Talking Chameleons

Forever, I had been amazed to watch the traits of Chameleons, the reptile species known for changing colors to adapt to the environment, in effect fit well to survive. Terrific embedding of chemistry in Biology by the great Bio-chemist, the almighty, it has been. Every time I came across documentaries of these species on the Animal Planet, The National Geographic or Discovery Channel, I had glued my eyes to the television screen.How much I wished to see at least one, changing colors from a closer distance? I guess, I happened to make this wish when a shooting star went past by, coincidentally. Wish gets granted, to put me in a place where I dwell most of the time, away from home.Now, I get to see, not the national-geographic kind, but, more mind-boggling species. Not only do they change colors to adapt to the situations, but they also talk! If not by talking, how the blame could be dumped on someone else’s head to save their face. I only wished to see one chameleon, but I guess it was a denewala-jab-bhi-dega-dega-chappar-phadke-season that I get to see so many everyday. From my side, I have to learn from this that I should not make a wish and even if I do, not when a shooting star falls. I don’t know why National-Geographic and the likes have not thrown light on these phenomenal species. Ok, let me get back to business before the chameleons notice and hold a meeting to... you know why!!

I said...

You care,I know
You really do
Haunts this scare tho'
Do I deserve you?

Know not if I can reach the helm
Of love,as you do
Of forbearance, as you do
All I know is I love you, I really do.

Unsure where the path would lead us
You steer, follow I shall
Blindfolded, O my love
For In you I trust, I really do.

Paradox it sure is,
Free I am, in your clasp
Risen in love,for you when I fell,
Hear me, I said all this tongue-tied.

SIM-wars

Whenever you talk to a friend over mobile, sometimes before “hi” or just after that, you get indulged in justifying the reason for your having chosen the SIM you have opted. At least with me , it happens more often than not, mostly first time, although not surprising if the same debate recurs. It just happens that all but the one I opted provide mysterious better offers, more free messaging services, better network coverage, blah, blah, blah……
With my having chosen (didn’t really rack my brain) the one not so popular (at least in my friend circle) I have to bear with all the accusations of a not-so-good-mobile-communication. So, every time, I went to get my currency recharged, my brother would insist I change to Airtel for it offers good network coverage. Well, after a little suspicion and a little amount of probing, the fact was revealed that Kareena Kapoor , who stays somewhere in ChinaTown, has had a great impact on my brother…..err…….Airtel!
Another colleague of mine almost forced me into changing to Hutch justifying that it offers an attractive messaging service, a wide quota of free messages that can be sent ( Did she wink when she said it would help if I have a boy-friend? Well, maybe).Just when I was giving it a thought, ‘Rahul Dravid’ screen saver dazzled on her mobile.Hmm…what was I thinking? How could she be attracted to that cute doggy in the Hutch ads when she was looking for a cuter specimen?
When reliance is/was relying on so many people,Saurav,Irfan, Ajay Devgan and Kajol to lift itself up, don’t I have to think before relying on that?
With so many confusions in mind, I thought the SIM vendors at mobile-shops are better judges of SIMs, I went there and enquired as to which SIM is better. Instantly came a grinning reply from the vendor “ Ma'am, Spice, the one for which Priyanka Chopra is the ambassador.” Hmm….. but, that’s what I already have now! Does the grass look greener on the other side? I was just wondering if what I encountered was SIM-war or Star-war!
I thought I have to put up with the one I have until Aamir Khan proposes the use of some SIM. God! Now that my cell started ringing, I have to prepare myself to listen to some SIM-selection counseling from the caller.

Disclaimer: When I am not sure what SIM to use ( until Aamir Khan sponsors one,though), how can I say which one is better? Not targeting any here, stick to your choices.

Glitter that tarnished

What seemed like an exuberant emergence of another youth icon, a literary genius, turns out to be a washout, to the despair of many, certainly me being one. Always,if any person who has too many feathers in his/her cap turns out to be even a single minute elder to me, I have found all excuses to convince myself that I am still young to achieve those targets and will do it at an age as theirs . But, when I get to see some child/teenaged prodigies, my mind is an absolute pot-pourri of feelings- awe for the abilities at a tender age, depression for my not doing what folks younger to me could , guilt for having not utilized the potential ( I believe everyone has it in him/her, what might lack is the grooming or grit) and what not. So were the feelings when I read a snippet of India-born 19 year old novelist( ?), Kaavya Vishwanaathan who bagged a half-million dollar deal and a two-book contract. Her(?) book “ How Opal Mehta got kissed, got wild and got a life” was listed as the 32nd best seller and all the hype created kept me engrossed in the follow-ups. Not a speck of doubt I had about the integrity issues relating to this Harvard-pupil and her work until recently. But comparisons of passages just unveiled the fact beyond doubt. What was she up to? Daring to eyewash the world ? Anyone would be amazed at her infamous guts, but at the end of the day, she has had a fall, a tough one at that. She has turned out to be a plagiarist in an unsuccessful attempt to prove herself a prodigy. If she had no way but to plagiarize, could she not have taken tips from the Hindi movie industry which makes umpteen movies with the same story and still escapes, or some from a class of expert engineering students (barring the sincere-types) , whose assignments come as if from molds , or at the least sought the help of a thesaurus?
“High time you grew up, Kaavya”. It could have been unintentional or lack of awareness of the consequences, but, there’s no excusing some mistakes, right? I very much pity the mental stress Kaavya is being put through, but, as you sow, so shall you reap.
The Publishing houses, no doubt , should shoulder the responsibility to ensure that what they bring out meet the ethics of the media but it is impractical to expect them to identify every attempt of plagiarism. In an attempt to encourage a young talent, I suppose, the Little, Brown & Co burnt its fingers. As for repercussions, unfortunately, all wannabe writers have a tough task ahead to prove integrity of their work. In the process, some budding talent might lose the race owing to getting the motivation and enthusiasm hit by the ordeal involved.
If only it were easy to cheat the world, I would also do some scrap work to come up with a novel or two this weekend. Well, in the weekends to follow, I could have done still better for practice makes an act perfect, I suppose.