Lessons from my friends

All my life, of all the things that have come and gone by, most of which I can't remember but what i do remember is always having a friend by my side. Right from kindergarten up until now, the only difference between then and now is , back then I had 1, yes just 1 friend ,she was this cute adorable oddball like me,still is!! And now, I have a bunch of crazies, who claim to own me and call themselves my friends (well i do too.. we agreed to complete ownership rights of each other!!)

As a kid, I was extremely shy,reserved and I only did talk to my family and friend (yes, just the 1), as the years passed by I realized that "other people", aren't that bad after all.. they are in fact quite nice (well most of 'em). I inferred that my friend seemed to get along well with them and the fact that she didn't get eaten up also seemed to help somehow.

Lesson 1: People are nice, Talk to 'em.. Just talk!

Cut to college, I met specimens (still talking about friends). I say this because these guys had to be custom made for me (and me for them). They had and still do have, the ability to make me laugh while I cry, kick my ass while I sit, make me dance and call me Micheal (yeah.. Jackson.. who else?), come up with the most ridiculous and hilarious plans which always seem like a good thing to so. Yes, my friends are closet magicians  ,indeed I am truly blessed!

Lesson 2: Love and trust the people who love and trust you. 
And Don't panic if a dog starts walking behind you, but if it starts running, you better do too ..panicking and running!!

So i continued with my education, bless my parents for having faith in the grey matter of my brain. This time around, when I say crazy i really mean it!! They sneaked around and taught me how to.. drove people nuts and taught me,this now failing art.. eliminated my residual sanity and branded me a complete and certified crazy. They never failed to make my day by just being in it.
Lesson 3: It's never too early to start having a good time, 
if you decide you are not good enough, ask the people who believe in you more than you do in yourself. 
And ..always... have an alibi for your last night's whereabouts.. always!!

I went to school and then college and then some more, most of which I can't remember. But what I do remember is.. the school band I joined because of my friend and found the love for the most beautiful thing in the world: music. Overcoming my inhibitions and fears. Laughing.. a lot!! Making everyday a day to look forward to.. living it...loving it!! 
I could do all of it or rather I can't imagine doing any of it, if it weren't for my friends. They say classroom is the best place to gain knowledge. Agreed. They say life is a great teacher,you learn as you grow. Agreed. But I have to add, friends teach you the biggest lessons ,no school teaches or no teacher can read from a book. You just need to find the right "educators".

Lessons from my friends, 3 and counting.... Now available in Spanish too;)) 

Olympic Woes

"A population of 1.2 billion and all we could bring back from the London Olympics were 6 medals? and not a single gold? . We trusted them so much (read:athletes), they have let the nation down."
The above comment in 1 way or another has been quoted by the rags, the media and any tom dick or harry , who until the commencement of the games didn't know who on earth  is Mary or Sushil.

6 medals is a huge deal. Looking back at India's run at the Olympics, this is the best yet.

All this hue and cry about how we, "The world's second most populated country in the world couldn't win more medals and countries with a quarter of ours won far many medals then us", will die down in the next few weeks and surface again when India goes to Rio for the 2016 games.
Let's face it guys, we don't really give a damn about them. I might as well be a little honest over here, because until the games started we didn't know or cared what these sportsmen and women did.

Whereas on the other hand we have a game that has hooked generations, churned out millions with its own premier league and which to date is played in nearly every gully of India. Yes, cricket, the religion that we solemnly have been following all these years. We worship them, pray for them, stay up nights, chant their names while we watch them play. We know everything there is to be known about them, right from their schedules to their WAG's and their pets and bikes.

In India, Cricket is THE only sport that counts, well atleast for 3 and a half years. Here is a sport that has the best; in terms of infrastructure, facilities, training, moolah, exposure. If  half of the attention we give to cricket is given to the rest of the games, India will be the sporting superpower, we dream of.

But who cares, the next India-England series is coming up and then it will be back to business. We don't care if Gopichand's academy is razed down by the government or that the national archery team doesn't have a premises to practice. No, all we care is that Sacin scores another ton. (not to undermine the great Tendulkar's contribution, he is the best)

We say that its the athletes that have let us down, but the fact is we have. We don"t believe in them, we don't acknowledge their hardwork and dedication. Playing a sport in India which is not cricket is a feat in itself and to represent it at the Olympics, is worthy of more than a few praises.
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Here's hoping that all these remarkable sportsmen achieve their Olympic dreams, that they have a better chance at winning the next time with better training and facilities. And that we, support them more often than once in 4 years. Gagan,Vijay,Saina,Mary,Yogeshwar and Sushil and the rest of the Indian contingent we are proud of you, it takes more then amazing talent and skill which you have, to do what you do. More power to you'll...

It's a man's world!!!

As much as it saddens me to say this... in India... it is in fact a man's world!!!

Its appalling how women in our country are treated, they are traumatized, harassed and on many occasions subject to humiliation and character assassination. Be it her workplace,a public gathering, her home or her mother's womb...she is not spared. Her integrity is questioned right from the moment she is conceived to the time she dies. Every step of her life is struggle for survival.
India appears 4th on the list of countries declared unsafe for women to live.( not exactly the best list to be on) . Delhi, our national capital also known as the rape capital. I won't deprive the other states of their due, trafficking, dowry, female infanticide, domestic violence... at least have 1 of these horrendous crimes to their credit if not more. So much, for a country that calls its motherland, Bharat Mata...(if this isn't irony, then i don't know what is)

The babus sitting in their plush offices tell us how much they have done for the upliftment of women in our country, how, through so many schemes and yojnas have done nothing but improved their living conditions, and to prove their point they guide our attention towards our current ex-president, the lok sabha speaker ,the leader of the biggest political party in India.

Well then kindly explain , how do 15-odd men get away with molesting a girl,a minor if i may add? How does a cop not face any charges but is let off on parole for raping a girl in his chowki? How do innumerable doctors, parents not face any consequences for killing a female foetus? How do the khaps still stand without any conviction for "honorably" killing girls?
They further have the audacity to pass ridiculous comments like- "if you dress like that, you are bound to attract negative attention" , and this is not even where the ridiculous part begins. The most bizarre coming from the head of the National Commission for Women in India- "being called sexy,should be taken in the right spirit". Let me impress on the fact that the head of the NCW is in fact a woman.

What will it take for the legislature and judiciary to come up with laws so austere that these bastards will think a million times before offending a woman? A divine intervention, perhaps.

It's clear by now(clearer then before,that is) you cannot expect justice in a country where rapists are promoted to DGP's ,where ministers in power have been accused of numerous criminal offences against women and continue to do so, where a woman whose offender roams free, lies in a vegetative state,after being assaulted and beaten up 40 years and still counting.
It's not a complete distrust in the justice system, just a complete loss of faith.

A message to the men: It's been said time and again, but just for the benefit of those who weren't listening then... Treat a woman, the way you want you mom or sister to be treated. (to those who already do : spread the word!!)

A message to the women: Learn some self defense , carry a mace or whatever suits your fancy. Be alert, be strong and be safe, cause, it doesn't look like things are going to change around here.

Why did we stop dreaming??

Remember the superhero phase you had as a kid?? when all you had to do was tie a cape (read: towel) around your neck and Voila! While growing up you'd dream about holding a guitar and jamming in front of millions chanting your name and yet another time dream about something and just dash to do it.

Come to think of it, you could be all you wanted. All you ever dreamed about.

Dreams- they say, are in a way your spirit guides. They show you the way ahead. Something you wish to do, they mirror your deepest heart's desires.

So why did we stop following them?? Our deepest desires??

What has changed between our childhood and now?

Have we evolved so much, that we refuse to believe in them?? Or have we just gone so far ahead that we can't see or hear them anymore?

Well each of us, will come up with a perfectly logical explanation for the above questions. But before you do that ask yourself , when it comes to fulfilling your dreams, do you really want to shell out reasons for NOT doing something you've always wanted to do?

If at 7 yrs, you could believe you could groove like The great Micheal Jackson or closer home.. whack sixes out of the stadium like Sachin ,then think of the things you are capable of achieving now, with a lot more experience and a lot more wisdom. Think of all the untapped talent in you, what you can make of it, what you can make of yourself. Not only will you be doing what you love but also inspire so many others.

No dream is too big and no person too small. Have a little faith in yourself, bank some on those who believe in you and just an ounce in the world, who knows you just might end up living your dreams!!!