Despite great dreams of becoming an astronaut when I was 10 and read Tintin's "Explorers in the moon", a deep abiding fascination towards egypt leading to a career in egyptology and archeology, Reading Perry Mason and wanting to be a Attorney, my life was already charted.
Starting from my 10th class whenever I was given a choice, I knew what I wanted and just went ahead. I wanted to learn science and CSC (biology was never an option since I cant stand dissection). Then my UG, despite much disappointment to my Dad for it not being a professional course, I went my way. and so on...Somehow it was all very clear, where I was going and how I was going to reach it.
Now! settled in a career of my choice and with great growth opportunities, I want to try something new .. something moreMaybe start my own business, Move to a totally different sector, become a rocket scientist (quit,stay at home and quietly go mad)...anything
But How? what? when? Its not easy answering these questions and even more is the fear of unknown. The fear to put that first step forward.
Do I dare shake my contented life by adding a whole new dimension to it? Do I dare not to? Is it enough to continue the way I am? hmmm...
Friday, November 27, 2009
Back, Back , Back...
Not sure for how long, but for what it is worth, I am back again.. again. :-)
Have even been thinking of events in my everyday life in terms of posts in my blog, but somehow it never materialised.
But thanks to the insistence of two good friends Rush and Hazel, I decided to ditch the excuses and actually write. Not sure what.. but something.
Anyways to catch u up on whats happening with my life..
I have atlast quit the last company where I was so miserable and moved on to a new place to be slightly less miserable ..
This new place is a foreign based company and one of the largest in the world and I came here with high expectations only to find chaos and confusion and lotsa headless chickens running around (and me one among those).
Surprisingly I have also found a great new fount of patience with in myself or maybe its just me growing more mature (not old just mature.. mind it )
On the flip side, lots of new friends and loads of new experiences. Travelling by public transport again ... (hmm not sure if that is good or bad, but its a definite experience)
In fact most of my new friends are new or expectant mothers and I have been hearing, really more than I want, about mothering and child care... everyday. Trust me! its enough to frighten a girl outta her wits :-)
What can I say.. its a whole new world out there
Have even been thinking of events in my everyday life in terms of posts in my blog, but somehow it never materialised.
But thanks to the insistence of two good friends Rush and Hazel, I decided to ditch the excuses and actually write. Not sure what.. but something.
Anyways to catch u up on whats happening with my life..
I have atlast quit the last company where I was so miserable and moved on to a new place to be slightly less miserable ..
This new place is a foreign based company and one of the largest in the world and I came here with high expectations only to find chaos and confusion and lotsa headless chickens running around (and me one among those).
Surprisingly I have also found a great new fount of patience with in myself or maybe its just me growing more mature (not old just mature.. mind it )
On the flip side, lots of new friends and loads of new experiences. Travelling by public transport again ... (hmm not sure if that is good or bad, but its a definite experience)
In fact most of my new friends are new or expectant mothers and I have been hearing, really more than I want, about mothering and child care... everyday. Trust me! its enough to frighten a girl outta her wits :-)
What can I say.. its a whole new world out there
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tempest in a Tea Cup
The Continental Airlines frisked the esteemed ex-president and great Indian scientist Dr. Abdul Kalam and he blew it off as part of their job, and the whole news died a swift death (though I was honestly flabbergaster and enraged by the incident). The horrible thing was that it took place in the Indian soil and the great man was undettered.
Shah Rukh Khan goes to US and when he is detained for a measly 2 hours and questioned, he creates such a hullobullo that even the Civil Aviation minister Praful patel had to threaten with the wrath of God.
Now SRK has been going around making grand statements about never setting his foot on the US Soil again (until the next time he has to visit there, ofcourse) And he has actually given some kind of press statement about wanting to frisk Angelina Jolie, who is expected to come to India in the near future, to show how traumatic the whole process was for him .. DUH UH!!!!
Come on gimme a break.. can anyone in the press not see the difference between true maturity and greatness and the spoilt tantrum of a popularity hungering actor?
PS: Really, I think this is SRK's excuse of putting into words his fantasies about Angelina Jolie, rather than any actual revenge against anyone.. What say? *smirk*
Friday, July 24, 2009
Harassment at work
Are you being harassed at work? Do you even realize that you might be a victim of such harassment?
Let me ask you a few questions then…
=> Do you feel uneasy coming to office and meeting with your peers and boss?
=> Do you hate going out anywhere, even to a lunch, with them?
=> Do you feel like you have been trapped with no means out every time you come to work?
=> Do your peers or boss, make sexual based jokes and comment on women/ men’s physical attributes in mixed company, making you feel uncomfortable?
=> Do they tease you “with” other men/ women, at your work place, to the extent that you are not comfortable talking to that person even on official business, making your work life and efficiency suffer?
=> Do they use unparliamentary words that leave you feeling disgusted?
=> Do you have to worry about your clothes as you will be getting off colour comments on them?
=> Do they find nothing wrong with their behavior despite your telling them you are not amused by it?
=> Have you or your associates been penalized for complaining about this behavior?
These are just a paltry set of questions, but if your answer is YES to any/all of the above questions then you are being harassed at work place. And its time to take some action!
It is unethical, unprofessional and definitely illegal.
Why am I suddenly talking about this topic? I read this great book called “ Emotional Intelligence to Survive and Prosper – Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates… and other difficult people” By Roy H. Lubit, M.D., Ph.D.
Its only as I read this book that I realized some of the things I was feeling was not just unique to me, but an universal problem. Ironically, I didn’t even realize what I was facing until I read the book, thinking that I was just me who is feeling miserable.
Do you know that upto 50% women and 10-20% men are harassed at their work place.
Please put a stop to this. Its your right!
Let me ask you a few questions then…
=> Do you feel uneasy coming to office and meeting with your peers and boss?
=> Do you hate going out anywhere, even to a lunch, with them?
=> Do you feel like you have been trapped with no means out every time you come to work?
=> Do your peers or boss, make sexual based jokes and comment on women/ men’s physical attributes in mixed company, making you feel uncomfortable?
=> Do they tease you “with” other men/ women, at your work place, to the extent that you are not comfortable talking to that person even on official business, making your work life and efficiency suffer?
=> Do they use unparliamentary words that leave you feeling disgusted?
=> Do you have to worry about your clothes as you will be getting off colour comments on them?
=> Do they find nothing wrong with their behavior despite your telling them you are not amused by it?
=> Have you or your associates been penalized for complaining about this behavior?
These are just a paltry set of questions, but if your answer is YES to any/all of the above questions then you are being harassed at work place. And its time to take some action!
It is unethical, unprofessional and definitely illegal.
Why am I suddenly talking about this topic? I read this great book called “ Emotional Intelligence to Survive and Prosper – Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates… and other difficult people” By Roy H. Lubit, M.D., Ph.D.
Its only as I read this book that I realized some of the things I was feeling was not just unique to me, but an universal problem. Ironically, I didn’t even realize what I was facing until I read the book, thinking that I was just me who is feeling miserable.
Do you know that upto 50% women and 10-20% men are harassed at their work place.
Please put a stop to this. Its your right!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
My foray into violence
Hmm!!! Can I call it a foray... not sure, but this is the first time I came eyeball to eyeball with violence.
I have written about how much violence disgusts, pains, shocks blah blah blah before. But for the first time it frightened me and I was not even directly involved.
I never realized how much the TV and News papers distances the happenings around the world until yesterday.
I was leaving for home in a metro bus listening to Jagjit Singh, when I realized some disturbance behind me. I was too immersed in my own thoughts to even turn and see.
The stage came and the TC got in to check our tickets when there was a shout and the sounds of a person getting hit. There was this guy being hit and kicked by three other guys. And the hitee was actually inciting them to hit him some more. Then the four guys got back into the bus and the hitee started loudly demanding that the bus be turned towards the nearest police station. When the conductor did not heed, he went straight to the driver and started pulling him off his seat.
Now another concerned traveler got into this foray and started pulling the hitee away. When he refused to listen, the traveler too started hitting the man.
By now my eyes started burning and I realized that I was watching the whole thing without blinking. So I blink, only to find that the hitee had pulled out a knife and was brandishing it in front of the traveler, threatening to stick it into him.
My God! Do things like this actually happen in real life???
The hitee was boasting that he had been to jail twice before for knifing someone and did not have any problems going once more and screaming at the traveler for hitting him.
And in another blink, the traveler had pulled the knife from the hitee and thrown the man out of the running bus. The hitee calmly got up, brushed himself and went away.
I was staring at the whole thing wide eyed, open mouthed and scared witless.
Trust me when I say, violence in real life is much more horrific and unrealistic than when seen through the TV. *phew*
I have written about how much violence disgusts, pains, shocks blah blah blah before. But for the first time it frightened me and I was not even directly involved.
I never realized how much the TV and News papers distances the happenings around the world until yesterday.
I was leaving for home in a metro bus listening to Jagjit Singh, when I realized some disturbance behind me. I was too immersed in my own thoughts to even turn and see.
The stage came and the TC got in to check our tickets when there was a shout and the sounds of a person getting hit. There was this guy being hit and kicked by three other guys. And the hitee was actually inciting them to hit him some more. Then the four guys got back into the bus and the hitee started loudly demanding that the bus be turned towards the nearest police station. When the conductor did not heed, he went straight to the driver and started pulling him off his seat.
Now another concerned traveler got into this foray and started pulling the hitee away. When he refused to listen, the traveler too started hitting the man.
By now my eyes started burning and I realized that I was watching the whole thing without blinking. So I blink, only to find that the hitee had pulled out a knife and was brandishing it in front of the traveler, threatening to stick it into him.
My God! Do things like this actually happen in real life???
The hitee was boasting that he had been to jail twice before for knifing someone and did not have any problems going once more and screaming at the traveler for hitting him.
And in another blink, the traveler had pulled the knife from the hitee and thrown the man out of the running bus. The hitee calmly got up, brushed himself and went away.
I was staring at the whole thing wide eyed, open mouthed and scared witless.
Trust me when I say, violence in real life is much more horrific and unrealistic than when seen through the TV. *phew*
Monday, July 20, 2009
Idyllic weekend
Think of this….
A Saturday evening, you have pop corn and juice and pillows all set up. Its raining outside and you can smell the wet earth (mmm!). You have nothing in your mind except that its Sunday the next day and no work. The lights in your room are dim and the system is showing movies …
1. Pride and prejudice (How many ever times I read and see the movie, I adore Darcy.. clichéd but so what ?
:-)… I even had my copy of the pride and prejudice and was checking out my favorite quotes)
2. Emma (Another Jane Austen. Not quite my favorite but still a fine one)
3. Ever After – A Cinderella story
4. You’ve got mail (God knows how many times I have seen this movie.. love Meg Ryan in this)
5. Kate and Leopold (Hugh Jackman. Need I say more..sighhhh!!!)
6. The Wedding Date (The hero tells the heroine and I quote " I would rather fight with you than make love with anyone else"... wowow!)
… dreaming a bit, smiling a bit and loafing a bit. :-)
And lets not forget the books rented from the library ….
Oh Yeah! Idyllic indeed… and this is exactly what I did last saturday :-) ...
A Saturday evening, you have pop corn and juice and pillows all set up. Its raining outside and you can smell the wet earth (mmm!). You have nothing in your mind except that its Sunday the next day and no work. The lights in your room are dim and the system is showing movies …
1. Pride and prejudice (How many ever times I read and see the movie, I adore Darcy.. clichéd but so what ?
:-)… I even had my copy of the pride and prejudice and was checking out my favorite quotes)
2. Emma (Another Jane Austen. Not quite my favorite but still a fine one)
3. Ever After – A Cinderella story
4. You’ve got mail (God knows how many times I have seen this movie.. love Meg Ryan in this)
5. Kate and Leopold (Hugh Jackman. Need I say more..sighhhh!!!)
6. The Wedding Date (The hero tells the heroine and I quote " I would rather fight with you than make love with anyone else"... wowow!)
… dreaming a bit, smiling a bit and loafing a bit. :-)
And lets not forget the books rented from the library ….
Oh Yeah! Idyllic indeed… and this is exactly what I did last saturday :-) ...
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Priorities Priorites!!!!
My mobile phone service is prepaid and in November I had to recharge it. The service provider told me not to recharge for a large amount as December was just around the bend and there would be some great offers for Christmas and new year.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Confused and sad
As I sit at work, I look down a precipice, towards which two people, with whom I am in no way connected, have pushed me.Like vultures waiting for the wounded to die and pecking at them to hasten the process, there were so many taking great glee in the situation.
From a valued worker being wooed by so many, I am suddenly tainted (Hmph!!!) - who cares that I had nothing to do with it.There are so many in my boat, but I am not sure if this is a blessing or a curse, as all of us are being pushed along the wild ride and none of us have the rudder. Every day brings new surprises and not sure who to turn to or trust.
Will I have to jump? Can I make it safely to the other side? Do I have a parachute that will save me otherwise?
And just to make me feel even more comfortable are the curious who want to know what will happen to me? The ones with concern, I understand , but its the ones with glee or pity in their voice that irritate.
I am furious, but not sure against whom?
I am furious, but not sure against whom?
Then I look around, there are breadwinners with their whole families dependent on them, some of them with big loans or awaiting their marriage. hmm!!! Guess I am better placed after all.
Friends advice me to not worry, after all I have no control over what is happening. Does that not add to the over all confusion? Are they really so cool? Are their paths clear, where mine is confused? Or are they just asking me not to say all the things they fear, for it makes it even more real?
But life revolves around hope and that is what we are all clutching at.
So here I am looking down the precipice and telling myself "This too shall pass".
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
India - Abroad
Slumdog Millionaire has won accolades and awards everywhere. I was delighted for the whole team, especially Rahman and Pookutty. It’s a rags-to-riches story, which has portrayed poverty quite dramatically.
While poverty is a facet of every nation, I am saddened that most movies taken about India, by foreigners, deal only with its poverty.
It made me wonder whether people outside ever get a chance to realize that there are so many things other than snake charmers and beggars (of which there, really, are not that many) in India. Its rich culture and languages, varied art forms, great architecture and its wide variety of people to name a few.
Until today, when I got a chance to converse with some Brazilian colleagues …
Do you have any idea how many non-Indians enjoy Indian music, especially the Hindustani and Semi-classical styles?
I am told, in Brazil, India is a trend now. One of their more popular soaps is based on India(ns).( Nice isn’t it?!)
A colleague from Brazil and I were discussing accents, when he said, despite UK having colonized India for so many years, you all have still maintained your individuality and have your own accent. (Hey! So true! Why have I never thought about it along those lines??)
Meanwhile I am learning a little of Portuguese, so I shall bid you adieu at this point and say até mais (see you later)... hehehe
While poverty is a facet of every nation, I am saddened that most movies taken about India, by foreigners, deal only with its poverty.
It made me wonder whether people outside ever get a chance to realize that there are so many things other than snake charmers and beggars (of which there, really, are not that many) in India. Its rich culture and languages, varied art forms, great architecture and its wide variety of people to name a few.
Until today, when I got a chance to converse with some Brazilian colleagues …
Do you have any idea how many non-Indians enjoy Indian music, especially the Hindustani and Semi-classical styles?
I am told, in Brazil, India is a trend now. One of their more popular soaps is based on India(ns).( Nice isn’t it?!)
A colleague from Brazil and I were discussing accents, when he said, despite UK having colonized India for so many years, you all have still maintained your individuality and have your own accent. (Hey! So true! Why have I never thought about it along those lines??)
Meanwhile I am learning a little of Portuguese, so I shall bid you adieu at this point and say até mais (see you later)... hehehe
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Preamble
I have always been quite proud of our constitution. In fact I knew the preamble by heart for the very sentiments it professes. The preamble says
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBYADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
Below are some examples of our adherance to the Constitution.
1. Valentine's day and activists have been going around with a mangal sutra and rakhi to catch up couples and force them into marriage or to tie rakhi. News paper reports say that even a brother-sister walking down the road were not spared. Pub culture is banned because a few people feel it is against the culture. People are assaulted and the government is not willing to do anything other than throw blame on each other. (Nobody had even heard of Muthalik and his Ram sena before this incident and the man was thoroughly enjoying his time of fame, even if it meant getting arrested. I have never seen a happier, more smiling face on a man being arrested)
2. A stonemason's wife delivered a healthy baby five days back. They had scrimped and scraped and saved money so that they could go to a private hospital in the futile hope of better service. Yesterday the three day old baby was taken in for a vaccination and returned dead to the parents. He is a broken man today and has no means to get justice, he is after all poor, while the doctors are rich and life must go on. (Reminds me of George Orwell's Animal Farm "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal")
3. while Tamil people in Tamil nadu are suffering, this is one government that only cares about tamils out of India, right now the ones in SriLanka. Whether the Srilankan tamils really want their help or not, they are forced with more help than they can handle.
sigh! Despite all this, I cannot think of one other country in the world I would rather be in.
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBYADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
Below are some examples of our adherance to the Constitution.
1. Valentine's day and activists have been going around with a mangal sutra and rakhi to catch up couples and force them into marriage or to tie rakhi. News paper reports say that even a brother-sister walking down the road were not spared. Pub culture is banned because a few people feel it is against the culture. People are assaulted and the government is not willing to do anything other than throw blame on each other. (Nobody had even heard of Muthalik and his Ram sena before this incident and the man was thoroughly enjoying his time of fame, even if it meant getting arrested. I have never seen a happier, more smiling face on a man being arrested)
2. A stonemason's wife delivered a healthy baby five days back. They had scrimped and scraped and saved money so that they could go to a private hospital in the futile hope of better service. Yesterday the three day old baby was taken in for a vaccination and returned dead to the parents. He is a broken man today and has no means to get justice, he is after all poor, while the doctors are rich and life must go on. (Reminds me of George Orwell's Animal Farm "All animals are equal but some animals are more equal")
3. while Tamil people in Tamil nadu are suffering, this is one government that only cares about tamils out of India, right now the ones in SriLanka. Whether the Srilankan tamils really want their help or not, they are forced with more help than they can handle.
sigh! Despite all this, I cannot think of one other country in the world I would rather be in.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Ghajini
I hate writing reviews of movies or books... especially as I am no good at them. But I just could not resist myself after seeing the Hindi Ghajini.
Not sure how many of you saw the Tamil Version of the movie. Surya and Asin were great and they seemed to gel so well and their screen ( much as I hate to use the word) chemistry was just awesome.
The songs by Harris Jayaraj were and are so wildly popular and extremely catchy. Oru Malai and Sutrum Vizhi still topping my personal favourite list.
Aamir being another favourite.. I was eagerly looking forward to his Ghajini. Saw it today and was pretty disappointed. :-( ...
Aamir and Asin both Rocked... unfortunately they rocked separately. Though they were on the same screen, it felt like they were not even talking to each other.
The songs .. An Aamir movie with Music direction by A R Rahman... Sheeesshh!!!!
I hear its a big box office hit... good for them!.. but still an over all thumbs down... :-(
Not sure how many of you saw the Tamil Version of the movie. Surya and Asin were great and they seemed to gel so well and their screen ( much as I hate to use the word) chemistry was just awesome.
The songs by Harris Jayaraj were and are so wildly popular and extremely catchy. Oru Malai and Sutrum Vizhi still topping my personal favourite list.
Aamir being another favourite.. I was eagerly looking forward to his Ghajini. Saw it today and was pretty disappointed. :-( ...
Aamir and Asin both Rocked... unfortunately they rocked separately. Though they were on the same screen, it felt like they were not even talking to each other.
The songs .. An Aamir movie with Music direction by A R Rahman... Sheeesshh!!!!
I hear its a big box office hit... good for them!.. but still an over all thumbs down... :-(
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Beauty and Brains
I wonder why the beauty and brains become mutually exclusive when the gals n guys enter a beauty paegent. Some people like Sushmita sen, do give me some hope (note I am not including Aish here), but invariably the brains seem to leak out of their ears.
The latest example for this was an interview in one of the famous news channels with the Miss. India-Universe (whose name I can really not be bothered to remember).
The lady was loaded with shopping bags and standing in front of a shopping mall all set to start her christmas shopping.
When the reporter seeing her all set, asked her what she wanted from Santa this christmas. Pat came the reply from the Miss Universe-hopeful "I am not at all materialistic. If Santa were to give me something, I would want ... (no prizes for guessing) World peace"
Well! Duh uh! I was not sure if I should gag or snicker.
I did snicker though when the reporter came back with a "Since we can't buy world peace at the mall.. why don't u just tell us what you plan to buy"
Honestly!! These gals must be taught to say something original or atleast different whenever a mike is stuck in front of their face.... World peace is postively going stale ... *smirk*
The latest example for this was an interview in one of the famous news channels with the Miss. India-Universe (whose name I can really not be bothered to remember).
The lady was loaded with shopping bags and standing in front of a shopping mall all set to start her christmas shopping.
When the reporter seeing her all set, asked her what she wanted from Santa this christmas. Pat came the reply from the Miss Universe-hopeful "I am not at all materialistic. If Santa were to give me something, I would want ... (no prizes for guessing) World peace"
Well! Duh uh! I was not sure if I should gag or snicker.
I did snicker though when the reporter came back with a "Since we can't buy world peace at the mall.. why don't u just tell us what you plan to buy"
Honestly!! These gals must be taught to say something original or atleast different whenever a mike is stuck in front of their face.... World peace is postively going stale ... *smirk*
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Siege!
India's two top metropolis both under siege, one by terrorists and the other by nature. Chennai (actually the whole of TN state) is drowning in water, while Mumbai in bullets, bombs and blood as death toll rises in both places
Mumbai: While the city was under siege with 100s of lives lost and an even greater number injured, two things were reassuring. The absolute courage, dedication and sheer grit shown by the Indian armed forces, from the firemen, police, army , navy upto the NSG and MarCos and the extemely responsible media coverage spanning the whole terror strike (I would have to specially mention Arnab Goswami and his team at Times Now for a job well done).
The Nariman house tragedy saw a two year old israeli boy orphaned on his birthday, while he was saved by his nanny. A man who came to the VT station to put his family of 6 into the train, went out to get them water and came back to see them all dead. The newspaper is full of horror stories of the survivors and the dead. The terrorists causing this carnage are said to be all in their early twenties. (I don't understand why I am surprised everytime, by the human ability to destroy brutally and ruthlessly)
The one thing that irritated me and the nation to the core was the political game playing that was played by the bureaucrats. One idiot politician actually came to the Nariman House while the terror situation was still on, and contributed his part in/by hampering the situation by collecting a crowd and attracting media attention to himself. Should this person be locked and key thrown away or should his sheer dedication to grab every bit of limelight be applauded, I am not sure. Our PM for once seems to have acted decisively and maybe for the first time in my memory all the political parties showed an united front.
But I hope against hope that this would not turn in to the usual 9 day wonder and be forgotten once all the juice has been squeezed out of the situation (which is what happens whenever our politicians are involved).
I really believe, India needs a strong national anti terrorist policy, especially as it has always been under terrorists' attacks from the time of its independence and not the wishy-washy excuses given so far to pacify us. Will the last two days awaken the urge to do it? Time should tell. Even as I write, 3 of the 4 places taken over by the terrorists have been brought under the NSG control and the war is still going on at the Taj Mahal hotel and I hope to wake up to the news that everything is under control and Mumbai is back.
Chennai: Nisha, the cyclone terrorizing Tamilnadu, is not yet ready to leave her hold on the city. After just four days of her creating havoc and mayhem, the city is almost at a stand still (it has to be, since even my company declared a holiday today :-)) and news sources say that we have enough water to last us for more than a year without another season. The water levels at lakes and dams have reached perilious levels and had to be drained by 1000s of square feet, bringing in more water to the already drowning low lying areas. Death toll has been on the increase as dams got breached and lakes flooded and people have lost their homes and are waiting on the streets for shelter and food promised to them.
The whole thing sunk in to me, especially yesterday, when my office let off early and I was coming home with a colleague in his car. I live in a relatively high area and we were about a mile from my place when I was commenting to my colleague that if the rain continues, we will need a boat and not a car to travel, when I felt something cold and wet on my foot, I turned to see, that the road was totally under water and it was lapping near the edge of the car window and slowly seeping in to the car. We were nearing a signal and praying frantically that it would be green (which it was... thank God!) or the car would have stalled and we would have had to leave it there and walk. If this is the condition of higher areas, I shudder to think of what is happening in the lower lying areas, especially with no electricity for almost a day and hardly any let up in the rain.
While it makes me sad that I am am not really equipped to help out in either situation much, what I can do is pray for the Victims and their families and hope we never have to face such a situation ever again
Mumbai: While the city was under siege with 100s of lives lost and an even greater number injured, two things were reassuring. The absolute courage, dedication and sheer grit shown by the Indian armed forces, from the firemen, police, army , navy upto the NSG and MarCos and the extemely responsible media coverage spanning the whole terror strike (I would have to specially mention Arnab Goswami and his team at Times Now for a job well done).
The Nariman house tragedy saw a two year old israeli boy orphaned on his birthday, while he was saved by his nanny. A man who came to the VT station to put his family of 6 into the train, went out to get them water and came back to see them all dead. The newspaper is full of horror stories of the survivors and the dead. The terrorists causing this carnage are said to be all in their early twenties. (I don't understand why I am surprised everytime, by the human ability to destroy brutally and ruthlessly)
The one thing that irritated me and the nation to the core was the political game playing that was played by the bureaucrats. One idiot politician actually came to the Nariman House while the terror situation was still on, and contributed his part in/by hampering the situation by collecting a crowd and attracting media attention to himself. Should this person be locked and key thrown away or should his sheer dedication to grab every bit of limelight be applauded, I am not sure. Our PM for once seems to have acted decisively and maybe for the first time in my memory all the political parties showed an united front.
But I hope against hope that this would not turn in to the usual 9 day wonder and be forgotten once all the juice has been squeezed out of the situation (which is what happens whenever our politicians are involved).
I really believe, India needs a strong national anti terrorist policy, especially as it has always been under terrorists' attacks from the time of its independence and not the wishy-washy excuses given so far to pacify us. Will the last two days awaken the urge to do it? Time should tell. Even as I write, 3 of the 4 places taken over by the terrorists have been brought under the NSG control and the war is still going on at the Taj Mahal hotel and I hope to wake up to the news that everything is under control and Mumbai is back.
Chennai: Nisha, the cyclone terrorizing Tamilnadu, is not yet ready to leave her hold on the city. After just four days of her creating havoc and mayhem, the city is almost at a stand still (it has to be, since even my company declared a holiday today :-)) and news sources say that we have enough water to last us for more than a year without another season. The water levels at lakes and dams have reached perilious levels and had to be drained by 1000s of square feet, bringing in more water to the already drowning low lying areas. Death toll has been on the increase as dams got breached and lakes flooded and people have lost their homes and are waiting on the streets for shelter and food promised to them.
The whole thing sunk in to me, especially yesterday, when my office let off early and I was coming home with a colleague in his car. I live in a relatively high area and we were about a mile from my place when I was commenting to my colleague that if the rain continues, we will need a boat and not a car to travel, when I felt something cold and wet on my foot, I turned to see, that the road was totally under water and it was lapping near the edge of the car window and slowly seeping in to the car. We were nearing a signal and praying frantically that it would be green (which it was... thank God!) or the car would have stalled and we would have had to leave it there and walk. If this is the condition of higher areas, I shudder to think of what is happening in the lower lying areas, especially with no electricity for almost a day and hardly any let up in the rain.
While it makes me sad that I am am not really equipped to help out in either situation much, what I can do is pray for the Victims and their families and hope we never have to face such a situation ever again
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Rain
The sound of rain never fails to bring a smile on my face. Just as the thought of walking out on it never fails to put a frown.When I am walking down the road, with the dirty rain water flowing at some places and stagnant at some.. never sure if I am going to step into an open drainage or ditch and break my leg, Wet. cold and miserable, the only thought running in my head is "Who ever said walking in the rain was romantic must be hit upside of their head and made to walk down this road".
But today when reminiscing ... one of my favourite memories is of my friend and me caught in a warm summer rain while standing in the cold water in the beach.
Now as I am all cozied up in my room, snuggled under a quilt and reading books or writing, listening to the soft patter of rain and loud growls of thunder all around me... sigh!! I can smile, for it truly is a wonderful feeling and I am content.
PS: For those who have not had a chance yet, the beach just before a storm is one of most beautiful places to be. You can actually see the two great forces of nature fight for dominance
Friday, November 14, 2008
This corner of the world!
It all started as friction between two factions of students in the Ambedkar Law college over wording in a hand notice and blew up into a major riot situation.
The pre- informed police and college management stood mutely by and watched while three of the college kids were brutally beaten up.
The whole thing was covered by the media and the violence shown by the instigators were shocking and the callousness of the police and to an extent the media, breath taking.I have been trying to imagine - what kind of mentality would it take to catch a running man and hit him with a thick stick, so mercilessly and brutally, throw stones at his head and still live with themselves... all over a piece of hand notice!
Even bombing can be understood, 'coz the cowards are nowhere near the place of impact. But to actually be there and inflict the kind of horrendous injuries on a fellow human being... to see the person break and bleed and still stomp and throw stones and sticks .. and dare to show their faces on the national TV with absolutely no fear of repurcussion (Divine or otherwise)... God!!!!
There was this boy... badly hit, bleeding and trying to get up and failing and the cameras were all around him trying to capture his pathetic condition until it was thoroughly utilized for ratings, before sending for help.
Another beaten student was dragged by two constables and dropped into a waiting share auto which did not even have a driver.
And while all this was happening, the government was busily collecting money to save the Tamils in the neighbouring country, as everything is milk and roses in our own. While the opposition was busy trying to glean as much support for itself and gain points against...
The capacity of the human species to cause so much pain, havoc and destruction and flick it off like so much dust, incessantly continues to surprise and nauseate me.
Sometimes I really feel sick and ashamed of my own and how sad is that? :-(
PS: My aunt says this kind of violence has its basis on movies. I don't really agree.. How about you?
The pre- informed police and college management stood mutely by and watched while three of the college kids were brutally beaten up.
The whole thing was covered by the media and the violence shown by the instigators were shocking and the callousness of the police and to an extent the media, breath taking.I have been trying to imagine - what kind of mentality would it take to catch a running man and hit him with a thick stick, so mercilessly and brutally, throw stones at his head and still live with themselves... all over a piece of hand notice!
Even bombing can be understood, 'coz the cowards are nowhere near the place of impact. But to actually be there and inflict the kind of horrendous injuries on a fellow human being... to see the person break and bleed and still stomp and throw stones and sticks .. and dare to show their faces on the national TV with absolutely no fear of repurcussion (Divine or otherwise)... God!!!!
There was this boy... badly hit, bleeding and trying to get up and failing and the cameras were all around him trying to capture his pathetic condition until it was thoroughly utilized for ratings, before sending for help.
Another beaten student was dragged by two constables and dropped into a waiting share auto which did not even have a driver.
And while all this was happening, the government was busily collecting money to save the Tamils in the neighbouring country, as everything is milk and roses in our own. While the opposition was busy trying to glean as much support for itself and gain points against...
The capacity of the human species to cause so much pain, havoc and destruction and flick it off like so much dust, incessantly continues to surprise and nauseate me.
Sometimes I really feel sick and ashamed of my own and how sad is that? :-(
PS: My aunt says this kind of violence has its basis on movies. I don't really agree.. How about you?
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Michael Crichton - A tribute
Michael Crichton, bestselling Author of many novels, such as "The Jurassic Park" and "The Andromeda Strain" passed away in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He was 66 and suffering from Cancer.
Today’s newspaper screamed this news, shocking and saddening me.
Today’s newspaper screamed this news, shocking and saddening me.
I am a fan of Crichton and consider him to be one of the best writers of his genre.
The best part about his books was the way he explained complex scientific phenomena in such layman terms, so that everyone could understand and still not make it sound patronizing. We would not require going back and forth to the Appendices or post-notes to check them either.
Though he has not churned out innumerous books, like many other authors, Crichton's style of writing and the depth of research shine out of each of his books, making it a best seller.
While his Jurassic Park, The Lost World and Prey remain my personal Favorites, I found every one of his books equally gripping and a compulsive page turner .
Salute to a great Author, whose loss will surely be felt.
Sherlock Holmes
One of my favourite characters has always been Sherlock Holmes. His style, his powers of observation, his sense of humour all strikes a chord with me. 
So well, I have always wanted to look at a friend and observe casually that she got up at 6.00 AM, ate dosa for breakfast and travelled half the distance to work by the metro and rest by share-auto, which she shared with 5 other people, all by looking at her ...say finger nails... a la Holmes
Today, I decided I would try and note my observations on anything that catches my fancy and when there is something to note, can a post here be far behind?
So here goes....
=> People dont take kindly to be gawked at by "Observers" ... :-p
=> Wished I had a camera when I saw this Macho looking guy, wearing a mean-looking Helmet, Denim jacket and boots, driving a scooty :-)
=> Obama Won... glad it happened to an ethnic .... but will it help India?
=> I was digging through my bookshelves and was sooo delighted by my collection. So many old friends forgotten and waiting for me to rediscover them.
=> Street Hawkers have a pretty interesting and colourful collection of great and unbelievable stuff available at such bargain.
=> Along the same line, there are no greater creative thinkers and sales people than those available in the big shops, such as Globus. I saw a bracelet made out of 100 or 150 safety pins and a piece of elastic, costing 200 bucks. (That's what?... like 10 times profit?)
=> There is a fat rat living in the crack on the platform near my bus stop... (I do mean the four legged variety)
=> Its pathetic the level drinks make a person drop to. Was most astounded and disgusted by a drunk's antics on the road today.
Life sure is interesting when one takes a few minutes time to slow down and look around.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
I am tagged!
After a looong hiatus, I am back again to blogging and I have to start with an Apology to my friend RS. (Sorry dear! I have not read or written blogs in over a month and Thanks for tagging me, I think :-) )
Alrite so RS has tagged me and I am supposed to : "Jot down 5 of your favorite quotes from the various books you’ve read. If you don’t have the books with you now, googling (Wikiquote and the like) can be used to find them. Tag five people and acknowledge the person who tagged you.”
So here goes
1. All animals are equal but some animals are more equal
- Animal Farm - George Orwell
2. Well I give it two weeks and it just don't work. She makes me get up the same time every morning. She makes me wash. I gotta wear them fancy clothes that just smothers me. I can't smoke, I cant chaw. I gotta wear shoes all Sunday. I gotta ask to go swimmin, I gotta ask to go fishin'. Well I'll be damned if I don't have to ask to do everything. I tell ya, I had to sneak up to the attic and cuss for ten minutes just to get the taste back in my mouth
- Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
3. Let's be clear. The planet is not in jeopardy. We are in jeopardy. We haven't got the power to destroy the planet - or to save it. But we might have the power to save ourselves."
-Ian Malcolm - Seventh Iteration "Destroying the World" - Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
4. Discovery is always a rape of the natural world. Always.
- Dr. Ian Malcolm - Jurassic Park
5. If you keep quite and mind yer own bisiness, you might live until you die
- Sudden - Oliver strange
Now I have to tag some other people ... aah! that's more difficult than I thought.. So am tagging only two who i think may enjoy this exercise
Tamanna
Archana
.
Alrite so RS has tagged me and I am supposed to : "Jot down 5 of your favorite quotes from the various books you’ve read. If you don’t have the books with you now, googling (Wikiquote and the like) can be used to find them. Tag five people and acknowledge the person who tagged you.”
So here goes
1. All animals are equal but some animals are more equal
- Animal Farm - George Orwell
2. Well I give it two weeks and it just don't work. She makes me get up the same time every morning. She makes me wash. I gotta wear them fancy clothes that just smothers me. I can't smoke, I cant chaw. I gotta wear shoes all Sunday. I gotta ask to go swimmin, I gotta ask to go fishin'. Well I'll be damned if I don't have to ask to do everything. I tell ya, I had to sneak up to the attic and cuss for ten minutes just to get the taste back in my mouth
- Huckleberry Finn - Mark Twain
3. Let's be clear. The planet is not in jeopardy. We are in jeopardy. We haven't got the power to destroy the planet - or to save it. But we might have the power to save ourselves."
-Ian Malcolm - Seventh Iteration "Destroying the World" - Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
4. Discovery is always a rape of the natural world. Always.
- Dr. Ian Malcolm - Jurassic Park
5. If you keep quite and mind yer own bisiness, you might live until you die
- Sudden - Oliver strange
Now I have to tag some other people ... aah! that's more difficult than I thought.. So am tagging only two who i think may enjoy this exercise
Tamanna
Archana
.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Flu -- Hmph!!
There is something very diabolic about getting the flu. Everyone suddenly notices you and you are pampered to death and you can't even enjoy it, coz you are busy feeling miserable.You go to the doctor hoping for a quick check up and a prescription and end up with having to take a helluva lot of tests, which always includes blood test or something similar that requires piercing or cutting your skin.
Armed with the test results you go back to the Doc, with a hopeful look on ur face and tell him please no injections.. he grins at u ( the devil!!!) and says its best if you have a course of 15-20 injections of some medicine or other... and it has to be intravenal... in other words.. most painful...
And this is one time when parents and relatives all ditch you to your miserable fate ..
Well! Yeah! the doc has asked me to take injections for 15 days and I hate injections... Waaahhhh
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Nostalgia :-)
Someone asked me "If you could go back time and change some event, what would be it?"
My answer then (and now) is that I would not change anything for I have always been a staunch believer in Butterfly effect, even before I knew the term.
But I would love to have a chance to turn back the clock and go back to some of the times of life's joys
A time where the only responsibility was to get up in time to reach college/school.
A time when all our friends were just around us and going to a movie or just hanging out meant turning your head to call out to them or at most call them over the phone. You never had to worry about your appointments or theirs.
Cutting classes, snickering about lecturers, playing pranks, teasing the "pairs", fighting with friends... feeling miserable and them making up, spending hours over the phone talking god knows what.
I remember a time when six of us, got together at a friend's place for group study and the next thing we knew...we ended up in the VGP Golden beach. It rained cats and dogs and we ate everything on sight and went on every ride and got sick. What Fun!
Another time when almost 15 of us went to see "Bend it like Beckham", bought wrong tickets at the theatre and went to see a Hindi movie (i don't remember anything about the movie except it was totally lousy) and none of my friends understood Hindi..
And there was the time when 10 of us and some of us meeting that day for the first time, went on a bus tour in the US. The bus was filled with Chinese, except us and another Indian family of three. I doubt the tour company will ever take Indians on another tour again.. hehehehe
Walking to the beach everyday with a friend, where we used to play in the waves and make up stories of all the people out there.
Sigh! where has the time flown away. When did we all grow up and away from each other. Different priorities and responsibilities.
Sometimes I wish....
my boss would let me dream in peace.. OK folks time to go back to work.
My answer then (and now) is that I would not change anything for I have always been a staunch believer in Butterfly effect, even before I knew the term.
But I would love to have a chance to turn back the clock and go back to some of the times of life's joys
A time where the only responsibility was to get up in time to reach college/school.
A time when all our friends were just around us and going to a movie or just hanging out meant turning your head to call out to them or at most call them over the phone. You never had to worry about your appointments or theirs.
Cutting classes, snickering about lecturers, playing pranks, teasing the "pairs", fighting with friends... feeling miserable and them making up, spending hours over the phone talking god knows what.
I remember a time when six of us, got together at a friend's place for group study and the next thing we knew...we ended up in the VGP Golden beach. It rained cats and dogs and we ate everything on sight and went on every ride and got sick. What Fun!
Another time when almost 15 of us went to see "Bend it like Beckham", bought wrong tickets at the theatre and went to see a Hindi movie (i don't remember anything about the movie except it was totally lousy) and none of my friends understood Hindi..
And there was the time when 10 of us and some of us meeting that day for the first time, went on a bus tour in the US. The bus was filled with Chinese, except us and another Indian family of three. I doubt the tour company will ever take Indians on another tour again.. hehehehe
Walking to the beach everyday with a friend, where we used to play in the waves and make up stories of all the people out there.
Sigh! where has the time flown away. When did we all grow up and away from each other. Different priorities and responsibilities.
Sometimes I wish....
my boss would let me dream in peace.. OK folks time to go back to work.
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