To have succeeded

To laugh often & love much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children;

To earn the approbation of honest critics

And endure the betrayal of false friends;

To appreciate beauty;

To find the best in others;

To give one's self;

To leave the world a little better,

Whether by a healthy child,

A garden patch,

Or a redeemed social condition;

To have played and laughed with enthusiasm

And sung with exultation;

To know even one life has breathed easier

Because one has lived...

This is to have succeeded!

Manadhil Urudhi Vaendum

மனதில் உறுதி வேண்டும்
வாக்கினிலே இனிமை வேண்டும்
நினைவு நல்லது வேண்டும்
நெருங்கினப் பொருள் கை பட வேண்டும்

கணவு மெய் பட வேண்டும்
கை வசமாவது விரைவில் வேண்டும்
தனமும் இன்பமும் வேண்டும்
தரணியிலே பெருமை வேண்டும்

கண் திறந்திடல் வேண்டும்
காரியத்தில் உறுதி வேண்டும்
பெண் விடுதலை வேண்டும்
பெரியக் கடவுள் காக்க வேண்டும்

மண் பயனுற வேண்டும்
வானகம் இங்கு தென் பட வேண்டும்
உண்மை நின்றிட வேண்டும்
ஓம்! ஓம்! ஓம்!

Tomorrow never comes

I came across this ancient jaina story that made an extra grey cell move in my head...

A prince had gone to listen to Mahavira with his wife.. when they came home, as was the tradition in ancient India n particularly in the luxurious homes, the husband was bathing n the wife was pouring rose water over him... they started talking about wat they had heard the Mahavira say...

The wife said, "My brother has been thinking of becoming a sannyasin of mahavira!"

Her husband asked, "How long has he been giving this a thought?"

She replied saying, "How long? I think it must be atleast 5 yrs now."

Then the husband laughed n said, "He will be thinking his whole life.. This is not the way to become a sannyasin!" The wife felt hurt as something was said against her brother..

She said, "Do u think u can do better?!"

He was sitting naked n taking a shower... He did not answer, he got up, opened the door n walked out... The wife said, "Where r u going naked???"

He said, "Mahavira's sannyasins live naked.. Iam going to my master to b initiated.."

She said, "R u kidding?"

The man said, "Forget all that! IF I WANT TO DO SOMETHING, I DO IT.. I dont go on thinking for 5 yrs!"

She said, "Forgive me that i asked you wat u wld do in his place!"

He said, "Now it is too late!" n he went on to become a sannyasin n never looked back..

I guess those who really decide to live drop all fears, all thinking, all security n all safety! they end up risking everything because life is so precious n so fleeting... so momentary that one just cannot go on postponing... Thinking is a way of postponing... feeling is a way of postponing... even desiring is a way of postponing sometimes... life enfolds much better when there is a streak of spontenity to it... This does not mean am propaganding skinny dipping on a shallow bed of rocks jus because someone challenges u to...

But i have learnt to believe that nothing is ever right or wrong except for that single light in each of us called the 'instinct'... once the instinct strikes then there is no looking back... the risk in opening ones' wings seems much lesser compared to the risk of never opening it...

If heaven hasnt got an internet connection, i aint going!!!!!

Careless n Aimless n lazy n... :)

Writing could be such a pleasure :) and a blog space is such a joy... getting reallllllly fond of blogging lately i must confess... though there are enough things happening in my life right now to keep me busy forever, there is a relief to just sit and blog aimlessely for a while and get back on track...

I do wanna write somethin interesting right now but feelin too nice and comfy to brain storm... Here i am, leaning on 4 to 5 nice cushiony soft pillows on ma bed... the tubelight in ma room has conked off, so its just a small dim bulb thats lighting the room... ive opened the window and my balcony door strategically right for a splendid cross ventilation... niceeeee breeze n its blisssssssss in this chennai heat :)... there is 'yen anbe' n 'indian rain' playing on a loop in my ipod... there is a box of leftover chocolate truffle cake lying beside me... finally, my long time writting deadline is close to getting over! yipee yey yey!!!! (time for victory dance :D)... i can also hear the busy, monday evening, chennai traffic buzzing with fervour and a few hyper active, post school pressure kutties, shrieking away to glory downstairs... cant seem to stop smiling though :)

Happiness is a state of mind and is all the more wonderful when its not instigated by a specific reason i guess... It stays longer n goes deeper... I can even feel myself glowing (Self involved! thats me! :P) hmmm... :)

N Aalinth just came into the room n gave me one of his toothless, priceless smiles :) he even laughed today when i screeched 'Poda Bokkae' in my highest decibel possible!!!! Am just feeling a bit disturbed abt loosing that bokke smile in a while when he starts growing teeth.. but cant help it i guess.. part of life... its not gonna look nice when he grows big n still gives a full gummy smile to women... :P

N Last night there were heavy rains here but no power... it is splendid when u know u cant do much even if u wanted to! thats the best part abt a power cut in the evenings... :) it was super nice to jus strum my guitar n sing along something aimlessly... the chords kept changing n perfection gone with the wind... niceeeeeeee :)

Wish it rains today as well...

Hmmm... If it does, may u have a careless aimless evening urself :) tata bubye..

Dearest Michael

Finally! FINALLY... Finally u decided to find ur own peace that mere mortals like us couldnt let u live with... A life that blossomed to its fullest through ur death!

We.. or even I didnt bother about ur life or otherwise a few weeks back... But here I am right now, mourning over ur death for the past one week... words just doesnt seem to put through the heaviness i feel inside n am quite astonished myself to accept it here on a public forum... How much u have affected a complete, not-so-die-hard-a-fan stranger!?? My every morning n every night is filled with nostalgia... the times i subconsciously decided u were just immortal... But U did look the part didnt u!?

So much to talk about, so much to read about, so much to learn about, so much.... just so much is rushing to my mind all at the same time... have a feeling as long as i dont express it in words, that atleast, would truely remain immortal... Will finish this post with one quote that applies to u...

"When you were born, u cried while the world rejoiced.

Live ur life in such a way that when u die, the world cries while u rejoice"

U were one person i know who lived such a life... inspite of all those screw ups n hiccups n all sorts of non sense, u still remain in our hearts for ur incomparable genius...

But, u can never ever die...

Proud to have lived during ur era Michael...

Love u!!!!!!

Bathroom Time Killers

The inventor of western closet was a GENIUS!!!!!! wat comfort... wat bliss... Privacy at its best! One place where no one can enter or anyone could disturb... the outside world is completely shut... past and future completely forgotten... wat remains is the blissful present!!! Awwww.. n wat bliss!!!

But i do come across those times when the morning paper was already read during the morning session... there is no other interesting book to keep me occupied... mobile is on charge so cant take it inside! PANIC...

So once when all the serene tranquility was surrounding me in the bathroom, i heard myself think... When such are the impediments to take away all the fun from life, how do we rise above them!? The answer was, bathrooms were not only meant for long reads, never ending conversations n goosebumpin enlightenment but can also be a stadium for many You vs You tournaments!!!! :D read on if u wanna know more...

Disclaimer: Urgency will definitely not work well... Edhuvaa irundhaalum ppppplan pannnni pannanum!!!!

Trash Can Frisbee

Wat u need: A wastepaper basket n some paper plates... if the waste paper basket aint big enough to hold the paper plates, use a cardboard box or a paper shoppin bag... place the basket on the bathroom floor as far from the toilet as u can...

How to play: Fling the paper plates like frisbees... see if u can throw them into a wastepaper basket... for a bigger challenge, try to boomerang them off a wall into the basket!

Bathroom Darts

Wat u need: A tin, a saucer, a small glass n small objects to throw ( coins or cups from discarded toothpaste tubes work well! )

How to play: Put the glass in the centre of the saucer, n put the saucer in the centre of the tin... set them all down on the bathroom floor a few feet from the toilet... thats ur "dart board"! :P
Toss the coins ("Darts") at ur target... if they land in the glass, u get 10 points... if they land in the saucer, u get 5... if they land in the tin, u get 1... if u score too well, move the target farther away to make it more challenging... U also get to perk up ur memory n math in the process by calculatin ur scores :D

Bathroom Blow Gun

Wat u need: A soda straw, some wooden matches n a hat or somethin hollow!

How to play: Turn the hat or upside down n place it on the bathroom floor a good distance away from the toilet... put a match in the straw, hold the straw up to ur mouth, n blow... try to shoot all the matches into the hat!

Fun With a Funnel

Wat u need: A rubber ball n a funnel... the funnel needs to big enough to hold the ball...

How to play: Hold the pointy end of the funnel... bounce the ball off the wall opposite the closet n try to catch it in the funnel on the rebound...

Bathroom Bouncy Ball

Wat u need: An egg carton or an empty ice tray n some ping pong balls...

How to play: Write different point values in each of the 12 cups of the egg carton or the ice tray... then place it on the bathroom floor a few feet from the toilet...
Try to bounce the ping pong balls into the carton or tray... start with one bounce, then, as ur skills improve, move the carton farther away n bounce the balls twice before they go into the cups... add up the values of ur score...

Bathroom Broken Neck Preventer

Wat u need: All the stuff u just spread out all over the bathroom floor to play all these games i just taught u...

How to play: pick up all the stuff off the bathroom floor, before somebody gets killed!!!!