A Purple Cow

Dear Reader,

I was reminded of this poem suddenly while I was driving back home. I still cannot figure out what brought out the association in my mind since I'm very sure I didn't see a purple cow (not even a regular one). May be I saw someone who stood out like a purple cow!! Anyway, it's a very short poem with a funny and interesting twist to it at the end.

"I never saw a purple cow,

I never hope to see one;

But I can tell you, anyhow,

I'd rather see than be one."

The last time I heard this was from one of my well read friends and I swear, I didn't see him today!!

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gr8 2 read!!

Dear Reader,

Here is an excerpt of an official email that I received during the last week.

ive noted tat this has been actioned. pl revert wit the foll details:

The stickler for spelling, punctuation and written English usage that I am, I did notice the lack of all of them in the above statement. So, is it inappropriate to employ the same writing style in official mails as one uses in an sms or a twitter message? Of course!!

I wonder how the Y Generation kids must be communicating - the ones who are exposed to technology (or their evils) right from the moment they understand communication. I heard one of my friends say that she cringes when she sees a note by her teenage daughter stating, "C U L8R" and actually circles the inappropriate language and leaves her a note telling her that she expects a better note than that. If my friend thought that the note was too abbreviated for her, I wonder what she would make of the famous telegraphic message exchange between Oscar Wilde and his publisher. The former sent a message "?" and the publisher replied "!". Each knew what the other was saying - "How's is the book coming along?" and "It is coming along well".

Lynne Truss, the author of Eats, Shoots and Leaves describes the rules that govern the use of punctuation marks in English with her funny allusions. 

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'WaterColor' Taj

Dear Reader,

Taj Mahal - does not need any introduction to you. I absolutely adore this picture of Taj Mahal and is clicked by one of my colleagues, Mr. Angshuman Chatterjee.

To be honest, I wasn't able to comprehend it when I first watched this. I thought it was a painting of Taj Mahal in Watercolor as the name suggested!! He explained that one of the challenges in photography is to capture the image of one of the famous monuments / architectures that has been photographed a million times, in a different, new and an original point of view.

99% of the time, in my experience, the hard part about creativity isn't coming up with something no one has ever thought of before. The hard part is actually executing the thing you've thought of. I think Angshuman accomplished that with this picture.

The beauty of the Taj is enhanced with this colorful reflected view. Don't you agree?

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21st Century Conversations!!

Dear Reader,

I found this article in http://ouchmytoe.com. This is apparently an actual conversation that the author had with his wife. To introduce the characters to you - Jammy is the author and Rekha is his wife.

Is this how most of us are starting to sound in the 21st Century?

Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.00 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Late?
Are you going to be late today too?
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.09 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Late?
Yes sweetheart. What about you? You too…late today?
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.15 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Late?
Yes sweetheart.
BTW, hope you have dropped the cheque, sorted out the heater, and taken the DD in my father’s name?
*Didn’t like the sarcasm in your mail.
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.29 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Late?
I was not at all sarcastic. Was just enquiring…for our daughter Rhea will be home alone till we reach.
*Yes, taken a DD for your father.
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.15 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Late?
I didn’t like the way you reduced the DD for my father to a mere footnote.
BTW, I wanted to know what time you will be reaching coz I want you to have a word with our 3-year-old daughter tonight.
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———

Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.34 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Late?
A word with our three-year-old daughter? What? She has come home with a tattoo? Or did somebody in leather jackets and a Harley drop her home last evening? What happened?
*Nope! I didn’t reduce the DD for your father to a mere footnote. Trust me, I didn’t swear when I was withdrawing the Rs 20,000 for the DD.
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.45 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Late?
Your daughter has changed her boy friend again – for the third time in the last five months. I want her to behave like a good family girl – not be some tapori like her father.
I will be late today, but can you catch her attention before she hits the bed today and have a word with her?
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 7 January, 2011
Time: 7.34 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Late?
Will do. But what do I tell her…I have no idea how a woman decides on her boyfriends. If I couldn’t read you in 10 years, how do you expect to read my daughter in 3 years?
*Will try anyway. Will update later.
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 5.25 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Thought I might as well change the subject
Any updates? Sorry was tied up…couldn’t check on your talk with the daughter earlier.
*What time did you come in last night? And when did you leave?
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 6.03 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
The talk went well. She argued back – said something that meant…blubber blubber clutter putter…..whatever she said made sense.
*Came in at 1 am and left home again at 6.30 a.m. BTW, noticed somebody well-built sleeping with you in our Queen-sized bed. Who was it?
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 5.37 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
That’s somebody I love, but you have no idea about it. In fact, you think otherwise.
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 6.14 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
What? When do you plan to break the news to me? What about our daughter – I would definitely like to keep custody of her.
Where does he work anyway? Does he make more money than I do?
*Remember, DDs for your father won’t be part of the alimony
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 5.37 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
Stupid! That was your mother, and my mother-in-law. And how easily the divorce-talk came to you. Are you seeing anybody? Is it that Mansi girl in your office?
*And yes, thanks to the DDs we send your mother, she is well built.
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 6.14 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
Ohh! That was my mother?! When did she land up?
And I agree, we now-a-days only speak thro’ emails. How about a call?
*Mansi quit. Aditi has joined in her place.
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 6.45 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
Yeah…call is good. How about 9 p.m.? Will be in my car, on my way back then.
*And is this Aditi also pretty?
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 7.04 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
9 pm works for me too. Will be in my car heading for a dinner with folks from Airtel.
Sending you a meeting invite & the conference call details now.
*Mansi is pretty. But she is married and has a kid as well.
Cheers,
Jammy
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 7.45 pm IST
From: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
To: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
Marriage and Kids have never stopped you from flirting before. Why do I have this feeling that you might upload this conversation on your blog?
*Been ages since I visited your blog. Stopped being a regular visitor since the quality of your writing started going down.
Regards,
Rekha
———X——–X———
Date: 8 January, 2011
Time: 8.16 pm IST
From: Jammy [jv.rajan@gmail.com]
To: Rekha [Rekha@filmyworld.com]
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Thought I might as well change the subject
Please accept the meeting invite I just sent. You could be right about the blog bit. Don’t visit it till I tell you that a good post has been uploaded.
Now-a-days, we don’t talk often…so lets be punctual at the call…and also be good to each other.
*Darn! This Aditi wears such revealing clothes!
Cheers,
Jammy

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The Power of Synchronizing

Dear Reader,

If everyone in your weekly meeting drops a pencil precisely at 11:42 am, would you notice?

That is the power of synchronizing. 100 people doing something at the same time has far more power than 300 people doing the same thing at different times.

This probably is the reason behind building religious institutions like temples & churches. To give birth to mass worship. Seth Godin says "While the internet makes it easier than ever to spread ideas, it makes it far more compelling to coordinate actions". How precise!!

While I was thinking of an image to depict synchronization on this blog for you, the Yin and Yang came to my mind. Although it is known for demonstrating dualities, (like men and women, positive and negative) does it also not show synchronization? Without sync the dualities cannot exist, can they?

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Woo & Woe

Dear Reader,

Define marriage. What was the first word that came to your mind? Companionship, togetherness?

Isn't it ironical that we marry to find and cherish companionship, however, thanks to our changing lifestyle and lack of time, we end up in a conflict with the companion seeking companionship that we long for?

Bottom line: We end up fighting for the companionship and losing it in the bargain!!

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An Ode - Refreshing Memories

Between the Hammer & the Anvil, I am
Expecting to be hit & being hit by the unexpected, I am
The Hammer 'time and the anvil' circumstance, I am
What I live for & the same that I survive for, I am

Along comes a Princess - young, beautiful and thoughtful,
That's You!
Taking the pain away sometimes adding to it too,
That's You!
Giving me everything you've got yet taking nothing away,
That's You!
My life, My every breath, My reasons, My motivation, My innermost feeling, My best side, My best half, My best gift, My heartbeat, My honeypot, My love, My destiny,
That's You!

Between the Hammer & the Anvil, again, I find
Life's desires undermined.
The only hope is YOU would outstretch your arm at a length
You are My power, My prayer, My strength

At the mercy of our circumstance, we are
So far yet so very close to each other, we are
Carrying a love mightier than any anvil, we are
Sure to succeed & be together, we are

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Timeless Age

Dear Reader,

I read an article in the Health Edition of The Week, 100 Days of Solitude.

The article revolves around the experiences of one writer, also an experimental subject, who chooses to be in an isolation chamber. The objective of the experiment is to observe the reactions of a human body when exposed to a timeless environment. I must say, the observations are quite interesting with the author saying "it was like two days of one day". It means, for the writer, 48 hours seemed like 24, while in the isolation chamber. She also says that she estimated a 6 - 8 hour slot as 2 hours.

My first thoughts after reading this article - time is an illusion that we, as human beings, have created for ourselves and that time moves faster when an individual is alone. We alter our body clocks with the conscious understanding of time. In the absence of which, the body sleeps for 17 hours and is awake for almost 34 hours. So the so called ideal "sleep-wake cycle", that we follow currently, is not natural!! Are the day, week, month and year, all an illusion too?

If I wouldn't have read the article, I would have presumed that time moves slower while you are alone. That is, you only spend 10 mins and it seems like 30. But the experiment has proved results the other way and it beats me!! The only other question that I have is whether the subject will experience any change in his / her characteristics if he / she continues with such experiments for a long period of time. I'd like to compare "staying alone" in life to this experiment, fully aware of the fact that the conditions are not exactly the same. If an individual stays alone for a very long period of his / her life, does it change any of the social characteristics in them? Do they then find it difficult to relate to others and their experiences? What do you think?

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In the Presence

Dear Reader,


"Welcome tired pilgrim
Into the circle
We have been waiting

Everyone's gathered
For your arrival
All the believers

Angels fall
All for you
Heretic
Demon heart
Bleed for us"

The lyrics of one of my favorite songs by Dream Theatre broke my series of thoughts when I returned to my car after a long and tiring day at work today. 

"I've been waiting for you
Weary preacher man
You have been expected
Now we can begin
Let this hallowed day of judgment reign

I have known you father
And your sacred quest
Blessed soldier fighting
You shall never rest
I have known you but do you know me?

Angels fall
All for you
Heretic
Demon heart
Bleed for us"

the song goes on and so do my thoughts. They dig deep into my past until I find the one cherished memory!! The first time I ever associated with Heavy Metal. I consider myself to be blessed and to be the chosen one to appreciate this genre of music that personifies aggression, masculinity and machismo.

"My soul is yours
Dark Master
I will fight for you

Dark Master within
I will fight for you
Dark Master of sin
Now my soul is yours
Dark Master my guide
I will die for you
Dark Master inside

I cannot see his face
But I could feel his spite
A presence from the dead
Abandoned by the light
This shadow will consume him
from within"

I was introduced to heavy metal by a very near and dear one. My first reaction was the cliched one - "loud and noisy". The first song that I ever heard was Pantera - Cowboys from Hell.

"This power that I sense
The rage behind those eyes
Is just a shrouded ghost
A spirit sealed inside
The body and the soul both threats
For they are one

Angels fall
All for you
Heretic
Demon heart
Bleed for us

My soul is yours
Dark Master
I will fight for you

Dark Master within
I will fight for you
Dark Master of sin
Now my soul is yours
Dark Master my guide
I will die for you
Dark Master inside
Dark Master amen
I belong to you
Dark Master within"

And then I slowly graduated. Suddenly the loud noise started making more sense and I joined the head-bangers club. Was it the music or was it love?

"Don't
Bother trying to find them
They will be coming to you
Fight
Fight and destroy
Until you can't take anymore

Slay
Spill the blood of the rebels
They are the children of hell
Flesh
Of the undead
Stopping at nothing to kill

Sin
Caught in a moment of weakness
Committed the greatest of all
Sold
Half of my soul
And now it's too late for you"

And I took his hands and walked the path of evolution - both love and music. Sold half my soul to him for all that was due to come.

"I judge as
My eyes see
I judge and I am just
For I speak
Of the beast
That lives in all of us

Unwelcome ones
Your time has come

Lord
You are my god and my shepherd
Nothing more shall I want
Walk
Through the abyss
Into the shadow of death

Fear
There is no evil to fear now
For I know you are with me
My
Cup overflows
With my enemies blood"

And I felt the power, needless to say of what. It could take you through your worst times, it will reinforce the energy that life sucks out of you.

"I
Decay in the house of the lord
Forever amen
Death
Will follow me
All the days of my life

I judge as
My eyes see
I judge and I am just
For I speak
Of the beast
That lives in all of us

Unwelcome one
Your time has come

Servants of the fallen
Fight to pave the way
For their savior's calling
On this wicked day.

Through a veil of madness
With a vicious blade
One man rises up
Standing in their way

It's time for your reckoning"

But like they say "the only constant in life is change". It all did change. Thud, my life came crashing down!! Aw, I'm tearing apart from the inside.

"My soul grows weaker

He knows and he waits
He watches over me
Standing at the infernal gates
In the hour of darkness
The moment I feared has passed
The moment I lost my faith
Promising salvation
My soul is my own now
I do not fight for you
Dark Master "

And all that I hold on to now are my memories and my music.

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LDS Writers Blogck: Details

LDS Writers Blogck: Details: "By Keith N Fisher How many of you, when describing the scene in the picture, would mention the temperature of the water? Several years ago..."

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Timeless Tales

Dear Reader,

Today, while I was surfing the internet, I saw a question on one of the social networking sites: What were your favorite books as a child and why?

The question set me thinking and browsing through my childhood memories. When was it that I first read a book - what age? What was the name of the book? It is generally observed that people remember the first book that they read, the first movie that they watched quite vividly. And there it comes to me, "The Three Fat Men by Yuri Olesha". That was my first book. I still cannot remember what my age was when I read this book but I distinctly remember my mother giving me this book. I read the book several times after that and found it very engrossing, fascinating and memorable. The story was enhanced further with colorful illustrations.

For me, the book was all about the little dancer Suok, the heir Tutti and the magician Dr. Gaspar. But probably it was all about Revolution. The story demonstrates the differences in class and the struggle.

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Writer's Block

Dear Reader,

I'm finally here writing the first post in my blog!!

It is also the first piece of my writing that is publicly available that I've ever created. So, the pressure is on. I've spent sometime thinking this post through since I believe that the first post must have some special significance and insight. This is more or less my first impression in your mind.

So, here I am, fighting the writer's block and telling you that there are a lot of things that I plan to write about in the days to come. These may be my interests, opinions or simply some nagging questions in my mind. Hopefully, they will do justice to the name of this blog and will provide intellectual stimulation to you as a reader.

It is your comments and participation that will encourage me further to explore this untrodden path of writing.

Regards,

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