Wednesday, June 4, 2008

Tagged

Rads tagged me with a tag whose rules are

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge the person who tagged you

Now, I've been off blogging for a while because I couldn't think of anything interesting to say. I mentioned this to a couple of friends conversationally, the other day. Sheela, who was there, remarked that this did not seem to stop me from talking. Ignoring the barb, for we Shenoys do not stoop to vulgar debate, especially when we do not have a suitable reply, I further hardened my resolve to write only if I hve something worthwhile to write about.
Well, I'm about to break that resolution. I have on my table here, at work, for reasons unknown, a book called "The Great Political Theories". I pick it up and turn to page 123. The fifth sentence and the three following it are

"There are, in fact, many ways in which the senate can either benefit or injure those who manage public property, as all these matters are referred to it. What is even more important is that the judges in most civil trials, whether public or private, are appointed from its members, where the action involves large interests. "

I will presently put a sock in it and desist from typing the other two sentences because I don't want to put my audience, a faithful if foolhardy bunch numbering about half a dozen, into a deep coma. That lively bit of prose was about the Roman Senate and was written about the theories of a chap named Polybius (ca.203-120BC, Greek Πολύβιος)who must have been the president of their Comedy Club.
"Yo, Polybius, my man, was haapenin" someone would say. And Polybius would promptly reply that the senate is obliged in the first place to pay attention to the commons in public affairs and cannot carry out inquiries unless the senatus consultum is confirmed by the people. This would crack up all the people and the TV guys would look at him as the just the chap to replace Conan O'brien.

The last part of the tag,
Tag five people, and acknowledge the person who tagged you
I will have to postpone on the grounds that I don't know five people who can read. But I can acknowledge my tagger, Rads, as one of the wittiest and soundest person I know. She might not be able to achieve the heights of Polybius, but she can mangle a QWERTY as well as anyone else. One would be well advised to visit her page.

Apart from this, I have a nice weekend vacation to write about, and a visit to the shopping districts of Mumbai with wife. And of course the IPL cricket final which I saw in the stadium.

See you soon

15 comments:

Preeti said...

*comes running and clicks away profusely to reach Uncle s's page*

Phew! A new post! He hasn't gone away! Double Phew!

U saw the match livE? U saw Amir Khan? Sigh! Isnt he the cutest?!?

P.S: Considering Chennai (team i was rooting for) lost, all i could see and feel happy about was this drool-worthy guy...I am NOT a dumb blonde who watches sports for the cuties...Uhm, maybe a lil but not really! ;) :D

rads said...

LOL. Naren, as always nicely done. Thank you for doing it and quick too. I am becoming quite the bad influence on folks, doing tags as soon as they are tagged! hehe. ;)

LOL@political book and Polybius, though I do find historical books politics or otherwise interesting, never mind that most of them swoosh right as quickly through the brain.
Thanks for that nice note too! :D

man in painting said...

You are really funny man.
From the first words the route is clear.
Happy to be in company.
Best wishes.
Loved your blog
bye

Narendra shenoy said...

Preeti - Thanks, sis. I didn't see Aamir Khan. Nor Tendulkar. Infact, apart from the back of a balding man's head, I didn't see much. Watching cricket in a stadium sucks. And these were "VVIP" tickets. I think "VVIP" means "sucker who pays thru nose for crappy seat" in Lalit Modi's mother tongue.


rads - This book is a gem. It 'only' goes up to the french revolution but it is painstakingly 'correct' and full of heavy stuff. I wanted to do a post on Modern Indian Political Theory which I call the Slash and Burn system of politics. I wrote it and found it so depressing that I seriously considered chucking it all up and taking off to the Himalayas. It was only the innocent eyes of my wife and kids, and the realization that it's very difficult to get good whisky in those parts that kept me from taking that drastic step.


man-in-painting. Thank you very much, sir!

Anonymous said...

Glad you are back!

YOU went to a cricket match?? *surprised*

And weekend vacation? Didn't you like just return from a vacation in a resort? Charmed life eh? :p

Arun Sundar said...

Reading a book on Roman politics, remarking 'Watching cricket in the stadium sucks' and strewing nice humour all thru'out almost all your posts! I normally dont say this to many people...ssshhhh....but consider me your fan saar :)

Partho said...

Hard to see the point in such a tag, except it can make one look up page 123 in some random volumes for something interesting. You could've tagged me. I managed to find out raging erotica in Something happened by Joseph Heller, most unexpected of places.
Great post as usual. You seem to write best when you don't have anything worthwhile to say. Perhaps you know that?

Preeti said...

One thing I realized is NEVEr to watch a match in those VVIP places cuz u miss out on all the fun...they dont even scream inside those air-conditioned confines, do they???

It's best out in the open...Cuz even if ur losin, the moron next to u would be hootin in ur ear to some crappy tune that would warrant a silly dance ANYWAY! This i figured from the 4 matches iv seen in my entire lifetime...3 outta 4 of which India and Chennai lost..!

Somebody Else said...

Oooh Polybius and all. Rings a bell. But political theory is lost on myself. We have established already that it it analysis of the armchair variety we'd rather indulge in, haven't we?

If everybody blogged only about seeeerious issues and about All The Things That Really Matter, the internet would be a boring place, no?

Like the great Socrates once said "Blog....Blog"


That was basically him calling his poisoners Bastards while glug gluging his hemlock. Ahh lux et veritas.


You watched IPL live? Don't you love the Rajasthan Royals? Best looking team I'll say. Swoooon.

Narendra shenoy said...

grad - Actually went, in the teeth of opposition from the Immediate Superior! Weren't easy on the butt, neither! As to the charmed life, thanks, but it's the middle ages. Even vacations are like work.

arun- Thanks, sir, you are most kind!

Preeti - This wasn't really a VVip place, it was merely called one, sso that suckers like me would pay mega bucks to - what? to be seen? - generally be suckered. It was hot and humid and beffore long, most of us were wishing we were in a more user-friendly place, like the Sahara desert.

siri - hahaha! Blog-Blog! Where's your respect for elders, young lady?
Yes, politics is best discussed in an armchair, preferably in the company of something cold and in a bottle.

Somebody Else said...

oops. was that crude? sowwie :-/

Narendra shenoy said...

siri - not in the least bit crude, ma'am. that "respect for elders" thing was in a jocular vein.

Cynic in Wonderland said...

speechless at choice of book :O

KD. K Bodhi said...

Do you plan on writing something or shall I wring your neck till you die?

Narendra shenoy said...

okie - One post, coming right up sir! Do not wring neck. Rights of neck-wringing currently with Mrs. Shenoy. You could find yourself in a messy law-suit