Bye Bye Blogger!

Guys its been exactly 5 months I started blogging here in blogspot and its alvida time! I am leaving blogspot and joining WordPress!

Here's my new url: http://especiality.wordpress.com

Please change your bookmarks - see you all @ wordpress!
Happy blogging oops WordPressing!

Over and out,
RJ

The Expansionist Meme - Tagged!

Nova aka World tagged me with this meme and here's my response.

Please thoughtfully consider the following, and choose one item for each of the categories below. (Be sure to describe your reasons for choosing)

Q: One religious work from a non-familiar tradition you’ll read:
A: I think its called the "Tanakh". I always wanted to know and read about the Jewish tradition.

Q: One music video–that you like–from your “least likely to listen to’ genre:
A: Main Yahan Tu Wahaan - Baghban (Amitabh Bachchan sung the song) I don't like super slow emotional songs - but this one is an exception coz' 1) Amitabh Bachchan sang it 2) I like the whole idea of singing a song over the phone :D nice noo?

Q: A book from a genre you almost never read, that you have read, or you will read (promise!):
A: Andrew Tanenbaum - Operating Systems and Networking :D :P

Q: Somewhere you’d never thought to go on holiday/vacation, and why it might be fun to go there?
A: Andaman and Nicobar Islands - I think the whole island thg is exciting. Somewhere far yet close kinda thgy!

Q: A specific food you’ve never tried, but will because of this meme, honest!:
A: Mongolian cuisine - heard a lot about it, now I am gonna try it soon. (As soon as this weekend!)

Q: A sport or game you really hate, or haven’t tried yet, but are willing to give one more go:
A: I like all kinda sports and game. I haven't tried baseball and given a chance would love to play that game. I also want to play that girls game - where they throw somethg closing their eyes and have to jump and land in a specific spot. Dont know the name but it looks exciting!

Q: A style of dance you probably won’t try (we won’t make you promise on this one):
A: Cha cha Cha, a lot of foot work and I think I will screw up big time!

Q: A career job you don’t feel you’re suited for, and why:
A: I can never be a doctor/surgeon - I can't see flesh, blood etc and be cool about it.

Q: An item that’s “thinking out of the box’ for this meme that hadn’t been included:
A: Probably the "next question please" :P

Q: If there’s one thing in life you wanted to do, and will do because of this meme, what will it be?
A: Meet up with Nova and play foosball with her :D

I tag my blog fellas to mention one item they did that bought a smile on their face. I got up to give my seat to a pregnant lady in the train and I felt unusually happy about it and smiled the whole day :)

Keep smiling, keep writing and stay healthy,
~RJ

Parents day, everyday!

A new message arrived. My gmail inbox subject line reads "Looking for great father's day gift ideas? 40% on father's day hampers and free shipping to India." This is from one of those send-gifts-to-India portals. I start thinking what would be nice for my dad and it reminded me of mother's day which was about 4 weeks back.

Sunday, May 11, whoaa! I got up early to call up mom! She was super excited to hear my voice and as I finished hearing her stories in her mellifluous voice - I was super charged! And it's known that in our family of 4, my mother and me suffer from logorrhea - atleast that's what my dad and bro feel!

Excited I was, planned to treat myself some chocolate kiwi walnut fudge from Joann's Patiserrie
& cookies. As I drove past main street, I saw about 20 old people standing with some hoardings which I didn't read then and looked around to see what was happening. Everybody around were calm, doing their work in the regular fashion and not seem to be distracted as I was looking at that flock of old people. One of the hoarding caught my attention and it read, "I am just like your mother, will you not wish me for mother's day?"

I thought it was some kind of fund raising events for mother's day till I read the next hoarding. They all were standing below their so called home called "St. Patrick's Senior Living Center" (Read: Old Age Home). The second hoarding read "Adopt me, I will be like your father", third read "Am I that bad to be abandoned?", fourth read, "Can you be my child to me?" and probably a 12 more hoardings like that. Being an emotional enough person, I felt purblind for a while. The 'Maa' song from TZP added that little extra effect!

The oldies standing there are in hope of someone who could come and take them away not because the old age home treats them with cruelty but coz' they could lead a dignified life and prove themselves and to their children that they are not that bad to be abandoned. Some don't curse their kismet and are patiently waiting for their children to come and see them for mother's day!

I quickly called up my mom again and felt a million times better when I heard her say, "Enna ma achu?" ?( What happened dear?) and I replied back saying, "Nothing, just felt like talking a bit more!" Amidst my lachrymose feeling, I still had questions in my mind and one of them was, "How could somebody hate their parents so much to abandon them?"

I switch on the repeat mode in my ipod and listen to the "Maa" song again till I drive back home! ~RJ

Sarad ki kahani, ek nadaan ki zubaani!

A successful IPL season and it was Rajasthan Royals(RR) all way along. Frankly, I underestimated RR big time. A big Kolkata Knight Riders fan it's been disappointing to see they couldn't even make it to the semi-finals. The IPL is over, RR wins the inaugaural IPL. Life's getting boring, so what next? Let's step one step backward and figure out how it all started. My version of the IPL prelude.

Its called "Sarad ki kahani, ek nadaan ki zubaani!"

Sarad Paar: A top notch politician, chairman of the IPL organising committee. He's the big one and he wants all the moolah!

Nimbupaani: Supposedly, one of the world's richest beings around. 6 family members and 600 servants live together!

Rukruk Khan: He's numero one in the movie circuit. He's got the charm, the 6-packs and K-K-Karan!

Tendlya: He's numero one in the cricket arena. He's got the injury, the advertisements and the nails to bite!

Plus supporting cast - thanks to all!

Sarad is all upset with Sabhish Kandra(Owner of a television channel) because he entered the cricket world and is getting all the money and fame. Sarad decides to earn some black moolah using his idea and sketches out a plan overnight. He decides to call the top people from page 3 circuit after his thought - "Chailaa, maala suru karaaycha hota aani hyaani kelaa! Kaahi tari karaylaa havaa, gheto mi henchi barobar aani kapil chi pan maarto! Mee IPL suru karto"

He needs initial funds to execute the whole idea and calls up the "fund-man" Nimbupaani.

Tring tring...

Sarad: He-lo, kaise...se ho app sirji..hum-hein hein yaad rak-koko

Nimbupaani: Abe Sarad kabhi sudhrega, itnaa paisaa toh lutaa cricket se, muh ka operation nahi karvaaya ab tak, kanjus! Kya hua thik se muh kholke bol

Saarad: Woh chodo sir, paisa daalo, double karke detaa hu. You see double return in just 2 months sir!

Nimbupaani: Huh? Paise daalo double karegaa? Yeda samjhaa hai kya re. Saale, main idhar Chilaince mein baithe ande ubaal raha hoon?

Sarad: Sir, aap puri baat sunlo. IPL cha-alu karenge. Logon ko nangaa karenge, Rukruk Khan ko nachaayenge! Kaun-si te-am chahiy-e bolona??!!

Nimbupaani: Apna Tendlya chahiye mereko, bas team mein woh hua toh kaafi hai! Baaki semi-final aur finals apne ground mein hona chahiye!

Sarad: Thik hai, tikh hain sir, Mum-bai lelo aap

Nimbupaani: Haan, besttt! Anil bhi bahot udd raha hai aaj kal, mast jalegaa saala. 2 mahine mein 30crore ko 600crore maltab ek naya ghar!

Sarad : Ha-an, uss-kaa tu ten-shun mat le! (chailaa hyaala marathi yet naahi, malaa hindi yet naahi)

Nimbupaani: Tu apne muh ka kuch kar re, main jaa raha hu sone!!

Sarad : Haan sir, cheque bhej do aap. Bye.

So Nimbupaani decides to buy the Mumbai Indians, the city with the biggest corporates, big sponsors and ofcourse Tendlya!

Now, Sarad is nervous and calls Tendlya to update the story!

Tring tring...

Tendlya: Ailla..hello kon?

Sarad: Aga Anjali, Tendlya la phone de zaraa

Tendlya: Ailaa...Sarad kaka mi Tendlya-ach boltoy!! Team koni ghetli?

Sarad: nimbupaani ni!

Tendlya: Ailaa..changlaa zhaala..rakkam pakki karun taak tu..faayda zhaalaa pahije aaplaa!

Sarad: Faayda hoyel re..tulaa kaay vaatla!! Fukat naahi baslo mi ithe, tu jaasta kaalji nako karus! Tuzaa naav asnaar team madhe mag tulaa aadhi injure sangoon amhi baaki players na paathvu! Tu aaram kar aani te RMF cha deal madhey maaza percentage...

Tendlya: Ailaa.. ho denaar denaar! Injury mastaa, chaalel-chaalel!

Sarad: Chal aata Rukrukla fone laavto

Tendlya: Thik aahe, thevto aata!

Next up, Sarad Paar decides to call Rukruk Khan.
Tring tring...

Sarad: He-lo

Karan: Hello, you're speaking to Karan Johar in RRK's Mannat and...

Sarad: Abbe gud boy, coffee peelana kam kar aur RRK ko phone de saala apna hostgiri kab band karegaa kya maloom

Karan: *Sob* Aapko acche se baat karne nahi aati kya *sob* .......... RRK its for u!

RRK: Hello ?

Sarad: K-ya re, bhabie gh-ar pe nahi hai k-ya?

RRK: (background music playing - eeeehhhhhhh kantabehen) Kya hua bol sarad?

Sarad: Pai-saa kamaane-ka hai k-yaa ??

RRK: K-k-k-k-kaise???

Sarad: IPL chaalu karegaa .. ba-hot lut-egaa public ko..kya boltai tu?

SRK: Arre waah! Idea mast hai re!! Idhar meri bhi lagi padi hai, yeh Akshay bahot footage khaata hai aaj kal! Aur tune Akshay ko koi bhi function mein bulaya naa-toh yaad rakh. Mein King Khan hoon kuch bhi kar sakta hoon mere films promote hone chahiye aur mujhe naachne bhi milna chahiye udhar

Sarad: Demand bahot karne lag-aa hai tu a-aj kal!!! Thik h-ai..dekh-ta hoon main kya kar saktaaa hu ....kaunsi team legaa? Mukesh ne Mumbai le li hain

RRK: Havrat saala.. kitna kamaayega!! Kolkatta de mujhe, Dada bhi form mein hai aur udhar ka public bhi yedaa hai, sab uthke aatein hai match dekhneko

Sarad: Th-ik ha-i , Kolkatta te-raa..

RRK: Ek kaam kar na, Ugly Zhinta ko bhi pucchh - nahi toh mere pe shak aayega sabko ki despo hai publicity ke liye karke!

Sarad : Abe paagal hai kya, uske paas kya hai, uski toh abhi koi film bhi nahi a-ati! Kaam karta hu, Fajitabh ko fone lagaata hu??!!

RRK: Sharad faaltugiri nahi chahiye haa! Main idhar paise de dekar King Khan bann raha hu aur tu usko mere saath kyo bhid raha hai?? Budda khajayegaa poore stadium ko aur mereko limelight nahi milegaa. Tu Ugly Zhinta ko lagaa, bombay dyeing leke baithi hai woh Nadia Mess ko yedia banaa!

Sarad : Abe Mumbai Dyeing bol, woh Aaj Kurkure aake gaadi fodega tera, aaj kal mar raha hai woh bhi publicity ke liye!

RRK: Sach baat bolu kya re sarad - jab usne Fajitabh ka ghar foda naa, main aur Chori bahut khush hua maloom. Saala kuch bhi bol lekin budde mein baat hai
Sarad : Ha-ha-ha.. *cough* Chal fone laga-ata hu Ugly Zhinta ko ..

RRK : Haan chal bye. K-k-k-karan where did u go?? (background music playing - eeeehhhhhhh kantabehen)

So this way, Nimbupaani buys Mumbai Indians, RRK buys the Kolkatta Knight Riders and Sarad convinces Ugly and Mess into buying Punjab!

It begins and voila! Its a success! Probably success is an understatement! When we think of that one thing that can surely be a bit, its either Bollywood or Cricket. And IPL gave us a perfect blend of the two. People were happy, and so were the team managers, players and our very own Sarad Paar. What it needs to be the IPL champ is not the celebrities, not the corporate houses but a good captain leading from the front and a blend of high-performing players. RR had it all! They deserved it!

Disclaimer : This should be taken lightly with a sense of humour. This is not to hurt anybody's feelings or sentiments. Any similarity of name, events, location is purely co-incidental. The author of this post has fully respect for Sharad Pawar, Subhash Chandra, Kapil Dev, Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan, Karan Johar, Amitabh Bacchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Aishwariya Rai, Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia. Raj Thackery too!

P.S Thanks Neetu, Deval, Gauri & Altaf. Anubha - thanks for everything! You da best!