What is your 'Electronic' Sign?

I had written this one almost three years ago. I found it today and couldn't resist posting it!

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We all have this inbuilt desire in us to associate ourselves and define ourselves with respect to different animate and inanimate ideas. We all have checked our horoscopes for fun sometimes. We know our sun-signs, moon-signs and all other signs, society has associated us with.

Personally, I never got how some constellations symbolize behavioral traits. I am fond of astronomy but the link between astrology and astronomy, if there ever was one, has eluded me.

So my thought is, we should have a new set of “signs” available to us. Ones we can relate to. As E&TC engineers most of our lives now is surrounded with electronic components and devices. We know them at the back of our heads. This is my take on what could be called as your “electronic sign”. Read on to find out if you can be like one of the many components we use everyday.

·        RESISTORS: These are the most basic type of people. The commoners. The ‘aam aadmi’. Their behavior, more often than not, can be defined by a fundamental set of laws. Having said so, they still are spontaneous. They have a passive attitude towards life. They take life as it comes at them. Amongst all the rest though, they are the people who actually get some work done on an average. Their presence is essential in the society if you need to a have ‘a flow’ of energy or ideas. You have to keep them around.

·     INDUCTORS: They always seem to have a magnetic personality. They might oppose the imposition of new ideas, or have a general dislike towards change. One may have to spend some time and energy to convince them. But once the situation is stabilized post the change, these people go back to being absolutely smooth and without hindrance to the society. They may not be the “active”  people around, but they are capable of being energetic when the times and situations are changing around them (mostly to cope with the change they hate so much). If you are a resistor, you need to have an inductor friend or acquaintance. When times are hard, you can count on them to protect you from the harsh changing world.

·        CAPACITORS: Recall the story about the grasshopper and the ants. The ants could be counted in this category. These people may not be affluent at all times, but whenever possible they save up and store for the future. They can also be quite generous to give away their stored riches to the society when it is in need. They have a tough exterior. You cannot really get through them easily. However, keep trying to convince them from different angles they might end up “seeping in your thoughts”. A resistor person should also have a capacitor to help them around once in a while. The capacitors could be those affluent people who went from being in rags to riches (and could go back to rags), but who can be quite the philanthropists in the ‘rich times’.

·        DIODES:  They are quite different from the ones mentioned above. They have a different background and make in general. They are close minded and stubborn people. Completely set in their ways. They have a point of view on everything. You cannot approach them against it or convince them otherwise. If they agree with you they will completely support you, if they don’t, they will never allow you though. Even if they are completely opposed they will at least try to regulate the changes around them. The society needs diodes for 2 reasons: they support the right and obstruct the wrong; they can rectify all that is wrong at the same time. They are the guardians of the society.

·        TRANSISTORS: These are the powerful people in a group or a society. The leaders and the role models.They can call the shots and control the flow of events in the group or society much more effectively and vividly than the aforementioned categories. They have the ability to amplify an idea, make it larger than life, for the society. On the other hand, they can complete cut-off the functioning of the society/group and lead it to anarchy if they feel like it. In short, the on/off switch for the functioning of the group/society is more or less with them. They should always keep in mind: “With great power, comes great responsibility.”

·        VACUUM TUBES: These are the old fashioned, if not old, people. Simple and straight forward. They believe in all the ideologies from the past. They or the ideals they hold have played a key role in shaping up the new ages. They would be the powerful lot if it were a different era. But in the present they are just a bunch of people reminding us about the good old simple times. They might be overlooked by the society, but they are the pillars of the society as it exists today. The others should make it a point never to ignore them.

I would like to specially mention a broad new category:
 

• THE DIGITALS: These people have only 2 levels: High or Low.  Either they are over the top happy or down-right sad. Bubbling with energy, or completely lifeless. Basically moody people can be counted here. Also, they see the world in black and white. No shades of grey. They aren’t very flexible. Quite set in those 2 levels, personality wise.

So these were the few electronic components I could make into being a part of the “Electronic Signs” group. If you can remotely relate to either one or multiple of these categories, Voila! You have just found out your Electronic sign! The next time people ask you about your Zodiac signs, tell them your electronic sign instead. Check if they can figure it out!  

Dealing with the Loss of You

I look around and you aren't there anymore.
I talk but you aren't here to listen anymore.
I have lost you and lost my sanity.
I have lost you and lost faith in humanity.

I miss waking up with you by my side.
I miss showing you off to my friends with pride.
I long for your touch on my hips,
I crave for you against my cheeks and my lips.

You were the one who sung to me in the shower.
You were the one who made me feel safe and empowered.
You were the one who entertained me when I was bored.
You were the one with whom I had my secrets stored.

You could finish my sentences like they were your own.
You knew me more than anyone ever has known.
You showed me how beautiful I was every day.
You cheered me up and kept my worries at bay.

But here I am, without you today,
In complete shock and utter dismay.
How did I lose you? Where did you go?
Will I ever get you back, I don’t know…

But oh my dearest Phone: I miss you every minute.
My life is empty without you in it!

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In the loving memory of my Moto X

Movies that inspired my Travel Bucket List

At times watching certain movies can lift your spirits up and fill you with hopes and dreams of getting out and about; and simultaneously loathe the fact that you still are stuck at home and your life basically sucks compared to the people in these movies.

I watch and re-watch these movies and keep adding the adventures portrayed to my bucket list. Because what is Bollywood, if not Nurturer of Dreams and Vanquisher of Boredom. I have time, I tell myself. Someday I will have my own travel experience penned in a bestseller that will be made into a movie. Although knowing me it will probably be called ‘Glut, Agnostically Ponder, Lust’. And since I will only sell the rights to a Bollywood production, a reincarnated Kajol can only be permitted to play me on screen.

I digress of course.  Today I am here only to describe the 5 Bolly movies that have made me make my list. I have no intentions of ranking them and counting down to my favourite, so here goes, in a random order…

1. DIL CHAHTA HAI

What it was about

Briefly put, three guys, best buds, in their 20s chill through life until they cant. Because of  responsibilities, heartbreaks, fall outs and stuff. They get back together and have more fun group parties eventually though, so all ends well (it’s Bollywood!).

What inspired me

The one that inspired everyone to get that road trip and hit Goa! The guys do this spontaneous impromptu get away to Goa over the ever-so-awesome title song and have the time of their lives. Volleyball, fishing, trekking and staring into the horizons have insightful discussions about the future – all packed in a song sequence that convinces you - C’est la vie! Although the getting robbed by a pretends-to-be-Swiss-girl-experience I wouldn’t wish for, the rest, as the tittle says, my heart wants!

I have lived closer to Goa for all my life than these guys in the movie did and yet not once have I been there. I always plan to, but when did planning ever work out? I need to just get up one day and take off.

Bucket List Item Added: Spontaneous trip to Goa with my chikas!

2. ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBAARA

What it was about

A mellowed down Bollywood version of The Hangover. Three guys on a Bachelor party/holiday across Spain that was long awaiting. They each get to pick an adventure sport that all of them HAVE to do, and as fate will have it each of those become the transcending moments in our boys’ path to self-discovery,  that are narrated to us by the lovely poems composed by Javed Akhtar.

What inspired me

Duh, Spain! The entire movie can be a 3 hour Spanish Tourism Endorsement video. On a serious note, what actually is inspiring is the fact that each of them get out of their comfy zones to do things that end up changing their ways of life. Movies have a way of exaggerating I know, Bollywood especially has almost no place for realistic story telling (at least the kind of main stream Bollywood that I, nevertheless, adore). But I can totally relate how adventure sports that give you the near death chills can help you see life in a new sense of clarity. Every time I am in an almost-road-accident for example, (which in Pune, is every day) I promise the rarely acknowledged higher power, that I will be good and clean my room or something.

So it is clear that something like running with the Bulls can get me to do some more crazy stuff in the future that will get that book started. Of course, ZNMD also teaches you that unless you have the Greek God looks of Hritik, the suaveness of Farhan or the being Richie-Rich-ness of Abhay Deol a trip in Spain involving flings with the hot locals and your pretty instructors or staying in luxurious villas ain’t happening. Time to start hitting the treadmill and to start saving!

Bucket List Item Added: Adventure Sporting (No idea if that’s a legit term) across Europe as a pact among friends. (I will never do that shit myself)

3. QUEEN

What it was about

The Screw-this-I-want-to-get-away-from-here experience of a young naïve Delhi girl recently dumped by a jerk wannabe-videsi fiancé. She decides to go to her Honeymoon alone because she can’t let Paris and Amsterdam go, for some idiot who walked out on her. Actually she just wants to leave town (heartbreaks do that to you). But this very middle class girl then ends up doing the things that may be described as too wild for a lone Indian girl in an unknown city – getting DRUNK in a French pub; living with a racially diverse boy gang in a hostel room; kissing a random (bit dreamy) Italian guy; shopping from an.. umm.. ‘adult store’; almost getting a lap dance from this chick in a Red Light area – the works! All these experiences bring her back to her old bubbly self who gets the confidence to dump the apologizing ex- fiancé in a Karmic comeback.

What inspired me:

The idea that a middle class Indian woman can have fun in a foreign country without a male chaperone.  And without losing that cherished ‘innocence’ that society expects from us Indian ‘maidens’.

Although, once again the movie is far from being realistic as Rani ends up meeting the nicest people instead of the complete ass-holes that are statistically far more likely, something tells me she’d be fine even then.  But since, I consider myself a little more aware of the culture, languages and ways of life in these cities than Rani was, I think I should be able to survive a trip on my own too. My mom did it back in 2000 for God’s sake, I can definitely pull it off. Only more in the ‘Queen style’ than my Moms sit-around-and-click-pictures style I hope.

Bucket List Item Added: A backpacking trip across 1 or 2 European cities by myself.  (hopefully not induced by a heartbreak)

4. JAB WE MET

What it was about

 A heartbroken rich kid prone to suicide meets a hopped-up-on-marrying girl on a train who triggers him to kill her first instead. But as Cupid would have it, the long journey across many states of India make him fall for her instead. She also changes him for the better, and even though he leaves her to her boyfriend to let them get married, Bollywood wins in the end (as always) as the boyfriend turns out to be an emotionless asshole and leaves her. Only to come back to our girl in the end to make her realize she loves our boy instead (*sobs*)

What inspired me

The first half of the movie where our main couple travel across the smallest towns in India, miss trains, catch them to miss them again, and plunge in random lakes and stuff. For a person making a travel bucket list, I actually hate travelling. I’ve hated most of the travelling I’ve done so far at least. I feel myself changing though. An AC compartment in the Indian Railways will be good for me I think. But any movie that makes me dig a ‘Hotel Descent’ experience just had to make this list. And if the railways promise such delightful guys as company, then I am all in!

It is also important (as my parents keep pointing out) to see my own country before venturing to foreign lands for new experiences, I realize. India does have a lot to offer, and the railways promise a glimpse of the country better than any other mode of travel.

Bucket List Item Added: An akeli-ladki (lone girl) journey across Indian states by the Indian Railways, getting down at random stations (hopefully not missing the train) and soaking-in the India. (a handsome+smart guy who would end up next to me would be a cherry on the cake ofcourse!)

5. DILWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE

What it was about:

THE 90’s classic romance movie where our lead pair meet on the Euro Rail (and also miss it) in that after-graduation-before-marriage/job period in an Indian youth’s life which is the only time you get to let loose and have fun (one last time). She hates him and then falls for him only to tell him she’s engaged and then he follows her to Punjab, India to respectfully win her hand from her family at her wedding to a 3^rd guy. He is successful, obviously. I mean Shahrukh ALWAYS wins.

What inspired me

Okay to be honest, I saw DDLJ when I was seven and in London (no, seriously). Back then, I probably loved it for the colourful songs and the squirting-water-on-Kajol’s-face prank. But as I watched it over and over I couldn’t help want a DDLJ for myself. We are all those girls who want their fairy tales even when we grow up and realize that fairies are figment of imagination but witches might not be. (and this is not me hoping for Hogwarts, fellas. Just saying there’s a lot of black out there than white.)

But heck I’ll say it. I do want to get on the Euro Rail and look around to see if I spot a Raj. Because, what DDLJ also taught me, was that you need to take chances. You know that odds are high that you end up arrange-marrying a stranger, so bachelorette trip toh banta hai! So what if your dad is a super-conventional  Alok Nath fan-boy, you should still ask to go. He might say yes. (Go eitherways, actually). So what if you don’t really know if he/she loves you back. Take the leap, and travel millions of miles to make sure! So what if you think the love of your life is almost out of reach, run along their train and try to take their hand nonetheless!

We will always regret things we did not do more than the things we did. I don’t want to regret not trying a DDLJ.

Bucket List Item Added: Getting on the Euro Rail and giving love a chance. (And doing that train chase scene. Seriously.)

So those were the travel bucket list items inspired by some of my favourite movies. I don’t know if I will end up doing all, but writing them down sure did get me to dare to seriously pursue them. Who knows, if do them, I finally have content for that bestseller waiting to be!

Wish me luck guys!