Hypocrits all..

Well, i had been for my first US movie yesterday, co-incidentally was called 'Mad-Money'. Ofcourse they were not mad or anything, its just that money had made them mad!! Common eh? very i should say.

Relating this movie and the title to things happening in bombay is something i could not avoid. Almost every Indian today is aware of the 'North Vs Marathi' egoistic cum political battle taking place in the commercial capital of India. being a bombayite for all my life i have a few analysis to make. A few questions to ask?

Anyone who is capable and sincerely answers them will realise that the problem is self-made and IMHO should quitely admit, YES we are the reason for the mess. Common-Man please forgive me- This should be the lines they should utter next.

Ok, back to analysis. Firstly, let us all agree, Bombay is bursting. The alarms should have been rung atleast 3 years back. But No, even now people dream of making the MESS into a Shanghai. Btw, just curious, have the concerned people even seen Shanghai. For that matter, even an Infosys campus would be a better and realistic approach. sorry to divert again. back....

Yea, Bombay is over. Believe me. The quality of life is a BIG 0. The infrastructure is another bigger 0. The people, u give marks yourself. The governance, i dont even wanna go there. So yea, there is a problem and the politicians are correct in having raised it. So how did it all come into being? Was it over-night? JUST LIKE THAT or JLT as the slang would have gone?? Noooooooooooo, my friend.... NO....

So we have solved the first part of the supposed problem. There is a problem. There should be concern. There should be some action (reaction is imminent!!).

Ok, now for the reason. Let me detail to you a small little story that has occurred in my locality. I stay at a place called Malad, one of the fastest growing suburbs in bombay. In Malad, there is a locally-famous chinese restaurant called Uncles-Kitchen. Ok Ok, i do like chinese food, but the point i wanted to make was that i stay just close to UK. UK= Uncles Kitched duh!!!

Now, back to the analysis. Somewhere around 2001, a small paan wala started to run a small shop near UK's. Of course it was illegal. No one objected. So he had no hassles. A year went buy, he was minting. The reason, the Mithchowki bus-stop was bustling with people who were his regular customers. Fast-Forward to 2008. He has made a entire shop there. He has 2 people employed. And i am sure he makes more bucks than me. He does not pay a single paise of IT. He does not follow any rules. yet, the cops give him a smile and the common man a stare! Yea, so much for being sweet.



Ok, am feeling better now. :) Yea, so what is the second part of the analysis. Well if you were thinking about chinese food, u probably missed the point. The whole situation is a mess because of the people who are creating the fuss now. The people incharge did not/are not/will not do/doing a think to stop illegal growth of houses/shops/hawkers......

What happens is more and more people come to this crap city and crap in it. What we get is a sohisticated looking mess. I mean, bombay today is one big shithole!
Now in 2008 the politicians are blaming people from other regions to have spoilt bombay. My point, why did u let them make bombay their base when they did not have a legal house/shop? You took money and now u want them to go??? Thats not fair!!!

So, 1 solution only. Keep living in the shit buddies...

Cheers,
Ashley

Where are we headed?

I always feel as a country we have underachieved. Now i feel differently, i feel we will never be able to be where we deserve. We have everything that a nation can ask for. All the necessary resources to make a succesful nation. Yet, we are just about chugging along. Dont go by the hype in the newspapers about India being the next BIG thing.
Come down to the ground, i mean roads and check. India has lost the plot. Somewhere along the way, governance was overtaken by self-conceited, corrupt and incompetent people. This has led to a mess. A mess which is visible from every corner of the country.

Although, i have been fortunate not to see every corner, but whatever i have seen, makes me puke. Lets start with my hometown, the so-called Commercial Capital, Bombay. Yes, i still call it Bombay, the reason is:
Just because some despicable politician changes the name of a city for his personal gains, does not mean i have to change. Bombay Rockz, Mumbai does not. This city was not beautiful, but livable some years back. Today it is one big garbage dumpster. The quality of life has not only degraded but the general atmosphere is riotous. As one of my friends told me, 'its a fight for survival out there!". How true! No one cares about each other. Everyone is just looking for a reason to kick the other persons arse. The city is absolutely devoid of LAW and ORDER. People get away with everything, this is not a falsity, but the bare truth.

Some few facts that a common bombayite like me can list down:
1. Illegal houses, garages, shops on the road. The same road which has been concreted for traffic.
2. People getting away with taking law in their own hands. No police action whatsoever. They are always invisible.
3. The lack of planning. The mess on the road, the crappy air we breathe, the fuc*^% public transport.

And worst of all, i end up paying the taxes which provide fuel for the outlaws to enjoy and live their life to the fullest.
If i increase the size of my window in my apartment by 1 inch, the so-called BMC(i use other syllables for BMC) comes to my place. If another 'i-dont-give-a-f***' builds a house on the footpath, there is absolutely no problem.

Well, well, its time to take a corrective action, isnt it?

Cheers!!!!!!

Managers-You get 'em all

Well, unfortunately, i got stuck at my first job for almost 4 years. May be if i had switched more sporadically, i could have met varying kinds of managers who would enlighten me with information and strategies of how to treat the humble person reporting to you. But i should say, even my uninspirational, unrewarding and always-reprimanding stay at my job has bought me across quite a few managers.

But, i should say, the worst of all are the people who dont really care a damn for who you are, as long as they get their job done. I mean, there is no people management, its all work management.

A very good anecdote i can recall is the just recent promotion i got. For the love of God, i thought it was my freaking hard work and the blood(hyperbole), sweat and tears(again hyperbole) that i put in the company/project for the last 3+ years that had yielded me the feel of the next level.

But No, i got a realty check. I was not a deserving Software Engg. I had not done enough to convince my managers of my abilities. It required divine intervention to put me through.

Thanks Almighty!! Thanks!!

You know what, think about it again. I dont want this change. I would rather get it on merit rather than people begging for me. Sorry, someone had to beg.

Yes, friends, you guessed it right. I am a underachieving. poor soul with no capabilities and I have got a very undeserving present.

Please take it back someone, Please!!

Ok, forget... Ill take a leave...

Cya,
Ashley

P.S: All is fictional. no resembelance to reality, whatsoever.

Cricket Vs Hockeys

All my friends frequently ask me one question, how much dough did Adrian get for the last triump? What are his match fees? Does he endorse any product?
I dont feel bad to reply no to most of the answers. I dont feel bad, because it is the bare truth. Its a fact that sport-persons other than cricketers have to live with in this country of ours.
Hockey for one is our National sport, but the support it gets from the government makes me ask them, whether do they even know that such a sport exists.

For example, there is one Astro-turf in Mumbai. It is present at Churchgate, near the Wankhede stadium.Ok, so now that i mentioned Wankhede stadium most of you guys have an idea of where is must be located. :)
Mumbai, has produced Olympians all the while. I will just mention the recent one's, Jude Menezes and Adrian D'souza. Both of them were goal-keepers. Here's the interesting part. I suppose, if you have even once seen the goal-keeper, then you must have thought, "Hey he is one big fella!!". With all the hand protection, leg guard and helmet, they do look burly.
The reality is different. Adrian weights 62 kgs, he used to carry the kit, nearly 1/3 his weight all the way from Malad to Churchgate. A complete distance of about 30-40 kms. He used to travel by train. Train is another nightmare all together. Yes, so why dont we have more astro-turfs?
Why can't the goverment spend some money for the poor souls who want to take up hockey, but cannot because of the unavailability of facilities.

JC, the current coach of the Indian Hockey team, has rightly blasted all the government folks who showered loads of cash bonanza on the cricketing demi-Gods. We are not against cricket. No, we are not. We are against being recongnised for our hard work. I have seen how hard the team works. I have a brother who has been playing hockey for the last 10 years. He has stayed away from family since 16. He has had numerous injuries and has visited 2 Appllo centres in unconsicous states. But, he has had absolutely no support from the quarters he expects from.
The support if any has to come from Family and Friends. AD, skipped the Azlan Shah so that he can compelte his graduation. I still rememeber when one cricketer from Gujrat was to miss his exams, his board rescheduled it for him. Can this be applied for a Olympian hockey player.
At the age of 23, AD has played almost all the top level hockey events. Olympics, World Cup, Asian Games, Asia Cup, Champions Trophy, Junior World Cup, Champions Challenge, Azlah Shah.

Its a sad state of affairs i must admit. But at the end of the day, My Mom, Dad and I are proud that AD took to hockey and not any other sport. He is a person who is living his dream and passion. And believe me money does not really matter much to him. It is recognition i think he deserves.

Go India Go!!!

Happiness!

An emotion which makes one feel merry, a moment in time when all worries are forgotten, a time when u feel like embracing your worst enemy..
There are a quite a few things that we all mortals look forward to, things that we hope will bring happiness into our lives. It is this feeling of expectation that keeps us going.

Day after day, i walk into this Infotech Park(Pun Intended)! At 8:30 AM i reach my desk, read my emails, surf the net, update myself with news from all over the world. I make sure i dont miss any hockey news and search the microscopical hockey news for any updates.
Here is where i feel happy. If i find an article on 'Hockey' i feel nice. When half-done with the article, i call up my brother AD, tell him about the news and ask him.. "Did u know about this". Usually the answer is 'Yes'. :) then i say 'Ok' and hang up. Looking for more 'Hockey' news that the Indian Hockey team goal-keeper is unware of.. believe me this is hard!!! But once a while i succeed and then i am VERY HAPPY!!!

Going forward, i wait for my fiancee to buzz me. 9:21 AM sharp and 'Hoobastank' brings melody to my soul. This is what 'seventh heave' must be like, eh?More happiness, more smiles, more fun-filled childish talks...

And then abruplty my happiness is taken away, she's got to get back to work. Time for the call to end... I want more i say, can i just speak for some more time, can I? Nope!

Then for the next 3 hours, its pure anguish. Doing the same kind of a thing for 3 years does make you feel robotic!! Am i a 'Golem'?? Am I?
This is the phase, where i am least happy, least satisfied, least interested in whats happening.
I am as they say 'world-weary', tired, fagged out, jaded.. give me a break guys...

As i sit throug those gory hours and think, is it that they should give me a break, or should I be brave enough to take one for myself.
After all, this is my life, my spirit, my soul...

Its half a day gone, and all i am doing is longing for happiness. In the already spen 12 hours of the day, so far ive spent about 10 minutes, when i've really felt nice..

The rest.. time i can never bring back, moments which are lost forever..

Am i really that helpless, cant i do something?

Time to get real and think!!

Cheers,
Ashley

The remaining 12 hours, tomo! :) good nite

Tough Day!

Life sometimes make me stop and think..
What am i doing here.. so late? at work?

my friends, boss, colleagues all have left..
i am stranded all alone...

and mind you, this is not a rare case...
this is my state for the past 3 years..

now i really have started to believe that i am totally incapable of handling work..
i am bad planner and my productivity is negligible, if not "0"!!!

i just wonder, will this persist even after marriage!

i am sure not!! :)

cheers,
ashley

Better Late than Never!

Sometimes, the wait is endless...
The first blog i am about to pen is after an endless wait of almost 2 years..
My friends, Adi, Sharma and Co. had started a blog, we wrote, we laughed and we forgot...
But it was not my baby..This one is..I plan not to forget this one...
I have set some targets, some goals and i hope to keep to atleast meet them if not over-shoot them..

Anywayz, all said and done..here i am, sharing my not-so-unique story in a so-damn-unique world!

peace!
~ashley