Thursday, June 24, 2010

World Cup Fever

Concurring with my friend Rorschach, Hurricance World Cup has landed in Kolkata.

Off Southern Avenue, in a bye-lane, there is a 10 ft. long Brazilian flag hanging on an electric wire. Not to be outdone, right next to it is a 15 ft. long Argentinian flag.

By the looks of it, Argentina are wee bit ahead in the game of oneupmanship but, as they say, picture baki hai mere dost. Rumour has it that the Brazlian supporters have pooled in their resources and are counter-attacking with the help of the local tailors.

In this gripping tactical battle, the only one who is totally screwed is Kolkata Municipal Corporation's poor electric wire.

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Joga Bonito

Yesterday Arsenal lost 1-4 to Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Strangely, I am not as upset as I thought I'd be. Saying 'there is no shame in losing to the best team in the world' is only for losers. But watching Barcelona rip Arsenal apart so beautifully was like an anesthetic being administered while being gutted with a serrated blade.

Arsene Wenger may be a hopeless romantic in the eyes of some. But yes, one can play beautiful football and win. Barcelona showed that last night. I can only hope Arsenal can do the same at some point in the future.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Thanks to Shamli the words 'gam zeh ya'avor' are responsible for this paradigm shift in my outlook. I've always believed in the essence of those words, but off late it has been my piece of driftwood when I thought I was drowning.

Life has suddenly taken a turn for the better. But then again..gam zeh ya'avor.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Gam Zeh Ya'avor

Thursday, February 11, 2010

A Love Story

I have a colleague who wants to get married. Soon. Let's call her 'P'. P hasn't met the right guy yet. Thus far, she has successfully resisted considerable pressure from her parents to get married to any tom-dick-harry.

Along comes a fellow male colleague from the same hometown as P. Let's call him 'V'. They are a part of the same gang of colleague-cum-friends. All of them live in the same apartment complex and mostly hang out together as they don't really have any local friends. Two months of the usual drinking, partying, gossipping etc. follow. They become good enough friends.

Recently, P & V decided to head back home together for a short vacation. It is also another occassion for P's parents to show her another round of boys. Taking a break from seeing potential suitors, P decided to go catch up with her old school friends.

She comes back home and finds that her parents have arranged her marriage.

As it turned out, once V discovered that P was out with her friends, he went over to her place and told her parents that he wants to marry her. Her parents, after a 1 hour talk, decide that he is just the guy who their daughter must marry. And it is decided.

P comes back home to find out that she is now spoken for. To her shock, she discovers her future husband is V, her friend of two months, who hadn't even given a hint of his true intentions.

The sound of celebrations drown out P's tears and protests that nobody even asked her consent.

The End.

Arsenal Joys & Fantasy Football

Arsenal won! The victory was sweeter given that both Man U and Chelsea droppped points. We're still hanging in there...by the skin of our teeth...but still there.

But what is worrying is that the first thing I did after waking up is check the score followed by a quick visit to the Premiership Fantasy Football page to check on my team. This is slowly turning into an obsession.

Fantasy Football is the best thing about my life right now and I'm not even doing that great in it.

My life is going down the proverbial drain.

Monday, February 01, 2010

Arsenal Woes

Yesterday Arsenal broke my heart...again.

They failed to prove themselves when it matters most...again.

As a fan, I don't want the Premiership or the Champions' League or the FA Cup (ok...maybe I do). But what I'm waiting for is the day when Arsenal show some balls. The day when they can have the guts to do what Liverpool did against AC Milan in the Champions' League final '05.

The rest will follow automatically.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Invictus

I have never been one for poems. But this one moved me. It gives me strength.

Invictus
- William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.