Wednesday 27 February, 2008

Gone are those days....

Gone are the days
When my heart was young and gay.
Gone are my friends
From the cotton fields away.
Gone from this place,
To a better land I know.
I hear their gentle voices calling:
Old Black Joe

I'm coming, I'm coming
For my head is bending low
I hear their gentle voices calling
Old Black Joe.

Why do I weep
When my heart should feel no pain
Why do I sigh
That my friends come not again
Grieving for forms
Now departed long ago
I hear their gentle voices calling:
Old Black Joe.

Where are the hearts
Once so happy and so free
The children so dear
That I held upon my knee
Gone to the shore
Where my soul has longed to go
I hear their gentle voices calling:
Old Black Joe.

Phew... Had a tough time to get the lyrics of this old song by Stephen Foster. Havent heard it myself but love the lyrics. And why?

Because that is whats happening in my life right now!

Gone are those days when we used to look forward to the end of the day and meet everyone. Right now we all stay back even when we have nothing to do in the office

How I wish things would change back to what it was before. Just a year back I loved it here and everything was so rosy. We were the envy of everyone who saw us all together. How we laughed at them. How we played pranks on each other. How we used to meet everyday for coffee and never get tired of the same place. A meeting after a couple of days seemed like a couple of weeks.

Not anymore.

Gone are those days.......

P.S: To all my friends... I still love you all and no matter what, I will be there for you through thick and thin. I will do anything in my power to settle things. Remember those days I mentioned above and tell me if that is what you want. I know you want those days back but we all know..... Gone are those days

Tuesday 26 June, 2007

Jump up for Jamboree

A group of people huddled up in a classroom, deciding on a date. Not the average date which a guy and girl would like. HUH!!! What were you thinking? Jamboree dates? Well... You guessed right! For ignorant people, Jamboree is an inter-branch cultural and Literary fest organized by Leo Club, Malnad College of Engineering. Happens once a year and is action packed. At least it used to be.

Oops... Let me get back to the fest. Getting permission for the event was always a drag. It still is an unsolved mystery as to why the SWO (Student Welfare Officer) used to beat around the bush. Now that I've said it, I cant help but think and laugh at the thought of the old man actually beating around a bush :) Jokes apart, this was always a major hurdle for the club. A little bit of sweet talk and a lot of sycophancy gets them the dates. That is celebrated with a big party at one of the Club members place. Cheers!!!

Now the work starts! The first years get busy with the posters. The thought of dipping my hand in hot maida (we used that as glue) on a cold night still gives me the shudders. Brrrr!! The seniors get busy with the arrangement of events, sponsors, guest list, paper work, questions etc etc. Not an easy job I must say. I don't understand but all the seniors are always pissed off this time. Any fresher in the club found during this period is taken either for entertainment (don't get ideas!!) or a big senti session. I'd go for the former :D But finally everything is arranged for and everything is set for the big event.

D-Day arrives! Its Friday evening and some classrooms are taken to conduct the preliminary for a couple of literary events. This is the smoothest day of the event.
After that its back to the room to make some small changes to the events, questions. Or maybe make them ;) Its amazing but everything falls into place when the show is about to take place.

Saturday afternoon and the Shamiyana and Sound guy is late as usual. A number of calls to his place and a lorry laden with chairs, poles, ropes, shamiyana and the sound console arrives. The First years now get busy tying the banners to the trees, placing benches, setting chairs. Tough job I know. Been through that and not a pleasant memory.

Let the festivities begin!!!!!
After the initial setup, the show is officially inaugurated by a group of lecturers in the cultural committee. The lighting of the lamp and a small speech by the Principal and the SWO. Yawning time!!!! Clap Clap Clap and its time to wake up. Dinchak music is then played followed by popular kannada numbers till a stage event takes place. During this time, other events take place simultaneously in various classrooms and halls. Man!! The score sheet in-charge have a tough time. Run from one classroom to another in some other block. Phew! Events are won or lost. Either way the points are tallied and the Branch heads keeps a vigil look on all scores. Scary people? Hell yeah! Any mistake done and you might have to walk the plank the very minute. Ha ha ha. Not kidding. Jamboree is also an event for some people in the crowd to get back on anyone or just pick up a random fight. I always wished i had popcorn then, so i could enjoy the fights. Ahem... Getting back to the event, the day is always ended with a major stage event. On Saturday, its Mock Rock \m/. This is one event where I am backstage so i can headbang in peace. Out in the crowd, everyone Will think that I am having a fit, sans a few :)

Aaah!! Now its fun time for the seniors, once the day is over. Ragging time!!! Muhuhahahaha!!! The elixir of life is got for everyone. Yummy!! Each junior, fresher, first year is ragged and then treated to some booze. I didn't get that also in my First year :( But I do remember the session I had in the Quadrangle. Would say that it was an ordeal as I had to hold one of my best friend's hand and act as if I was his girlfriend. But it was fun too. Got closer to the seniors. After all the drinking and partying, its time to sleep on the benches with the mosquitoes. Hated that part!

Rise and Shine!!! Its Sunday and the events start early. 8 AM!!!!! But we always get up on time with or without a hangover. Hated this part more! Days events carry on like Saturdays. Sunday is the last day of the event and its also a nail biter for leading branches. Two major events on this day. Dumb Charades and Sync Dance. DC's was always a tough event to handle. But very interesting too. You should see it to know what I am talking about :) All the while when the events are taking place, there is a Jail stall where people pay to jail others. The hot girls of the college's favourite hangout. A girl is jailed and we have to literally beg to get her in. Where in the world have you seen people get in jail with a request? Hmmm... Anyways, a hero always comes to his heroine's rescue. Give up his monthly allowance and take his maiden away on his TVS moped. Not quite the knight in shining armour :) But its all cool.

When the last event of Jamboree starts, all hell breaks free. Sync Dance is a crowd puller and the crowd does pull. Pull each other, poles etc etc. Fights keep happening in the mean time. The club members form a chain to separate the crowd from the stage. 9 steps leading to the stage if I am not wrong but its still a tough job containing the enthusiastic crowd trying to catch a glimpse of their crush, girlfriend/boyfriend, a cute guy/girl, friends or branch mates.

The event finally comes to an end with the announcement of the winners. Then everybody in the college gets drunk :) Cheers!!! Hic!!

Ps: I was the General Secretary of the Leo Club for the year 2004-05. Jamboree rocks and it did teach me a lot. Kudos to my seniors namely Rishi, Nishanth, Raj, Sandy, Harsha, Sammy and my batch mates (Vadhi, Suzy, Anu, Pooja). Hope the juniors continue doing a good job like all of us :)

Hail Leo! Hail Jamboree! Hail(storm) SWO

Tuesday 19 June, 2007

Move on!!

Yawn!!! One quiet boring Tuesday afternoon and just lazing in my cube. Perfect weather and mood for that. So many things on my mind. So many things I am contemplating with. But let it be. Time will soon pass and I will be free of it all.

What is it? I myself have no idea. Things have been different with me of late. Very different.

Cant help but think all the time. And think is what i do half the time and then I sink into a melancholic mood.
Life teaches you different lessons and all lessons are learnt the hard way. A path of thorns to reach the beautiful rose. But what if the rose just looks away as soon as you lift your blood soaked hands to touch it. Sad! But thats the way some lessons have to be learnt. The hard way! Work towards something and it doesnt materialize? So what? Move on!!
No matter what happens. Good or bad, we should learn to move on with life. Life is never easy. Many of us just give up and say life is so unfair. Ah!! Why is that? Something really atrocious happened? Failed a test? Broke up with someone? Lost your favourite pen? Got a parking ticket?
These things happen to every human being. IF it didnt then hats off to that guy/girl though i think he/she is lying. Many of us lead a life of so many ups and downs, a road of potholes called life. But still some of us move on. They are happy and thats what everyone wants to be at the end of the day. It is up to us to grasp what we can learn from experience and events. My advice and my motto -- Be happy in whatever you do because thats what matters!!!