Let me run backwards to My School Life;-)

Years have passed when I got separated with "my school days".The bereavemnet was no less than when we lose some one very dear in our life.We wish to relive those days ,to enjoy those golden moments of our life.Alas! we can't do that.We can only recall the memories of the passed days and try to be happy talking them.How harsh it is:-(( Wish We could fly to our past and spend some moments and come back to our present...;-)

I remember the bunch of lies I used to keep in stock to evade the scolding for spending the pocket money for a week in just a day,the scolding from dad during so called "study time", punishment from seemingly nice lady teachers in my kindergarten days, sharing the tiffin of dear friends in the recess period and many such more moments.

I remember one day in my KG class when one Fat Lady Teacher put chilly lipistic on my lips for abusing one of my friends while fighting with him.U can understand what ud have happended to this the then innocent child:-( Some of the memories of your past get imprinted so firmly on your subconscious mind that it is hard to erase them.It's once of them:-(

As the days passed on , I moved on to higher classes ( that means I managed to keep passing;-)) and had stories of my own.Failing in the subject of MATHS in classs 4 and then scoring cent percent in class 7 is one of the most mysterious thing that has happened to my life.I firmly believe that it couldn't have happened without help of GOD and that proves that GOD exists ;-)

And ofcourse how I can forget the days when I used to sneak out of my home in the afternoon, when my parents ud be asleep , to play cricket with bunch of my school buddies.Cricket was one game.Then "Gullee-dantaa" was another.Playing Desi Hockey on verandah of a common friend.Football in the backyards of a common friend.Game of "Keet-keet" involving both male and feamle buddies...how eventful was that life.....

And do I remember playing any indoor games?Yes the favorite one was "Chor-Sippaahee". Then all time favorite of all , Ludo and Snake&Ladders.The game of Hauzy (have i spelled it correctly?). Many others that I have forgotten and there are lots which I haven't played.I am discovering a lot of them from some of my team-mates at my work place:-).

Honestly speaking, I got into studious mode in my student life from class 9 ownwards and then there was no looking back.I remember being very shy with my female classmates and the worst part was that I never approached any of them inspite of some of them very beautiful and intelligent and being great fan of mine;-)If you don't care for others, you shouldn't expect any such favor in return.

Days of Class 11 and 12 were mostly focussed on studies.Being far form home had its own challenges.I know I didn't made the best use of those 2 years.Though results weren't bad given I made it to one of the most reputed colleges of our country and that's gonna help me in a big way at every stage of my life, but I could have been more versatile than I am today.

Talking of the "school days" is one of the all time favorite topics and it truly brings out some of the best moments we have lived in our lfe.

Run-Up to the Soccer World Cup 2006

Soccer World Cup 2006 is here.Countdown has started.Soccer aficionados are waiting crazily for the kick-off day. Rn't U? I am.Come 9 th June and I don't know whether I shall be able to give enuf time to my profession and day dreaming about her;-) Soccer is such a game of passion.

As run-up to the biggest event in soccer at Germany this year, our company(CSC)'s Indore center organized soccer tournament for the crazy soccer lovers.Five teams came out with the list of their star footballers (I shud better talk football than soccer:-)). Teams were X-Busters,Phoenix Blues,Mavericks United,AL Stars and Galaxy Stars each consisting of 8 players.40/400 people participating in the event.Isn't it an amazing ratio? Such is the spirit of playing football that prevails at CSC Indore center. Out of those 40 stars, I was also one playing for X-busters as the team's striker.

The tournament kicked-off with Phoenix Blues as the favorite and AL stars as the rookie.X-busters,Mavericks United and Galaxy Stars were teams each with one or two regular football players and posed gr8 threats to the Haughty Big, Phoenix Blues.

It was the first match.Between Phoenix Blues and my team. First half of 20 mins was a gr8 show of skills by both of the teams.Score read 2-1 in favor of the Blues by the end of 1st half.Second half began and we showed some grit to level the score.But our disappointing finishing shots always eluded us the levelling score.The Blues, true to their potential showed a majestic display of game and put us down by 4-1 by the final whistle.That helped them to stamp their edge right from the DAY 1.

As the days of the tournamnet progressed, AL stars kept losing their matches with all other teams and surprisingly losing all of them by a margin of 5 goals.On the other side, Phoenix Blues kept winning all of their matches by good margins.My team showed some gr8 play but couldn't win any of the league matches expect te one with AL Stars.Such was my luck that inspite of making some great moves and getting clean-goal oppurtunities, I couldn't shoot any goal.I remained goalless.Friends outside the field used to say,"Manish yaar , u played gr8.But Luck was not on your side.Goal ke mamle mein tum unlucky ho."I knew , it was more coz of my nervousness in the penalty area that I failed to score than my bad luck.But anyways,words of praise for good show of play, pouring in from all the sides helped me to console myself to a great extent and I always looked forward to score in the next match.But that eluding goal never came in any of the next matches:-((

At the end of the league matches, the four teams expect AL stars made it to the semi-finals and our team was once again poised against the still undefeated Phoenix Blues.We were awaiting eagerly for this clash and hoped to reverse the first clash's score.A Big Hope but Not an Impossible Hope.

The match started with gr8 zeal and to much of our expectations we showed a gr8 game-play.We hardly gave any chance to the Blues to penetrate our strong defence and our strikers consistently kept on challenging thier defence with great moves and co-ordination in the front-line.But thanks to my VOW to NOT to score any goal I missed some of the gr8 oppurtunities I got in the first half.I can't forget those two oppurtunities when it was just me and the goalkeeper across the flying football.And both of my shots went into the safe hands of the goalkeper avoiding such a large dia of goal post.I don't know how much my team members cursed me for those unforgivable misses but atleast I know this that they kept me saying that I cud do it and just neeeded to be focused and put one shot in the right area. First half was really entertaining.We could see the Mighty Blues sweating out of fear of losing the game.They ud have never dreamt to lose the game on such a big day, the semifinal.But the fear was real and we cud see that on their faces.The second half started with equal vigor but as the match progressed our team started to show the loosening of their grip on the ball and much to our disappointment and to the Blues' ecstasy , they put 4 goals in our goalpost in the last 10 minutes.A pathetic ending to the gr8 start.I cudn't forgive my lost chances.It was me who lost the match for my team.But nothing cud be done now.We were out of the race to the Cup and more depressingly, I remained goalless throughout the whole tournament.To say a good striker, but not able to score any goal.Sounds so funny but this is the harsh truth I am living with.

Mavericks United was the other team who made it to to final to set clash with the yet Invincible Phoenix Blues.The final was surely a good game but ended in an expected result and the Blues went on to win the Cup with a convincing winning score of 2-0. Good team surely deserved to be the winner but I knew our team could defeat theirs had I played with more intelligence and focus.

Kaash wo wanha hotee
mujhe protsaheet karne ke liye,
Mein ye abhaaga goalless Manish
ek goal kar paya hota.

;-)

Hasna Jarooree Hai!!!

In the last few weeks, I have been made to realize by my team at my work-place that I am gonna be christened as the "Laughter Trigger Prince" (Prince makes me feel better;-)) of my team and it seems the day is not far away when my team shall raise toast for me in celebration of that. How scary I feel day- dreaming of the events!!:-)))

I am very well known for my penchant for coming out with out of the blue one-liners. I remember doing so at movies time in our hostel rooms in my undergrad years, on the trip to Panchmarhi with my previous team,on the tour to Goa with my gang of CSC friends on the new year celebration,at snacks time in CSC canteen with my team members,during the lengthy bakkar session with my team mates.So when do I don't do that? Hardly anytime:-)

These one-liners have often bagged me advice from my dear friends on being careful while using them with people senior to me.Whenever I get such an advice, I speak in my mind to my dear friend,"I understand your concerns,dear.But Manish with friends behaves differently to Manish with senior people.Extrapolation works fine for Stock Market, not for an indvidual's behaviour.I do keep in my mind what I have to say and when:-))"

It's not just my one-liners that make people do ha-ha,ho-ho,he-he but sometimes they get to laugh for some wrong reasons also.I am still compiling the list of "those wrong reasons" and once complete I shall surely post them here.That shall surely a make a fun-to-read list;-)

Sometimes I feel , I make people laugh to their hearts for free when many people earn handsomely for doing the same by preaching "Hasya Yoga".A missed oppurtunity for me!!

Hasna Jarooree Hai... doesn't matter whether u r watching Ram Gopal Verma's Darna Jaroore Hai or a comedy sop on the idiot-box coz afterall Laughter is the best medicine.But yes words of advice.Hasna is not at all Jarooree at other's weaknesses.That's more of rediculing the individual than amusing yourself.Many might take it lightly while others might get offended also.

SHYNESS puts you on BACKSEAT in Life...Really??

"Hey Man!! Be bold...be confident.."
"Beta Lazaate nahee hai... "

Common reverberating phrashes we keep listening as we grow up in our LIFE... We all try hard to abide by these sayings but not each of us succeed...but does it really matter? and am I correct in saying that every one of us do try hard to grow confident,outspoken and extrovert (the mother of ALL)? Who cares?

But yup, I believe in the fact that "Shyness surely pulls u back at times when U need to step up and deliver".It could be an occasion as professional as making a speech infront of a completely unacquainted audience or an occasion as romantic as proposing to the lady of your love or even saying a few words of admiration to her.

I put myself in the category of AMBIVERT. At times I have proved myself a dumb a** by being reluctant( or better SHY) to speak out my heart but antagonistically at many times I have also
been very expressive and outspoken with my friends and dear ones. And in day to day life, my ambiversion rules.

What about you? Are you Shy? Not able to fight for your rights because u can't confront and speak on face?Not able to talk to her because u think a lot than cud happen? Here is the tip.Renounce your bloody Shyness and wear the hat of Confidence and everythig would fall in place.So easy to say but equally tough to follow.This is what Life is all about.

"Trust" isn't just a 5 Letter Word...

Do u remember some thing of this sort - "Protein is the building block of human body"? HeHe.Such a commonplace fact.

"Trust is the building block of any relationship" is equally commonplace.But then since I have chosen this as a title of this post, let me put my own views over here.That will make it different from what u might have read before.Rite!!

Friendhsip between two persons sprouts on the ground of certain similarities and then blosoms with each passing day.What keeps it going? Not the kick-off parameters of attraction,likeness,similarity in characters... Believe me none of those craps help.It's largely because of the kind of trust and faith two persons share between them. Haven't you ever experienced that? Ofcourse you would have if you possess a bosom friend.

I have had such brushes of expereince and was reminded of the fact that you owe as much to ur male/female friend as much as he/she to you. Trust, I meant. If he/she happens to confide in you regardless of his/her personal or professional interests, you also need to do the same.Because listening to others story is so pleasing but sharing your own, when it can have profound impact if revealed, is when Trust is tested. Many a times you forget that or are misinterpreted and the relationship can be seen gasping for life. Trusting anyone is really a very very difficult task.For the simple reason as it involves understanding the person in totality before u do that.

Gr8 friends are able to do that.They are gr8 support to each other in times of difficulty and need.Trust helps one to forego every LITTLE thing and think about BIG things in a relationship.I have expereinced it with some of my close male/female friends.

Do u think even now that Trust is just a 5 letter word?

Am I suffering from Acute Amnesia?

It seems that now-a-days I have started taking my life extraordinarly serious and in the process have damaged my brain cells leading to frequent embarassing forgetfulness.Sounds so serious and pitiable!!! I know u must be praying for the "untruthfulness" of this fact because I not only pray for the same when I am wide awake but also in my dreams.....

The other day I forgot that "Nokia" is not a sports shoe brand but a famous mobile brand.Otherwise why should have I asked my dear colleague and friend that whether he is wearing "Nokia's Shoes". U can say it as slip of tongue.I would also love to say that.But too many slips of tongue lead to too much of embarassement and it's better to assume urself as a diseased person than a healthy one with such a grave defect.

I often forget the names of people I interact very seldom even though I might have shared some good moments with them in the past.And the embarassement befalls when the guy happens to meet me greeting " Hello Manish!!" with a smile on his face and I, thanks to my gr8 memory,am able to say just "Hi" though I would have loved to say "Hi X" where X is the first name of the person.Medication is not the cure,determination to improve my memory surely is. Why do I say so?

Simple. A few months back I used to remember only one mobile number, ofcourse, just mine( thugh I have put that too in my contact list in case my memory plays the spoilsport).I didn't remember even my home number.Sounds so pathetic. Then one fine day I determined to engrave my home number in my brain and suprisingly now it's on my tongue all the times.And ofcourse I would hate to forget her number but you never know. Life is like that!!

And yes my Sametime - Offical IM - passwd.Should I give u a hint how tough is it? 44%#F34KU69C happens to be the template. A few weeks back I couldn't manage to remember it.But today it's on my tongue.A marked improvement.Don't u think so?

So again I ask myself - Am I suffering from Acute Amnesia? The answer is a BIG YES if I am an escapist and a BIG NO if I recognize the fact that it's just one's mental framework that leads one to feel so.

So should I be happy with the fact that in a few days to come I will surely remember that Nokia is a mobile brand and Nike a sport shoes brand and not vice-versa.Only time will tell.Or do I also have stake in that. YES, I do have.