A Magic Wand

My childhood has been happy. Really very happy. Never once did I want anything so badly that I had to wish for a magic wand. But as we grow older, our dreams get complex... involves uncertainties.. conflicts with other dreams (our own and those of others)... obscenely contradicts reality... Some times, dreams keep you awake... Sometimes wake the living hell out of you... In the midst of all these, for the fist time in my life, I want to wish that I had a magic wand...

But then again, a voice inside me reminds "Thou shalt not get what thou not deserve"... Yes indeed... A wand may give you what you wish. But will it bring happiness? I doubt so. Anything earned so easily can only fuel more greed. If I can guard myself against greed, how can I guard the wand from innate human stupidity.

There is another tiny but irritating (mosquito like) voice that keeps saying "Beware of what you wish, lest it come true". Life gets way too complicated if you wish for something... get it... and not know how do deal with it. Half of the cocaine addicted celebrities fall into this category.

I am ready to risk being not so happy... But at least my life will be honest and simpler. I will continue to fight the urge to wish for the "magic wand". After all didn't Gandhi say "Full effort is full victory". Where would be full effort, if I used a magic wand?

Valentine's day - Precious Learnings

Valentine's day - Lesson's learnt today.


Girl's always send mixed signals... its just them. And Its not wired into a male brain to sort them out (no codec available). If I reach out to my magic bag and pull out this year's statistics. For every two hearts that found each other tonight , there are at least four hearts that met with their anti-hearts (on the same lines of matter and anti-mater). For those of you who know basic quantum physics, I need not explain what happens next. The reason for all this trouble is the mixed up signals.

My word of advice to dear girls:
Please, take pity on our simple brains and convey your feelings in simple words, colors or signs... If you want a teddy for your birthday, then you say "I like that teddy very much" just two days before your birthday and you will get one for your birthday. We are that efficient. On the other hand, if you say that a teddy you saw when you were busy shopping for your sandals in a up-market showroom was cute (can any Man quantify cuteness??), two full months before the birthday... you will not get one. Simple.

Its not that we don't try. Sometimes we try to emulate you. The most complex message this one guy could think of is "Wear a red dress if you like me, wear a white one if you dont". How simple can it get... Guess what, the girl wore a red top with a white skirt. Now, what should our friend make out of that. I say, RTFM. Red - Yes, White - No. Keep it simple.

The next two, I learnt from personal experience.

Its pretty much bad idea to go to a restaurant alone on Valentine's day.
The manager was surprised when I said "Table for one please". Since there are no such tables, he ushered me to a 'table-for-two' right in the heart land of valentine couples. All in their mid/late twenties and chattery... I was hoping to order the quickest items and avoid eye-contact with any of the other guests... But that was not to be. There were couples in every direction I looked... except in the direction of the half shining fork and the spoon. Apparently my order (a soup and a chopsee) was not quick enough. Just 40 minutes.

Next time, If I am alone on Valentine's day - I will go to Upahara Darshini.

If you must go to a restaurant, please take a book along.
Say, inspite of all your wisdom (or lack of it) you happen to go to a restaurant alone, carry a book with you. Language, content, genre does not matter.
There are two advantages:
A. Obviously you can pass some time until your 40 minute dish gets prepared.
B. People dont have to think too hard to find out why you are alone on Valentine's night.

A quick recap....
- Girls, Please keep it simple. Red-yes White-No
- No Restaurants on valentine's night (if you see some one single in a restaurant, please don't stare. Its hard being single, its worse being stared at for that.)
- Carry a book. Always.

Bengalooru Bandh and lot of catch up

Bengalooru was peaceful today. Too peaceful to be true. It makes me wonder if this is the lull before the storm. All this time being alone has given me an opportunity to bring my blog back to present. From the last post to now, a lot of things have happened with me... A trek to Kumaraparvatha, a visit to California, new friends, a Kannada movie and what not.

This time my visit to US was timed perfectly with respect to the holiday season. However, it was horribly timed as far as the company I had was concerned. So, not much of traveling was possible. USA is a very lonely country without a car. Some day I will write about my visit to Los Angeles...

Mungaru Male is the latest hit in the Kannada Film Industry. I had heard about it so much when I was in US that I had to see as soon as I landed here. The film did not disappoint at all. It is a very simple love story together with some original comedy as well as breath taking music. It is shot at some of the most beautiful places of Karnataka. Even those who have seen Jog falls many times will not be able to recognise the falls in the first instant. If you have not seen the movie.. What are you waiting for?? Go see it.