Which material? Let’s talk about Plastics... And people. And how people are like plastics. Wait; let me gather my thoughts a little. I'm sounding too incoherent even to myself. But then, all great theories were incoherent when initially propounded.
If you remember your basic lessons of science (the elementary level science, I mean), you’d probably be able to recollect the property termed as ‘Plasticity’. It is the property by virtue of which a body gets permanently stretched or formed into another shape when acted upon by some force. Whoa, I’m proud of myself!!!!
Now compare this to people.
Let’s see if this explanation helps –in our lives, people come and people go. Some of them stay, others don’t. Some of them don’t matter, some of them do a little, and some of them REALLY do. And then there are some people, who come into our lives with this awesome energy level, no matter for how short or long a span, and BANG… things are never the same again. You are never the same again. Like that force on plastic that acts for but a short time, and the plastic takes a form entirely different from what it was in.
And you don’t realize it immediately. It’s only when the initial storm subsides, that you realize, how much of an impact you have really sustained… rather absorbed. It’s then that you realize how much of that other person you’ve taken inside. And it’s then that you realize how much you have changed. Amazing catalysis!
Hey I think I just mixed two branches of science. Wasn’t plasticity Physical and catalysis Chemical? But then, that’s the problem with theories. They are, as I said, incoherent. And crazy. And probably abstract too! So much for my theories. No wonder the blog site is called – Classifieds!
ps: just btw, speaking of elasticity and plasticity… another example – weight gain is elastic… u can gain weight and u can lose it, but the flesh gained thanks to that weight gain is SO plastic… even after you’ve lost the weight… the flab sticks on to remind you of those “hey days”. Just another thought. Don’t bother.
~K.
Friday, December 02, 2005
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Some like it hot!!
Just another chain of thoughts from my ever-so-fertile mind....
Actually not... I cant remember whether I read it somewhere... or heard it somewhere... or if it really did sprout somewhere in my "ever-so-fertile" mind...
Anyway, I just landed on this thought while taking a shower... Ever realized how similar a shower is to life?
You try and balance the hot water and the cold until you are able to get that perfect temperature... By the time you get it, you would have become used to... how do I put it... the adverse temperature conditions. And then suddenly, the perfect temperature doesnt seem that good after all. It'll be either a little too cold or little too warm for your taste.
Know what I mean? You go about, trying to reach that balance in life. Could be in academics... Could be at work... Anywhere. You fight through tremendous pressures, longing for a peaceful, calm, smooth life. After what might seem like an eternity, you actually might get that calmness. But by now, you are so used to all that heat, that this sudden comfort, is believe it or not... discomforting! Strange? Maybe. Probably whacky! But true nonetheless.
Such is life! Cool! Or is it hot??? Take your pick..
~K.
Actually not... I cant remember whether I read it somewhere... or heard it somewhere... or if it really did sprout somewhere in my "ever-so-fertile" mind...
Anyway, I just landed on this thought while taking a shower... Ever realized how similar a shower is to life?
You try and balance the hot water and the cold until you are able to get that perfect temperature... By the time you get it, you would have become used to... how do I put it... the adverse temperature conditions. And then suddenly, the perfect temperature doesnt seem that good after all. It'll be either a little too cold or little too warm for your taste.
Know what I mean? You go about, trying to reach that balance in life. Could be in academics... Could be at work... Anywhere. You fight through tremendous pressures, longing for a peaceful, calm, smooth life. After what might seem like an eternity, you actually might get that calmness. But by now, you are so used to all that heat, that this sudden comfort, is believe it or not... discomforting! Strange? Maybe. Probably whacky! But true nonetheless.
Such is life! Cool! Or is it hot??? Take your pick..
~K.
Sunday, October 30, 2005
I believe in Angel
Oh yes I do. I’ve got guardian angels guarding me ever since I can remember. They are always somewhere close by.
Me – I am this incorrigible person who keeps getting herself into “situations”, if you know what I mean. And if I’m lucky, I don’t pull others along with me. But then, I do get out of those. As naturally as I get into them. It’s as simple as going through a revolving door.
Yes I could take the credit by saying I get myself out unscathed, uninjured, unaffected… so on and so forth. But one, I was born with this huge amount of modesty. And two, I know if I tried to pull that stunt all by myself, the least I would end up doing would be screwing up another 4-5 lives. And that’s where these angel fellows come in. In different forms, assuming different roles, but doing the same work. All of them.
There are times when I think I don’t really need them… Oh well… so much for my thoughts… not even a penny actually. For every stupid hint of a thought worth any foul penny which says I can get along well on my own, there are about a million flashes worth a grand each, if not more, which tell me to basically shut up.
All the times at home when I’ve been lost as a kid or other-wise, through school and college where I was this notorious woman, the 3 months of training in Infosys where I managed to goof up in every possible way, then all the way to Chennai, where again my mad luck (no typo here) got the better (or worse) of me, and then here in Detroit where I arrived a little humbled, but stupid nonetheless, it’s been these g.a’s who’ve kept the show running. Sometimes at “breakneck” speed. But cruising all other times.
Sometimes I think I should sit up and thank all these wonderful creatures, who keep popping into my lives at just the magical moments, as if on a wonderfully directed cue. Only I’m scared they might think their job is done and move on to another specimen like me. So I guess, when my job is finally done, I’ll send them all a little I.O.U. with a thanks and a mmuah. And until then, I’ll put in another word with one of those divine powers which are supposed to exist to keep taking care of these much more realistic (and down to earth) characters and keep hoping that they enjoy working with me.
ps: yeah yeah… one of those days.
~K.
Me – I am this incorrigible person who keeps getting herself into “situations”, if you know what I mean. And if I’m lucky, I don’t pull others along with me. But then, I do get out of those. As naturally as I get into them. It’s as simple as going through a revolving door.
Yes I could take the credit by saying I get myself out unscathed, uninjured, unaffected… so on and so forth. But one, I was born with this huge amount of modesty. And two, I know if I tried to pull that stunt all by myself, the least I would end up doing would be screwing up another 4-5 lives. And that’s where these angel fellows come in. In different forms, assuming different roles, but doing the same work. All of them.
There are times when I think I don’t really need them… Oh well… so much for my thoughts… not even a penny actually. For every stupid hint of a thought worth any foul penny which says I can get along well on my own, there are about a million flashes worth a grand each, if not more, which tell me to basically shut up.
All the times at home when I’ve been lost as a kid or other-wise, through school and college where I was this notorious woman, the 3 months of training in Infosys where I managed to goof up in every possible way, then all the way to Chennai, where again my mad luck (no typo here) got the better (or worse) of me, and then here in Detroit where I arrived a little humbled, but stupid nonetheless, it’s been these g.a’s who’ve kept the show running. Sometimes at “breakneck” speed. But cruising all other times.
Sometimes I think I should sit up and thank all these wonderful creatures, who keep popping into my lives at just the magical moments, as if on a wonderfully directed cue. Only I’m scared they might think their job is done and move on to another specimen like me. So I guess, when my job is finally done, I’ll send them all a little I.O.U. with a thanks and a mmuah. And until then, I’ll put in another word with one of those divine powers which are supposed to exist to keep taking care of these much more realistic (and down to earth) characters and keep hoping that they enjoy working with me.
ps: yeah yeah… one of those days.
~K.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
4 guys, a girl and a minivan
No, it’s not the name of any new sitcom. Nor is it a crime report. Unless of course you consider having lots of fun criminal.
Ok, back to the story. 4 guys, a girl drove to Pittsburgh in a minivan. The travelers – Mehul, Sandeep, Shashi, Anil and I. We’d intended to start obscenely early... at 4 in the morning. Thankfully, we got late. Hallelujah!! After me preparing some sandwiches for the way while the ‘men folk’ were still getting ready, we finally left at 6.
The drive was, to say the least, awesome. We started on a great note. Mehul kept getting constant reminders to slow down. Then we got a little lost in Ohio. ;) But thanks to the great navigation skills of Anil, we got back on track in a jiffy. Throughout the drive, it was music, leg pulling and a LOT of laughter!!! Even though it was raining ever since we reached Cleveland, we managed not to let our spirits get dampened. Between the fights over what music should be played, finally switching cd’s, changing seats, some snaps and of course the stops at the service plazas, the mood stayed bright and sunny inside the dodge even though it was anything but outside.
Finally, we reached Pittsburgh at around 11.30 in the morning. The view of the downtown was stunning. It was then that I shot my first curse at the rain. We headed straight to the Sri Venkateswara Temple. And I must say I felt humbled after a really long time. Now I don’t know if it was because of the nostalgia attack that I got there or anything else. Let’s leave that as one of the unexplained phenomena that life hurls at you every once awhile.
Out of the temple and it was still raining. I suppose none of us bothered to pray for the rain to stop. Lesson learnt – be practical while praying. You never know when your prayers get answered. And another lesson – be careful of what you wish for. For all you know, it might come true and in a much larger scale. For explanations on this, contact Shashi. :D
Again, (no) thanks to the rain, we couldn’t stop at downtown. After a little mix up on our way out, we again got back on track. By now, we had gotten used to mix ups and straight ups. Experience teaches you everything. This time, even the music scene was a lot more peaceful. Reason one – the junta had grown accustomed to whatever music would be played. I guess it didn’t make that much of a difference. And reason two - the controls were in the hands of yours truly. Reason three – the driver was Sandeep. Between the two of us, we managed to play the discs that suited our interests. Talk about monopolies.
Return journey was just as rainy as the ongoing one. More, rather. Nevertheless, the inside atmosphere still remained as charged up as it was in the ongoing journey. The cartoon network road show was still playing a ‘Best Of’ series.
I guess the pattern had been established. Because on our way back we again got lost at the same place where we’d lost ourselves on our way to Pittsburgh. But then, before Mehul starts abusing me and accusing me of defamation, let me add a minor detail. Some exits on the freeway were closed, and we had to take detours. I wonder how I forgot to mention this small point the previous time. Oops! My apologies. ;)
All in all, 4 guys, a girl and a minivan had awesome fun. Came back dry, tired and still charged. A day well spent. Next trip on the cards – anywhere. When – anytime. Only improvisation required – a little more sun. Will pray for that before we start our next journey. Mr. God, you listening?
~K.
Ok, back to the story. 4 guys, a girl drove to Pittsburgh in a minivan. The travelers – Mehul, Sandeep, Shashi, Anil and I. We’d intended to start obscenely early... at 4 in the morning. Thankfully, we got late. Hallelujah!! After me preparing some sandwiches for the way while the ‘men folk’ were still getting ready, we finally left at 6.
The drive was, to say the least, awesome. We started on a great note. Mehul kept getting constant reminders to slow down. Then we got a little lost in Ohio. ;) But thanks to the great navigation skills of Anil, we got back on track in a jiffy. Throughout the drive, it was music, leg pulling and a LOT of laughter!!! Even though it was raining ever since we reached Cleveland, we managed not to let our spirits get dampened. Between the fights over what music should be played, finally switching cd’s, changing seats, some snaps and of course the stops at the service plazas, the mood stayed bright and sunny inside the dodge even though it was anything but outside.
Finally, we reached Pittsburgh at around 11.30 in the morning. The view of the downtown was stunning. It was then that I shot my first curse at the rain. We headed straight to the Sri Venkateswara Temple. And I must say I felt humbled after a really long time. Now I don’t know if it was because of the nostalgia attack that I got there or anything else. Let’s leave that as one of the unexplained phenomena that life hurls at you every once awhile.
Out of the temple and it was still raining. I suppose none of us bothered to pray for the rain to stop. Lesson learnt – be practical while praying. You never know when your prayers get answered. And another lesson – be careful of what you wish for. For all you know, it might come true and in a much larger scale. For explanations on this, contact Shashi. :D
Again, (no) thanks to the rain, we couldn’t stop at downtown. After a little mix up on our way out, we again got back on track. By now, we had gotten used to mix ups and straight ups. Experience teaches you everything. This time, even the music scene was a lot more peaceful. Reason one – the junta had grown accustomed to whatever music would be played. I guess it didn’t make that much of a difference. And reason two - the controls were in the hands of yours truly. Reason three – the driver was Sandeep. Between the two of us, we managed to play the discs that suited our interests. Talk about monopolies.
Return journey was just as rainy as the ongoing one. More, rather. Nevertheless, the inside atmosphere still remained as charged up as it was in the ongoing journey. The cartoon network road show was still playing a ‘Best Of’ series.
I guess the pattern had been established. Because on our way back we again got lost at the same place where we’d lost ourselves on our way to Pittsburgh. But then, before Mehul starts abusing me and accusing me of defamation, let me add a minor detail. Some exits on the freeway were closed, and we had to take detours. I wonder how I forgot to mention this small point the previous time. Oops! My apologies. ;)
All in all, 4 guys, a girl and a minivan had awesome fun. Came back dry, tired and still charged. A day well spent. Next trip on the cards – anywhere. When – anytime. Only improvisation required – a little more sun. Will pray for that before we start our next journey. Mr. God, you listening?
~K.
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Home... Suite Home
Life in fast lane??? Hmmm ... well.. true... at least in the day time... night time is more like 'Life in the Last lane'... and what a lane... whooo boy!! Slowpoke!!!
Today I was lucky enough to get out of office at 6... a feat I was never able to manage in Chennai... And considering that the weather was kinda nice all day today, it seemed such a blessing... Ah well... I kinda counted my eggs pretty soon... should have at least waited until i reached home... er the suite rather...
Once you are back from office there's not much that you can do... without a car that is... which is what I am currently... It feels nothing less than a house arrest... again... suite arrest.... and there's NOTHING sweet about it... bahhh !!! Am I cribbing??? Well no.. not really... coz I have friends who are gifted with a car (read SSN) and a credit card (read SSN)... and are also gifted with a couple of have not friends like me who dont have a ... yeah yeah... you got it... getting smart or what....
So now I'm just coming back from the community center... after a game of pool... and guess what... I managed to pot in some 8 or 9 balls in just 4 games!!!! Am I a pool shark or what... ;) And that was followed by a game of table tennis as well... Now I dont want to show off my sporting abilities... but I'm atleast a good sport... and I guess that's all I will say....
Am back in home.. suite home... trying to figure out what to do with my time until I fall asleep. I can read... but I'll start crying coz I'll be missing my glasses so badly... I can watch TV... but somehow.. after 2 years of CAS infested Chennai, the idiot box doesnt interest me much... I guess I HAVE become smarter... or so I'd like to believe... Hence I turn to what I like doing.. writing... typing in this case... Thank God for broadband.. and the company for the laptop... ;)
I guess I could try and cook something up... something edible I mean ... but nahhhh... too lazy... So a glass of milk will have to do... I'm making up in advance for the days ahead that I will spend gorging on all sorts of awesome food.... If gluttony IS a sin, let me atone for it now itself...
All you who have the privilege of getting good food on your tables and into your mouths right down to your stomachs... stay reeeeeeeeeeally really away from me.... because just in case gluttony is not.. i know violence is most definitely a sin.... But anyhow, I shall avenge myself at lunch tomorrow...
That's all for now.
Hungrily, sleepily, lazily and bloggily yours...
~K.
(in local parlance... Khalley)
Today I was lucky enough to get out of office at 6... a feat I was never able to manage in Chennai... And considering that the weather was kinda nice all day today, it seemed such a blessing... Ah well... I kinda counted my eggs pretty soon... should have at least waited until i reached home... er the suite rather...
Once you are back from office there's not much that you can do... without a car that is... which is what I am currently... It feels nothing less than a house arrest... again... suite arrest.... and there's NOTHING sweet about it... bahhh !!! Am I cribbing??? Well no.. not really... coz I have friends who are gifted with a car (read SSN) and a credit card (read SSN)... and are also gifted with a couple of have not friends like me who dont have a ... yeah yeah... you got it... getting smart or what....
So now I'm just coming back from the community center... after a game of pool... and guess what... I managed to pot in some 8 or 9 balls in just 4 games!!!! Am I a pool shark or what... ;) And that was followed by a game of table tennis as well... Now I dont want to show off my sporting abilities... but I'm atleast a good sport... and I guess that's all I will say....
Am back in home.. suite home... trying to figure out what to do with my time until I fall asleep. I can read... but I'll start crying coz I'll be missing my glasses so badly... I can watch TV... but somehow.. after 2 years of CAS infested Chennai, the idiot box doesnt interest me much... I guess I HAVE become smarter... or so I'd like to believe... Hence I turn to what I like doing.. writing... typing in this case... Thank God for broadband.. and the company for the laptop... ;)
I guess I could try and cook something up... something edible I mean ... but nahhhh... too lazy... So a glass of milk will have to do... I'm making up in advance for the days ahead that I will spend gorging on all sorts of awesome food.... If gluttony IS a sin, let me atone for it now itself...
All you who have the privilege of getting good food on your tables and into your mouths right down to your stomachs... stay reeeeeeeeeeally really away from me.... because just in case gluttony is not.. i know violence is most definitely a sin.... But anyhow, I shall avenge myself at lunch tomorrow...
That's all for now.
Hungrily, sleepily, lazily and bloggily yours...
~K.
(in local parlance... Khalley)
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Right here. Right now…
I’m trying to get used to this laptop. And I’m trying to let the fact sink in that I’m going to the US. And I’m also trying to get a lot of things sorted in my head… regarding a whole lot of things which I’m pretty confused with…
Right now… I’m sitting in the departure lounge of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, relieved that the procedure till now went smooth enough and also trying to get all the instructions in my head in order. Funnily, the most prominent of them is that I should keep having lots of fluids during the flight and no liquor.
It all started on Thursday, when Ramesh, my SPM came and told me the first thing in the morning that I was required to travel to US on Saturday night. That was two days ago. Since then I’ve had a roller coaster of a time. All day Thursday, it was raising requests for tickets, forex, laptop and whatever else that you can come up with. Thursday night was party time. One of those helluva lively, boisterous evenings that make the world seem alright after all. Courtesy – Bond, Luv, Sandy, Nimisha, Ashish, Neena and Ajayjeet. After the party was pack up time. Special thanks to Nimisha, Divya and Neena. Sweethearts, without you I’d probably still have been packing my stuff up. Whew!
Then, a catnap (really) and an almost tearful farewell later, it was time for some real action. As if it wasn’t enough until now. Yeah right. Ok, I was supposed to meet Ramesh at the airport for a brief briefing. But thanks to a maddening crowd, it didn’t happen. What happened instead was me paying a fortune for my excess baggage. Excellent. Convert it to USD and it really didn’t matter much, said Mr R. Quite a consolation sir. Anyhow, the flight was uneventful, coz I slept through it. Had to make up for the catnap (really really). Reached Delhi, only to learn that one of the 6 pieces of luggage I had checked in was missing. And a quick investigation revealed that it was still lying pretty next to the x-ray screening counter for the baggage that has to be checked in. See I’m smart. That was how I basically escaped paying even more for that freight I was carrying.
Thursday Thriller turned into a Freaky Friday!!! All day Friday was a shopping spree, which I would have loved if the sleep had been more than what I managed with. And if there wasn’t this feeling of impending doom, which I’m still trying to hide. Saturday again saw me and mommy finishing the leftover packing, and then me and mommy and mausi and mami and daddy and mama doing my packing. Awesome show of teamwork I must say. Family planning at its best!!!!
Things have been a little quiet ever since, but for the small altercation between our taxi driver and an auto driver, which actually made me shoot a curse and a prayer to Mr Murphy.
At the airport, it seemed that my prayer actually worked. *touchwood*. The procedure until now, like I said, went on smoothly. But that makes me even more wary. Gives me the feeling that something else might be sneaking up on me. Paranoid? Oh you might say that.
And now I’m inside the aircraft. My first international flight. British Airways. And already I’ve seen so many speaking with an accent and so many faking one, that I want to run back home. But then, there are a lot many reasons why I want to run back home. Then again, I guess it’s pretty inconsequential.
Ho hum!! Will ditch this right here, right now. There are a couple of more things I want to write about, but it’s in a different flavour, so we’ll deal with those in a different article. Meanwhile, I’ll wish myself and all my pieces of luggage a nice and safe flight. Catch you all later.
Love, luck and hope.
Kali.
Delhi.
09 Oct. ’05.
PS: Someone left a gray jacket at the security check. It wasn’t me. Mine’s black. ;) :D
PSS: My date with Mr. Murphy isn’t over yet, I broke my glasses in the flight from Delhi to London. :(
Right now… I’m sitting in the departure lounge of the Indira Gandhi International Airport, relieved that the procedure till now went smooth enough and also trying to get all the instructions in my head in order. Funnily, the most prominent of them is that I should keep having lots of fluids during the flight and no liquor.
It all started on Thursday, when Ramesh, my SPM came and told me the first thing in the morning that I was required to travel to US on Saturday night. That was two days ago. Since then I’ve had a roller coaster of a time. All day Thursday, it was raising requests for tickets, forex, laptop and whatever else that you can come up with. Thursday night was party time. One of those helluva lively, boisterous evenings that make the world seem alright after all. Courtesy – Bond, Luv, Sandy, Nimisha, Ashish, Neena and Ajayjeet. After the party was pack up time. Special thanks to Nimisha, Divya and Neena. Sweethearts, without you I’d probably still have been packing my stuff up. Whew!
Then, a catnap (really) and an almost tearful farewell later, it was time for some real action. As if it wasn’t enough until now. Yeah right. Ok, I was supposed to meet Ramesh at the airport for a brief briefing. But thanks to a maddening crowd, it didn’t happen. What happened instead was me paying a fortune for my excess baggage. Excellent. Convert it to USD and it really didn’t matter much, said Mr R. Quite a consolation sir. Anyhow, the flight was uneventful, coz I slept through it. Had to make up for the catnap (really really). Reached Delhi, only to learn that one of the 6 pieces of luggage I had checked in was missing. And a quick investigation revealed that it was still lying pretty next to the x-ray screening counter for the baggage that has to be checked in. See I’m smart. That was how I basically escaped paying even more for that freight I was carrying.
Thursday Thriller turned into a Freaky Friday!!! All day Friday was a shopping spree, which I would have loved if the sleep had been more than what I managed with. And if there wasn’t this feeling of impending doom, which I’m still trying to hide. Saturday again saw me and mommy finishing the leftover packing, and then me and mommy and mausi and mami and daddy and mama doing my packing. Awesome show of teamwork I must say. Family planning at its best!!!!
Things have been a little quiet ever since, but for the small altercation between our taxi driver and an auto driver, which actually made me shoot a curse and a prayer to Mr Murphy.
At the airport, it seemed that my prayer actually worked. *touchwood*. The procedure until now, like I said, went on smoothly. But that makes me even more wary. Gives me the feeling that something else might be sneaking up on me. Paranoid? Oh you might say that.
And now I’m inside the aircraft. My first international flight. British Airways. And already I’ve seen so many speaking with an accent and so many faking one, that I want to run back home. But then, there are a lot many reasons why I want to run back home. Then again, I guess it’s pretty inconsequential.
Ho hum!! Will ditch this right here, right now. There are a couple of more things I want to write about, but it’s in a different flavour, so we’ll deal with those in a different article. Meanwhile, I’ll wish myself and all my pieces of luggage a nice and safe flight. Catch you all later.
Love, luck and hope.
Kali.
Delhi.
09 Oct. ’05.
PS: Someone left a gray jacket at the security check. It wasn’t me. Mine’s black. ;) :D
PSS: My date with Mr. Murphy isn’t over yet, I broke my glasses in the flight from Delhi to London. :(
Thursday, September 08, 2005
In Black and White
Us and Them.
And after all we’re only ordinary men.
-- Pink Floyd.
Why do we forget that the toughest ones among us are also, after all, humans? Why do we find accepting our human status so difficult? Who do we think we are anyway?
For we have an adam and an eve inside each one of us, however subdued. Who know only to listen to and do as per their instincts tell them. And instincts as quintessential as light.
And yet, for every one person who accepts and relates to human nature in its rawest element, there would be a hundred thousand condemning it blatantly. Branding it ‘beastly’.
But then, they are humans too. Only humans. And ordinary humans. They face their moments of truth too. And then, THE one has the last laugh. A laugh, not of derision. Merely of the conviction that they’re all, eventually, humans.
And in the end, it’s only round and round. And round.
-- Pink Floyd.
~K.
And after all we’re only ordinary men.
-- Pink Floyd.
Why do we forget that the toughest ones among us are also, after all, humans? Why do we find accepting our human status so difficult? Who do we think we are anyway?
For we have an adam and an eve inside each one of us, however subdued. Who know only to listen to and do as per their instincts tell them. And instincts as quintessential as light.
And yet, for every one person who accepts and relates to human nature in its rawest element, there would be a hundred thousand condemning it blatantly. Branding it ‘beastly’.
But then, they are humans too. Only humans. And ordinary humans. They face their moments of truth too. And then, THE one has the last laugh. A laugh, not of derision. Merely of the conviction that they’re all, eventually, humans.
And in the end, it’s only round and round. And round.
-- Pink Floyd.
~K.
Monday, July 11, 2005
City of Angles
Suddenly the straight roads take a turn that’s not right. And you are left alone. In a lurch. The life that was hitherto simple and sober starts to turn in all angles. Which again, are not right. Everything… every event starts having an undercurrent of something deeper… maybe darker… and you wonder whether to let it be… or work it out. And either way you know you’re in for a gamble. What do you do now?
By now the innocent smile starts to curve in a way it never did. And you start being proud of your hyde-signs. And the potion that the doctor gives you turns the tide to the higher side. And it’s happening everywhere. Things move fast and randomly and yet fall into place. Only the place isn’t right either. Because now, it’s meaning has changed. So has the context.
The fire has been lit. And now it doesn’t matter who did it. And you aren’t a firefighter either. Now, what do you do? There’s no turning back. Life is a one-way road, remember? Do you fight and find your way back through this maze of right and wrong, good, bad and ugly? Or have you been converted to a permanent denizen of this place? Do you wake up and see the light? Or do you continue to sleep coz the thrill of the dream has you completely engulfed in it? Or do you wake up and close your eyes, and pretend to pretend you never saw it all?
There is life on the dark side of the moon too. Ever been there?
~K.
By now the innocent smile starts to curve in a way it never did. And you start being proud of your hyde-signs. And the potion that the doctor gives you turns the tide to the higher side. And it’s happening everywhere. Things move fast and randomly and yet fall into place. Only the place isn’t right either. Because now, it’s meaning has changed. So has the context.
The fire has been lit. And now it doesn’t matter who did it. And you aren’t a firefighter either. Now, what do you do? There’s no turning back. Life is a one-way road, remember? Do you fight and find your way back through this maze of right and wrong, good, bad and ugly? Or have you been converted to a permanent denizen of this place? Do you wake up and see the light? Or do you continue to sleep coz the thrill of the dream has you completely engulfed in it? Or do you wake up and close your eyes, and pretend to pretend you never saw it all?
There is life on the dark side of the moon too. Ever been there?
~K.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Confessions of a Romanticist...
Life… is just another waste of time.
Roger Waters had the right idea, I think. Imagine what all you could do with all this time if you didn’t have to “live”. There’s so much to learn, so much to explore, to discover. Imagine the bliss if you could at any point in time, just pack your bags and set out to… wherever… whenever. Want to make it simpler? Forget the bag. Learn from the birds… fly light. And just fly. The world has more to show and teach than what we could “learn” in a lifetime. Yet we keep chasing the conventions of the institutions that we’ve created ourselves in our pursuit of what we think is knowledge. What makes us think that we know all that there is to know? Rather.. that we can provide ourselves with all that we’ll ever need to learn. Ultimately what we end up doing is making the most and/or the best of what we’ve gathered. Which is good.. in a way. But then, take another look at it. Aren’t we somehow… somewhere… consciously or unconsciously blinding ourselves to the plethora of things that we could discover only if we cared to look?
Learn… for what? Discover… for what? Good questions. Practical ones I must admit. A man gotta eat too. And breed.. and feed… and… what was that… live. Maybe you could go that way. And let all this beauty in the world go unnoticed. Or maybe… almost so. You do keep catching glimpses of it on the television… on mails… on posters… and calendars… and so on and so forth. Funny… and ironical that our view of real life is out there… (or rather.. in there) in mere… lifeless… things. But then, if such a constricted.. second hand view can fill us up with so much joy… imagine what is actually contained in the world outside. Waiting for us. If only we weren’t so busy with our lives.
Whew!
Ps: I wish Pandora had left alone that box of troubles. Unnecessary little things. Keep you away from so much more.
~K.
Roger Waters had the right idea, I think. Imagine what all you could do with all this time if you didn’t have to “live”. There’s so much to learn, so much to explore, to discover. Imagine the bliss if you could at any point in time, just pack your bags and set out to… wherever… whenever. Want to make it simpler? Forget the bag. Learn from the birds… fly light. And just fly. The world has more to show and teach than what we could “learn” in a lifetime. Yet we keep chasing the conventions of the institutions that we’ve created ourselves in our pursuit of what we think is knowledge. What makes us think that we know all that there is to know? Rather.. that we can provide ourselves with all that we’ll ever need to learn. Ultimately what we end up doing is making the most and/or the best of what we’ve gathered. Which is good.. in a way. But then, take another look at it. Aren’t we somehow… somewhere… consciously or unconsciously blinding ourselves to the plethora of things that we could discover only if we cared to look?
Learn… for what? Discover… for what? Good questions. Practical ones I must admit. A man gotta eat too. And breed.. and feed… and… what was that… live. Maybe you could go that way. And let all this beauty in the world go unnoticed. Or maybe… almost so. You do keep catching glimpses of it on the television… on mails… on posters… and calendars… and so on and so forth. Funny… and ironical that our view of real life is out there… (or rather.. in there) in mere… lifeless… things. But then, if such a constricted.. second hand view can fill us up with so much joy… imagine what is actually contained in the world outside. Waiting for us. If only we weren’t so busy with our lives.
Whew!
Ps: I wish Pandora had left alone that box of troubles. Unnecessary little things. Keep you away from so much more.
~K.
Friday, February 25, 2005
So what's the point?
Wat’s this world coming to???
People don’t realize the importance of having a good cup of coffee… I ask for filter coffee… it has more sugar than coffee in it…
Now if anyone wants something sweet… he’ll get himself a chocolate… or a candy… or maybe just some plain sugar… coffee does not have to be oh-so-sweet…
And me… I’m addicted to caffeine… not sugar… I ask the guy to put a little less sugar in my coffee… the dude gives me coffee without sugar…
These are times when I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally really miss my dad…. The best coffee maker in the whole world… (where's my DD ... she'll second me on this... ;) )
Cheers to Dad… (on a cup of coffee… and no… no Bottoms Up!!!)
So what’s the point? Oh don’t bother… and if you DO get it… well then.. still.. no points…
~K.
People don’t realize the importance of having a good cup of coffee… I ask for filter coffee… it has more sugar than coffee in it…
Now if anyone wants something sweet… he’ll get himself a chocolate… or a candy… or maybe just some plain sugar… coffee does not have to be oh-so-sweet…
And me… I’m addicted to caffeine… not sugar… I ask the guy to put a little less sugar in my coffee… the dude gives me coffee without sugar…
These are times when I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally really miss my dad…. The best coffee maker in the whole world… (where's my DD ... she'll second me on this... ;) )
Cheers to Dad… (on a cup of coffee… and no… no Bottoms Up!!!)
So what’s the point? Oh don’t bother… and if you DO get it… well then.. still.. no points…
~K.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Finished reading…
... Train To Pakistan. Had got the book as a birthday present. What a book! When I finished, I almost felt as if I shouldn’t have. It’s strong. And very moving. Set in the time of the Indo-Pak partition, at the heart of it, is a simple love story.
A couple of things that immediately and almost simultaneously came to my mind.
One, the lot of us have a LOT to be thankful for, to have been born in a time that did not have to witness the partition. God bless the people who survived the trauma, and even those who didn’t.
Two – there is immense power in simplicity. If you ever get a chance to read that book, you’ll realize why I’m saying this. The power of the book lies in the simplicity of its narration. It’s blatantly simple. And that’s what leaves such a great impact on the reader. (did on me, rather)
And finally – there is an amazing power in love.
If you get to lay your hands on that book… don’t lay off without reading it.
~K.
A couple of things that immediately and almost simultaneously came to my mind.
One, the lot of us have a LOT to be thankful for, to have been born in a time that did not have to witness the partition. God bless the people who survived the trauma, and even those who didn’t.
Two – there is immense power in simplicity. If you ever get a chance to read that book, you’ll realize why I’m saying this. The power of the book lies in the simplicity of its narration. It’s blatantly simple. And that’s what leaves such a great impact on the reader. (did on me, rather)
And finally – there is an amazing power in love.
If you get to lay your hands on that book… don’t lay off without reading it.
~K.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Wishin' And Hopin' n Blah Blah Blah'in...
Ever imagined what it would feel like playing scrabble in Chinese.. or maybe Japanese. But then.. doesn’t make much of a difference. They’re both Greek to me.
But coming back to scrabble… imagine this.. a game you would like to participate in… coz you probably like it… or maybe you could help a player win… only if could figure out what the symbols meant.
And how do I know? Oh well… part of my job… I get a good chance of imagining all that at work… at meetings, or some general discussions, or some knowledge sharing sessions. That’s when I slip into a world of my own. And when reality dawns, I realize the advantage of knowing a foreign language. Or rather, knowing the local language in a foreign land.
The other day I’d gone to a friend’s place for lunch. Her mom was asking me how come I still hadn’t picked up the local lingo, considering I’ve been staying here for more than a year now. And what do I say to her – I never felt the need. Which is true. Never felt the need outside office. But at work.. I wish there was some kind of a device which I could implant in my brain which would translate all what is being said around me. My personal interpreter. (Only thing to take care of… it shouldn’t be something that translated “Dunston Checks In” to “Ek bandar Hotel ke andar”… )
Food for thought for all the scientifically inclined…
For the linguistically inclined, however, there’s more in store here at status quo.
Coz if you look at it from another point of view, it does have some benefits.. not knowing the local language. It builds your creativity. How? You hear something like blah blah blah K (that’s me) blah blah work blah blah … schedule blah blah blah… Now it’s all left to my imagination how I want to fill up those blah blah blah’s. Never did I think being a techie would also help my creativity grow. Talk about perks!!
Another benefit - how else would I realize that the concepts that seem so tough when stated in English would sound even tougher in another language? I’ve got it made! Hah! Poor blokes! Imagine having to work even harder for the same thing which already drives me up the wall when I do it in plain simple (?) English.
I suppose I should revisit my wish list. That device I was talking about.. oh well.. will think of something more worthwhile. Things are so much more convenient like this. And anyway, who needs to know what’s whining in the grapevine? And to fill those blah blah blah’s – hmmm… how does eggzellent sound?
~K.
But coming back to scrabble… imagine this.. a game you would like to participate in… coz you probably like it… or maybe you could help a player win… only if could figure out what the symbols meant.
And how do I know? Oh well… part of my job… I get a good chance of imagining all that at work… at meetings, or some general discussions, or some knowledge sharing sessions. That’s when I slip into a world of my own. And when reality dawns, I realize the advantage of knowing a foreign language. Or rather, knowing the local language in a foreign land.
The other day I’d gone to a friend’s place for lunch. Her mom was asking me how come I still hadn’t picked up the local lingo, considering I’ve been staying here for more than a year now. And what do I say to her – I never felt the need. Which is true. Never felt the need outside office. But at work.. I wish there was some kind of a device which I could implant in my brain which would translate all what is being said around me. My personal interpreter. (Only thing to take care of… it shouldn’t be something that translated “Dunston Checks In” to “Ek bandar Hotel ke andar”… )
Food for thought for all the scientifically inclined…
For the linguistically inclined, however, there’s more in store here at status quo.
Coz if you look at it from another point of view, it does have some benefits.. not knowing the local language. It builds your creativity. How? You hear something like blah blah blah K (that’s me) blah blah work blah blah … schedule blah blah blah… Now it’s all left to my imagination how I want to fill up those blah blah blah’s. Never did I think being a techie would also help my creativity grow. Talk about perks!!
Another benefit - how else would I realize that the concepts that seem so tough when stated in English would sound even tougher in another language? I’ve got it made! Hah! Poor blokes! Imagine having to work even harder for the same thing which already drives me up the wall when I do it in plain simple (?) English.
I suppose I should revisit my wish list. That device I was talking about.. oh well.. will think of something more worthwhile. Things are so much more convenient like this. And anyway, who needs to know what’s whining in the grapevine? And to fill those blah blah blah’s – hmmm… how does eggzellent sound?
~K.
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
(Awe)Some job!!!
Whew... think of a topic... then write about it... (tough enough..) then post it... and then figure out.. it aint worth it.. and delete it... only to be republished in a comment... with a silly alibi... (Technical glitches... yeah right !!!)
Man.. m i glad i'm not my own blog... life would've been so weird... and unpredictably so... What's more.. i wud've kept coming back to life...
I'm sure you wouldn't really be able to understand what i'm babbling about... ok.. just revisit the article "Welcome to the machine" and check out the 3rd comment...
Any comments on that one... post it in this one please... and if no comments.. well then... :)
Just what i call a job... uh well... done.
~K.
Man.. m i glad i'm not my own blog... life would've been so weird... and unpredictably so... What's more.. i wud've kept coming back to life...
I'm sure you wouldn't really be able to understand what i'm babbling about... ok.. just revisit the article "Welcome to the machine" and check out the 3rd comment...
Any comments on that one... post it in this one please... and if no comments.. well then... :)
Just what i call a job... uh well... done.
~K.
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Welcome to the machine!
Hi.
You’ve entered my territory. It’s only fair that I tell you what you’ve landed yourself into before you move on.
I’m, well… a lot of things. (things.. as in not literally. You’ll discover as you read on.)
I am, for one, a software engineer. By profession. Period. Among the perks of my job is that I get to stay up late and have frequent night outs. And I think of Mom and Dad and the times they used to tuck me into bed, even when my eyes and ears and head and heart used to be running on the television. And now, I’m up almost all night, indulging myself in all sorts of code. (Only not the Da Vinci kind, though I do admit mine would present a much bigger enigma. Just WHAT is that line doing there?). And before I forget, I’m doing this in some part of the day as well.
Day – that’s the lighter side of my life. And that’s not just because the sun’s up outside. But because the mood’s up too. And so is the coffee machine. And so are the reply-all’s! Oh, those leg pulling sessions! If only they were a wee bit literal, me and my friends would’ve all grown about a foot a day. And I would’ve titled this article “Tall in a day’s work!”
Which reminds me, another thing that I am, is well kinda funny. Hey, the thing’s not funny. Funny is the thing. (Even if I do say so myself ;) ). And my idea of humor - the deadlines given to me by my boss. And my reactions to them – “Sure, it’ll be done. By the end of day(s)” (s- silent. And conditions apply!). And finally – my explanations for what-cannot-be-done-in-the-given-time but should’ve-been-done-in-the-given-time has still-not-been-done-in-the-given-time-AND-more. That takes the cake (and the calories too). My heroes? You guessed it right –Calvin, Dilbert and Garfield. All this also contributes to the lighter side of life. On the darker side (read nights) , is coffee on the rocks! I’m referring to the JAVA inside my head, which I most desperately try to transform into working code. Which takes us back to point number 1. Technically, we call it recursion. And in English –a vicious circle. And in Hindi – umm… err.. well… That’s a language I need to get a certification course on. (again).
Okay. Track change.
The next thing that I am – a music buff. I grew from Hindi movie songs to English country music – to Boy Band types Pop music (if you’d like to call it growth) – to the final pinnacle – Rock, Metal and all that jazz! It’s quite a common trait in almost 70% of engineers. (for reasons refer lyrics of Sad But True by Metallica.). Anyway, now I’ve crossed over what I considered the final frontier as well. My favorite music now – declaration of compensatory off’s for all the weekends and late nights spent in the office. Biggest irony of IT I believe – rejoicing at comp-off’s instead of resenting working like that in the first place. Again refers to point 1 does it not?
That’s my life in a nutshell. As a software engineer. Gotta re-engineer MY software quick. Gotta make peace with the real life happening outside this matrix. Before I forget my password.
Peace on Earth. (And on the net too! Who knows when I come back as a permanent citizen.)
~K.
You’ve entered my territory. It’s only fair that I tell you what you’ve landed yourself into before you move on.
I’m, well… a lot of things. (things.. as in not literally. You’ll discover as you read on.)
I am, for one, a software engineer. By profession. Period. Among the perks of my job is that I get to stay up late and have frequent night outs. And I think of Mom and Dad and the times they used to tuck me into bed, even when my eyes and ears and head and heart used to be running on the television. And now, I’m up almost all night, indulging myself in all sorts of code. (Only not the Da Vinci kind, though I do admit mine would present a much bigger enigma. Just WHAT is that line doing there?). And before I forget, I’m doing this in some part of the day as well.
Day – that’s the lighter side of my life. And that’s not just because the sun’s up outside. But because the mood’s up too. And so is the coffee machine. And so are the reply-all’s! Oh, those leg pulling sessions! If only they were a wee bit literal, me and my friends would’ve all grown about a foot a day. And I would’ve titled this article “Tall in a day’s work!”
Which reminds me, another thing that I am, is well kinda funny. Hey, the thing’s not funny. Funny is the thing. (Even if I do say so myself ;) ). And my idea of humor - the deadlines given to me by my boss. And my reactions to them – “Sure, it’ll be done. By the end of day(s)” (s- silent. And conditions apply!). And finally – my explanations for what-cannot-be-done-in-the-given-time but should’ve-been-done-in-the-given-time has still-not-been-done-in-the-given-time-AND-more. That takes the cake (and the calories too). My heroes? You guessed it right –Calvin, Dilbert and Garfield. All this also contributes to the lighter side of life. On the darker side (read nights) , is coffee on the rocks! I’m referring to the JAVA inside my head, which I most desperately try to transform into working code. Which takes us back to point number 1. Technically, we call it recursion. And in English –a vicious circle. And in Hindi – umm… err.. well… That’s a language I need to get a certification course on. (again).
Okay. Track change.
The next thing that I am – a music buff. I grew from Hindi movie songs to English country music – to Boy Band types Pop music (if you’d like to call it growth) – to the final pinnacle – Rock, Metal and all that jazz! It’s quite a common trait in almost 70% of engineers. (for reasons refer lyrics of Sad But True by Metallica.). Anyway, now I’ve crossed over what I considered the final frontier as well. My favorite music now – declaration of compensatory off’s for all the weekends and late nights spent in the office. Biggest irony of IT I believe – rejoicing at comp-off’s instead of resenting working like that in the first place. Again refers to point 1 does it not?
That’s my life in a nutshell. As a software engineer. Gotta re-engineer MY software quick. Gotta make peace with the real life happening outside this matrix. Before I forget my password.
Peace on Earth. (And on the net too! Who knows when I come back as a permanent citizen.)
~K.
Friday, January 14, 2005
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