No comments, please!

Just wanted to rant :

While waiting for my bus, I saw my friend walking with his wife. They were sharing an umbrella, and talking to each other. And then,zip!!! some guy on a cycle commented "Just because you've had a love marriage doesn't mean you have to flaunt it!!!"

What a totally uncalled for comment! To the guy who said it : I don't know who you are. But will you kindly refrain from commenting on what is not your business. What does it matter to you who goes out with whom? And why does it affect you so much? There's so much hatred in the world, that love seems a really precious thing. Please don't go about sullying such a beautiful thing. Maybe you are frustrated or jealous because you are single. But that doesn't give you the right to speak about someone else's happiness. Don't grudge people the little pleasures that make Life truly worth living...

Mind(full) of memories!!!

An year... Time has flown... It's been slightly more than an year since I joined the university. I pause to reflect on what I've got in this year, and what I have learnt :

I met some truly wonderful people, a couple of whom have become really good friends -whom I could trust my life with (maybe they'll know what to do with it, I don't!!! ). Initially I was hesitant. They seemed so knowledgeable and confident, I felt like a stranger. But with the passage of time, I discovered that they were indeed knowleadgeable and confident, but also friendly and genuine people. I'm grateful for the discussions we had (subject-related and otherwise!), the chai and snacks (especially when sponsored by you ;) ), for your valuable insights, for the entertainment you provided... The list is quite long... May we make many more good memories !

Over the past year, I also discovered many places on the campus. And since I have to rely on my own two feet for moving about, I have ; by trial and error; discovered the shortest paths between two points on campus. And again, the distance is relative. If you are in the midst of an engrossing discussion, the longer path would be the obvious one to take. But if you someone you know (but wouldn't want to ;) ) would be taking that path, then you take another one :)

I shouldn't be saying this, but I also discovered that the restrooms of DCIS & SOP are the best-maintained. Maybe SSS and LHC2 deserve a mention too. But not the others. :P

In terms of academics, I made some mistakes, but am working towards doing much better. And what with people around me who know their stuff, am sure it will work out, and I'll manage to work hard enough to do justice to my course :)

There are many more things to mention, many more memories and special moments. But I'll end this now.

(P.S. Couldn't think of a better title :( )

10 things

Nice tag I came across on a blog I read :

Please list at least ten things you have ever wanted or done which your gender is not supposed to.

Here's my list:

1. Eating alone - have eaten alone even in restaurants in new cities :)

2. Learning to play the drums : it's awesome & real fun!!!

3. Complimenting: I don't mind telling a guy he looks good (if that IS the case) (I have received flak from some of my friends over this...)

4. Making the first move : haven't always waited for a guy to do it - though haven't actually gotten down on one knee (yet !!! ;) )

5. Experimenting : be it music or books :)

6. Paying for food : it doesn't really matter to me who pays - I don't mind paying for friends at the canteen

7. Dressing down(?) : I just can't spend more than a minute before a mirror - why waste time on trivial matters???

8. Watching TV - no serials for me ... prefer music, sports & movie channels when I do indeed watch TV (which is quite rarely)

9. Bus trips - I usually settle down with a newspaper (crossword) & earphones plugged in - don't even mind snacking on buses (not exactly a trait associated with a girl)

10. Listening : am not a chatterbox - am not a fan of talking and talking ( girls & chatter seem to go together)...

& in the wanting to do part - I'd say travelling all over the world... Two of my friends have what seems a most exciting plan to me - go backpacking alone & explore the world -face the challenge... by yourself.... Sounds amazing... Someday I'll (hopefully) have the time & 'resources' for it :)

It was tough but fun trying to make this list : I don't seem to know any longer what girls are "supposed" & "expected" to do or not... And does it matter, who does what ??? Why should something be labelled "girly" or "boyish"???

How I did it ;)

I was talking to a friend about the reason I had earphones in a shocking colour... I also happened to mention the fate of my brother's mobile after it came into my hands. ;) He wondered how I managed to spoil a mobile. While I silenced him by explaining it's easy if you have years of experience, I felt I owe him a better explanation. So here it is, how I managed to achieve the feat...

1) Making maximum use of your service provider's SMS packages. What are they for??? :)*

2) Making use of every available feature on the phone... The camera - almost every third moment seemed worth capturing ;)

3) Music - how can you miss the numerous radio shows? ** & when the commercials come on... well, that's when you listen to songs stored earlier :)

4) Gaming - push the buttons around - all the anger and frustration and excitement on racing a car across the deserts or through a forest trail, the keypad bears the brunt of it all...

5) Careful handling on the phone - taking care to see that it does not fall on the hard ground ... too often, just now and then.... :P

6) Carrying the phone properly - I usually end up digging for it at the bottom of my bag, alongside a stapler, pens, pencils & what-nots :)

See, it's so easy ;)

And to conclude, that's how I managed to do it :)

* - I used to be an SMS-junkie once upon a time...

** - There used to be great radio shows with splendid RJ's back then, in the city where I used to be.. Don't know the situation now, though...

Way(s) to wealth???

Just thinking....

So many ways of getting rich...

1. Photo-shop: After seeing the "beautiful" photo taken this morning for an ID card (it would make a good promotional poster for any horror movie), I discovered a good scheme for minting money - just blow up my photo, & sell copies - as protection against the Evil Eye... (I'm pretty sure it'll work ;) )

2. Music(k): Start singing - and threaten to continue unless paid to remain silent. I can see myself on the road to millionairehood.... Alas, my stamina doesn't last that long, so I think I'll settle down for a lesser amount :) :) Like, a thousand thousand :)

3. F(a)iry tales: Write M&B kind soppy stuff - shouldn't be too hard... Except for the dialogues - maybe I can just quickly read a few to decide the amount of 'sentiment'/'emotion' ... And maybe I can get sponsored lunches in the best restaurants where I go to study the 'atmosphere'....

I'm sure I can come up with more schemes , given time...

And if worst comes to worst, I can even WORK :) :)

C(o)urses C(o)urses everywhere???

"... Concept School, class I-X, IIT Coaching"

Another schoolbus caught my eye; and made me reflect. Why does every school need 'IIT coaching'? Time to think again....

Makes me wonder (this reminds me of Stairway to Heaven!!)... Makes me wonder about the future. Will 'coaching for the top institutes' start from Class I??? Or K.G.??? Or maybe, classes will be held for expectant mothers - along with regular checkups & motherhood-preparation classes, maybe expectant mothers will have to join coaching classes - early beginners, start at the womb!!! Everyday, solve a physics/chemistry/mathematics problem along with your daily exercise routines ...

And of course, we do not want our kids to grow up one-sided. Of course not. Why only academic coaching??? Sports & Arts are equally important. So, mother-to-be, attend music & sports training as well :P

But wait, you need to be able to afford all this. So, parents-to-be, work hard. Really hard... (I believe that at this rate, I'll be able to afford my kids' K.G. education, if I start saving up right away :) )

Well, on a different note, I'm glad I had enough free time, to play and enjoy myself. At times, doing nothing. Just sitting on the terrace enjoying the cool breeze. Running around. Lying down watching the stars in the sky. Simple pleasures. No pressure of classes to attend, courses to excel in. Things learnt & skills acquired out of interest, without having them thrust upon me.

I see today's kids. School-home-computer-tuitions-music class-sports class-dance class-homework-projects-studies-& oh, it's already time for the next day at school. And the cycle continues...

Maybe I'm biased. But I sometimes wonder about today's kids. And tomorrow's. Will they ever know the joy of a childhood? The simple pleasures of life. The joys of just running around. Of just lazing around on a hot summer afternoon. (without the shadow of 'holiday homework' looming large over the horizon) And so much more.

I tell myself that I should ensure that my kids should enjoy the simple pleasures of Life as I knew it. But then again, that might not be what they want. And well, if I'm the only one thinking this way, where will my kids find other kids to play with? And will they feel the burden of peer pressure, and be forced to bite off more than they can chew???

Only Time will tell.

(P.S. It started somewhere, ended elsewhere... Like Life - you never know where it starts or where or how it will end )

An update

For those who read my earlier post, here’s something I should add – I have discovered that some people do not pay heed to where they are – they go about their ‘business’ in full view no matter where they are – even within the university when a proper restroom is hardly 10 metres away!!! Even when it drizzles !!! And one guy even made a request to the van-driver to wait for him until he was done…. Shudder! Shudder!

And even standing among dustbins – I’m amazed you can ‘stand the stench’ that long (pun intended ;) )…

It reminds me of this ad with Kamalahassan in it asking a guy not to piss on the roads. (If I come across the video, I’ll post it…) And at times, I’m reminded of this documentary I read about in Suketu Mehta’s Maximum city: Bombay lost and found – a short film called Bumbay – and wonder if someone (alas, I cannot…) should make a similar film on this… (am trying to imagine what it would be called, if it is ever made…) (Piss-kiya??? Kuch kuch aata hai?? Omg!!!! What’s happening to me??????)

May the world be cleansed someday (with water, that is!!!)

And no, I’m not jealous or anything. Am just another concerned citizen. (concerned about myself, mostly ;) ) Can't help it..... (you can't help it either, na??? ) :)