Truth - As you like it.

Yesterday, my dear wife brought home an R.K. Narayan short story compilation from the library. While I was through the index, I happened to notice a familiar title - 'Like the sun'. It's a very short story but a very meaningful one.

It is about a man who, one fine sunny morning, decides to test out what it would be like if he did not lie. His wife brings him breakfast. His wife notices that he is eating very slowly. So she asks him what is wrong. He tells her the TRUTH!

Some other day, he would have answered that his stomach was full or something like that.
He notices her wince, but he reminds himself that TRUTH is like the sun. He goes to work with a resolution to tell the truth because he believes it is the right thing to do.

Nothing, not even his dear wife's wince, can possibly break his resolve.

He has some work at office which has been on his back from quite a few days. Our hero is too lazy to complete it soon. His boss, knowing that he has a keen ear for music, asks him to attend a performance of his. He bargains for 10 additional days to complete his work, which the boss is only too happy to comply with.

After the performance, the boss asks our hero his true opinion. He tries to evade the question but the boss is adamant. Our hero says that the performance was not any good and that it is useless carrying on the efforts.

The next day, the boss thanks our hero for his true remarks and tells him that it has helped him save his money going waste.
Then he adds that our hero cannot hand in the papers 10 days later but on time.

The moral of the story - Telling the truth is not always the best thing to do.

Always speaking the TRUTH is a very daunting challenge; more so when it's your wife at the other end.

Common questions that you should be very careful answering.

• Do you like the food that I prepared today?
• Do I look pretty?
• Does this dress look good on me?

But like me if you are lucky enough to have a beautiful wife who cooks nice food, you have nothing to worry. Or do you? ;-)

Cheers,
Rosh

Where the mind is without fear....

What has this world come to?? Darwin says we have evolved... common sense says that we have become civilized... Civilized! My foot!

Chaos still reigns. Terrorism still triumphs. Whether we agree to it or not is a different matter altogether.

Couple of days back, tragedy struck the innocent residents of Jaipur. 7 bombs exploding within matter of minutes ... dead bodies strewn everywhere... survivors without limbs... and a letter - A letter that declares that the terrorists have triumphed once again! And that they will continue their terror activities till Indian economy is destroyed.

This letter was all about arrogance. It also hinted that the attack was so meticulously planned and executed. But, why? I don't know.

All I know for fact, as I am an Indian, is that India will never bow down to terrorism. The fact that Mumbai, after the blasts that took place in 2006, didn't even need couple of days to recuperate and springboard back to its normal routine speaks for itself.
This is what a friend had to say after the blasts in Mumbai

"What happened yesterday was horrific… The death toll is sure to reach 200 (unofficial more than 500 dead and 800 injured)... It could have been one of us.. We are back to our own offices hoping everyone around us is safe.... We carry on with our regular lives just a day after our “nervous system” the Mumbai metros are bombed.. We carried on with our regular lives just a day after our houses are flooded with water... We carried on with our lives just a day after some SENA people burnt buses and other thing just to prove a point... And we still carry on as though nothing happened. "

Mr. Terrorist! If you are reading this, I confirm you that our faith cannot be shaken by such despicable acts of terrorism. What you term a religious war is nothing but acts of cowardice.
I do not know your religion or your nationality. But, one thing I know for sure is that terrorism has no nationality. It has no faith, religion or caste. It is not a religious war that you are waging. It is a farce! Just like any other scam to make money or build power.
Mr. Terrorist! India is a very big country and a very sound economy. If we close down all ties to Pakistan/Bangladesh (whichever country you belong to)? Just imagine that we (India) stop importing stuff from your country, helping your local talents (singers, actors, musicians, comedians alike) to serve Bollywood and earn moolah...
And in case, Mr. Terrorist, if you are from Pakistan; Just remember that one half of your cricket team is participating in the Indian Cricket League, the other half in the Indian Premier League. And your hockey players have already been a part of the Indian Hockey League!
How will you thrive, Mr. Terrorist?
Does the thought send shivers down your spine? I know it will. Because, Mr. Terrorist! You know you cannot survive?
You will die. Not as an individual, but as a nation.

As Tagore once wrote:

"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action---
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. "

I pray that God opens your mind and thoughts and that you will realize the way to true faith and victory.

Cheers to us Indians. Cheers to Life!

Rosh

Oh Bed! Oh Bed!

Oh Bed! Oh Bed!
How comfortable art thou.
Young or Old, Happy or Sad;
Everyone's welcome on thou!

Single or Married, Straight or Gay;
It does never matter to you.
You are a kind old nurse to
Anyone who comes to you.

Oh Bed! Oh Bed!
How wonderful are thou.
When I lay my aching head on you,
You tenderly sing me good nigh'

Strong or Weak, John or Jane;
You never discriminate.
You take away all my pain.
Oh sweet heaven on earth!

Oh Bed! Oh Bed!
How lucky I am you know?
Back from office, when at home,
I can gently rest on thou.

You may want to know the reason behind me composing such 'beddy' poetry.
Well! I have enrolled for driving classes. I need to wake up at 6:00 A.M. .... groom myself and then walk for a good 20 minutes to reach the driving school. On top of that, even though it's just mid November but it's so freakin' cold in the mornings.

It is at these times when I long for a 5 minute more rest on the comfortable bosom of my dear bed. There is no particaular reason for this, just human nature - "When one has to wake up early in the morning, it is then, more than at any other time, that one loves to sleep for an extra minute in bed."
How wonderful are the ways of nature! When you have, you don't use it but when you have not, you most certainly crave for it.

Enough about beds, I suppose. Yawnnnn.... I am tired! You must be tired too. Such is the taxing effect of my compositions on others.

Have a good sleep.
Cheers,
Rosh

Hello Estilo

Our first car is going to be a, Champagne Beige, Zen Estilo - VXi.
Ninu and I had a tough time deciding between Wagon R and Zen Estilo, and then between the colours Pearl Silver and Champagme Beige but finally decided to stick with the latter.
My sister refers to Estillo as a rat-like car! (Note ~ The original rat-like car would be Daewoo Matiz)
The engineers at Maruti have worked on the aerodynamics of this car and thus gave it the weird rat-like look.

But, it seems like a nice car that boasts of a 16kmpl mileage in the city. With the sky-rocketing petrol price, Estilo is a boon on Indian roads.
People say its a tad feminine. I am not sure though. It's tall boy looks and the overall features gives it a commanding lead over Wagon R's mini van-ish appearance.

I shall post the pic once I get the delivery of the car.

Cheers.
Rosh

BTW, What's your opinion? Wagon R or Zen Estilo?