Losing Wallets

This summer in Dubai, I tragically lost my oh-so-very-importnat wallet. All my IDs, a good Dhs 500 (approximately $135), a Dhs 250 Food Voucher and a bunch of important receipts all disappeared into the thick, polluted air of Dubai. Thanks to my mum's sensational forward thinking, I was not carrying my debit card, otherwise the tragedy would have indeed been more tragic.

Yes, it was indeed a tragedy. If not a legitimate one, it was definitely an emotional one. I felt truly miserable and ridiculously pathetic. The thought of getting my foreign IDs made again added to the misery. The Dhs. 750 I lost defined my ultimate guilty feeling. Yes, it was a very sad day.

Obviously, someone did find the wallet. They obviously took the money and with a slight feeling of guilty disposed of the Texas-customized leather wallet. But I hoped against hopes that that somebody would have the decency to somehow get in touch with me, and with a delightfully charming smile, deliver to me, my lost life. Maybe he could Facebook me: "Dude, found your wallet. Want it?" Hell, I'd rather he take the money, but at least return the IDs and my beloved Texas-customized wallet.

So for the next couple of days, I signed into Facebook with great hope in mankind and belief in humanity. It was pretty useless. The "Secret" wasn't working. Obviously.

Fastforward to last week: So I was at UT-Austin, preparing for an ISA event in the Jester Auditorium, when I came across a wallet. No, it wasn't mine. But it was this random girl's wallet. The memories of the summer tragedy came rushing back. Karma was testing me - I better have ignited it's positive stream. So, I did what the loser-guy-who-stole-my-wallet did not do. I facebooked the random girl and with the great sweetness that humans can sometimes express, I informed her about my discovery.

I did not steal the money - it was already stolen when I found it (not that I would have stolen it - Hey, I'm being good here). But, like a good little karmic soul, I returned the favor that was never ever showered on me.

This, now, obviously sets up a delicious platform for me to dive into some great philiosophical thoughts on philanthropy, humanity, life, principles and ethics. And I will. Maybe some other time though.

P.S. A random incident-post after a while - I know. I just wrote this to be half-constructive, but I am still confused as to what motivated me to write this in this greatly busy period.

Unbelievable

Watch this.
Drop your jaws.
Laugh.
Ridicule.
Discuss.
Have a stand.
Watch it again.
And laugh again.
And again.
Wow.
Unbelievable?

Nazar!

Nazar: A South Asian Perspective is an online magazine that has emerged from the University of Texas at Austin that gives an outsider's opinion about events and activities in South Asia.
It's not a news magazine, it's an opinion magazine. Have a look - www.nazaronline.net

I have kinda started writing for it.
My article is here.

Hope life's good.

P.S. I have finally experienced the power of alcohol. It's deathlike at its worst. Maybe when I conjure some courage to write about the "experience", I will.

Apartment!

So, on the 25th of August, 2008, Jason and I, officially moved into our apartment. Set a few blocks away from university, amidst a bunch of frat-houses, but still, in a surprisingly silent area, the apartment is probably the best thing that has happened to me since coming back to Texas.

Yes, the apartment is not convenient when it comes to distance from campus and is obviously incomparable to the ease of a downstairs cafeteria, but there is this certain other sense of holding that drowns all the negatives. Even though, I have eaten a lot of noodles and frozen meals during the past week, which has subsequently resulted in a uniquely over-enthusiastic digestive system (if you know what I mean), I feel that I have a place of my own, where I can do what I want and live how I want. That unexplainable feeling of independence is over-riding and blissfully satisfying. The fact that we have our own rooms also, obviously, helps a lot. A nice stereo system and a nicer television don't hurt either. It's a good feeling.

P.S. I just hope I have not spoken too soon. Time will tell.

Break?

I really don't know what to blog about.

I've somehow been caught between this desire to write and this fear of being too explicit. The latter has obviously gotten the better of me. No longer do I wish to dig into fascinating stories and rant out a strong opinion. Nor do I wish to indulge in metaphorically venting out on some heart-breaker of a girl. Neither do I have plans to unleash my thesis and resolve on the frustrations of life. It seems all too frugal. Writer's block? Or pure lethargy? It doesn't really matter.

Quite honestly, posts like these are excuses. Currently, I am swept in this rare moment of inspiration, where I just want to write. I just saw "The Great Debaters" - a decent movie, a decent script and Denzel directs it pretty efficiently. This blog also had something to do with irking my inspiration. Though it's ridiculously late, I really don't feel like sleeping. Facebook is powerful; until it gets nauseating. The desire to know more about friends back home encourages me to stalk blogs and scan through pictures.

Dubai was constructive, but depressing. Mum, Dad and my Sister were probably the only ones that made it worth a while. Texas, on the other hand, is refreshing.

You might have already read the apartment post.

Sweet.

P.S. Ignore the contradictions - it's my blog.