A dose of philo

It’s been an eventful week. Had gone for a week to Mumbai, in an attempt to combine work with fun, or was it the other way round?! Managed successfully too, when I look back at it. Work entailed attending a presentation skills workshop, seems inane at this age, but after having to sit through a video recording of myself doing a presentation, I changed my mind – it was a desperately required session! And it turned out to be fun too, a group of 11 of us. These kind of sessions usually make me muse over how human beings interact in various settings. It’s interesting how in just 2 days you can manage to connect on some level, need not be to any lasting effect, but connect nevertheless, to almost everybody in the group. How, many of us tend to be our own worst critics, sometimes to our own detriment. And how generous in praise and tolerant we can all be of others’ mistakes when there is no “pressure” on us. And if lucky enough, find people who also share your passion for certain beliefs/interests.

As for the fun part, things didn’t go as planned. Maybe the secret to fun is not to plan it or expect everybody else to share your enthusiasm. Met up with some old friends, met some who started as colleagues and became good friends instead, couldn’t spend enough time with some due to logistics issues that Bby throws up (or other reasons that I can’t delve into, for my own sanity!). Of course that’s a convenient excuse– we have all used it on occasion, unfortunately I also confess to the crime, and therefore now accept it from other people.

All in all, a good trip. Despite the realization that life and people can move on, and oh so dismayingly fast. A city and a life you spent 7 years in, can suddenly feel alien while at the same time achingly familiar. I go through that every time, and have become better at handling the emotions over time. The trip served to finally bid goodbye to one phase of life – may return to Bombay sometime, but that would be a new chapter, no turning back the pages. But then, (I comfort myself) for someone who has lived in various different cities, I have the advantage and the opportunity of being able to pick the good things the city has to offer which unconsciously stay with me always and am lucky to leave behind not-so-good aspects.

What are those, you might want to ask – I shall reveal. Sometime…

weekend -on the rocks

Weekend started with watching “Golmaal” on fri evening - the new one, with Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Sharmaan Joshi and Tusshar Kapoor. Slapstick fare (‘slap’ being instrumental in the movie!). Still got a long way to go to compare with Jaane bhi do yaaron or even Andaz apna apna, but a very entertaining flck nevertheless. Worth a watch. Let me add, Sharmaan Joshi makes for a ‘hot bird’ (as Chops would put it)!Tusshar had another good role (played a mute), and Rimi Sen is completely unrequired - thats about as kindly as I can count her contribution to the movie.

Saturday was grandpa’s 10th death anniversary, so visited the old age home and Missionaries of Charity home for the Dying and the Destitute to make the usual yearly donation on behalf of my Grandma, who couldn’t go herself this year. Nothing works better than a visit to the latter place to recount your own blessings.

Yesterday (Sunday) was fun. Mom and me went on our second trip with Society to Save Rocks to Shamirpet. (http://www.saverocks.org). About 8 cars (approx 40 people, all ages) congregated at St Anne’s in S’bad and then drove for an hour to Shamirpet. Lovely drive, past the cantonment area (they usually are based in the best places!). Since in the rest of the city I barely get to go above third gear for more than 2 mins at a stretch, this was bliss. Lot of greenery, meandering, smooth and almost-empty roads. Stopped at a place beyond Shamirpet lake and then split up. The area was full of amazing rock formations. Learnt a new term - Bouldering – and practiced it a wee bit too.

I guess it’s the prelims to actual rock climbing, and its a horizontal movement compared to the vertical movement in rock climbing. Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouldering for more info. Needless to say, am having a little problem sitting today, and collected my usual quota of scrapes. I would also like to erase mental pics of my bum up in the air while clumsily trying to get my leg up over the damn boulder with my fingers feverishly clutching at some imaginery grip! There seriously has to be an easier way to climb down than slithering down on your behind! Well, decent attempt (I comfort myself), hopefully will get better with time, and thick-bottom pants!
As of now, will snooze through my Monday blues. For those missing their daily share of my PJs - If Im blogging while Im snoozing, can I call it “snogging”instead??!!

Job hunting...and I'm the roadkill!

A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go, hey di hi ho, a hunting we will go…….

U all been there, done that...where you go for interviews and speak very nonchalantly, “you should want me, I’m the best” while inwardly thinking “Take me, take me, oh please take me!” Even if you’re giving the interview jus’ for practice types, you still want to be selected so you can retain the option to turn it down later!

Took me 3 years to even get around to it. Spent over 10 days preparing my resume, and chewed at least half a dozen people’s brains over it. And then was quite happy just having emailed a few consultants. Felt as if my work was already done! (Still mentally humming the above ditty). My first interview - gave a telephonic interview – had a lovely surreal experience (could afford to, since it was over the telephone!). For a profile which I’ve been not wanting to pursue much longer, here I was, so enthusiastically spouting off to the guy about why I plan to continue with it for a few more years because blah blah blah, and more blah blah about all the positives that I would bring (in answer to his questions of course). One part of my brain telling me “are you kidding me???” another part saying “don’t screw it up ". The sense of relief in being told to move to next round felt almost shameful! But now I'll have to concentrate the next time I meet the guy! **Groan**

Goes against my grain, being in sales reduces you to pure numbers you can bring in and churn for your employer. “broaden your outlook, man” I want to scream. Basically I want that guy to meet me and think, “no she’s amazing, doing only sales shall not do justice to the great mind” he will then proceed to find the perfect fit for me in the company (which would obviously encompass a range of activities), and it would by a miraculous turn of events be my calling in life and I would rise to great heights. Yup, the strange dude should know me better than I know myself!

It was so peaceful being in school, goals are clear, choices are easy – they depended on how well you did the previous year. Now you got to decide what you want to do now, 5 years from now, 10 years from now and start working towards it. I know what I want to do – be paid pot loads of money, get to travel all over the world, meet loads of interesting people, get time for long paid leaves, time for volunteer work on my favorite causes and develop hobbies. (don’t we all). If it wasn’t for the first factor, I would probably do, what this guy I met once at a cafe in Las Palmas did – a Sri Lankan, studied for some time in Switzerland, got bored and then worked his way around Netherlands, Germany, Spain – odd jobs, mind you – enough to survive and Europe being what it is, had enough time to explore each place he was in. Need grande bolas to do that though!

Sigh… for now, on to contacting more placement consultants, doing the same boring routine of giving politically correct interviews…ugh.

….I’m embarking on my journey….cant say how long ill be gone…whether ill survive….will I emerge stronger than ever…but I promise ill be back….dragging my weary bones back to the keyboard….

PS: can someone pay me for my blogs instead :-D

blind as a bat - I think not!

saw something interesting on AXN tonight, on 'Ripley's believe it or not' - had to share it. Echo locators. Bats use 'em, dolphins use 'em, and apparently some extraordinary humans use 'em too! Bats use echo location, similar to sonar, for locating food and navigating through the darkness - essentially a high pitched sound emitted which bounces off objects which helps bats identify the location, shape, density, etc of the object. A guy blind since age 1, uses tongue clicking to the same purpose, so much so, that he is now teaching others to use this just as effectively. one of the guys could identify a shape of a tree, and another could navigate his way through a parking lot and into a mall to find a particular store. And, get this, this was the first time he visited the mall. they also go on dirt biking trips. awesome, awesome, AWESOME!!!

Mumbai Commuter Community

Nope, this isnt going to be about Mumbai trains and the community that forms there, even though that is pretty interesting too. I never really became part of it - story of my life – part of everything and not at the same time! It is definitely interesting – the difference in harbor, central and western lines – the choice of activities in those three, language etc. Heck even the catfights have a distinctness to them!

I wanted to write about BEST bus drivers and conductors. And also the auto rickshaw-wallahs. Now that was my community. I had a regular route from Oshiwara to Malad during 2002-2003. I used to like one of the routes; I think it was 259, the bus used to pick me up at 8:50am. This particular conductor, like all the BEST bus conductors used to wear his clean ironed uniform with badge in place and go about collecting the cash from the passengers. It used to amaze me that everyday, with almost each person, he used to have a comment to offer which used to break the usual serious Bombay commuter expression into a smile. I don’t know about them, but it used to make me more cheerful in the morning going to work– and that’s something!! I should have written an appreciation letter sometime – I admit it, I’m hopeless at these right things to do bit!

Anyone who has traveled in buses in other cities – I have, in Delhi and Hyderabad – Bby buses are heaven! Of course if you are female and have traveled in Delhi buses, anything is an improvement. In a place like Bombay, in a crowded bus even, you realize the concept of personal space, something you don’t get in an empty bus in Delhi! If you get onto the bus and want to get off at a particular stop just gotta tell the conductor once – he will remind you himself two stops prior to the one you need to get off on. These guys carry authority well – no one disregards them as “only” bus conductors – and they work bloody hard.

Bombay roads are terrible, and the traffic sense has deteriorated to a state, where I felt Delhi traffic sense is better – I never thought I’ll see the day when I would even think that, let alone say it AND PRINT it for all the world to see! But tell me, how many BEST buses have you seen scraping another vehicle – major accidents are rare since going above third gear is an achievement in most cities – very few, if at all, right? I have seen none. In all my 7 years in Bombay I have seen none. I need to repeat it to believe it. Kudos to BEST bus drivers, is all I can say.

I have a love-hate relationship with the auto-guys in Mumbai. Could not write much more than generic stuff about the buses, but autos – ah, now this becomes a one-to one interaction na, so there are much more insights to share!

When I moved to bby, it was such a novelty to get into the music wala autos! And some of those near college used to also keep English cassettes. The new guys, from UP etc and all the young ones, who I’m sure are driving without a licence have spoilt the orderliness with which the auto wala industry used to operate. I’m referring to the waiting in lines, lane driving, courteousness – the old guys if you’re fortunate to run into (not speaking literally of course!!) still have it. I do make it a point to appreciate their driving after I get off, so they don’t lose it!!

why love-hate? here's some reasons:

• I hate the driving sense; I love the fact that Bombay auto guys are the only ones who will dismiss away 1-2 Rs if you don’t have change.
• I hate the bumpy rides; I love that the drivers can double up as DJs and will change music/radio channels to your liking.
• I hate that some of the talented intelligent ones, college dropouts, can only do this for a living; I love that you can chat up with almost any one of them and enjoy their travel tales.
• I love the fact that if you had a nice chat with one of them and happen to have visited their hometown sometime, they take you to your destination and refuse to take your cash, and you have to force them to take it.
• I hate the auto walas from the airport who start whining for more cash than the meter stipulates; I love the plastic sheet cocoon they make of the autos in the monsoons.
• I love the fact that you can find a glowing red or blue one near your house even at 3 in the morning.
• I love their popping out a cellphone and officiously hanging up as they are busy with a customer.
• I love it when you are going alone at night and trying to be less visible to some peering eyes in a passing car, and the auto guy slows or changes lanes to ensure less access to the peeping tom.
• I love their business sense, only in Bombay can you have a regular morning office wala auto, which waits for you, so that he knows he will definitely get that one assured sawaari to start with.

Yes, Bombay is all about finding your comfort zone. And you know what? You can find a comfort zone anywhere, anytime in Mumbai. Even in a bus or an auto or a train!

How come it took me so long to make my own blog?

Well, simple – trying to decide which of my thought processes, worldly wisdoms, observations made as I go along life, would I want to analyze and write in detail and then make the effort to upload AND be alright with other people reading it and making THEIR own analysis about it –would obviously take time, about more time than it took for you to read it!! Before you say it, yes, my teachers in schools used to insist I write shorter sentences. But hey, what’s a blog, if I can’t write the way I want to?!

I remember one creative writing article I wrote for class (class VIII) – The Art of Eating a Pizza – mom’s idea and her inputs sprinkled throughout like the assorted toppings I mentioned in it. At least it was an original topic. Come to think of it, probably I should get mom to make her own blog! She made my style of thinking and writing more creative than I would ever have on my own.

I remember keeping a diary – Betty Cooper style – but considering the age I started it, it only used to be filled with extremely silly sounding ramblings on the numerous crushes I had over the teenage years (and heh heh a wee bit after teenage years too!)! Now of course I wish I wrote more about the places I visited and the people who touched my life, like for instance my grandfather’s friend – used to call him ‘Tata’ – that’s what we call our grandpa in Andhra Pradesh. He used to delight in my growing tall and was quite happy the day we stood shoulder to shoulder as always to compare and I had crossed his height! He helped me make a clock out of old cigarette packets (he was a chain smoker) – charms brand, as I recall, pretty blue thing, hexagon shape. Of course I being the impatient soul that I am managed to crush it carrying it from Delhi, where I went to visit them, back home to Chandigarh (I grew up in C’garh) in the train itself, and same day as I made it. But I remember the clock – maybe one day I’ll practice making it again – will need to smoke much more than I do to accumulate the requisite cigarette packet stock ;-D !!

I also remember our visit to rock garden in Chandigarh where we met Nek Chand – (really appreciate that man’s work and dedication). He gave us a souvenir for the visit – for the life of me, I can’t find it and don’t even remember now what it was! I think sometimes there should be a handicam following us everywhere for future reference! Wouldn’t that be interesting and in some instances utterly mortifying!!?

Tata used to keep describing a coastal town in AP – Kakinada – where they had a base – and used to keep telling us to visit him there. Especially after they did some construction – in fact I had wanted to buy property there after he showed me the blueprints and plans and gave such a solid sales pitch, but never ended up doing it. I finally did visit Kakinada, a very pretty little coastal town in AP, but after Tata passed away. Thought of him during the entire trip. Ammamma (his wife), again refer to her too as my Grandma, though we are not directed related, whom we stayed with and she took mom and me around the town and some adjoining villages. One of those was Uppada, where you get Uppada work sarees, we visited the weavers – and I considered NGO work as a possible future option (in fact I still do, but that’s another story).

Though I have not gone back to see for myself, I’m told the 2004 Tsunami had destroyed that village. Maybe I WILL go back, now that I have moved to Hyderabad – AP has lovely backwater regions of its own – not marketed well obviously (and in some ways luckily). One interesting sight I saw during one of the drives near Kakinada was this field of tall willowy trees, all growing slanting – same direction away from the sea. Found it so unusual – apparently they have been growing like that since the cyclone in early 1970’s!

Though I didn’t start out intending to write about them, I seem to have done so. And now that I think of it – I pat myself on an excellent choice of topic for my “first”! Both of them, extremely loving, cheerful (Ammamma’s laugh is so hearty and she always seems to be giggling), ambitious go-getters, outgoing, and full of life. They made an impact on whoever met them and Ammamma continues to do so. And boy they used to travel – that itself is an influencing factor on me! She keeps picking up little knick knacks for people – some people have the gift – they find little things, need not be expensive, but so well suited to the people they gift them to – and here I struggle to even shop for myself when I travel! They had all these little thingies in their home too in Delhi. I prefer those styles to any interior designer designed house – so full of individualism and personality and memories!!

Hmmm, hey my “diary writing” has improved to better topics!! Well, that’s it for now. Until my next attempt, whenever that is.