Run fat boy...run!

And after several days of holiday season inspired gluttony, we all decide to take charge of the situation. There are only so many ways you can stare at yourselves on the mirror and think maybe the mirror makes you look 10 lbs heavier. Maybe it was all the water I have been drinking today. Maybe I shouldn't look at myself after lunch. Next day you decide that it applies after breakfast...and the next day, never!

The first 2-3 weeks of January are the busiest weeks in any gym! Everyone fresh from their resolutions march into that gym and take charge of the situation. "Oh mirror on the wall, watch me melt away this fat". And the gym people see you coming. They are selling out personal training sessions, boot camps, jump camps, crawl camps...basically fat camps. Sports equipment and sports goods have their best months in January. 

So like a lot of folks out there...I decided I was going to take charge of the situation. After several months of on and off "attendance" at the gym, I firmly decided that this year is the year of the gym. Oh ya, melt that fat, fat boy! I walk into the gym with great vengeance and furious anger (plagiarizing the bible). Baam! The locker room is full...do you know want is worse than being out of shape? Seeing a lot of other out of shape dudes walking around N-A-K-E-D! Holy cow! "Come on pal, how about a towel eh?" Oh well, managed to get the smallest locker in the corner most part of the locker room. Changing into workout clothes. What the. Come on! You are elastic, you workout shorts!! You cannot go tight on me? Isn't that the whole purpose of being elastic? Really?? Fine!! By next week its going to nice and loose baby!

Ok...running then? Elliptical? How about some weights? Oh wait, all of the above! That's right fat boy, you can do it! 20 minutes of treadmill, 20 minutes of elliptical, arms and chest, then abs. Let's start with treadmill. Here I come....oh crap. No treadmills available. All those fat boys walking around N-A-K-E-D in the locker are now bouncing on the treadmills. Bastards! Oh wait, I got one. I spring on to the treadmill. Oh boy, the lady next to me is running like a cheetah. Glancing at her treadmill...6.2! Eh, that is not so fast. I am going to see your 6.2 and raise 0.3 to a total of 6.5. Hit it! I am at top speed. That's right cheetah lady...I just beat you. Feel that wind? That's me running. If this was a real race, I would be wayyyy ahead of you. Oh ya, I can already feel the fat burning off. I might be a lb lesser now. Right? I mean I have been running for...what the F....15 seconds?? Okkk buddy, slow it down to a 6. It is very respectable. 15 more seconds pass. Well, maybe 5.5 can be made respectable. 1 more min. Ok, listen if you do it for 20 mins, 5 is super respectable. 10 mins later....well, it is just your first day in the gym. 4.8 is respectable. Cheetah lady is cooling down now...at 5! Show off!! That's fine. I am moving on to the elliptical anyway. 

The elliptical arms are going zoom zoom zoom...this lady on the next elliptical is going crazy fast on this elliptical. Don't break those arms lady! I have a whole year to work out in this gym. But oh wait...wait a minute. You are P-R-E-G-N-A-N-T!! Oh come on!! Do you really have to show off so much? It is my first day back in a very long time. Thank you very much but I am going to go at my own pace and burn off this fat. After 15 self-motivating minutes...I think some stretching and we are good for today. Arms, chest and abs can wait for tomorrow. Don't start something you cannot sustain, fat boy. 

After walking through other fat boys in the locker room and waiting for a shower and changing in a crowded locker room...again around other fat boys...I walk out of the gym a changed man. Well, not really since walking into the gym was enough of a changed man. But it is always nice to say walked out a changed man...well, a lighter man perhaps?

And that evening...I told the mirror, "That's right. I might be a fat boy but this fat boy is running and you will never see me this fat!". 

This post is dedicated to all the fat and non-fat boys, who want to take charge of the situation. Be honest, take charge, stay healthy...believe!

I believe in Santa Claus!

For the last couple years, around Christmas time, I put on my Santa outfit (yes, I have a Santa outfit) and bring presents to a handful of very anxious and very excited kids. They sit on the floor in front of me, listen very carefully and follow all the instructions. They wait for their names to be called out, and walk to me with a big smile. I hand out the present and they give me a hug, pose for pictures and go back to their spot. They are thrilled about getting presents from Santa...but guess what? They know all along that it's me. That knowledge doesn't take away any joy from them and as simple as it is...there is a profoundness about it. It is not because of just the gifts and it is not just because they think I am Santa...

It is because they chose to believe in the magic and they chose to live it.

As simple as that is...I know I will have a hard time doing that.

There is magic all around us. We just choose to not believe in the magic and choose to not live it. Life is truly magical I feel. How else would you explain the laugh of a child? How else would you explain the love of your family and friends? How else would you explain all the kindness and the generosity around you? How else would you explain the great creations and inventions by mankind?...But we don't always believe in that magic. That is where doubt and jealousy and hatred and selfishness creep in. The world will be a better place if we all believed in that magic around us...and if we lived in it bit more!

I am not one for new resolutions and this is not a resolution. But I will try and believe in this magic some more. I am going to live in it some more. So I am not going to talk myself out of trying out a new idea. I am not going to talk myself out of a workout. I am not going to stop myself from trying something because it looks too hard or too exhausting. I am not going to stop myself from calling an old friend because I want to avoid the awkwardness of explaining why I didn't respond to his call from 2 years ago. I am not going to stop myself from dreaming...and I am not going to stop writing.

I believe in Santa Claus!

Me, Sachin and Indian cricket over the years

It is 1989. I am 11 years old and already a fan of Indian cricket like any other 11 year old. One evening as we were gathering around the neighborhood "ground" to play cricket, someone talked about a kid who scored 28 runs off a single over of Abdul Qadir. "Oh wow, really? Too bad it is in an exhibition match", most of us noted and spent rest of the evening trying to "emulate" an innings none of us had watched and beginning to idolize a kid none of us knew. Sachin Tendulkar is 16 years old and has entered world stage. Indian cricket will never be the same. Cricket records will never be the same.

It is 1994. I am 16 years old and a huge fan of Sachin like any other Indian and like everyone I am dying to see Sachin score a ODI hundred. My parents have started talking about the board exams next year and how I should not be so obsessed about cricket. India's tour of New Zealand and if my memory serves right, matches were early AM India time. Sachin comes in as the opener and fires 82 runs off 49 balls. He falls short of his century yet again but India has found its opener and Sachin has found his "role" in the team. Sachin is 21 and in the same year scores his first ODI hundred.

It is 1998. I am 20 years old and like every Indian been through many happiness and sorrows of the Indian cricket team. There are many but to state a few - India beating Pakistan in 1992 and 1996 (Pakistan wins 1992 cup but we console ourselves cuz we beat them in the league match; 1996 Venky Prasad and his slow ball to Aamir Sohail), the last over of the innings bowled by Sachin to McMillan and Allan Donald and India wins by 2 runs, the many collapses of the batting after Tendulkar's departure (not to mention the 1996 WC humiliating loss against Sri Lanka in the semis). India is playing Australia at Sharjah in the "semi-finals" and while India doesn't need to win the match need to ensure a high run-rate to make the finals against Australia. Sachin clobbers them and specifically targets the pick of their bowlers Warne. I remember watching the match on a 27" television sitting several feet away with hundreds of other students. Sachin scores centuries in both the matches and India beats Australia in the finals. Sachin is 25 and almost a lone warrior in the batting line up and already Shane Warne's worst nightmare. As for me...I have met my future wife. -:)

It is 2001. I am 23ish and a penniless/broke, unhappy master's student at UTD. I haven't watched cricket in a long time since I had given up on the team following the match fixings done by Azharuddin and others. One of my roommates came home after watching a match and talked about how there is a batsman named "Shaywaag" who bats just like Sachin. He tells the resemblance is uncanny. Impossible I say. Sehwag continues to do well in the series and I start following cricket again, at least reading up on articles. My roommate was right. There are some shots were the resemblance to Sachin is uncanny. Sachin is 28 and having his share of injuries but India has found their aggressive opener in Sehwag. Viru's batting style, IMO, allows Sachin in the coming years to work on building innings instead of focusing on destroying the batting during the first 15 overs. One among the millions Sachin has inspired to play cricket, Viru joins him as an opener and for years to come become one of the most feared opening pairs! I am a believer again.

It is 2002. I am 23/24ish and just landed a very modestly paying gig after school. India is playing England in the Natwest series finals. The top order including Sachin collapses but Yuvi and Kaif chase down the huge total and India wins. Ganguly takes his shirt off in the Lord's stadium balcony and circles it in the air. He is criticized by many but Indian cricket is beginning to learn aggression and pride like never before. Ganguly's ego and "snottiness" was the perfect recipe needed for Indian cricket after Azhar and others ruined it for over a decade. Sachin has finally found a team that can win matches along with him. There were few more wins before that though most notably in the Kolkata test match but Ganguly's twirling of his shirt was almost like wading off all the bad karma Azhar and other losers had left back.

It is 2007. I am 28/29, married and expecting our first daughter. India is playing in the first T20 championships and Dhoni is the new captain of the side. Sachin and other seniors decide to leave T20 up to the younger players of the side. A young side under a young untested captain reaches the finals against Pakistan. My wife has an appointment with her OBGYN and I am needed to accompany her there. As we are waiting for the doctor in the room, I am on the phone with my friend getting updates of the score. Just a few seconds before the doctor walks in, India becomes T20 world champions. India has found its uber-cool leader in Dhoni and eventually when Sachin is offered the test captaincy after Dravid steps down, he recommends Dhoni to become the captain of all formats. Sachin now has the team and the uber-cool captain to harness all the aggression and talent in the Indian side.

It is 2011. I am 32 and father of two beautiful daughters. One of my two sporting world dreams has come true - India has won a gold medal in the Olympics. I am cautiously waiting for WC 2011 and the second dream. India is ranked first in Test cricket and second is ODI cricket. The fans are getting used to the success of the team in spite of some disasters like the last world cup in west indies. Uber-cool Dhoni is not untested anymore, he has been immensely lauded and also criticized in the past few years but this world cup is probably his ultimate test. Me, a great fan of Dhoni start telling my friends that he should step down as captain if India doesn't win the world cup. It is time to try something else I say without even knowing what that might or could be. Sachin is 37, playing his last world cup and has been saving up his form and fitness for it. He goes on to become the second highest scoring batsman in the championship but Yuvi has found his form in time as well. As we start watching the finals, my friend says "here it is man...here is what Sachin has been waiting for...it is up to him now". Sachin is gone for 18 and disappointment would be an understatement. His uber-cool captain Dhoni and his backup opener Gambhir do what Sachin had hoped to do. When Dhoni hits the huge six and India wins the world cup...well...nothing can describe how I felt. Not something my writing skills can describe.

It has been a long wait...but it is over now. There are many theories about why India couldn't win a world cup all these years with Sachin in the team. Even outside the wasted years under Azhar, there were world cup sorrows for Sachin, me and all of India. But that has washed away now. India are world champions. Sachin is part of the championship team and the world's best batsman. And me? Well...I am an Indian and a fan...and I am happy...very happy. For Sachin! For India!

Thank you Tendlya...you are the best and you deserved the best!

Jai Hind!

This is me...unedited...unrated...read at your own risk!

This blog goes into my personal space…ok you are warned now.

When you are stopped at a traffic light next to hot woman in a car and you find yourself looking at the car...you should wonder, "What is wrong with me?" She was driving a Cadillac Escalade and my dream of owning a “fancy” car explains what is “wrong” with me.

So why don’t I own a fancy car? What stops me? Among the million other reasons why I don’t drive a Cadillac Escalade or an ML or an X5, there is one I cannot change…it’s Me.

I don’t need anyone to talk me out of it. I have talked myself out of it so many times that thoughts of buying one, owning it, driving it, not buying it, not owning and not driving it all happen in a flash now. My mind races through those entire set of thoughts, well, without even thinking.

Folks close to me have seen me go through this craziness so many times and just shake their heads. I wouldn’t blame them since I have talked so many times of buying “the car I love”. I have also even been told, “If you are so crazy about it, why don’t you just do it?” I wish it was that simple to me. I wish I could see things that way. I don’t. I simply don’t think I am set up to act on such emotions. I have to dig deep into my mind to find out what makes me do what I do. It is a frustrating process when the one thing you have to change is your own mind entirely under your control, yet, it is not.

So after playing a shrink for myself…here is my analysis.

Phase 1:
I grew up in a family that respected the value of money a great deal. There were several times when I was unhappy with my parents for being so “conservative” about spending money. I failed to understand why something so simple as buying things had to be so complicated. Now don’t get me wrong. I had a pretty comfortable childhood. The “things” that I mentioned are things like wanting to buy a new shoe when the old one is just fine or wanting to ride a auto-rickshaw when the bus ride is just fine. Our family’s monetary ability increased as I grew up and I only found my desire to want “things” get bigger. I needed a motorcycle of course. When I was in my 3rd year of college, my dad asked me to come along with him. He took me to a Yamaha showroom and said I could buy a bike right there. “Just like that?”, I asked. Yes. He paid cash down on the motorcycle and I rode it home. It is probably one of the happiest days in my life. I think about it today and it is probably because my parents spent money wisely, they were able to buy me a motorcycle when I had no reason to own a motorcycle.

Phase 2:
When I was penniless, desperate and helpless in the early years of this decade, my respect for money only increased. I kept drilling into my head that if there is a universal truth it is that you either have money or you don’t. There is no middle ground. Even if there is it means nothing. I could have money, I had money, I want to have money, I should have don’t mean anything when what you need is money…I decided when I get money I will learn to control it. I promised myself I will never find myself in a situation like that before. I promised myself that I will never feel helpless because I do not have money.

I am in no way a miser. I wish I was. I would have a lot more money. So my theory is this. What I do is I look for things I can talk myself out of and I obsess about it. I develop this weird emotion where I feel frustration and pride at the same time. I am frustrated that I couldn’t go buy my X5 but at the same time I pride at my control on my desires. I feel defeated by myself yet feel successful having "controlled money". There is no right or wrong. I have a system. I have it running. I do not know if it working for me or against me. I do know that it is killing some brain cells.

What happens to my system and me can only be answered over time…I am looking at motorcycles now that I have exhausted all car thoughts. You never know. My system might break and I might actually give in to one of these things.

Thanal

"Five days old", the guy says. Unprompted he repeats, "five days old". All those insignificant things I have been stressed out all my life just washed away seeing this five-day old baby sleeping on its side, fists clutched. Yes, there is sorrow in this world. Plenty of it. And unfortunately, the most helpless among us, the children, get most of it.

I visited a nearby orphanage today, Thanal. It was quiet as we walked in...the kids were in class. We sat down in the office and took care of some stuff. While waiting in the room few kids peeped through the windows and smiled. I smiled back. I was getting ready to leave when the guy in the office said we should walk over to the baby section. He leads me into this two-room building and as soon as he opens the door a toddler runs up to the door and looks outside and starts laughing. You cannot fake innocence...oh no you cannot. As I proceed into the room I see few more toddlers inside most of them just standing and looking at me. He introduces me to an old woman as the person who takes care of the kids. She folds her hand and says "Namaste". She steps aside and there is this little baby sleeping on its side. Thick dark hair...and it had the newborn-like cheeks. The baby looked so precious. "Five days old", the guy says and repeats himself. Tears filled my eyes. I wasn't sure how to react. I wanted to ask the baby's name. If it was a boy or a girl. How the baby got here. No, I couldn't. I just stood there and looked at the baby. A horde of emotions took over me. Mostly helplessness. I felt completely helpless standing there and looking at this five day old baby. Every few seconds I glanced at the other toddlers and they were looking back at me as well.

I gave the old woman and her helper some money and walked out. Few hours have passed since but I am unable to shake this image. Earlier today my wife and I had an argument regarding which mode of transport we should take from my in-laws to my home. I feel like a complete idiot now. In the face of everything those kids are facing and are going to face, my issues are trivial if not non-issues. I keep complaining about the little uncertainties in my life. Today I saw what uncertainty means.

I pray that those kids find all the strength and happiness from anywhere and everywhere...

Oh and we tossed away from our argument from earlier. We are taking the train back. Yes, it was a non-issue...

Erumely to Panjal

I should clarify couple things first...
# I speak fluent Malayalam and while I cannot read it as well I can manage few essential things such as movie names, newspaper headlines, bus destinations and such.
# I am NOT a mineral-water-drinking-ipod-showing-off NRI (not really Indian). I am just someone who is not very comfortable in unfamiliar places.

After spending 2 days at my in-laws I was on my way back home. My wife and daughter were going to spend few more days there so this was a solo-trip. My BIL aka brother-in-law dropped me off at Kottayam (google map might be needed or just picture a Kerala city with rich rubber-achayans or rich-christians-with rubber estates). On the way he picked up couple more shirts for me. BTW, I really wish I had an appetite for power dressing because this trip has given me plenty of shirts. As per my wife's prediction those shirts will stay in the closet while I wear my 'loser' t-shirts to work. My BIL said I should get into the A/C coach to avoid the mad rush. Fine...never say no to comfort. It is a 3-hr trip during the day so there is no reservation. I was told I can board the train with a sleeper-class ticket and ask the TTR to 'upgrade' me. Coolio...

Situation #1
I walk into the A/C coach. People are power napping on all seats. Great! Since I don't have a reservation I really can't ask anyone to move. But what are the odds! I find a window seat totally empty...or so I had presumed. I joyfully jumped into the seat and make myself comfortable. As I was settling down a dude walks up to me and goes "yeh aapka seat hey?". Nahi, kyun, aapka hey?, I ask him trying to show off my hindi skills. That didn't seem to impress him because he abandoned hindi and moved on to English. "This is my seat. I have a pillow here". I look around and find a A/C coach car complimentary pillow next to me. I knew what this dude was trying to do. "There is a pillow on every seat so are they all your seats?", I ask him. The guy who was power napping all this while felt this was worth breaking his nap so literally rose to the occasion and says "Saamy...". OK, so I left a minor detail from this. The "dude" was on his way back from Sabarimala. The power-napper was hinting that I should let go off the seat because he is a saamy. Well, I wasn't going to. Traveling in India is tough and I usually have my claws out when I travel so I wasn't going to back out. The dude walks away. Phew! A minute later he comes back with 4 other saamys. Great. The saamys are going to muscle me out of my seat. So trying to sound all confident and bold I go "What is it that you want? This seat?" Yes, the dude goes. "Sorry, I cannot do that", I go. As soon as those words left my mouth I realized it was a dumb thing to say. All I did was provoke him and I was in no position to take these guys on. "Wait here..TTR will come now", the dude warns me. Fine, I am going nowhere. A lot of thoughts go in my mind. The TTR is probably more religious than me so clearly he will throw me out of this seat and give it to saamy. Worse he might even insult me in front of everyone. I did think about relinquishing the seat but my ego is too big for that. Nervously but not showing it at all I sit and wait for the TTR. I could blog just about the TTRs in India. You would think people have gathered around a celebrity but they are just standing around the TTR to get their seat confirmed. Minutes go by and every now and then the saamy and his group would drop likes "TTR is in next seat..wait", almost like a threat. Tick tock...tick tock. TTR walks in and it couldn't have been more uneventful. He asks for my ticket. I give him my sleeper class ticket. He goes "175 rupees". Paid...done. He walks away. The saamy in total disbelief goes "Sir..seat". "Come come come..." and the TTR walks away. Phew...I felt pretty proud. I had stood ground and held on to my seat...yay! The rest of this train journey was as uneventful as the TTR's entry.

Situation #2
I get off at Thrissur station and walk out to find an auto. I had to go to 'vadakkey stand (north stand)'. In less than a minute I realized that this wasn't going to be easy. Apparently, it was rush hour which is really all time in India I think. There were a bunch of folks waiting for autos. Autos were in such high demand that they did a quick screening of passengers. The auto driver would slow down to a waving customer and raise his eyebrows as he makes eye contact. The customer calls out his destination and if it pleases his holiness he will stop to pick up the customer. If he is not interested he will just speed away to the next guy and follow the same protocol. I wasn't sure if vadakkey stand was a popular one. I figured it is a bus stand so they will be interested. Just as I was settling down with these thoughts a bunch of women stand in between me and the next customer. What the! Now I won't even make it to the screening. Geez...fine. I decided to move up the line by walking half a kilometer. The good news is plenty of autos came by but the bad news was I failed all their screening tests. Vadakkey stand wasn't popular after all. It was really frustrating. Even Simon Cowell is more courteous to folks auditioning for American Idol! After a dozen of them passed by, an auto slowed down and it looked promising. However, the words vadakkey stand didn't help at all. Just as he was about to speed away, I held on to the auto "oru minutey". The guy felt bad for me and explained the situation. Apparently, the roads to vadakkey stand are completely blocked during this hour so it is really not worth the trip. He said if I can walk up to certain place and cross the road I will have better luck. Well, can you take me to that point? He thought for couple seconds and said fine. We reach the "point" and he goes "enna pottey...vadakkey stand engil vadakkey stand". Yoohoo...he is going to drop me at vadakkey stand.

Some out of place prologue..
Kerala is notorious for few things - coconuts, gulf or gelf money, monsoon, hartals and road rash. The road situation is pretty much like a jungle. The top of the food chain are buses. Commuter buses are privately owned as well so they are extremely competitive. You can easily let go your six-flags season tickets if you plan on riding these buses. The bus ride is just like riding a roller coaster. So the buses will do whatever it takes to get past anybody else. Next comes the lorries or in mallu-fashion lowrees. Mallus even call most of the lowrees 'Pandi lowrees' indicating the lowrees that come from other states mostly from Tamilnadu. Taxi cabs, private cars and autos follow in this order. And yes, pedestrians are at the bottom, ready to become road-kills.

Situation #3
After the benevolent auto driver dropped me off at the vadakkey stand, I walk to find the bus to Panjal. I find the bus but it looks almost full with no seats. If riding a bus seated is like a roller coaster riding it standing is like being thrown off a cliff and bouncing off rocks. I walk up to the "kili" whose role I will explain shortly and asks if there are any seats. He says oh yeah plenty. He takes up the bus and walks to the ladies section and asks the only female passenger to move to another ladies seat and asks me to sit there. What the hell! What if other women come? "Chumma iri sarey", he yells out and walks away. So the kili is short for cleaner. As I understand it the kili has two primary duties. One being to clean the bus. The other which is more important is to make sure people get in and get out of the bus fast. The kili stands by the front door and whistles when nearing a stop. The bus will stop only when there are people are ready to board or wanting to get off. Sometimes when the situation is somewhat unclear the bus will slow down and the kili will do a quick assessment and whistle away. After the traumatic ride in the bus even the passengers want to get out immediately and the kili's push doesn't bother them too much. So I sat down in this seat but keep worrying about the possibility of a woman getting on board and making the rightful claim to this seat. As I am completing this thought few women get on board. Oh shoot! What do I do? Do I claim the freakin kili put me here if asked? Or just be a gentleman and get out of their seat. There is such a thing as luck. A dude sitting the gents section gets up and leaves. Must have changed his mind. I quickly jumped to his seat. The guy in the other seat gives me a dirty look but whatever...After several traumatic turns and sudden brakes I hear the stop before mine. Time to stand up. I was holding on to the bars with every muscle I got for the next 5 minutes. And the kili's push couldn't have earlier...

Finally..I was home. The end!

The moron, the jackass and Patriotism!

Several years ago when I was in college I participated in a competition where you had to talk nonstop for 3 minutes (I forget what the name of this contest was). The topic I got out of the hat was patriotism. I took the rule to heart and spoke non-stop for 3 minutes. The jackass who followed me twisted the rule and spoke so slowly that he didn't need a break at all. I still won't forget the jackass's talk...ugh...I could throw up. The moron who judged us scored the jackass higher and he won. I didn't even make the top 5 which is bad consider only 7 students tried out and one didn't even try. So in all statistical truth I finished last. I was never good at contest anyway...

Now that I have vented about the moron, the jackass and my failed attempt I will move on with my blog.

I do not remember a lot about what I spoke that day. Mostly gibberish since I never really had the time to prepare and had to talk without a break. However, I remember the first two sentences. "What is Patriotism? Does it mean carrying the flag and staging protests? Does it mean standing in the rain and yelling out 'I love India'?" Funny how I started and I am reasonably sure I just continued with a line of questioning. Maybe the moron was right in marking me last.

But really...what is patriotism?

Bal Thackarey thinks the Indian cricket team canceling its series against Australia in protest of the attacks on Indians in Australia is patriotism. There used to be a time when I was a fan of this man. Way back...back when India was afraid to make a statement he verbally attacked Pakistan and it brought great joy to me. He still makes those statements but he doesn't make much sense anymore about pretty much anything.

CPM thinks abandoning all relationships with the US is patriotism. We are "selling our motherland" is what they claim. It is funny how the communists in India make that claim considering they sold our country to Russia during the 70s and the 80s. Shewt!! Even the communists aren't really communists here. Congress made sure the communists didn't feel left out by joining the clearance sale.

A 23 year old IT professional thinks staying in India and not pursuing high-paying jobs in the US is patriotism. I got news for him...the high-paying jobs there...are not easy to come by and even if they do, you will end up spending the "high salary" pursuing the American dream. Maybe for some it is a "sacrifice" staying back in India but in many cases if not most, it is just a smarter choice.

Thankfully, I do not have to answer that question...definitely not in 3 minutes without taking a break.

Patriotism is an idea. And like all ideas each person understands it differently. I do not wear Pakistan-made anything and while I take some pride in making that claim that is probably not patriotism. I wear a T-shirt with the Indian tri-colors but that doesn't really prove anything. Most people don't even get it and I have to explain it.

IMHO, billion or more people coming together for any cause is patriotism. Our ability to maintain a democratic government all these years is patriotism. Our ability to co-exist with different languages and religions is patriotism. Our ability to cheer for 1 national cricket team is patriotism. Unfortunately, the same billion people come together for corruption, communal riots, casteism, regionalism and a lot more. India has always been too diverse and ruled by so many different people. Maybe our country hasn't matured enough. It would take another 500 years before state lines will disappear. People would have inter-married so much that there would be no real tamilian or malayalee. And that time maybe the only identity they can claim would be Indian. Perhaps at that time patriotism will not be an idea...maybe it will be a way of life.

Jai Hind!