Nadal.. OUT!

Hard to believe, comes as a shocker that Nadal is thrashed out of the French Open. I can imagine him going down on any other surfaces, but definitely not on clay. He isn't called the "King of Clay" for no reason. 
Well, I thoroughly regret for not watching the match tonight. I can put the blame on 30 minute power cut too, but I presumed Rafa can't be defeated. Over the past few years, my observation has been that, though the 20-30 seeded guys, make the champs work hard for every single point at various stages of a slam, they have an usual knack of gifting away crucial points at crunch times. The sign of being a champ is this, give them slightest of opening to creep in and they would end up having their foot on your throat.

Though Soderling was showing signs of taking it away from Nadal, he was erratic far too many times. And following Nadal over years, he would be one to cash on any slightest of chances. Not sure, what happened today. Was it one man's brilliance? Or dismal performance by the other? Or both?

Whatever! My real regret is that, I've not talked to anybody about French Open this season. Did not, at all, pull anybody into  "my roger - your rafa" kind of spats. This an occasion wasted where I can't tease all of my friends, who are ardent fans of Nadal. That said, with Roger not being very convincing so far, probably these guys will have an equal chance of pulling my leg. Tomorrow will be the answer.

For now, the news is that the King of Clay has vacated his own palace.

Not to forget: TAKE A BOW, Solderling!

25 Random Things about me!

I've been tagged. That is not why this post is here. It's here because, it accomplishes what I really want at this moment, scare as many as people as possible in a single go. The dare devil, that I'm!

1. I'm liked and disliked with the same intensity, for very same reasons. I anyway, keep doing what I feel like.
2. This would be a shocker to most of you reading, I don't enjoy chatting ( you got to believe me), talking on phones, "sms"ing and all other electronic ways of communication, as much as I love writing letters on paper. Oh yes, you can call me ancient, call me archaic.
   
3. I oversleep. That's why, occasionally you'll find me sane, talking sense and behaving well.
   
4. I can irk anybody of whatever tolerance levels, with my irregular eating habits. Always over ambitious with food, I never ever complete meals, at any given part of the day. When George Bush had that comment relating to food and Indian middle class, the joke in office was, "Bush might have watched Purnima having lunch." Notorious!
   
5. I'm in love 24 / 7. ( Thankfully, not with "the-husband-material".) Rain is the most sorted out, nothing like drenching in it. Apart from rain, the moon (on any day, in any shape), the sky (especially clouds during day) and tides can have my attention undivided.
   
6. I breathe! I think!!
   
7. Books are to me, what sleep is. Willingly surrendering to swarm of thoughts, lose the conscious of the real world and ramble in worlds / words unknown is great fun.
   
8. I eat cricket. I drink cricket. I sleep Cricket! Without cricket, my childhood and teenage would be at lose of many magic moments.
   
9. Though I follow many a sports, being a born couch potato, never inclined on playing any. Deciding to try my hand at TT exemplifies this: "you don't even try to stand up because you believe you're lame. And when there's a fire around, you start running."
   
10. I lose my temper quite quickly. What's worse, I'll do nothing to shorten that anger or anything to that effect. That makes it very tough to handle me in such situations. Bottom line: Be kind, nice and generous to me. Or else, you'll be in for some serious trouble.
    
11. Every single time, I happen to realize that I've been bonding well with somebody to be named as "FRIEND", I'm kind of startled on how did it happened. Deep inside, I have this ridiculous feeling that I've reached the limit of making friends (as if, there is one!) and none further can get that comfortable with me. Probably, this is one of the reasons, why people find it tough to transit from being an acquaintance to becoming my friend.
    
12. I LOVE WORDS! Spoken aloud, whispered, overheard, hand written, printed, said, unsaid - whichever form they are, I'm obsessed with words.
    
13. I laugh, sometimes irrepressibly, which causes immense trouble to people around me. But my team happened to use me to good effect, when they planned a comedy skit. All through the rehearsals, I was used as catalyst to make the naive actors get used to audience response.
    
14. As years are passing and memories withering, seems like all my schoolmates and college mates have one way of tracking me down their memory lane, "Oh.. that first bench, very studious and pet-of-many-a-teachers' gal!" That comes as no surprise, for anyone who shared their class room with me. But, it was an overwhelming surprise when my manager, after reviewing my first task had this to say: "You should have been that first bench student, who take loads of notes for every lecture. Am I right?"
    
15. "I'm a very good gal, said me all teachers" is what I can certainly boast of, but I've the other side too. I used to bunk classes all through college life (being a first bench student). And I do, whatever it takes to stop a lecturer from giving endless class. After all, there should be some advantage of being pet student, right? To date, I continue it.
    
16. I've a bloody honest face, which leaves me with no chance to bluff. Gets me into awkward situations at time, but also saves me from people whose company I don't enjoy, without having to say a word.
    
17. I'm idling away - I drink water. I'm caught up in a mess - I drink water. I have loads of work - I drink water. I'm restless - I drink water. I'm rejoicing - I drink water. Infact, I'm drinking water as I type this.
    
18. Being extremely sensitive to any kind of expletives in any language, I get very particular about the language used for day-to-day communication. Well, if you want to hurt or to be hurt, I can guide you through the non-abusive language. It works wonder, trust me.
    
19. My mood swings are too much to handle for anybody, except me.
    
20. I'm fond of voices. Be it the presenters in Vividh Bharathi or commentators for sports or anybody, nothing fascinates like their voices.
    
21. A sweet smile and a perfect nod of the head, may lull you to believe that I'm going to follow or agree with whatever you said. But that can only be few times, you'll know it sooner rather than later.
    
22. I'm a Limited Pessimist. The meaning behind the choice of words is that I've to make plan b, even if my plan a is foolproof. Otherwise put, while hoping for the best, I still keep preparing for the worst.
    
23. Two unaccomplished dreams for this life: 1) To fall flat on ground and start crying after hitting the winning shot at Wimbledon. 2) To sing in front of packed audience, and move them to tears. ( C'mon, you got to, thank God now!)
    
24. I hate my name. Funny part is, I can't shun it now. Too long, together!
    
25. One of the most embarrassing facts about me, I might be soon filed with charges of nuisance case, by any of these guys, whose gals get to share most of their day with me. Gals can't stop talking about me, and guys can't help the "puri-puri" chatter.

Well, I should be stopping here. But, I generally find people having this misconception about me that I'm very modest. NO! I'm not. This is the eternal truth about me. I love compliments, in all forms. So, make sure you leave a comment here. (I'll help you commenting, all you got to do is think (really) hard and write few good things about me. FYI.. this is called as the-art-of-fishing-for-compliments.)

Gilly!

Boy O Boy!

Witnessed some breathtaking stuff from Adam Gilchrist, one of those occasions where you thank yourself for being there. Gilly, all through the series has been like the teasing tide that comes, touches your feet and rolls away too swiftly, that you feel.. "Oh..so little of it!". And on the very big day, when it mattered the most, he comes in as one of those tsunami waves to which you surrender, despite your best efforts. ( Amit Mishra has really been good, when put in the context.)

I always loved watching this guy in action for the massive sixers he hits, but today his boundaries, driven all along the ground were like an artist at his best. None can paint better! None can script better! None can mesmerize better!

A boy, who is just 37 years old will rule my dreams, tonight!

Boy O Boy!

All you guys out there.. time for rehearsal

Hey...  you guys and gals out there,  screwed up by life?

Watch Deccan Chargers in action, and that would give a perfect rehearsal for the ebbs and tides of life. I mean it.

Its "wow" a moment, and "alas" the other. If you want to rock at the swinging business between the both, then they are a must watch!

McCullum... My heart goes out for you, dude! Better times await you.

Sure, I had the last laugh today, but in less than 12 hours it can be a whole different story. Wishing the deccan's all the very best.

Updated on 17th May: Hehehhe.. they can teach you how to create "mess" out of nothing! Sure, none of us would be keen to learn that! 

Enduring Pain

Every single time I make a crying face, for I've a cut on my finger or mistakenly hurt my foot, pat comes the reaction from my friend, "Well, that's just too li'l to worry. Let me make it  big enough for it to match your concern."

That triggers an argument over enduring pain. He reckons that any attention given to pain is kind of weakness and strength lies in enduring it. I always believe that acknowledging pain is as important as appreciating any pleasure. 

Being pained is an important trait of us. Not getting into the heart-aches, if only physical pain is being considered about since that is more or less common way for most of us, it can be considered as biological alarm that the body isn't normal. Imagine a situation when you can't feel the pain when the hand is cut and blood is gushing out. Or you touch the flame of the burning candle and don't feel the burn. What makes you to rush for a bandage to  or withdraw your finger to save them from further damage. Simplifying it, pain is to save you.

The inability to feel pain is named and categorized under medical science, and though rarely, some humans are born with it. Now, of the rest of the larger and luckier lot, there is another syndrome of "ignoring pain in the name of enduring it" or "getting accustomed to pain that it can hurt no longer". In both these cases, the impulsive reactions that pain triggers are lost and hence can lead to dangerous consequences. If it can't pain you or you don't react to the pain it causes you, then "it" however minute can have serious repercussions.

Well, this is not to put my friend entirely on the wrong end. Losing sleep over a pimple isn't healthy either. Acknowledging pain and making sure that it is not overrated is the key, at least to physical pain.

How about the other aches? Hmmm... that can't be wrapped up in few lines!

Come my home, life..

The hidden benefits of a power cut, which is otherwise cursed to hell, is that you get to do what you generally like to do, but don't do masking it under a false reason of "I've got better things to do."

I tuned into FM, almost at 10pm in the night to hear this lovely song.. "Zindagi, mere ghar aanaa..". The lyrics did grab my attention and hence are here now:

Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana Zindagi
Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana Zindagi
Zindagi O Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana
Mere Ghar Aana
Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana Aana Zindagi

Mere Ghar Ka Seedha Sa Itna Pataa Hai
Ye Ghar Jo Hai Chaaron Taraf Se Khula Hai
Na Dastak Zaruri, Na Aavaz Dena
Mere Ghar Ka Darvaaza Koi Nahin Hai
Hain Deevaren Gum Aur Chhat Bhi Nahin Hai
Badhi Dhoop Hai Dost
Kadhi Dhoop Hai Dost
Tere Aanchal Ka Saaya Churake Jeena Hai Jeena
Jeena Zindagi, Zindagi
O Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana
Aana Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana

Mere Ghar Ka Seedha Sa Itna Pataa Hai
Mere Ghar Ke Aage Mohabbat Likha Hai
Na Dastak Zaruri, Na Aavaz Dena
Maein Saanson Ki Raftaar Se Jaan Lungi
Havaaon Ki Khushboo Se Pehchaan Lungi
Tera Phool Hoon Dost
Teri Bhool Hoon Dost
Tere Haathon Mein Chehra Chhupa Ke Jeena Hai Jeena
Jeena Zindagi, Zindagi
O Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana
Aana Zindagi Zindagi Mere Ghar Aana

Distanced Love

Distance is important in all love!

-Tagore

Another friend of mine came up with this statement, "When you want to move away, when you want to distance somebody, that is because you love that person. You already feel the attachment and hence want to step aside."

I don't want to agree or disagree with it. I neither approve it nor disapprove it. All I'm thinking now is about love that is distanced.