"It’s not till sex has died out between a man and a woman that they can really love. And now I mean affection. Now I mean to be fond of (as one is fond of oneself)— to hope, to be disappointed, to live inside the other heart. When I look back on the pain of sex, the love like a wild fox so ready to bite, the antagonism that sits like a twin beside love, and contrast it with affection, so deeply unrepeatable, of two people who have lived a life together (and of whom one must die) it’s the affection I find richer. It’s that I would have again. Not all those doubtful rainbow colours."

-- Enid Bagnold (1889–1981), British novelist, playwright. Autobiography, ch. 6 (1969).

***

Dan Seals with a song I used to listen to when I was in college - Still a little bit of love.

Perhaps it makes more sense to live for the day. And love for the day. Ignore the larger picture, because sometimes the larger picture is so damn large you can't see the ends of it.

More and more people I know are doing that these days. And you know what - the little joys, the temporary thrills, the highs that wear out in a day or hours, they can be as satisfying as the long lasting ones. And if you think about it even the long lasting ones don't last forever. Though many would argue they do.

And so in our search for that thing, that one thing that we want, we miss out on all those things we don't really want but are there for the taking. I don't know if I'm making much sense here but the more I think about it the more I'm convinced that the world is going to hell and we better grab what we can before it's too late.

Unfortunately we are programmed to think long term. But like someone said -- many short terms make the long term. It's not easy of course to change that way of thinking, but if you think about it practically, given the times we live in, maybe it's the smartest thing to do. It's like how when you're in an airplane all you care about is making it through that one flight, life and limb intact -- Lord please don't let this baby be struck by lightning! (And if you're flying Air India your prayer will be a little longer). You don't really think about every flight you'll be taking after that, do you? No, it's just get me back safe on the ground from this one. Perhaps that is how we should be living our lives.

***

So yeah - that's what has been on my mind lately. Too much to post on Facebook. And no, I won't ever let Facebook (or that stupid thing called Twitter) take what belongs here.

For all of you who kept coming and keep coming (it was 7 years a few weeks ago) this is for you -- one of those few Bob Dylan songs where I hate the way he sings. So instead here's Van "the man" Morrison with his rendition of It's all over now Baby Blue. It ain't all over yet, but who knows how long we got?

What do you do when it's a tussle between the head and the heart and neither one is winning?

... And now I understand exactly what they mean when they say, 'It's not you, it's me'.

***

Jack Johnson on a Monday morning. It's good to be back.

Sania - Shoaib. Will they, won't they? Turns out our man was duped into doing a telephonic whateveritscalled marriage thing with the other woman - something he blames entirely on his youth and not "knowing better". See, there are two things that happen when one is young: either you are very stupid or very eager. The fact that he went through with it simply by looking at photographs of some buxom beauty, which as it turns out were not that of the woman he did the telephonic thing with, indicates more the latter than the former, I think.

But Inshallah they will, and Inhsallah she will still play tennis for India, and Inshallah (and this is a BIG Inshallah!) her fans will still get to see those aspects of her that have made her famous ;)

But why an Indian girl? What does an Indian girl have that her Pakistani counterpart is missing? Though with Sania we may be looking at an exception.

The guardians of all that is Indian* are of course not happy. Someone even suggested that the couple's first act of love be treated as an 'infiltration' and dealt with accordingly!

*Sometimes Indian, sometimes Marathi - they really must make up their minds.

***

Easter Monday. A holiday in many parts of the world. No such luxury here.

From 1972, the Doobie Brothers - Listen to the music.

After a while you can tell if the other guy has a fight in him or not. Sometimes you see it in the eyes, sometimes you don't. Some eyes will burn bright with rage while others will be cold and calculating. Sometimes they come at you fast and furious, thrashing away; at other times they will wait to see your first move - wait to see which part of your body you're keen to protect and hit you there - quick and decisive.

But the most difficult opponents were the ones who knew no fear, the ones that had nothing to lose, the ones who'd always keep you guessing. Something always told me they were the ones who would survive - not just the fights, life.

***

What do we fear, really, when the world comes at us with everything its got? Why do we seek solace in tears and words that comfort? Why do we want to run away, hide, disappear, grieve silently over what might have been? Because the world can tell if we have a fight in us or not.

And sometimes all you need to do is stand your ground and keep them guessing. Even if you are really scared.

Jack Johnson.

The snooty bastard from work who had so much free time on his hands he would spend hours in the office gym building big muscles that he would show off on Fridays wearing a tight red T-shirt looking like bludy Daniel Craig, came down with a slipped disc.

My grandmother wasn't kidding when she talked of the power of the evil eye :)

***

She said she wanted a song, so here it is - a late birthday dedication for Parul. From his best selling album Still got the Blues, Gary Moore - All your love.

When in Dubai you get the feeling that one of the things people (the expatriates I'm talking about) fear most is going 'inside', second only I think to deportation. At first I didn't quite get what this inside business was, but then they explained -- Inside as in andar ... the slammer, prison, jail, lock-up, whatever you want to call it.

And from what I was given to understand, what could get you inside is everything from breaking smelly wind in the Metro to credit card default to driving your car onto the pavement after one too many or even not walking straight after one too many, to laughing loudly at this big illuminated billboard on Sheikh Zayed Road that reads www.OurFatherZayed.ae. Actually it was not the billboard itself but the joke that went with it which sounds like the Lord's Prayer: Our Father Zayed, we art in debt ...

To, as we learn today - sending suggestive text messages to a member of the opposite sex. Hmmm...

Therefore I'm sure the question most Dubai residents are now asking is what can and can we not text? But not wanting to take any chances I reckon people will start to cleverly disguise their messages henceforth. Like one to the paramour with whom its been a while -- Baby you game for a few rounds of tiki puka puka** this evening!

Oh and lookie what we have here, also in Dubai -- I bet these two tried everything possible to keep it indoors till sheer frustration forced one of them to say - Let's go outside!



**Those of you Gulfie folk never tried a Tiki Puka Puka head over to the nearest Trader Vic's and do so. Not a big rum drinker myself, but I have to say the 151º Jamaican stuff they put in it can get you quite excited!

Up in the Air is such a brilliant movie. At the end of it you realize life is like playing on a see-saw: By yourself all you get is the lows ... the highs come only with company. Even if it's the bottle.

Simon & Garfunkel.

So it's like this -- I ride a 16 year old Yamaha which I love very much, but if someone offered me a quickie on a 2010 Ducati, wouldn't I be tempted? Which is pretty much what the guys at Emotional Atyachaar are doing. You send a hot little number to work her charms on some poor sod and he will not just fall into the trap, he will jump right into it.

Most of the time it's just about sex. Ask any of the guys who got caught why they did it and I bet their answer will be only to get some. After the act they'd be only too happy to go back to their girlfriends of three years or five years or even ten years as was the case with one couple.

Compare that with the American show Cheaters on which the desi version is based and there is one very important difference -- the other women/men there are not planted by the shows production team; they are people the suspected cheaters are actually involved/having affairs with.

So is Emotional Atyachaar being fair? I don't think so. Just because I want to ride that big blazing Ducati doesn't make me love my Yamaha any less. Because the key to remember is that right now I know I can never own that monster.

And what this will do is put the fear of hidden cameras and hot booty in most men with girlfriends/wives. Which is why the show in this case won't go on for very long. Because now if approached by a beautiful woman there are only two possibilities: either she is very desperate, or, you are going to star in the next episode of EA! And there is no way to tell the difference. Better safe than screwed, they will all say. (pun intended of course)

***

I could really feel the heat today ... with summer approaching I mean. Looks like we're in for a scorcher.

Some of the old timers here may know this one. From 1989, a band that used to call themselves Heart -- All I wanna do is make love to you.

Some hearts can never be given - like a song you can listen to anytime but cannot download.

But they can still be broken.