2009 finale

2007, 2008, 2009...??
each year passes by, never to return...
won't see 2009 again... wonder if there's something memorable in the 12 months we shared.
surely its a year of lots of changes, and lots of "first"s...
looking back, it has been a wonderful time we've shared...

although i've some regrets, 2009, you've taught me to look forwards, and not make the same mistakes... you've taught me how to give up the things i hold dear... you've taught me how to take them up again without fear...

but best of all, you've told me a secret... that you're neighbour 2010 is just round the corner.
and she's got lots more to teach me, lots more to share with me, lots more to enjoy with me...

thanks for being with me... i'll definitely miss you.
let me cherish these last few minutes with you, recalling the moments we had...
So long 2009...

Walking in the Streets of Chennai

They tell me that it is one of the great cities of India, a hub of commerce, having the status of a Metropolis...

You can tell my disappointment when I trod the streets of Pondi Bazaar...
true, there are definitely more shops and larger too compared to Vellore, more people, more traffic.... but then again, more rubbish, more pollution, and no less slums sitting by a toxic river...

Of course I was amazed at the huge jewellery and gold stores lining both sides of the street, the whole length of the street (india is the largest gold consumer in the world, i am told)...
I really liked the (claimed to be) widest beach in the world -- marina beach...
I was wowed by the architecture of one of the oldest and one of the only three catholic basilica claimed to be built over the tomb of the apostle of Christ -- st Thomas Basilica...
Intrigued by the Kashmiri hand woven carpets and the intricate designs of branze idols...

but then, there was so much poverty, so basely portrayed...
and religion so cheaply peddled...
art so socially detached....

where lies the heart of the city??

i see it in the efforts of the government initiating one of the most efficient public transport systems..
i see it in the hard work of auto drivers renting their vehicles for 200rps a day...
i see it in the serious face of the policewoman guarding the order of the streets...
i see it in the excited school children going for a hockey match...
i see it in the laughter of the kids sitting on a hand powered Ferris wheel...

as i enjoy myself at marina beach, talking to my friends, flying a kite, eating bhaji, feeling the Bengal bay wind, watching the lighthouse in a distance, hearing the screams of happy children around... i am happy to leave all the unsolvable problems to God, and enjoy every moment of life He blesses me with.

Encounter

Had a thrilling encounter last night.

We were all sleeping over at aunt neelima's house. everyone on mat on the floor...
of course after lots of gassing and all, we finally slept off...

about at 3 in the morning (an estimation by me) while i was having one of the most beautiful dreams ever (with background music and all) suddenly wakened by something scratching at my legs...
half asleep as i was i tried to feel with my other foot to "see" what it was... and found Jiwan's leg... swt...

so i rolled over and continued my dreams....

then at about 5 in the morning (another estimation) again something was scratching my leg...
Jiwan again??... wait, cannot be, coz i made sure i'm two feet away from him...
so i pulled myself up with eyes half open to see what it was.

and lo and behold i saw a half foot MOUSE sitting between my feet!!!

i grabbed a plastic chair near my head and swung down at IT...
i think i hit it, coz there was a squeal... but not hard enough, coz IT got away...

so ends my midnight encounter with the MOUSE...

hopefully it doesn't come again tonight...

Contemplation

Its Holiday...
after a long run of 6 months, we enjoy our first hols of our course...

hmm... 2 weeks... what should i do with 2 weeks??

actually planned out to visit north India-- new delhi, taj mahal...

but now all of it is down the drain... coz both Jiwan and I got sick... dunno why... same symptoms.. fever, diarrhoea... but he seems to be in worse shape than me...

so with the trip off schedule, i'm looking forward to a long relaxing week with fewer expenses..hehe

did a lot of thinking recently. coz one can get very bored when sick with no internet connection.

thinking about a lot of things... and coming to the conclusion that i'm thinking too much...hehe

no, seriously... i think i really did in the past..

like since i was a boy, i seldom and almost never asked for new clothes or toys or candy, coz i think it'll be wasting money... which seems to make my mum think that i don't like sweets...

actually i do... so my "junk food" syndrome became something she realised only recently.hehe

and there are other things too... which makes me really really admire people who are carefree...

who "just do it...", and sometimes i consciously make an effort to do that...

i really think i should start....

maybe life will have fewer regrets