Worst Birthday...

If I am dumped by my Girlfriend after a 5 year relationship, I'd be disappointed.
If my Dad says I've disappointed him, I'd be disappointed.

But that "disappointed" is nothing compared to how I am feeling right now. I don't think anything else in the world can possibly make me more disappointed. Tomorrow is my Birthday. I'll be turning 20. The best possible gift would've been a Ferrari 1 & 2 finish in the Singapore GP. That wasn't actually being too optimistic, Massa started 1st and Kimi started 3rd. If things went normally, I would've got what I wanted. Even if Kimi had finished 3rd. But NO.

Never have I ever "wanted" something for my Birthday this Badly.

When I sat to watch the Singapore GP at 530 in the evening, I had no idea what was in store. I couldn't have possibly guessed. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have dreamt of a Ferrari no finish. Both of them. Not finishing (Massa finished, but that doesn't count. A Non-Point finish is No Finish).

It started off brilliantly, Massa was flying on 1st, Hamilton tucking in behind him and Raikonnen in 3rd, silently eating away Hamilton's lead on him. Regulation pit stop for Massa. And that's where everything went wrong. The lights which are supposed to co-ordinate with the fuel rig went off even before the mechanics pulled the fuel rig off the car. So when Massa saw the green light (indicating him to leave), he stepped on the gas pedal and he zoomed off with the fuel rig still stuck to his car. That turned out to be disastrous. Obviously. He had to wait at the end of the pit lane for his mechanics to run and come to him to take off the rig. 2-3 mins easily. Gone. That scripted the end.

I couldn't have been more disappointed. No way, atleast I thought so. Raikonnen was running strong on 5th, nearing the end of the race and then he crashed out trying to overtake a Williams. That was the epitaph. Just when I thought there couldn't have been any more disappointment, this had to happen. Now I feel like dying.

It may sound like I'm exaggerating. It's just a game you might say. But I value Formula 1 more than Cricket. To me, a Ferrari Driver winning the World Championship brings more content and happiness than India winning the World Cup. Honest. I started watching Cricket since I remember watching TV. Sachin Tendulkar is God. But Formula 1 came only in 1997. Ever since then, It has slowly eclipsed Cricket. A Pulsating F1 race is much better than a last ball victory for India against even Australia.

The technical details, the fast over-takings, the brilliant driving scenarios, the technology, the mechanical brilliance, the unforgettable duo's commentary, the fine details, the physics, the amazing driver-team relationship, the camaradarie, the awesome sweeping tracks, fast straights, picture perfect pit stops, the aggression of Michael Schumacher. All this is enough for me to last a life time.

I could die watching the Spanish Gp of 2000 again, the Belgian Gp of 1992, Schumacher's Godly driving in Brazil 2006. At the same time, I could die watching those 3 awesome innings of Sachin Tendulkar at Sharjah against Australia, that awesome match saving 98 against Pakistan during the 99 world cup, that mind boggling 243 against Australia in Sydney in 2001, which had 0 runs in the Covers area.

But to me, Formula 1 stands above Cricket. Anytime. I wouldn't mind robbing my family to go watch the Indian Gp in 2011. I am THAT crazy about F1.

So when I sat to watch the race today, I was asking God for something simple. A simple, no frills race. That would've definitely been the best ever birthday gift. Honestly. All those presents from my dear friends, sorry, this would've ranked much higher than those. But that wasn't to happen. Never have I asked for something, so blatantly. And I don't get that. Expect me to feel anything other than Disappointment??

I've discovered that when I'm morbidly disappointed, I am fickle minded like crazy.

But even after Ferrari racing like total rookies for the past 3 races, I'm still a die-hard Tifosi at heart. That will never change. Everywhere I see Red, I'm reminded of Ferrari.

My Life's Purpose is to own a Ferrari and drive it down the auto-bahns of Germany. My Life's Dream is to have "tifosi" tattooed on my body.
My Life's Achievement would be to watch every race of a Ferrari Championship winning season at the Track screaming my lungs out.

Enough Said.

John Williams.

People around me...

Well, I just realized, on a more conscious level, that there is just SO much to learn just by studying people around you.

There's this guy in college. He's got 15 arrear papers, paid close to 7k for CA Classes but attended less than 5, paid another 19k for CAT classes but attended less than 10 there. But yet, he looks happy. If I ask him if he's genuinely happy, surprisingly, he says yes. He is genuinely happy about how his life is going. He's got a girl friend, good set of friends and all he does is enjoy life a lot. I so envy him. Here I am, cramming my mind with mindless formulae for the CAT, leading a social life that is more stale than a rat on the streets, limited friends, and obviously I am not happy, complaining about everything, reeling under a bloody monotony, ever edgy, bursting at the wrong moments and to the wrong people. Why can't I be like that guy?

Closer, even at home. My Mom. She's got the same crummy old bank job for the past 30 years. She's not even tired of the job. 30 Years! It's the atmosphere that's got to her off late. Bugging bosses apparently. But when she gets outta office and gets back home, she complains, yes, but as soon as her ranting session for the day is done, she gets back to her normal monotony of cooking and eating and the usual stuff. I wonder what keeps her going. I complain, but I don't want to keep doing the same thing. I mean, it's too immature to say that, but come on. I want a change. I deserve a change. Why can't I be like my mom?

At my CAT class, there's this English Prof. Female prof. When I look at her, all I see is how Independent she is. Independent, smart and someone who has control over her life (atleast she looks like that). And that is so awesome. She must be around 40 or something and she's got her life by the scruff of her neck.

I can draw so much from each of these people, but what do I do? Sit on my lazy ass and complain about how life sucks and how I didn't get a fair deal. Someone KICK me!

Well?

Well, ever since Rape sent me that sms saying Richard Wright died, I've been wondering if there's a separate heaven up there for the Talented ones. Like you know, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, Jim Morrison, John Lennon, George Harrison, Syd Barret, Richard Wright, Duane and Greg Allman, Kurt Kobain, Jason Newstead, Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Chopin and their likes.

Obviously, these are people who are some of God's Most Talented Kids, he sure wouldn't want them to live amidst screaming fans and stuff even in heaven, so I Do think there is a separate Heaven for these people. Or I want it to be. Well, I guess I'll know only when I die. Or would I?

This isn't a tribute post for Richard Wright, He isn't dead yet, he still lives, in Millions of radio sets across the world and billions of CDs. And more Importantly, Billions of Hearts.

It's even more sad that he died, cuz I read somewhere that Nick Mason said that Pink Floyd might do a reunion gig for a Charity sometime in December at London. I sincerely hope they carry on, it can couple up as a Memorial Concert too.

Is it even worth it?

Is it even worth comparing Lewis Hamilton with Michael Schumacher?

Well, let me break it down for you. Any Formula 1 fan would say Michael is the best, irrespective of them being his fan or not. Even if you're born Australian and follow Cricket, you'd still agree Sachin is the best. It's something similar. Hate his arrogance, his bull-shitting when it comes to being beaten, but you gotta hand it to Schumi. He undoubtedly is one of the best there ever was/will be.

Let me tell you why. Schumi made his debut in a pretty popular Jordan team back in 1991. That was the year of Ayrton Senna's finest. He produced some mind-blowing drives which hasn't been bettered by anyone yet. Well, when the season moved on to 1992, Schumi won his first ever race at Belgium's Spa Francorchamps. Senna commented saying Michael is a "Prodigy" waiting to happen. Well, he was right but he wasn't alive to see it happen. Senna sadly died in a tragic Imola GP in 1994. That was the year when MIchael won his first of his Championship titles. Again in 1995, he won his 2nd Consecutive title with the Benetton Racing team.

In 1996, Michael made the "Most Stupidest Move" ever according to Damon Hill, who eventually won the Championship Title in 1996. Michael moved from a perfectly dominating team to a mid-level lost Ferrari. Ferrari had had its dominant years, but that was in the 80s. So when Michael moved there, he was in a hapless team resting on its past glories. Well, he did the unthinkable. Just in his 2nd season with Ferrari, in 1997, Michael was competing with Jacques Villeneuve for the Title once again. Well, to be frank, Michael pulled a Senna there. Senna in 88, had deliberately crashed into Alain Prost to prevent him from winning the title, both the drivers were disqualified, thus handing the title to Senna. That was aggression at its best. But when Michael did the same to Villeneuve, FIA had learnt its lesson and it disqualified only Michael handing the title to Villeneuve.

2 years of denial again but those 2 years brought out the best of MSC. His competition with Mika Hakinnen resulted in a Classic Rivalry to the likes of Senna and Prost. Hakinnen beat him both the times, though in 1999, Michael crashed in Silverstone and didn't race for the rest of the season. But in 2000, MSC came back with vengeance in his blood and speed in his car. He won the Championship, that title was long overdue and he proved it with complete dominance for 5 continous seasons. 2000-2004 was the best of Ferrari, technically brilliant. An easy 2 seconds faster than any other team on any track. In 2001, Schumi dominated so much, that just to stop him from being successful, the FIA changed the whole points scheme. 51 years of GP History was changed just for one man. It's like saying "Sachin will get only 2 runs for hitting over the ropes"!! Yet, Schumi went on to win 4 more.

Let's get to Hamilton now. He's inexperienced, but young and restless at the same time. But get this, he came in to McLaren in his first ever season. McLaren weren't at their best, but they sure were pretty good. He's skilled, agreed. But he is too agitated and over zealous. He doesn't know how to handle fame. He's young and it'll take some time for him to come to terms with being a successful F1 driver.

I am fed up with people comparing him with Schumi. He had a freaking brilliant car in his debut season for Christ's sake. He's got skill, I ain't denying it. I'm not saying he got lucky with his driving either. He rode on the back of an awesome car and his talent to get where he is right now. But that doesn't mean you can compare him with one of the Sport's greatest. It's like saying, "Yay, Suresh Raina's got 1000 runs in ODIs in his debut season, so he is as good as Ganguly"!!! Nonsense isn't it?

But today, at the Italian GP, better known as Monza for us Tifosis (who are pure breed ferrari fans btw), when I saw Hamilton race, I was reminded of MSC. Well, I'm not saying he's as good as MSC. He can never be, No one can be. But the way he overtook everyone in his path. It was pouring like crazy there and the rooster tails made it Impossible to judge the overtaking manoeuvres. But the way he overtook everybody, the way he made them give him their position, not take it from them. This is very important in F1. Overtaking says a lot about a Driver's skills. MSC is great at it, he is extremely aggressive, brakes when the Corner is almost over, locks his wheels, but still ends up overtaking the other person. He closes the door when someone tries to overtake him, shifts from the Inside line to the Outside line as easily as licking an Ice Cream. He isn't someone who gives away his Position that easily. One's gotta be as good as MSC himself, if not better, to overtake him successfully. Hamilton showed shades of that aggression today. He was able to close the lines and deny the other driver an opportunity to get back his position.

This was awesome indeed, the way he made his way from 15th to 7th by the end of the race. His overtaking methods remind me of MSC, nostalgia, nothing else. Whenever he overtakes someone, I imagine how easily MSC would've done that.

Well, in short, Hamilton is talented, agreed, no denying. But it's just WAY too early to compare him with Schumacher. If, probably, he goes on to win this year's title (which isn't happening by the way, mark my words, this is Massa's season), or probably the next one, then we may start talking about it.

Chocolate Love...

Loved this...