My Eulogy to Cricket

Oh Cricket Oh Cricket
arent u so wicked
u can make our hearts soar
and bring us to our knees
make the crowds roar
or weep if u please

U have many fans
both the masses and the gentle
all of 'em in a trance
some admirers some just plain mental!

Learning your nuances is
every cricketer's joy
Be it perfecting the stances
or spinning the ball like a toy

Played by one and all
On the city's tar paved streets
or the dust bowls of the plains
From raggedly clothed lads
to the upper class chaps

For some ur just a pastime
played on a lazy summer day
for others you are the ticket
to glory, riches and fame

There have been many
who have graced this game
taken it to another level
and immortalized their names

But like a pearl in the ocean
like a diamond in the rough
Came along a man called Sachin
a little short, but nail like tough

He slew them all the bowlers
of every name and land
took each one to the cleaners
with barely a grimace at all.

Such then is the story
of the gentleman's game
The true test of a man
that brings his character to the fore
coz once you have played cricket
you are never again the same

Life's lessons

Everytime I have faced a harsh time in my life.... I have surfaced without any scars.... was what I used to think. Now i realize that every breathing moment we have on this earth will have some consequence on our lives later. Its sunny outside while I write this and I realize just the simple act of the Sun coming out has made my day that much brighter. Now when I go back to my studies after writing this I have a smile on my face and am even more determined to put my best foot forward in whatever i do. How u ask?? Well how can one enjoy the simple joys of life, the ones that matter the most if one has not seen the other side of the coin? When tomorrow I have achieved my dreams and made something out of myself, I can gladly look back to many such days when I almost gave up but for something small like this making me reboot and start afresh. That day I will look at the Sun and thank it for all that it has given me. In a similar vein, when something upsets me, it arms me for future troubles and makes sure I am armed and ready for battle the next time some trouble comes knocking on my door. When you lose a battle, dont lose the lesson too.....

Pop!

Its been two days since i am back in Hyderabad... and the first thing that strikes me here is.... OMG! This is where I have lived all my life! The absolute chaos of the traffic, the hundreds ( and hundreds) of 'loving' relatives who will give u advice about everything under the sun (whether you want it or not ;) )... the maddeningly huge variety of foods to eat that leave you stumped as in what to eat... the frustatingly slow internet that makes you wish you could throw a brick at it .... the glorious sunshine makin u feel so warm all the time :)... the girl in the telefax shop giving u a shy smile ;) .... i guess that the one year I was in Hamburg, I was living in some kind of bubble where I had forgotten all that my life was made up of before coming there... and then POP! Today suddenly that bubble burst! This is why I love being in India... because I am only truly alive when I am in India. India is bursting to its seams with life and makes no apologies for it. What if the traffic makes you pull your hair out... it makes sure every drive is an adventure! :P .. What if the internet is slow.. it makes sure I dont stay too long online (unlike in Hamburg where I am the undisputed biggest FB king :P) ... all in all.... man its gonna be tough entering that bubble again when I go back to Hamburg... but its a long time till then... and am gonna enjoy every second I can, living the way only a 'Hyderabadi' can! :D Cheers!

What i wanna do

To be able to go out and run around like a dog in the open again... to open a window to let the breeze in and not have the room become like freakin -10 degrees x-( .... to sit in the bus and listen to a hundred different people talk a hundred different things..... to sit back in my balcony in a rocking chair with my favorite book in my hand and the warm sun streaming on my face... to act on a whim and go to some strange part of the city i haven't seen before just because i can... to be so bored sometimes as to watch all kinds of weird insect documentaries on the Discovery channel... to have an endless stream of pretty women dressed in all the colors of the rainbow walk right past me wherever i am... to go to my favorite snack stall and have panipuris till my tummy threatens to burst... to go wild and jump around like crazy with my friends every time Sehwag hits a six... to have my mom make chicken curry, eat every last morsel i can get and then lick my fingers, the plate and the bowl clean ;) .... to sit in a darkened movie hall and watch an awesome SRK movie that has you wishing you could get up and twist :P.... and most of all... to have so many wonderful friends that you always have at least one person willing to join u in all of this... thats what it means to be in India for me... India... Main aa raha hu :D

Who am I?

'Be Yourself'..... this has to be the biggest most nonsensical ludicrous bullshit motto ever invented by man. I mean, look at this way....have you ever realized that you are nothing but a product of a process that delivers millions of people like you every minute?? The minute u r born ur lifestyle is already decided for u.... U have absolutely no control over the clothes u wear or the language u speak or the beliefs u consider your own..... for god's sake u cant even decide ur own name!! The one thing that's gonna define you, that will set u apart or at the least should set u apart. U might be thinking, hey we can just change our name if we don't like it right?? Wrong. The problem is cud u ever go around telling the people around you to stop calling u wit that silly name and use the new one? The point I'm trying to make is that who we are is decided by our circumstances before we can even think straight about who we want to be. For example, if I were to take a baby in a strictly vegetarian family ( and I mean strictly) and put it in a family where meat is eaten every single meal.... don't u think that same baby after growing up would eat meat like it was second nature to him/her? On the other hand if the baby were to grow up in the same vegetarian family he/she would probably later say.... "Uff! Even the thought of meat makes me wanna puke! How can you eat that?"!!

The point I'm trying to make ( if your still awake that is) we have absolutely no hand in the kind of person we will become. We just end up adopting the beliefs and culture of the society around us. I am not saying that people don't enjoy having a ready-made identity thrust at them by the time they make it out of the womb... most people would say its better than being an orphan who doesn't know where he came from or where he belongs. Also some enlightened people might even say that you can always defy your circumstances, adopt any belief system you want or even make a new one and then you can be 'unique'. But honestly, the chances of that happening are so bleak that should you ever manage to do it, your uniqueness would only be glorified a hundred years after your dead and gone! All of man's greatest ideas came from people who defied their societal traditions or conventions.

How can anything unique come out of a world where money makes all the rules? If you ain't putting bread on the table, you ain't doing anything worthwhile, or so think the billions upon billions of people in developing countries. Can anyone even imagine what all those minds would think up if they had not to struggle for the basic needs? The mind is like a gateway, and to get across first you need to pay the toll. People are so busy scourging for this toll they have forgotten to ever cross that entrance to mental nirvana. True peace and happiness only lies in mental and physical satisfaction. Ask those hundreds of millions of people barely making ends meet what they would change and you'll see the truth. Then perhaps we would one day truly discover what mankind is capable of when each and every person becomes 'himself' and sets his mind free!

Hi guys here's the list of nouns i collected. The list includes the gender of the noun, its plural form and if it exists the form of the noun in the opp. gender. Ok enjoy!!

By the way there are one or two nouns for which i could not either get the meaning or the plural form......so if u can do try.....i would be very thankful to you...

1) Die Abteilung, -en department, compartment

2) Die Adresse, -n address

3) Der Akzent, -e accent

4) Die Algebra mathematics

5) Die Anlage, -n system

6) Die Antwort, -en answer

7) Die Anzeige, -n advertisement

8) Der Apfel, “- apple

9) Der Appetit apetite

10) Der Arzt, “-e,”-in doctor

11) Die Auskunft, “-e information

12) Der Ausweis, -e identification

13) Das Auto, -s car

14) Die Banane, -n banana

15) Die Batterie, -n battery

16) Das Bier beer

17) Das Beispiel, -e example

18) Der Beruf, -e job, career

19) Das Bett, -en bed

20) Das Bild, -er picture

21) Das Bonbon, -s candy

22) Das Brot, -e bread

23) Das Bruder, “- brother

24) Das Buch, “-er book

25) Der Buchstabe, -n character, letter

26) Das Büro, -s office

27) Die Butter butter

28) Das Café, -s café

29) Der CD-Player, -? cd player

30) Die Chance, -n chance

31) Die Cola cola

32) Der Computer, - computer

33) Die Couch, -en couch

34) Der Dialog, -e dialogue

35) Das Deutsch German

36) Die Dose, -n tin

37) Die Durchsage, -n announcement

38) Der Durst(sl) thirst

39) Die Entschuldigung, -en excuse, apology

40) Das Ei, -er egg

41) Der Einwohner, -n,-in inhabitant

42) Das Eis ice cream

43) Der Elefant, -en elephant

44) Das Erdgeschoss, -e ground floor

45) Der Esel donkey

46) Der Euro, -s euro

47) Das Fahrrad, -er bicycle

48) Der Fahrer, -,-in driver

49) Die Familie, -n family

50) Die Fanta fanta

51) Die Feder, -n feather

52) Der Fehler, - mistake, error

53) Der Fernseher, - television

54) Die Fernsehzeitschrift, -en tv magazine

55) Das Feuerzeug, -e lighter

56) Die Firma, -men firm, company

57) Der Fisch, -e fish

58) Die Flasche, -n bottle

59) Das Fleisch meat, flesh

60) Die Flöte, -n flute

61) Der Flug, “-e flight

62) Der Flughafen airport

63) Das Flugzeug, -e plane

64) Das Foto, -s photograph

65) Die Frag, -en question

66) Die Frau, -en woman

67) Der Friseur, -e,-in hairdresser

68) Der Flugbegleiter, die flugpersonal, -in airhost

69) Das Formular, -e form

70) Der Freund, -e,-in friend

71) Der Führerschein,-e driving licence

72) Der Gang, -e aisle, corridor, path

73) Die Gitarre, -n guitar

74) Das Geld, -er money, currency

75) Das Gemüse vegetables

76) Das Gerät, -e gadget

77) Das Geschäft, -e shop, business

78) Das Geschenk, -e gift

79) Die Geschichte, -n story, affair

80) Das Gespräch, -e conversation

81) Das Getreide grains, cereals

82) Das Gewürz, -e spice

83) Das Glas, “-er glass

84) Das Gramm, - gram

85) Die Größe, -n size

86) Der Gulasch, -e goulash

87) Das Gummibärchen, - toffee, candy

88) Das Hähnchen chicken

89) Das Handy, -s mobile phone

90) Das Haus, “-er house

91) Der Herd, -e stove, cooker

92) Der Herr, -en gentleman

93) Der Honich honey

94) Der Hubschrauber helicopter

95) Der Hunger hunger

96) Der Indianer, -nen Indian

97) Die Information information

98) Der Ingenieur, -e,-in engineer

99) Das Jahr, -e year

100) Das Judo judo

101) Der Joghurt yoghurt

102) Der Junge, -n boy

103) Der Kaffee coffee

104) Die Kamera, -s camera

105) Die Karte, -n card

106) Die Kartoffel, -n potato

107) Der Kasse, -n counter

108) Der Kassierer, -en,-in cashier

109) Der Käse(sr) cheese

110) Der Kasten, - chest, box

111) Der Kaugummi, -s chewing gum

112) Der Kellner, -, -in waiter

113) Das Kilo, -s kilo

114) Das Kind, -er child

115) Der Kiosk, -e Kiosk

116) Die Kneipe, -n pub

117) Die Kollege, -n colleague

118) Die Kollegin, -nen college

119) Der Koffer, - box, suitcase

120) Der Kontakt, -e contact

121) Der Kuchen, - cake

122) Die Küche, -n kitchen

123) Der Kugelschreiber ballpen

124) Der Kunde, -n,-in customer

125) Der Kurs, -e course

126) Die Lampe, -n lamp

127) Das Land, -er land, country

128) Das Lebensmittel groceries

129) Der Lehrer, -,-in teacher

130) Die Lektion, -en lesson

131) Die Leute (pl) people

132) Das Lied, -er song

133) Die Liste, -n list

134) Der Liter, - litre

135) Der Löffel spoon

136) Der Lolli, -s lollipop

137) Der Luftballon , -s airballoons

138) Das Mädchen, - girl

139) Der Mann, “-er man

140) Der Mantel, “- coat

141) Die Maschine, -n machine

142) Die Maus, “-e mouse

143) Das Mehl flour(maida)

144) Das Messer, -e knife

145) Die Methode, -n method

146) Die Mikrowelle, -n Microwave

147) Die Milch (sr) milk

148) Das Mineralwasser mineral water

149) Die Möbel (pl) furniture

150) Der Moment, -e moment

151) Der Monat, -e month

152) Der Morgen, morning

153) Die Musik music

154) Die Mutter, “- mother

155) Der Nachbar, -n,-in neighbor

156) Der Nähe vicinity

157) Der Name, -n name

158) Die Notiz, -en note

159) Die Nummer, -n number

160) Der Ober, - waiter

161) Das Obst fruits

162) Das Öl, -e oil

163) Die Orange, -n orange

164) Der Ort, -e place

165) Das Paar, -e piece

166) Die Packung, -en package

167) Die Paket, -e packet

168) Der Partner, - partner

169) Der Pass, -e passport

170) Die Person, -en person

171) Der Pfeffer pepper

172) Die Pfeife, -n whistle

173) Das Pferd, -e horse

174) Das Pfund, -(e) pound

175) Der Pilot, -en,-in pilot

176) Der Platz, “-e place

177) Die Portion, -en portion

178) Der Preis, -e price

179) Das Problem, -e problem

180) Das Produkt, -e product

181) Das Projekt, -e project

182) Das Prozent, -e

183) Das Putzmittel cleaning soap

184) Das Puzzle, -s puzzle

185) Das Radiergummi eraser

186) Das Radio, -s radio

187) Das Risiko, -iken risk

188) Der Refrain chorus

189) Das Regal, -e shelves

190) Die Regel, -n rule

191) Der Regen(pl) rain

192) Der Reiseleiter, -,-in tourguide

193) Die Sache, -n thing, affair

194) Der Saft, “-e juice

195) Der Samowar ????

196) Der Salat, -e salad

197) Das Salz salt

198) Der Satz, “-e sentence

199) Die Schachtel, -n box

200) Der Schal, -e scarf

201) Der Schinken ham

202) Der Schlüssel key

203) Der Schlüsselring, -e keychain

204) Die Schokolade, -n chocolate

205) Der Schokoriegel, - chocolate bar

206) Der Schrank, -e cabinet

207) Die Schweiz Austria

208) Das Schwert, -er sword

209) Die Seife, -n soap

210) Die Seite, -n page

211) Der Sessel, - armchair

212) Das Sofa, -s sofa

213) Der Sohn, “-e son

214) Die Speisekarte, -n menu

215) Das Spielzeugauto, -s toy car

216) Die Sprache, -n language

217) Die Staatsangehörigkeit, -en citizenship

218) Die Stadt, “-e city

219) Der Stecker plug

220) Der Stein stone

221) Der Staubsauger vaccum machine

222) Der Stock, “-e storey, floor

223) Die Straße, -n street, road

224) Das Stück, -e piece

225) Der Stuhl, “-e chair

226) Der Supermarkt, “-e supermarket

227) Die Suppe, -n soup

228) Die Süßigkeit, -en sweet

229) Die Tabelle, -n, table

230) Der Tag, -e day

231) Der Tango, -s tango

232) Die Tasse, -n cup

233) Das Taxi, -s taxi

234) Der Tee tea

235) Das Telefon, -e telephone

236) Der Teppich, -e carpet

237) Die Text, -e text

238) Das Ticket, -s ticket

239) Die Tiefkühltruhe, -n deep freezer

240) Der Tipp, -s tip

241) Der Tisch, -e table

242) Die Tochter, “- daughter

243) Die Tomate, -n tomato

244) Die Tour, -en tour

245) Der Tourist, -en,-in tourist

246) Der Ton, “-e sound, tone

247) Die Träne, -n tear

248) Die Trommel, -n drum

249) Die Turkei Turkey

250) Der Tür, -en door

251) Die Tüte, -n bag

252) Das Überraschungsei, -er chocolate egg with surprise

253) Der Vater, “- father

254) Das Verb, -en verb

255) Der Verein, -e club

256) Der Verkäufer, -en, -in salesman

257) Die Verzeihung mercy

258) Der Videorekorder, -? video recorder

259) Die Waffe, -n weapon

260) Die Währung, -en currency

261) Das Waschmittel washing soap

262) Der Wein, -e wine

263) Die Werbung advertising

264) Die Woche, -n week

265) Die Wohnung, -en apartment

266) Das Wort, “-er word

267) Der Wunsch, “-e wish, request

268) Der Wurm, “-er worm

269) Die Wurst, “-e sausage

270) Das Würstchen, - sausage

271) Die Zahl, -en number

272) Der Zeil, -en line

273) Die Zeit time

274) Die Zeitung, -en newspaper

275) Das Zentrum, -ren centre

276) Der Zettel, -en note

277) Die Zigarette, -n cigarette

278) Das Zimmer, - room

279) Der Zucker (sr) sugar

280) Der Zug, “-e train