The cliched reality

Whats with all the reality shows on TV these days?? Every channel seems to have caught up. Everytime I change a channel, I am welcomed by wannabe singers screeching away,
famous judges sitting royally and passing largely critical comments, contestants facing the camera and pleading for smses to save them. Most of the time, there is the usual rona dhona by the singers citing an ailing relative or hurt due to poor marks. In no way do I try to be insensitive, but tears and melodramas have become so common on TV, I just cannot stifle a yawn at these times.
Speaking of melodrama, how can we forget the favourite saas-bahu soaps, the master of tears and sorrow. The fiction is even more than a Tom and Jerry Show which appears quite sane when compared. I have never seen such active eyed, scheming women in real life. And women actually find them interesting enough to shed more tears(sob) and watch them loyally everyday.
To top it all, we have our news channels who never seem to run out of ghosts, spirits, miracles and accidents. And the sensation they try to create!! The screen blackens, letters appear in slow motion military style, a burly male's voice announces the breaking news. In the end it turns out the so called "village ghost" was actually a squirrel that used to shake the leaves a bit too harshly. In the absence of news there is always some input by comedy shows which have ceased to be comical.
Not to forget the celebrity couple dance shows....the couples just cant seem to romance enough on screen with love so pure and eternal, complete with mushy lines and dreamy eyed looks! That they break up or divorce a few months later is a different matter(or so it seems).
Truly now the only realistic shows remaining have turned out to be the evergreen cartoons!! Sigh...Indeed I would much rather have Bugs Bunny slam Daffy Duck with a board than watch Tulsi's son reemerge with plastic surgery!!

The phunny language

The english language has gained quite a foothold in the metropolis these days. Of course it has benefits in terms of sophistication and globalisation and all those "big words". Still I find it quite amusing what some memorised words from a dictionary and a fake foreign accent can do. There are so many people all around who think that once they know the language, all their mundane social problems are over. Of course there is the slight foreboding of what the moral cultural brigade would think of the poor soul. Keping that apart(I really wouldnt like a blackened face), conversations such as these have become as common as the various high pitched screeching singers on TV:

"Hello, what is your good name?"
Oh what the heck...my name had to be good if my parents thought I could live with it forever.

"Oh keemee!! Nice nice."
Not many things have bugged me more than my name being pronounced as though it were a dish(kheema for reference. Please bear with me even if it doesnt rhyme.)

"Yes I am take outing the book"
Er....dont think my comments are needed here....

"Teacher, see to him!!"
How the teacher keeps a straight face is still a wonder.

"Shut up your mouth!!"
One of the most common which instead of making me do the needful, makes me squeal with snorts.(my nose is usually clean)

And the regular....
"He was aksing me...."

Of course the only sentence said with perfect grammar and spelling is "I love you" as it has been the one line used and abused in almost every movie and saas bahu soap.

Anyway, time to put an end to the crap now...
I can hear my mom "aksing me to help the kitchen"
Till next time......

What the future holds...

The CET results are out.
All I see everyday are friends running around in sheer tension and confusion, hoping to get the desired seat and profession. All that anyone has on mind these days is admissions and cutoffs.
When I call a friend to ask how they are, all I get is "How did you score? Which college did u try for?? What are you going to do now??" As though hearing my confusion would somehow calm their frayed nerves. Somehow amidst all this confusion and chaos, I sense a feeling I had always tried to ignore. We, that is to say me and all my friends, the same old people who laughed and screamed and acted like the most immature brats around, are finally growing up. The gnawing fear at the back of my mind tells me that nothing will be the same anymore. Everyone has different hopes and aspirations. Each one has dreams they will strive to fulfil. Close friends will leave the city, or have such hectic schedules that there never will be the same old time to goof around. Files and assignments will fill life. Casual meetings wont be as easy as they have always been. Who knows how many will remain in contact once far away. As much as I try to convince myself that I will always hold on to dear friends I cant help noticing how my parents and many adults around me dont seem to have many school and college friends still around. They only vaguely remember fond memories. I know I am being selfish. I know this is all a part of achieving goals and something that everyone goes through. There is no point in trying to hold on to the present wishing it will never fade away. However I hope this "grown up" phenomenon does not overpower me and I still have the mind if not the time, to indulge in ridiculous n goofy behaviour once in a while; with all the friends I have practically grown up with and laughed like crazy with, on the most stupid things. Concluding, hope this atmosphere of chaos ends soon. I really need to visit a few friends to continue my extensive 'chatterbox' habit.

Birthday blues

It was the birthday after all..........
I got up early...mom waking me up for the usual temple visit every year.
So was I excited?? Please, that used to happen when I was 9.
I mean whats the big deal anyway?? I was born 18 years back on this day...If someone could get back that day it would be worth celebrating!!(ahem)
The phone calls began....one with an extremely shrill, high pitched, excited voice.......as though my being born on the earth was the most happening thing that ever happened to mankind!

"Hiiiii Kiiimmmmiiiiii!!!
Haapppyyy Birrthdayyyy!!"

I just couldnt recollect who this blessed soul was.

"Thanks a lot!!" I gushed.....still waiting for that sudden memory.........

"Sooooooooo Kimmmmiii!!
What plans today??
Any partyyy??
What yaar..u didnt call me...Hei hei!!"

Heck.....that annoying laugh...Iv heard that before.....Er.....now what was I to say??

"Arre no yaar......what party.....I am not a kid anymore..."
(My patent dialogue when no good-extra hyper-virtually unknown persons ask for on the spot parties even if my cousin's father's uncle's son gets a job)

"Hmmmm.......arre you remember me na?? Its so and so!! Hei hei hei"
As though the declaration of her name would send me jumping with joy.....
And that beautiful laugh was all I needed to complete my day......

"Huh?? Arre of course yaar....how can I forget?"
( a vague memory of shrieks n excited gossip from school....).

"Thank god! After all we were such good friends......
remember you used to say hi to me in school??"

Oh yeah!! Like she was the only person in the whole wide school who received a hi......
"Er yeah yeah.....so how are the vacations going??"

"Suuupppperbbb!! I just returned from my uncle's place in America.
I was thinking of going to London also but lets see....
Where did you go??"

Suddenly realising the dare to go one up.....

"Er.....nowhere yaar......In mumbai only.....there are many places to roam here itself ..."
"Yeah sure...."(a hint of a snigger or was it my imagination?)

"Anyway This is my number ok?? If you ever remember me.....that is if you ever do...(the usual emotional crap.....now where have I heard that before...) then please call. You dont mind if I call you sometimes no?? Hei hei"

(of course I do.......why dont you take this horrible laugh and move to your fantastic uncle's place permanently??)

"Of course not....I dont mind..."

"Greeeaaaaaatttt!! Sooo enjoooyy your birthday ok??
Dont keep studying all day scholllyyyy!!"

(Dunno how she could have thought I would study during vacations.......)

"Er...yeah ok.....thanks again....er....I have to go out now....bye"

"Okkk byeeeeee......hav fun huh!!"

Click.

It was a sigh even my sister in the next room heard....

Mystique of the ocean

The tide roars high.......breaking mast like the fury of the storm.
It crashes on the bank....as I try to glimpse its secrets.
The depth behind those chilly waters, the mystery beneath the surface.....
as it tries to hide all that is within.....
And when I look in wonder at the unknown facing me.....
I sight a bit of myself....looking right back at me......
Those waters splashing with glee, yet holding back thoughts bare and pure..
portraying a wild and troubled side, amidst an aura of calm and dignity.
As the ocean takes back its hands and recedes back into shadow.....
I feel the quite submission.......learnt through decades....
Contented I walk away...finally understanding the oceans' draw.
Coz it enchantingly displays the turbulence......
of souls young and raw.