The massacre of my (good)name

I've been in the US of A for five years and have probably heard a gazillion variations of the way my name could be pronounced. You would think nothing would surprise me anymore but yet, people are ingenious (and mostly indigenous) and keep springing up newer variations. In India my last name was funny for a lot of people who thought that the sex-hain na or sexy-na was a tribute to their sense of humor. I found it lame and unoriginal. At least, these make me laugh. Here are a few of them.

I was in Florida. This lady takes my credit card and jots down my name. Here's what the receipt has written on it:

Turum Sekana. Probably she was dyslexic, right?

This is funnier:

"So you spell your name as T A R U N: that's, T0-raaan"? like seriously?????

Most people will call me: Troooon or Taa-rin....what's that about??

Now this guy came to my school to interview for the position of a professor and all the grad students had to meet him. So we had to introduce ourselves to him. A lot of the students were from Asia. I was the first person he asked to introduce themselves. Here's how my conversation with him went:

Him: "What's your name? Who do you work with?"
Me: Tarun. I work with Dr.Hasenwinkel
Him: Whats that...Duddle?
Me: Tarun.
Him: Duddle?
Me: Tarun.
Him: Duddle??
I turn to Pam who is American. "Pam can you help me out here"?
Pam: Ta-rooon
Him: Oh Trooon.
Me: Thanks, Pam (with a straight face).

That was the end of the introduction session for him, considering the number of asians in the audience. I mean, how on earth does Tarun sound like Duddle? This was by far the funniest experience I've had with my name's semantics.

I've been called Tyrone, Tarin, Troon etc. with the T sounding as the T in Tomato, Saxena as how you would pronounce Sax-ophone and countless other variations, some of them too hard for me to pronounce!

Well apparently the sound of a person's name is the sweetest to their ears. I don't know what to think. That doesn't sound right to me. Talk about bittersweet.

A funny fiftieth!

Courtesy: Dr.Joe Chaiken

Thought for the day

The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating- in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.

-- Anne Moriss

What's in a name??

So I am at a conference and I come across this exhibitor:

JALI MEDICAL , INC.

I doubt these guys will do well in India.

PS: Knowledge of Hindi is a prereq to understand this.

proving the point

There are people who will go to great lengths to make their point. Quite pointless I would say. But obviously not for them. I have tried to understand such pointers (as in characters) but needless to say, I haven't been able to grasp the mental make up which leads to such annoying behavior. Such behavior stems from low self-esteem and inferiority complexes, is what I think. People often tend to forget (or maybe not) how irritating they can be in the process of all this pointing and poking, often pushing others to their tipping point! At this point in the blog, I think I am having a lot of fun with the word point ( this is besides the point I am trying to make..uh oh..I am one of them! but the blog is still short at this point!!). So coming back to where such behavior stems from. Although the above maybe true, a superiority complex, or a overinflated ego (which might burst from a pointed object) or plain ignorance might be the reasons as well. So what really is the point I am trying to make. I've written about this in my previous blogs and I think it is a thought which often comes to my mind: I've never understood why people feel very strongly about something inconsequential and try and force their agenda's on others. It is easier to agree to disagree rather than just disagree.

Are you now thinking ' so why is he going to great lengths to prove his point?'

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It makes a C- change.

The mountain goat run

Hurray!! I did it. I ran a 10 mile race. I finished it in little over 90 minutes. I am so glad I finished it. Running it was more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge. 6 miles into the race, I ran into a hill, a familiar foe. I stopped, walked for 5 minutes, then ran again. But for me the hardest portions of the race were the first and the last mile. Through the initial third of the race, I kept thinking I couldn't do it. The last mile though, was killer. It was flat terrain, with people lining up around the roads and the fact that the finish line was not easily in sight was not helping. The roads had a few turns and it was hard to estimate the distance remaining. But finally, when the end was in sight, my good friend Chris (who finished the race 5 minutes before me) came back looking for me and egged me on to sprint. God knows where that energy came from. We sprinted like a tiger was breathing down our necks; I couldn't feel my legs! I must've improved my standings by at least 50 places due to that sprint. But it was exhilarating, to say the least. We had hardly trained for the race and the maximum we had run was 7 miles. The last two sessions, we had run 6 miles both times with either one of us having to stop due to exhaustion or nausea. For a first time run, I think we did great . Our only objective was to finish the race, which we did. Of course, I stopped, but thats besides the point. It was inspirational to see older folks race you, amputees running with high spirits and break the barrier of handicap, or just the fact that my body could take it without complaining. There was music playing throughout the race course and at one point (where I just began running after stopping) it was so enthusing that I actually felt a rush of blood and had goosebumps. That was a fantastic moment for me in the race. I ran faster after that. I must also acknowledge the support of complete strangers who stood by at various points on the race course and were trying to boost our morale. And Chris. He was the one without whose presence, I wouldn't have had the motivation to train or run the race. In activities like running, it is important to have a partner ( in my case, both Shailly and Chris) who runs with you and who you have to show up for since you already told them. I am sure it is the same for Chris too.

The results of the race are on the net at the following address:

http://www.leonetiming.com/2008/Goat08.htm

I learned a few things from this race, and this has been a common theme in my life so far. Most battles are mental. Physical barriers are for the weak. We often underestimate our own abilities and shortchange ourselves often. It is hard to put things into perspective, but that is an art we all need to learn. Also, age is no barrier to most things in life. Finally, we msut back ourselves to the hilt and trust our abilities, more than anyone else.

Picture puzzle- Easy

The picture is a clue to a famous person's name. It is a two word name. Guess the name.

P.S. Don't mind the feet of the people. They are not part of the clue.

Anomalies

This is going to be a quick blog. So I am watching TV and see a commercial for something which says, buy this and you will get a 'free' gift. Like seriously?? Since when did one start paying for gifts. This is like saying Karan Johar is gay. Well, duh. The next commercial which came up was for Viagra. Well if you want to sell the drug, why are you showing old men fending trees and playing golf? Show a woman exhausted after a great night. Wouldn't that make a better point? Also, why are all of Abercrombie's models semi-nude? Aren't they primarily a clothes store? Again, why do commercials for cosmetics feature the most good looking models? Aren't they the guys who don't need make-up or is the point that if they need it, you need it too? I think ( and so does Darren Hayes) that the cosmetic industry promotes low self-esteem.

Just another one of my musings.

Unwitting

From this week I've decided that I will blog once a week. It will be a kind of a summary blog. At least that way, I hope to keep my write side in shape. As I write this, I'm thinking man! that is a formidable task. Will I really be able to do that? And I answer myself (ah! I love rhetorical questions) of course you will be able to. A busy man finds time for everything. In fact, another thought went through my mind as I typed the word busy. It always does, especially when I'm chatting with women.

Me: Hi
She: (after a long pause) Hey!
Me: u busy?
and I think...gosh...thank God there wasn't a typo there...busty? (considering how close t and y are on the keyboard)
It'd be funny if I said that to a guy who had man-boobs, but thankfully..I don't know (m)any [??...?] such men.

Sorry for the diversion. I have too many of those sometimes. Often I've been accused of having a sense of humor skewed towards lewdness. But hey, at least I have a SOH. Someone once told me "better a witty fool than a foolish wit". Gosh, how much people love talking about themselves. But this is my blog, so duh! I've often read blogs (including mine) where people when they write their first blog, have a "this is my first blog so I have to give a reason to blog-blog' and then when they come out of a hiatus have a blog like this one I am writing. Seriously. We humans lack imagination. Wow! I do have some random neurons firing as I write. And btw, I am watching Davydenko play Nadal in the Sony Ericsson final as I write, so that might explain all the randomness. (how??) Talking of which reminds me that while I was watching the women's final yesterday, I see Serena Williams struggle against Jankovic after having a comfortable lead and I think, wow! here is a champion player who has won 8 grand slam titles, and come match point, is a bundle of nerves? Only proves that even champions are human. Well I doubt anyone ever doubted that, but just a mini-epiphany.

I always think I should write stuff which is thought provoking, brilliant, lucid and read-between-the-lines profound .

Like that is ever going to happen.

So I revert to writing such blogs which are simply clogs. Btw, the match is fantastic, and yeah, I know, my jokes aren't that funny. Probably you are thinking, there was a joke somewhere here? Well people, blogs..clogs. Oh! nevermind.

And just a word about my previous blog; It was a 'I got this idea, I should jot it down' blog. I should probably work on a short expansion. Aha..another oxymoron.

A pj to sign off: If Indiana Jones was made in India, it would be named: Indian Jaanu.

Sorry.

Oxymoronic?

I feel full of life
So if I cry, they are tears of joy
If I fail, it would be at a successful attempt
And if I die, I would at least die alive!

Bathroom etiquette

Oops!!

These are pictures I took in Delhi and London. The Delhi picture is funny because of the meaning it conveys and the London picture was taken at a restaurant in the birthplace of English, so judge for yourself.

The Ironies of liFe

When you are feeling low
Have you experienced,
A washing- over of the anxiety
by waves of sudden relief?
Joy sweeping you over
Inexplicable, the source untraceable…

When you've lost a loved one
Have you experienced,
A sudden susceptibility to laughter
to anything remotely funny?
Tumults of joyous giggles
Incongruous, unexpected, transcending…

When you finish a arduous task
Have you experienced,
A lack of an exalted reaction
contrary to an expectation of relief and joy?
A feeling of suddenly having nothing to do
Anti-climactic, surprising oneself…

When you've coveted something for long and get it
Have you experienced,
A feeling of indifference,
where ownership means nothing?
Your mind already eyeing the next fancy
Ambitious? Decadent? Materialistic?...

This is the beauty of the human psyche
And it is also it's irony
It plunges you into the depths of despair,
elevates you to the zenith of happiness
It keeps you happy with the least and
sometimes makes you keep wanting more

But…. The element of surprise, will never lose it's charm for me.

The Week that was

The title suggests summarizing a week. Well that is not exactly what this post is all about. I can hear myself say 'why, then, such a stupid title?' The simple answer is , I dunno..i just felt like it. Actually, the past month has been spent in a similar mode by me. Doing stuff on impulse, things which I'd never thought I'd do. Like now I believe completely that I can run 10 miles without breaking a sweat. We did 6 the other day, and it felt like nothing, hence the conviction. I turned 25 last week. A milestone in terms of survival. Not that it was difficult, but still, we all love numbers, especially when they mark a anniversary. So I was thinking to myself, that in the past 2 months, my life has become extremely disorganized. I sleep late, wake up late, skip breakfast, guzzle coffee, spend more time on crosswords and music than on research, procrastinate (which according to experts is healthy, btw) and don't wash dishes till I see fruit flies hovering around the sink. Sometimes, living alone is a bitch. I wish I had a roommate who'd do the dishes. But then living alone rocks!. Actually, I've been travelling a lot this semester and that is the excuse I give my advisor for not getting enough data. Also, I think I need a break. Since defending my masters, I've not really had a break and life's been busy in general.

But after the birthday and diwali bash I had in Atlanta, I went to Buffalo to watch and listen to Zakir Hussain and Rahul Sharma perform. It was sheer brilliance. I run out of adjectives to describe the concert. First of all, it was improv. Secondly, although ZH is a bigger star, RS was equal to the task and held center stage. The music was brilliant but the way the two guys coordinated and gestured at each other with a complete understanding of each others music, was what made the concert so good. It was money and time (and hence more money) well spent. Talking of music, I can't wait for Nov 26 to come fast enough. A R Rahman's Jodha-akbar releases that day.

But this birthday I was reflecting on my life. I was overwhelmed by the number of people who remembered it and wished me. I felt blessed. Tell me, who does not like attention? Life has been good to me always. I do have regrets about decisions I made, but then retrospect is always a perfect science. I also had a feeling that I am 25 with not much to show for until I spoke to a friend and she convinced me that I was wrong. I wish I could learn the art of putting things into perspective. I guess that truly will make the world a happier place to live in. My b-day resolution was to be more organized, which has only manifested in me taking tons of responsibility ( like volunteering to teach and organize classes) and waking up 30 minutes before class. So far, not so good.

As is evident, this blog is all over the place, much like the restlessness I've been experiencing. Too much energy, but very little focus. It is amazing how fast you can crack the sudoku puzzle or decipher a crossword but become equally slow when it comes to setting up an experiment. Really, I can't wait to go home. There is so much to look forward to there and here, once I return. I hurt a muscle in my neck, while pushing something heavy. That sucks 'cos I don't sleep well and can't run easily, adding to the lethargy. This post is the ' I don't have anything to write about but I still will' post. I don't even have a good finish line. But hopefully, it was a good summary of the week that was (nt). BTW, winter's here and it feels great. I Like snow way better than the rain. Now is that why I am frozen?

What's in a name?

With a name like Thai-land and a capital city named Bang-Kok, it is no wonder prostitution there is rampant.

Boo Yeah!!

I heard this on a stand-up comedy show. The guy was an Indian, entertaining a crowd in the UK.

" I come from the land of the Kama Sutra...I can fuck you in more ways than you can think of!"

This is lame

Yay!! India are world champions!! (for those who don't know, India beat Pakistan in 20-20 cricket world championships). But apart from the glorious display of sangfroid under pressure, fearlessness and camaraderie, what was amazing was the team spirit displayed by India. Towards the end, the difference between the teams was quite apparent. India won because team spirit was abundant. Pakistan's captain on the other hand, made the event quite a religious one. He thanked all the muslims in the world for their support and even apologized to them for losing. I think they are more shame-faced than him because who supports a sport based on religion??. I definitely have quite a few muslim friends who love and support India and Indian cricket. I think that was pretty stupid on the captain's part. Ultimately, the diverse Indian team, and more importantly, the game of cricket emerged winners.
Anyway, I guess nothing can beat the fact that the Pakistani team must've been in complete disarray when the presentation ceremony announcer called the team in alphabetical order, because judging by the slurry speech of the captain and that of Afridi thanking all the Indian nations present at the ground, I think it must've been a tall ask for them to organize alphabetically.

For someone who lives on forever

August 16, 1949. He was born into a poor middle class family in Uttar Pradesh, India. It was Janmashtmi ( the birthday of lord Krishna), the day he was born. He was the second of six children. Quite prodigious in academics, he started school directly from the fourth grade and by the age of 17, moved out of home to study at BARC, Bombay. He graduated at the age of 20, got a job at ECIL, Hyderabad and by the age of 25, he had two children. Tragedy stuck in the form of chicken pox at the tender age of 18, and with nobody to care for him, it was to take a serious toll on his future. He contracted juvenile diabetes by 25, and had to take insulin twice a day for the rest of his life.

By 35 he had three children, a great job, and a house of his own. Fighting chronic diabetes is not easy and inspite of that, he kept his pain to himself, and achieved a lot. He was avant-garde in his sense of fashion and art. A talented singer, musician and artist, he also had a repertoire of urdu and hindi couplets for every situation. For someone who was educated in Hindi until his undergraduate days, his English was exemplary. He read a lot, and travelled around half the world.

He led by example, and provided his family with everything they needed. Sacrificing at the cost of expense of ones own desires is one thing, but to do it without ever mentioning it and expect any reward is a totally different thing. He never forced his ideas on his children, and taught them the value of choice. Never misusing his position of authority, he never used force or took advantage of his superiority as an elder to drive home his point. It was always his highly developed emotional maturity that did it. He always allowed you to freely express yourself without fear and encouraged you to make your own decisions. He strongly believed that one is successful only when he falls down and makes the effort to stand up once again. His life was testimony to this fact and he ensured that his children and others who he mentored at various stages of his life were always abiding by this famous quote of his:

Whatever you do, do with your might, things done by halves are never done right.

He used anecdotal sayings/limericks/poetry to pass on the right values to his children be it:

'Man is a fool, when it is hot he wants it cool, when it is cool, he wants it hot, always wanting what is not '

'Never expect anything, you'll never be disappointed '

'Insaan ki khwaishon ki, koi kami nahi, do gaz zameen bhi chaiye, do gaz kafan ke baad'

'My pain is mine - I will not let it impact your decision'

His profound spirituality and ability to connect to every individual set him apart as the most dynamic person I have ever known. Be it as a son, brother, father, husband, grandfather, uncle, friend or just a mere acquaintance, he touched the lives of people in his own, unique way. The hundreds of people who attended his funeral and cried for him, and still cry for him, are testament to that. People like this are rare, and I suppose they die young because God needs some good company too.

This is the story of someone I admire and would like to emulate.

man-date

Movie about Italian- Indian gay lovers?

Salam(i)-ishq