Tuesday, March 15, 2005

Abnormal addiction n silly mag.

Speaking of addiction, let’s get back to the usual suspects in this domain. Fagging and boozing are an inescapable reality here. No point running away from them. I don't want to take sides and be biased towards a particular side. Pros and cons apart , to dwell into the aspects that govern this behavior from an ethical, moral and scientific way is a topic that has been discussed endlessly in hostel rooms to corporate boardrooms to courts to et al. People have come up with all sorts of vague, silly and irrelevant arguments to adore or abhor this institutionalized addiction. But let me relate an ironical view that provides an insight into the realms of smoking from an IITian's view. Cursing the mess food is a daily ritual that everyone diligently follows (hardcore maggus included). So much so that decent meals are also under fire as being bland and tasteless. So is there any other solution on hand other than going to Dhaba express (local eatery). Seems there is........

(Read at your own risk and do not even think of practicing in reality as it is performed by professionals. It is practiced by that particular species that are owe their allegiance to the God of lunatic-maniac-devilish tendencies, if any exists. Practicing is abhorred as it requires mutation of your thinking to the point where justification for the sake of justifying oneself is a reflex action).

So one of my friends (name kept secret to avoid getting killed), has recently concluded his research on the alternative to the mess food. Eat at mess but supplement yourself not at dhabba but at good old taramani (nearest suburb around hostels). Here is the balanced diet: - one fag (for the uninitiated it’s a cigarette), two bananas and plenty of water. Absolutely speechless! So am I. But then things like these keep happening every now and then here. The point is not to debating it joking (or rather PJing) quotient, but to rather wonder at how one can digest this thought. I am already hungry for the mess food...............

And you keep on bumping into people who startle you with stunning (read impractical and shady) inventions and discoveries. One suggestion to the editors of the fourth estate: If you start publishing some articles like these, the magazine will find some readers inside IIT at least. I doubt how many people other than the editors neighbors happen to gaze at the cover. Yeah gazing at cover is in fact a big favor to the team that manages the magazine as most articles are pathetic by even the most liberal standards. No wonder that people would rather read any prof's notes in their free time than take the trouble of going through the worthless articles, which are the hallmark of the magazine. The name fourth estate is a misnomer and a poll should be conducted on the lines of the general elections here. Reason: choosing an appropriate name for the magazine or better still dump it so that when our non-IIT friend asks for a copy of the magazine, we will be spared of a white lie.

It seems I am on a criticizing spree. Since the last so many days I am at a war with one and all. Am on my way to be a critic of sorts ........But I do sincerely believe that I will have a lot of supporters on this issue around here as it is undoubtedly true.

I hope the first paragraph is not read by a particular fellow whose hypothesis is being mocked at and the second by the wise men at the helm of fourth (grade) estate...................

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

Addicted !!!!!

I am addicted. Not to playing games, farting, fagging, boozing, sleeping (a likely possibility), mugging (haha who am I kidding?), but to the net. I have been spending countless hours on the net. I have been a regular surfer but of late I seem to be under the spell of net-o-mania. I am cutting out on all other activities to gobble all the crap information for countless hours. What do I care if China’s forex has crossed $ 610 billion as compared to India’s $ 133 billion far behind leaders Japan at $840 billion? Why does appointment of British American Howard Stringer as the first foreign chief of struggling Japanese giant Sony evince interest in me? And why should I read that India has become the biggest generator of wind energy in the Asia pacific region with a capacity of around 3000MW behind leaders Germany (~16000MW), Spain, USA and Denmark. Or that the Sania-mania is no fluke and the annual earnings of William sisters Serena(~32crores) and Venus(~62 crores) , will be surpassed by Sania in three years according to her sports management company Globosport. There I go again .I cannot stop blabbering out silly stats. And I needlessly pain the few people who have to bear me spitting jargoned crap. God they must be heaping curses on me all the while nodding their heads as a testimony to their keen attention.

This incessant surfing is taking its toll. I had cut out all social activities since long back but these days I am practically shunning them. I am not taking interest in any physical activity. If not for my stupid, cranky, rusted cycle I would be seriously short of any meaningful exercise. Daily slog with the cycle is sufficient to keep me in running condition. I am bunking classes more as a ritual for surfing than as genuine hatred for crappy lectures. So much so that I am also not reading newspapers with the same intensity as I used to do. This has been perhaps the most startling of the developments. I have been a compulsive reader since the last half decade or so. Nothing has been able to displace its undisputed numero-uno position among my favourites. Now there seems to be a healthy competition. But the whole experience has left me with a bad taste. I have to get back to business. There is no alternative than cutting out the habit. Throwing it out of the window will be almost Herculean but cutting on time should be a realistic aim. Let’s see if I can get through this one? Its tough but I can solve it by rekindling my passion for the print edition than the electronic version. All said and done the bottom-line is -- “OLD IS GOLD” sometimes does hold true.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Nocturnal adventures

Life in IIT is bearable (what I am implying is the physical aspect) only in the early morning. As I sit in my window with the construction work chugging to a halt it serene and pristine. The atmosphere in the wee hours is really beautiful. The humidity provides a temporary relief and these are the only few hours when we can say that the campus rocks. One of my regular rituals since the last year has been to hang out at Narmada (for the uninitiated its one of the hostels) till about 3 a.m. and then return. It’s a highly rewarding experience. Though one does encounter lecherous dogs a few times, still the whole atmosphere is almost surreal. A walk at this time reveals campus in its real glow. The visibility of deer and blackbugs is also substantially higher and they still neglect your presence which makes it easy to click photos. Suddenly even a die-hard self-confessed critic has to admire the unadulterated beauty of the surrounding. To sit atop the hostels at this hour is even more exhilarating. As the morning wind gushes past you, you can actually feel a tad bit chilly (I am not exaggerating, it’s true).One can sense the proximity of the sea coast .One can feel the soft rich natural aura of freshness which is the hallmark of this breeze………………hmmm seems like the best part of being here. It’s this part that is worth cherishing for ages rather than some hi-funda prof’s sermons ………………



The continuous construction of a nearby hostel is taking is toll since long. It is very common for work to extend into the wee hours on weekdays. So much so that even normal sound dozer like me has to make an effort to crash in the night. Plight of non-nocturnal people around here is even worse. And this problem will continue for the entire sem., courtesy our administration which is hell bent on completing the hostel as soon as possible. The situation can be compared to a high frequency shrill noise being played at full volume and bass. I seriously hope not to throw something out of my window on the poor workers. My agony needs a harmless sink. But the huge permanent crane is marvelous. I was awake all night today and took a few pics of the crane in the morning. But then organization is certainly not my strength. I had enough batteries to take only two pics. Yeah I screwed yet again……………………………….