To the God of iThings

"A for apple" was the first proper English that I learnt. Since then, the apple has in its many manifestations, taught me so much. But none has been as inspiring as the "White Apple" that first caught my eye in the early days of my "Job". A freebie at first, my first (and so far, only slice of the Apple) iPod packing that had the little "White apple bitten on one side" looked classy... and when I opened the box almost 2 years later, that's when the Apple really inspired me to know more about itself... and so began a journey of knowing these products, and the iBrain (iBrain as in an "Intelligent Brain") behind them... and you, all of a sudden you're iconic...

Dear Steve,

I've always admired you for your adamance and perfection... qualities I associate myself with. That's one reason you've become the blessed one. Every time I saw you come out with that turtle-neck Tee-Shirt for a new product release, (and I saw most of your PRs only in the last couple of couple of years...) I'd be transfixed at the spark in those eyes that have inspired me and a million alike. The way you sought perfection in all that was a "The Apple", the way you got the best out of people's ideas, the way you've imagined the future, the way you change perception of everything... there are a million reasons why you're so inspirational. 

There was a time when the iPhone was first released, and there were a lot of people and emails that called the iPhone iStone... every time I saw one such, my heart would ache, not because I deemed the iPhone perfect, but I could realize what it takes to come up with something like that... because by then, I'd already tasted the flavors of the iMac and the iPod, and knew how perfect it was with whatever it was... (and of course, you and your people have only made it better by the day...). I owe you for the wonderful team that you built for some of the finest animation movies I've seen in Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Wall-E and Up. They've often lightened up my days and gotten me out of my blues. Walt Disney Studios alone wouldn't have done it, or maybe they would have. But it's your brainchild, Pixar that has really made it happen for now. For they bring back my childhood; or rather bring out the child in me., that's one more reason why I admire Steve Jobs...

While you ensured anyone who owns an iMac makes a style statement, and puts himself into a different calibre, you also managed to capture the cheaper market with the iPods... why, you even managed to have an iPhone at the intermediate budget class. I will never be able to understand the Management Guru that was running in your brains, or your office... but all I know is that you had your own niche in every class of the economy... and my hats off to that. I may not buy all or even a few of Apple's products, but then, I don't need to. 'cos I don't love the Apple brand, I respect it. Now that you're off to the iHeaven Steve, I don't know if the iBrands will continue their wonderful run like they've been doing so far, or better or worse. But for all that I know, ever since I got to understand gadgets and technology, the Apple has inspired me in so many ways, and the God of iThings will continue to live in my heart.

May your soul not simply rest in peace, but continue to inspire a million more to make this world a better place to live in.

And do write back and let us earthlings know how your iHeaven looks like :)

The pale blue dot

On it, everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of...... every human being who was, lived out their lives. The every bit of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every King and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, every hopeful child. inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every superstar, every supreme leader, every saint and sinner in the history of our species... lived there. On a mode of dust, suspended in a sunbeam.

..........

To us, it underscores our responsibility to preserve and cherish the "Pale Blue Dot".

-Carl Sagan.

Hold Fast...

Nah! I didn't mean to hold a fast as in some ceremonial day with nothin to eat... I meant to hang on... hang on to what was once a little dream. The dream of a little school boy going to a place none of his classmates even cared to look up in the 'Atlas' for his age. And then there is, all of a sudden, this urge to catch it. It comes as a reason for a change... and then it becomes 'The reason'!

Today, there's a fire in the belly that has subdued some values (though they were alwayz questionable at the Receiving end too...). Only feel bad for whoever believed things will take the right stream there-on. Never was this eagerness to hold fast to dreams been so until it came as the 'A reason'. Atleast it's made its presence felt. It's finally broken the shackles and comeout of that corner where it was 'burried' for the sake of others, asking for it's righteous place in life.

Ain't it amazing??? that they spring up at the least expected times?  Reminds me of a beautiful poem by Louise Driscoll I'd by-hearted in school, though until today I'd forgotten almost all of it except for the first line. Here's a few more...

Hold fast your dreams!
Within your heart
Keep one still, secret spot
Where dreams may go,
And, sheltered so,
May thrive and grow
Where doubt and fear are not.
O keep a place apart,
Within your heart,
For little dreams to go!

Homecoming.

There was a time., when it was the most formidable team in the global arena. They proved time and again, that they deserved to be called so. The game in this country got its name, and fame. As time rolled, unfortunately came the shame associated too. Adding to the burns was the emergence of another 11-man aside that became a 'Religion'.

But as they say, "The wheel of time has turned a full circle." There had been a lacklustre performance for a 'considerably long' while. But the team now knows what it wants. The boys know what the nation wants. The mix and match of experience and youth is ready to take on the best teams in the world now. C'mon Australia, England or Pakistan, our boys have learnt to dare. The last 8-9 months with their new coach have proved a fruitful association. Putting aside the recent trifles where, (like in Chak De! India, the movie...) despite of it, the team proved they stand united, there has been smooth sailing. It was more than a quarter century ago, that the best in the World Cup was put up by the MiB... And now, another World Cup awaits. With the tournament being played at home, it's time the trophy finds its true masters. The world over sits in anticipation. The country looks up to you. The game relies upon you to reclaim it's lost glory. Like the Phoenix which rises from its own ashes, it's time for the game in India to be celebrated. Let not the 'Other' World Cup'a year later outshadow your performace, and send you deeper into Hades. Team India, You are the Messiah for the game in your country. Prove that you have it in you to live up to your 'National Game'.

Get us back the glory of 1975. You have a billion dreams behind you. Well, atleast part of it, if the others still say Cricket is their life. Damn them. Only you can turn the tables for all those who still say so. Wish you the best of your performance in the FIH World Cup. Don't keep us waiting till longer.

Update: India beat arch-rivals Pak 4 goals to 1 in their inaugural fixture :).

finding solace...

How does it feel when you are "made to feel lonely"? when your soulmate has not wanted to talk to you? when you feel that the world doesn't really care whether you are, or not...? The last few days have been giving me something of such a hysteria.

A few actions have hurt someone so much, that this person's in no good mood even to spare a few minutes or a few words! wouldn't even matter if i'm being blasted for my actions. But is this "Damn you! I told you but you still did it." attitude needed? Agreed that it was not a very appropriate gesture, I shouldn't have done it., but justified it was! too... Is it so difficult even to talk back in spite of acceptance? Such respite for it really absolutely necessary? I am not to hold myself back if such a relationship's going into turmoil... And then, it's this person who's really showed me what i can.

Hallo (I still don't give your name out.) !!! I know u'll read this sometime someday... and soon enough. Write back as you used to... a while ago... talk as you talked... ever so cheerfully. It comforts me to relive those words on blue days. And yes, it's mostly for whatever came of your pieces, that this blog's still rolling!

Oh btw, remember i'd once told you gotcha meet someone else...? seems like this someone too has become very busy in an all 'new world' with some 'more important' people. And there's none that i'm really able to talk to. I've told either of you three (yes, the third one's busy with the bunch of flowers there...) all that I ever wanted to share... but now so much seems to be changing... and for some reason, I don't dare to ask of anything more :( I don't know how else to find my solace...

It's yours for you for me...

If you ever see yourself disturbed,

if ever your ways you see are perturbed,

It's not in the mirror to look at your face

but to go to the one who can be a solace.

changing times

It was a beautiful sight. not sure when the next such occasion will be. At least, India's got none this year :( unfortunately after this. Jan 15th 2010. An annular Solar Eclipse grazes the sub-continent. the Southern tip sees some spectacular views of it. Bangalore too, inspite of being unfortunate enough not to have a total solar eclipse for about 670 years since the one on 13th Dec 1498, had it's share at close to 85% totality. And me, I had my share of bangalore's share too.

As the day begun in office, there was some sort of a hysterical aura all around. 'Oh, it's an eclipse, and we're not supposed to watch it. We're not supposed to eat during the eclipse...' and so on... But like everywhere else, there were a couple of 'Black Sheep of the Flock', and this flock had me too. My very craze of watching eclipses urged me to break open an unused, scrapped floppy and go out. And when the other 'Black Sheep' got to know this, they came out too, to watch the most beautiful celestial phenomenon this city is gonna experience for a while... And then, some of the 'White Sheep' started turning black after hearing from the descriptions from others... But a couple of them said 'I should not! It's an order that I should not watch the eclipse. It's an omen!'. As always, the only expression I could give was out of my mouth! When will people learn that seeing an eclipse the "Right way" is in no way an omen? It's time to change. And change is Inevitable... for it always comes when someone is perpared to "Be the Change". it is no supernatural element of life to happen all by itself.

As for the question posed to me for skipping lunch, I don't mind doing it for the sake of respecting someone's faith however rational i am... and btw, it does also have it's own science, and rationale to skip lunch esp. in office (yes, i'm serious about it!)... ;) btw, here's something if you've missed it...

another year comes by...

Yeah... another year has gone by. So many things that i would remember from it, and so many that i will want to forget. And then, comes another year, strictly speaking of the Gregorian calendar... ;)

There was this movie at the Theater after aages... enchanted for some reason... maybe for i see myself somewhere there...

my future seems so uncertain to myself at this point of time. There's one opportunity, but i'm not sure if i'll grab it.

The Creator is yearning, but the risk is mammoth.

a few people, who apparently 'ignore' citing importance to some(thing/one, i dunno) else. Don't complain... 'cos everyone's got their own priorities.

lazing around since the begin of the year, and the toy hasn't snapped even a dozen this year yet.
Found the Dragon Warrior again. Seems like everytime i miss someone, this movie happens to be telecast on one of the innumerous channels. I dunno what it links to...
still planning to get lost. never yet making up mind.
grossly paid but so many of them were exclusively for Her... all the (H)EV's at Delhi.
The Godfather was here. An interesting story, where the plot revolves around someone least expected. for a change, it's Different. it's marvelous.
Oh yes, and the eclipse that showed up, and the one coming soon too have been good to start with...
and the first big folly... not having respected a dear friend will hopefully be 'Forgiven and forgot'.
hope this year enchants me with better things than all those so far...