, Chitrahar and later Rangoli were the only source of music videos. But what we'd really be waiting for were the commercials/ads/fakna which often run upto 30mins at a stretch (and ppl nowadays curse long ads tsk tsk). On saturday night, there was this informative "The world this week" which my bro never missed.

Saturday and Sunday nights meant...Movies - colour flicks, then later Sunday's was black n white. News in Hindi - never missed them, even tho nothing made sense without the video footage. Lots of serials and soaps....saw few, actually followed a couple.

Coming back to Sundays, after HeMan came Ramayana (later Mahabharata) which we couldnt watch fully cos of Sunday School. And, right after Sunday school, i remember seeeing an Indian version of star trek aired for a year or so. Much later, the sword of Tipu Sultan was aired.

World cups - My 1st WC goes back to 1986 with Maradonna's magic and hand-of god goal. I saw the semis and final at my uncle's, slept thru most of the matches. And i had actually seen (but dont remember) the final of Euro84.

Olympics, especially the opening and closing ceremonies were a must-see. Saw Ben Johnson winning the 100m sprint, Greg Louganis smashed his head on the springboard and USA beating USSR overall in the 88 Seoul.

Saw Pat Cash winning Wimbledon with his trademark checked headband. Saw McEnroe and Boris Becker battled it out, Martina-Graf rivalry and later Graf-Seles.

Movies of the 80s are now described as cheesy. But hey, nothing can beat the thrill of seeing the hero beat up and kill villains after villains in the one-man-army flicks - Rambo or Commando. Action movies like Karate Kid, Rocky series, Bloodsport, The Champ, American Ninja have become cult movies. To top it all, the martial art movies (Kungfu film as we wud call them) like Jackie Chan's, 36th chamber of shaolin(lost count of how many times i saw) and the countless Chinese movies were pure joy.

But i guess as far as movies in Mizoram go (at least in Aizawl), if you had been there in the 80s, you would have seen at least half of these listed

1. Grease2

2. Girls just wanna have fun

3. Terrence Hill & Bud Spencer series

4. Qayamat se quamat tak

5. Khoon Bhari Maang

6. Indian version of Tarzan( Vai tarzan)

7. Raiders of the lost ark

8. Terminator

9. ET

10. Evil dead

and Ka nu khawnge i awm

Movies were rented at Rs10 per night and Rs5 for half-day. If u borrowed 2 or more sometimes they will throw in an extra one free of charge. But u had to check that the film(the reel as we called it) was even and not serrated(a tlang kir) at the edge as that wud result in jumpy pictures and cause "dirty head" (a head bal) to the VCR player, and rewinding the tapes seemed like the longest 2 minutes of a lifetime.

Hulkamania conquered the entertainment world with his crazy antics, superhuman strength and showmanship, and everyone caught the wrestling bug , then available only on VHS tapes. Music videos were available only on tapes as well. I remember seeing Starship's Nothing gonna stop us now, Dire Strait's Money for nothing and Queen's I want to break free.

Those were the magical days for ppl like me...i can go on & on but that's it for now. I'l try and cover music, video games and other forms of entertainment in Part II, til then LONG LIVE THE 80s.

The Day Before Tomorrow

It rained again today, bringing a much needed respite from the sweltering summer heat. And there was a spectacle in the form of a rainbow, tho a short and faint one as opposed to the ones we used to see back home.

And oh there was a battle for supremacy amongst the elements - the unforgiving sun and the relentless rain (called ni leh ruah indo in my language) - with the latter winning by a good margin. I didnt mind getting wet on my way back from work tho I was wary of my cell phone in my pocket. And there was a brief hailstorm (rather shower of hailstones) a couple of days back. Vellore's weather is becoming less predictible than ever.

MoneyMoneyMoney must be funnee!

Warren Buffet's advice to young people: "Stay away from credit cards and invest in yourself and Remember:
A. Money doesn't create man but it is the man who created money.
B. Live your lives as simple as you are.
C. Don't do what others say, just listen them, but do what you feel good.
D. Don't go on brand name; just wear those things in which u feel comfortable.
E. Don't waste your money on unnecessary things; just spend on them who really in need rather.
F. After all it's your life then why give chance to others to rule our life."

I would like to add, the richest person is one who lives within his means and not the one with most money!

The mind of a shoe-thrower

"What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas"...lamented Black Eyed Peas.

Yea I ask you...what's wrong in the world of journalism that every other day we have to hear about some cranky journalist hurling a shoe at some political leader (way to go Bushy for showing the way)

Now, lets not ponder upon the many possible reasons why a grown man with a respectable career would throw his footwear at another (?)respectable man - he lost his turn to ask questions, he's fed up of the recession and he is likely to get the boot(pun intended), he had a bad lunch, his big toe is itching and he had to take off his shoe and thought"Hey, why not", the ac in his office conked off or his dog has worms......we don't care.

What we would like to know is what would be going thru his mind before during and after the great throw. Let's crack our skulls together....

Before - Is it a pre-planned operation or a spur-of-the moment thing? Lets assume it is pre-planned, how would one prepare himself for such a task. He would have to abstain from all alcoholic beverages for at least a week (why?cos it screws up your co-ordination duh) and having seen the Bush jig on TV, I realised how important it would be to have a perfect hand-eye co-ordination for the job. Any special exercise or training required?
(Nowadays there are plenty of online training sites for this kind of job but mind you there's more to than just clicking a mouse)

Next, what kind of shoe would you throw? An old one or a new pair specially bought for the auspicious occasion. Personally I think a pair of Bata leather shoes would be perfect considering the aesthetic form and aerodynamic built.


D-day - How do you actually throw it? Which side shall you throw? In case you miss, have you taken off the other side for a second take? When is the right time? Where should you aim for?
For a right handed thrower, it would be ideal to use the left one holding it upside down at the front end , chuck it with a left-sided arc action to get a good trajectory using Bernoulli's principle (like the swinging of the cricket ball)


Another big q- When? obviously Bush's case was not timely done. The right time would be when it is least expected....like when the would-be victim is gabbing away, not when he pauses for a response. Remember, you are unlikely to get a decent second chance.



Finally to top it, what do you do after the deed is done? Well, you can chant a hate slogan and curse "Death to blah-blah-blah", "no more Bush" (Moses would agree since he had to wander 40yrs in the desert after talking to one)....and be considered a hero, a role model for school kids and a future recepient for a bravery award (posthumously or in jail).

Unfortunately, in India you will not even make headlines, not even the frontpage, only a small column on the right hand side on page 5 somewhere under the article which talks about artificial reproduction attemted in Pandas in captivity.

Somebody got hurt real bad

"Although the procedure is relatively painless when done properly" - Wikipedia

LIAR LIAR

Mine was done properly, at least that was what I was told to believe
And after the second setting , it hurts so much that i had to take a day off, thus i'm writing about it
And its really embarrassing for a grown man to call in sick with a toothache...there goes my macho image

A root canal treatment (RCT or simply a root canal) is one of the most dreaded and feared medical procedure which we come across day to day. It has even prompted the modern man to say in response to an unpleasant proposal, "I'd rather have a root canal", not helping its popularity.

An RCT is done in multiple settings as depicted; mine is on pic3 and probably two more sittings required, hopefully not as painful as the previous two. And no, the procedure itself is almost painless, thanks to local anaesthesia. But the evening after.......beware!

I was told, on re-consultation that in some cases (not many), the aftermath can be quite like, umm quite like mine....lucky me!
A steady diet of painkillers afford me few hours of sleep, and a shot (as in injection) the next morning lessened the torment, and now I'm waiting for my 3rd sitting in two days which will hopefully end up less debilitating.

And if anyone asks me whether I would undergo an RCT again in future, if needed, my response is...."I'd rather have a root canal"

How to become a South Indian

Unlike Russell Peters' dad quickfix formula of becoming a Canadian by organizing a barbeque in the backyard, us down south here have to have done, achieve or adapt to certain rules, norms and habits in order to become true southies

1. Drink coffee, not once,twice or thrice....but at least 5 times...a day, and maybe in the night also
Also learn to 'stretch' ur coffee (see pic)


2. Wear a shirt...yes a shirt, not a fancy designer t-shirt, but a shirt, whether u r going to work or play or just drifting
3. And never wear shorts....outside the house
4. Learn to say .."Chumma".....just like u know, chumma!
5. If u have a motorbike(guys this is important), have ur license plate shaped like a batman logo(in white) and make sure u have a tank cover whether u r sporting a Splendor or Yamaha Y15
Bonus points if u can drive with 2 passengers ( in triple or "three-bul" as we call it back home)


6. If u happen to own a car, the backing sound should be one of these-
a) Airtel ringtone
b) Latest AR Rahman hit
c) Snehithane (Hindi version Chupke Se)
7. End all sentences with a "da"...You see da, Come here da, Eat da, Sleep da, "Enna da"
8. Play volleyball; girls...play throwball
9. Wear pretty embroidered pants....guys
10. Most importantly, enjoy dosa and idly as a meal

However the true becoming of a southie will be marked by ur pronouncing the alphabet H as "HEICH"

Now you have become a true "Madraasi"
Other suggestions welcome

Drive/flash/usb??

I remember when I first came across "usb's" and "pendrives" or thumbdrives/flashdrive etc etc
It was maybe in 2000 when i was traveling to vellore via Kolkata where i often put up with one of my many friends there then, most of them doing computer studies.
Some of their conversations, actually most of their lingua franca sounds greek to me.
"Rema's computer has an usb port!", one guy would exclaimed in appreciation.
"Mama has a 128mb pendrive", boasted another.
(yea....chuckle chuckle!! NOW)
That was wayyyyy back when I barely know computers and all I could manage was to send emails and later use Aizawlchat(oo yea).


While sweeping my room on a lazy hot Sunday morning, I came across a Trancend pendrive cap. And a fiendish smile ran across my face (actually it was just a thought I think!!duh), cos I was thinking which of my many friends who come to my room to get movies would be the unfortunate loser of the much coveted cap. And i thought to myself, further, how many unfortunate souls are out there without a cap for their virus carriers......and I continued sweeping(evil laughter...hehehehehe)

Limericks..cliche...I know

Somewhere along the line, I just started writing limericks for my friends (more specifically the ones from my community) which I like to write on their birthday cards and lately, orkut testimonials.

From Wikipedia - A limerick is a five-line poem with a strict form, originally popularized in English by Edward Lear, which intends to be witty or humorous, and is sometimes obscene with humorous intent.

So here are my Limericks for Vellore Mizo (ex)students

Ramdinpuia

RD=a fun guy
The kind who don't lie
In bed(that is)at all in the night
Never sleeps, that's right
And watches American Pie






Zothanpuia


This lad Zothan
Not built like a pathan
But still captained the basketball team
Shortest bloke to do so it seems
Til along came Nathan









Esther



Shillong gal Esther
Head as light as feather
But all who admired this lass
Felt like such an ass
When they found out she was high on ether








Bathsheba
Good ol' Betsy
A girl ever so gutsy

Never caught a cold
Even tho she's not an 18year old
Thanks to chavanprash and vitaminC

Hannah
Miss Khiangte Hannah
A doc she be wanna
Admiration she got plenty
Ever since she was twenty
Now she feels like Rihanna










Zoremsangi

Emo-looking Zorem
Listenin to Eminem
From dusk to dawn
Started to yawn
When the clock strikes 6am

Lalchhandami (Adami)

Madames she's Adam
Grew up on milk and badam
Our BIG little baby
Not so baby now maybe
Always crammin for exams

Mourning the living (damlai lu sun)

HORRORS!!

IS it true?
Are you sure?
Calm down!!
Take it easy!!

OH!you are there?yea yea.....this is why...


Winnie Cooper Is Married
(courtesy-yahoo buzz)

"If you were a boy growing up in the late '80s or early '90s, odds are you had a crush on Danica McKellar. She played Winnie Cooper, the object of Fred Savage's obsession on "The Wonder Years." The nostalgia-fueled sitcom has been off the air since '93, but Ms. McKeller still has legions of fans. Today, most of them are heartbroken. Their fair Winnie is officially off the market."




Look at her. How can any normal hot-blooded young boy of 13 not fall in love with her?
I remember seeing those weekly episodes of The wonder years on the then popular and only existing entertainment channel,star plus. Girls and boys alike would discuss it in school, like the time they kissed on the dock, the buzz on campus the next day was- "They kissed"

Then, the ever popular sitcom started drifting away from my life, distanced by me searching for my own Winnie,cartoon network and the appearance of OOOOOOooooh yeeeah WWF...wrestling shows which I religiously used to follow every week.

When i stepped into my college years, I remember seeing reruns on and off, now and then. But it wasn't til I came back to Vellore to do my postgraduate and downloaded the whole series and burned it on 3 DVD that I fell in love (yet again) with the show and of course, Winnie. In a way, she could make me feel like a kid again, hopeful of the joys of crushes and the heartaches that follow.

In a nutshell, a lot you need to know in life can be learned from these heart-warming half-an-hour shows. For example, there is nothing in life as frightening as calling up a girl, especially when that girl is a cute 12 year old girl....haha how true; how many of you established 20-something experienced romeos still get the yips before making the first call (thus resorting to the cowardly way out of using sms instead).

Eventually, Kevin didn't marry Winnie (yea i know, ooooooooooh), but the story couldn't end more perfectly. You see, 'Happily ever after' doesn't exist except in fairy tales. The Winnie Coopers will come .....and go, however devastated they will leave us. Rarely will puppy love and infatuation lead to an eternal true love which ages like wine.

However, sigh once again.....gotta see an episode now!

Files from my diary - 23rd March,2009

...and so passed another so seemingly insignificant and uneventful day....would be my first opinion and that shared by thousands around the globe...had anyone asked me my day was!

Yes it was boring, routine and uneventful...but each day has, as the good book says, enough bad for its own to which I liberally add, interest and learning points, if we learn to read between the lines OR just stop and listen

And ah yes, I'm merely trying to remember what those are.....he he
For a start, did I remember to give thanks before each meal? And I was feeling particularly thirsty tho' i wasn't a hot (by Vellore standard) day....and I read in the paper about shortage of drinking water everywhere in the world, and considered how lucky I was to have access to cool drinking water 24/7...one minute...gulp..gulp...aaah

A friend of mine at work was struggling with a disposable needle designed for a fingerprick blood sample for glucometer ( to check the sugar level)...apparently it was a model which she wasn't familiar with and sought the help of yours truly, who looked more mechanically inclined (cos of my Y-gene). It was then that I remembered she is diabetic; of course, I had known about it before but she has always been cheerful and positive in life that it didn't strike me at til then.
After my expert demonstration of how the springloaded device should be triggered, I had a chance to be grateful once again for all the things which we otherwise would have taken for granted...like being able to eat bread smeared with nestle milkmaid...mmmm...yumm(admit it guys, probably guilty pleasure snack for many of u tough guys out there)

You see, if only we stop to smell the roses, life would be more colourful and more pleasant...as my boss asked about my weekend to which I replied that I slept well, and she calmly commented "It's a gift of youth"...really??pondered I (Psalms 127:2)

Again you see....never mind ..time to hit the gym