I'm here again :)

Its been way tooo long I guess.

Chennai saw one of its biggest downpours ever today! It dint just rain, but it rained buckets and buckets. We'd prolly have filled up the entire Pacific Ocean! it rained tht much! I, thankfully, was safely cuddled up in my room, armed with my laptop and a nice novel to read. The dull day passed quickly enough, with meaningless chat sessions, phone calls, and ofcourse my novel-which I managed to finish :)

Our story came on TV on Sunday. In english and in Tamil. I actually enjoyed my small..internship...i guess. Unfortunately my frens dint enjoy it as much. Ofcourse we had our share of troubles and irritations and endless waiting, but I liked it. The people did talk a LOOOOT and were annoying and frustratin, but on the whole, they were a friendly lot. Yes, they did make fun of us (me specially) but they were also helpful and they bore with us for our 10-day session with them. And they were highly patient with us (especially the guys in-charge of editing) . It was good enough I guess and not an entire waste for sure! I enjoyed doing VOs and ofcourse our auditions :) That was easier than I thought it wud be! :)

And now it is back to college and work. M hoping for more in the near future. And hopefully things will work out. M keeping my fingers crossed about it :)

Will keep u updated.. (Hopefully ) ;)

Until next time.. god knows when thats gonna be..Adios :)

Yet another one..

Well, I'm bak yet again. It's been ages since I've last blogged but here I am agn. It's 1.30 in the middle of the night. I have my music turned on and m makin this blog entry right now.

A quick flash back... Life's going good. My one month probation period is almost coming to an end. One more week to go and il know what lies ahead for me in the future. Just one more week to go and I'll know where I stand. Kinda scary trust me!

But so far so good. Work's going good. Hectic at times of course. But still worth the effort. And college is fine too. The usual of course. And getting more hectic and crazier day by day (Courtesy HOD) but still...it's ok. Am dealing with things as best as I can.

Anyway thts all for now. Till next time......

PS: Gonna be moving in a week's time as well.

Life.. :)

God knows when I blogged last. I remember a friend telling me to keep blogging. But i guess i wasnt able to do it.
So lemme give you an update. Been slogging my ass off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, believe it or not, lazy days are gone...with the wind! Now, its me, my college work, my website work, my music and my laptop. I think at this stage me and my laptop are gonna end up becoming best friends. LOL :)

But in all seriousness, I'm enjoying every moment of my life right now. Of course, there is the pressure of deadlines and submission and keepin track of what all to do n blah blah blah. But in spite of all that, the last one and a half weeks have been so busy! And every moment...well im not gonna exaggerate and say that its etched in my mind, cuz its not. But I think I'v enjoyed myself working. I've covered events, written feature stories, even got an exclusive interview with someone today, and the entire experience of actually working has been mind blowing.

It ain't just that people look upto you when u tell them ur from the press. But in this one week, I've met so many new people- some not so very nice and some absolute sweethearts! I've established myself a little bit atleast in the reporting arena and I'm glad things are goin good.

Life is hectic...but going realy goooood!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Adios! :)

PS: Don't know when I'll have time for the next entry. Today was a surprise too in fact.

Another day 1 :)

It's been 10 days since my last post. I kinda expected it from myself I guess. I knew tht once I'd come bak to chennai, my blog posts would drastically reduce. But oh well, here I am once again typing furiously at 20 minutes past midnight!

I've got news!! I'm working part time for a news website now. I approached them yesterday after some nudging from my Head of Department and guess wht? I got the job!! My first official job where I'm actually gonna be getting paid! I've imagined this day soo many times in my mind-telling people I've got an actual job and working for someone and doing something useful with my time! And now it's finally happening.

Its gonna be hectic though. I'll have to go for an assignment after college everyday for the first one month! And then, they'll decide if they want me to hang around, and I will have to decide if I do wanna hang around!

But still, its gonna be exciting, and pretty hectic with college too! I guess I'll be fighting with time to meet all my deadlines. I'm gonna be living a life of constant pressure and deadlines for the next one month. I wanted more to do, and I've got it now! I'm just hoping its what I want and tht I dont collapse under all the pressure ;) Nah kidding! Gonna be exciting and I'm looking forward to the stress and the tension. Will probably make me feel like a real journalist!

Today was my first assignment. Heritage Center and a Live Phobia Cure Event. It was pretty interesting and fun to attend. I wouldn't say I leant anything, cuz frankly, I dont think I did. But I did enjoy the way the host kept the crowd entertained and excited the whole 2 hours! He was interesting to listen to :)

And the best part? I met PRINCE today! He smiled at me and asked me where I was from and stuff like that! During the whole event, we met each others' eyes and smiled often- probably cuz we were among the very few press people there at that time! He was sweet! Totally unlike what I'd expected and what I'd heard about him! It was nice meeting him!

I'm done with ma report and I've mailed it to ma boss. Hope things go okay as its ma first assignment as such! Keeping ma fingers crossed :)

My 1st day...

Yup...My college officially began today! Day one!!

It wasn't as bad as I'd expected it to be. I realised tht the only reason a majority of us wake up every morning and come to college, is to meet our friends. I guess this is smthn not very new. But it hit me hard today. My last year in college and I've been with my friends for the past 2 yrs.

We've all had our ups and downs of course! Frustrations, tempers, anger, madness, craziness, impatience, tears, laughter, joy, team work, fun, parties..the list is endless and I've been a witness to everything in my 2 yrs at college.

There have been times when the pressures have been so high tht college has been the only thing on our mind. The work tends to take a toll on you at times, but thnx to goood friends made, and good team effort, we've always managed to do our best and come out successful.

2008 is going to be an eventful year i think. We're going to have our share of fun of course. But i guess it'll soon register that next year same time, who knows where all of us are going to end up. Will we be in touch and will our umpteen friendships survive? Everyone is going to start thinking about the future and the prospects available soon enough I guess. It's going to be a year of changes and enlightenment.

I feel older and wiser just thinking about it :)

My night out

We planned it all out over the last week. And it so happens that anything we plan on properly and well in advance always tends to start off wrong. And this one was flagged off with a disastrous beginning!

It began with an assignment for my intern friend and me. Sure, we took it up. It was our last day after all. We wanted work! SO we covered the event and by the time we returned to office, it was almost 8:30pm!

Next, a tragedy a few buildings away from our work place put everyone in a foul mood. Noone was in the mood to party any more. And then, the biggest news of all. My friend and me had to hang around and work on the scripting and the editing of the story we'd covered. This was bound to take a few long hours!!!

We didn't have an option. We battled it out. We worked from almost 9:30 to 11:30 with frequent calls from a friend asking us about the status of our progress and if our 'nite-out' plan was still on and also savoring Chennai's victory in the semis . 11:30pm and we said our good byes and left work. Finalllyy!!!

45 minutes later and the five of us are on our way to Red Box for DINNER! Our plans to go clubbing or enjoy in a lounge went down the drain. But we survived the ordeal :) it was a nice place, good music , good food and very good company.

1:30pm and we are at my friend's place. A bottle of breezer each, and a shot of vodka and very interesting, if not highly graphic conversations kept our moods high. A lousy, hectic and stressful day ended with all of us chilling out, getting along, pulling each other's legs and just plain having fun!

My first night out in Bombay. It wasn't what I had expected but nevertheless it was unbelievably amazing and I had a damn good time!

This entry is dedicated to my fellow interns, Piya, Disha, Karunika, Anushka, Bansi and Niyati and Karthik who couldn't be there. Thank you! :)

Last day

Today's my last day at work. I'm no longer gonna be working any shift in the office. There will no longer be any necessity for me to wait endlessly for bus number 80. I will no longer be asked to take a unit and go for a shoot somewhere. I will no longer have to ingest tapes or archive them. There will be no need for me to hunt for an adaptor or run to the library for something.

So am I relieved or happy or just glad to head home soon? Not really actually. I don't feel like leaving work. Its been an interesting one month here. I've made new friends, met new people and done so much here in this one month. I've had my share of fun here too, partying a bit and hanging out with frens.

I don't really wish to leave work cuz here, this one month, Iv actually felt like I've done something useful. Its been a wonderful experience, one I'm not likely to forget anytime soon.

I want to work here someday.

Something to think about

I realised something yesterday. Something very important. Things are never what they seem and even people are not what they seem. It's never right to make assumptions about how a person is or how a person's life is going. Cuz there is always a lot that doesn't meet your eye. There is always so much lying deep within. Stuff that you are not aware of. Stuff that you would never have even imagined.

I realised this yesterday in a three-hour conversation with an old-old friend. There is so much he's been through. So much I'd never imagined. So much i've never given a second thought to. It probably shows im not as perceptive as i thought i was.

People are never what they seem. And it's always better not to judge people by the way they look or behave or seem. There's a lot more to them.

Blank??!!

Well, I'm a bit free at the moment. Today so far has been hectic! A shoot as soon as i entered work started off my day! The big Sanjay- Manyata Dutt verdict was to be announced and I was on the spot to witness the madness of the press! Yes, Me, a media person, am terming the scenario madness. Cuz that's what it was! The press was everywhere (You'll be thinking whats new) and i joined the crowd, finished my work and headed back to the office 3 hours later!!

I'm thinking. Wondering wht to write this post on. And my mind's blank. So instead of beating around the bush talking about nothing at all, I'm going to end this post here. Till my mind wakes up...Adios!

My day out..

Sunday was a good day! I wanted to go shopping, and unable to find company, i decided to venture out on my own. And well, it was an experience. I went to Colaba to do my shopping and I left home aroun 2:30pm. I started frm the beginning and covered the entire street in 2 hrs, making my purchases along the way. I didn't buy a whole lot though. Jus a bunch of earrings and a couple of bracelets. Comparatively less actually!

I saw the Gateway of India and it was highly impressive. The structure stood out so much from the rest of the area.

I turned around wondering what more to do, where all to go as I didn't want to go home so early. I saw Barista and it almost seemed to beckon me. I made my way inside, took a seat and ordered a cup of coffee and I opened my book. And then WHAM! I met someone.

I made a new friend yesterday....

My first solo shoot

Today was a damn exciting day. Came to work at 1 or so and killed some time not doing much. At 2:30 pm, Jency sir calls me over and asks me to meet Mr. Rohit from Entertainment. And here i get my first assignment!!

The job- to cover a press conference by a fashion designer at Kemps Korner. I spoke to the camera man, took the unit and we were off to the venue. On reaching the spot, I see a small boutique which will accomodate a few news channels and the print reporters too. I get all ready, trying to hide my nervousness and the fact that i was just a novice. But I've found in Bombay, that the unexpected always happens. I expected to be treated like a novice or a kid in fact. But the people in Bombay, no matter who they are, are so damn friendly!

The co-ordinator there was extremely friendly, he asked me things and he made me feel highly comfortable, treating me like an actual journalist (But of course, he didn't know i was an intern). We took the bite and the needed shots and we were done with our work in an hour's time.

It was time to leave and the co-ordinator once agn approached me and asked me if I'd gotten everything that I needed. I say yes, he gives me his card and thanks me for coming. I didn't know if he should be thanking me or if it shld be the other way around. I was highly thankful to him for being so sweet, and the camera man for making me feel comfortable and teaching me the tricks.

This is one day I'd never forget. The story maybe small, but for an intern like me who's still learning the ropes, it was indeed a small accomplishment. Thanks to the co-ordinator there and to camera man Manish for everything they did. They probably won't even remember me after a couple of days, but these are two people whom I'd definitely never forget!

The Aarushi Murder case

Yet another incident has shocked the entire nation. The double murder of 14-year old Aarushi and their family servant Hemraj has been the flashing news on all news channels for the last one week. And yesterday more information came to the forefront which not only made the media's day but also left a lot of questions unanswered.

Why did Rajesh Talwar kill his only young daughter? His claims that his daughter and the servant were found in an "objectionable" state seems like sheer rubbish!! A 14 year old girl and a 47 year old servant? I dont think so.

And who will kill his only child just becasue she finds out about his extra-marital affair? Some things just shouldn't happen this way. The police's statements too left a lot of loopholes and brought in more questions and everything said just din't seem to fit in!

I figure that a lot more investigation has to be done and done properly too. It's time the police start their investigation from square one to ensure that they've found the actual killer!

Reality check!

I'm in the office right now thinking of what to write on my blog today. When it struck me! I've been here in Bombay working for CNN IBN for the last 22 days. And i've got only 8 days left! I dont kno why but its today that reality actually struck me! In another 10 days, il be en-route to Chennai- back to my life there, back to my frens there, back to my college there. So why don't I feel all happy and cheerful about the prospect of returning home?

There's seems to be a pang in my heart. And its now that M realising that in spite of being jobless here for a few days without any work, I'm still enjoying my time here in CNN IBN with my new intern friends and the reporters. The work, the atmosphere, the people here, everything is pretty terrific.

I remember wondering in the beginning of my internship how il get through one whole month here in the office. But the looming prospect of finishin here in another week's time and heading back home makes me sad. I realise that I've had an amazing 20 days, even if sometime's I dint have a whole lot to do.

I wish I could extend my internship for another one month or so. But unfortunately, that really is not possible. M relectunt about returning to my life in Chennai with college as my main focus. I guess its time that after I head home, I change some stuff and become more focussed on what all I really want to achieve.

Killers on the loose

The latest news- Neeraj Grover's unfortunate and ghastly murder. A creative person ( so Ive heard) was chopped into 300 pieces and then burnt by his lover and her boy friend. If this isn't a crime against all humanity, then wht is?

This incident is not one of the first ones we would have heard about. First was the Fritzl case where Mr. Fritzl raped his own daughter and bore 7 kids from her. Then was the case where parents killed their pregnant daughter and lover for getting together against their wishes. There was yet another incident where a retired army man killed his daughter for marrying against his wishes. These are not the only cases happening. There are a lot more incidents which will shock us beyond words!

What is the world coming to? Are people becoming so heartless that they're killing their loved ones? And even worse, not one of them show any remorse after the incident. This is not only a crime against the people of the society, but its a heartless action against humanity. Taking a person's life is something to be abhorred. No individual has the right to take another's life for any reason whatsoever!

Something...anything has to be done to make sure these heart-wrenching incidents do not occur often!

The Enigma

An idle mind is a devil's workshop. That's what they all say. And the last couple of weeks has further made me realise how true this old saying is. My very first blog was written under extremely harsh conditions - sheer boredom, in a place away from home, in an entirely new environment with absolutely nothing to do but stare into empty space or stare into a computer screen for hours togther.

But if i ve work to do, then the days seem really good and full! Take day-before yesterday for instance. One of my best days of my one month intesrnship! Lord Jeffrey Archer had come to Bombay to talk about his latest book, A Prisoner Of Birth. We reached Landmark, Andheri on time to witness his arrival. M not going to get into the details of what he spoke about for one hour. But well, he kept the audience spellbound with his talk. The large crowd was in rapt attention, hanging onto his every word and was not left disappointed. His diplomatic answers to questions from the crowd, his way of tackling the questions, his views on 20-20 cricket (According to him its not cricket at all) , his sense of humor, everything kept the crowd in fits of laughter ! Even a person who hasn't read a single one of his books would have been tempted to grab a copy of his latest! Even a person who wouldn't have liked him earlier, would have fallen under his spell for sure within that one hour!

He is an enigma and his charisma and charm and wit, drew everyone to him- the young and the old! I'm indeed glad to have met this author and to have had the opportunity to listen to him for over an hour. It was one experince il never forget!

I've started reading his latest book, and let me tell you, m finding it extremely difficult to put it down. Right from page one, the book is so intense and electrifying that u can keep reading on and on and forget about the rest of the world!

Well, I'm bak to work now, hoping tht the next 10 days are equally good, equally enjoyable and full of work!

I remember saying in a previous post that I cant wait to get back to Chennai. Well, iv had a change of heart now. I dont feel like leavin Bombay and IBN now! :)

Love!!??

Yes, you got it right! I'm gonna be talking about love, the most controversial, the most complicated, the most thought of and the most debated-on issue! Thoudands, rather millions of people have done research about love and what causes it. Thousands of poems and stories and movies on love have been made. Thousands of people have fallen in love and become committed to their loved ones. Thousands of ways to confess one's love for another has been devised. And thousands of people have fallen in and out of love too!

So why have i got love on my mind? Well, what better thing to write about than whats on my mind? Frankly, even i dont know why I've got LOVE on my mind. Maybe cuz its been a long time since iv been in love? Maybe cuz some guy told me a couple of days back that he loves me? Maybe I think m in love? Or maybe i think that m not in love? Or maybe, bombay is a city where u can find couples hand in hand in every nook and corner and I sometimes get a little bit wistful? Maybe i want to be in love? Maybe i want to tell someone that i love them?

It can be any of the above or thousands of more explanations for love being on my mind. But when will I figure it out? I dont think m IN love, cuz I dont feel like m IN LOVE! So what the hell is it??

Why have i got LOVE of all things on my mind???
I need a psychiatrist! ;)

My shopping spree :)

My first shopping spree in Mumbai..Bandra! Crowded lanes, umpteen stalls and a variety of things welcomed my shopping spirit! Starting from the starting point-Linking Road- my eyes took in everything. The colorful items, the enthusiastic sellers and the even more enthusiastic buyers, not to forget the bargaining sessions! My first stop- a shop selling bags. I was in awe of the variety sold, and a little astonished at the brightness of it all. A lovely bag caught my eye and when told it was 1200RS i was a little stunned. But my friend's bargaining talent and our sweet smile (ahem ahem!!) convinced him to sell it to me for a mere 200RS. Talk about a good bargain!! We moved on, entering almost every stall and making my purchases. 20 shops and 5 sandals later, we progressed into the clothes arena. Tops of all colors and sizes, of different styles, of colorfully designed and very different patterns thrilled me a little bit. Don't get me wrong, i ain't a villager. I'm just a first time shopper in the streets of Mumbai - The city that never sleeps :) and it was indeed an experience. Shopping for 2 continuos hours, we entered a pub "Temptations". After a pint of beer (we shared it) we moved on to the good stuff.. Yup u got it right- FOOD! On a friend's suggestion, we ventured into this chat shop called ELCO. And m glad to say, our taste buds were not dissapointed! After a plate of Dahi Chat and Sev Poori, we moved on into Hill Road to continue my shopping. Clothes caught my eye and i shopped on and on for another hour or so. With my wallet visibly lighter, we decided to call it a day and head home, laden with covers full of my shopping!

En-route home, we made a quick 5 minute impulsive stop at the Mahim Church. And well, that was worth going to. The calmness and the quiet there took my breath away.

And that was my day out shopping! Thnx to my friend gayatri who patiently took me around, in spite of the horrid heat! Well, i can definitely say that my first day shopping was a success!

Colaba here i come!! ;)

A lot more to it...

The last 15 days have been an eye opener- in more ways than one. Traveling 640 miles from Chennai to Mumbai for a one-month internship has indeed been an experience! My first day of work for a news channel was uneventful but enlightening. Enlightening not because I learnt the nuances of how a news agency works and how they operate, but because I got a glimpse into the minds of a few Mumbai teens. On day one I met a few intern-colleagues, one of whom was a guy from Kerala, named Sijo. On introducing myself as coming from Chennai, imagine my surprise when one another intern asks me, “Oh so you must be knowing Sijo right?”

What else could I have done but gape, and explain that Kerala and Tamil Nadu are two different states and every person will not know every other person!

Why is it assumed that the languages Malayalam and Tamil are the same and that a Malayalee will understand Tamil perfectly and vice versa? Although many of the differences between Tamil and Malayalam evidence a pre-historic split between eastern and western dialects, the process of separation of the two into distinct languages was completed during the 13th and 14th century! And we are in the 21st century now!!

Thirdly, just because a person is from Chennai, does not automatically mean that he/she has visited every city and every temple existing in Tamil Nadu. So you can imagine my consternation when a fellow intern who was viewing photos of a beautiful temple in Coimbatore, turns around and asks me, “So you must have been there right?” And when I shot her a quizzical look and shook my head, she looked so disappointed!

What’s the deal here? Is there a rulebook stating that a person who’s from Chennai should have definitely visited Coimbatore? Is there anything giving credibility to Malayalam and Tamil being one and the same? There are thousands of people in Kerala and thousands more in Tamil Nadu! So how on earth will a person staying in Cochin know a girl staying in Chennai? Is there even remotely present an iota of common sense in these thoughts in people’s head?

I’m 19 years old and I know that people from Maharashtra and people from Gujarat are not one and the same! But why is it so hard for the teens here to understand that Kerala and Tamil Nadu is not the same. Neither are their languages the same, nor are they such small towns that everyone would know everyone else’s existence! Grow up!

The level of knowledge of an average Mumbai teen doesn’t seem over-the-top or even remotely interesting. Isn’t it better to be aware about these little things, rather than making sure your top matches your nail color or your earrings? Instead of making such a big racket about whether it is Mumbai or Bombay, isn’t it about time that some serious action is taken to make the youth here aware that there is a lot more to South India than just rigid and conservative thoughts and that South India is not just Chennai or Bangalore but there is a lot more to it than that!

Ditch Water

Staying in Mumbai for a month..i'd imagined myself partying out till late in the nite..or atleast in the nite..hanging out with frens in the most happenin of places..and jus plain having fun and enjoying life...! Well, ive been here in this city for almost 20 days now..and guess what...my dreams have been shattered beyond words!!! things aren as easy as i'd thot them to be...to start with..the right company to party out with or go shoppin with..i mean how long can i hang around with my 17 yr old cousin and his frens...!!! and how long can i keep buggin my aunt to come shoppin with me...so i've realised tht the only way u can survive and have fun is to make good frens..and a number of frens.. well..i have frens here..the ppl m interning with...but no one there even seems remotely interested in partying out or jus letting der hair down...!!! they seem more into working till late nite and comin to work even on a damn holiday...! I mean wht sorta life is tht gonna be..workin 8 to 9hr shifts, 7 days a week???? dese last 10 days have been something close to hell...i mean sure, iv had my good moments too...but not many of them unfortunately..

Well..one good thing though...gonna ve company tomorro...an old old fren frm chennai is comin down to bombay for his internship..so m kinda hoping he proves to be my saviour...cuz frankly i feel as dull as ditch water rite now..!!!! my first holiday... i'd imagined goin shoppin if only with my aunt...but nope, its 7 pm rite now..and ive done nothin today...except maybe gettin depressed and sulking abt my oh-so-sad current social life...

Damn i wish i was in Chennai...!!

Working 8 hours a day!

Hi..this is my first post on my blog since the day of its conception (God knows how long ago tht was!!!) and where am i posting this from? Well, m rite now at the CNN IBN Mumbai office interning for a month's time...and the experience till now has been pretty..interesting! Though the reason i was inspired to write this post now is...sheer joblessness..believe it or not..today has been one heck of a lax day..! not much work to be done...but to watch the news( 24/7!!!!) and to read umpteen newspapers...which actually is pretty informative by the way..! After days of waiting for my internship to begin, loads of calls to get my dates confirmed, and the excitement and the anxiety and the nervousness which maybe is just a part and parcel of me...i landed in mumbai "the happenin city" early april 23rd..with my internship strtin only on may 2nd..!! and have these last 8 days been everything i'd imagined them to be??? unfortunately..not so much...! after listenin to a fren who's been internin elsewhere go on and on abt ppl tkin her out to lunch..and her reachin home around midnite..and being sent to interview a big shot with jus a camera man...i had envisioned my internship to be full of glamor and excitement and on-the-spot news coverage and meetin more and more ppl... imagine my disappointement when the last 8 days haven't exactly been highly fulfilling.. in spite of wrking 8 hrs a day, a majority of the time is spent on gmail..or orkut..or facebook..or wtchin the news...or readin the paper...something i must admit i cud ve done sitting bak in my hometown in the comforts of my home..!! rather than coming all the way to Mumbai, and spendin one month with my aunt and uncle. Apart frm two reporting assignments where I've accompanied the reporter, nothin more exciting has happened, if u dont count the endless gossip and the really "adventurous" bus journeys..!!! Well...all in all..hopin that things get better in the next weeks to come...with more activities..more assignments.. more stories...and more responsibilities...!!!
Till then...adios !