I've learned that ...

I've learned that ... Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first, the lessons afterward

I've learned that ... Learning is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily

I've learned that ... Adversity is the stuff that shows whether you are what you thought you were

I've learned that ... We attract hearts by qualities we display; we retain them by qualities we possess

I've learned that ... You may forget how you behaved when the going got tough, but others won't

I've learned that ... If you torture data sufficiently, it will confess to almost anything

I've learned that ... There is nothing wrong with people making mistakes. If they don't respond with encores

I've learned that ... It takes two to start a quarrel, one to end it

I've learned that ... Men desire women, but women desire to be the desire of a man

I've learned that ... Too often we...enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought

I've learned that ... True religion is the life we lead, not the creed we profess

I've learned that ... A Diamond is just another piece of coal, that handled the pressure well

I've learned that ... No revenge is more honorable than one not taken

I've learned that ... We are never too old to be what we might have been

I've learned that ... Intellectuals solve problems, Geniuses prevent them

I've learned that ... Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it

I've learned that ... People are wise in proportion, not to their experience, but to their capacity for experience

I've learned that ... Those who wish to sing always find a song

I've learned that ... Everyone is the age of their heart

I've learned that ... Reputation is what you are in the light; character is what you are in the dark

I've learned that ... In the long run we hit only what we aim at (Thanks to Dinesh Venugopal for this one)

I've learned that ... Reality is not the fact, it is the perception of the majority (Thanks to Dinesh Venugopal for this one)

I've learned that ... A sunrise is God's way of telling the world to lighten up

I've learned that ... Nature uses as little as possible of anything

I've learned that ... Love is like an hourglass, with the heart filling up as the head empties

I've learned that ... Self esteem is the reputation we acquire with ourselves

I've learned that ... Life generally gives us a lot of options and only one choice

I've learned that ... We are made such that we can only find relaxation from one kind of labor by taking up another

I've learned that ... The higher we soar the smaller we appear to those who cannot fly

I've learned that ... Poetry is what gets lost is translation

I've learned that ... Not to know is bad, not to want to know is worse

I've learned that ... We all live under the same sky, but we don't have the same horizons

I've learned that ... A candle that lights another, looses nothing

I've learned that ... A friend is a present we give ourselves

I've learned that ... We dont make mistakes, we just have learnings, if we accept them

I've learned that ... If you think you can, you can, and if you think you can't, you are still right!

I've learned that ... N does not cancel noise, silence does

I've learned that ... I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it

I've learned that ... I should have told my loved one that I love them, once more, before they passed away

I've learned that ... When you're in love, it shows

I've learned that ... Life is tough, but I'm tougher

I've learned that ... Everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile

I've learned that ... When you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere

I've learned that ... Being kind is more important than being right

I've learned that ... We should keep our words soft & tender, in case tomorrow we have to eat them

I've learned that ... Having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world

I've learned that ... Sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand

I've learned that ... It is best to give advice in only two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life threatening situation

I've learned that ... When you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you

I've learned that ... A smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks

I've learned that ... I can always pray for someone when I don't have the strength to help him in some other way

I've learned that ... We should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for

I've learned that ... Just one person saying to me, "You've made my day!" makes my day

I've learned that ... Opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss

I've learned that ... It's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular

I've learned that ... Money doesn't buy class

I've learned that ... Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes

I've learned that ... You should never say no to a gift from a child

I've learned that ... Under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved

Thought for the day

23 Dec 08 : Don't make someone your PRIORITY for whom you are just an OPTION ;)

22 Dec 08 : Horse sense is what keeps horses from betting on what people will do.

21 Dec 08 : Choice, not chance, determines destiny. So, whenever given, be the first one to grab the opportunity.

18 Dec 08 : Whenever u fall, pickup something!

17 Dec 08 : The brain is like a muscle. When we think well, we feel the good workout.

16 Dec 08 : To succeed - Do the best you can, where you are, with what you have.

15 Dec 08 : You will become as small as your controlling desire; As great as dominant aspiration

12 Dec 08 : Failure to hit the bull's-eye is never a fault of the target. To improve you -aim - improve yourself.

11 Dec 08 : Trust one who is tried!

10 Dec 08 : Ingenuity, plus courage, plus work equals Miracles!

माझ्या काही आवडत्या चारोळ्या

माझया काही आवडत्या चारोळ्या, श्री चंद्रशेखर गोखले यांनी लिहिलेल्या : 

 ९) तुला मी कधी 

शपथ घ्यायला लावत नाही 

कारण तुझ्यावरचा विश्वास 

या इवल्या शब्दात मावत नाही 

 ८) गप्पच रहावसं वाटतं 

तुझ्याजवळ बसल्यावर 

वाटतं तूच सगळं ओळखावं 

मी नुसतं हसल्यावर 

 ७) 'मीठी' या शब्दात 

किती मिठास आहे, 

नुसता उच्चारला तरी 

कृतीचा भास् आहे ! 

 ६) सरपणासाठी तोडलेल्या ओंडक्याला 

जेव्हा पालवी फुटली, 

मलाच कळेना 

ही जगायची जिद्द कुठली ? 

 ५) चिंब भीजल्यावर तहान लागते ना 

तसं होता तुला भेटल्यावर, 

तुलाच पाहत रहावसं वाटतं 

तुझ्या कुशीत मिटल्यावर 

 ४) सगळ तुला देऊन 

पुन्हा माझी ओंजळ भरलेली, 

पाहिलं तर तू तुझी ओंजळ 

माझ्या हातात धरलेली 

 ३) माझ्या तळहातावर 

एकदा एक फुलपाखरू येउन बसलं, 

मी सवयीनं मुठ वळणार 

इतक्यात ते विश्वासानं हसलं 

 २) देउळात जाउन ही लोकं 

दुकानात गेल्यासारखी वागतात, 

चार-आठ आणे टाकुन 

काहीना काही मागतात 

 १) आपण त्याची सोबत धरावी 

ज्याला आपण आवडतो, 

नाही तर आपल्या आवडीसाठी 

आपण उगीच आयुष्य दवडतो ।

Some Guidelines For Aspiring Writers

An interesting read I received from the Bandyopadhyay's (Meghna through Tanmoy):

• Verbs has to agree with their subjects.
• Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.
• And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.
• It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.
• Avoid clichés like the plague. (They're old hat.)
• Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.
• Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.
• Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually) unnecessary.
• Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.
• One should never generalize.
• Comparisons are as bad as clichés.
• Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.
• The passive voice is to be avoided.
• Eliminate commas, that are not necessary.
• Never use a big word when a diminutive word will suffice.
• Understatement is always the best way to put forth earthshaking ideas.
• Use the apostrophe in it's proper place and omit it when its not needed.
• Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."
• Even if a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.
• Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

And finally

• Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

I just loved all of them. Was rof lol (rolling on the floor - laughing out loud !)
Thank you Meghna and Tanmoy !!! This was a treat!

Tumse Hi from Jab We Met

Tum Se Hi - Jab We Met (Director : Imtiaz Ali)

Aa aa..aa aa…aa aa..aa aa.. aa..

Na hai yeh paana
Na khona he hai
Tera na hona, jaane
Kuyn hona he hai

Tum se hi din hota hai
Surmayi shaam aati hai
Tum se hi, Tum se hi
Har ghadi saans aati hai
Zindagi kehlati hai
Tum se hi, Tum se hi

Na hai yeh pana
Na khona hi hai
Tera na hona, jaane
Kuyn hona hi hai

Aa aa..aa aa…aa aa..aa aa.. aa..

Aankho mein aankhe teri
Bahoo mein Bahein teri
Mera na mujh mein kuch raha
Hua kya
Baaton mein batein teri
Raate saugaate meri
Kyun tera sab yeh ho gaya
Hua kya
Mein kahin bhi jaata hun
Tum se hi mil jatha hun
Tum se hi, Tum se hi
Shor mein khamoshi hai
Thodi si behoshi hai
Tum se hi, Tum se hi

Aa aa aa aa aa aa…

Aadha sa vaada kabhi
Aadhe se zyada kabhi
Jee chahe karlu is tarah
Wafa ka
Chode na chute kabhi
Tode na toote kabhi
Jo dhaaga tum se jud gaya
Wafa ka
Mein tera sarmaya hun
Jo bhi mein ban paya hun
Tum se hi, Tum se hi
Raaste mil jate hai
Manzile mil jati hai
Tum se hi, Tum se hi

Na hai yeh pana
Na khona he hai
Tera na hona, jaane
Kuyn hona he hai

Aa aa aa aa aa aa …

Bakhuda tumhi ho - Kismat Konnection

Bakhuda tumhi ho - Kismat Konnection

Hoooo…
Ho ho ho..
Hooo…
Tu hi ehsason mein,
Tu hi jazbaton mein,
Tu hi lamhaton mein,
Tu hi din raaton mein..

Bakhuda tumhi ho,
Har jagah tumhi ho,
Haan mein dekhu jahan jab,
Uss jagah tumhi ho,
Yeh jahan tumhi ho,
Wo jahan tumhi ho,
Iss zameen se falak ke,
Darmiyaann..tumhi ho,
Tum hi ho, beshumaar,
Tum hi ho..
Tum hi ho, mujh mein haan,
Tum hi ho..Tum hi ho..
Hooo….

Kaise bataye tumhe,
Aur kis tarah yeh,
Kitna tumhe hum chahte hai,
Saaya bhi tera dikhe,
To paas jaake,
Usmein simat hum jaate hai,

Raasta tum hi ho,
Rehnuman tum hi ho,
Jiski khwahish hai humko,
Wo panah tum hi ho,
Tum hi ho, beshumaar,
Tum hi ho..
Tum hi ho, mujh mein haan,
Tum hi ho..

Tu hi ehsason mein,
Tu hi jazbaton mein,
Tu hi lamhaton mein,
Tu hi din raaton mein..

Kaise bataye tumhe,
shab mein tumhare,
Khwaab haseen jo aate hai,
Kaise bataye tumhe,
Lamz wo saare,
Jism ko jo mehkate hai

Iftida tum hi ho
Intehaan tum hi to
Tum ho jeene ka maksad
Aur wajah tum hi ho..

Bakhuda tumhi ho,
Har jagah tumhi ho,
Haan mein dekhu jahan jab,
Uss jagah tumhi ho,
Yeh jahan tumhi ho,
Wo jahan tumhi ho,
Iss zameen se falak ke,
Darmiyaann..tumhi ho,
Tum hi ho, beshumaar,
Tum hi ho..
Tum hi ho, mujh mein haan,
Tum hi ho..Tum hi ho..
Hooo….
Ho ho ho..
Hoo…

Ive been waiting for a girl like you

So long
Ive been looking too hard, Ive waiting too long
Sometimes I dont know what I will find
I only know its a matter of time
When you love someone
When you love someone

It feels so right, so warm and true
I need to know if you feel it too

Maybe Im wrong
Wont you tell me if Im coming on too strong?
This heart of mine has been hurt before
This time I wanna be sure

Ive been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
Ive been waiting for a girl like you
A love that will survive
Ive been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

Youre so good
When we make love its understood
Its more than a touch or a word we say
Only in dreams could it be this way
When you love someone
Yeah, really love someone

Now, I know its right
From the moment I wake up till deep in the night
Theres no where on earth that Id rather be
Than holding you, tenderly

Ive been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
Ive been waiting for a girl like you
And a love that will survive
Ive been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

Ive been waiting, waiting for you, ooh
Ooh, Ive been waiting
Ive been waiting, yeah
Ive been waiting for a girl like you
Ive been waiting
Wont you come into my life?
My life?

I will be right here waiting for you

Oceans apart day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

If I see you next to never
How can we say forever

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me goin' crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I'm with you
I'll take the chance

Oh, can't you see it baby
You've got me goin' crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

Please forgive me

It still feels like our first night together
Feels like the first kiss and
It's gettin' better baby
No one can better this
I'm still hold on and you're still the one
The first time our eyes met it's the same feelin' I get
Only feels much stronger and I wanna love ya longer
You still turn the fire on


So If you're feelin' lonely.. don't
You're the only one I'd ever want
I only wanna make it good
So if I love ya a little more than I should


Please forgive me I know not what I do
Please forgive me I can't stop lovin' you
Don't deny me


This pain I'm going through
Please forgive me
If I need ya like I do
Please believe me
Every word I say is true
Please forgive me I can't stop loving you
Still feels like our best times are together
Feels like the first touch


We're still gettin' closer baby
Can't get close enough I'm still holdin' on
You're still number one I remember the smell of your skin
I remember everything
I remember all your moves
I remember you
I remember the nights ya know I still do


One thing I'm sure of
Is the way we make love
And the one thing I depend on
Is for us to stay strong
With every word and every breath I'm prayin'
That's why I'm sayin'...

Look into my eyes ...

Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more

Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

Look into your heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all - I would sacrifice

Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way

Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you

Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you

50 First Dates - I just love it!

Such a beautiful concept. Its about this guy (Adam Sandler) , who falls for a girl (one of the most beautiful babe - Drew Barrymore. I love her since ET) only to realise the next day that she has already forgotten him! Anyways, it is quite late for him, as he is already in love with her! Now it is for him to win the love of his life, next day and every day.
The first time I heard the title I thought it was about some American guy and his experience of first dates with 50 different babes. It seemed so American, it sounded a little boring to me. I was not sure if I wanted to see it. Then one day I was surfing (channels) and saw Drew Barrymore and I said "Wait a minute!". She was looking great in this cute, femininely pink T-Shirt. I started watching her and fell in love with the movie. Since then befitting the title the movie itself has presented itself to me so many times that I have fallen in love with it, each time afresh.

I just loved the concept of the movie - how romantic life would be - to make your sweetheart, fall in love with you everyday. Have that passionate 'first kiss', everytime you kiss her! Although we may not have all the fine memories to cherish but we would not have any baggage of the past either. Most importantly as you start afresh on a clean slate everyday, you can keep on improving. ;) (It surely would help me for sure) Also we would need to be so much creative, every day! It would then depend on us, not to let it become boring and monotonous. Best part of it is you do something wrong, you waste only one day of your life! More interestingly, you have the next one to correct it! You can even practice and perfect, just that the life of success will also be a single day! The best part is that the movie is about love in its purest possible form. (Yeah I know its just a movie but then my heart wants to believe it to be true.)

Sorry to track changes here, but that is how our minds are - complex little independent souls, unbound ! While writing the last few words "Life of success will also be a single day!" a beautiful example mentioned by the Late Sumantra Ghoshal came to my mind. He was a great strategist. One of his anecdotes about 'Change' was the story where a moth goes through all the pains of losing its legs, wings and most important of all comfort, just to transform into a beautiful butterfly. The butterfly is iconic to the colours and beauty of life, even if only for a day, which is the average life span of a butterfly. When I wondered why it has to die so soon, I realised Good needs them more. There is a lot more pain that God has to deal with then all of us!

Coming back to "50 First Dates" it is also somewhat like the butterfly that he goes through the pain of sometime being dejected and sometimes rejected, just for that one day of love from her. He puts in all his effort to make it a "Pink Day", something different from all her "Blue Days". Love is to make someone feel special. One day - every day, for the rest of your life. ;)

It ended with a lovely song written by Sting and performed by the The Police. It goes as follows:

Every breath you take and every move you make
Every bond you break, every step you take
I'll be watchin' you

Every single day and every word you say
Every game you play, every night you stay
I'll be watchin' you

Oh, can't you see
You belong to me
How my poor heart aches
With every step you take

Eternal Song of Hope & Optimism

This is one of my all-time favorites. It inspires me like anything.
I would say this to me is the eternal song of hope, optimisim.
For me these are very important things - the very reason of life, "The Purpose".
I had once read a quote "If you have 2 cents, with one buy bread and with the other a rose. The former gives you the source to live, the latter gives you the reason."
This song reminds me of the same ! In fact, I have realised that the latter is more important than the former.

Thanks to Nagesh Kukunoor & team for such lovely movies like Iqbal and Dor (you rock!).
Nagesh, had you chosen to stay a chemical engineer the rest of your life , would've been unfair to others.
The Lyrics from Irfan Siddique are really inspiring in this song. Singers have done an equally fantastic job, delivering it to us. And of course the Music Directors (Brothers) - Salim & Sulaiman to have started it all.

Ye Hausla Kaise Jhuke - Dor (Director: Nagesh Kukunoor)
Music Director : Salim Merchant, Sulaiman Merchant
Singer : Shafaquat Ali Khan, Salim Merchant
Lyrics : Mir Ali Hussain

Yeh Hosla Kaise Juke,
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

Manzil Mushkil to kya,
Bundla Saahil to kya,
Tanha Ye Dil to Kya
Ho Hooo

Raah Pe Kante Bikhre agar,
Uspe to phir bhi chalna hi hai,
Sham Chhupale Suraj magar,
Raat ko ek din Dhalana hi hai,

Rut ye tal jayegi,
Himmat rang layegi,
Subha phir aayegi
Hoooo

Yeh Hosla Kaise Juke,
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

Hogi hame to rehmat ada,
Dhup kategi saaye tale,
Apni khuda se hai ye Dua,
Manzil lagale humko gale

Jurrat sau baar rahe,
Uncha Ikraar rahe,
Zinda har pyar rahe
Hoooo

Yeh Hosla Kaise Juke,
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke
Yeh Aarzoo Kaise Ruke

Imtiaz Ali's films - My perspective

Imitiaz Ali's films are real good love stories. Both his movies (released so far) - Socha Na Tha & Jab We Met are damn good love stories.

They are not like the love at first sight movies, they need some time before you fall in love with them. Most important thing is he has a very nice way of presenting the good side of people, the fact that friendship when transformed in love is so beautiful than love itself. Both movies explained to me a friend's autograph that I had not very weel understood then. It said "Don't marry someone because you can live with her. Marry only if you cannot live without them." He also has a good knack for music. The Music and Lyrics for both the movies are on my favorite list. Love is a journey through life. It is about how love happens, whether you want it or not !

Socha Na Tha: The starcast is not very great - Ayesha Takia & Abhay Deol. Ayesha, the next door girl, isn't very sexy or hot but really very cute. Abhay, has good looks but the innocent looks are too good for the role.Love evolving out of innocent, funny situations is really heart touching.

Jab We Met: The starcast is not a very interesting couple from my point of view. I always felt Kareena was the last word of the sentence passed on Shahid. I use to feel that there can be no chemistry between the two of them but Imtiaz Ali proved me wrong. He has brought out the chemistry between them so nicely. Either there really is good chemistry between them or they are very good actors.

I am looking forward to his latest movie, Rockstar, which is in the works.