HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

In 2007, on New years eve, I was confused,afraid, disturbed, excited, hysterical, all at the same time. If you haven't experienced it, you don't even want to go there. But it was a phenomenal experience, such that one would love to be in such a fix. 

If one wants something, he should give it a shot and not hold back thinking about the possible consequences. I learnt this during new years last year and I strongly believe in it now because it made me realize that until you don't give it a shot you aren't aware of what you really want and what will make you happy. 

The question that precedes it is "What if??" This argument has always managed to grind my gears just because I would hold myself back. Now I have decided to always give it a shot, this way I get done with this argument and can move on and wouldn't sit back, down the lane, and think, "What if things would have worked out." 

There is one such question that is a splinter in my mind and I am hoping that the New year would disclose the answer to this particular query. 

Happy New Year to everyone. I hope everyone has a blast and that 2009 is unexpectedly better than anticipated. I heard about the New Year celebration issue in Dubai but folks there is loads one can do under such circumstances. Make the best of it as no one is aware of what is kept in store for them. 

Aaite folks cya in 2009, over and out!!  ;)

December 22nd

December 22nd, 2008, last year, was a big day in the lives of the Herekar's. As it was the day when Prarthana Herekar, only daughter to her parents and only sister to her brother, set forth to be a part of the Pachapurkar family, to be know as Prarthana Herekar Pachapurkar.

The wedding took place in Pune because of which I got to vacation to India. As a matter of fact I was visiting India after ten and half years and I had no clue what to expect but like anyone I was hoping for a fun trip. Unexpectedly it turn out to be a trip of a life time, to the extend that at times I feel that I must have been on mescaline and it was a figment of my imagination. This trip is going to be cherish by the Herekar's for life, until something occurs to top it, which is highly unlikely.

The wedding was scheduled during the afternoon because it was considered auspicious as per the priests math. Once we were done with all the rituals, lunch, the whole nine yards we were back to the rented apartment. By the evening, I was all worked up to do something fun and so along with my cousins and friends we went to Gold Adlabs, Pune. We all did have quite some fun played many games, had dinner and also went to the horror house as well.

Eventually, we all ended up going for Taare zameen par. What made the movie hilarious was Jayesh's reaction to certain scenes in the movie. This is one of the movies which I consider as one of my personal favorites, not just because of the fact that it was a good movie but because of the occurrence of a series of blissful events and the movie was a part of it. The kind of events which often leads to the change in ones view point towards life and start pursuing things differently. I actually experienced being on cloud nine. I would love to bring back the time in order to experience a Deja vu and freeze time at that very moment as I would love to live that very moment over and over again.

Piece of Work

Bionic Six, Centurions, M.A.S.K., its a list which is ceaseless. But the ones to top them are TMNT, Tintin, and Transformers. These were the cartoons I would live for as a matter of fact die for. I would watch cartoons day in day out. There wasn't any limit to it. I still do watch loads of cartoons but not to the extend I did at one point of time.

Soon it came to a point where I tried to get these cartoons onto paper and was totally into drawing, painting, sketches, etc. I loved to draw cartoons characters like Mickey Mouse, Turtles, Goofy, and so on. This was a phase, as it just lasted for couple of years. But i still do like the concept of sketching and I did give it a shot some time back. I just drew what ever came to my mind and here is the end result.

Well it's nothing that great, its just some rocks put together and sketched out. I have the rocks shaded taking the light aspect into consideration. Once it was done, I was quite impressed, not because I think I did a good job but because I actually managed to replicate what I had visualized.

This was the very first time and the last time this has ever happened and I doubt I would be able to duplicate what I imagine. Well there is a reason why I have this sketch still with me, there is a lot more to this sketch then just some rocks because there is some kind of logic to it. So far there are couple of people who have seen it, but couldn't make sense out of it. I went into total rapture looking at their reactions.

Now the question that lies in front of you folks is, what is in the sketch? Hint: Very strong liking. Well, I am looking forward to your comments to this particular post.

Flashback

There have been days in Dubai where I would leave my apartment due to boredom and go to my Aunt's apartment to see whats happening at their place. As there wouldn't be much happening there as well, I would stick around watch TV with my Aunt or just talk to her about general stuff. We both enjoyed cricket and so that would be the topic often. After sticking around for a bit she would make me something to eat regardless of time. There were instances where my Aunt and I would pull pranks on friends or family who are just visiting. By the end of the day, it used to seem like a fun day and then I would tell friends and my parents what stupid thing we did.

In Dubai, when ever anyone spoke about vacation it normally meant a trip to India. My parents would plan a vacation like every year or once in 2 years, which I dint really care about, as I preferred staying in Dubai and spending time with friends during summer. The only reason I would consider actually going to India and Bombay to be precise, was because of the fact that I would get to meet my first cousins and the same Aunt from Dubai. Once we got to Bombay we, my family and my first cousins, would plan to visit places within India. I as a matter of fact envied my Aunt and her family because they would travel very often, keep relocating and above all board a plane. As I always did and still do enjoy a plane ride. My Aunt was know for relocating back and forth from Dubai and Bombay. And for some reason if my Aunt and her family weren't there in India and if there are plans being made for a vacation I would try my level best to call it off.

I could get away with murder when it comes to my Aunt. There were times when I was kicked out of my house, for being a moron or for coming home late at night, I dint really have to worry as much, as all I had to do was go to my Aunt's place and tell her that i got kicked out and she would laugh it off and ask me to join her watch some movie or if its really late she would have my bed ready and would tell me that I can do whatever I want and here is my bed ready for whenever I intend going to bed.

Festivals or some occasion that we would celebrate, my younger first cousin and I would always look forward to it because of the gifts that we would receive. But in this case I loved my Aunt's idea of gifts, as her gift would always be an envelope with my name on it. This would excite me the most as I always knew that it was going to be cash.

Even though we were a nuclear family, the way we lived and did things, did seem like my first cousins and I were from an extended family. Every individual in this extended family was consulted for different things and I was called in when there is anything related to technology such as computers, video games, tv, home theater systems, etc. Till date this particular fact remains the same to the extend that my younger cousin calls me internationally from India and would ask for my help. My Aunt wouldn't even have a second though of what I had to say and would go by my word. To add to this my Aunt had a special corner for her son and I. My younger cousin and I would by default get the best in every aspect from gifts to complements. Taking all this into consideration I did actually tell my friends that we are an extended family.

All this reduced drastically when I relocated to the U.S. to pursue my undergrad and I would travel down to Dubai once a year. But would have a month or two of vacation filled with loads of love and affection which would balance out for the whole year that I would spend away from family and home. I wouldn't have to even name it and I would get it. It was more like my Aunt and my Mom were telepathic. When it came to them I was given anything and everything because they concluded that it would make me happy. The funny thing is that one doesn't appreciate or value such things until there is some kind of catastrophe following it. We as humans take things for granted as long as we possess it.

Imagine walking up the stairways for your room in the dark and to think that there is one more step then there is. Your feet falls down through the air and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise. Its a feeling that no one really enjoys and wouldn't want to experience it again. In the recent past I did experience something similar, but the difference is that the sickly moment lasts for a longer period of time and one would regret it as long as they aren't ready to let go.

On October 29, 2008 I get a unexpected call giving me the sorrowful news of the demise of my Aunt. This is an eposide that the Herekar family is going to dwell upon for a very long time. Ever since I have been living in the past, remembering the time when I would surprise everyone in Dubai by unexpectedly just landing up. My Aunt would have a big smile on her face, ear to ear, and would get so excited with a disbelief that I am actually standing in front of her. She would then hold my face and give me a kiss on my forehead and make me sit next to her till when it doesn't sink in that I am actually back. This would initialize a series of plans where she would take me out for dinner and cook something special for me. She would actually call family and friends and let them know that I am in town and narrate the surprise.

I met my Aunt last in December 2007, when I went to Pune for my sisters wedding. I was so engaged in spending time with friends that I dint get the chance to spend proper and enough time with my Aunt. There were relatives complaining about the fact that I dint spend time with them. My Aunt was the only one to stand up for me and tell the relatives that their allegations are all wrong and no one knew me better than she did. I am still in disbelief that I wont get to see her anymore, talk to her or have her hand cooked food anymore. She would tell me to get done with my schooling as soon as possible, in order to live together as a family. There are many such things and lot more for me to say but there isn't going to be an end to it. I could go on and on. But somewhere I have this feeling that I am going to meet her someday, sometime, somewhere in the future. Such perspectives are often considered naive and as I have claimed it before, yes I am naive.

I would like to add one more thing, if you have every lost someone very important to you, then you already know how it feels. And if you haven't you cannot possibly imagine it.

This post is in the loving memory of my Aunt, Renu Herekar a.k.a Jaanki Desai a.k.a. Renu Kaki a.k.a. Renu Mami, who is always going to be remembered regardless of the occasion. She was dear to all of us and is going to be missed on every occasion. I love you, Renu Kaki.

Little Master

(¯`·._.· Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar ·._.·´¯)

D.O.B: April 24th, 1973
Major Teams: India, Asia XI, Mumbai, Mumbai Indians, Yorkshire
Nickname: Tendlya, Little Master
Height: 5ft 5in

One Day International
Matches: 417
Runs: 16,361
Highest Score: 186 n.o.
Average: 44.33
100's: 42
50's: 89

Test
Matches: 152
Runs: 12,037
Highest Score: 248 n.o.
Average: 54.22
100's: 39
50's: 50

1994 - Arjuna Award
1997 - Wisden Cricketer of the Year
1998 - Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
1999 - Padma Shri Award, bestowed by India's President
2008 - Padma Vibhushan Award bestowed by India's President
2008 - ACC One Day International Best Batsmen
2008 - ICC One Day International Player of the Year, Nomination

These are a selected few of the Awards received by Sachin Tendulkar along with number of world records in international cricket. To my knowledge he is the first Indian to make the cover of Time Magazine. Earlier this year British Prime Minister hinted that there is a possibility that Sachin Tendulkar would be awarded honorary knighthood.

Critics love Sachin; if it weren’t for Sachin many critics wouldn’t have been used productively. Many things are said about Sachin, such as, Sachin doesn’t perform when needed, Sachin is over rated, Sachin has passed his peak, Sachin scores against weaker oppositions, Sachin fails to perform under pressure and above all that Sachin is a selfish cricketer.

The thing that gets me hysterical is the fact that most of these critics are not cricketers but just columnists, who get paid for their balderdash. I would love to watch these critics get down in the field to play some strokes and not make a fool of themselves. Well that’s asking a bit too much I guess, as it is inevitable.

When Sachin's batting statistics are filtered by the opposing team, one would notice that Sachin batting figures are the best against Australia. Sachin is the only batsmen to have been dismissed most number of times when in the 90's. As a matter of fact it was because of Tendulkar's performance that we made it to the semi finals in 96 and finals in 2003. Throughout his cricketing career he's been achieving milestones, breaking and making new records. If this doesn't say it all then what does?

Don Bradman said that watching Tendulkar plan was like watching himself play when he was young. Shane Warne rates Tendulkar as the best batsmen in his book and also said that he used to get nightmares where he has to bowl to Tendulkar. Cricket isn't a one-man show. It's a game where eleven players have to put up a show together and for the longest the norm was if Sachin fails, India fails.

Taking all these facts into consideration, I have only one thing to say......
Sachin isn't Singh but he is definitely the KINNG!!!!

Love... Friends... Family... Career

Once in a while everyone does question an individual’s priority. Everyone is good at giving an advice but can never practice them and this comes with personal experience but the advice is always top notch. This list changes over time and with ever individual.

When one makes a radical change for Love, it’s always put forward by people as, "He did it for love not taking friends, family or his future into consideration. He is so naive." This is the case when it comes to friends, family and career as well. Well the funny thing is that no one has seen the future but everyone is bound to deliver their predictions and if they are so good why don't they get busy fixing their own lives.

If Naive is what it is, then Hell yeah I am naive. I am naive when it comes to Love, Friends, Family and my Future. I feel being Naive is what defines a person and their priorities. Priorities can't be worked on or fixed. It's predefined depending on one’s personality. Even if one does try to work on their priorities it's just a matter of time when they get back to being themselves as it’s easier to be yourself then trying to be someone you aren't.

I once worked on helping a friend fix his priorities but it dint get anywhere. Until sometime back I figured that nothing can be done about it.

I have my priorities pretty straight forward but what grinds my gears is, what is your PRIORITY LIST like???

Second Chance

Does anyone get a second chance when it comes to LOVE??

Welll if you ask me, it really depends on how crazy an individual is for their love. The crazier one is the more inclined he/ she is to give chances over and over. But for my luck I am the crazier one like always. A seven year long relationship comes to an end in 2006 without even giving a second though or a second chance. Followed by a relationship which started in early august of 2008 and comes to an end on Sept 24th, 2008. Once again second chance was not a prerogative. On the flip side when it comes to me, I willfully give chances over and over again, but thats just me being myself. This makes me beleive in

True Love doesn't have a happy ending, True Love doesn't have an ending.