I have a vague memory of me setting the ambition of becoming a doctor.. For all you readers, this doesnt mean that i became an engineer because i didnt get through the Medicine Admission Test.Jus because i didnt even attempt it, i landed up in Govt. Engineering College, Thrissur.. I proudly flaunt my college name anywhere and everywhere though i know there are other premium institutes, with all due respect to them,I say that GEC is nowhere behind!! Cheers to all GEC ians out there!
But the topic here was setting the ambition! ( i know i get carried away by the name of my college..)So I was talking about how a 7 year old wanted to become a doctor when she didnt even know what lungs,liver,nerves were! The only thing she knew was that if she is a doc herself then she need not take her aasthamatic kids out to clinics and wait in the silent long queues watching depressive patients, like her mom did! I swear this reason was more than enough to become a doctor.. The visit to the doc and temple was almost a weekly ritual for us,the only time i get to dress up n go somewhere other than school.
I still consider doctors as the most respected in the society ( after the ever admired Civil serice grads).. But somehow, the desire in me to be Dr.Ranjitha faded when i started realising Biology was 'yuck' and Maths was 'wow' for me! I soon set the target of becoming an Engineer, neglecting the family-ambition of me becoming Doctor.. Not that i knew what Maths has got to do with engineering! Even after 4 years ofengineering I couldn't figure out much about it than its an easy thing to pass and that engineer is the one who is designed to fit in any job, the jack of all trades, but master of none!
Sitting in front of my PC,facing all black telnet sessions of heavily utilised servers which earn in crores, on the desktop, a small gtalk window at the right most corner, and this notepad on which my fingers are hitting, I wonder what an Electrical engineer is doing here! I, with all my modesty admit here that neither I have any idea of how to do a simple wiring or even repair an electric switch, nor I have any interst in doing that, but if it was this which i had to do in my dream job, why did i chose elec engg.?? Since life is an uni-directional process moving fast, taking me through a variety of phases, I have no time to flashback, I know i have to look forward.. MBA might help, but there are the ties of family life, settling, making a home! Pucca Bharatheey naari, you know! :O
Oh please, am NOT frustarted,my job is cool (else i wont be blogging rt here na), just wanted something better.Am glad thou, that I am not in yet another ABC software firm,resting on the benches (you very well know the 'bench' iam reffering to),googling all the news sites which show exaggerating statistics of recession, and waiting for the turn to be laid off.. Am glad I have total freedom here, where I have all the right of 'expression and experimentation'.You have to experience it to know what it is worth..
Chalo,now back to my virtual server room on my desktop.. Real doc nahin to kya, I have to do health check of some servers atleast!! :P And by the way, meet you on the tiny windows of g-talk too!! Take care and have a nice day!!
Feb 26, 2009
Feb 11, 2009
CCDs Baristas and more...
CCD, Barista, Gloria Jones, Mocha etc... Please excuse this post!!
I have recently started my anti-coffee shops campaign, (hey, wait!! This has got nothing to do with the pink chaddi campaign going on in the country.) so I guess this post is not surprising for all those who know this fact!! But for others, let me explain, I (i.e. me alone) have decided that I wont use the services of all those mentioned above, till a stipulated date, as long as situations and circumstances allow! But I will be happy, if atleast till then am able to stick to this. Reasons? Read on...
I, coming from a small town in Kerala had only heard about this big damn Café coffee day from my friends who had the privilege and fortune of visiting the same, after traveling some 100kms... Yes, the one and only CCD (this abbreviation I learnt later) in Kerala is in Ernakulam and not all gals were lucky enough like Aishu (name unchanged),to sip a cup of coffee from this place. Its not the coffee alone which sounded interesting, they served pastries too, it seems!! Big big ones... 60 Rs a piece...OMG, 60Rs!! For the same thing which we get for 5 Rs in Wimbis?? Quickly came the response from Aishu, the explanation of the pastry, how extravagantly it was frapped, chocolate melting and oozing out of it... How filling it was, that you don't need to have your lunch!! Another catchy thing about this place was the waiters/bearers there!! Oops, I think I used the wrong phrase for them. They are delivery boys, no... Standards higher... They were just like us, studying somewhere, doing this parttime...Impressive, indeed... I wondered if I would ever be able to do that, earning pocket money on my own, meeting new people everyday, making new friends!! Ah, how I longed to sit at that place, taste those pastries, sip coffee!
There was not a long gap between these happenings and my coming to Mumbai... Mumbai welcomed me with a CCD at every corner... Am not exaggerating, its there everywhere. I became aware of the existence of Barista, Gloria Jones, Mocha too... But somehow CCD was more appealing for me, may be because of the pre-assumptions I had about it. And then there is this story of my cousin who got married to a Punjabi kudi whom he met and became friends with, at CCD!! I soon began liking the place too, especially when I was dedicated a sweet romantic song by my sweetheart with a loud announcement to it... I blushed sitting amidst the crowd of smart, fashionable people, still feeling special, in my ordinary kurti & jeans... That's the magic love can do to you with a little help of CCD!! :) I was overjoyed seeing the creamy smiley faces on the brown coffee which made me sip the coffee carefully, not distorting the smiley as long as I could...
Then when did this rosy situation change?? Sooner, I started realizing from my credit/debit card statements that I end up paying quite a big amount ending in 2-3 zeroes, at these places every month... Its not the money alone which mattered, cos I spend many folds extra on shopping and other activities... It's the attitude which bothered me... The attitude of mine & yours... of ours... of the youth as a whole... It is we who promote these shops, paying 100/- for just a coffee.. You may not agree with this, there were many who protested when I expressed this opinion to my friends, most of them being guys... It seems they appreciate & pay for the ambience these shops offer... Ambience refers to the crowd.. err.. the gals, more than the interiors or the lcd... It seems the price they pay is worth it, considering the no of hours they can spend just on one cup of coffee, nobody to shoo you away, chatting amongst your group to glory, needless to say, throwing glances at the smart females on other tables!! I agree to this, totally!! But that's not my priority alright... So why should I?? The company of my friends even I long for, chatting with them I enjoy the most, but not at coffee shops, not anymore.. Am not talking like a philanthropist here, just trying to drive your attention to the fact that there are better things which we can do with that money right now, when you don't have so much responsibility of your family heaving on you...
So friends, am on this campaign.. Are you??
I have recently started my anti-coffee shops campaign, (hey, wait!! This has got nothing to do with the pink chaddi campaign going on in the country.) so I guess this post is not surprising for all those who know this fact!! But for others, let me explain, I (i.e. me alone) have decided that I wont use the services of all those mentioned above, till a stipulated date, as long as situations and circumstances allow! But I will be happy, if atleast till then am able to stick to this. Reasons? Read on...
I, coming from a small town in Kerala had only heard about this big damn Café coffee day from my friends who had the privilege and fortune of visiting the same, after traveling some 100kms... Yes, the one and only CCD (this abbreviation I learnt later) in Kerala is in Ernakulam and not all gals were lucky enough like Aishu (name unchanged),to sip a cup of coffee from this place. Its not the coffee alone which sounded interesting, they served pastries too, it seems!! Big big ones... 60 Rs a piece...OMG, 60Rs!! For the same thing which we get for 5 Rs in Wimbis?? Quickly came the response from Aishu, the explanation of the pastry, how extravagantly it was frapped, chocolate melting and oozing out of it... How filling it was, that you don't need to have your lunch!! Another catchy thing about this place was the waiters/bearers there!! Oops, I think I used the wrong phrase for them. They are delivery boys, no... Standards higher... They were just like us, studying somewhere, doing this parttime...Impressive, indeed... I wondered if I would ever be able to do that, earning pocket money on my own, meeting new people everyday, making new friends!! Ah, how I longed to sit at that place, taste those pastries, sip coffee!
There was not a long gap between these happenings and my coming to Mumbai... Mumbai welcomed me with a CCD at every corner... Am not exaggerating, its there everywhere. I became aware of the existence of Barista, Gloria Jones, Mocha too... But somehow CCD was more appealing for me, may be because of the pre-assumptions I had about it. And then there is this story of my cousin who got married to a Punjabi kudi whom he met and became friends with, at CCD!! I soon began liking the place too, especially when I was dedicated a sweet romantic song by my sweetheart with a loud announcement to it... I blushed sitting amidst the crowd of smart, fashionable people, still feeling special, in my ordinary kurti & jeans... That's the magic love can do to you with a little help of CCD!! :) I was overjoyed seeing the creamy smiley faces on the brown coffee which made me sip the coffee carefully, not distorting the smiley as long as I could...
Then when did this rosy situation change?? Sooner, I started realizing from my credit/debit card statements that I end up paying quite a big amount ending in 2-3 zeroes, at these places every month... Its not the money alone which mattered, cos I spend many folds extra on shopping and other activities... It's the attitude which bothered me... The attitude of mine & yours... of ours... of the youth as a whole... It is we who promote these shops, paying 100/- for just a coffee.. You may not agree with this, there were many who protested when I expressed this opinion to my friends, most of them being guys... It seems they appreciate & pay for the ambience these shops offer... Ambience refers to the crowd.. err.. the gals, more than the interiors or the lcd... It seems the price they pay is worth it, considering the no of hours they can spend just on one cup of coffee, nobody to shoo you away, chatting amongst your group to glory, needless to say, throwing glances at the smart females on other tables!! I agree to this, totally!! But that's not my priority alright... So why should I?? The company of my friends even I long for, chatting with them I enjoy the most, but not at coffee shops, not anymore.. Am not talking like a philanthropist here, just trying to drive your attention to the fact that there are better things which we can do with that money right now, when you don't have so much responsibility of your family heaving on you...
So friends, am on this campaign.. Are you??
Feb 6, 2009
Wish.. I could go back..
Everyone likes being nostalgic, loves to flashback the childhood memories every now and then... It gives great joy, sometimes fills our eyes with tears, just wanting to go back again to those times... Be in the sweet warmth of your mom, shrinking yourself in size to fit on to her laps... Ofcourse mom loves you even now, but that feeling is a different one.. Unforgettable.. In whichever part of the world you are. howmuch ever hectic your life is..
This refers back to 1996, dats when I was in my 6th standard and “responsibilities” came on to my shoulders.. dats when my mom decided she needs to go to work after taking a loooong gap, when she realised she has given enough of her time and care to both her kids, now they can manage themselves on their own!! And yes, we did!! My everyday morning saw the routine duty of filling lunchboxes immediately after brushing my teeth, my brother ironing the uniform and my dad doing the final touch-up for the breakfast which mom finished cooking 90% and went on for a shower... Everything was perfectly synchronised, next is my shower, then bro’s.. By then my mom must have left to catch her bus, almost everyday running, gulping/skipping her breakfast and ofcos after sipping her daughter-made tea.. My next assignment is to tie my hair on my own- which I learnt to do pretty well in course of time!! The first day of moms school, I told her confidently – don’t worry amma, I will manage, I have seen you do it for me everyday, now I can try! Little did I know seeing is not doing.. I took the comb and ribbon in hand, didn’t get any clue how she started!! But I was sure once I get to know the start I can do it!! Helpless, my father stood beside me watching my bro already tying his lace.. We have another 5 min walk to the bus stop!! Missing the bus is a big scary thing then... So the next scene is me standing in the school assembly with a big red nose, explaining to everyone, my sad tale of mom starting to work. Nobody paid much attention thou!! :(
Back home at 4 in the evening, another round of MY tea 4 all, and then cartoons... I remember the adrenaline rush I experienced when the clock ticked 5...Time for mommy darling to reach home and finally am getting someone to tell my school tales of the day.. She comes home with a small plastic bag in hand, which definitely will be some snack for us, but I was more interested in her than the snack.. She listens to all my nonsense sipping the 1 hour-cold tea, rarely showing lack of interest in my words, but I was intelligent enough to understand that she is not listening!! I shout then- Amme, you are not listening!! To the proof of which she has to repeat the sentence I just completed.. In between she keeps on asking my brother – Mone, what happened with you in your class?? How did you spend your day?? – Answer is a silence.. Boys don’t like to talk or they consider all this silly?? Anyways, this made me envious, why always he?? Am compensating for him na!!
Mom used to say I was a good student then.. I just don’t remember that part!! ;) it seems I did all my homework without any compulsion, I was much tensed about my class tests that mom didn’t ever have to remind me to study!! My brother was an intelligent+lazy brain! This combination just meant that mom had to sit near him to study.. The situation at home was tense one fine day morning, Chemistry paper for my brother and mom asking him questions.. Final revision you know!! Smart kid – ie, ME is ready for her paper hiding behind the curtain to watch the tense moments going inside the room.
Mom’s question : Element with ‘Mo’ symbol???
Brother : Cracking his brain to squeeze the answer out of it through his mouth – but unable to..
Me : Wish I knew, I would have helped him.. Cos I cry more when my bro gets beaten!! And then both of us, Oh my!! Wat a drama.. Sweet it was, must admit thou!
Mom waits for some more time and then gives up. She announces to my sweet bro : Mo is Molybdenum!! The emphasis of b and d in moms voice because of the anger was such that I swear the word sounded damn funny to my ears!! (P.S : Try to pronounce this word, the same way keeping in mind the same “tense situation” at home!! ) I started giggling aloud behind the curtains, hearing which my bro couldn’t help it, but laugh out aloud, followed by mom!! All happy, both of us set out for exams!! ;)
Already lost in thoughts.. Tears filling my eyes... Wish I could go back!!!
This refers back to 1996, dats when I was in my 6th standard and “responsibilities” came on to my shoulders.. dats when my mom decided she needs to go to work after taking a loooong gap, when she realised she has given enough of her time and care to both her kids, now they can manage themselves on their own!! And yes, we did!! My everyday morning saw the routine duty of filling lunchboxes immediately after brushing my teeth, my brother ironing the uniform and my dad doing the final touch-up for the breakfast which mom finished cooking 90% and went on for a shower... Everything was perfectly synchronised, next is my shower, then bro’s.. By then my mom must have left to catch her bus, almost everyday running, gulping/skipping her breakfast and ofcos after sipping her daughter-made tea.. My next assignment is to tie my hair on my own- which I learnt to do pretty well in course of time!! The first day of moms school, I told her confidently – don’t worry amma, I will manage, I have seen you do it for me everyday, now I can try! Little did I know seeing is not doing.. I took the comb and ribbon in hand, didn’t get any clue how she started!! But I was sure once I get to know the start I can do it!! Helpless, my father stood beside me watching my bro already tying his lace.. We have another 5 min walk to the bus stop!! Missing the bus is a big scary thing then... So the next scene is me standing in the school assembly with a big red nose, explaining to everyone, my sad tale of mom starting to work. Nobody paid much attention thou!! :(
Back home at 4 in the evening, another round of MY tea 4 all, and then cartoons... I remember the adrenaline rush I experienced when the clock ticked 5...Time for mommy darling to reach home and finally am getting someone to tell my school tales of the day.. She comes home with a small plastic bag in hand, which definitely will be some snack for us, but I was more interested in her than the snack.. She listens to all my nonsense sipping the 1 hour-cold tea, rarely showing lack of interest in my words, but I was intelligent enough to understand that she is not listening!! I shout then- Amme, you are not listening!! To the proof of which she has to repeat the sentence I just completed.. In between she keeps on asking my brother – Mone, what happened with you in your class?? How did you spend your day?? – Answer is a silence.. Boys don’t like to talk or they consider all this silly?? Anyways, this made me envious, why always he?? Am compensating for him na!!
Mom used to say I was a good student then.. I just don’t remember that part!! ;) it seems I did all my homework without any compulsion, I was much tensed about my class tests that mom didn’t ever have to remind me to study!! My brother was an intelligent+lazy brain! This combination just meant that mom had to sit near him to study.. The situation at home was tense one fine day morning, Chemistry paper for my brother and mom asking him questions.. Final revision you know!! Smart kid – ie, ME is ready for her paper hiding behind the curtain to watch the tense moments going inside the room.
Mom’s question : Element with ‘Mo’ symbol???
Brother : Cracking his brain to squeeze the answer out of it through his mouth – but unable to..
Me : Wish I knew, I would have helped him.. Cos I cry more when my bro gets beaten!! And then both of us, Oh my!! Wat a drama.. Sweet it was, must admit thou!
Mom waits for some more time and then gives up. She announces to my sweet bro : Mo is Molybdenum!! The emphasis of b and d in moms voice because of the anger was such that I swear the word sounded damn funny to my ears!! (P.S : Try to pronounce this word, the same way keeping in mind the same “tense situation” at home!! ) I started giggling aloud behind the curtains, hearing which my bro couldn’t help it, but laugh out aloud, followed by mom!! All happy, both of us set out for exams!! ;)
Already lost in thoughts.. Tears filling my eyes... Wish I could go back!!!
Feb 2, 2009
Mumbai.. Meri Jaan..
U know what?? Ur first blog is like a first movie... Critics give their comments on the premiere and u never know how it is going to be unless they speak out!! My premiere is hence over; n fortunately got some encouraging comments!! Surprisingly, I could do the same thing as Amith did to me!! I have inspired 3 others to blog!! Good 4 blogspot, good 4 them as well!! ;)
Landing home at 8.30 from office is indeed bad... Especially when u sit n relax in office the entire day and just take the pain of travelling the whole of Mumbai (CST to Goregaon is almost a big chunk of Mumbai!!) still it feels as if a great deal of business is accomplished. The hangover persists till u sleep, only to wake up the next day n off to office at 8! Life sounds boring? No way... Lot many interesting things do happen in my life.
There were times when I just took a window seat in the bus n peeped out of my window to see the real Mumbai.- the rockon type as well as the slumdog type!! The irony is that our bus passes thru the best and worst parts of Mumbai in those 2 hours! I dream of owning huge flats like the ones in South Mumbai while the same me thank God for giving me all the luxuries when compared to the lives of people in those Dhaaravi slums.. Yup, dats Mumbai, u see the best as well as the worst here!!
N to see the middle class, just get into the local trains.. Get into the 5:45 BO local 4m Churchgate... Perfect!! You can see the variety- Gujjus, Mallus, Gults, Northies- u wont miss any kind!! All colourful, loud & chattering, but tired- eager to reach their home- shouting and making way for themselves.. It’s a skill u know, to take positions in the train, depending on where to get down, which side what comes, proper planning and co-ordination – commendable!! One may not understand this if he hasn’t travelled in locals atleast once. .. It’s an experience man!!
I remember when I came to know that my posting is in Mumbai – I had changed my caption in orkut – “Into the city of dreams!!” that’s what Mumbai is for many out here... My fav: Shahrukh Khan is one among them. It didn’t prove wrong 4 me ofcourse – just that am on my way to achieve them!! City has shown so many things, ultimately its upto us to imbibe them!! If you are sensitive to the things happening around, I feel you are a treasure. You can make meanings out of anything. You start admiring people of any strata. That’s when you see the joy in the laughs of the people in a row of “double-storeyed slums”;the nearby canal being their free toilets, the overhead lines being their free source of electric power... Sometimes I feel these people are the best housekeepers, when I peep out of my window to see how they have arranged a TV, bed and kitchen all in a room as small as my bathroom!! Ofcos they are the best housekeepers, whom do you think does the house keeping for the busy office-goers or the ultra modern society lady types females? Hence this ratio is invariably required!! I guess another law of nature... Something 4 u to ponder on...
Landing home at 8.30 from office is indeed bad... Especially when u sit n relax in office the entire day and just take the pain of travelling the whole of Mumbai (CST to Goregaon is almost a big chunk of Mumbai!!) still it feels as if a great deal of business is accomplished. The hangover persists till u sleep, only to wake up the next day n off to office at 8! Life sounds boring? No way... Lot many interesting things do happen in my life.
There were times when I just took a window seat in the bus n peeped out of my window to see the real Mumbai.- the rockon type as well as the slumdog type!! The irony is that our bus passes thru the best and worst parts of Mumbai in those 2 hours! I dream of owning huge flats like the ones in South Mumbai while the same me thank God for giving me all the luxuries when compared to the lives of people in those Dhaaravi slums.. Yup, dats Mumbai, u see the best as well as the worst here!!
N to see the middle class, just get into the local trains.. Get into the 5:45 BO local 4m Churchgate... Perfect!! You can see the variety- Gujjus, Mallus, Gults, Northies- u wont miss any kind!! All colourful, loud & chattering, but tired- eager to reach their home- shouting and making way for themselves.. It’s a skill u know, to take positions in the train, depending on where to get down, which side what comes, proper planning and co-ordination – commendable!! One may not understand this if he hasn’t travelled in locals atleast once. .. It’s an experience man!!
I remember when I came to know that my posting is in Mumbai – I had changed my caption in orkut – “Into the city of dreams!!” that’s what Mumbai is for many out here... My fav: Shahrukh Khan is one among them. It didn’t prove wrong 4 me ofcourse – just that am on my way to achieve them!! City has shown so many things, ultimately its upto us to imbibe them!! If you are sensitive to the things happening around, I feel you are a treasure. You can make meanings out of anything. You start admiring people of any strata. That’s when you see the joy in the laughs of the people in a row of “double-storeyed slums”;the nearby canal being their free toilets, the overhead lines being their free source of electric power... Sometimes I feel these people are the best housekeepers, when I peep out of my window to see how they have arranged a TV, bed and kitchen all in a room as small as my bathroom!! Ofcos they are the best housekeepers, whom do you think does the house keeping for the busy office-goers or the ultra modern society lady types females? Hence this ratio is invariably required!! I guess another law of nature... Something 4 u to ponder on...
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