Well... not exactly around the world but touched a few continents except Australia and Antartica (they say there's no way I can get to Antartica unless I join an expedition to the ice shelf!)
Long long time... funny I didn't miss anything out here like I thought I would. Thought I'd miss blogging and chatting and getting online and stuff. Got there and there's no time do anything other than work, eat, talk about women, watch movies and sleep (definitely in that order!!!!). Seems like talking about women from different countries figures quite high on the list of most seafarers I've met. I must admit though that I've met VERY FEW seafarers (only about a couple hundred!)
hmmm countries I've managed to get a glimpse of from flights to sailing and flights again... a brief list....
sign-on: flights--> Mumbai-France-Rome-Italy
sailing--> Italy (Taranto) - U.S. (Norfolk) - Italy (Taranto) - Brazil (Tubarao) - Libya (Misurata) - Brazil (Tubarao) - Bulgaria (Burgas) - Brazil (Sepetiba) - China (Huangdao) - Indonesia (North Pulao Laut) - Netherland (Amsterdam)
sign-off: flights--> Amsterdam-Zurich-Dubai-Kolkatta-Mumbai
well... not much out there... not like I got to spend a whale of a time ashore, but yeah, did get a decent time at every port but Libya. Restrictions there made sure we didn't step on the berth at all. Well, almost almost all of "we" that is.
Feels funny when you're back. All your friends wanna catch up where you've been and you wanna find out what you've missed out on the last few months you've been away. But somehow when the conversation is on you seem to drift a bit... stuff like that NEVER happened before. But now things that used to seem interesting to talk about earlier are now just "ok... hmmm... i see..." you know, so-so. Not like this is the situation everytime... but it does happen more often than not.
Left to join ths ship on the night of 2nd April 2006 and got back on 19th Dec 2006. Finally hit home on 21st Dec 2006. (just hit home EXACTLY on the morning of my b'day, nice huh?) 24th Dec and I'm in Bangalore and 25th Dec evening I'm in Thiruvananthapuram. Travel hungry ain't I???
Looks like I'll have quite some updating to do as and when I get time... getting back to Goa only on 04th Jan 2007. So... if not before, until then!
Cheerio!
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
This one was a dream...
I saw her standing there outside the cafe,
Waiting for someone, so it seemed,
Walk a distance and come back,
Every few minutes or so, she would.
For someone who dressed so simple
So stunning she had her looks
You'd hear the leaves rustle as the wind blew by
But also unmistakenable was the sound of her anklets
You'd see the lights of vehicles as dusk drew close
But more noticeable were the lights dancing in her soft brown eyes
Then, all of a sudden, her friends came over
Her laughter seemed to drown all sound around
She glanced towards me and she smiled
Then just as quickly as they came, they left.
I saw her standing there outside the cafe,
Waiting for someone, so it seemed,
Walk a distance and come back,
Every few minutes or so, she would.
For someone who dressed so simple
So stunning she had her looks
You'd hear the leaves rustle as the wind blew by
But also unmistakenable was the sound of her anklets
You'd see the lights of vehicles as dusk drew close
But more noticeable were the lights dancing in her soft brown eyes
Then, all of a sudden, her friends came over
Her laughter seemed to drown all sound around
She glanced towards me and she smiled
Then just as quickly as they came, they left.
This one is an inspiration from a Rabindranath Tagore poem... I read his poem and somehow felt about penning this down...
When she steps out alone at night,
The birds do not sing, the wind does not stir,
It is her own anklets that grow loud at every step.
When I sit by the side and listen for her steps,
The leaves do not rustle, the crickets do not chirp,
It is my own heart that beats wildly - I do not know how to quieten it.
I sit there long, anxious for a glimpse,
The shadows do not move, the lamps do not flicker,
It is only me that is restless, the anticipation not leaving me still.
At last! She appears, walking down the street,
The birds, they sing; the wind blows along,
The leaves, they rustle; the crickets chirp away,
The shadows, they dance; the lamps flickering away,
The whole world seems to have come alive,
As my heart beats wilder still.
When she steps out alone at night,
The birds do not sing, the wind does not stir,
It is her own anklets that grow loud at every step.
When I sit by the side and listen for her steps,
The leaves do not rustle, the crickets do not chirp,
It is my own heart that beats wildly - I do not know how to quieten it.
I sit there long, anxious for a glimpse,
The shadows do not move, the lamps do not flicker,
It is only me that is restless, the anticipation not leaving me still.
At last! She appears, walking down the street,
The birds, they sing; the wind blows along,
The leaves, they rustle; the crickets chirp away,
The shadows, they dance; the lamps flickering away,
The whole world seems to have come alive,
As my heart beats wilder still.
Togetherness
Although I am so very tired,
She comforts me,
Listening to my rambling words,
She seems to understand,
And resting her head,
Gently upon my shoulder,
I forget about the world.
She comforts me,
Listening to my rambling words,
She seems to understand,
And resting her head,
Gently upon my shoulder,
I forget about the world.
It hurts...
It hurts to let go of someone you love
Maybe it'll be better, then again who knows
You feel so lonely and your days so blue
But isn't it better that to yourself you are true?
Your heart's in pieces and eyes full of tears
But you'll always have your memories to last through the years.
Maybe it'll be better, then again who knows
You feel so lonely and your days so blue
But isn't it better that to yourself you are true?
Your heart's in pieces and eyes full of tears
But you'll always have your memories to last through the years.
These memories...
These memories do remain with me,
The nights, music and times that were,
So peaceful and calm they now seem to be,
Oh girl! how I wish you were here by me.
Never have I danced with anyone like thee,
How could I, for there is but only one you,
But sometimes my mind is couded with choices for my future,
And I have but one fear, will I lose thee?
Nay! I think aloud, my heart binds me too strongly,
Go where I may, remember you I shall,
So I go to bed tonight bidding for a peaceful sleep,
Tomorrow again is a new day and they will come again, these thoughts so deep.
The nights, music and times that were,
So peaceful and calm they now seem to be,
Oh girl! how I wish you were here by me.
Never have I danced with anyone like thee,
How could I, for there is but only one you,
But sometimes my mind is couded with choices for my future,
And I have but one fear, will I lose thee?
Nay! I think aloud, my heart binds me too strongly,
Go where I may, remember you I shall,
So I go to bed tonight bidding for a peaceful sleep,
Tomorrow again is a new day and they will come again, these thoughts so deep.
Not yet gone
Well... postponed my trip to mumbai. Flying to mumbai tomorrow afternoon. Dad wanted to come with me to mumbai. Well... it hasn't sunk in as yet. Not the fact that i'm leaving to join the ship. The fact that I wont be in touch with people for close to 9 months (unless of course there's email on the ship... a call here and there from shore when I get shore leave.. yeah of course. But not the usual contact).
One guy's already back within 2 weeks of joining the ship. Dont know the reasons that made him quit. But he's supposed to be leaving the line for good and moving into software. I don't understand his logic. Waste one year and lil close to 2.5 lakhs on the training and then say "NO THANK YOU"????
One guy's already back within 2 weeks of joining the ship. Dont know the reasons that made him quit. But he's supposed to be leaving the line for good and moving into software. I don't understand his logic. Waste one year and lil close to 2.5 lakhs on the training and then say "NO THANK YOU"????
Monday, March 27, 2006
Leavin soon....
Got my call today....
Leaving for Mumbai the dayafter.
Flying out to Italy on the 1st of April.
I know what day it is. And no it's not a prank. My boss wasn't laughing when I asked him.
Ship name: Luciana Della Gatta
Type: Gearless Bulk Carrier
Which port? No idea. Will receive details when I reach the office in Mumbai.
Well, hope to blog soon again. Maybe tomorrow. If not tomorrow, maybe before I leave. If not... worst scenario will have me blogging on Jan-Feb 2007.
My Id, Diwali, Christmas, Birthday and New year is on the ship. Fun times? Hope so.
GODSPEED
Leaving for Mumbai the dayafter.
Flying out to Italy on the 1st of April.
I know what day it is. And no it's not a prank. My boss wasn't laughing when I asked him.
Ship name: Luciana Della Gatta
Type: Gearless Bulk Carrier
Which port? No idea. Will receive details when I reach the office in Mumbai.
Well, hope to blog soon again. Maybe tomorrow. If not tomorrow, maybe before I leave. If not... worst scenario will have me blogging on Jan-Feb 2007.
My Id, Diwali, Christmas, Birthday and New year is on the ship. Fun times? Hope so.
GODSPEED
Man On Fire
Just came off watching "Man On Fire" starring Denzel Washington which was being shown on Star Movies.
Liked it a lot.
A few bizarre twists but nothing a little action couldn't hold together.
The end... what remains of the family is reunited... bollywood ishtyle???
Dunno.
Wouldn't say that.
I know I liked it.
THE END.
Liked it a lot.
A few bizarre twists but nothing a little action couldn't hold together.
The end... what remains of the family is reunited... bollywood ishtyle???
Dunno.
Wouldn't say that.
I know I liked it.
THE END.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
150 hits!!!!!!!
Ok... don't get over excited Nihal... just as few visits... 150 to be precise... and about 267 page views... 150 HITS!!!!!!!!!
ok I ain't over excited... just excited...
ok I ain't over excited... just excited...
Friday, March 24, 2006
Wheeeeeeee wheelie!!!!
Well what can I say... was bored sitting at home in da evening... stepped out for a casual ride on da bike. Took a scenic route by the sea.Met some of the IMS (my maritime alma mater!) guys jogging on the route. Halfway through, I ran out of fuel (trust me not to check the fuel left even though it's in reserve!!!) Couple more of the IMS guys passing by suggested using the choke to try and push off to the nearest petrol bunker.
Used the choke... throttled the accelerator quite a bit. Changed gear and dropped clutch. Unfortunately with the choke on and the accelerator throttled almost all the way... the engine rpm was waaaaaaay too high.
Bike went on a wheelie with me on it and landed with me half over the bike and just waiting to make contact with Mother Earth. Errr... did I say Mother Earth? Sorry I meant our dear ol' roads.
Bruised my knee, few scrapes and bruises here and there. Made contact with the sideview mirror too on my chest... leaving quite an indeligible mark on my tshirt but quite a deligible mark on my skin. (sob!)
All in all... NO broken bones (thank god! dont need any of that with the possibility of having to board my first ship probably next week!). Just a few scrapes and bruises and a bruised ego!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Flying zone on da roads???
Signboard OUTSIDE Goa Airport on the road to the local beaches of Hollant and Bogmalo.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Rahul Dravid is NOT a role model... just entertainment!
Been wanting to blog for a few days now.... time has conspired against me. On friday night I came across an online article in while a political leader addressing a youth rally spoke about how Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly were NOT role models and were just "sources of entertainment". He went on to add that during the freedon struggle the primary kids knew the names of freedom fighters while today's youth dont know even that. That wound me up real good. I wanted to come online and take this guy apart limb to limb for EVERY word in his article. I found his talk to be sad, sorry and not worthy of even printing out. Unfortunately blogspot was undergoing some maintenance or had a server in trouble coz I was denied access to my blog and it went on for over 90 minutes. So then I decide to post it over the weekend. Do I? No. Why? The internet account conks out and keeps putting up a message "invalid unsername and/or password". Weekend right? Can't get out to get the account up and running. Yesterday I was busy... so here I am today with the account all up and running. The article which was on rediff is not available right now. I have tried looking through the archives... looks like I might have to look a little harder coz I can't seem to find it. What was the politician's problem defies logic to the core. I f one were to look at Rahul Dravid... to me he would come across as a perfect role model as one who is dedicated, disciplined and a person who is not averse to out-of-the-box thinking whilst making sure every option has been explored. To a person like that... we have politicians who, by the way have been ever so highly presentable as role models (note the ever so extra coating of syrupy sarcasm), convey their displeasure over the "entertainment" people being made role models. This politician is talking about patriotism when his party leaders, a year or 2 ago, were on a stage singing the National Anthem, and THEY FORGOT THE WORDS! The media following the event had to sing along with them to avoid the embarassment. THEY TALK OF PATRIOTISM. Why dont they just shut up and do some GOOD developmental work for a change?????
Friday, March 17, 2006
What Type Of Weather Are You?
| You Are Lightning |
 People will stop and watch you when you appear Even though you're capable of random violence You are best known for: your power Your dominant state: performing |
Nursery rhyme
Saw this on a picture on a person's profile on Hi5...
You WILL Love Me ...
Roses are red;
Bullets are lead;
Take me back now;
Or get shot in the head!!!
ok ok maybe it was a lil crude or maybe it was black humour... but the first time I read it I did smile.
You WILL Love Me ...
Roses are red;
Bullets are lead;
Take me back now;
Or get shot in the head!!!
ok ok maybe it was a lil crude or maybe it was black humour... but the first time I read it I did smile.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Weekend workout?
well well, what a weekend! Seminars! eatouts! back-to-back movies! talk about busy days!
FRIDAY:
1200hrs: Decide to go for the seminar "Oil Pollution Prevention - Marine Engineer's Dilemma" by Mr. Gurmeet Singh Ranghar (from Barber Ship Management... seen him before when I was undergoing the course).
1530hrs: Laziness creeps in. Decide to surf the net and check mail.
1600hrs: Utter boredom. Decide to check out the test match between India and England. (Afterthought - NOT WORTH THE EFFORT)
1630hrs: Go online again. Meet an online pal from UK (to be precise- Cardiff, Wales). Meet after a while so convo gets interesting. She's quite a person to chat with.
1700hrs: Conflict. Do I go for the seminar? Do I stay back and chat with her?
1705hrs: Present my dilemma to her. She should be online for a few hours more and may be later too.
1712hrs: Rush to get ready to attend the seminar.
1725hrs: On ma' bike. I'm off for the seminar.
1733hrs: I'm at the venue. Meet some sailing Chief Engineers. Exchange pleasantries. Meet the Deputy Director.
1800hrs: Seminar starts.
1930hrs: Seminar concludes.
1800hrs-1930hrs: Interesting scenarios put forward. Excellent knowledge of the MARPOL rule book displayed by him. Put forward thought-provoking points (he did... not me).
1935hrs: A sir requests a drop to town.
1945hrs: Drop him off and I contemplate hanging around in town. Remember about the possibility of my online pal still being online. Go home.
1950hrs: HOME.
1955hrs: ONLINE.
1957hrs: She's there.
2030hrs: She leaves.
0200hrs: I hit the sack.
Saturday:
Nothing out of the ordinary. Out for a ride on the bike. Back home. Out again on the bike. Meet juniors from the course in town. Chit chat. Talk about this and that. A drink to re-live old times (small one.. 30ml vodka... never hurt a soul). Home. Online. Hit the sack Early.
Sunday:
0800hrs: Wake up.
0930hrs : Leave home.
1100hrs: Pick up pal.
1200hrs: Panjim. INOX. Checking the movies. Take tickets for "Memoirs of a Geisha". 1520hrs show.
1230hrs: CCD opposite the beach.
1345hrs: Lunch at FOODLAND. DRY DAY coz of elections. Pal upset. (Me? naah just had a small yesterday remember???)
1415hrs: SIFY IWAY. Surf the net to check out some mail.
1515hrs: Back at INOX. Take tickets for a malayalam movie "Thanmatra". 1800hrs show.
1520hrs: Movie begins.
1635hrs: INTERVAL. Pal goes out and returns with the news that the movie ends at 1755hrs!
1755hrs: Movie ends. Step out.
1800hrs: Next movie. Bracing for culture shock. From KIMONOS to LUNGIS.
2030hrs: Movie ends.
2115hrs: Drop pal back to hostel.
2120hrs: Back home. Watching cricket match. Australia v/s South Africe. Record score. INCREDIBLE.
2200hrs: Back online.
0245hrs: Hit the sack.
Thus ends my weekend. Memoirs of a Geisha is a damn good movie. Got no words for it. Maybe when I get words for it i'll put up what I think about it.
And today I end up at home feeling all bored. Got find something to do till they give me my call to board the ship man!
PEOPLE! HELP!
FRIDAY:
1200hrs: Decide to go for the seminar "Oil Pollution Prevention - Marine Engineer's Dilemma" by Mr. Gurmeet Singh Ranghar (from Barber Ship Management... seen him before when I was undergoing the course).
1530hrs: Laziness creeps in. Decide to surf the net and check mail.
1600hrs: Utter boredom. Decide to check out the test match between India and England. (Afterthought - NOT WORTH THE EFFORT)
1630hrs: Go online again. Meet an online pal from UK (to be precise- Cardiff, Wales). Meet after a while so convo gets interesting. She's quite a person to chat with.
1700hrs: Conflict. Do I go for the seminar? Do I stay back and chat with her?
1705hrs: Present my dilemma to her. She should be online for a few hours more and may be later too.
1712hrs: Rush to get ready to attend the seminar.
1725hrs: On ma' bike. I'm off for the seminar.
1733hrs: I'm at the venue. Meet some sailing Chief Engineers. Exchange pleasantries. Meet the Deputy Director.
1800hrs: Seminar starts.
1930hrs: Seminar concludes.
1800hrs-1930hrs: Interesting scenarios put forward. Excellent knowledge of the MARPOL rule book displayed by him. Put forward thought-provoking points (he did... not me).
1935hrs: A sir requests a drop to town.
1945hrs: Drop him off and I contemplate hanging around in town. Remember about the possibility of my online pal still being online. Go home.
1950hrs: HOME.
1955hrs: ONLINE.
1957hrs: She's there.
2030hrs: She leaves.
0200hrs: I hit the sack.
Saturday:
Nothing out of the ordinary. Out for a ride on the bike. Back home. Out again on the bike. Meet juniors from the course in town. Chit chat. Talk about this and that. A drink to re-live old times (small one.. 30ml vodka... never hurt a soul). Home. Online. Hit the sack Early.
Sunday:
0800hrs: Wake up.
0930hrs : Leave home.
1100hrs: Pick up pal.
1200hrs: Panjim. INOX. Checking the movies. Take tickets for "Memoirs of a Geisha". 1520hrs show.
1230hrs: CCD opposite the beach.
1345hrs: Lunch at FOODLAND. DRY DAY coz of elections. Pal upset. (Me? naah just had a small yesterday remember???)
1415hrs: SIFY IWAY. Surf the net to check out some mail.
1515hrs: Back at INOX. Take tickets for a malayalam movie "Thanmatra". 1800hrs show.
1520hrs: Movie begins.
1635hrs: INTERVAL. Pal goes out and returns with the news that the movie ends at 1755hrs!
1755hrs: Movie ends. Step out.
1800hrs: Next movie. Bracing for culture shock. From KIMONOS to LUNGIS.
2030hrs: Movie ends.
2115hrs: Drop pal back to hostel.
2120hrs: Back home. Watching cricket match. Australia v/s South Africe. Record score. INCREDIBLE.
2200hrs: Back online.
0245hrs: Hit the sack.
Thus ends my weekend. Memoirs of a Geisha is a damn good movie. Got no words for it. Maybe when I get words for it i'll put up what I think about it.
And today I end up at home feeling all bored. Got find something to do till they give me my call to board the ship man!
PEOPLE! HELP!
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Emotions during training...
Two poems written during my pre-sea training course for marine engineering...
The first was written when I was on duty! Was bored when I was on my first Quartermaster duty for the evening.
It's a confused mind running through my head,
The want to crib, grumble and mess up my bed,
But rules are what keep us going out here,
With duties and fall-ins dressed in full gear,
With no time to idle away,
Sleep does arrive as an uninvited guest,
Welcome on most days, but uninvited when submissions are due,
'Work without sleep' seems to be our upcoming life's quest.
This second one I wrote for reasons unknown to me... felt like writing something... just flowed out at that moment...
Emptiness, a sudden blackout,
Darkness is all I see,
For my mind seems so sober,
To explain, I am at a loss for words.
The yearn to talk and to confide,
To freely express my thoughts,
But that someone isn't always around,
Leaving my thoughts to dust and moths.
The first was written when I was on duty! Was bored when I was on my first Quartermaster duty for the evening.
It's a confused mind running through my head,
The want to crib, grumble and mess up my bed,
But rules are what keep us going out here,
With duties and fall-ins dressed in full gear,
With no time to idle away,
Sleep does arrive as an uninvited guest,
Welcome on most days, but uninvited when submissions are due,
'Work without sleep' seems to be our upcoming life's quest.
This second one I wrote for reasons unknown to me... felt like writing something... just flowed out at that moment...
Emptiness, a sudden blackout,
Darkness is all I see,
For my mind seems so sober,
To explain, I am at a loss for words.
The yearn to talk and to confide,
To freely express my thoughts,
But that someone isn't always around,
Leaving my thoughts to dust and moths.
Senti me... ?
Forget It All
I wish I could, forget it all,
Forget it ever happened,
Forget that I was once in love,
Forget that she was the love of my life,
Forget about the times we sat out late,
To talk about just nothing at all.
Forget about the times we'd go for an eat,
Or the times we'd go just to sit by the beach.
But alas! this is just wishful thinking,
This is not something I can shut from my mind,
For, till date, these memories I do cherish.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Lost Opportunity???
Another one....
I have but a favour
To ask of you girl
You see, right now
To ask it seems a sudden whirl.
Though it seems abrupt now
To say it so late
Just for one night
Would you be my date?
I have but a favour
To ask of you girl
You see, right now
To ask it seems a sudden whirl.
Though it seems abrupt now
To say it so late
Just for one night
Would you be my date?
Some of my age old poetry...
Used to write poetry long time ago. 'Used to' ... makes it sound like it's been ages since I wrote a poem... more like the last one I wrote was 8 months ago.
Anyway, thought i'd post some of my earlier poems... might inspire me to get poetic and pen one down before I set sail.
Walking In The Clouds
When I'm with you I feel as if I'm walking in the clouds,
All the dreamy soft air around gently caressing your hair and skin,
The wind smells like a million roses,
I feel like every step I take could last forever.
It's like comfort all around me, and of course the wonderful warm feeling of love,
Your voice sounds like the beautiful song of the bluejay singing softly into my ear,
Your touch feels like the petal of a rose, soft and moist,
Your eyes are like the crystal blue sky, sparkling like diamonds under the warm light,
And, I love being around you, because when I am, I feel as if I am walking in the clouds.
Your Eyes
Your eyes reached deep into my heart,
It touched my soul, and read my mind.
What we shared was wonderful,
Plain, simple and one-of-a-kind.
I lost myself in your eyes,
And felt feeling I never knew,
But your eyes belong to someone else,
For they never look at me,
... The way my eyes look at you!
Anyway, thought i'd post some of my earlier poems... might inspire me to get poetic and pen one down before I set sail.
Walking In The Clouds
When I'm with you I feel as if I'm walking in the clouds,
All the dreamy soft air around gently caressing your hair and skin,
The wind smells like a million roses,
I feel like every step I take could last forever.
It's like comfort all around me, and of course the wonderful warm feeling of love,
Your voice sounds like the beautiful song of the bluejay singing softly into my ear,
Your touch feels like the petal of a rose, soft and moist,
Your eyes are like the crystal blue sky, sparkling like diamonds under the warm light,
And, I love being around you, because when I am, I feel as if I am walking in the clouds.
Your Eyes
Your eyes reached deep into my heart,
It touched my soul, and read my mind.
What we shared was wonderful,
Plain, simple and one-of-a-kind.
I lost myself in your eyes,
And felt feeling I never knew,
But your eyes belong to someone else,
For they never look at me,
... The way my eyes look at you!
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Man I'm soooooo bored!
This has been an incredibly boring last couple of days.
First there was this HAPPENINGS, iner-college festivities hosted by Goa College of Engineering. Might I add we went on the last day coz of the made-famous-over-the-years ROCK SHOW!
Guess what... defying all logic, the rock show starts as early as 2130hrs and then the cops come and shut shop at 2230hrs!!!!! Man is that wow or what! In the meantime we (me and some batchmates from engineering) end up at a hotel for a late nite session of drinks, food and smokes (funny part is though I never smoke, I'm quite confident that i'm a passive smoker by now). Put up at a friends place for the night and left next morning for home.
Carnival's been happening in Goa recently. Today, it was in Vasco. Funny... was so bored at the thought of going... went late evening when the floats had almost passed by. That's when I was told that they'd brought down LIVE BRAZILIAN DANCERS! Left me wondering whether it was possible to bring DEAD ones as well. The way people were harping on LIVE dancers... forget it. The band playing music... even more forgettable. We (me along with a small crowd of juniors from the sea training institute) pleaded with them for some good ol' rock stuff... even some dance music would do. Unfortunately we had a crowd behind us with an insatiable apetite for konkani music at that time. Not much we could dance on. Turned and walked.
One good aspect was meeting all ol' batchmates for HAPPENINGS. Met some after 2 years! and of course... the previous evening was spent catching up on ol' times with a good ol' pal. That was refreshing. Maybe it wasnt such a lousy couple of days after all huh???
First there was this HAPPENINGS, iner-college festivities hosted by Goa College of Engineering. Might I add we went on the last day coz of the made-famous-over-the-years ROCK SHOW!
Guess what... defying all logic, the rock show starts as early as 2130hrs and then the cops come and shut shop at 2230hrs!!!!! Man is that wow or what! In the meantime we (me and some batchmates from engineering) end up at a hotel for a late nite session of drinks, food and smokes (funny part is though I never smoke, I'm quite confident that i'm a passive smoker by now). Put up at a friends place for the night and left next morning for home.
Carnival's been happening in Goa recently. Today, it was in Vasco. Funny... was so bored at the thought of going... went late evening when the floats had almost passed by. That's when I was told that they'd brought down LIVE BRAZILIAN DANCERS! Left me wondering whether it was possible to bring DEAD ones as well. The way people were harping on LIVE dancers... forget it. The band playing music... even more forgettable. We (me along with a small crowd of juniors from the sea training institute) pleaded with them for some good ol' rock stuff... even some dance music would do. Unfortunately we had a crowd behind us with an insatiable apetite for konkani music at that time. Not much we could dance on. Turned and walked.
One good aspect was meeting all ol' batchmates for HAPPENINGS. Met some after 2 years! and of course... the previous evening was spent catching up on ol' times with a good ol' pal. That was refreshing. Maybe it wasnt such a lousy couple of days after all huh???
Saturday, February 25, 2006
42 hits and 100 page views???
well... just over 5 days of setting up the tracker.. taken 42 hits on the site so far and just hit 100 page views... more of a surprise to me than anyone else... but who cares... YAAAAAAAYYY!!!
More regulations?
I'm yet to step out to sea... only next month or so... and already MORE regulations seem to be making their way in.
IMO introduces tougher rules on dumping waste at sea
Not enough that we have MARPOL AND SOLAS, which by the way are IMPORTANT regulations..., another regulation comes in to list out what can be dumped into the sea. Thoe older one specified what couldn't be dumped and hence ANYTHING not on that list could go overboard in mid-sea. Now it seems ONLY that which is on the list is permitted overboard in mid-sea. Lets see if this makes it tougher for us on the ship or if life will go on as usual.
What I do know is that the formation of all these rules makes the marine industry one of the MOST highly regulated industries in the world. I mean... where else would u have regulations put in place to monitor oil concentrations to the "ppm"???
Man... this should be fun.
IMO introduces tougher rules on dumping waste at sea
Not enough that we have MARPOL AND SOLAS, which by the way are IMPORTANT regulations..., another regulation comes in to list out what can be dumped into the sea. Thoe older one specified what couldn't be dumped and hence ANYTHING not on that list could go overboard in mid-sea. Now it seems ONLY that which is on the list is permitted overboard in mid-sea. Lets see if this makes it tougher for us on the ship or if life will go on as usual.
What I do know is that the formation of all these rules makes the marine industry one of the MOST highly regulated industries in the world. I mean... where else would u have regulations put in place to monitor oil concentrations to the "ppm"???
Man... this should be fun.
Are we like a pencil???
Read this somewhere.... just cant place it where...
The pencil company had a conference with the pencil before they boxed it up.
They said, "Pencil, before we send you out into the world, you need to know a few things.
Here are some rules to live by:
1. Always write on the surface that is provided for you.
2. You will be sharpened, but this is necessary for optimal performance.
3. You will make mistakes, but you have an eraser. Use it!
4. Always remember, it's what you have on the inside that is most valuable.
Kinda reminds us of what we can do with ourselves ... or does it?
The pencil company had a conference with the pencil before they boxed it up.
They said, "Pencil, before we send you out into the world, you need to know a few things.
Here are some rules to live by:
1. Always write on the surface that is provided for you.
2. You will be sharpened, but this is necessary for optimal performance.
3. You will make mistakes, but you have an eraser. Use it!
4. Always remember, it's what you have on the inside that is most valuable.
Kinda reminds us of what we can do with ourselves ... or does it?
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
FINALLY THE UNDERDOGS WIN!
Bangladesh trounce Sri Lanka by 4 wickets! man was that a welcome scoreline.
These guys seem to be getting better and better. Might be taking ages to do it.. but nevertheless... their coming around. They now have wins against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and... hold your breath! Australia!
Team No. 10 beat Team Numero Uno for their previous win... that was another AMAZING match!
Nice one guys... at least now people wont call you the whipping boys of cricket (at least not for now)
These guys seem to be getting better and better. Might be taking ages to do it.. but nevertheless... their coming around. They now have wins against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and... hold your breath! Australia!
Team No. 10 beat Team Numero Uno for their previous win... that was another AMAZING match!
Nice one guys... at least now people wont call you the whipping boys of cricket (at least not for now)
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Whatever can go wrong... WILL go wrong
Man! Murphy's Laws are something I've been dying to read ever since I was mid-way thru' coll. Got some in a mail...... FAB ones!
Murphy's Military Laws
Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.
No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.
Friendly fire ain't.
The most dangerous thing in the combat zone is an officer with a map.
The problem with taking the easy way out is that the enemy has already mined it.
The buddy system is essential to your survival; it gives the enemy somebody else to shoot at.
The further you are in advance of your own positions, the more likely your artillery will shoot short.
Incoming fire has the right of way.
If your advance is going well, you are walking into an ambush.
The quartermaster has only two sizes, too large and too small.
If you really need an officer in a hurry, take a nap.
The only time suppressive fire works is when it is used on abandoned positions.
The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.
There is nothing more satisfying that having someone take a shot at you, and miss.
Don't be conspicuous. In the combat zone, it draws fire. Out of the combat zone, it draws sergeants.
If your sergeant can see you, so can the enemy.
Murphy's Love Laws
All the good ones are taken.
If the person isn't taken, there's a reason. (corr. to 1)
The nicer someone is, the farther away (s)he is from you.
Brains x Beauty x Availability = Constant.
The amount of love someone feels for you is inversely proportional to how much you love them.
Money can't buy love, but it sure gets you a great bargaining position.
The best things in the world are free --- and worth every penny of it.
Every kind action has a not-so-kind reaction.
Nice guys(girls) finish last.
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Availability is a function of time. The minute you get interested is the minute they find someone else.
Murphy's Military Laws
Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than you are.
No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.
Friendly fire ain't.
The most dangerous thing in the combat zone is an officer with a map.
The problem with taking the easy way out is that the enemy has already mined it.
The buddy system is essential to your survival; it gives the enemy somebody else to shoot at.
The further you are in advance of your own positions, the more likely your artillery will shoot short.
Incoming fire has the right of way.
If your advance is going well, you are walking into an ambush.
The quartermaster has only two sizes, too large and too small.
If you really need an officer in a hurry, take a nap.
The only time suppressive fire works is when it is used on abandoned positions.
The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire.
There is nothing more satisfying that having someone take a shot at you, and miss.
Don't be conspicuous. In the combat zone, it draws fire. Out of the combat zone, it draws sergeants.
If your sergeant can see you, so can the enemy.
Murphy's Love Laws
All the good ones are taken.
If the person isn't taken, there's a reason. (corr. to 1)
The nicer someone is, the farther away (s)he is from you.
Brains x Beauty x Availability = Constant.
The amount of love someone feels for you is inversely proportional to how much you love them.
Money can't buy love, but it sure gets you a great bargaining position.
The best things in the world are free --- and worth every penny of it.
Every kind action has a not-so-kind reaction.
Nice guys(girls) finish last.
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Availability is a function of time. The minute you get interested is the minute they find someone else.
SPUR OF THE MOMENT...
When I was about to board my bus for mumbai 2 weeks ago... I had this street urchin come up to me asking me if I wanted to buy a bottle of water from him.. or maybe some chips (he had an assortment of packets with him). Interestingly EVERYTHING was priced at Rs. 15, right from the bottle of mineral water which was Rs. 12 and the chips which was Rs. 13 if I remember right. I queried him on it. He said that he had to do it considering that all the street urchins had to pay Rs. 40 as 'hafta' to the cops walking around the area. I asked him "Rs. 40 per day?" and he said "Rs. 40 for 3 hours in the evening that the buses halt to take passengers."(!!!)
I bought a bottle of water from him and got into my bus. What he said kept nagging me for some weird reason. Got off the bus, called the urchin over, gave him Rs. 40 and told him today's 'hafta' was on me. The last image I had was of him looking at me as if I was crazy and waving bye vigorously as the bus pulled away...
I bought a bottle of water from him and got into my bus. What he said kept nagging me for some weird reason. Got off the bus, called the urchin over, gave him Rs. 40 and told him today's 'hafta' was on me. The last image I had was of him looking at me as if I was crazy and waving bye vigorously as the bus pulled away...
Desperately awaiting boarding call
Well well... even though I cleared my U.S. visa interview on the 15th of february and the american behind the counter told me they were sending the visa to the office... I still had worries that it had to reach the office. AND IT HAS! I GOT MY C1/D visa for the next 5 years!!!
And to think my interview took less than a minute... 5 queries... that's all... no name.. no parents names... just :
Why do you want to join the merchant navy?
Do you have any sailing experience?
What are your qualifications?
Where did you do your B.E. mechanical and can I see the degree certificate?
How many generators are there on a ship?
Do you have ANY sailing experience? (question was repeated by him)
And that was all it took to get the VISA!!!
SHIP LIFE! HERE I COME!
Oh yeah... can't board ship this month... boarding next month. If I was to board this month with the 3rd engineer... I would be boarding in Karachi, Pakistan. Looks like I'm boarding next month... might be with the Chief Engineer but I have no idea where.
P.S. Ship is GIOVANNI DELLA GATTA. Italian Flag. Gearless Bulk Carrier. 1987 built ship. Port of registration: Torre Del Greco.
And to think my interview took less than a minute... 5 queries... that's all... no name.. no parents names... just :
Why do you want to join the merchant navy?
Do you have any sailing experience?
What are your qualifications?
Where did you do your B.E. mechanical and can I see the degree certificate?
How many generators are there on a ship?
Do you have ANY sailing experience? (question was repeated by him)
And that was all it took to get the VISA!!!
SHIP LIFE! HERE I COME!
Oh yeah... can't board ship this month... boarding next month. If I was to board this month with the 3rd engineer... I would be boarding in Karachi, Pakistan. Looks like I'm boarding next month... might be with the Chief Engineer but I have no idea where.
P.S. Ship is GIOVANNI DELLA GATTA. Italian Flag. Gearless Bulk Carrier. 1987 built ship. Port of registration: Torre Del Greco.
BOOKS!!!
Was wondering about my ever-expanding mini library... each time i've been making a trip to mumbai, i've made it a point to buy at least a couple of books before I get back to Goa. Last time I got the whole set of Dan Brown. Prior to that was Arundhati Roy's "God of Small Things". This time I picked up Vikram Seth's "The Collected Poems". I had read a portion of the book earlier when I had picked it from a friend. One particular verse stuck in my mind for some unknown reason. Maybe it was how I felt that time... maybe it was nothing at all... it just remained in my mind.
Arion & The Dolphin (A Libretto)
Scene 8 (last verse)
Alone am I, and sad that you are dead,
That you are dead, not I-
That you were kind to me and that led you to die.
When all is done and said-
When all is said and done,
You were my friend, the only one.
Looking forward to picking up "A Suitable Boy" and "Two Lives" sometime soon. Or maybe after I get back from my sailing... in about 9-10 months.
Another book I picked up this time was "Anne Frank". I've read it before... but it's one book you cant get enough of. The maturity with which she's written it never ceases to amaze.
Looking around now... the collection's growing but I gotta store them properly when I leave for the ship. Already requested mom not to let anyone borrow the books whilst i'm away. Some people just don't know to handle books... dog ears... split covers... you name the damage... they do it to your book.
Oh yeah... made a different choice of book this time from mumbai... "Right To Information". Gives a proper explanation of the Act, Rules, Notifications and State Rules. Nice one. Gives you quite some perspective as to what you have a right to know from any public authority.
Two books which I am desperate to get my hands on... "Catcher in the Rye" and "To Kill a Mockingbird".
Arion & The Dolphin (A Libretto)
Scene 8 (last verse)
Alone am I, and sad that you are dead,
That you are dead, not I-
That you were kind to me and that led you to die.
When all is done and said-
When all is said and done,
You were my friend, the only one.
Looking forward to picking up "A Suitable Boy" and "Two Lives" sometime soon. Or maybe after I get back from my sailing... in about 9-10 months.
Another book I picked up this time was "Anne Frank". I've read it before... but it's one book you cant get enough of. The maturity with which she's written it never ceases to amaze.
Looking around now... the collection's growing but I gotta store them properly when I leave for the ship. Already requested mom not to let anyone borrow the books whilst i'm away. Some people just don't know to handle books... dog ears... split covers... you name the damage... they do it to your book.
Oh yeah... made a different choice of book this time from mumbai... "Right To Information". Gives a proper explanation of the Act, Rules, Notifications and State Rules. Nice one. Gives you quite some perspective as to what you have a right to know from any public authority.
Two books which I am desperate to get my hands on... "Catcher in the Rye" and "To Kill a Mockingbird".
Monday, February 20, 2006
WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE IN MUMBAI???
Well, lets see... made my trip to mumbai over a weekend and the day I reached there I went to meet a very close pal. It was nice though I could only meet her for about an hour and half. I somehow like going to the mall in Malad... what was the name... yeah! Inorbit. Seem to enjoy my time there. Getting back to CST was a horrific time. Weekend breezes by with walks around CST and I must say there are quite a few nice musuems out there. For one there is the Reserve Bank of India Monetary Musuem (which I must add was inaugurated by the President of Indiain Nov. 2004!) and then there is the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (formerly Prince of Wales Musuem of Western India). Beautiful places...
Unfortunately in the Shivaji musuem.. which I must add has amazing artifacts.. there's one section just on paintings from the Sir Ratan Tata Collection. Most were in good condition and those I must add were framed with glass over them. The condition of some of the paintings horrified me. One painting "Landscape" by Jaques Grimmer from the Flemish School had the parchment literally billowing within the frame as the fan was facing it. I wonder if it will live through the year. Another one, "Portrait of Bresford Hope" by Sir Thomas Lawrence from the British School, had repairs done to the black portion which I might add were so damn apparent and the repair work itself was beginning to come off.
An interesting artifact on display in the musuem was the "Phurbu: Sacred Dagger". It was surmounted by a 3-headed Hayagriva. It was from Tibet and the blade had 3 sides. It seems the dagger was used by sorcerers for stabbing the demons of air(?). The 3 sides of the blade signify the 3 virtues - charity, chastity and patience which are capable of destroying the 3 vices - hatred, sloth and lust.
A small painting in another section which was an "Illustration to Annarushataka of Amaruk", Rajasthani, Malwa, 1680 A.D. had a nice section in sanskrit. Can't type in sanskrit out here... if you can.. I don't know how. The translation was also provided:
Where frowning betrays anger;
where silence is the only punishment;
where stolen smiles are only submission;
where the covert glances are only requirement;
behold in that love distress has found place.
Thou rollst at my feet,
but the anger of a naughty maiden like me does not abate.
Another thing I used to do when taking walks about CST was to drop in for a movie if there was a show about to start. What the heck mate... anyway I'm walking about alone... might as well check out a movie. Saw "Fun with Dick and Jane" and "Holiday". The former is a Jim Carrey movie with the by-now-typical-Jim-Carrey-slap-stick-humour. Didn't like it. The latter comes very close to being a remake of "Dirty Dancing" which gave Patrick Swayze his huge hit. I guess the fact that it isn't a conventional hindi movie story-line makes a good excuse to watch it. Except for the fact that there is no climax... the storyline is barely visible... all that interspersed with some nice dancing and OK songs.
"FUN REPUBLIC" in Andheri... another hangout in the pool room (also the permit room where ONLY beer and breezers are served!) Dev Saab! ol' buddy from IMS and in Mitsui O.S.K. Lines now... used to hang out with me over there. 125 bucks for 30 minutes of pool!!!!! INSANE! Come to GOA! 60 bucks an hour mate! (of pool!)
And of course the innumerable shops in CST selling you every piece of equipment you need to take on the ship. They know what I have to take before I even ask them! All they wanna know is if i'm deck-side or engine-side. BAH! I'm a Marine Engineering Officer!
Unfortunately in the Shivaji musuem.. which I must add has amazing artifacts.. there's one section just on paintings from the Sir Ratan Tata Collection. Most were in good condition and those I must add were framed with glass over them. The condition of some of the paintings horrified me. One painting "Landscape" by Jaques Grimmer from the Flemish School had the parchment literally billowing within the frame as the fan was facing it. I wonder if it will live through the year. Another one, "Portrait of Bresford Hope" by Sir Thomas Lawrence from the British School, had repairs done to the black portion which I might add were so damn apparent and the repair work itself was beginning to come off.
An interesting artifact on display in the musuem was the "Phurbu: Sacred Dagger". It was surmounted by a 3-headed Hayagriva. It was from Tibet and the blade had 3 sides. It seems the dagger was used by sorcerers for stabbing the demons of air(?). The 3 sides of the blade signify the 3 virtues - charity, chastity and patience which are capable of destroying the 3 vices - hatred, sloth and lust.
A small painting in another section which was an "Illustration to Annarushataka of Amaruk", Rajasthani, Malwa, 1680 A.D. had a nice section in sanskrit. Can't type in sanskrit out here... if you can.. I don't know how. The translation was also provided:
Where frowning betrays anger;
where silence is the only punishment;
where stolen smiles are only submission;
where the covert glances are only requirement;
behold in that love distress has found place.
Thou rollst at my feet,
but the anger of a naughty maiden like me does not abate.
Another thing I used to do when taking walks about CST was to drop in for a movie if there was a show about to start. What the heck mate... anyway I'm walking about alone... might as well check out a movie. Saw "Fun with Dick and Jane" and "Holiday". The former is a Jim Carrey movie with the by-now-typical-Jim-Carrey-slap-stick-humour. Didn't like it. The latter comes very close to being a remake of "Dirty Dancing" which gave Patrick Swayze his huge hit. I guess the fact that it isn't a conventional hindi movie story-line makes a good excuse to watch it. Except for the fact that there is no climax... the storyline is barely visible... all that interspersed with some nice dancing and OK songs.
"FUN REPUBLIC" in Andheri... another hangout in the pool room (also the permit room where ONLY beer and breezers are served!) Dev Saab! ol' buddy from IMS and in Mitsui O.S.K. Lines now... used to hang out with me over there. 125 bucks for 30 minutes of pool!!!!! INSANE! Come to GOA! 60 bucks an hour mate! (of pool!)
And of course the innumerable shops in CST selling you every piece of equipment you need to take on the ship. They know what I have to take before I even ask them! All they wanna know is if i'm deck-side or engine-side. BAH! I'm a Marine Engineering Officer!
Finally back from mumbai!
Man it's been ages since I last had a look at this site... in the words of Andy D'Sa... back from a long sabbatical.
A lot has happened... a lot is happening... and a lot will happen. Had been bugged to no end by some of my pals in mumbai to have a tracker put in on my blog... well TAA DAA! it's up and running! Though I must say I've already lost out on time and I doubt anyone ever comes here in the first place (other than the people to whom I tell about my blog... AND THEY DONT POST COMMENTS!!!)
Since my last post, I've had to make a trip to mumbai for close to 2 weeks, undergo briefings in the office, have details about my ship embedded in my head and then, 2 days before my U.S. visa interview wherein the American sitting behind the counter at the American Consulate in mumbai gets to decide whether I get the visa to step in his country or not, I get a contract with a different type of ship altogether just for the visa. Now how cool is that?
Saturday, January 28, 2006
4 is the set... or is the 5th out???
Been hearing a lot about this set of books... bought the Da Vinci Code about a year back. But last december when I went to mumbai I decided to pick up the rest of the set. Dan Brown afficionado that I am...Heard from someone that a 5th book is out... anyone know about it???????
Reunion time!
ooooooooh man... wedding receptions, reunions, meeting people after 2 years... man it's been a hectic couple of days.
Goan wedding receptions, they start late evening... get over even later in the nite :) , man that was a fun time. Choche (this guy's nickname) got married and man, was it nice seeing lots and lots of people from high school and college. Had fun meeting up with them. Got home by 0130hrs. The next day we managed to organise a reunion at Panjim. This was more fun, what with some of the guys coming down after 2 years and my my... the guys at Cafe Coffee Day must have been mad at the amount of time we sat there just talking. Imagine that... group of guys meeting up and we just sit there talking about the good ol' times and what's on at present. I've already met one friend who replied with " you guys sat and talked???? dont u people have better things to do??" No idea what that was supposed to convey. And then of course convince one chap leaving to stay overnight and that I would drop him home next morning (read: early morning about 0630hrs). Went out for dinner and a few drinks. Few drinks... yea... then abused half the guys for not keeping in touch for soooooo long. Spent over 30 minutes argueing where the other guys from the class were working and who got married and who got engaged and who were just plain committed. The rest of them? well, single like they always were!!! After that, grabbed the bikes and pushed off to this management college hostel where couple of us were gonna spend the night. I didnt sleep. Half the night I was online ... the remainder.. checking out their song and erotica collection on the networked server. Pretty impressive.. the song collection I mean. Woke the guy I had to drop off at 0600hrs and man! WE FROZE on the way back. Got him home and when I got home, sis needed me to accompany her while she got some herbal dyes for her final year project. Got that... came home and SLEPT. Had lunch at 1440hrs. SLEPT. Had dinner at 2250hrs. Sat online. Slept at 0430hrs.
Goan wedding receptions, they start late evening... get over even later in the nite :) , man that was a fun time. Choche (this guy's nickname) got married and man, was it nice seeing lots and lots of people from high school and college. Had fun meeting up with them. Got home by 0130hrs. The next day we managed to organise a reunion at Panjim. This was more fun, what with some of the guys coming down after 2 years and my my... the guys at Cafe Coffee Day must have been mad at the amount of time we sat there just talking. Imagine that... group of guys meeting up and we just sit there talking about the good ol' times and what's on at present. I've already met one friend who replied with " you guys sat and talked???? dont u people have better things to do??" No idea what that was supposed to convey. And then of course convince one chap leaving to stay overnight and that I would drop him home next morning (read: early morning about 0630hrs). Went out for dinner and a few drinks. Few drinks... yea... then abused half the guys for not keeping in touch for soooooo long. Spent over 30 minutes argueing where the other guys from the class were working and who got married and who got engaged and who were just plain committed. The rest of them? well, single like they always were!!! After that, grabbed the bikes and pushed off to this management college hostel where couple of us were gonna spend the night. I didnt sleep. Half the night I was online ... the remainder.. checking out their song and erotica collection on the networked server. Pretty impressive.. the song collection I mean. Woke the guy I had to drop off at 0600hrs and man! WE FROZE on the way back. Got him home and when I got home, sis needed me to accompany her while she got some herbal dyes for her final year project. Got that... came home and SLEPT. Had lunch at 1440hrs. SLEPT. Had dinner at 2250hrs. Sat online. Slept at 0430hrs.
Monday, January 09, 2006
something I came across a movie tonite...
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do NOTHING
- Edmund Blake
Movie : Tears of the sun
- Edmund Blake
Movie : Tears of the sun
Friday, January 06, 2006
War games
An audacious plan it was… an audacious plan it remained. The enemy was all over us. They were hitting their mark with increasingly alarming accuracy. We were almost overrun. Cutting into us with ease, they infiltrated our area with no discomfort whatsoever. On the other hand, when we tried to infiltrate their area in a series of counter attacks; we were more often than not, left scattered and too thinly spread out. And when we did find our mark it was usually a one man attempt by either one of our sharpshooters.
It was increasingly frustrating for us as the losses were mounting. Not one to take such losses lightly, we came up with a plan to make up for all our setbacks. If one of the sharpshooters from the opposition camp was to be taken out … the battlefield would be levelled out a bit. And so it was put into action – Operation Knockout as we named it.
Plain and simple it was – draw the enemy out into our area and when one of them went for the shot, we would move in for the kill. And so it was to be… they were moving in totally unaware of the ambush awaiting them. Their top sharpshooter moved in to take the shot and we moved in to take him out. Move in we did, but what was not anticipated was him selling us a dummy. Hit him we did not as he faked moving forward and moved around us, allowing us the unenviable opportunity of taking each other out. Victory was theirs once again. But fear not men! For tomorrow is a brand new day and we will play another game of basketball!!!
It was increasingly frustrating for us as the losses were mounting. Not one to take such losses lightly, we came up with a plan to make up for all our setbacks. If one of the sharpshooters from the opposition camp was to be taken out … the battlefield would be levelled out a bit. And so it was put into action – Operation Knockout as we named it.
Plain and simple it was – draw the enemy out into our area and when one of them went for the shot, we would move in for the kill. And so it was to be… they were moving in totally unaware of the ambush awaiting them. Their top sharpshooter moved in to take the shot and we moved in to take him out. Move in we did, but what was not anticipated was him selling us a dummy. Hit him we did not as he faked moving forward and moved around us, allowing us the unenviable opportunity of taking each other out. Victory was theirs once again. But fear not men! For tomorrow is a brand new day and we will play another game of basketball!!!
New year hangover???
A brand new year... new blog site???
Been contemplating starting one here for a lil while... seems like ever since I started blogging, my personal diary has taken a back seat. Haven't been writing there for quite a while.
Still trying to get my mind off the new year bash. AMAZING time. If it hadn't been for an invitation from a damn close pal I would've ended up at some BORING get-together with loads of uncles and aunties talking to each other. Damn this party I was at ROCKED!!! Baga beach has some pretty cool shacks on the beach, but the one we were at had a FANTABULOUS dance floor. Great music too I might add. I knew just 3 guys from the group I was in. And we were 20 of us. Got to dance in the new year with new friends. Danced so hard, it reminded me how much I missed dancing :) Danced my heart out. I still am actually. Wake up every morning to some dance music and shake my butt about a little bit.. umm... and the rest of my body too.
Been contemplating starting one here for a lil while... seems like ever since I started blogging, my personal diary has taken a back seat. Haven't been writing there for quite a while.
Still trying to get my mind off the new year bash. AMAZING time. If it hadn't been for an invitation from a damn close pal I would've ended up at some BORING get-together with loads of uncles and aunties talking to each other. Damn this party I was at ROCKED!!! Baga beach has some pretty cool shacks on the beach, but the one we were at had a FANTABULOUS dance floor. Great music too I might add. I knew just 3 guys from the group I was in. And we were 20 of us. Got to dance in the new year with new friends. Danced so hard, it reminded me how much I missed dancing :) Danced my heart out. I still am actually. Wake up every morning to some dance music and shake my butt about a little bit.. umm... and the rest of my body too.
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