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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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"????

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

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.

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...

Words to live by...

I'm old fashioned. I like to engage my mind before my mouth.

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!

Flying zone on da roads???

Signboard OUTSIDE Goa Airport on the road to the local beaches of Hollant and Bogmalo.

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?????

What Type Of Weather Are You?

You Are Lightning

Beautiful yet dangerous 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

What Type of Weather Are You?

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.

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!

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.

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.

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?

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!