Go Goa!

I love Goa! And I want to go there all the time. I spent a week for the first time in my life in Goa only to realise that life was so incomplete till then.

While plans for Goa were on for more than a year between the Mo’s and us, we finally managed to do that this January. A week of bliss, a week of heaven is what we got. The way I am, I had everything planned out…. when to visit Fort Aguada, the flea market at Anjuna, the Chapora fort, Calangute and so on. But in Goa, I realised, the biggest mistake one can make there is make a daily plan. The biggest pleasures are in beach bumming (is that the word?!?). And I discovered this only on the last day when all of us spent the whole day at Baga lying on the beach, swimming eating and drinking beer the whole day. And that’s what I want to do on my next visit to Goa. Soon. Very soon.

Simple things bring you the greatest pleasures. The sunsets, the beaches, the people and the food all add to the intoxication. After my honeymoon in Munnar, I thought there would be no other place would give me the high. I was wrong, Munnar hangover took a half a year to vanish, the Goan one continues.

I’ll be there soon, at least twice, once with Megs and Myra – this time she insists that it will have to be Taj Holiday Village. And the second time I’ll head there with some guys who prefer to shack it and bag-pack. I want to feel Goa from one spectrum to another, I want to live Goa completely. I suggest you do the same, its not always that you vacation in heaven!

Love

Say its only a paper moon
Sailing over a cardboard sea

But it wouldnt be make believe
If you believe in me!

Gandhigiri

I was watching Munnabhai doing his Gandhigiri over the weekend. In one episode of his Gandhigiri, he tells a girl to observe how the guy she has to marry behaves with a person of a lower income. Simple and yet amazing method.

It’s surprising how people still behave just based on the lifestyle level they are on. Obviously having good education, a good job and the trappings of a comfortable well being, people have still not come to realize that irrespective of what anyone does, we should have respect for others. And add to that patience. It’s considered normal for us to be more patient with people above us, and practice zero tolerance for people below us. But is that the right thing? Are we not to have any prejudice based on class or social status?

Somewhere – in my observation – this is a phenomenon of “new wealth”. As incomes rise, and as the middle class man discovers a better life, perspectives change. Being on the other side of the fence, should not necessarily change his lens. Rising in life should be applicable to both his physical as well as mental state. He should ensure that he rises over his petty trivial pursuits of stamping his well being over others. Life is simple. Let’s keep it that way.

Winning is not everything. It is the only thing.

This is a world is made of people who love winners, and despise losers. We celebrate in triumph with our heroes and burn them when they lose. For a country obsessed with cricket, the loss to Bangladesh is like murder. Pictures have been flashed across media people burning effigies, destroying property, shouting slogans and generally being abusive of our sporting heroes.

Isn’t sport supposed to be – You win some, you lose some. Then why is it that we can’t digest a loss. I guess we’ll never know. But I think it could be something to do with two core issues – whether we lost to a better opponent, and whether we we went down fighting. This determines character of the team. This also determines the exaggerated response of fans. 

Finally, it really boils down to Winning is not everything, how you fought is.

Nine things about me (in addition to the 99 useless things coming up next)

1. My Family means the most to me. Everything else is secondary.

2. The person I depend on the most is Megs. She is my best friend, guide and advisor. And my strength.

3. I love to listen to music. Any kind of music is good for me as long as I enjoy it.

4. I don’t party too much. I don’t remember the last time I went out dancing.

5. I love eating. Fish is my favourite. But rice is eaten only with toor dal.

6. Shahruh Khan is my favorite hero, on screen and in real life as well. I wish I was like him. Successful.

7. I love romantic movies. I am a die-hard romantic.

8. I love video games, mostly the car and bike ones.

9. My worst enemy is my temper.