SMSes again...

('-') - Kahan Hon Dost??
<) )\
_/\_

('-') - Pata Hai Kitna Miss Karte Hai Aapko??
<) )\
_/\_

Itna-('-')-Itna
>-----) )-----<
____/\____

Video replays in Football?

Ok, so England got knocked out of the WC2010 and are cribbing about how the "goal that was not given" could have changed things. I agree that at 2-2 it would have been a different game. So do we need video replays in football??

We have video replays in cricket and tennis. Replays will help out in football as well. But somehow I don't want sport to be touched by technology to the extent that the referee or linesman decision can be changed. I hate the replays that are used at major tennis tournaments. I feel that using video technology takes away some of the charm of sports. Refeering errors are part of the game. It creates legends as is the case of Sir Geoff Hurst goal in 1966 against Germany. To this date no one knows if the ball cleared the line or not but we still talk about it with great fondness (if you are English) and anger (if your German). But it has its place in history.

Not many would accept my argument but this is just the old-school footballer in me. Practically we need video replays but I really am hoping FIFA sees this issue not practically, but from the viewpoint of letting the game still be beautiful.

Back to childhood...

I started learning German from Saturday. It's been a great experience so far...learning a new language and more importantly a new culture...

Learning a new language is akin to going back to childhood. We all have to recite words, phrases, sentences, questions, numerals with our instructor. There's music (German of course) and video as well. It's great fun. The fellow students are fun as well.

And yeah...for the first time in my life I'm in a classroom environment where the sex ratio favors the men...8 girls to 7 guys...quite unlike my engineering and management days where girls were a precious and rare commodity.

Well...its been good so far. Now I have decide what to learn next. There's a toss up between Tennis or Guitar. Tennis looks to be a good option but I don't know whether my weak left leg would cope with it. Guitar seems to be a safe bet.

Gute Nacht...

SMS...

I pick up my cell...type a message...and then I don't send it.

Sometimes it's just a simple smile...sometimes a simple "Heyy...wassup?"...actually there's so much to ask...so much to talk about.

I don't know what stops me from sending the message...

Der Unterricht beginnt an diesem Samstag...

Today I finally did something that I've wanted to do since a long time...to be precise since 2004. I finally went ahead and joined German language classes.

But I aint happy...not one bit...this was not the way I wished it had happened.

Fast day...

I don't know what's with this day...things seem to be moving too fast for me.

Or maybe I'm simply too slow in reacting...

Cough, cold and fever...

Today afternoon I visited this doctor in Parel with my mom. I was visiting this doctor after something like 6-7 years...maybe more. Frankly I don't even remember the last time I visited this doctor since we have a doctor at home now.

I still remember the times we went to this doctor...there used to be a huge queue...small kids with rashes and boils on their faces...worried mothers...old ladies. You reach there at 11 AM and your turn would come by 3-3:30 PM. But it was worth the wait for one look at the senior doctor there and you would feel half better. Then there used to be the medicines. White tablets for fever with dark maroon liquid or pink liquid for a tummy ache. I, without fail, would get an injection...my mom would insist on it. And next day my school calendar would read, "Missed school because of cough, cold and fever."

One particular incident I remember is when I burnt my right hand in a freak Diwali cracker experiment. My hand had turned completely black and the Doctor was puzzled. Then, I said very innocently, "I washed the burns with Hamam soap." Why asked the Doctor? "Because Hamam hain sabse natural."

The senior Doctor no longer practices there; it's his son and daughter-in-law now. But I know that clinic is going to be there for the next 3-4 generations.

Loss of words...

Twice I've written something...twice I've deleted it...am simply at a loss of words.

Simply lost...

World Cup 2006 highlights

I am seeing the WC06 highlights on TV...just want to list some of my favorite moments from this tourney...

1. Zizou's penalty in the final: How cool was that noncholant chip?
   


2. Zizou's denied by Buffon: ZZ started the move...drifted into space and met Sagnol's pinpoint cross with a thundering header...only to be denied by Buffon. It was Zizou's anguish that stands out as he screamed out in frustration...
   


3. Pirlo's reverse pass in the SF: As reverse passes go, I've seen better...but this one stands out because it came right at 117 minutes...Pirlo's tired...probably thinking about the impending penalty shootout. He has the option of playing it safe and not risking a German counter but no...he picks out Grosso with a neat blind reverse pass...
   


4. Zizou and Figo exchanging shirts: Two legends swapping sweat-soaked shirts...CR7 will never be that legend...never.
   


5. Zizou's show's Ronaldinho who's Boss: Another classic performance from the legend. It all showed how Robinho embraced ZZ in the end...Ronaldinho who??
   


6. England vs Portugal penalties: I knew Gerrard was going to miss...his face said it all...he was simply petrified
   


7. Holland vs Portugal: Some excellent play-acting...some really wild tackles...and some stupid refeering...8 yellows and 4 reds.
   


8. The 24 pass goal: Argentina vs Serbia...23 passes...and then the final pass

Some others would be the fake penalty Italy got against Australia...Beckham in tears after being subbed against Portugal...Graham Polls 3 yellows adding up to a red. Zidane's headbutt doesn't make it to this list...yeah it was a memorable moment but I'd rather see that man's genius than his dark side. I know there's a lot of Zidane in that list but he deserves it...he simply took France to the finals on his own. Gonna miss him this time.

Hoping for a great WC10 with loads of goals and good attacking play.

Chinese evenings...

An evening with good friends...good food (though I was veg for the evening)...all in all a great evening after two weeks of slow torture...

But the void remains...