Looong weekend!!!!!!!
It doesn’t quite happen always and when it happens brings with it the thrills and frills of travel. A long weekend, that is. Here comes one. Courtesy the national holiday on October 2, 2007 for Gandhi Jayanthi that falls on a Tuesday. However, Chennaites have another lucky day off from work on Monday the first of October. Reason? The government (or rather the ruling DMK party) wants the Sethu-Samudram project to be up and running and not put on hold.
Be that as it may, I can’t help but be amused on the prospect of a four-day weekend. Got no great plans yet it feels good to laze around at home watching the rains slapping the bedroom windowsill holding Mario Puzzo or Jaishree Mishra (her book Afterwards I meant to say) and reading them on and off. Personally, I love the rains and the chilled breeze it brings along with it. Not to say the leaves those wear a fresh look of having been washed recently.
Talking about rains, it rained hailstones in Chennai city yesterday. Call it a curse; I couldn’t witness it since my office was located way off the beaten path from the city. I don’t remember watching a hailstorm in like two decades. The one time I remember about them was when I was still in school and it rained hailstones on a holiday. I collected them in a tiny plastic see-through case without knowing that they have very less shelf life. They didn’t last long but the joy of collecting them lasted of course. The memories more so.
If there are no sudden travel plans cropping up, I’m planning to shut myself home and finish those books I laid my hands few weeks ago. Ofcourse, if there aren’t any distractions.
By the Way, Happy Long Weekend!!!
PS: Now that brings a thought in me. How about starting a new community on Orkut? ‘Long Weekend Lovers’? Sounds like an idea indeed.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Dummie’s guide to reading the signs – (not strictly restricted to signs as in ‘body language’)
Disclaimer: Most (yes, most) of the points mentioned here are the author’s own observations. None of the instances mentioned here are to be considered as diagnostic in nature.
1) If your call in the middle of the night to a friend is greeted with an unusual, long vowelled hey (like heeeeeeeey), know for god’s sake that he’s digging his nose into something else. Like in the middle of courting a cute face on chat or simply in bed trying to get some sleep. If you intend to continue your conversation, you will most certainly be encountered with disinterested monosyllabic answers (ranging from ‘ohhh’ to ‘mm’). You will even be bewildered when he loses the track completely and tries to make it up by posing stupid questions.
2) Girls can fake attention like no other. For instance, if your conversation is responded with way too many ‘nods’, be sure that it’s time to decide if you really want to continue that. Same way, if you can make out a fake smile you would save yourself from the embarrassment of feeling exhausted for no use whatsoever.
3) On a date, if your date displays no visible preference for any of the exotic delicacies mentioned in the menu - and simply says you order - it is more likely that he or she has absolutely no idea whatsoever about the cuisine. May be you will want to consult him/her the next time (if at all there was one).
4) If you are jobless for a couple of months and had no luck in a million job interviews and are in the brink of frustration, try and keep cool. This situation most certainly lands you up in a nice job in the end. Rather unexpectedly when you almost gave up all the hopes.
5) Ok, it could be the best seller that won the biggest prize for writing. But if you couldn’t cross more than 10 pages no matter how hard you tried, the book, most certainly, is just not your choice. Chances are more likely that the book will lurk around in your bookshelf without you even being bothered about the space it occupies – if not for any other reason.
6) Ok, you think you look handsome and are smitten with your looks. But, on a Friday, if your favorite T-shirt decides to play the traitor and could no longer camouflage your flourishing potbelly; it’s high time you decide whether start going to gym or send those t-shirts flying out of the window.
With that, I guess I’ve exhausted my imagination. Well, it’s time for me to read more signs.
P.S: Thanx for the fellow bloggers for inspiring me to think (if I can call this inspirational thinking)
Disclaimer: Most (yes, most) of the points mentioned here are the author’s own observations. None of the instances mentioned here are to be considered as diagnostic in nature.
1) If your call in the middle of the night to a friend is greeted with an unusual, long vowelled hey (like heeeeeeeey), know for god’s sake that he’s digging his nose into something else. Like in the middle of courting a cute face on chat or simply in bed trying to get some sleep. If you intend to continue your conversation, you will most certainly be encountered with disinterested monosyllabic answers (ranging from ‘ohhh’ to ‘mm’). You will even be bewildered when he loses the track completely and tries to make it up by posing stupid questions.
2) Girls can fake attention like no other. For instance, if your conversation is responded with way too many ‘nods’, be sure that it’s time to decide if you really want to continue that. Same way, if you can make out a fake smile you would save yourself from the embarrassment of feeling exhausted for no use whatsoever.
3) On a date, if your date displays no visible preference for any of the exotic delicacies mentioned in the menu - and simply says you order - it is more likely that he or she has absolutely no idea whatsoever about the cuisine. May be you will want to consult him/her the next time (if at all there was one).
4) If you are jobless for a couple of months and had no luck in a million job interviews and are in the brink of frustration, try and keep cool. This situation most certainly lands you up in a nice job in the end. Rather unexpectedly when you almost gave up all the hopes.
5) Ok, it could be the best seller that won the biggest prize for writing. But if you couldn’t cross more than 10 pages no matter how hard you tried, the book, most certainly, is just not your choice. Chances are more likely that the book will lurk around in your bookshelf without you even being bothered about the space it occupies – if not for any other reason.
6) Ok, you think you look handsome and are smitten with your looks. But, on a Friday, if your favorite T-shirt decides to play the traitor and could no longer camouflage your flourishing potbelly; it’s high time you decide whether start going to gym or send those t-shirts flying out of the window.
With that, I guess I’ve exhausted my imagination. Well, it’s time for me to read more signs.
P.S: Thanx for the fellow bloggers for inspiring me to think (if I can call this inspirational thinking)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Tsunami-fear-stuck Chennai
It happened three years ago – the day after Christmas – but the gruesome and nightmarish memories are still intact. So when the Indonesian government raised a Tsunami warning after a bad earthquake hit the country yesterday, it was indeed time to panic.
For Chennai was one of the badly hit regions during the previous attack. This time around though, thankfully the officials made arrangements to keep away people from the beaches and the crowded Marina wore a strangely deserted look last evening.
Well, getting washed away by monstrous waves is the last choice for anyone to die. Ironically so in the often water-starved and monsoon failing Chennai. Thankfully, Tsunami seemed to maintain a low profile this time around. Probably bored she is. Or is it the silence before the storm??!?
It happened three years ago – the day after Christmas – but the gruesome and nightmarish memories are still intact. So when the Indonesian government raised a Tsunami warning after a bad earthquake hit the country yesterday, it was indeed time to panic.
For Chennai was one of the badly hit regions during the previous attack. This time around though, thankfully the officials made arrangements to keep away people from the beaches and the crowded Marina wore a strangely deserted look last evening.
Well, getting washed away by monstrous waves is the last choice for anyone to die. Ironically so in the often water-starved and monsoon failing Chennai. Thankfully, Tsunami seemed to maintain a low profile this time around. Probably bored she is. Or is it the silence before the storm??!?
Monday, September 10, 2007
Am I selfish??!???!
It does happen quite often with me. Could be universal in today’s life on the fast lane. But I did not particularly like it happening with me. Or rather I do not like my attitude towards it. My fret has enough reason. Here is how.
Having fancied pasta for supper, I decided to visit the neighborhood shop for the purchase of ingredients. A crowd in the middle of the road attracted my attention on the way and soon enough I found out that a reckless four wheeler driver ran into a two-wheeler leaving the victim bleeding profusely. The injured man was in his middle age and was bleeding from his bruises in his forehead and face.
By now roadside hawkers and a few others gathered around the victim sprinkling water on his face, making him drink some and trying to keep him conscious. I could see he was only partly conscious. The focus was on the injured man and the four-wheeler driver put the situation to better use. He sped away with his vehicle.
Some hailed a rickshaw to move the man to a hospital. He was still bleeding and hadn’t regained his full consciousness.
All this while I could only manage to pose a dumb spectator. I simply thought there are other people to help him and he doesn’t need mine. But had a hard time contemplating whether or not I’m right.
However, in the end I did not feel guilty although my heart sank for the man. I proceeded thinking that I have my pasta to cook.
Am I selfish, irresponsible, and lack sympathy?
It does happen quite often with me. Could be universal in today’s life on the fast lane. But I did not particularly like it happening with me. Or rather I do not like my attitude towards it. My fret has enough reason. Here is how.
Having fancied pasta for supper, I decided to visit the neighborhood shop for the purchase of ingredients. A crowd in the middle of the road attracted my attention on the way and soon enough I found out that a reckless four wheeler driver ran into a two-wheeler leaving the victim bleeding profusely. The injured man was in his middle age and was bleeding from his bruises in his forehead and face.
By now roadside hawkers and a few others gathered around the victim sprinkling water on his face, making him drink some and trying to keep him conscious. I could see he was only partly conscious. The focus was on the injured man and the four-wheeler driver put the situation to better use. He sped away with his vehicle.
Some hailed a rickshaw to move the man to a hospital. He was still bleeding and hadn’t regained his full consciousness.
All this while I could only manage to pose a dumb spectator. I simply thought there are other people to help him and he doesn’t need mine. But had a hard time contemplating whether or not I’m right.
However, in the end I did not feel guilty although my heart sank for the man. I proceeded thinking that I have my pasta to cook.
Am I selfish, irresponsible, and lack sympathy?
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Tribute on the Teacher’s Day
They are the means of access to the world of knowledge. Teachers. Although the advent of Internet has redefined the conventional methods of learning, in my opinion it’s only from teachers that one can gain worldly wisdom.
Since it’s teacher’s day, I decided to pay tribute to two of my teachers who started my education and sort of ended it. Not that I have finished my studies once and for all. But yeah, I no longer think that I would (and have to) attend regular classes. Not that I hate them, but I tend to think that I have grown old for classroom sessions. Besides, I dread the prospect of sitting through grueling daylong sessions and the worse part is that it really gets tough to hold your heavy eyelids open after a heavy lunch, you know.
Now back to my teachers.
Miss Rita:
She held my little finger and walked me slowly to the world of those alphabets (both ‘Capital’ and ‘Small’ as she defined it). I can still recite those ‘Ba Ba Black sheeps’ and ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars’ although now it would be weird for someone in his late 20s to sing them – even if it’s to pay tribute to his first teacher in life. My mom used to tell me that I was a fussy kid when it came to school. I tend to shriek all day to be sent home during those early days of my school, she says. However, if it was not for Miss Rita I am not sure I would have endured the ordeal of my earlier days in school.
It’s been quite a while since I have met her now. Reason being I relocated and no longer visit the town that I did my studies. Wherever you are Miss Rita, please know that I am in awe with you.
Miss Vidya:
She wanted to be called ‘Vidya Miss’ and they all did, partly in fear and partly in respect. It always amazes me how well she camouflages her tenderness in a thick shell of severity she often imposes upon the students. She handpicks her close friends with absolute care and if one happens to fall inside the circle, she sees to it that it’s a lifetime friendship.
Since it was during the later years of my college that I took tuitions with her for language, our relationship is sort of teacher-turned-friend and she often found herself at odds when it came to pinpointing my poor performance in studies (which is not an infrequent occurrence by the way). However, she never failed to criticize when I became sluggish.
I haven’t seen her in a couple of years and I have taken it as a task to reestablish my teacher-friend relationship with her soon. Are you reading Miss?
They are the means of access to the world of knowledge. Teachers. Although the advent of Internet has redefined the conventional methods of learning, in my opinion it’s only from teachers that one can gain worldly wisdom.
Since it’s teacher’s day, I decided to pay tribute to two of my teachers who started my education and sort of ended it. Not that I have finished my studies once and for all. But yeah, I no longer think that I would (and have to) attend regular classes. Not that I hate them, but I tend to think that I have grown old for classroom sessions. Besides, I dread the prospect of sitting through grueling daylong sessions and the worse part is that it really gets tough to hold your heavy eyelids open after a heavy lunch, you know.
Now back to my teachers.
Miss Rita:
She held my little finger and walked me slowly to the world of those alphabets (both ‘Capital’ and ‘Small’ as she defined it). I can still recite those ‘Ba Ba Black sheeps’ and ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars’ although now it would be weird for someone in his late 20s to sing them – even if it’s to pay tribute to his first teacher in life. My mom used to tell me that I was a fussy kid when it came to school. I tend to shriek all day to be sent home during those early days of my school, she says. However, if it was not for Miss Rita I am not sure I would have endured the ordeal of my earlier days in school.
It’s been quite a while since I have met her now. Reason being I relocated and no longer visit the town that I did my studies. Wherever you are Miss Rita, please know that I am in awe with you.
Miss Vidya:
She wanted to be called ‘Vidya Miss’ and they all did, partly in fear and partly in respect. It always amazes me how well she camouflages her tenderness in a thick shell of severity she often imposes upon the students. She handpicks her close friends with absolute care and if one happens to fall inside the circle, she sees to it that it’s a lifetime friendship.
Since it was during the later years of my college that I took tuitions with her for language, our relationship is sort of teacher-turned-friend and she often found herself at odds when it came to pinpointing my poor performance in studies (which is not an infrequent occurrence by the way). However, she never failed to criticize when I became sluggish.
I haven’t seen her in a couple of years and I have taken it as a task to reestablish my teacher-friend relationship with her soon. Are you reading Miss?
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