The Weekend

I usually am quite planned with my meals, ensuring that I prepare them the day before but the weekend just calls for relaxation and meal-making ties you up into 2 hours of dedicated kitchen attachment which, I don't really like putting In. As a result my weekend meals get a little skewed and in all honesty, I try not to go too much overboard.

Friday:

Let me start the story with a prequel of what happened on Friday. I began my weekend like any other, choosing for a rather delayed awakening at 10 am followed by quick breakfast making. I usually indulge into the slightly taxing Oats Pancakes, but I was hungry and needed hunger to be killed fast, hence turning back to the otherwise work-day breakfast of Egg whites lightly fried first, then stuffed between Wholemeal bread slices and put into the grill till the outsides are nice and crispy and the insides are really soft. The result is shown below.

Fast broken and hunger quelled, I then proceed to do what I do best, which usually involves engaging couch potato mode. The Headquarters (to be henceforth used whenever I refer to my parents) buzz on Google Talk and I readily answer engaging into a long conversation over the tiny details of my newly rented house (which I haven't moved into yet). 

Time passes by and the room mate realizes its Friday Boot Camp Time (Heading to the Gym for Circuit Training), and off we trotter. What follows is an excruciating workout for 2 and a half hours, proceeding which it is decided that the next two hours are to be spent having a swim. The Roomie indulges himself into a few laps and I engage couch potato mode, only with an added underwater extension this time. This is followed by a quick trip home to shower and freshen up again followed by a totally forgetful trip to the Wafi Mall, where the only memorable discovery was the Rooftop Gardens (Good Place to take your date for a date, Dubai Lads!). We then head back to Discovery Gardens and decide to hit Saravana Bhojan Shaala for Dinner, where we quickly equate the calories we lost in the morning's workout. Saravana is always ok for average Indian comfort food. Sabji scooped up with visibly dry chapatis. Everything Hot. I for one, am ready to walk into the place at any given time of the day provided that the meal is followed by a cup of their extremely awesome filter coffee. 

Saturday:

Note: While I technically get the day off, I had to put in an extra day at work and decided to spend this sunny little day working, like the ones to follow.

The Roomie decides to drop me to work as he is headed the same way, and we skip the joys of home breakfast for something we both love; a Subway imitation sandwich at 'Bakeria', the small food counter inside any Emarat Petrol Station. Note that they are ONLY at Emarat petrol stations, not EPPCO ones. The Sandwich costs a fraction of what its counterpart at Subway would cost, is much less greasier, even though it has similar vegetable options. Both of us go for the Tuna Sandwich. Another fact that I love is how the sandwich here is grilled firstly, on the outside, and secondly, after it has been prepared. Something I would really love to see Subway imitate (or they're going to lose me completely to Bakeria). The sandwich is accompanied by machine made Americano (forgettable).

I am then dropped to work, where I immerse myselves in the realms of my awesome job till the first pang of hunger creeps up the phone lines from the stomach till the brain. I am left to myself today, being tiffin-less. I recollect wanting to order something from Abu Ali, the Arabic restaurant round the corner a few weeks back and ring for a Hummus with pine nuts and an Eggplant Kebab. 

The Hummus turns out to be a tad too creamy for my taste. Too much Tahineh, and quite less Chickpeas in my opinion. The Eggplant Kebabs are a little sweet and quite nicely done. A welcome break from the stereotypical non-vegetarian grills.

Meal is Eaten. Brian is Happy. Brian goes back to work, not before arming himself with a cup of Green Tea.

New Lodgings

Let me flick that cobweb out as I welcome you in to my blog yet again. Extremely irresponsible of me to promise and not deliver, with regards to the 'regular blogging'. Sigh. Some things just can't happen; but i'll try.

Anyhow, I was mighty excited for the whole month or so, because, NEW HOUSE! Yes, after the humble 'Roti' and 'Kapda' it was time for the 'Makaan'. I rented an Apartment at  Discovery Gardens itself, a 10 minute walk from where I currently live.

The Apartment by itself is great. A view of the desert enhanced by a prime location just behind the bus stop. Everything I love grabbed together and squeezed into 500 odd square feet of gorgeousness. An apartment, at this stage, is quite a big deal for me, you should understand. Majorly, metaphorical, it signifies my introduction as an earning member of the society, like an epaulette on my shoulder, a medal around my neck, a cufflink on my cuff (You get it by now, I'm sure).

In fact, I was the happiest yesterday as I set out to collect my tenancy contract, set up my Du home services and take a handover from Better Homes. It's the little things folks.

So, this post was just a result of excitement more than anything else. Thanks everyone who helped me get to this point in my life. It is an extremely important level-up for me.

PS: I might be shifting the focus of the blog in the future from largely personal aspects to food. As I presume that could get me more interested in blogging again. Please let me know if you still read this, or if you would rather see my Instagram food pictures put up here.

Deo Borem Korum!

What I learnt while/from Winning A Car.

So anyone on my Facebook and Twitter friend/follower list must definitely know the topic of rage that has consumed my timeline lately. I have won a car at the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). The last time I was this lucky was when being brand conscious with the choice of my pampers won my parents Gold in Oman.

I could very well go on about how awesome it is to have the honor of winning something, but to avoid being hated and jealousy is a green-eyed monster (says someone who gets jealous at the drop of a hat), let me bring it to you in the form of Tips. Rather, what I learnt in the whole experience winning a car at the DSF.

1. Use the Metro.
My entire winning scenario was wrapped around the efficacious use of the Dubai Metro. I woke up that morning firstly, late and secondly, feeling particularly groggy and almost decided to take a cab to work. In hindsight, as is always I'm glad I didn't. The Dubai Metro really is an awesome way to get around. It has its limitations regarding connectivity but is known to save quite a bit of time.

2. Use the Convenience Store.
The Zoom store where I got my Raffle Ticket is a very nice concept. Small stores at almost every metro station in Dubai. Prices are certainly up by a dirham or two, but the convenience of grabbing anything from a Newspaper to a packet of biscuits to a drink really wins you over. In my case, the Zoom store at the Noor Islamic Metro Station is located remotely and not along the exit path as it happens in other metro stations in Dubai.

3. Drink Green Tea.
Given my Diet choices from the past 4 months, the only things I went to get from the store were a packet of Green tea bags by Alokozay and a pack of sugarfree mints, the latter being something i have only found at the Zoom Stores. Green Tea really is an awesome beverage and is my go-to drink after a heavy meal or problems with digestion. Shout out to the boss, Mr. Asim Amin, for promoting a Green Tea friendly environment in the office.

4. Always write your full name.
There was a particular time frame in school where I used to write my name on all communication as Brian K. C. I hated people misspelling and making fun of my middle and last name and did this to cut out the chances of that happening. In college, I learnt to be proud of my whole name, its uniqueness, and how much it added to my character. So when I got that raffle ticket the first thing I did was to write down my whole name. Look how it paid off.

5. Pick up unknown numbers.
I know a lot of people who dislike picking up unknown number. Of course, they have their reasons. Now the call letting me know I had won was made closer to 11 pm in the night. I had just returned from the Gym and was preparing my food for the night.

6. Pray.
Once I got done with the call and a hug to celebrate with my room mate, I then proceeded to pray. Thank God for all he's given you and whatever he adds unto your name. For it is he who handles the grand scheme of things. Always.

7. Call your Parents.
My Dad falls asleep quickly on weekdays and my Mom was travelling that night. I made our neighbour in Salalah, Seby Uncle, wake Dad up just because I wanted to share the news with him. It had to be done. Thanks Uncle! I left a message for my Mom on Whatsapp that night and the next morning I placed a call to her to explain everything. Love You Dada and Mama!

8. Thank the people who played their part in your win.
Since I was sketching the same route via the metro again the next morning, I decided to pay a trip to the Zoom store again. The Ladies there treated me like a celebrity and took a lot of photographs. Never before have I felt so honored. I thanked them and indicated that a bit of their luck rubbed on to my lottery ticket as well.

The team at the Zoom Store, Noor Islamic Metro station who treated me like a Celebrity. 

9. Never Go Alone to a Presentation Ceremony.
Prior to Thursday, i did not know where Global Village, Dubai was. I consulted my colleagues at work and got a kind of idea regarding the same. At the Ceremony, the kind gentlemen asked me if I had a friend with a camera. I didn't. Both my Room mates were unavailable. In hindsight, I could have called and asked anyone else to come along, but I didn't. Real bad on my part. You need that one person atleast there because any momentous occasion really sucks if you don't share it with some one else. I missed my Dad, Mum and sister that day the most of all. (Thankfully, my virtual presence on social media gave me significant support. Glad to see that a lot of people have my back.)

The Side View of the stage I went up on.

A Kind Emirati Teenager in the Audience obliged to take my photograph in front of the stage.

10. Enjoy your 5 minutes of Fame.
I got on stage and on Live TV at the same time. 5 minutes of fame. Maybe Lesser, but thoroughly enjoyable. I picked up my chit. It was a Nissan Micra.

The Chits come in balls of uniform sizes. 

11. Miracles Happen.
6 months back, I was unhappy, dissatisfied with my life and did not know why I was in Dubai. I couldn't spot my purpose. 6 months ahead, it seems clear. I have a job which I like very much, I have lost a considerable amount of weight for the first time with my own effort and I feel like I have gotten closer to my parents and I appreciate them more now. To add to it all, I won a car! From a probability figure that would send folks into a tizzy, from entries across the wide city of Dubai, my name was picked. God is really great.

Its really been a ball, these past few days. Absolutely Enjoyable moments all along. Thank you guys for all the praise and support. I am lucky to have a prosperous ecosystem with my family and friends around the world who really come in and make good moments seem greater and make bad moments much better to bear.

Also, Dubai, I chide you too much. Thanks for everything.

Oh Blog, Why have I stopped posting?

Firstly, apologies to the minority readership acquired by this blog. Come on, Admit it! I did see analytics rise and fall in between so I know a few of you do come by every so often.

My posts have been erratic due to the main reason that I can't seem to figure out the direction I want to head in with regards to the blog. Now initially, as a school going child, I initiated the blog to talk about myself and the things that interested me. Through college, posts continued in similar fashion with a more than honest inclusion of posts related to the Bachelors of Mass Media course I was pursuing. Now having got through a phase where I essentially opted for blogging as a method to let people hear me out, the blog gathers cobwebs and I can't really get my self to post both regularly and also post with clarity.

A topic I see myself remotely hovering about is Food. Because well, it's food and people who know me well know how much the word dominates my personal space. It is extremely easy to enter this sphere of 'Food-blogging' as they call it, but challenging again to maintain variation and sustain interest. After all, who is going to listen to someone who:
1. Eats all his meals according to a schedule.
2. Eats Green Leafy Vegetables for 2 out of every 3 meals consumed.
3. Eats only Chicken and Fish from the plethora of meats out there to eat.
So the above has got me worried that I won't be able to combine my interests for food and my way with writing into something cumulatively interesting.

The second topic that hovers before me is a mix of current affairs and current technology. Essentially dishing out an opinion on everything that's happened within the past few days every time. An audience for such writing also seems lame considering that there are a lot of people out there doing the same and in much better fashion.

My fear is that after college, the touch of humor I was able to put into my writing has run out dry. Even my personal writing skills only see contribution for the company I work with, not at a personal level. That has got me worried.  I need a place to continuously talk about something and make sure that there is someone listening too for self gratification. Being eager for public appraisal is very much an Aries Trait and something I see the need for on a daily basis.

So this is not a resolution, but here's hoping I have an active blog for the year 2013 and seemingly beyond. Hope your festive season was top notch!

PS: Been reading my blog from some time and have a plan of action on the field I'll be good at writing about?  Contact me please. I'll reward you with some kind words of acknowledgement, if nothing else.

The India Trip

Having to solve some paperwork issues and look up on bank accounts and other things that sound important, I had the pleasure to make a trip back to India a little before the Eid Holidays. Headed straight to Goa where Mom and Dad were waiting to take me around the beautiful state I call home. 

I made what most would call a foolish move of not taking a cheaper flight directly to Mumbai from Dubai, but instead, flying to Muscat, changing flights there and then flying to Mumbai. All just for the sake of flying with Oman Air, and some free time at Muscat Airport, because I don't have to tell you how much I love all things Oman.

Landing in Mumbai was sheer fun. Always brings back memories, that very act of landing there. How I once ran home from the airport, kept my luggage, changed into rain wear and ran off to attend a 7:30 Sudhakar lecture. How I love the early morning taxi rides from the airport to town and how i once was crossing the sealink at the very time that the sun rose. Such memories don't dwindle soon,and i don't intend to let them do so. Any ways, this time, Mumbai was all about being a leg in my journey to Dubai, so I hopped on to the inter-terminal bus and now excited myself with the prospect of landing in another favorite place. Goa!

The Goa section of my trip was not quite eventful. It was dotted with the usual meetings with relatives and family friends, but like always, this time also had that one get together with folks I must not have met since a decade or so. A sweet aunt and uncle who we last met in Salalah being the case this time. The rest of the trip focused on two things I was visibly deprived of in Dubai. Mom's Food (Including heaped servings of rice, which I otherwise avoid thanks to a precise diet) and sleeping on a proper bed were two things that really needed my attention. I also tried out this place, which surprisingly was tried out by my folks. An amazing seafood place, pretty nondescript, called Fishland, near the Panjim Residency. Amazing how a Fish Thali for 60 rupees can bring so much satisfaction.

9 days flew by with a lot of ease and I then had to prepare myself for the odd one and a half day in Mumbai. Spending that minuscule a time frame in a place you previously spent 3 whole years certainly isn't easy, but I kept a tight schedule and had adequate time for everything. Right from getting a new pair of spectacles and shirts to meeting up with the gang which surprisingly happened without a photo being clicked. Is the BMM blood fading away or have we become grown-ups already? Thanks, to everyone who was able to turn up. Before I knew it, 36 hours were up and I was catching a few winks in a taxi headed to the airport. When I finally arrived in Dubai, I happened to be so exhausted with the goings-on in India and the Jet lag, that I cooled off with approximately 18 hours of dead sleep. 

This trip didn't capitalize on everything I wanted but gave me all of the things I needed.

Working Out is Working Out.

Hello all.

For any one who even mildly pays attention to my status updates and, of recent, photo uploads, on instagram may have realized or forced to realize that Brian Carvalho is now on the route to shedding the kilos.

I actually began my routine on the 1st of September and as I write this post it has been 1 month and 15 days since I am on a diet. Throughout much of my life I kept complaining that I simply couldn't exercise alone and wasn't motivated enough to do so. Turns out that this may have been right, though at the time it was more of a quick thought excuse.

I am working out with Keith, in whose house I have also been living for about two months at the beginning of the year and a little more than three months now. It was a simple sit down and talk at the beginning of it all. He simply wrote down all the things I absolutely love to eat and gorge on on a piece of paper and then wrote  'DO NOT EAT' on top of it all. But believe me, since the routine has begun, my cravings for those objects have actually been replaced by healthy and home made food like these yummy grilled egg sandwiches with garlic sprinkles and slivers of mayonnaise.

Lunch on most nights is as shown below. Grilled Fish/Chicken with Salad

Getting down to what matters; Exercise. I have taken up a gym membership with the MMA Fitness Club at Discovery Gardens. It costs me 299 AED for the first payment and 199 AED for every consecutive payment. Given my current economical situation this isn't too cheap but given my cutbacks on the extra crap I would be eating and comparing it to where I'm putting all that money in. It's worth it!

The Routine Keith uses fuses intense cardio sessions with a little bit of Mike Chang's After burn Exercises. Normal People will remember Mike Chang as that guy whose Six-pack shortcuts advertisements goes on to irritate them before they can get to watching their videos on YouTube  I have watched the a few of the set of videos without buying them, that is and there is some truth in what he says, but it finally works down to how an individual may perceive them. Throughout the work week we switch between days on the Treadmill clocking 999 calories while stopping for a few seconds after completing every consecutive 100 calories to wipe up and sip on water. The other days, we initiate a moderate workout of up-to 300 calories on the treadmill before switching to, depending on the day, either sets using Dumbbells or Barbells. Mondays and Thursdays are exceptions to the workout because I have evening classes from 6 to 9 on these days, but i try to make do by walking home from Discovery Street 1 to Street 12 (Where I live). Its quite a distance and decreases the guilt of not being able to properly exercise on that day. Fridays and Saturdays see us usually at home, lazing around and sleeping because if we are awake we would feel the urge to eat. On these days, in the evenings, we choose a spot from either the Gym or home to do the Super Set Exercises which has anything between 2 to 5 gymnastic exercises performed continuously lasting 20 seconds each and then followed by a minute or less of rest between each set. These form a total of 10 sets, which ultimately aim to push the muscles well past us finishing the exercise.

At the end of a 1000 Calorie Cardio Burn

Coming down to the metrics. I haven't really revealed numbers relating to my weight to pretty much anyone because i used to hate weighing scales and the self-introspection they promote, but I would now like to put it out there. I started on the 1st of September at 121 Kilos and am now down to 113. This essentially translates to a loss of 8 kilos since I first started. This has definitely shown its way with clothes that weren't fitting me previously fitting me now and I have managed to get hold of my stamina now which is a good thing.

Now the irritating part in the scheme of things is that for the past two weeks I am stuck at the 113 figure. More so because I'm pushing for muscle exercises and what I'm guessing is that any fat I lose is compensated for by the muscle mass I gain. I derive this conclusion from chats with colleagues in my office who are serious Gym junkies and who know what they do. Its got frustrating and is on my mind for the past few days. So I got to the one place where I wouldn't feel shy talking about it and also would like to express my frustration.

Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to let my well wishers know that I'm trying to do something worthwhile. Hopefully by the beginning of November I expect to hit the 111 mark.

Shukran for reading!

I'm 21: Oh so you're still very young

Ok let's be clear this post is personal ranting. But you know where I live, what I eat and what I work as anyway so feel free to read on.

I have come to a position in life where I'm stuck between feeling like something and also feeling like nothing.

Let's be clear here, I am 21, have a degree, have a job and am currently halfway to competing my masters. Surprisingly I don't think this is extraordinary, especially when compared to an average Indian youth my age. 

Yet every single time I apply for a job or start talking to people about my plans for the future, I get the same, you're still very young or you are yet to see life. I understand that my age is minuscule  but denying me the ability to think out loud and put a few plans in place, though on currently weak foundation is not very promising.

I have plans in life, I dream because I can dream, but my personality is such that I like to talk out loud about things that give me pleasure.

I realize that one problem at the root of this is possibly because I am spending too much time with people significantly older to me. Not that its bad, but attitudes do influence you. Everyone, right from work to college to my roomies are atleast 2 years older to me if not more. After spending 3 significant years with people your age, this sudden change and consecutive age cap does have an effect.

BMM and more importantly degree college was a cluster of people of about the same age and having the same thoughts. Even if your closest friend was into movies and you were into comics, your way of thinking did cross at quite a few points in time.

Masters at my university here in Dubai, on the other hand, sees a bunch of people who just come to attend lectures and can hail from totally different backgrounds. They might me doing the same course for a uniquely different job portfolio than yours. Conversation is rare, especially the deep and engaging kind. Such a buzz-kill.

This was one of the reasons why towards the end of my first semester, I felt like quitting. Sincerely, just quitting. Because whatever I was doing didn't feel like education with a purpose. Just education. But sometimes unknown things push you. Again, being Indian you DO NOT leave education. You just wait to complete all of it. Also, my parents have suffered too much to get me to where I am. Wouldn't be fair on me to turn a blind eye to all that.

Anyways, where it stands now is me in my third semester. Still bored with the disgraceful Masters Student Lifestyle in Dubai (That of A Snob I tell you) and hoping, wishing, waiting that at least one of the many in my friend circle makes it to Dubai (I swear I'll treat you to Shawarmas every month for a day, or in simple terms, FREE FOOD. Come Na!).

About the 'too young' and 'haven't seen life' comments. Guess they'll keep coming till I'm old enough to make the same comments to another young guy who thinks too much of himself. 

The nasty part behind me. I have good news to tell you. Firstly, Its been slightly over a month since I have joined a gym and the results are really motivating. Of course 'The Gym' also brings along 'The Diet', but I'm working out and eating right with a roomie and this whole work out partner thing also works wonders. Secondly, I got my Omani Driving License (Which If you don't know means you definitely don't check Facebook often, or are possibly not friends with me), which means that while I still don't know when I start actual driving, I actually have hope that I will someday at least now. Thirdly, I complete three months on October 15th at Hang On Media and the experience so far is promising; bringing up an advertising agency while learning and working on social media only brings me happiness. 

So that's it for now. I think I should stop apologizing for sporadic posts. My blog = my wish. Anyways, since I changed the blog url I wonder how many of you read the blog!

Tasbah Ala khair or Good Night as it translates into English. 

Its been long.

It's been a while.

It was very bad on my part not blog. The problem with me is that I often find a very thin line between blogging and writing a diary entry. Hence, my personal posts are mixed with a professional front and my posts about the professional front carry rich personal undertones. I do not know if this is right, but whenever I sit down to type out a post it happens. Maybe its just an indication of my personality or maybe its a style of writing which I can prune and control but am not doing so, at least, for now.

Well I've got a lot to tell you guys. My last post was exactly two days short of a year back and things have obviously changed since then. For the better or the worse, only time can tell.

Firstly, I now live in a cliche i.e. Dubai. I live and study in the city of Gold. A place where one observes glitter all around which he cannot touch. Famous restaurants I can't eat in, famous malls I can't shop in, most visited landmarks I can't visit and cars I cannot drive. But there is of course the fact that I'm here to study and you can see how easy it is to get distracted. I shifted here just before New Year 2012. And rang in the momentous occasion with my mom and a good family friend, Keith, to whom I owe a lot given how accommodating he has been over the past 8 months. I began studying my Masters in Strategic Marketing at the University of Wollongong in Dubai in February and finished a semester in May. The first semester was marked with three trips to Salalah during which I made 2 tries to complete the road section of the driving license test and failed both times. After the first semester, I went to India for my regular health check ups and hurried through the 10 odd days I was there for. Big Guilt feeling there because I couldn't meet and greet most of my relatives and friends even in that span of time. I returned from India in the beginning of June after which I began a relatively short second semester which will end this next week. So that's that for the University.

Me, Mom and Keith at his place prior to leaving for our New Years Eve Dinner

Supraket comes home to visit me (or Tuffy?) during my short trip to  Mumbai

Its surprising that in that short time I managed to change my place of stay thrice. I began staying with Keith at Discovery Gardens, then moved in with William at Al Fahidi, who by the way is another gem of a Goan and made me feel very comfortable during my stay at his place. After that, I shifted in at Quisais. Unfortunately, things didn't work out well and I got back to Discovery Gardens to stay with Keith again, but this time at a new place.

A Lazy Boy Chair at Keith's new place at Discovery Gardens

As of July 15th, yours truly has also officially begun working. Spontaneous social media updates may have kept well, most of you informed. I work at Hang On Media, a start up digital media firm (The website currently routes to their first advertising product, but is in for an up haul soon). I'm currently working on some very exciting projects there including an e-commerce facilitation website. I love it here, and the fact that we're a start up is only adding to my experience of other routine office work in play. I work in Al Quoz, almost adjacent to the Oasis shopping centre and travelling there is a bitch because I have to change a bus, metro and a cab, thus increasing the income of the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority in all three forms of transport.

One of Dubai's many swanky metro stations on the Red Line

To be absolutely truthful here, I really feel the pinch of not having a car. Dubai isn't much pedestrian friendly no matter what the PR plugs in the newspapers say and a car is an absolute necessity here. On the other end, trying to get a license here is equivalent to trying to become a Chartered Accountant. People have been known to take numerous tests and still fail. Ironically, If you're European, American or Arab, you can easily transfer from your country's license to a Dubai one. So with my options limited, I go with the flow and put my faith in the public transport system here to get me places.

I think I have spoken a lot for now. I shall conclude with the same old self-promise to blog more often and if you are one of the extremely small if any minority who happen to read my blog and will like to read more, please remind me to post. Hopefully, I'll move on to write about the happier aspects of my life here.

Till then, Bye Bye from Brian in Dubai.  

Joblessness

The days pass by, one drizzle followed by another, and the only kind of tension that erodes the mind's calmness is the choice of peanut butter to be brought home for consumption in the following week. I sort of love this uselessness, but somewhere within my mind a ticker has begun its countdown. It reads; 'Days left for blow-up'. The lava in the head is pounding and the hurry to get seated in a job is increasingly astounding. 

Its not that I'm in a real hurry to begin work as soon as possible, but after studying a course that didn't leave you with much breathing space at the end of each day, it definitely is odd when i wake up each morning to realize that all i have to do today is 'nothing'; Zero, Zilch. (besides getting Carl Johnson closer to a 100% game completion).

As Mom says that my recuperation from the happenings in and around the ghastly month of October last year is yet to reach stages of completion, a part of me believes in the fact that this stage of blanket nothingness too shall pass. There will definitely be a day when I'll begin working and will also realize that from then onward there shall be no space for nothingness. Maybe sporadic bursts of procrastination but just that.

I must tell you though that it pains me to look at my fellow friends get cozy in corporate offices actually applying the theory we may or may not remember from our days in BMM. I feel that I should be there doing that, because well that's what we were trained to. I didn't get through the oddity of the course just to cool my heels once im done with it. There seems to be a void of action here. But that too shall pass. 

The kind laws of the Sultanate of Oman mark 21 as the legal age for an expatriate to work (read: be granted an employment visa) and since yours truly is about 7 months short of that ripe age, I am forced to Intern here and train there. But my experiences so far have been pleasant. I have completed a month's training with the best of the advertising firms in Salalah, and that makes me take my current state of joblessness a little more easier, if not lighter. 

But the heart yearns for more, though the brain is clearly enjoying the slumber (I have never been so forgetful as I am now) and as I enjoy the benefits of amazingly fast broadband, unlimited water (a statement few will understand), good stuff to eat, the warmth of affection from ze folks, rides in friends cars well past midnight on roads without a blink of a pothole i can only muster up the courage to say to myself, This too shall pass....This too shall pass. (except for the affection bit, that is).

Prayer.

(My often criticised method of always writing poems that rhyme found an outlet once again. but then again, had the poem not meant anything to me, I wouldn't share it with you. Try associating with it, at one point you should be able to...If you don't, it doesn't matter much to me, save the fact that you actually read it)

Prayers for Love and Prayers for Peace

Prayers to Start and Prayers to Cease

Meditation to Question, and Meditation to seek

Meditation to Answer, Meditation for the meek.

Clasped Hands and Raised Hands

Flowing Sands and Head Bands

Religion to interpret, Religion to see

Religion to believe, Religion as key

Beads of Prayer, Beads of Bone

Beads of Ecstasy and Beads of Stone

Lowly Heads and Fresh Palms,

Raised Heads and Raised Arms

Together for prayer, together for labor

Together with peace for every neighbour

When the conches blow and the bells are ringing

Together lets pray whilst the world is praying.

Picture Courtesy: Supraket Meshram

Christmas in Salalah

Boredom dominates me these days and hence the blog is often left with the stale post stained with the smell of last month's randomity and joy. As much as I love expressing my happiness here, I hate mentioning my sorrow. I always feel that Its upto the blogger to draw in the reader into his/her world, and when I post once in two months anyways, its pretty unfair to let that post succumb to my desperation.

I am currently in Salalah picking up my life where i last left it before entering the doors of the operating room. If I do happen to pick some of the Humor i lost on the way, I'd be one happy man (pun unintended).

Christmas is almost here and celebrating it in Salalah means tray loads of sweets prepared with rations of almond and raisins and tutti-frutti whatnots budgeted out from the parents' november salary. Some purchased from the Local Supermarket and the latter imported from Mumbai through the luggage of one hospitable aunt. We have to give the traditional rum cake a miss though, mom adds; a result of the side-effects of my surgery (No Alcohol of any sort). We can do the 'Neuris' though, those half-moon shaped deep fried stuffed puffs, a staple of any respectable Goan mothers' christmas tray. Now for all those who don't know the tradition of the tray of Christmas sweets, lets just say every Goan household HAS to have one stacked up to the brim with an array of sweet somethings for guests to peck at. My Childhood memories of Christmas in Goa are filled with many instances when my humble peck turned into plundering. Okay, Neuris done and stored out of reach of the Pet Parrot, we're onto the sweet nothings; Kulkul and Shankarpali. Till today No one who has eaten these has even once paused to salute the elongated hours that have gone into the making. Its just *Click* *Crackle* *Chomp* not necessarily even in the same manner! Sometimes the tray of sweets might also have indigenous friends packed and stacked neatly into the same, earlier mentioned aunts' luggage and sent over to Salalah. These include Bebinca (Oh Good Lord, Its too much to make it at home. Lets leave it to the workers slogging in Goan Factories. Merry Capitalism to you too!), Perad (Guava Cheese. Can stink at times but heavenly when eaten, especially when you don't know whats gone inside), and Dodol (Close relative to the Bebinca when it comes to the procedure.). There are a host of other sweets which make it to a Traditional Goan Tray but I just left it to the specifics or rather, the favorites, i must say. ;)

With regards to the decorations, owing to the fact that Dad leaves on the 22nd of December to celebrate Christmas with the Sister and also because half here and half there never form a whole, we shan't be putting up much of those. Maybe just a wreath outside to show our all-christian neighbours that we too have spent money on the decorations (9 Rials Just on the Wreath #FTW). Also we might, just MIGHT spend Christmas out of Home (us referring to Mother and Myself, Dad flies to Mumbai remember?). 

The remainder of the Christmas Week shall see Long Shopping Sprees, Repetitive visits to the 3 measly departmental stores in Salalah, the same old rush to pack and then just 6 hours after i ring in the New Year in Salalah, i shall be off to ring in the new year in Mumbai.

Just thought of giving you a lighter perspective on my otherwise boring stay in Salalah. (Believe me, this dial-up tone played by the modem is like a horror story in my otherwise perfect Hathway Internet-serviced life). Hope You Enjoy It. Ill Plug In later to wish you guys. Go Spread some of the Christmas Cheer now! 

The Runaway Hit

Its been a While, and my oh my what a while has it been.

The past two months have been like this surprise roller-coaster ride which entertains and amazes you at all the sweet spots. It takes you as low as you could possibly go and then the next moment, while you're salivating at the escape routine you just went through, you find yourself being tossed up again. In this see-saw of emotions you look around and find yourself as the centre of possibly all attraction. You suddenly realize that while you are busy taking this ride, you are drawing other people into the picture. First, of course you get your family in. The first respondents in all life-emergency situations. Just round the corner, not so far, stand your core group, which, owing to your short-attention span, you never knew existed. Not ones to be left behind, hot on their heels stand the rest of the people you call friends.

When the ride finally grinds to a halt, you get out and notice that your plight has succumbed to so much pity that you think the post-ride nausea has got the best of you. Its only when you wake up a couple of days later, wide awake on the matress that you can actually gauge and review the intensity of the ride. You can get back to the sharp curves and the steep climbs, the fast descent and the first climb.Everything comes back to you almost as if you're watching your own movie.

The angles crisp and clear, the drama nonetheless present and the climax, as nail-biting as you may have once wanted it to be. The Editing too is flawless. You remember as much as you want to and flush out only that which was a waste of footage anyways.

Its only when the credits roll however, that you realise the true acquaintances. The ones who didn't just attend your premiere for the complimentary popcorn and pepsi. The ones who stayed back to meet the director, not the ones who lingered behind to scoff criticism. You go to your after-party and again can't help but look around as you see just as many people as many you wanted to be present.

This is one movie. though, which is safer tucked away in the closet labelled a 'runaway hit', rather than being agonizingly played again and again to prove a point. All I can say is a big thank you to the ones who were part of it.

Why Random Trips Work...

Its been long since i wrote out my heart here. And yes, this first line has been a never-ending cliche but nonetheless a good way to start my posts.

Random Trips make up a heap of the otherwise-never ending routine called College. And though, with all the last minute detailing that gets into them they are left far from random, everybody loves a good trip. The Girls like it when its short and at a time when there are plentiful of excuses to give at home, the bunkers depend on these trips to get their connect up with the class again, and the Boys, well....They just love Trips.

However, originating from a very cheap class who are at the will to spend a grand on a project but just above a dime on something they enjoy has its own drawbacks, In other words, even if you have a rich dad, there's no way you're going to save up money in BMM. We often end up calling ourselves Cheap, but there's a lot going into coining that term.

Coming back to the daunting task of saving up for a trip. Once the accounts have been made and the group realises that each one can spend nothing more than 300 bucks, we already have our destination marked. While in most cases Manori happens to win hands down, a few brave folk have also ventured as far as Daman (when the booze is cheap, why worry where to sleep?).

Now since these trips happen to work out only when the semester's about to end, we're sure to get the necessary crowd (10 upwards always works out better for splitting the room charges) and as they say, 'the more the merrier', specially when the barrel's rolling.

What happens from the time we enter our rooms though is a matter of sworn secrecy. OK, i'll admit it isn't sworn, but its still a secret. Its known by many, but still unspoken. You can take a guess now and there are slim chances of you being anywhere far from bullsey

The best part, however, or atleast according to me is the amount of time these trips allow you to be by yourself. In a spur of  moment, you can get all chatty with people you bitch about, and in the next you can enjoy the fleeting sea breeze all by yourself. After all, its not a holiday if you ain't got it to yourself!

Anyways, as always we have the gorgeous beach to ourselves too, and the water never looks as inviting as it may seem after a hard night if you know what i mean. A nice decent game of footy is what follows, and in due time, people are seen complaining of their respective tans and how horrible they look. That my friends is when we retire for the day and start the slow and steady journey home.

For me the return has always been the hardest, you know, when you're out all of a sudden, just getting that incredible adrenalin-like rush of independence, and doing things your way, the return just makes you feel like shit. It brings to mind the painful journey in a creaky local train back home. It reminds you that you're back to the routine. (When were you out of it anyways? Half a Day?)

While memories often keeps these trips fresh, Nostalgia hits hard. After all, when you'll be so rich as to spend a couple of days at an end instead of one, you won't have the same weird, unshaven pain-in-the-ass friends with you. :D

 

Musical Melodies to make your mood

Well I do not know if most of my classmates have thought of this, but i for one have devised a crafty little option to get me out of depression and bad moods in general. What i do is simply start playing songs. Of course, one may argue now that music in itself does set the mood, but I fine tune this playlist a little more. What i basically do is choose songs that I would associate with my friends and classmates from college.

What I have realised is each song has a certain event or timeframe attached to it. Reverting back to this particular time-frame and living it all once again is what distracts my mind into enjoying the good times that had prevailed.

To quote a few, I always begin with a Desi Girl, besides reminding me of the constant presence of compatriot, Jubin John, this song also helps me revert to festivals and the good times in particular I've had with the fest-o-hoars. Similarly, Love Story, by Taylor Swift helps me teleport to fun times in the Chennai Industrial Visit, when Royston and I had ever so skilfully murdered the song, one of Vanessa Miranda's favorites.  The song, "You're my Mate" which i had chosen as the soundtrack for an FYBMM video also takes me back to fun times in Nagpur. A Certain duo of songs have been limited and reserved for Royce "The Stud" Noronha - those being the ever-so-recognisable "Mera Hi Jalwa" and "Love me, Love me, Love me" from a very much flop hindi movie, namely "Wanted". Going somewhat Retro, "Aaj Kal Tere Mere..." immediately reminds me of director saahab Arnesh Ghose, my first "somewhat Gay" partner, Tushar Mathew and the whole cast and crew of the Blitzkrieg 2010 Musical. When it comes to picturing a Dharam Mishra, no other song can do justice as much as the ill-fated "Ibn-e-Batuta" to which he performed at the Fresh Face Elims. Same going for Avro, wherein the Paa title track always gets those pearlies flashing. Coming to Aditya Ubare, you don't need to think of a particular track...You just pick the two to thre most famous tracks of the moment and picturize him dancing to those. The effect really get you all pepped up!

By the time you guys came to the end of this huge list, you guys surely must be figuring out why the hell did i choose this topic in particular. The fact being yesterday night was a very depressing night for me. It culminated the gloomy and dead moods of the past two weeks and the results were very queasy.

It was then that i chose to look to my music for some satisfaction, and satisfy it did.....

I still bitch about the lot, fight with them, throw tantrums about them and at the end of it, hang out with them. Knowing no matter how much i hate them, I love them for being my classmates and having such a universal presence, that mere symbolisms are enough to remind me of them....So as i come to the end of this kind-of-very-emotional post, I play the title track for ""Polaris 2009" knowing very well that if there is any of the bad mood still left somewhere deep within....It'll vanish momentarily
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Blog-Support

Two of my best friends, Sean D'mello and Sean Sequeira come together with a Blog where they'll be reviewing books and movies. With Sarcasm that could have you brain dead yet physically alive. They are a duo well worth looking forward to. Below is an excerpt from their introductory post;

Strictly SEANs: First Day, First Show. Our Prelude: "We all need to simplify certain things in life. There are moments when we are on our way out of a theater or on the last page of a book and ..."

Little into my last year

Ah! It has finally happened. Projects have started hitting us left, right and centre and no matter how much we curse them for being there, we can't avoid the minuscule joy we get by their mere presence. We were just done with one on promoting ourselves as brands, for example. My work was definitely not my best for this one, but at the end of the day im glad i was atleast original in my concepts and output. You guys can have a peek at the campaign here.

In other news, I try each day to get to know my freshers' better. Just thought that would be a good way to get around things for once, instead of the usual, "I-am-an-arrogant-senior-you-are-a-puny-FY" kind of thing. Well, sending all of them facebook friend requests might not be the perfect ice-breaker, but i hope I'll get to know them well atleast in a month or two.

I must say its quite odd adjusting to life as a senior. The tables have quite so neatly been turned, as people tend to come to you for advice and consultation on a vast number of issues. This too shall pass i believe.

On a personal front, Every passing week seems to teach me something new in politics or diplomacy. I am kind of getting to look through a lot of fake bubbles, which don't seem to burst but just grow bigger.

If you may not have known before, i still believe that I have to get smitten by the constantly fleeting love bug atleast this year. I desperately feel that no matter how dumb or flawed puppy love may be, its still good while it happens. And as much as i do not want to sound wannabe, now would probably be a good time.

In the meantime, life goes on. College is seemingly good so far and the rumour mills have gotten rid of news related to me i hope, or atleast that is what i pray.

This is a very random post, i know but my cup was full and i needed to pour the overflow out somewhere. :D

Some Little-Big Festival I spoke about..

More than a week has passed since the most talked about festival, (In my facebook account atleast) having passed. Mixed emotions had previously prevailed and still do. Stuff like, "what now, Brian?", "Your three years are done" kept moving through my mind. More so as I saw my fellow comrades from the '09 version of the very popular fest (Yes, you should realize by now, I am trying to write the post without mentioning the very name of the festival).

The three days this time around carried the same little powerful concoction of love,quarrels, oodles of sweat, energy drinks and a few good showers of rain. As a proud third year, I made sure I was at hand all the time, but only stepped in for a bit of damage control. Reason being, no matter how much i wanted, the 2010 version just wasn't my fest. I mean, i still cared about this mammoth of a media-mash but this year, there were people who cared much much more. Who probably shed more tears and blood getting into it than i may have ever done even in my three years as that huge dodgy security volunteer.

Again, as much as i would want to give a day-by-day synopsis of my first love, I shouldn't do so as it would probably spoil the reason behind this post anyway.

I can only say that as i sat there as one of the many in the crowd of white T-shirts (some with ugly brown patches and some with really sweaty armpits) waiting for the Chairperson (A junior I love and Adore, Tushar)to speak, I could only have preserved this moment for eternity. After all, Last Polaris Man (There I said it!) Its probably atleast another 5 years before I can return to this platform as an eager judge, or a Rich and smiling sponsor. Before that happened, i wanted to get in all i can. I probably gave bear hugs to 60-odd people in that hour. I sank into tears and was laughing wholeheartedly right in the next moment. One moment I loved Sudu for something, the next moment I cursed him for eating into the Chairperson's speech.

But there was nothing, nothing at all that could stop me from being a proud BMM Wilsonian that particular night. Nothing could help me stop grinning, even the fact that I had to catch a bus to Mahabaleshwar in about 6 hours time, nor the fact that my body was aching in weird places i never knew existed.

Thats the magic my friends, THAT is exactly what happens when you give in your all. You just sit down and take it in, ONE last time.

A little into the business...

Well, for those of you who've managed to read my previous post (I sincerely do not know how many), the Wilson College Nature Club (WCNC) and Mocha TreeHuggers' joint campaign has already begun. We have started with the Photo Exhibition, "Through the Lens" already and are currently into its 3rd Day at Mocha's, Churchgate.

The Figures for now seem to be going great, as we're managing to clock in clientèle from the colleges of J.J, Jai Hind, K.C, H.R and beyond. We've sold quite some amount of merchandise with associations going beyond mere changing hands of money. The WCNC volunteers are doing a great job and if you are interested in buying stuff but do not know how to get to Mocha's or are busy on the days of the exhibition, It would be cool for you to give a call to Ryan Thomas (a TY.Ba Student at Wilson college and one of the many active members of the WCNC) at 9920263810. Alternatively, you can get to the Exhibition Team on Facebook too.

Coming to it Again, the guys at WCNC have spent a lot of time and effort into it along with dollops of support from the Guys at Mocha's. We need a lot more to get this exhibition going and here's to hoping you will at some point be a part of it. :D

Event Details for the Exhibition are as follows;
We're showing from the 3rd to the 10th of July at Mocha's Churchgate, following which we'll be present from the 10th to the 18th of July at Mocha Mojo's, in Bandra.


This is Brian as always, signing out hoping to meet you at any of the above venues in the days to come.

Little Somethings that Turn Big!

Its always been a pleasure whenever I may have heard of my college in the news. Even a small page corner mention brings a sense of well-deserved pride up in me.

Im never really the type to go all out for my college, but when asked for, i definitely think i can do a little something for the place which has reinforced me for two years, and continues to do so. Time and Again. As my Folks always tell me "All work and No play makes Jack a Dull Boy", being a Wilsonian, i have found, in the past years a very welcoming playground for my ideas and articles; The Wilson College Nature Club (WCNC)

It is indeed amazing to look at this little organization changing views and educating people all in a trek, an outing or perhaps a trail. Functioning out of a small nook in the archaic campus of the Wilson College Building, the WCNC has achieved quite a lot since its inception, including a countless list of dedicated alumni.

This academic year too the WCNC has a plethora of activities jotted down. However, with a huge appetite for nature, this little affiliate of the World Wildlife Fund in India, seems to have lost out on much of the finance it requires to function.

Of late, however, interesting things are happening as the Wilson College Nature Club has proudly joined hands with Mocha's; India's leading chain of Coffee Shops as a part of "Mocha Tree Huggers", an initiative by the establishment to foster a deeper connect with nature. Mocha's is basically helping out the WCNC by providing a platform so as to showcase photographs clicked by WCNC's very own group of budding photographers.

What its resulted in, is "Through The Lens", an exhibition of selected photographs of wildlife, landscapes and nature available as a book, a framed, blown-up photograph and bookmarks. The proceeds from the sale of the merchandise shall generously contribute to the upkeep of the Wilson College Nature Club.

One must note that even though, "Through the Lens" is a big initiative by the WCNC, us nature-enthusiasts also have other activities a trail through Borivali National Park (Aug 2010), a clean-up drive (Sept 2010), an overnight trek to Rajmachi (Oct 2010), a tree planting session (Nov 2010) and a trip to Karnala Bird Sactuary (Dec 2010) which you guys can be a part of. 


If you guys would like to get a framed piece of spectacular natural landscapes and sights, please do not hesitate to enter Mocha, Churchgate from the 3rd of July to the 10th of July 2010. WCNC volunteers will be freely available on location to help you wherever required.


Its also a humble request from the blogger for everyone reading to atleast have a glimpse, if not purchase some of the photographs, as in any student-organised event, the WCNC members have put significant amount of efforts to make sure its a success.


Here's hoping its worth it! :D

TYBMM: The Start

Considering I've missed one week of college and have no clue about the first two of my most important projects, I'm not someone who should probably dictate how the classes really "are" going, but anyways, since this is my blog and I have the permission to be ever-so-random and cynical, I shall review my first few days of the year marking the end of my life as a collegiate.

The Mood is very much so gloomy. Now the advent of the monsoons and the excellent view of a drenched chowpatty should actually prove otherwise, but i guess there is this intermittent fear within each of us; the usual "Last Year, Last Class" emotions. I assume this is pretty much foolish as there still is a whole year ahead and I secretly wonder if people aren't already fed up of the same classmates, their silly mood swings and their consistent food fads and phobias, but then again, my opinion stands alone.

Polaris should have pretty much been the norms on everyone's minds by now at least, I was guessing. For a moment i even felt that the SY committee's attitude was lackluster and ever-so-laid back. But then again, maybe i want too much, too fast probably like a worried mother constantly keeping that faithful eye on her kid playing outdoors. I have done all i possibly can to increase the enthusiasm and it was then that i realized, that  i should actually be chilling out and let them cause their own problems, find their own solutions while pretty much sitting and taking it all in. My Last Polaris in Wilson. Considering my obsession with the word and the sheer hatred to the same by the few-hundreds in my Facebook friend list, I should probably take in the sights, the sounds, and the overflowing Power Horse like any other college senior.

The exit of the 11 Odd students from the otherwise cheapest BMM class was not something we grieved about, but they will be missed for their individualistic compositions in this boiling-pot of a collective crowd. I actually envy the dozen knowing very well that all of them can and WILL take my case when it comes to writing articles and other written notes. Then again, Im in advertising....I have the best of lecturers and am on the path of what i want to become. That should pretty much satisfy the cowering writer who lies beneath. Hibernate for now, my man. Your time too shall come.

Rani Ma'am's departure from BMM was of course something i wasn't expecting for a long time. But things happen, and i must say the two new professors have a niche of their own and will one day, (i'm sure) grow to understand Sudhakar as the un-questionable.

That is pretty much my summary. I understand it sounded much like a report for a college magazine, but it was pretty much from what my mind could blabber out. Ciao!