Alan Watts got it right:
(turn up volume, it's a bit soft)
(watch it again!)
Life is a musical. Not a Start -> Finish goal. I wish *some* people would try and understand that.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Monday, February 18, 2008
Ecosystem
There's this place in Ahmedabad. It's an eating joint. Toran. "Cafe Toran" as I incorrectly keep calling it. I came across this place...
Aside: incidentally what do you call it when you discover a place, but only because you were led to it by someone who already knew it? "I discovered the place"? Too full of yourself. "The place was discovered unto me"? Too Ancient english-ey ... :-/
Anyways - Toran. Chaos in '06 thanks to Bolli, et al. It is a veg place. But it is a brilliant place. As Giddu put it "If you're eating veg, eat this stuff. Or else just go kill an animal". It's infinite food for some 80 bucks. And I mean *infinite*.
The service is awesome. And at the end of your meal, you hear stuff like "Sir kyaa sir.. Aap toh kuchh nahi khaye.. Ek aur roti sar.. Ek aur." And when fat people ask for "Normal rotis" (without ghee), the server gheefully (forgive the bad pun) replies: "Ghee ke bina kya maja aayega?" And proceeds to pour an inordinate amount of fat onto the puny roti.
Fast forward 2008: The place has become freakishly popular. And why shouldn't it? But here's the thing: There's a whole set of shops that thrive off this place.
Whilst waiting to be seated (there is *always* a waiting line), one shop guy sells chai and sutta. Another shopkeeper next to it serves little edibles like chips and sandwiches. Basically, their only reason for selling stuff is Toran.
And you also find autorickshaw drivers parked just outside, waiting for passengers. And what about the big hoardings around the place? What choice do you have but to look at them?
So, the essential point is: There is this whole ecosystem of stuff built around this one successful joint. Seems so cool na?
Or perhaps I'm too much into the "economics" mood these days.. Either way, Toran rocks :)
Aside: incidentally what do you call it when you discover a place, but only because you were led to it by someone who already knew it? "I discovered the place"? Too full of yourself. "The place was discovered unto me"? Too Ancient english-ey ... :-/
Anyways - Toran. Chaos in '06 thanks to Bolli, et al. It is a veg place. But it is a brilliant place. As Giddu put it "If you're eating veg, eat this stuff. Or else just go kill an animal". It's infinite food for some 80 bucks. And I mean *infinite*.
The service is awesome. And at the end of your meal, you hear stuff like "Sir kyaa sir.. Aap toh kuchh nahi khaye.. Ek aur roti sar.. Ek aur." And when fat people ask for "Normal rotis" (without ghee), the server gheefully (forgive the bad pun) replies: "Ghee ke bina kya maja aayega?" And proceeds to pour an inordinate amount of fat onto the puny roti.
Fast forward 2008: The place has become freakishly popular. And why shouldn't it? But here's the thing: There's a whole set of shops that thrive off this place.
Whilst waiting to be seated (there is *always* a waiting line), one shop guy sells chai and sutta. Another shopkeeper next to it serves little edibles like chips and sandwiches. Basically, their only reason for selling stuff is Toran.
And you also find autorickshaw drivers parked just outside, waiting for passengers. And what about the big hoardings around the place? What choice do you have but to look at them?
So, the essential point is: There is this whole ecosystem of stuff built around this one successful joint. Seems so cool na?
Or perhaps I'm too much into the "economics" mood these days.. Either way, Toran rocks :)
Counter-Strike
I've just come across the perfrect CS map: It is (wait for it... wait for it...) IIMA Campus! Seriously no kidding - the layout of the place, the brickey red feel, short buildings. Archways, big round holes, seedy spots to snipe from.
Windows overlooking courtyards, quick confusing exits to dart in and out of, curving stairwells. Brilliant I say.
And to top it off is the dusty, grimy atmosphere. It feels like de_dust with a slight tinge of de_aztec.
Windows overlooking courtyards, quick confusing exits to dart in and out of, curving stairwells. Brilliant I say.
And to top it off is the dusty, grimy atmosphere. It feels like de_dust with a slight tinge of de_aztec.
Monday, February 11, 2008
This Really Happened At Work...
Person 1: (Supposed to take a flight to Chennai) So I should go to the airport by train right?
Person 2: You can go to either Santacruz or Vile Parle.
Person 1: (With a big question mark on his face) How can a single flight go from both places???
:-/
Person 2: You can go to either Santacruz or Vile Parle.
Person 1: (With a big question mark on his face) How can a single flight go from both places???
:-/
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Monday, February 04, 2008
"The Horror... The Horror..."
This is the end, Beautiful friend
This is the end, My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes...again
Words from The Doors' dark poetic verses. Never have they fit a movie more perfectly.
"I love the smell of napalm in the morning…It smells like…victory."
A paradox of madness and thought. "The bravest, most honest account of the futility of war ever filmed"
"I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving. "
"He likes you because you're still alive"
It's about the Vietnam war. Apocalypse Now.
This is the end, My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes...again
Words from The Doors' dark poetic verses. Never have they fit a movie more perfectly.
"I love the smell of napalm in the morning…It smells like…victory."
A paradox of madness and thought. "The bravest, most honest account of the futility of war ever filmed"
"I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight... razor... and surviving. "
"He likes you because you're still alive"
It's about the Vietnam war. Apocalypse Now.
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