~ Miles to go before I sleep ~
I just found something philosophical and quite true in a very unexpected place. Read this para from the technical blogpost (rant actually) titled “Rails Is A Ghetto” -
I believe that in order for anyone to create meaningful change in their life they must take personal responsibility for their own actions and start with themselves. This is difficult at times since it’s human nature to not want to look at yourself and say, “Damn I suck”. That’s usually the first step though.
Aptly put, isn’t it?
I keep having these bouts of determination and enthusiasm when I blog many times in a week and then there are times like these when I hardly blog at all. Sometimes I do not have anything to say, sometimes I am just to lazy and once in a blue moon I am too busy to blog.
Life is going on as usual. Nothing new to report. Work is normal. Personal life is normal. Well… as normal as normal can be 
I have about 6 posts as drafts that I hope to complete in a few days and publish the final version. Keep your fingers crossed.
Brother has moved to Vizag and I am sort of missing him. Actually we used to hang out at least once in a week when he was in Mumbai. Lots of friends from abroad have landed up in India (or will be arriving soon). I am trying to meet as many as possible. I met Bantu in Ahmedabad. I also met Mona, Nehal, Pulkit and Pravin. I had a nice time with all of them. Janak is also in India for a week and yesterday we met up for a few hours before he left for Ahmedabad. We talked about old times and new and we realized that he, I and many of our close friends were in the same boat in more ways than one. So none of us will be really alone Sobha is also in town… not sure if and when we will meet up but it felt nice talking to her after such a long time (nice detailed talk is still pending).
It is wedding season and I am making many trips outside of Mumbai to attend the engagements or wedding of many of my close friends. I have about 9 such events lined up but will not be able to attend all 
I am trying to attend as many as I can but simply cannot attend all because of the schedule. I wish I could take a month’s leave, chill out at home and attend all the functions!
Well… that’s all for now. Take care and enjoy life!
If life throws lemons at you, DON’T make lemonade out of it.
RATHER
Ask for tequila and salt.
Think different. Think better.
…Its really hard.
They call it the “Quarter-Life Crisis”. It is when I stop going along with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about me that I didn’t know and may not like. I start feeling insecure and wonder where I will be in a year or two, but then get scared because I barely know where I am now.
I start realizing that people are selfish and that maybe, those friends that I thought were so close to me aren’t exactly the greatest people I have ever met, and the people I have lost touch with are some of the most important ones. What I don’t recognize is that they are realizing that too, and aren’t really cold, catty, mean, or insincere but that they are as confused as I am.
I look at my job (part time)… and it is not even close to what I thought I would be doing, or maybe I am looking for a job and realizing that I am going to have to start at the bottom and that scares me. My opinions have gotten stronger. I see what others are doing and find myself judging more than usual because suddenly I realize that I have certain boundaries in my life and am constantly adding things to the list of what is acceptable and what isn’t. One minute, I am insecure and then the next, secure.
I laugh and cry with the greatest force of my life. I feel alone and scared and confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and I try and cling on to the past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where I’m or move forward.
I’m heart broken and wonder how someone I loved could do such damage to me. Or lay in bed and wonder why I can’t meet anyone decent enough to get to know better. Or maybe I love someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why I’m doing this because I know that I’m not a bad person.
One night stands and random hookups start to look cheap. GETTIN WASTED AND ACTING LIKE AN IDIOT STARTS TO LOOK PATHETIC. I go through the same emotions and questions over and over, and talk with my friends about the same topics because I cannot seem to make a decision. I worry about loans, money, and the future and making a life for myself… and while winning the race would be great, right now i’d just like to be a contender!
What I just realize is that everyone reading this relates to it or related to it once. We are in our best of times and worst of times, trying as hard as we can to figure this whole thing out.
~ Vineet
NOTE: This is not completely an original piece. I got this as a forward some time back but I could relate to it so much it’s as if I had written it myself. It is not identical to the forward I got because there is a lot of me in there, especially towards the end. I will try to find out the original author of this piece and give credit to him/her but that will have to wait for some time since I have my exams going on right now. Bye!
Let me not say anything… go ahead and listen to this and I am sure it will come across the most sane advice you have ever received. Of course this is what your parents, siblings, friends, colleagues and your conscience has been asking you to do all along but somehow it sounds so much better and doable this way.
Baz Luhrmann – Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen).mp3
If you prefer to read the song then here are the lyrics…
Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’97
Wear Sunscreen
If I could offer you only one tip for the future,
sunscreen would be it.
The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience
I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh nevermind,
you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they’ve faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself
and recall in a way you can’t grasp now, how much possibility lay before you
and how fabulous you really looked,
you are not as fat as you imagine.
Don’t worry about the future, or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing everyday that scares you
Sing
Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts,
don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss
Don’t waste your time on jealousy, sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind,
the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself.
Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults,
if you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch
Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life,
the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22
what they wanted to do with their lives,
some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t.
Get plenty of calcium.
Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.
Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children, maybe you won’t,
Maybe you’ll divorce at 40,
Maybe you’ll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary
What ever you do, don’t congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either
Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s.
Enjoy your body, use it every way you can, don’t be afraid of it,
or what other people think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.
Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.
Brother and sister together we’ll make it through
Someday a spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you’ve been hurtin, but I’ve been waitin’ to be there for you
And I’ll be there just helping you out whenever I can
Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings, they are the best link to your past
and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle because the older you get,
the more you need the people you knew when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard,
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander,
you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young
prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
Maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out.
Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you’re 40, it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia,
dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off,
painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen
Brother and sister together we’ll make it through
Someday a spirit will take you and guide you there
I know you’ve been hurtin, but I’ve been waitin’ to be there for you
And I’ll be there just helping you out whenever I can
Everybody’s free oh yeah
Everybody’s free oh yeah
YOU: I have been checking your blog every single day. Where the <beep> were you? You <beep>, don’t you know that if you have a blog you are at least supposed to update it once in a while?
ME: I am SOOOOO sorry! Life has been throwing lots of things at me and I was busy dodging some, catching some and throwing back some. No explanations, no more apologies. Aren’t you just happy that I am back?
YOU: Hmmm… you are right. OK, don’t disappear anywhere without telling, OK?
ME: Agreed. Btw I will have to edit out all those gaalis you said. This is a family blog (my dad reads it!) and I cannot have all those cuss words lying around.
YOU: What the <beep>? You <beep>, you <beep>, I will <beeeeeeep>….
ME: OK guys, I think I will have to end this post here, this guy is going to keep talking for a long long time. Bye for now and see you soon.
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