Or in this case, till the last ball is tonked over the pond....
It was SPANDAN cricket...IIITB's annual cricket carnival. Our team (Alumini from 2007 batch) made it to the final quite easily.
Considering our high scoring ways, inspite of having only 2 batsment in the lineup, we expected to get a decent total again. But as always, PHR failed again....in a pressure match. .. no surprise that!! Nandish shud have been around..if not for anything atleast to piss off PHR to make him score like in the previous game, with his irrepressible taunts
We ended up 69 in 12 overs.
"It is a defendable total, as long as we dont bowl full toss"...all our bowlers agreed just b4 entering the field to defend that total.
The first 4 overs went like a charm. The opposition batsmen finding out newer and weirder ways to get out ....... and our fielders managing to catch everything that came their way.
Then at end of 5 over with a score of 20/5 ( only two more wickets to get), yours truly made it to the bowling crease. Now, I rate myself as a bowler. . . I was thinking, one wicket for me this over...then Roshan will finish it off in the next....then we can go off for that delayed lunch at Chandana, where PTP and PHR can enjoy their "well deserved" cold beer . Advice flowed from all the other accomplished bowlers in the team..."bowl across him, he will edge it" ...."keep a little more pace man else you will get hit"...."bowl a lil slower, he will miss hit it" ...... whew!!
With all this, I just jogged up as usual and managed 3 uneventful deliveries. Then thinking..."ok lemme get that wicket....bowl a yorker and get done with it" , I just ran in a tad faster and then ended up banging it at half pitch....thud...six.
Next ..again attempted yorker..full toss....6!!! Gawd....managed the next one with only a single.....and ran away to hide myself at the boundary line with tails firmly between my legs.
"We have enough good bowlers who will finish the job"......
Bang....full toss for another 6.....this time Roshan being the sinner.
What followed was an amazing 25 mins...when every one of our bowlers seemed inspired to bowl a full toss, no matter what...we ended up losing with 10 more balls to spare..and the poor chap who won them the game ended up in the pool !!! Though, I cant still imagine how that guy did not edge even one ball ...Every over, it was 3 or 4 times beaten ...then a six and then a single to retain strike..amazing. . . The worst part....he just wrote somewhere that I am his favourite bowler....err... Dunno how to react to that!!
I have been in teams that have lost quite spectacularly before...but this one takes the cake.
Dunno if I will play SPANDAN next year, but the three years that I have played this tournament has provided enough memories to last a long long time......
Showing posts with label chellata. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chellata. Show all posts
Monday, March 10, 2008
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
SWEET & SOUR
Ant, grasshopper
Old version
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant’s a fool and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well-fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.
Modern version
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant’s a fool and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well-fed while others are cold and starving.
NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home.
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house. Medha Patkar goes on a fast demanding that the grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter. Amnesty International and Kofi Annan criticise the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper. Left parties call for “Bharat bundh” in West Bengal and Kerala. CPM in Kerala passes a law preventing ants from working hard so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers. The judicial committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act (POTAGA), with effect from the beginning of the winter. Arjun Singh makes special reservation for grasshopper in educational and government service.
The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony. Arundhati Roy calls it “a triumph of justice”. CPM calls it the “revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden”. Many years later... The ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar company in Silicon Valley. 100s of grasshoppers still die of starvation... Losing a lot of hard working ants and feeding grasshoppers, India is still a “developing” country.
(Courtesy: Vipin Bucksey, New Delhi)
Appeared in Deccan Herald March 2, 2007
Old version
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant’s a fool and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well-fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.
Modern version
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant’s a fool and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well-fed while others are cold and starving.
NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home.
Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant’s house. Medha Patkar goes on a fast demanding that the grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter. Amnesty International and Kofi Annan criticise the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper. Left parties call for “Bharat bundh” in West Bengal and Kerala. CPM in Kerala passes a law preventing ants from working hard so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers. The judicial committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act (POTAGA), with effect from the beginning of the winter. Arjun Singh makes special reservation for grasshopper in educational and government service.
The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony. Arundhati Roy calls it “a triumph of justice”. CPM calls it the “revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden”. Many years later... The ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar company in Silicon Valley. 100s of grasshoppers still die of starvation... Losing a lot of hard working ants and feeding grasshoppers, India is still a “developing” country.
(Courtesy: Vipin Bucksey, New Delhi)
Appeared in Deccan Herald March 2, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
TA
Now that I am done being a TA, I thought of penning down some of my activities as TA.
It was quite easy and fun being one.
Task 1. Invigilate the class test. . . . . thats pretty easy . . . . . Put up some seating arrangement. Just distribute the sheets and walk around the class, looking important and all knowing. If any one has a doubt regarding an ambiguous question which you also fail to understand. . . just say, "assume whatever is ambiguous and clearly state your assumption" :-D. That is a neat little trick I learnt from my TA's.
Task 2. Take demo for programming assignment and ask some viva.
Steps:
Meet prof.
Receive some gyan, about how to evaluate.
Allot slots for the students to meet you for the demo
[even if you already know that no one will come in their allotted time slot].
If somebody wants to show you the demo a couple of days before it is due . . . .
beware .. . that guys is seriously jobless. Afterall whoever heard of even starting
an assignment till 24 hours before it is due, let alone submitting it.
Run their programs, ask them to explain the code(!!!!)
( as per the gyan imparted by prof).
Guys will keep calling you "sir", even if you insist on being called on first name basis
--get used to it.
Nod your head as if understanding, even if you dont know JAVA and what they
are explaining makes no sense whatsoever to you, maybe you will learn something by the end of it all. Or atleast all that nodding will give your neck some much needed exercise.
If you have a beard and are asking stuff to which they dont know the answers,
be prepared to hear the word "terror" uttered when they think you are out
of ear shot.
Some female students will be heard saying, "I dont want to go to that bearded
guy!! I prefer the other friendly guy who talks sweetly".
:-)
Converse in the local language with your co-TA, expressing disgust at the poor
quality of work being demonstrated, and then get shocked when it turns out that the student sitting in front of you speaks the language!!
Task3. The toughest job : Evaluating the answer scripts
This can be a big chore, but sometimes can be the best source of entertainment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS: Dunno, how much of what I have written above is coherent . . . . I am tired and unable to thing clearly . . . but unable to sleep too [ aftereffect of sitting at a desk all day, with no physical activity at all]. . . . Had nothing else to do . . so I just typed this up ......will review it later sometime and delete it or make changes as appropriate.
PPS: I should also write something about being a student intern in a software company. . . . but that will come after some more weeks/months pass by. . . .
It was quite easy and fun being one.
Task 1. Invigilate the class test. . . . . thats pretty easy . . . . . Put up some seating arrangement. Just distribute the sheets and walk around the class, looking important and all knowing. If any one has a doubt regarding an ambiguous question which you also fail to understand. . . just say, "assume whatever is ambiguous and clearly state your assumption" :-D. That is a neat little trick I learnt from my TA's.
Task 2. Take demo for programming assignment and ask some viva.
Steps:
Meet prof.
Receive some gyan, about how to evaluate.
Allot slots for the students to meet you for the demo
[even if you already know that no one will come in their allotted time slot].
If somebody wants to show you the demo a couple of days before it is due . . . .
beware .. . that guys is seriously jobless. Afterall whoever heard of even starting
an assignment till 24 hours before it is due, let alone submitting it.
Run their programs, ask them to explain the code(!!!!)
( as per the gyan imparted by prof).
Guys will keep calling you "sir", even if you insist on being called on first name basis
--get used to it.
Nod your head as if understanding, even if you dont know JAVA and what they
are explaining makes no sense whatsoever to you, maybe you will learn something by the end of it all. Or atleast all that nodding will give your neck some much needed exercise.
If you have a beard and are asking stuff to which they dont know the answers,
be prepared to hear the word "terror" uttered when they think you are out
of ear shot.
Some female students will be heard saying, "I dont want to go to that bearded
guy!! I prefer the other friendly guy who talks sweetly".
:-)
Converse in the local language with your co-TA, expressing disgust at the poor
quality of work being demonstrated, and then get shocked when it turns out that the student sitting in front of you speaks the language!!
Task3. The toughest job : Evaluating the answer scripts
This can be a big chore, but sometimes can be the best source of entertainment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS: Dunno, how much of what I have written above is coherent . . . . I am tired and unable to thing clearly . . . but unable to sleep too [ aftereffect of sitting at a desk all day, with no physical activity at all]. . . . Had nothing else to do . . so I just typed this up ......will review it later sometime and delete it or make changes as appropriate.
PPS: I should also write something about being a student intern in a software company. . . . but that will come after some more weeks/months pass by. . . .
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
One way trip
A pitched battle has been ongoing for 8 months now.The millions, led by N are a beaten lot. The once sizeable lot is now hugely diminished. They are fighting for a lost cause. But their pride does not allow them to sit back and be beaten. If at all they are going down, it wont be without a fight to the bitter end.
It all began innocuously enough. A few dead and uprooted in the dead of night when N was off duty (sleeping). He dismissed these stray incidents as routine happenings. Exposed to the harsh climes of the battlefields, some footsoldiers are bound to fall prey to the enemy, he said. The large number of young and upright members of the clan showed signs of weakening more than a couple of years ago. Some of the members got old too early(blame it on the stressful conditions they encountered), others fell away from the mainstream rather suspiciously. N suspected that his clan had been infiltrated. He dug out the offenders. It was easy enough at first,as they stood out from the teeming crowd of N's clan. Unfortunately, physical removal of the traitors did not improve the situation for N. The traitors grew in number. Hidden among the natives, the traitors worked their evil, weakening the faithfuls who began to wilt. It was in Jan '06 that the battle truly reached a flash point. N's troops have declined alarmingly quickly. There is no signs of a let up. The battle field which was earlier filled to the very edge [resembled the hair on grizzly bears :D ], now sports a bare look.The losses on either side have been extensive.But the natives have lost more. Large patches of terrain are left unoccupied. It has been ravaged by the battle, and rendered uninhabitable for the natives. This is a sign of things to come. The rest of the terrain will meet the same fate. Finally what will be left is large tracts of empty terrain, with a story to tell, for those who will care to listen.
:-)
It all began innocuously enough. A few dead and uprooted in the dead of night when N was off duty (sleeping). He dismissed these stray incidents as routine happenings. Exposed to the harsh climes of the battlefields, some footsoldiers are bound to fall prey to the enemy, he said. The large number of young and upright members of the clan showed signs of weakening more than a couple of years ago. Some of the members got old too early(blame it on the stressful conditions they encountered), others fell away from the mainstream rather suspiciously. N suspected that his clan had been infiltrated. He dug out the offenders. It was easy enough at first,as they stood out from the teeming crowd of N's clan. Unfortunately, physical removal of the traitors did not improve the situation for N. The traitors grew in number. Hidden among the natives, the traitors worked their evil, weakening the faithfuls who began to wilt. It was in Jan '06 that the battle truly reached a flash point. N's troops have declined alarmingly quickly. There is no signs of a let up. The battle field which was earlier filled to the very edge [resembled the hair on grizzly bears :D ], now sports a bare look.The losses on either side have been extensive.But the natives have lost more. Large patches of terrain are left unoccupied. It has been ravaged by the battle, and rendered uninhabitable for the natives. This is a sign of things to come. The rest of the terrain will meet the same fate. Finally what will be left is large tracts of empty terrain, with a story to tell, for those who will care to listen.
:-)
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Wonder years
Growing up happens in a heartbeat.
One day you're in diapers, the next day you're gone.
But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.
I remember a place ... a school ... a school like a lot of schools ...
A building like a lot of other buildings ...On a street like a lot of other streets.
And the thing is ... After all these years,I still look back ... with wonder.
Saturday.... Am at home on a saturday morning after a longggg time. Coz our Marketing guru had some work and could not make it to the lecture.I remember getting up at around 9AM and being subjected to some light banter from dad for oversleeping(and I went... oh c'mon...9AM is too early esp. on a weekend ). I decided, I want to spend as little time as possible today, on my feet. I wanted to put my feet up and take it eazeee.
Now!! I am adept at 'appearing' busy doing nothing. But to to be seen as not doing anything and still not be asked by someone to do some work around the house...that is something I am yet to master.
Then I thought...........I can laze away an entire morning and afternoon too, if I somehow manage to push all the chores ( if any) onto my bro.(uhhh...maybe promise him a game of Age of conquerors so that he can beat me black n blue and take out all his frustrations on me). I hoped for a lazy saturday evening too, but was booked for a family outing. So had to make most of the morning(whatever was left of it) and the afternoon.
But what do you know, surprisingly I had no chores all day. So I did not have to offer myself for an AOC massacre. But that did not stop him from pulling me in for a quick game later that night and trashing me not once but twice, leaving me completely annoyed and irritated with him and my ego completely bruised.I expected to last atleast for an hour...and not lose in 20 mins flat!! :-D
I managed to lay my hand on a couple of books 'How opal mehta got kissed......'
and an yet to be released novel by Abbot ( one advantage of having a sis who is Sr.Manager in the marketing div. of a large chain of bookstores).It was my dream day!
Then in the late afternoon, by 3 or 3.30PM, I got a call on my cell phone....
Caller(female with shrill voice vaguely familiar):"hi Nagesh, I am your friend here.Can you come to xyz?"
Me: "who is this?"
Caller:I am your friend here.Can you come to xyz?
Me:(thinks 'this HAS to be a prank' what girl in her right mind will call me!):"sry, I'm busy now.Cant come anywhere."
Caller: I am XXX.
Me: whoa! You!? When did u change your phone number!!
Caller(seemingly in a hurry to hang up): Will you come to xyz?
Me: alrite... will get there in another 10
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
No I did not go to xyz and become the bakra.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A couple of incoming calls; one from the same female, one from a school friend(why did HE call!!. If not for him, I might yet have fallen for
this ;-) ) roused my suspicion further.Then an outgoing sms confirmed the identity of the callers..aahh thankfully!! Else, the embarassment would have been ultmate.
I saved myself the blushes.When they realised, I was not taking the bait, they owned up. I met them later and then pushed off for my family outing.
It was my friends from school, on an unannounced get-together. The kids from KK, now all grown up and working or going abroad for higher studies.
Unexpected, it spoiled my plans for a lazy afternoon, but a pleasant surprise nevertheless. Seeing some of them after 6-7 years brought back some amazing memories.
One day you're in diapers, the next day you're gone.
But the memories of childhood stay with you for the long haul.
I remember a place ... a school ... a school like a lot of schools ...
A building like a lot of other buildings ...On a street like a lot of other streets.
And the thing is ... After all these years,I still look back ... with wonder.
Saturday.... Am at home on a saturday morning after a longggg time. Coz our Marketing guru had some work and could not make it to the lecture.I remember getting up at around 9AM and being subjected to some light banter from dad for oversleeping(and I went... oh c'mon...9AM is too early esp. on a weekend ). I decided, I want to spend as little time as possible today, on my feet. I wanted to put my feet up and take it eazeee.
Now!! I am adept at 'appearing' busy doing nothing. But to to be seen as not doing anything and still not be asked by someone to do some work around the house...that is something I am yet to master.
Then I thought...........I can laze away an entire morning and afternoon too, if I somehow manage to push all the chores ( if any) onto my bro.(uhhh...maybe promise him a game of Age of conquerors so that he can beat me black n blue and take out all his frustrations on me). I hoped for a lazy saturday evening too, but was booked for a family outing. So had to make most of the morning(whatever was left of it) and the afternoon.
But what do you know, surprisingly I had no chores all day. So I did not have to offer myself for an AOC massacre. But that did not stop him from pulling me in for a quick game later that night and trashing me not once but twice, leaving me completely annoyed and irritated with him and my ego completely bruised.I expected to last atleast for an hour...and not lose in 20 mins flat!! :-D
I managed to lay my hand on a couple of books 'How opal mehta got kissed......'
and an yet to be released novel by Abbot ( one advantage of having a sis who is Sr.Manager in the marketing div. of a large chain of bookstores).It was my dream day!
Then in the late afternoon, by 3 or 3.30PM, I got a call on my cell phone....
Caller(female with shrill voice vaguely familiar):"hi Nagesh, I am your friend here.Can you come to xyz?"
Me: "who is this?"
Caller:I am your friend here.Can you come to xyz?
Me:(thinks 'this HAS to be a prank' what girl in her right mind will call me!):"sry, I'm busy now.Cant come anywhere."
Caller: I am XXX.
Me: whoa! You!? When did u change your phone number!!
Caller(seemingly in a hurry to hang up): Will you come to xyz?
Me: alrite... will get there in another 10
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
No I did not go to xyz and become the bakra.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A couple of incoming calls; one from the same female, one from a school friend(why did HE call!!. If not for him, I might yet have fallen for
this ;-) ) roused my suspicion further.Then an outgoing sms confirmed the identity of the callers..aahh thankfully!! Else, the embarassment would have been ultmate.
I saved myself the blushes.When they realised, I was not taking the bait, they owned up. I met them later and then pushed off for my family outing.
It was my friends from school, on an unannounced get-together. The kids from KK, now all grown up and working or going abroad for higher studies.
Unexpected, it spoiled my plans for a lazy afternoon, but a pleasant surprise nevertheless. Seeing some of them after 6-7 years brought back some amazing memories.
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