Some things are just meant to mean something!

Well crafted are the words of wise men.

Bruce Lee had this to say:

" Martial art has a very, very deep meaning as far as my life is concerned because, as an actor, as a martial artist, as a human being, all these I have learnt from martial art. To me, ok, to me, ultimately, martial art means honestly expressing yourself. I mean it is easy for me to put on a show and be cocky, but to express oneself honestly, not lying to oneself, and to express myself honestly, that my friend is very hard to do."

I hope one day I can say the same thing about football,  maybe something, or someone!

The great thing about football is the way in which it helps you connect to life, or whatever.  You know, sometimes I feel its almost like a person you can talk to. I'm just trying to say that football means a lot to me, in a lot of ways. And, of course my club Manchester United.

In the wake of recent events, this is what I wish to say, of course with the help of a few well crafted words.

"Ah, fill the Cup:  what boots it to repeat

How Time is slipping underneath our Feet:

Unborn To-morrow, and dead Yesterday,

Why fret about them if To-day be sweet!"

XXXVII

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Well crafted indeed.

And there ain't no reason to fret today.

Well, because, you know what we've got? We've got faith, love for our team and most importantly, in Sir Alex we trust. I foresee one last act of greatness on his part.

He is the Genius of the Restoration

And at Manchester United we Aid our Own Resuscitation!

- An emotionally stirred Red Devil.

Never, never cross swords with a Devil who holds no sword and bares no fangs.

Of Stubbed toes and Punching Dry Walls

My dear punk, I know what you're thinking. And it's not whether I've fired six rounds or five. Hold it, backed by a bout of severe criticism from certain critics, existential, surely not the word I have in my mind, and imaginary, I have decided that from this current instant, and I mean this, I will alert the audience before I take my customary, seemingly unnecessary diversions. Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I've kind of lost track myself. But being this a .44 magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and that would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question. Do you feel lucky? Well, do you? Punk. And that's certainly not what you're thinking because you're ambling along thinking, 'What a day it has been and what a rare mood I'm in, why it's almost like being ..', and then, all of a sudden you stub your toe against a dry stone and you are out of your reverie.

I'm sure you sweats know what unagi is. There is a concept in karate, called Unagi. Ah, some things really make you roll on the floor and laugh like crazy. It is quite something, and it's a real work out too. It's an exploding gigaloop. Exploding, because the gigaloop by default is implosive, initially at the least. Surely, on the floor on all your four limbs and punching the floor with your fists, you laugh so hard you start crying and your stomach starts aching; rolling around loling and then you think, ok, ok, enough. Everybody goes quiet for a moment, and then all of a sudden somebody just can't hold it in any longer and you're at it all over again. I don't know! Well, I did bring up Unagi for a reason. A person who is capable of true unagi wouldn't end up injuring the toe in the manner I have previously described. Maybe, just maybe, actually I'm sure there are times in one's life when one cannot remain in a state of true unagi. Of course, the simplest solution would be to wear shoes when you're out walking, but then you would miss out on the amazing, but painful, stubbed toe experience. 

Every time I've stubbed my toe, I've learnt a new lesson. On second thought, maybe I've just learnt the same lesson in a different way. It never was an act of recklessness, but more an act of appreciation. I'm sure the not-so-fair people understand what I mean. After all there is a soft spot, occasionally reserved, for those fairer people; actually when these fairer peoples stub their toe it most surely is an act of recklessness. Well, me being a football player and of decent pedigree, there are times when I play bare-foot. That reminds me of what one wise man among the wisest had to say, "Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair!" Winds blowing and the hair playing, and yet another stubbed toe. Alright, back to the football. But first, a statement worthy of my modesty. I'm sure you folks know that I would be the last to deny the fact that I am light miles away from being a good footballer at any decent level. Actually, pick up the previously used adjective, pedigree, and chuck it straight at the kennel. What I intended to say is that I've never hurt my toes playing football. Night cricket at the entrance, yes! Anyway, you know what some wise men say - You stub your toe for a reason, oh you sure do!

Surely, this isn't all about stubbed toes. Being Photonman, I should be able to tell you how light is limitless and tireless. General relatively speaking, I'm speaking about waves and reflections and therefore how, everything we do, and by we I mean everybody, is just some sort of reflection. Newton's third, maybe and surely not! Song writing is something I've got to look at. He did say his music was literal. Actually, punching walls is something I'll talk about another time. Bright news for some of the old sweats, I've started working on my 'Elementary Treatise on Berbatovian Mechanics'. Patience they say, is the art of hoping. And what Wordsworth had to say, those beautiful words from the springs of tranquility, so apt. 

This ain't no poetry, but surely it isn't prosaic.

I know, for it was she who said, "It's mosaic."

Who the devil is she? It's always been said, 'Sometimes it's all in the name!'

--

Well, I wonder, 'What's in a name??'

Scribbles and dribbles!

This, and I don't mean this particular one, opening statement, I shall not use, for I will use it when the time is right. This one should do for now. Or maybe I should, no I suppose I won't.

I'm sure the old sweats would vaguely remember what I had to say about the, I mean my, Law of Discernible pairs. Folks new, in its simplest form it puts forth the suggestion that everything and anything is part of a pair of things. I happened to read a crass, with all due respect to the scientific and philosophical community abiding by this particular crassness, report  that suggested that some scientific development has since long disputed the Unity of Opposites. But, I, and I mean me, like the ancient peoples of our sacred planet believe that everything exists in pairs, but not necessarily as a composite of opposites. I'm sure you, and I mean you the reader, would agree that events would in certain circumstances qualify as things. Now we are here, and I, and I mean me, want you, the reader, to look at a pair comprising of two singular elements, music of any sort and events in your life.

Oh, I know what I'm saying. 

Each song, every single one of them in my favourite songs collection .. reminds me of a single, certain event in my life. Ah, I'm holding back, but you my dear friend, and I mean the reader, will find out soon enough. Oh, and sweats, old and new, there is something I want to admit. I'm sure you folks know that I would be the first to deny that ... more about that later. Well, the previous few lines put aside, most of these songs can me mapped to a football video! :D 

I'm sure it's all too obvious, but still, Baggio. Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, what a goal by Baggio and then ♫ Tomoyasu Hotei -- Battle without honour or humanity! (5th sem, '07) ♫ Bitter sweet Symphony - The Pele video. ♫ Ordinary world - George Best. ♫ Rule the World - Ryan Giggs. 

Ah .. some other time I will write about football and martial arts. 

I remember what Cantona had to say, well I remember that he did say something about the music in the streets at Manchester. Essentially put all these things in a big bowl. On one hand you have the art, the music, the irrationality, I suppose you, the reader knows what that means for I don't, of it and football, the poetry that steps out of the book. And then on the other hand you have the hardened, logical, cold blooded, rationalizing powers of Holmes or House. What are you, and I mean all of us, supposed to embrace ? (♫ The Ashes by Embrace, David Beckham best assists.) Bruce Lee had this to say, "On one hand you have natural instinct and on the other you have control. You are to combine the two in harmony. If you have one to the extreme you are unscientific and if you have the other to the extreme, all of a sudden, you are a mechanical man."

The choice is yours ? Planet earth turns slowly, so you can always fly the other way, so fast, that you can accomplish time reversal. Superman did!

That's all irrelevant, because the Dark prince has risen, and he will not let things register at an emotional level. The time has come for him to become the cold-hearted brute he once was.

By-

If I wrote Crap Bag, it would be  plagiarism.

Dust Bin.

Ask me if I give a shite!


Let's end with that famous dribble .. "... turns like a little eel, he comes away from trouble, little squat man… comes inside Butcher and leaves him for dead, outside Fenwick and leaves him for dead, and puts the ball away… and that is why ........... is the greatest player in the world."

”

—Bryon Butler (BBC Radio)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is what King Eric had to say: "I feel close to the rebelliousness and vigour of the youth here. Perhaps time will separate us, but nobody can deny that here, behind the windows of Manchester, there is an insane love of football, of celebration and of music."

Added today, i.e., 22/10/2010

Owen Hargreaves, don't give up!

I'm not sure if clement is the word I don't want to use to describe the weather. But it sure is one of those days when I feel like going back to school. Old school on a rainy day, sitting beside the open window, wearing my sleeveless, navy blue sweater, (out of necessity and not because my shirt wasn't pressed) so I could feel the spray on my face. The perfect environment, dark days of deep, developmental contemplation, especially in the absence of a teacher. Perfect weather for some pondering.

The dots have been laid out by Her, but we are the ones who are supposed to connect them. I believe that Free will and Destiny are connected in this manner. This sure has been a year of realization. It started on that fateful night, the 27th of May 2009, when United lost to Barcelona at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome. Then, we lost Ronaldo and Tevez in the transfer season. What followed was players getting injured at crucial times and inexperience costing us that Champions league encounter against Bayern Munich. (I don't blame refereeing decisions!) And this stupid thought lingers in my mind. I don't suppose it would make sense if I said Manchester United lost the league last year because, personally, I didn't work hard enough. I know it's plain stupid, but sometimes I have this incredulous belief that such an entwining is tangible and not merely imaginary. It has been disappointing, but the return of Owen Hargreaves was something that lit me up. 

I remember that amazing 2007-08 season, Hargreaves' first season at Old Trafford. I remember the fantastic match winning free kick in that crucial battle against Arsenal. I remember his penalty in the shoot-out against Chelsea at the Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, on the 21st of May, 2008. It's the best penalty kick I've seen, awesome it was.

And then disaster struck. Operations on both knees, followed by a twenty month long rehabilitation program. After being out for two seasons, he made his Premier League return in the 92nd minute of United's penultimate game of the season against Sunderland. I was delighted to see him back in action. He touched the ball only once, but still, he was back!! He's a player who will run his heart out for the team. Yes!

Just when I thought everything was going to be fine, someone just had to pull me back out. Hargo is facing another serious injury setback. He's had to visit his knee specialist again and some fear that it may be all over for him. I've been feeling haunted ever since I got wind of the news. Reminded me of 'Red' Redding saying "Every man has his breaking point." I mean, how much can a man take? Every time he's taken a step forward, he's been knocked back and down. But, but, like I said, it has been a year of realization!!

Now that I think about it, I vividly remember the letter that Andy wrote to Red. Right now, for me, the best thing that could happen at Manchester would be the return of Hargo (and United winning everything :D and of course, City getting relegated :P !!) I hope he makes it back, I know he will. 

Don't give up Hargo!! 

- Raj

A Billion, a Brazillion, 736, 32 or 1? Or a continent? The World!!

It's June 2010, but there ain't no dust that ain't dusting around in the you know where while moving through Kashmir! The Monsoon is here. It's been dull and cloudy here in town. But, I closed my eyes and flew up, up and away into the sky, of course I made sure I had clear headway before closing them eyes of mine, and I could see a certain radiance illuminating off of the world. These are the times when you could jump off a cliff and the energy of the world would keep you afloat, metaphorically of course. The sun ain't shining, the weather ain't sweet, but there is a beat, a rhythm out there y'all and it makes me wanna move my dancing feet yah! 

Haha! George Bush is one big time cupper! This one time, Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed." "OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!" His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits, head in hands. Finally, the President looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"

Talk football and everybody knows The Pele or a Ronaldo. Brazilians are the kings. They didn't win last time yeah, and I wait to see if a new usurper will rise. Soul Wayne Rooney, for if he loses it he's gonna grow that weird beard of his. Time for some numbers. There are probably a million people involved in organizing the show, billions watching! Partially fulfilled dreams of 736 world class professionals, a few broken hearts yeah and millions more for each one of those broken ones! 736 players, 32 nations. Butterflies in their bellies surely, but who's the one who's going to win it? Mae .. chounoyona mae .. Float .. float like a butterfly! Sting like a bee!

The war begins, but no lives are going to be lost in the making of history. Damn, this reminds me of Andrés Escobar. Sad story his, but probably a one off and something that isn't captured by this spirit. It's just a reflection of that irrational lunacy in humans. Let that never happen again. OK! I was watching the official starting ceremony on TV last night, people shouting 'Africa Africaaa'! It's a beautiful place - the desert, the rivers, the rain-forests, the Serengeti, geographically so diverse much like our own beauty. The message last night was 'Football - connecting people. Education for all.' In spite of the shallowness of my perception of life and understanding of the meaning of things, football for me, and I mean for me, has a very deep meaning! I don't care who wins the trophy, tears will surely be shed in the process. Oh, not by me of course. Watch this video --> Football Heartbreaks! and you'll get what I'm saying. It hurts, especially when you lose in a shoot-out! Part of the dream is taken away from you, that's part of life. Go out and get yourself drenched, play a game with the people and everything is gonna be alright soon enough.

For me though, all of them 32 nations are the winners, Africa is the winner and the whole world too. 'Lose your inhibitions.'  These are the times when we can sing 'Joy to the World!'

Un Diego!!

One Wayne Rooney!

-

   Ju ma pel What? What's so shady?  Joey can't speak French!

   And I'm always on time!