Not a day goes by without me wishing for another couple of years in school. This feeling was further accentuated when I got together with Ajay, Nishanth and Arpan for a quiz. I have no illusions of my prowess as a quizzer, but its something I really enjoy, like bowling and snooker and cricket. And when you're no good at something, it helps if you have great teammates. Thats something I'll go into at a later time.
As for today, the Three Legged Dinosaur unfortunately didn't get to strut its stuff at the quiz. However, we did spend some quality time together, loafing in and around Forum(where we were pleasantly surprised to run into who else, but Malvika!). I get such an incredible sense of well being when I'm around those guys. The comfort level we share is quite a departure from the feelings of utter discomfort that grip me when I'm in college (though they are significantly alleviated by Gaurav's presence). What is not so comforting is the thought that these meetings, which as it is are few and far in between, will only decrease with time. That thought was no deterrent today however, as I whiled away a little more than three hours in the company of two of my best friends. That short period of time, if nothing else, made it a sunday well spent.
My music continues to have a strain of sadness though. Today, its been Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen for most of the day. A song that thoroughly deserved its Best OST Oscar. Philadelphia was such an awesome movie. The final scenes with that haunting background score nearly had me in tears.

Joe Miller (Denzel Washington): What do you love about the law, Andrew?
Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks): I... many things... uh... uh... What I love the most about the law?
Joe Miller: Yeah.
Andrew Beckett: It's that every now and again - not often, but occasionally - you get to be a part of justice being done. That really is quite a thrill when that happens.

I've learned so much about myself in the last few days, I'm beginning to discover the merits of introspection. Saying goodbye to Sidharth over the phone was so hard. I mean, here's a guy who I've known since we were both geeky kids in shorts and size 2 shoes, wearing round house badges - more than two thirds of our lives. And, there are guys I've known even longer. Not that time itself is a factor. There are people who I've known for a couple of years or less who mean so much to me. Its one of life's great ironies, you spend so much time with some people, and just as you are getting to know them, they aren't there anymore. Or maybe its just that, while they're there, you take them for granted. I now realise I'm not the stoic I thought I was. Emotion is a powerful thing. And, when you're overcome by it, you start to think differently. So many people gone, and so many yet to go. Its hard to come to terms with the fact that we'll never sit together in the same class and have fun anymore. From here on in, I'll spend my days in a completely alien environment, surrounded by unknown faces. Suddenly I feel so alone. And even the tube has failed me.
I'm so thankful for having Gaurav's company in Jain. Don't know what I'd do without him. The way things stand, I don't think I'll ever make new friends there. But I've been wrong on that count before. However, just as important as making new friends, is keeping the old. That is what I must strive to achieve.
I've been playing the same two songs repeatedly all day.
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls & Soldier of Fortune - Deep Purple
There's something so gloriously melancholic about them, especially the former. Wish I'd heard it a little earlier.

Why the hell do people blog? My image of a typical blogger was always pretty negative - blogging was strictly meant for lonely, friendless, isolated people. But I suppose there are other reasons why people take to blogging. I was never one for putting my feelings in print, but of late, with a thousand thoughts swirling in my head, I've discovered a need for an emotional outlet, and for some inexplicable reason, blogging seems just about right.