Ummapalm

She's got a smile that it seems to me
Reminds me of childhood memories
Where everything
Was as fresh as the bright blue sky
Now and then when I see her face
She takes me away to that special place
And if I'd stare too long
I'd probably break down and cry


Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine


She's got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain
Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place
Where as a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder
And the rain
To quietly pass me by


Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine


Where do we go
Where do we go now
Where do we go
Sweet child o' mine


- Guns N' Roses

i just HAVE to record the absolutely completely THRILLING experience i had last night. relax. i went to watch a match in the stadium for the first time and maaaaaaaaaaaaan im floored!!! PLUS the stadium in question, DY PATIL, is like right behind my house. like exactly a stone's throw away. so here i was to watch 'Mumbai Indians' battle the 'Deccan Chargers' in slightly sophisticated ways. armed with bats and balls whose behaviour is directly proportional to the emotions of everyone present.

Prelude: -

match starts at 8. im in a train reaching nerul from my maasi's place. the train is full of people talking about the match. it halts at nerul and everyone in the unusually crowded 6pm sunday train head towards or enquire about the DY Patil stadium. step out of the station and entire nerul is ABUZZ. there is mayhem! groups in blue t-shirts, painted faces, and all the razzmatazz that accompanies a match...to be seen live.

the 5 minute journey: -

we enter the lane and its full with cars and people. we near the gates and i hear an unusual cheer. very very loud. in unison. my heart reaches my throat. one cough and it will be out. we look at each other and break into a run. we runnnnnnn and the final entry arrives. we run in and we stop. time stops. full stop. i have never seen SO many people in one setting at the same time. i was wondering how is it all fitting in my eyes. it was like a huge swinging iron ball of emotions has mercilessly hit me and blown me off. the sound. the lights. the EVERYTHING. i was SPELLBOUND. i was feeling courageous. i was delirious. i was in a dream. it is really crazy! for a first timer, it sure was! to say that i was blown is an understatement.

the match: -

for the longest time i was dribbling between spellboundedness and behaving like the crowdedness. i would stare around awestruck and then suddenly break into a disco for the four runs struck. its really another thing to watch a clean bold live. its another thing to join in the jubilation that started from one corner of the stadium and watch it spread to that massive mass of people. so many emotions let loose. the yyaaaahh's and ohh nooooo's. bursting out at the hit of play. isn't it amazing that some 50,000 people are feeling exactly the way you are feeling at exactly the same time. its like a nuclear explosion of happiness or grief, wahetever it maybe.

an absolute delight no doubt! i shrieked out alll the frustration, depression, lowdom, sick feelings there. a crowd of unknown people pulled me out of a state my closest friends couldnt. i feel charged up. like a new cell phone battery..operating at full form.

i shall never forget yesterday.

i realised im as much a non-people person as much im a peoples person. i realised i be with people for them, not for me. yesterday for the first time, i went out of office with my phone in hand and headsets on. i walked and listened to music. love songs and boulevard with greenday. yesterday, for the first time, i was alone. i dint dislike it but it was unlike me. and many things came rushing to me as the music swept my ears. the line is being drawn and i dnt knw if it should be. but it seems to be for the good. and i dnt knw if the conclusion is mine or borrowed. exploration is needed to avoid a restricted horizon of my mind and heart.

**watching a car being washed like that feels like meditation to me.