tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65907713097920516372012-01-29T22:31:25.893+05:30Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.comBlogger2371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-59163837082587522382012-01-29T22:09:00.001+05:302012-01-29T22:31:25.904+05:30

Have you read 'Midnight's Children' by Salman Rushdie? I did. A few years back. Didn't get it. And consequently relegated Salman Rushdie as a writer who I would always deride and not recommend to anyone. Not that my non-recommendation had any great effect on his fan following. He still managed to date (and marry?) Padmalaxmi, a lady with her name as the only problem in her life. Oh, and a

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-71265561436676136462012-01-03T21:33:00.000+05:302012-01-03T21:33:07.109+05:30

Unbelievable. I look back and the last post I did on this blog was on 10th September, just under four months back. To think that there was a time when I wrote here twice a day and also refreshed the blog multiple times in a day in the hope of some comment (no, scratch that. I am, and was never, not a comment seeking blogger. I wrote for myself. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it) That

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-61407781363104835732011-09-10T02:05:00.002+05:302011-09-10T02:11:30.088+05:30

I think we're lucky to have Munaf Patel in our team. No, seriously! Did you see the passion in the guy's eyes when Jadeja took half a second extra to throw the ball from long on and the batsmen took an extra run? Oh wait, you'll have to ignore the fact that he had just balled a juicy full toss. To a set batsman. Oh come on, he was obviously aiming to bowl a stinging in swinging yorker a la

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-39966629545096953732011-08-24T13:01:00.000+05:302011-08-24T13:01:09.842+05:30

It was one of those weeks that just don’t seem to end. But it had finally ended and it was time to kick into action the plan that had been doing the rounds through surreptitious emails and clandestine text messages. I fired up my Samsung Galaxy Tab 750 and quickly got into a video chat with Rahul and Neha, childhood friends and travel enthusiasts galore. It was funny how the tab had become an

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-80060417831940147822011-07-24T10:42:00.001+05:302011-07-24T10:43:48.210+05:30

The year, was 1991. A warm Saturday afternoon. Too hot to play outside. A 10 year old boy walked into his friends home. The home that held the keys to a whole new magical world for him. These were the days when the boy had just heard phrases that seemed to send his classmates into raptures. Phrases like WWF, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the like. Yes, this was the time when the boy only

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-13623908474983224782011-07-09T20:08:00.000+05:302011-07-09T20:08:38.464+05:30

I am so pissed off. No, I really am. It seems that all so called 'Services' companies have decided that first they will provide me with atrocious services, and as if that was not enough, would proceed to try to cheat me as well! First it was Airtel DTH TV services. They provided horrible service and after multiple useless interactions with their customer service I wrote this email to them on

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-66337654580854139732011-06-01T02:41:00.001+05:302011-06-01T02:47:09.716+05:30

Yes, yes, I've been a bad boy (not that way, you pervs). Its just that I've slowly become the kind of person who I thought I never would (no, no, don't worry - I'm still ruggedly handsome, ladies). I'm letting work affect my blogging. There, I've said it. No excuses, no futile explanations - I have become one of those people. And I want to change back. But this post is no forced effort to come

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-20066478806852187702011-04-03T12:46:00.001+05:302011-04-03T12:52:01.345+05:30

I heard this story yesterday (yes, the day India won the World Cup, YAYYYY!!!!) and I just have to share this. I visualize this in my head and I split up in guffaws! So I'll narrate the story as it was narrated to me. Before that, a background. This story comes from the experiences of H, and this is an incident during his college days. So H had a friend, lets call him A, who was one of those

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-82534325875448953692011-03-12T10:15:00.000+05:302011-03-12T10:15:37.790+05:30

No no, this blog has not changed its ethics to begin writing about the blogger's work place. That is still taboo. Also, I don't have the worst job in the world. Far from it. Ok, before I get into the meat of this post I must admit that what i'm going to write about is something I kind of remember having read somewhere - either on a blog or a newspaper article. But it just struck me last night

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-85917863718249773332011-03-05T11:22:00.000+05:302011-03-05T11:22:07.867+05:30

I know, I know. Its been a while, eh? All this work, really makes me not want to open the laptop after I finally reach home. But then, this blog isn't about my work life and it won't start now I'll try to make it up to you with a really long, extremely funny post. Or, you know, just long. Pakka promise. As avid followers of my Facebook updates would know, I had been to Delhi on a vacation the

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-76890279376779221812011-02-12T00:26:00.002+05:302011-02-12T22:37:11.180+05:30

Who would’ve thought that too much of a good thing would ever be bad! Now, the first time I saw the oh-so-hot Katrina Kaif gyrate in that cute-yet-sexy way to the lilting music of Sheila ki Jawani, I could’ve sworn that this would never go stale. I thought that I could be in deep deep sleep after a tiring day, but if someone woke me up and showed this song I would get a smile on my face instead

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-74440936850674148112011-01-15T11:17:00.002+05:302011-01-15T11:21:39.462+05:30

Happy New Year everyone! Now this is a bit of a serious coming-of-age type of post. While I don't expect you to roll around in the aisles clutching your sides guffawing your hearts out, I do think that I will see a few wry smiles and little nods of agreement as you go through this post. Since I gained awareness the fondest memories I have are attributed to surprise announcements of holidays.

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-21980974864169108342010-12-26T21:33:00.001+05:302010-12-26T21:34:21.510+05:30

One of the cutest animated series is Dexter's Laboratory. I'm sure all of you remember the show - it was before all the anime and other animated stuff on TV that I don't understand. In fact, only this evening I was sitting in Cafe Terra (ex-Belgian Cafe) in Koramangla giggling away at the Dexter's Lab comics as I had my weekly garden omelet there. Now the Dexter this post is about is, well,

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-9164609708073821542010-12-11T14:22:00.002+05:302010-12-11T14:31:07.606+05:30

Once a decade, an event occurs that changes the outlook of a whole generation. An event so profound that everything else that happens in the decade pales in comparison. I am talking about the release of a decade-defining movie. Some movies come immediately to mind, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (DDLJ) in the nineties, Dil Chahta hai in the 00's. These are movies that have made someone as lazy

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-58554662640357264522010-11-01T20:39:00.001+05:302010-11-01T20:43:13.614+05:30

Hi, To start, a quick riddle: I am round. I am red. I have seeds. I am a fruit. Ok maybe not the best riddle I have ever crafted. Especially in conjunction with the title of the post. Bit of a give away, eh? But I blame my disturbed state of mind for this lack of creativity. Would you be making flummoxing riddles if you were dealing with existential dilemmas? Would you spend your time

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-51645195093247258242010-10-07T22:52:00.000+05:302010-10-07T22:52:56.812+05:30

It was one of those days. As I stepped out of office the weather looked lovely. There was a light breeze blowing and the clouds didn't look like rain. I got this urge to just stretch my legs a little. Since I've joined my new job I've been spending 10-12 hours glued to my seat. And that's not doing any good to my already moderately rotund frame. I started with thinking that I'll walk for a

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-33608398225079024432010-10-02T12:17:00.001+05:302010-10-02T12:18:32.789+05:30

Ok, I know a lot of people hate me but do you HAVE to get together on one day to get all your curses firing? Whew, what a day yesterday. I started this post last night but I could barely hold back my tears and decided to curl up in bed with a good book instead(Have you read Samit Basu's Gameworld trilogy? In terms of SFF books with a bite, its right up there. I didn't even read an unknown

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-13544162960745052452010-09-26T01:02:00.002+05:302010-09-26T01:12:19.887+05:30

As you, my fawning fans, know I am a man of myriad interests and tastes. A true connoisseur of the good things in life and  an open experimenter to boot.A man not afraid to try new things at the risk of mortal peril or societal reproof. Truly an amazing person (*bows, acknowledges the applause. Oh stop please, I want to continue this post too) So anyhow, I have written on many occasions about

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-89378153058658147642010-09-12T21:50:00.001+05:302010-09-12T22:04:32.913+05:30

Hey there. How've you been? I've been away a while. I've changed jobs and including the few days break between jobs I mustered, I've been trying to stay away from the laptop as much as possible. But alas, the beautiful days starting with bright sunlight streaming inside your window (What? So I get up late on vacations, sue me) and no itinerary or calendar entries to mar your bliss are over now.

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-47544279500159804902010-08-17T23:23:00.001+05:302010-08-17T23:27:51.685+05:30

The internet is a wonderful place. It has the ability to transport you to a whole different time and place and make you lean back with a wistful smile and happy memories. I was trawling Facebook while watching some tennis on TV when I came across a group for Mount St. Mary's. I studied there from prep to class 8 before moving to Delhi Public School, Vasant Kunj. Now the strange thing is that

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-5352396628387020502010-08-06T15:30:00.000+05:302010-08-06T15:30:11.010+05:30

Ok, you be the judge - is it humanly possible to resist this invitation? If you get a brilliant email like the following would you not accept the invite with a smile on your face and a cheer in your demeanor? " Today, is not an ordinary day. An year ago on this very date a small change happened to Bangalore’s landscape. A change that at first glance seemed similar to numerous ones happening,

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-57261775740145832192010-07-31T13:33:00.001+05:302010-07-31T13:34:53.921+05:30

Knock knock Who's there? Doctor Doctor who? Exactly! So as the rather lame knock knock joke tells you I've recently been fascinated by Doctor Who. I remember as a kid I was introduced to the Doctor Who series of books by SR who used to live right behind my house. In fact I'd have to give credit to my two great childhood friends SR and MP. Both of them always had a lot of books-their relatives

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-17342993091639812752010-07-09T22:11:00.006+05:302010-07-11T09:37:15.101+05:30

Tee upHave you read Heart of a Goof by PG Wodehouse?It's a set of nine stories all based on the life and times and the travails of golfers. In true Wodehouse fashion he weaves parallels between life and golf with golf winning over in terms of importance. It's been a while since I last read it but I remember closing the book with the widest smile possible and the intense desire to go and play

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-19307159175370379632010-07-04T07:15:00.005+05:302010-07-04T07:54:42.068+05:30

I'll just come out and say it. I need an extra 'World Cup bonus'on the lines of the 'mehngai bhatta' that people in the 80's used to get. I've never followed a football (wanted to write soccer here to get a few purists tearing out their hair. Then desisted - these soccer fans can be quite crazy. Dangerously crazy.)World Cup with so much dedication and perseverance. Not to mention the economic hit

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-41282760706334545612010-06-26T10:33:00.002+05:302010-06-26T11:05:37.641+05:30

So yeah, I've been away a while. Not to say that I forgot about this piece of online property that belongs to me. In fact I've gone weeks thinking about the title of this post with a silent chuckle at the wordplay (you'll see in a bit)As you know my roomie, umm ex-roomie PS went and got married and though I did suggest that I'd move in with them and stay in a small corner without disturbing at

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-79872391872080203222010-05-30T00:47:00.006+05:302010-05-30T01:51:59.165+05:30

Be impulsive...they saidBe 'more cultured'...they saidStop watching WWE...they saidBe more aware of your 'sensitive' side...they saidAnd fool that I am, I believed them and followed the instructions. Little was I to know the horrors I'd have to face on this arduous path. Stop thee, of weak hearts, this tale is not for thee.I had gone out on Friday and it became quite a late night (or, umm, early

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-58627235495062151142010-05-26T20:30:00.003+05:302010-05-26T21:12:41.735+05:30

Women, are nuts.And now, as this is more or less an axiomatic statement, I shall not go into the specifics and proceed to giving you a quick update on whats been happening in my life. Umm...actually nothing too melodramatic.I just haven't written for a while so I thought i'd regale you with some stories, or, you know, just write about my weekend and other regular stuff.I saw Ironman 2 after weeks

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-8268066972299726552010-05-09T06:59:00.003+05:302010-05-09T07:29:10.524+05:30

Being a known face must be quite weird in a nice way. On Friday I was driving back from dropping a friend home. The night was cool, bathed with the soft glow of the moonlight interspersed with flashes of harsh headlights as people drove with their headlights on high beam. I was at peace. The roads were clear and I was driving along at a fair clip when suddenly, the right sight vision completely

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-54502490812289192062010-05-04T08:33:00.005+05:302010-05-04T22:13:37.000+05:30

First of all, I'd like to thank my parents for giving me the good looks genes that I have. Then my Kindergarten teacher for my poise and rakish posing technique.Finally, I have achieved all that any human can possibly achieve in my short-ish life till now. Yesterday, my picture appeared on the page 3 (party page) of Deccan Chronicle. http://www.dc-epaper.com/DC/DCB/2010/05/03/INDEX.SHTMLAnd now

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-74429856460222534452010-04-17T07:18:00.008+05:302010-04-17T09:01:30.085+05:30

Sometimes you hear such unexpected stories from unexpected sources in unexpected situations that it's quite cool. Now I'm a very sympathetic listener (if I like or am indifferent to the speaker. If I don't like him/her I'm extremely judgmental, irritable and short. Just a friendly warning) and a good secret keeper and thus end up having a lot of friends sharing their deepest, darkest secrets to

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-15002280947142706752010-04-12T00:55:00.004+05:302010-04-12T01:15:37.625+05:30

Is it just me or do you also get distracted by the sub-titles that most movies shown on Star Movies, HBO etc. seem to have nowadays?I mean, I was just flicking through one of the most intense scenes of The Dark Knight, a scene which had really moved me when I saw the movie in a theatre, and all I was trying to do was to somehow, just somehow, focus on the acting and expressions rather than just

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-78683531013416218782010-04-07T21:20:00.003+05:302010-04-07T21:28:59.961+05:30

I've always kept you laughing, right?Ok, maybe some of the posts may not have been traditionally funny, but I've made the effort. Even the serious posts were thought provoking and interesting, right?Well it's payback time!I'm looking for a flatmate as PS is getting married and moving out. And here's where you, the loyal readers, come into the picture. So if you're a guy looking for a place to

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-23507668685118142862010-03-24T17:44:00.004+05:302010-03-24T18:13:18.095+05:30

I know I generally don't write anything about work / workplace in this blog but I just had another WTF or what-the-hell-is-happening-to-me moment which I really have to write about. For another realization moment go here What was the epiphany?I laughed at a joke. Yes, innocuous as it sounds, that was it. Read on for my tale of horror.Context: Regular coffee break conversation where you crib about

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-36931370333291996602010-03-21T17:21:00.007+05:302010-03-22T00:54:12.048+05:30

Just saw a movie on TV and just had to write about it. It's that brilliant. The movie's name is 'Wag the Dog' . And acting in it are two absolute stalwarts - Robert De Niro and the awesome Dustin Hoffman. The plot is a bit over the top in it's conception but these two make it as believable as ..umm..2+2=4De Niro plays a spin doctor who works for the President of the United States. This President

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-49796837068189652332010-03-13T12:26:00.007+05:302010-03-13T19:35:46.063+05:30

I was thinking of writing about my current favourite TV series 'The Big Bang Theory' but something much closer to my heart and frankly a bit disturbing has come to my notice. I have to warn you that this is a rather topical serious post and not funny at all. So you may want to get your laughs elsewhere this time...As many of you would know, I studied for my undergraduate engineering degree at

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-41267967612076031302010-03-05T00:44:00.005+05:302010-03-05T01:43:13.596+05:30

Just came back from an impromptu movie evening. PS and I went to see Karthik Calling Karthik.This is a movie from the iconic director cum actor Farhan Akhtar who made his mark and gave indelible memories with his first movie Dil Chahta Hai (First day second show after all of us bunked class - remember?). Prior expectations from the movie were therefore quite high. Of course the official and word

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-55405489587528855722010-02-28T22:36:00.005+05:302010-03-01T00:33:34.658+05:30

We've all joined facebook groups saying "you know you're from delhi if..." followed by certain defining characteristics of the city and it's people. Interesting and nostalgic. I've lived in Bangalore for nearly four years now (wow, has it been that much time?) but have never really considered myself a Bangalorean. And this is not just me, a lot of people feel like immigrants here. It's got

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-25644205066563525522010-02-27T04:17:00.001+05:302010-02-27T04:17:47.246+05:30

http://www.thevigilidiot.com/

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-65717153817481261492010-02-23T00:53:00.004+05:302010-02-23T01:18:26.753+05:30

Just time for a quick post. I've been away from the computer / internet for a week (yes, it's possible) and had a couple of thoughts swirling all week which I want to quickly post before reading "And Another Thing" prior to drifting off to sleep...I went to Lucknow for a couple of cousins' weddings and then to a sleepy town in UP which is my mom's hometown - a single road town called Bharthana. I

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-58797734699912706682010-02-11T00:35:00.005+05:302010-03-07T01:29:48.342+05:30

Just got back from S and R's place. I'd gone there ostensibly to help out H with making a pitch for some funding he's trying to raise for his venture. So after exactly 6 minutes discussion where we created one slide on what should go into the pitch, we started watching this movie called "Did you hear about the Morgans" on their big screen TV (pause for jealous rants about the TV)...What a fake

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-34690949749665266802010-02-07T00:14:00.006+05:302010-02-07T10:19:12.126+05:30

God knows I really needed a good weekend. And for a change, He obliged. I know, I know, the weekend isn't quite over yet but I'm so glad the first part of the weekend has gone well that I'll share it with you (no, no. No need to thank me. It's my job to entertain you readers). So in a slightly forgotten tradition where I recount to you the adventures of my weekend and you ooh and ah and write

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-55475739477187961122010-02-04T21:48:00.002+05:302010-02-04T22:51:59.835+05:30

As the loyal readers of this blog know I stay in a nice little house in NGV with a old college friend of mine, PS. Now, bachelor pads across the world share certain characteristics: For instance such homes are the picture of cleanliness with spotless floors, clean fans, well made beds with fresh sheets, all shoes arranged in expensive and elegant shoe racks, laundry all done, well dusted windows

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-26193559629088581372010-01-31T21:08:00.007+05:302010-01-31T23:02:23.351+05:30

What a phenomenal play!PS and I went to watch this play called "Dancing on Glass" at Rangashankara. Now I've seen a number of plays but this one is easily the most poignant yet funny, ironic yet tragic one I have ever seen. One of the finest dark comedies I have seen, nay experienced. A definite must watch whether for the plot itself or for the powerhouse performances by the two actors taking the

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-77188673639979979502010-01-22T00:05:00.003+05:302010-01-22T00:25:12.941+05:30

When I hear stories of poor visibility conditions in foggy Delhi making traffic crawl to a stop (unless, you know, it doesn't quite stop voluntarily and this happens: http://www.ptinews.com/news/471771_Vehicles-collide-on-Noida-Expressway--20-injured ), all I do is scoff. Bah, why blame the heavens and climate change and chilly winds and what not for conditions that I can create almost

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-51959011845413275702010-01-16T19:24:00.004+05:302010-01-16T19:59:15.554+05:30

The aircraft pierced through the thick all encompassing fog and lined up with the runway last Thursday. As it undertook a rather smooth equipment assisted landing I braced myself for the horror stories of the cold in Delhi that I'd been hearing for a while (Am on a flying visit to Delhi to catch up with my latest niece - she's very cute, thank you :) ). Well, spoilt in Bangalore's rather

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-22508211136819018082010-01-12T00:11:00.004+05:302010-01-12T00:19:00.633+05:30

Just wanted to give a quick good news to people who stay in touch by reading my blog. I am the proud uncle of a second healthy baby girl today!! My sister and the baby are both doing fine. Went out to this nice Italian place called Vicky's La Terraca with DU (who I was meeting after quite a while) to celebrate. Pretty good mediterranean setting - almost Olive Beach-ish in ambiance. And really

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-19969736103371917512010-01-04T23:03:00.003+05:302010-01-04T23:10:19.781+05:30

The new year has started on a really foul note. A conversation I had last evening has been playing incessantly in my head and is actually affecting my whole mood and demeanor. I've been low since last evening and only I know how I've gone through the entire day at work. Sometimes you don't realize that the air is not as clear as you've lulled yourself into imagining and that there are just too

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-41023208165107146772009-12-28T23:45:00.004+05:302009-12-29T00:10:28.261+05:30

Saw Amelie (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0211915/ , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amelie ) a while back on TV. I know, I know - a bit late considering that the movie came out and made waves in 2001. But somehow, mysteriously, I always associated the movie with Run Lola, Run. Don't ask me why, but I don't have any desire to watch that movie. And by sheer association I never got down to watching

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-8056217386463466412009-12-27T17:57:00.002+05:302009-12-27T18:27:56.227+05:30

Most people I know have been hyper about their Christmas and New Year eve plans for a while. I've seen people with dreary eyes, dark hollows beneath their eyes running their fingers with a nervous twitch through their already frazzled hair murmuring "where do I go, where do I drink" in low yet persistent undertones since the beginning of November. Staying in Bangalore, Christmas has suddenly

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-69196661634018516082009-12-12T15:04:00.002+05:302009-12-12T15:26:05.388+05:30

It is with profound distress that I have to inform the concerned reader of this blog that your favourite blogger's sheer awesomeness is going to be reduced by a bit in a few days. It would still be startlingly bright, but the discerning observer will be able to see a little drop especially towards the right of my skull. Well enough of these riddles, I shall hold in my plight no more. Harden your

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-68229843043571929862009-11-13T23:45:00.003+05:302009-11-14T00:09:28.401+05:30

BARNEY'S BACK BABY, BARNEY IS...WAIT FOR IT...BACK!!Thank God. As people following this blog with rapt and uninterrupted attention, or, you know, those who know me outside the the online world, I'm a huge fan of the TV series 'How I met your Mother'. Also, assuming that the reader of this blog is by definition a suave, connected to the world, modern individual, there isn't any need to really tell

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-9844503564239491112009-11-08T21:23:00.006+05:302009-11-08T22:35:44.127+05:30

Literature and movies portraying a future dystopian society always fascinate me, whether it is the 'Big Brother' fronted suffocating oligarchy of George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty Four' or the societal choice between a free-will powered chaos versus a conditioned factory-like safe yet stagnant society exquisitely described in 'The Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess. And not necessarily a

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-20789282764662440072009-11-03T22:27:00.005+05:302009-11-13T23:48:26.758+05:30

Yeah yeah, I know. It's been a while...That's not to say that I've been having a boring time or anything but somehow I haven't had the will to put pen on paper, or, you know, fingers on keyboard. So anyway, what have I been upto since the last post? What stories have stayed put in my head instead of being poured out for your office-time-silent-guffaws?Lots of stuff actually work (which we shall

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-75894179494004281872009-10-03T01:24:00.003+05:302009-10-03T02:17:26.363+05:30

The most interesting days start off with some impromptu plans. AG had come in from Chennai for the last time (hopefully- i mean not that I hope to not meet him but because he's finally leaving from Chennai after a stressful and oh-too-long stint of almost an year. I think he's very excited about getting back to non-gajra and Jasmine wearing humanity in Delhi)Anyway, we all got up quite late and

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-46137281448894341172009-09-07T22:15:00.003+05:302009-09-07T22:58:31.637+05:30

The week just past has to be the most entertaining week involving weird movies that PS and I watched. The movies we've watched this week have gone from the comic to the cheap to what-the-hell-were-we-thinking and we're-not-making-enough-money-to-waste-on-this-crap type. But all in all an enjoyable week, though I would have to cringe about telling people about atleast one movie I watched. Anyway,

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-80945550903313184842009-09-05T09:31:00.004+05:302009-09-05T12:59:51.671+05:30

It's been my desire for long to go to a foreign trip just for a vacation for a long time now. Now I am told that I visited Nepal when I was one or two years old, but somehow I don't think it counts. Firstly, anyplace you don't need a visa to go to just doesn't feel 'foreign' enough. And secondly, well come on, it's Nepal - when I was an infant.Now I've been to cities outside India for work (yes,

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-45134212471608080902009-08-23T10:53:00.006+05:302009-08-23T12:35:22.154+05:30

Jaswant Singh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaswant_Singh, a senior political leader in BJP http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BJP has recently been expelled from the party for writing a book, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinnah:_India-Partition-Independence: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/BJP-expels-Jaswant-Singh-over-Jinnah-remarks/articleshow/4910077.cms This incident sends out some

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-64105010475150971702009-08-20T15:13:00.002+05:302009-08-20T16:01:50.626+05:30

Anyone who knows me and has had the pleasure of being driven somewhere by me would know that I'm directionally challenged. I keep cracking this joke that if Delhi was not a circle I'd never reach any place. People politely chuckle on this without actually realizing it's ABSOLUTELY true! The number of times i've taken the wrong turn and ended up swirling around the city looking for any familiar

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-14730765893391313982009-08-17T09:58:00.004+05:302009-08-17T10:54:29.578+05:30

This thought struck me on my flight to Delhi. (Yes, ladies and gentlemen (umm particularly Delhi ladies)I am on an extended vacation in Delhi and surrounding areas.)I still remember the first time I flew in a plane. It was, I think 2002 or 2003, and we were embarking on my legen..wait for it..dary Goa trip with my parents and granny. pause..Are we all done with the sniggers and lame wisecracks?

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-56174265775304888842009-07-26T20:21:00.004+05:302009-07-26T21:00:06.446+05:30

This weekend I was supposed to finish something quite important. So important that i've been thinking about it for more than a week. So obviously I haven't done it. (It was filing income tax returns for those who're obsessed with knowing all details. Jeez people, a little privacy please? )Instead I spent my post-tennis part of Sunday getting duped at a restaurant and watching two brilliant movies

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-36233708846689503692009-07-25T11:04:00.003+05:302009-07-25T12:04:24.148+05:30

I do weird things sometimes.Ok, the back drop. I am seriously short of wearable clothes for office and outside. So I decided it was high time I went out and got some clothes that would make me presentable (and also so that the new hot chick in office also starts looking at me instead of turning and running away stifling a laugh like she does now). PS and I went to all the stores and after muching

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-51158563303000619332009-07-19T15:46:00.002+05:302009-07-19T21:54:29.517+05:30

What in Merlin's beard was that? All the excitement and expectation and THIS is what we get at the end of it all? It's almost like picking up an ear wax flavour bean from a giant pile of Bertie Bott's every flavour beans. or a vomit flavour bean. Or the Dependal like ice cream my Mom bought me when I was staring and staring at a street urchin eating it on our trip to Ooty (1995 I think). Some

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-87182581467795270072009-06-24T22:11:00.002+05:302009-06-24T22:25:29.949+05:30

Dear Blog, I know that you think i'm ignoring you. And I know the way i've been acting you is just not fair to you. You don't deserve it. Our 'connection' has been too long to be cut off so suddenly and arbitrarily in a moment. But what can I do? Dearly though I want to lovingly talk to you, my work does not allow me to. It's been weeks since I've been engrossed in work. Yes, I know what you'd

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-49985311734324401742009-05-30T19:44:00.003+05:302009-05-30T20:39:35.591+05:30

I was at Sid and RPM's (hehe) place yesterday evening. They've got this awesome new big screen tv a month back. And of course movie downloads etc. are also going on fine. (by the way if you haven't seen a HD movie on a 40 inch LCD tv, you've missed one of those little elements that makes human existence the good thing it is. Somehow I haven't been able to be at any of the scheduled HD movie

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-10356148369171802002009-05-29T08:36:00.002+05:302009-05-29T08:42:40.305+05:30

1. I think I need twitter on this blog. The length of posts is going down2. My horoscope in Bangalore times today (yeah, yeah I read it, and also the numerology one on Sunday - it tells me what days are going to be lucky for me. Bah - YOU shut up you cynic!)"You should be encountering a minimum resistance to excellent implementations of your excellent optimizations"huh? What does that even mean??

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-28592162495377042752009-05-23T09:14:00.004+05:302009-05-23T19:16:14.593+05:30

It's been a while, huh?Somehow I haven't been able to write anything on this blog for a while. It's not like I don't have things to write, in fact I keep having the ah-this-just-has-to-go-up-on-my-blog moments but somehow by the time I get online in the evening they slip through like sand through outstretched fingers. But then we all know that the best cure for this kind of ennui is to grit your

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-64883988853009290852009-05-16T09:23:00.001+05:302009-05-18T00:10:32.294+05:30

This year's IPL http://www.iplt20.com/ has it all! All teams being in neck to neck competition - awesome locations - good pitches- bowlers finally getting there's back - some awesome hitting from the old masters - spinners playing crucial roles - most matches going down to nail biting finishes - hell, even the cheerleaders are allowed to wear..um..cherrleader-ish dresses rather than the covered

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-11945159275926995182009-05-12T22:28:00.002+05:302009-05-12T23:11:01.210+05:30

I hate to convert this blog into a place where I vent out my domestic issues, but it's a sad commentary on my life that the most interesting things have started happening on the domestic front itself...yeah, yeah I know- whatever happened to cool swapnil?We've shifted into this new house for a while but have been too lazy to get a cook. Of course we weren't too lazy to go out every night looking

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-41837782532314689662009-04-19T19:56:00.002+05:302009-04-19T20:09:38.116+05:30

I've been watching the IPL matches and the most freakin' irritating thing is when some random incident happens - someone takes a catch, hits a six or even scratches his head - the over excited commentator goes "oh, that looks like a Citi moment of success!". Aaarghh I could scream. Just let us watch the game will you? Every time the commentator screams out some commercial punchline that they're

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-64812476537945126732009-04-07T21:48:00.003+05:302009-04-07T22:58:57.386+05:30

In the history of bizzare incidents, this one will rank amongst the top few, maybe even the top one itself. But I must warn you, this tale is tragic and can even make you lose your mind and do things that the SPCA may not approve too much. Or at all. Or throw you in the jail for. So gather around kids and bring your hot chocolate and marshmallows. This could be a long tale going long into the

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-84657903255381244642009-04-06T01:48:00.003+05:302009-04-06T02:03:34.385+05:30

Very strange!I came across this link : http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/articlepdf/2040.pdf?CFID=4902723&CFTOKEN=78032468&jsessionid=a8304b0ae8514dbdb57c675f3c3b342a38d1Apparently I have been quoted in this paper! This was in the period when I was working with the company, and yeah we were doing something around green technologies (EcoEye) but I had no clue that I was quoted in some paper from

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-18428323235953168772009-03-27T09:27:00.003+05:302009-03-27T11:03:19.582+05:30

Moving into a new house is always such a lot of hardwork and toil. After all the movers and packers lifting your heavy refrigerator and luggage do need to be told where to put all the stuff. And all that directing is really tiring!Anyway, after painstakingly putting together your stuff and postponing all planned improvements on the house the only thing you want is a long night's deep relaxing

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-4043840519283692082009-03-16T19:14:00.002+05:302009-03-16T19:53:14.437+05:30

It's been a while, huh?Well I've been kinda busy for a while. Its that amongst other things I've shifted to a new house this week and whoever says that that is easy has got to be kidding. I finally got the internet working today after chasing the airtel connection guy all around the building (figuratively speaking) all of the weekend. Actually it was the other way around. He was supposed to come

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-718198842000173132009-03-01T14:01:00.003+05:302009-03-01T18:20:13.653+05:30

Well it's been a long time since I regaled you with tales of my awesome weekends. So going back to tradition I shall be doing so about this weekend. And though the weekend is far from over, as I write this on Sunday afternoon, I'm not sure if I want any more excitement for this weekend. But, then again, most of the best times one has are impromptu!Anyway, Friday evening after work seemed to be an

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-22080671282792654362009-02-14T11:00:00.005+05:302009-02-18T23:17:26.991+05:30

IT HAS TO BE SINGULARLY THE MOST AWESOME MOVIE MADE THIS DECADE!!Dev D is freakin' awesome!(bows down to Anurag Kashyap and Abhay Deol)A lot of movies claim to be different, avant garde and what not but this is one movie which does absolute justice to all these terms. In all facets of the movie the team did something or the other which was never attempted before. Take the music for instance. I

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-3489591193455389452009-02-08T19:05:00.004+05:302009-02-08T20:44:11.897+05:30

A friend of mine read my post on my solitary trip to Kodaikanal and buzzed me despondently. Ive always wanted to go on a trip alone!so why dont you do it? Im quite chicken.huh? why?hmm, maybe I should learn some self defence or get a gun licence.Then id feel safe.I thought it was a really sad commentary on the state of our nation when a woman feels unsafe to such an extent that she would want to

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-66374480465991265932009-02-04T20:46:00.002+05:302009-02-04T21:15:52.913+05:30

This chat, facebook etc. is so embarrasing at times. Has it ever happened to you that someone from a very long time ago - primary school-mate,old colony cricket buddy, unknown hot junior chick who had a massive crush on you, kid taking the school bus from the same bus stop or the part time spinner in galli cricket who always bowled you - have added you on facebook or orkut or something? (ok,

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-82618735252254492502009-02-01T00:33:00.006+05:302009-02-01T01:13:33.389+05:30

Well, i have been back from the previously prattled about Kodaikanal trip for about a week now. Frankly speaking, I have mixed feelings about doing a solitary trip with the balance actually shifting in favour of it. Not that I dont enjoy trips with friends and family, but this kind of trip does sort of rejuvenate you a bit. Except its bloody impossible to be alone anywhere in India!Picture this,

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-20202047744551330772009-01-22T12:51:00.002+05:302009-01-22T13:05:05.583+05:30

I'm so sorry. I know its an absolutely atrocious pun. But as soon as I thought of it I knew that it was so bad that it had to be used in this post!Anyway, to cut a long story short, I am going on my long thought of solitary no schedule trip. I leave tonight for Kodaikanal ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodaikanal )with a borrowed bag, 3 library books, one borrowed book, my sketch book and, yeah,

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-77477213766861954362009-01-19T14:17:00.003+05:302009-01-21T12:33:35.147+05:30

As you, as one of the millions of devoted fans of this blog, remember there was a time around the middle of last year when I reignited my untrained passion towards painting churning out amazing landscapes and positively beating away people who want to buy my art for astronomical figures (somehow all the quotes are in Yen. Wonder why?)But over the last few months I have again gone back to

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-13615893238392801722009-01-15T10:09:00.007+05:302009-01-15T11:38:36.442+05:30

Staying away from home and moving in a circle of people equally disparate from their homes creates a certain amount of bonding - almost a kind of alternate family environment grows. This doesnt happen in hostels because thats just a complete riot with so many crazy people around you that you dont feel lonely. (Of course this is a generalization and there are times in everyones lives when one is

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-51517294334916622942008-12-31T10:18:00.003+05:302008-12-31T12:22:15.007+05:30

My ex-boss shared this e-book preview with me this morning: The Joy of Not Working ( http://books.google.com/books?id=xTYH7ANjjS4C&dq=the+joy+of+not+working&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA10,M1 )I've just started reading the preview (the link) and it seems really really interesting. Plus I didn't know what Riley's life means till then. This is the

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-52565293618177629702008-12-29T15:28:00.000+05:302008-12-29T15:29:31.229+05:30

Went to watch Ghajini today and have come back severely disappointed. This is not a movie Aamir Khan should be associated with. A B-grade action hero would’ve been great in this role. A slight rewind, a few days ago I re-watched Memento in anticipation of this movie. And how could I not get caught up in the hoopla being created by the movie marketing machinery at the disposal of the producers.

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-21960173582426226402008-12-14T19:49:00.002+05:302008-12-14T19:59:49.190+05:30

You'll have to wait a bit for more pearls of wisdom to be poured here. I am on a bit of a self-imposed exile from the online world and this blog.Will enlighten you soon - i'll probably get more regular in a week or so. Plus, I have absolutely brilliant blogpost ideas floating around in my head. A few, as teasers only, are as follows:1. Nomenclatures and similar-sounding-voice mishaps on the

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-56418856275306766862008-11-29T16:47:00.007+05:302008-11-29T17:26:22.656+05:30

It still hasnt sunk in. A bunch of psychotic killers can just waltz into our country armed with enough sophisticated weaponary to wage a small war, can shoot inconsiderately and manage to reach the commercial capital within the commercial capital of the country and hole up with hostages while the entire security machinary has no alternative but to sit back and say oops.Enough has been, and is

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-61793101806207630612008-11-26T11:17:00.003+05:302008-11-26T11:58:07.572+05:30

Yeah, I know. After a rather cryptic post I seem to have disappeared putting doubts in your head about what's happened to me. I have been deluded with phonecalls and emails asking me what I meant by the post. Touching though it is to hear from so many (2) well wishers, let me assure you that the blog would be the last place I would open up my misery and spoil your day. If I was miserable, that is

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-16757913753196446442008-11-18T12:43:00.001+05:302008-11-18T12:48:06.924+05:30

God, fate, destiny or whatever you want to call it is a hell of an ironical beast, especially in terms of timing.

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-8864801223677768442008-11-17T01:16:00.005+05:302008-11-17T02:03:57.695+05:30

(Warning: The apostrophe key on the laptop Im using is not working. So youll have to insert an apostrophe where you deem required. For example the Im and youll would have to be corrected as you read the previous line)Before I started writing about tennis on a part time basis I wasnt very clear about how the entire season was structured. For me, as with most people, the for Grand Slams were the

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-69236155453215151372008-11-11T11:15:00.005+05:302008-11-11T13:22:32.644+05:30

Come ON!! You can't call THAT a Bond movie! No siree, you can't. Where was the customary visit to Q to load up the latest awesome gadgets? Hell, where were the gadgets? (Yeah, yeah Sony Ericsson phones are cool (I have one too - the G700) and the Microsoft Surface http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_surface in M's office is very nice. BUT YOU CAN'T KILL PEOPLE OR GET INTO BED WITH BOND GIRLS

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-56727255279598687962008-11-07T21:43:00.002+05:302008-11-07T22:09:16.196+05:30

Read this in a book by a new writer (for me) that i'm reading. "Everyone has a right to make fools of themselves once in their lives"Book is 'Expecting someone taller' by Tom Holt.Somehow I really liked this line a lot. I just hope my one time is not over yet!On a related yet different note I discovered another library in Bangalore. This one is in Koramangala and is called easylib. Its very near

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-74208721331453512962008-11-02T11:49:00.004+05:302008-11-02T12:16:38.972+05:30

My article covering the Paris Masters Semi Final happening in, unbelievably Paris (Bet you'd never've guessed it!), is up on The Sports Campus. The link is:http://www.thesportscampus.com/tennis-news/paris-masters-semi-finalGo, go- read it and write lots of nice comments. (For example: 'Sigh, this article brought a tear to my eyes. How could anyone one write such a brilliantly poignant piece?

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-87923750248616059372008-11-01T19:03:00.002+05:302008-11-01T20:26:11.118+05:30

I'm reading this book called Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones. It was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize in 2007. It's a book written from the perspective of a black girl on Bougainville, a small tropical island in the South Pacific when a civil war strikes and reaches their village. In the face of uncertainty and strife the lone white man on the island, who was a recluse and an eccentric, reopens

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-77405642266693588132008-10-26T10:10:00.003+05:302008-10-26T10:43:11.404+05:30

Now I'm not very pro-crackers on Diwali (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali ).I think there has to be a better way of celebrating than having cordite hanging around the air for days afterward.But I've noticed that as the night progresses and I see everyone around me bursting crackers, I start feeling like I made a mistake by not buying crackers. I guess it's the boys-will-be-boys reaction of

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-58775273027581449272008-10-25T07:21:00.006+05:302008-10-25T08:01:32.731+05:30

I really like Ruskin Bond's writing. He has that simple way of writing things with such infectious enthusiasm that you end up reading with a little smile playing on your face - from what he's written and as you picturize this perky old hill man sitting around a campfire regaling you with the story in his own enthusiastic manner.I'm reading 'Tales from the Open Road' by him right now and I wonder

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-75153875206351129622008-10-19T13:14:00.003+05:302008-10-19T13:31:40.301+05:30

Ladies and gentlemen your favourite blogger got his own byline! My second article on the Madrid Masters semifinal has been credited to me :)Check it out: http://www.thesportscampus.com/tennis-news/madrid-masters-semifinalsNotice the 'SWAPNIL B' tucked just under the headline. I got my byline :)

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-90328708419891720682008-10-18T18:41:00.004+05:302008-10-19T12:58:36.829+05:30

Yes, I am now a part-time tennis correspondent for www.thesportscampus.com. Yay! Someone is going to pay me to write about tennis. How perfect is that!My first article reporting on the quarter final of the Madrid Masters tournament has been published on the website (http://www.thesportscampus.com/tennis-news/madrid-masters-quarterfinals). The article's headline is "Simon wins a Cliffhanger, Nadal

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-34390822985131509162008-10-15T19:43:00.003+05:302008-10-15T20:13:24.020+05:30

Ladies and gentlemen,boys and girls, children of all ages, I shall today enlighteno you about one of my pet peeves. Couple of things before that. Call me neanderthal but I like any language to be written in the correct way only. Using 'u' instead of you, 'wud' instead of would is generally quite irritating to me. But even though I may grimace at it, I have made my peace with these common words.

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-21232611168749648862008-10-14T20:34:00.003+05:302008-10-14T20:50:06.686+05:30

Yes, I have been out. Forgive me.Life seems to have overtaken me a bit since after i've come back from the Techno Trip 2. And though this has been a culmination of a number of weeks' thoughts and introspection, change and uncertainity are never the most comfortable of companions. Hopefully I shall soon be in a mood to write cheery funny posts here but right now I'm not getting anything. Please

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-4240170889265953862008-10-01T10:41:00.003+05:302008-10-01T11:09:50.979+05:30

As a vast majority of my readers know, the best trip I've ever been to was to Manali in my final year of engineering college. (This was the 'Techno-trip' and comprised of people who had been involved with organizing an event called Technodrome in college. I made some very good friends while working for this event.) In fact it had such an impact on me that I've actually written two posts about it.

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6590771309792051637.post-65211764961461758282008-09-29T21:23:00.003+05:302008-09-29T21:54:52.564+05:30

So everyone I know AND their aunt were at the Singapore F1 on Sunday. Don't get me wrong, I'm still not an F1 fan but come on! Everyone has their own vantage point photos on facebook and orkut. Cheezy Indian faces plastered with maniacal grins pasted on a backdrop of lit up streets, whizzing F1 cars, Singaporean girls and even crashed cars. To top it all a classmate from Mount St. Mary's, the

Swapnilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01314655025474113024noreply@blogger.com3