The Tag : Have you ever...?

Here's a tag I accepted from Memyself_n_i.

HAVE YOU EVER.......

Smoked a cigarette?: Nope..... Not really, unless you consider passive smoking....(Thanks to the presence of a smoker in the family)

Crashed a friend's car?: Never..... That doesn't mean that I haven't been responsible for quite a few dents on my neighbours' cars. ;-)

Stolen a car?: Nope..... Would probably be too scared to do something so risky!!!

Been in love?: I think not.....

Been dumped?: Not really...... Never been in such a situation.....

Shoplifted?: I think I did..... Once, very long ago! Was scared shitless!! Never plan to repeat that experience!!!

Been in a fist fight?: Well..... I try and avoid fights whenever I can! It isn't that I am scared (that I am is another matter altogether!)...... It's just that whenever I do get into a fight, my opponent almost always ends up bleeding...... Sad....... :-(

Snuck out of your parent's house?: Parents - No. Grand-Parents - yep!! Received quite a few scoldings for them too...

Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back?: Do I need to answer this question? Isn't it obvious?

Been arrested?: Nope.... Never!! Don't plan on getting arrested ever..... That doesn't mean that I won't do illegal stuff..... *Wicked grin*

Gone on a blind date?: No! Never!! Gawwddd I have a boring life!!!

Skipped school?: Quite a few times.... Always to run off to some other city!!

Been on a plane?: Yeah, like been travelling by them forever!!

Seen someone die?: Yes.

Been to Canada?: No. Would sure like to visit the country atleast once though.

Purposely set a part of yourself on fire?: Never. Well.... not really.... There was this one time though.....

Been jet-skiing?: Aww no.... :-(

Met someone in person from the Internet?: Nope... Don't ever plan to!

Taken pain killers?: Nope.... Never.... Well maybe once..... After I got back from this really tiring trek and slept for 32 straight hours!! Whew...!!

Flown a kite?: Would love to someday...

Built a sand castle?: Yup. In Goa and Mumbai..... :-) Used to be so much fun.... Everyday, after school..... *Sigh*

Gone puddle jumping?: Yup. Never in recent time though.

Cheated while playing a game?: Sure, hasn't everyone? I am strictly talking about computer games......!

Been lonely?: Yes.

Fallen asleep at work or school/college?: Only about a billion..... Gazillion times.....!!

Used a fake ID?: Nope.....Never needed to...... Always looked older than I am!! Been a boon aswell as a bane....

Felt an earthquake?: Yep..... A couple of times, while I was still living in Mumbai....!!!

Touched a snake?: Yeah, in a touch pool in a snake park near Chennai, and more recently in Singapore.

Slept beneath the stars?: Ya!! Quite a few times...... And, loved the experience.....!!

Been robbed?: Yes..... Been robbed off two cameras, right form my bedroom....:-(

Been misunderstood?: I breed misunderstandings.....!!!

Won a contest?: Once...... Won a quiz contest that Amar Chitra Katha had organised in my colony..... Won a dozen of their books..... And, got Uncle Pai's Autograph...... Made my day.....!! But then again, I used to get to meet celebrities every other day in my locality.... So, I guess I was a winner everyday!! What say you??

Run a red light/stop sign?: Once...... Or twice..... Or thrice.....

Been suspended from school?: Gotten close to being chucked out of the school.... But, never suspension!!

Been in a car accident?: Once...... T'was a rainy day..... And, I was being driven back from school..... Hit two school kids! The wonder of it was that even though the accident managed to break the Windshield, the kids got up.... Shook off the water and then just walked off..... Amazing!!

Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night?: I think I did..... Once.......

Walked the streets drunk?: Yep..... The joke was that even after downing a couple of bottles of beer (This was my first and last time!!!) the drinks never really got to me.....!! Weird!!

Had déjà vu?: Oh yeah, a lot. A helluva lot!!

Danced in the moonlight?: Yep..... Around the bonfire during some treks..... Amazing fun!!!

Witnessed a crime?: Don't think so.

Been obsessed with post-it notes?: Not really....

Squished barefoot through the mud?: Yup. It's an interesting sensation. Quite pleasant!!

Been lost?: No..... My sense of direction in such circumstances never ceases to to amaze me!!

Been on the opposite side of the country?: Well..... I think I've been to all the ends of the country......

Swum in the ocean?: Yup...... Used to be one of my favourite pass-times in Goa...... :)

Cried yourself to sleep?: No.

Played cops and robbers?: Yup, hasn't everyone?

Recently coloured with crayons?: Yep...

Sung karaoke?: Never..... My voice is glass cracking material!!!

Paid for a meal with only coins?: Yep!!! The staff at the restaurant started staring at me in disbelief......;)

Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?: To many times to count...... Blame the Non-existent will power.

Made prank phone calls?: Never..... Never had the opportunity..... Though some serious calls have been mistaken to be prank calls at times....!!

Caught a snow flake on your tongue?: Never been anywhere near natural snow :-( .......Does doing this in an artificial environment count??

Written a letter to Santa Claus?: Used to...... Gave up on it when I turned 9.....!! Caught my parents 'delivering' Santa's gifts...... Never since........

Blown bubbles?: Used to be the only motive behind my going all the way to the Gate Way of India...... ;)

Bonfire on the beach?: Yep..... Once or twice..... In Goa.....!! Amazing Fun!!!

Cheated on a test?: Yeah. Very few times though..... Too scared to do something that risky!!

Gone skinny-dipping in a pool?: Think I did it once..... by mistake...... While living in the Essar Steel Township in Hajira, a very interesting experience it was!! Scary too!!!

I think my life still needs a lot of work, a helluva lot of work to be precise....!! So I think I should get to work on it...... In the meanwhile, I think I should do a Tania and tag everyone who reads this post! I'd like to mention some names in particular though..... Namely Divye, Samarth and Sushank!! You just have to do this guys!!!

Of Robin Hood......

Robin Hood..... A man who died centuries ago. A Man who is best remembered for stealing from the rich and giving to the needy poor. A mysterious figure worshipped by most young kids as the epitome of justice. But is this portrayal truly moral? Is this portrayal really that of a fighter for a just cause?

He is, today, remembered as the saviour of the needy, but is it right to steal for fulfilling the needs of the needy? In the stories that record his feats, he is the hero who recovers from the impotent rich, what they've 'stolen' from the productive poor. How is it that, today, the moral we glean from this story has changed from an act of justice to that of injustice, open to more grievous implications? Why isn't he remembered as the saviour of the producers?

Does this misinterpretation represent a change in the 'moral values' held in esteem by the society? Could a misinterpretation such as this be forecasting the future trends of our society where charity will be the highest moral value? Should it be the highest moral value?

Our world seems to be made up of contradictions. On one hand, we have (and have had) entrepreneurs like J.R.D. Tata, L.N. Mittal, Vijay Mallya, Dhirubai Ambani etc., while on the other hand we have the charity and senseless soap culture. Not exactly senseless... rather, the regressive soap culture. If this is a world where intelligent and sentient beings dwell, then how is it that we are able to create and nurture such a backward outlook? How can beings that have the power of comprehension and intelligence be able to stand, forget appreciate and get addicted to, such monstrosities? Why do these contradictions exist?

These are just some of the questions that keep cropping up in my mind..... Never before felt the need to ask them, but seeing that I have the platform now...... Thought I'd go ahead and do just that! Comments are appreciated..... Each and everyone of them! So, don't forget to leave your hand prints on my blog! Adieu......