Thursday, July 29, 2010

सुबह

शायद यह वक़्त मुझसे
 कोई चाल चल गया.
ख़याल की खाइयों में मेरा
 वजूद बिखर गया.
गेहेरयिओं में पीले पात्तों के नीचे
इक लाश दफन मिली. 
उसकी उँगलियों की छाप पर मेरी 
परछाइयाँ हैं जड़ी.
उन अध् खुली पलकों में 
इक अक्स समाया है. 
करीब से देखा कोई 
जाना हुआ साया है.

आधे चाँद की चांदनी में
अंधेरे नीचोड़ रही है. 
क्यों अपनी सिसकियों से मेरा 
आँचल झिंझोड़ रही  है?
मैं नहीं जानती तुझे 
क्यों  मुझे तोड़ रही है?

मेरी कहानी तो
आज भी अधूरी है.
उजली किरणों में बंधी
इक शुरुआत सुनहरी है. 
...कुछ देर में सुबह होगी, 
मेरा जागना ज़रूरी है.

-jm

*the first line is from the nazm, "us mod sey shuru karein".
**its a poem I wrote in reaction to at least two different poems I had heard/read in the past few days. it can easily be categorized as an "inspired" piece. 
***one of the first things my poetry professor had said that i will never forget - when reading and analyzing prose or poetry, please try to remember that it is not a reflection of the writer and his/her emotions. it is a universal voice which may {dis} connect with the reader. 
****i found it different than most of my other writings; it has a very "discomforting" quality. i am feeling a sense of satisfaction in the realization that it has a "discomforting" quality.  

Monday, July 26, 2010

vaise hi!

वोह भी क्या दिन थे 
की हर वेहेम यकीन होता था 
अब हकीकत नज़र आई तो 
उसे क्या समझूं 

-अहमद नदीम कासमी

Sunday, July 25, 2010

aise hi!

तू जो रूठा है'
यह हयात भी रूठ चली है,
ग़म इस बात का है की, 
अब तेरी याद भी रूठ चली है 

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Vicco Turmeric Ayurvedic Cream

do they still make this? is Vicco still in business? I remember this advertisement would appear every 8-10 minutes on the Video Tapes of Indian movies my parents rented when we first moved from India. I thought the woman in this advert was more beautiful than many heroines in the movies.

I even had someone bring a Vicco turmeric cream from India for me - oh the smell was super-strong... I think mom used it. It soothed her desi emotions!

Total notalgia ... tvacha ki raksha karey antiseptic creaammm ...

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Quotes: 7-22-2010

This is the key--the inner part of it is silence, 
and the outer part of the key is celebration, laughter. 
Be festive and silent. 
OSHO

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

I love Snoopy

... sort of reminds me of my Charlie. Everyone must have a doggy! They teach you so much about loving and living ... and apprecating the small things of life ... 

Moms don't know Everything!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Quote: July 19, 2010

deh Shiva bar mohey ehey,
shubh karman tey kabhoo naa taroon,
na daroon arson jab jahey laroon,
nishchai kar apni jeet karoon.

O Lord, give me this boon 
May I never ever shirk from doing good deeds
Never may I fear when I go to fight the enemy
With surety, victory will be mine.

-Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji

Saturday, July 17, 2010

One Packet of Daily Bakwaas


Commensurate the weekendification festivialities!


glitchhhhh... yeh mere saath hi kyon hota hai! mein sochti kuch hoon, ho kuch aur jata hai!  - Woke up to my computer being all moody; the laptop won't start. I kissed it, I hugged it, I assured it that it would be my favorite no matter what - I have a hunch it had sensed my joy over getting a new computer at work! My lifeline gadget was getting jealous :( ... Took it in to the Comp Doc and as soon as the Doc pushed the start button it started as if it were brand new. ughhh Gadgets! After-all, most of them were invented by Men! (yes, I am thoda-thoda bitter) ... So now the little rascal sits at the clinic to get a thorough wash :) ... 


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hmmmm ... so let me save some time for a few who land here and redundantly look for keywords - "nude/actress/pictures" ... sorry! out of luck here fellas; good luck in  your search! ... thought I would clarify cuz my stat-counter has been giving me that twisted look like "what the heck have you been up to?" in spite of me telling it, "mein kuch nahin kitta". 
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Shareworthy story of a man who decides to go the other way - from a 4000 sqft house to an 89 sqft house!Reconnecting with nature would be just the beginning of the list of perks in this type of a lifestyle.

Also, fellow desis, if you have watched the Indian Love Story  , this cabin will remind you of the song, "dekho maine dekha hai yeh ik sapna/ phoolon ke sheher mein ho ghar apna"




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uuu-aaauh! This is the pits: Outsourcing Pregnancy to India.

Well more Indians the merrier ;) .... but stilll ... uaaah! (Tim the toolman ishtyle)
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Oh! I can't believe, I actually found Tim the toolman Taylor's "collection of grunts" on YouTube..


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Since my tweet-world excursion, someting  has been hurting my brain - will write about it soon! Meanwhile check out this uber-cute tweet :

MrDonaldGlover 
My mom: "I don't know why it's a big deal if Spider-Man is black. Most spiders are black anyway." #bestthingseversaid#momlogic/love


I love how moms are always right although I can do away with the whole "i told you so" thing! 
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Richard Haass may be on to something here: Richard Haass in Newsweek - Rethink Afghanistan because nationbuilding is not working and we are not winning!
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Come what may, I am I am I am watching "Inception" this weekend. 
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Hope all your weekend plans are panning out as planned =) 
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Friday, July 16, 2010

i believe . . .

more than a song, its a pop-culture anthem . . .




I believe the sun should never set upon an argument
I believe we place our happiness in other people's hands
I believe that junk food tastes so good because it's bad for you
I believe your parents did the best job they knew how to do
I believe that beauty magazines promote low self esteem
I believe I'm loved when I'm completely by myself alone

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe you can't control or choose your sexuality
I believe that trust is more important than monogamy
I believe your most attractive features are your heart and soul
I believe that family is worth more than money or gold

I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair
I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye

I believe forgiveness is the key to your unhappiness
I believe that wedded bliss negates the need to be undressed
I believe that God does not endorse TV evangelists
I believe in love surviving death into eternity

I believe in Karma what you give is what you get returned
I believe you can't appreciate real love until you've been burned
I believe the grass is no more greener on the other side
I believe you don't know what you've got until you say goodbye
(Hats off to Savage Garden) 

Thursday, July 15, 2010

humari pyaari bakri!

A few days back my brother posted a status update on his Facebook Wall and the interaction took a life of its own with all the cousins jumping in. I bet most of the people (who understand Hindi) will find it very relatable. Its such a generic "extended family" conversation!

Brother: Knock Knock, who's there?
Me: Bhabhi! With a Belna!
Cousin #1: ha ha ... nice one di!
Cousin #1's Friend: belan? kyu... bhaiya is so sweeet...
Cousin #2: bhaiya k liye belna nahi hai....kisi aur k liye hai!
Me: Yeh Bhaiya tumhe kitne paise deta hai? Are we talking about the same bhaiya?
Brother: Getting jealous aye..lol
Me: hardly! stop paying the kids to make them like you! wanna-be superstar ...
Brother: Chup oye! Ghatiya shaayari ki lata mangeshkar (hahaha... I loved this one)
Me:
bakri chadhi pahaad par
voh chadh chadh gayi
charvaahey ne awaaz maari
voh utar gayi! 
Brother: Charwaha tha piyakkar, woh pi ke so gya....ye dekh ke bakri phir pahar pe char char gai...
Me: bakri ne pahad se jump maar kar suicide kar liya; you bbqed it! happy bakwaasing! 
Me: Bhabhi phir jhaadoo le kar aayi
Brother: Good.thori safai kare ghar ki. Aurat ke haath ki shaan hai jhaaroo
Brother
Suicide ki bakri ne suppressed ho kay, 
daaru pi charwahe ne depressed ho kay, 
ye sher maine toilet pe beth kar likha,
lekin send ka button dabaya pichwara dho kay
Me: bhaad mein jaa!
 Bhabhi: (finally) maine kuch nahi kaha ......
Cousin #3: wat poetry i must say ;) bakri famous ho gayi :) ;)
Bhabhi: akhir yeh bakri hai kon ;)
Cousin #3:@Bhabhi good question ;)

Yeh Kaifiat Hai!

Kaifi Azmi had a little chat with me yesterday!

Kaifiat is an audio-book by Kaifi Azmi which I return back to every so often. Some-days, I am not even paying attention to the poetry - the way he emotes as he recites is enough. It is perfect background music for times when I want to just plain think. Yesterday, I heard the whole album twice as I drove through Sunol, which has to be one of the most scenic drives. With a river flowing on one side and trees covering the rest of the expanse, it is almost like a dream and the serenity is almost tangible. Ad-mist this - it felt surreal when this short nazm came up! I was still in my own world until I heard him say, "belchey lao, kholo zameen ki tahein / main kahan dafan hoon, kuch pata to chaley"!

It was a sign that it is time resurrect from the ambiguity of existence.

khaar-o-khas to uthey, raasta to chaley
main agar thak gaya, kafila to chaley
chaand-suraj, buzurgon ke naqash-o-kadam
khair bujhno do inko,hawa to chaley

itni laashein mein kaise utha paaonga?
aap eeton ki urmat bacha to chaley
belchey lao, kholo zameen ki tahein 
mein kahan dafan hoon, kuch pata to chaley
khaar-O-khas to uthey, raasta to chaley
main agar thak gaya, kafila to chaley

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Yellow Agony: Hot Chick Finding Problem

So completely share-worthy!
Nikhil is a genius =)

Yellow Agony: Hot Chick Finding Problem: "*Viewer discretion- Medium nerd alert */ Problem Statement: You are a desperate Indian male student living in a place like Delhi . Every..."

Monday, July 12, 2010

dozen reasons


they are so pretty yet they make me unhappy!
they are a symbolic of passing moments!
they are withering away; a reminder of life...

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Mystery or Chemistry of Romance!


I wonder about emotional attachments!

What makes one person feel an affinity towards another? Not just the romantic kind – any kind! At a basic level, what makes you feel like one person is worthy of being a catalyst in the chemistry of your realm? Family, friends who feel like family, social/party type friends/acquaintances – there are so many categories of people we surround ourselves with.

I have always thought that friendship is the only foundation one can build anything worthwhile one. It is of utmost importance in familial relationships that we tend to ignore. Being blood-bonded seems like security enough! Personally, I have a wonderful friendship based relationship with my mother. My father and I communicate as friends but we have learnt to accept that we always disagree. My sibling and I are complete opposites, which provides the much-needed balance; I suppose we have accepted our differences.

From a friends point of view, if I line up all my friends in my head and try to think of commonalities among the group, here are top three characteristics which are prevalent among them: honest, independent, giving. These are friends I have known for a good part of my lifetime. So, this was essentially a summation of seven women who are very special to me. Each of them have qualities which I don’t quite approve of but they have similar complains about me. My list of non-likable qualities is perhaps longer! But I love that they show me the mirror. Otherwise, I would easily categorize my self in the perfect people section! Bottomline – I have people I can count on during times of adversity.

Now from the romance point-of-view; this is where things get all complicated! A person can have all the qualities you list in your perfect partner and still not feel right. Why is that? Why do all the text-bookish perfection fail at one point and you are at a loss of explanation as to why you don’t feel a similar affinity to that person who feels like his life revolves around you? All his promises and bribes of a perfect lifetime don’t affect you! You are in a storybook romance; technically nothing is wrong, yet nothing inside feels right.

My mother always said, a woman should marry a man who loves her! Wouldn’t that be settling for comfort? Doesn’t the man deserve a woman who loves him in return? How fulfilling would life be even if you were on the receiving end of all the good-stuff in a relationship?

Ok! So if the “list of qualities” fails in making that connection – what “triggers” that wonderful condition of infatuation that can progress into love?

What is the chemistry of romance?

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Quote: July 7, 2010

on the 367th day of the year, 

everything will be more clear. 

-jm

 

*** this came to my mind about 4 am this morning; feels like a new poem in progress!

Love Gives Me Hope

Shareworthy Link: http://lovegivesmehope.com/

 I am certain it will make you smile . . .

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Quote: July 6, 2010

No-Thought for the Day : Life is a verb. Life is not a noun, 

it is really "living" not "life." 

It is not love, it is loving. 

It is not relationship, it is relating. 

It is not a song, it is singing. 

It is not a dance, it is dancing. 

See the difference, savor the difference. 

~OSHO

Thursday, July 1, 2010

गहरे कभी उतरता

Dr. Garrimaa Singh - one of my absolutely favorite poets, allowed me to repost this here. I would repost everything she ever writes here; perhaps a way to own something that you admire ...

दिल के करीब मै हूँ
अपने से खुद का रिश्ता
दूजे की आस में अब
ये दिल नहीं तड़पता
ग़ज़लें हों शायरी हो
अपनी ही डायरी हो
किस्से कहानी उनके
लेकर गली न फिरता
मै बाज़ आ गया हूँ
इश्क ओ मोहोब्बतों से
मजनूं बना बना मै
बाज़ार ना उतरता
मेरी तो कट गयी है
तालीम मिल गयी है
जो बाकी रह गयी है
वो भी गुज़र रही है
तेरे शहर के बच्चे
मरहूम मोहोब्बत से
है इश्क का जुनूं क्या
समझेंगे वो कभी क्या
कैसी थी वो उलझन
होती थी क्या वो धड़कन
जो दर्द था हिज्र का
उसमें भी क्यों मज़ा था
क्यूँकर तबाह जन्नत
महफूज़ कर मोहोब्बत
कोई तो मोल होता
तेरे जहाँ में दिल का
वैसे तो कुछ नहीं है
सैलाब ये रूमानी
पर डूबने को उसमें
गहरे कभी उतरता

-Dr Garima Singh © 2010 – All rights reserved.