Happy New Year! Welcome 2016! GOODBYE 2015 :)

Happy New Year! 

Wish you all the very best in 2016! 

Now if you are ready for my annual spam, read ahead :) 

DISCLAIMER: Only PART of all that I wanted to include, but is still as long as usual. 

What a year you were 2015!
Your Tagline: See Silver in Tragedy.
Did we laugh or did we cry?
Oh! I can just see that smile wry.   

Be it the Charlie Hebdo attack or the ISIS bombing,
The world united and vowed terrorism's ending.
The Nepal earthquake, the Chennai flooding,
The Haj stampede, the racial killings,
Through all these we gained courage; we kept faith,
Because people helped each other with mercy and grace. 

Yes, the Syrian crisis showed us again
How very indifferent we can be to another's pain.
How insular, insecure, some of us are,
How ignorance still thrives in the educated's heart.
Yet, Greece still is part of the Euro,
And Germany and Canada taught us to keep open the door. 

Free: a killer lawyer, Salman Khan, a juvenile rapist,
Ban: beef, alcohol, meat, curses in films -whatever is wrong to the neo-fascist.
Reign: India as home to the largest number of the world's hungry
Reach: The PM's focus on global tours and free basics and only the industry.
Create: Furore for things best ignored such as Aamir's statements or the AIB Roast
Ignore: Lack of basic amenities, corruption, that the environment is toast.
Reap: Floods, starvation, home grown terrorists, suicides in millions
Weep: This is not India, the aspiration and positivity of more than a billion. 

Yet, there is much to rejoice,
Indeed, we are spoilt for choice.
Grand old Leander Paes now holds the record for tennis titles,
Young Wrestlers and Pankaj Advani and Mirza and Nehwal too won laurels.
Operation Maitri and Operation Rahat did us proud,
Kalam inspired us to work, to live, with passion, till wrapped in a shroud.
For COP21 we united, the BASIC worked for "common but differentiated responsibilities"
World over Indians and Indian Origins are shining with their many feats. 

We now have the world celebrate the Yoga Day,
And we have our very own Constitution Day.
Yes, the parliament is still not functioning,
Yes, the politicians are still pettily bickering,
Yes, there is much to change,
But Maggi is back, for now we celebrate. 

Take heart in the silver lining,
It keeps our spirits from flagging.
Take heart in generosity and courage,
That inflation and calamities we can face,
Take heart that the common folks continue to be
India and the world's triumph in the face of tragedy. 

Believe that this road is not the end of a journey,
Believe that the writing of the future is in our deeds.
Believe that age nor time nor circumstance can ever defeat,
Believe that we can accomplish any feat.
Believe that inclusion is better than judgemental exclusion
Believe that flowers can indeed win wars, not guns. 

2016 we approach wiser than before
2016 we will better by bringing our best to the fore.

Wish you all Health, Wealth and Success in your passions,
And above all Love, Happiness and Peace in abundance.

- 31 December 2015

- Generally I give references, but this time Google it, guys. I only referred to VERY famous incidents.

- And as a very perceptive reader (Thank you Aseet) pointed out, skipped Ghar Wapsi. 

- Actually I have skipped ODES more. 

Hope Life treats you WONDERFUL!

Yesterday, I met this girl again,
Well a woman now, some would exclaim,
An old friend, let's keep it at that,
A beautiful person across me sat.

She told me her story,
As usual with a smile merry,
But wait, on reflection, also a bit weary,
Testing waters, a bit wary.

How do I tell her I admire her so?
Her cheerful persona, her grit, and so very much more.
Assertive and helpful, giddy and insightful, stubborn and graceful,
All I can say is hope Life ever from now treats you Wonderful.

Blessed Be.
Love Always.

- 31 December 2015
- Met an old college friend after a long time. Just so admire her spirit. 

3 and half hours

There are deadlines and lectures
Rescheduling horrors.
There is the bone deep tiredness,
The utter lack of zest.
The need to lie down and just sleep:
All this will keep.

3 and a half hours of bliss
With friends felt like minutes.
A late lunch with so much to eat,
But the really fun part was the meet.
The talk, the pokes, the sometimes sad jokes,
A new member in the group, but we were the same folks.

The camaraderie, the thread of understanding,
Even as we stretched the line of reasoning.
The frustration, the anger, the pain: 

All erased. So much a gain.
So much of laughter and fun,
I can't wait for December 31.

Thank you guys. 

- 20 December 2015 

- Self-Explanatory.

Surprise

Surprise! The element of fun.

Surprise! It shows care for one. 

Surprise! Such a lot of planning. 

Surprise! Most pleasurable without a warning. 

Surprise! How does one respond? 

Surprise! Squealing is out, but grace nowhere to be found. 

Surprise! The thought more than the cake.

Surprise! The effort more than the banner made. 

Surprise! The gift of time. 

Surprise! This friend of mine. 

- 17 December 2015

- A friend (and a colleague) ambushed me with a surprise mini celebration at work with a banner and cake, et al. In the midst of multiple deadlines to meet, tempers fraying, and everyone low on energy and health, the thought and effort was heartwarming. And to think, I was trying to skip the whole exercise :) 

A contract to to kill a contractor

3 and half months gone, but work still undone,

Shoddy at best, torturously slow, what fun.

Pay the price for being nice

Is being understanding and patient always wise? 

Workers don't care, the supervisors are jokes,

But hold on, be quiet, don't shout, say the folks. 

When will we give up this stupid image?

That we are better people - this tag is our cage. 

Does it not behoove us to fight? 

Even when we are in the right? 

Damn it! I want to just kill

These damn worthless contractors who still dare present a bill. 

- 03 December 2015

- Self Explanatory