Things at Work: Part 2 - Cost Cuts

Skype has been the talk point @ work today. The idea is to cut the telephone costs between the team members, the calls that are made through Company mobiles.All of us in the team have been asked to have our Skype account by our manager. Should say its working good. Since voice chat through YM or other messengers have been blocked @ work, this would prove useful to many of us. The voice clarity is good and interface is also OK. Try it out yourself and you might as well like it.Discussion went around today in the team as to how they can block YM voice chat and why they wont be able to block Skype and yeah one of my team mate was having a voice chat with another team mate of mine at Kansas for about 1 1/2 hours and both were enjoying it much, should say.

To H: Thought we would do our Wing Voice Conference through Skype, but only 4 people + host can do a voice conference through Skype. May be some other Internet Telephony system can be of use to us. As such, Yahoo is blocked for some of our wingies, so we might try switching to something like Skype. Am not sure whether stuff like Skype might be blocked somewhere else as well.

Anyway, the conference as such isn't happening for some time now, may be someone should bring the initial enthu back first before thinking of stuff like these....

Two Two to Two Three

The transition has been very silent one. First time in my life I was there in a 3 BHK house all alone with no one except my laptop and my own solitude as the only company as the clock struck 12 in the night.Something that was different from the last 5 or 6 years, except for 2003 when it was bcos of me I was alone in my hostel room at 12 AM.Thats a different story to explain why am little(or rather more!?) crazy, I am not gonna go into that story now anyway!

I am gonna miss this 22 badly and I am never gonna meet this 22 again in my life which makes me little sad. For one more year, I have got a new companion now to live with: 23, wherever I go, 23 would follow me for a year now.Hazaar application forms I might(and I want to) fill with 23, but this 22 is gone forever for me, I mean one of the 22's that was so dear to me.A very magical number indeed, 22.

Things to be happy about: My parents were there with me last weekend, and for one more year, I am fortunate and happy that I am wearing on this day what they got me to wear for this day. And I expect so many good things to come my way when this 23 guy is around with me.Lets see how much of that comes true.

The wishes started pouring in from the morning from parents, friends and colleagues at work.Thanks to all who remembered and wished me on this day, thanks to all those who would be wishing me on this day or later.And for those who forgot my day, its OK, not a big deal. Try to remember it from next time.

riot, a novel

Amazing, Wonderful, Simply Superb. I would run short of words if I had to describe this novel(The truth is I dont know those words, ha ha ha. More on Truth later in the post).If you havent read this novel yet, please get your copy today and read it. That would be my recommendation. I liked everything about the novel, starting from the way the novel has been presented: in a different style which I havent seen in any other novel I have read so far.

Shashi Tharoor has handled one of the most sensitive issues of post-independence India so well. The book gave me so many facts about India,Hinduism and the issue based on which the novel is written. And the beauty about the novel is the climax. Even thats different.Nope. I am not gonna say whats special and different about the climax, of course, for the sake of those who havent read it.

But, I would like to quote a few lines from the novel, though.First thing I would like to quote it solely for Subs and no one else.It remembered me of something between us and thought Subs might like it. But, hey am not accepting my defeat yet :) It just re-emphasises the explanation that I gave you that day.Yeah, laugh at me still, if you like to. I love that.

- I know you love me. I just don't know how much.
- I love you! Isn't that enough? I don't think it's possible to love anyone more than I love you.
- Those are just words. Words are just words until you act on them.
- I am acting on them. I'm with you, aren't I?
- Yes, but that's for now. You'll be gone in an hour, more or less. Back to your wife, your daughter.To a home you don't share with me.

('Lakshman and Priscilla', Page 214 of riot)

Second thing I would like to quote is for all of you. This is a very interesting story which Shashi tells and why am I stressing on this would be clear to those who have read the novel. For others, read it and then you might be able to appreciate this story better.

"Truth is elusive, subtle, many-sided. You know, Priscilla, there's an old Hindu story about Truth. It seems a brash young warrior sought the hand of a beautiful princess. Her father, the king, thought he was a bit too cocksure and callow.He decreed that the warrior could marry the princess after he had found Truth. So the warrior set out into the world ona quest for Truth. He went to temples and monasteries, to mountaintops where sages meditated, to remote forests where ascetics scourged themselves, but nowhere he could find Truth. Despairing one day and seeking shelter from a thunderstorm,he took refuge in a musty cave. There was an old crone there, a hag with matted hair and warts on her face, the skin hanging loose from her bony limbs, her teeth yellow and rotting, her breath malodorous. But as he spoke to her, with each question she answered, he realized he had come to the end of his journey: she was Truth. They spoke all night, and when the storm cleared, the warrior told her that he had fulfilled his quest.'Now I have found Truth', he said, 'what shall I tell them at the palace about you? The wizened old creature smiled.'Tell them,' she said,'tell them that I am young and beautiful'."

('from Lakshman's journal', Page 137 of riot)

Things at Work: Part 1-Voice It Out Loud

When you are unhappy about any facility @ work, no harm in voicing your opinion against it, for its the place where you work and it becomes your duty as well to make sure everything is fine. Please dont get me wrong and think what kind of person is he,writing all these about his company. Mine is a great place to work: Very nice people I have met here. But there are some things that am sure is bad in every other company. Just that I have written about it and others dont, or others wish they dont have to. And am pretty sure manager or his manager isnt reading this, even if he is he wont bother! He would agree to whatever I am saying.

Like the last facility we were in, the lifts were too bad. There would be mails floating now and then: "Lifts: Do they really lift?". Complaints against how the lifts are being used by the construction workers for carrying bricks,stones and cement and what not. Likewise, the food @ work. Whenever we have a bash like stuff and when there are programs like small skit which we employees do, we never forget about the lunch thats served. Not that we are complaining just like that, we are complaining bcos something is too bad and its too bad for everyone uniform across the company.

Here is how it went in one of those skits. We are trying to interview a candidate for our company. The interview is like almost over.Almost like every other interview at the end:

Interviewer: So, do you have any questions you want to ask us?
Candidate: Sir, is there any medical test I have to take and show the results to the company?
Interviewer: No, no specific medical test requiered.But yes, you would be asked to just take our pantry lunch for one day. And thats it.Thats the medical test for you
Candidate: Ok, Sir, Thank you.

Now, when this part was done, we were clapping and laughing almost endlessly for we know how true it was.The effect of all these, you might ask? Well, now in our new facility now the HR has mailed us asking us to suggest the caterers which we found good: be it from some other company, or some party where we have attended. The news that we are going to get a new caterer is such a happy news to most of us here for sure.

Likewise, the other day myself and my team mate went to the Pantry for morning tea and usual chit chat. I found "Hot Chocolate" written besides one of the buttons. I was too tempted to have a cup of it. Wow! what a change from the usual tea and lemon tea. I pressed it with lots of enthusiasm only to find the cup filled with something I dont know how to describe. It was 15% chocolate powder and 85% hot water, I should say! I got irriated and commented to my team mate in a real loud voice "Hey, look at this. They say its Hot Chocolate and look at this. The sticker should have read Hot Water. It would have been of use to sick people atleast". My team mate started smiling and looked at the cup I had in my hand and he said, "Yeah Man, it looks so pathetic. I am sure it tastes very bad". "Real bad. Horrible", I said.

Then I realised and noticed that while we were talking guys from the Facility department were right there in a table at the back having their morning tea as well. I felt sorta odd standing there. I was wondering what to do now!? I looked at my team mate and both of us silently left the Pantry. Now, whats the effect of all these, you might ask again? Well, that day when I went for my evening tea this time, and what do I find? The sticker that read "Hot Chocolate" is missing from the Vending m/c and its missing till today. Wow, my voicing the opinion had some effect!

With that I end Part 1 of the series. Three day weekend. Have a nice time. My team mate just told me that its Holi this Saturday and we are busy making our Holi plans.Catch you on Monday.

Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Ever since I saw Page 3, I was in hunt for this song and today finally the search came to an end , thanks to my team mate who had this song on his notebook. This song has everything in it to be called a great song: good tune, good lyrics and most importanty a very good voice to back it up. This would go down as one of my all time favourite songs. And the best line of the song for me which touched me a lot was "Kuch Bhi Ho Jaaye Yahaan, Bas Kush Rehna Hai", which she re-emphasises by singing it twice. One line that echoes the essence of the movie and most importantly the whole of the song echoes as such of the life most of us are living. And believe me, I have met so many people like what is being described in the song below. This song, I felt so close to my heart. Do listen to this song if you get it somewhere. You might as well like it.This time am not making any mistakes with the lyrics :) And I am writing it exactly the way its there in the song, with the exact number of repetititons. :)

Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Do Pal Milte Hain, Saath Saath Chalte Hain
Do Pal Milte Hain, Saath Saath Chalte Hain
Jab Mod Aaye Tho Bachke Nikalthe Hain
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Do Pal Milte Hain, Saath Saath Chalte Hain
Do Pal Milte Hain, Saath Saath Chalte Hain
Jab Mod Aaye Tho Bachke Nikalthe Hain
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Yahaan Sabhi Apne Hi Dun Mein Diwaane Hain
Yahaan Sabhi Apne Hi Dun Mein Diwaane Hain
Kare Wohi Jo Apna Dil Teek Maane Hain
Kaun Kisko Poochein, Kaun kisko Boley
Kaun Kisko Poochein, Kaun kisko Boley
Sabke Labon Par Apne Taraane Hain
Sabke Labon Par Apne Taraane Hain
Le Jaaye Naseeb Kisko Kahaan Pe
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Khwabon Ki Ye Duniya Hai, Khwabon Mein Hi Rehna Hai
Khwabon Ki Ye Duniya Hai, Khwabon Mein Hi Rehna Hai
Raheen Le Jaaye Jahaan, Sung Sung Chalna Hai
Waqt Ne Hamesha Yahaan Naye Khel Khele
Waqt Ne Hamesha Yahaan Naye Khel Khele
Kuch Bhi Ho Jaaye Yahaan, Bas Kush Rehna Hai
Kuch Bhi Ho Jaaye Yahaan, Bas Kush Rehna Hai
Manzil Lage Kareeb Sabko Yahaan Pe
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Do Pal Milte Hain, Saath Saath Chalte Hain
Do Pal Milte Hain, Saath Saath Chalte Hain
Jab Mod Aaye Tho Bachke Nikalthe Hain
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...
Kitne Ajeeb Rishte Hain Yahaan Pe...

I love being here with you

Felt like singing this to Jike:

I love the rock...(Pa pam Pa Pam)
And what and all...(Pa pam Pa Pam)
With you there, there would never be a bore
'Cos I love being here with you

Singing in the shower, laughing 'bout the hour
Life is such an ease again
Love all kinds of weather, as long as we are together
I love to hear you say my name

I like with wine...(Pa pam Pa Pam)And fine cuisine...(Pa pam Pa Pam)
And candle light...I like the scene...
But baby if you know what I mean
I love being here with you!

(Pam pam Pa pa pam)

Thanks Z-English for the song. And forgive mistakes if any!

Namesake

Now,this was the book that was bribed into our library: bribed for the sake of Lila and till now,the owner of this book hasnt come and claimed it back. Felt like reading it next and i finished it off real fast, thanks to less work. Mon - Fri, 5 nights is what it took me to complete this novel.

Also, this time, I read about the author a little more apart from whats there on the book.She looks cute and beautiful in few snaps. Check it out :) Somehow i felt the name Jhumpa funny: Rhymes with Champa, Tampa, Lumpa, ok ok m stopping here. Looking at her biography, feel she has transformed her life experiences into a novel and told it through Gogol n others.

As I was reading it, felt like I am doing it just for the title,reading it Namesake !, but yeah,wait till the last chapter of the novel, the final 20 pages and she turns it all around. I liked those pages. Nothing too great happens in the final pages though, but they are real touchy. Overall, its an OK read. Not too good, not bad either.

Good things about the novel: The central theme itself. Wow, a person has spun a yarn around name of a person. Sounds different, but Mission Accomplished. And then, the way she describes life of NRI's and all those ABCD's there, gives a totally different picture of America than what many of us think. USA is no good heaven!

Now, do I read Interprester of Maladies? Dont know, that was the one that gave her Pulitzer, so it should be better than this. But No, i wont, if shes gonna talk about the same subject there also. You tell me...

When two tifosis chat...

Now what makes F1 special? Once, I had this argument with my Project Manager over this. He was looking at my monitor where the desktop background has been that of Michael Schumacher. He looked at it and asked me(as many of my friends ask),"Whats in this sport? 20 people going round the same track again and again?. Its boring". Now that irriated me a lot. I know he likes Cricket a lot.I asked a question back to him. "Whats there in Cricket? 3 sticks here and 3 sticks there. And the same 6 balls an over again and again and again. Isnt that more boring?". Now for this, he didnt have an answerthen and he doesnt have it till now. And still he remembers this incident very well.Though hes not my manager anymore,whenever he sees me, he asks me this first: "How are you Schumacher?" And if hes introducing me to anyone, he would always narrate this incident of us to that person.

Ha, F1. Why should people not be liking it? Take Cricket. The most boring game one can ever imagine. I dont know how people can watch that stuff for 5 days together yaar? Cmon! See F1. It gets over so fast. Not more than 1.30 hrs. And what makes is special? These guys who are driving are doing many things that a normal person(you, hopefully and me) are not doing.

a) They are risking their life knowing pretty well that the chances of they dying in a race is so high. And yet they race for thrill and fun. Imagine driving a car at more than 300 Kph continuosly. Wouldnt that feeling be so amazing? I want such thrills in life myself.

b) The greatest thing they are doing is they are racing against time. That is the most important thing that makes F1 so special. It might be silly for you to note the lap timings in qualifying and the race itself, but when I see it, it excites me when schumi shaves off even .1 of a second of the previous lap record. How many times in our lives we wud have raced against time and failed miserably?

For me life, to put it simply, is nothing but a race. Everyone of us is running a race, if you like it or not.You have no other option.We race against things we like to do, things we dont like to do, things that bring happiness to us, things that make us sad and most of all we race against time. And for that matter, in every project at work, we race against a deadline! The race starts at birth and the chequered flag is shown to each one of us by the great person above when we die. Its left to each and every one of us, how we race, this race of life.Happy people are those like that of Ferrari,Williams or Mclaren team: they have money,technology and knowledge to shape their race better. Poor people in this world are like Minardi team: they would have done better in their life had they had better conditions to race their life. So knowingly or unknowingly, every one of us is racing all our lives and so when it comes to F1, why should you be not liking it, huh?

The key difference between our life race and a F1 race is: In F1 race, the driver in front decides the time when the chequered flag is shown, but we cant do that to ourselves. How many times in life we would have thought: "If I had time for this, I should have done it better". "Hope I can go back in time and change this". But no, we always lose against time. Time always is the winner when it comes to us. But for a F1 driver, its not the case. He can beat time. He has that capability. And thats what makes him and the sport so special.

Now, having said that, I am atatching the chat conversation I had with my friend from college whos right now in Singapore. We have watched together so many races in our life at the college and this sunday he is fulfilling one of our college dreams: to watch a race live and to be specific, to watch schumi race live. I am happy for him. I would have wished i was there too, but i couldnt go. Now with this chat conversation, I answer what I promised H. Now, read two tifosi's chatting here. I have the whole of the conversation uncensored as it is with all the typos.

Him: Hi dude.. how'r u doing?
Me: oh yeah
Me: gr8
Me: hows u?
Him: nice.. yeh um doin great..
Me: singapore still?
Him: yup..
Him: finally gonna go meet Schumi in a coupla days.
Me: wow!
Him: watch me in teh podium..
Him: ;)
Me: sure
Me: r u serious?
Him: um going for the grand prix..
Me: sooper da
Him: yeh um really excited.. ferrari has gotto win
Me: u shud go for what happened at Melbourne
Me: yes rite
Him: after abt 9 years of tv.. i finally um goin for the real thing..
Me: sooper
Him: yeh thought i'll share it with my fellow schumi fan..
Him: :)
Me: u wud be goin on sat as well?
Him: nope.. sunday qualifying.. n race..
Me: oh ok
Him: ideal finsih would be Schum bari n narain..
Him: hehe
Me: nice dream
Him: yeh.. i hope one of them make it to the podium
Me: thats a fair ask
Me: it wud happen
Him: haha
Me: how much is the ticket? is it too expensive?
Him: not really.. mine's arnd 1200 odd indian bucks
Me: thats it?
Him: for a day.. which is probably the cheapaest
Him: grandstand tickets are much more expensice
Him: ive i mean
Him: i'll be the oppsite side of the grandstands.. witnessing the start-finish straight
Me: there s a back straight as well at Sepang
Him: yeh
Him: i wanna go to spa as well.. hehe that'll be sometime later..
Me: when u say grandstand: its the back straight?
Him: lemme check.. my map
Me: Spa.. yeah me too wanna go....
Me: may be Monaco as well
Him: yeh monaco's just good cause of the street circuit thingy
Him: but spa is my fav
Me: hmm
Me: i guess Grandstand shud be the start finish straight
Me: no?
Him: there are two straights in sepang
Me: rite
Him: making a narrow V
Me: yes
Him: I am in the oppsite side of one of them..
Me: oh ok
Me: lets see
Him: i might even run down the track n get arrested
Him: hehehe
Me: :)
Me: do that if schumi is not doing well... so that there wud be a safety car
Him: so u like this new system?
Me: :))
Him: yeh i wil surely do that
Me: new system? u mean the tyre regulation? or engine?
Him: both.. i think the tyre thing is bad..
Me: yeah
Him: no strategies now.. just plain refuelling
Me: what abt circuit like Spa.. where it can rain any moment
Me: if these guys were on dry
Me: they wud get fucked
Him: yeah i am hoping it rains on sunday.. that way.. schumi'll walk thru them all
Me: hows the weather?
Me: it shud be damn hot
Him: weather is always unpredictable.. at this part.. it can rain any time
Him: late afternoon
Me: oh ok
Me: u saw BAR doing the tactical thing at the end of last race?
Him: yeh that's a silly loophole
Me: i dont know what happened to schumi's car.. they had to change his engine!?
Me: thats strange
Me: usually it happens to bari
Him: schumi's car.. had an accident right..
Him: and therefore since he didn'tfinish the race.. they are obviosuly changing the engine to a newer one
Me: no
Him: u mean in the race?
Me: i was saying: they had to change for the aus gp itself
Me: yes
Him: ohh that..
Him: that was because he qualified.. 19th in the first qualifying
Him: cause of the rain..
Him: and the tiem was very bad..
Him: so there was no hope of improvement.. he decided to change the engine.. and take the 10 spaces back penalty
Me: but one good thing: have been used to see schumi win all the aus gp's .... its a different start this year
Me: but man! who expected fisichella win!?
Him: yeh i like it when ferrari do the chasing.. it's more interesting..
Me: rite
Me: me too
Him: Fisichella is this sloth kinda driver.. he just ahngs around.. and wins cause the conditions are too bad to overtake
Me: just like DC
Me: :))
Him: just liek coultharsd
Him: yeh
Me: bingo
Him: hehe
Me: idiot.. he finished 4th rite?
Him: yeh he had a g ood start n he finished 4th
Him: barrichelo on the other hadn drove very well.. so did alonso
Me: so how early did u get the tickets? a month early?
Him: yeh
Me: there wud have been a lota rush, rite?
Him: yeh.. i suppose so.. i got it pretty early thou..
Me: is someone accompanying u?
Him: yeh a few friends..
Me: how far is sepang from ur place?
Him: it's 69 Km from the city
Him: arnd an hour or so's drive..
Me: i guess the only tricky corner in sepang is turn 14(i guess)... the one that leads into the back straight..
Me: thats where junta does mistake
Me: hope to see narain do that a lot :))
Him: i hope they
Him: do
Me: if u are seated right in front of that... u shud be having a lota fun
Me: anyway... it wud be a great fun to see cars whizzling past at more than 300 Kph
Him: i am seated before turn 14..
Me: sooper da
Him: i mean.. turn 15
Me: u have got the best possible position
Him: the straight right.. between 14 and 15..
Him: i am towards 15..
Him: i can't see 14 i think
Him: i will be seeated where i can see turn 8 and 15..
Me: lets see in the map
Me: how long have been waiting for this!
Me: good that u r finally seeing our Hero
Me: !
Him: yeah raell real long
Him: wish u were here too.. we could've celebrated it ...
Me: yups
Me: i wud have got a big Ferrari flag
Me: just like what we see in Imola
Me: or at San Marino
Him: i think i'll go ot hte circuit n get one
Him: i hear the memorabilia are better in teh circuit
Me: if u have the flag, the chances of Star Sports spotting u is high! :)
Him: haha yeh it's like spotting a pin in a haystack
Me: sometimes they do da
Me: like
Me: just before the start
Me: when steve slater says
Me: welcome to rnd 2 of this years championship
Him: ohh ohh ohh.. the lights are going out now!!!
Him: too bad i'll miss his commentary..
Me: may be go and meet those guys if poss
Me: i mean chris and steve
Him: yeh i sure will try..
Him: i guess i won't be able to see the pitting
Me: i now can see where u are gonna sit
Him: i can see two parts of hte track... cauae there are no stands in between
Me: there guys wud be breaking down to gear 1 at the exit of the back straight
Him: the back straight n between turns 8 and 9
Me: right
Him: montoya is really quiet these days
Me: yup
Me: i guess last year barrichello had an accident at the exit of back straight
Me: so it shud be fun
Him: nice.. i'll be waiting for something to happen
Me: i was actually happy to c narain finish last race
Me: usually rookies dont
Him: yeh that is quite an achivement
Him: he made many errors thou.. but not bad..
Me: and he finished at a higher place than schumi in his first race :))
Him: hahaha yeh
Him: now that is an achivement
Me: rite
Me: seems like ferrari didnt do well at Fri practice
Him: that hardly matters ..
Me: seems a sauber has topped the sheet
Me: wow! this season, things are so strange!
Him: yeh ... mainly cause of the new rules
Him: they'll all even out as the season progresses.. reliability will be a big factor
Me: oh! in the map u sent.. they have marked the place where u sit, is it?
Him: yeah
Him: no no.. i have marked it
Me: k
Me: sepang is also regarded as the best circuit wrt facilities, right?
Him: yeh it is.. i've visited it before
Him: not during hte race..
Him: amazing pits..
Me: guess u have told me this b4
Him: yeah
Me: the grand stand is of the shape of some flower right?
Me: their national flower?
Him: yeah i think it's shaped like the pine leaves or something
Me: hmmm
Me: i didnt see last race's qualifying
Me: when is the sunday qualifying?
Me: how many hrs b4 the race?
Him: ohh .. sunday morning is teh second qualifying
Me: 2 hrs is it?
Him: there's a porche racing first
Him: qualifying at 1 pm
Him: race at 3
Him: yeh 2 hrs
Me: ok
Me: 3 in malaysia is what time here?
Him: 12:30
Him: pm
Me: ok
Me: ur brother isnt coming?
Him: he's in teh us.. he'll probably go for the indianapolis
Me: sooper da
Me: u guys rock
Me: wish there was an Indian GP
Him: yeah.. narain would be home fav.. Chennai grandprix..
Me: guess by that time it comes, schumi wud have retired :(
Him: yeah.. that's y i am happy .. causei think he'll retire this year.. or atleast by next year.
Me: and i didnt get a chance to see him race :((
Him: .. u can come down to the next malaysian grandprix
Him: i will be there in singapore i suppose
Me: yeah sure... ble always wanted to go to malaysian gp
Him: mmm..
Me: lets see if schumi is there next yr, we both wud try to come
Him: yeh do that.. it'll be graet
Me: hey
Me: send me the snaps once u r back from the race
Me: dont forget
Him: sure thing
Him: will do..
Me: guess am leaving now... hope to catch u sometime later...
Him: ok me's leavin too
Him: catch ya later..
Me: ok bye
Him: bye..

Newspaper or Nuisance paper?

(This post is not for the Old One. Have discussed this with him yesterday night.So he can skip reading this if he wishes to)

Yesterday morning, I got myself ready to go out and pay my Telephone bill for last month. Thing has to be said about my mobile service provider though: They say 15th is the last day every month for paying the telephone bill, but the bill never reaches you before atleast 10th of every month. This time, I guess it should have come on 12th Saturday or on 13th Sunday(am not sure, I was out of station. Or had it come already and my house owner didnt give it to us early? No thats not the case either. I saw the postal stamp on the bill and it had been dispatched only on 10th March). And sometimes the bill doesnt reach the home at all. You have to just go and pay the bill quoting your mobile number and the SMS you get telling the Bill Amount.

Unusual thing about yesterday was that the boy who delivers newspaper at our home had delivered a different news paper than what we usually get. There in the first page the news was that employees of my mobile service providing company, employees of all the departments you can think of in their company, are going on a three day strike. March 15-17, for whole of the Karnataka region and hence all their services are going to get affected for three days.

What!? That means I am not gonna pay the bill on time. Means there is one more day I have to go to work late. And would they really disconnect me for not paying the bill on time? No, they cant do that. I would go on 18th promptly and pay the bill. If they are on strike for 3 days, then who wud be working there to cut my phone connection, ha ha ha...

Anyway, I have already told guys at work that I would be late that morning: I tell you when you are working with a team thats spread across the timezones, these things are really important,for these people in US would schedule their time based upon that. If I go and pay my telephone bill today, that means there wont be a conference call now in the morning. Arvind would have to mail whatever transition hes doing to me, and if i dont have a conference call, I wont be able to clarify any doubts that I might get(Alas, Arvind's mails are so damn clear. There wont be any doubts most of the time, but yeah, you never know, there might be things which we might have not considered in the code and you would come to know of it only when you run and test it). So if I am not paying my telephone bill today, that means I am gonna be late to office on some other day and one more day I have to inform at work that am gonna be late and one more day there wont be a conference call in the morning. So, thats the effect paying this bill has on me.

Since I have already told them that am gonna be late, I just want to go and try out at their office: may be they could have made some alternative arrangements so that the customers might pay the bill. Why dont i give it a shot? So I board the bus and reach their office and what do I see? There is nothing called strike there. The office is working completely to its full strength and I see a never seen Q to pay the bill(for its the last date to pay the same). I was really pissed off at the newspaper publishers.Good that I didnt pay heed to that news and took a chance.

Its not that big deal for me actually: I could have paid the bill later also. Three days wouldnt have mattered much to me at all.(Which company in this country is so prompt that they wud cut their services for a 3day due, huh?) But think of some serious issue which they could have a wrong information on.Like, last week there was a buzz at work. The same news paper had published that a Kashmiri militant organisation has planned to attack and blow off the buildings of one of the software company's premises here. Because of this report, there was unprecedented security all over the software companies here. Even our HR as a measure of caution had warned us about this report. But, people at work were wondering: "How is this possible, yaar?Why this software company that they are targeting out of all other big giants here.?But, hey, only this newspaper has published this news while no other newspaper company has got this news and published it.
Strange isnt it?"

Yeah, right, its strange. May be these news paper companies are focussed more on increasing their sales volumes than the actual news itself. It doesnt matter much to them whats being said and whats the impact on so many people reading them. Every now and then there would be an Ad in their newspaper where they would boast: "Hey, guys look here(and there would be a bar graph there). This is amount of copies which we have sold over last few months. And look at our competitors. Poor fellows. They cant match us, can they?".

Well yes, they cant match you in being so awful and stupid, thats what I can say.

The Good Earth

This time the great one(rather would call him The Old One as he is the oldest in our group of friends and also this term is used by the author of this book a lot many times) himself gave me this book from the mini library and asked me to read the same. When I first got the book and flipped over the pages, I was excited to see so many photographs in it. "Hiyah! It has so many snaps in it". Snaps of Chinese men and women of 19th century,snaps of the author:Pearl S. Buck herself and photographs related to the incidents Pearl S. Buck narrates in the novel. The novel as such is very good. I liked it a lot. Story was good, fast moving and captivating that I finished it in 5 days. When I went to the mini library again yesterday night,the Old One asked me: "Are you done with The Good Earth?". I said "Yes". "How was the book?". "It was good. Liked it a lot".
So, lemme give my review to this book through the two main characters of the novel: Wang Lung and O-lan

Wang Lung: The hero of the novel. The author takes us through his life journey from his youth till his old age. What I saw through this character was that:
"Man is happy when he pays attention to whats more important to him in his life. Whenever he deviates from this, he suffers and theres no peace in his life."

This I would say is the gist of the novel.

Wang Lung is a person who is happy when hes with his good earth and when hes poor. But once he starts becoming rich and once his family starts to grow and when he starts paying attention to unimportant things like social status: what others are gonna think of him etc and he is unhappy , he tries to find peace in life and eternally hes bothered by so many troubles in his life one after another and till his old age he suffers, suffers and suffers in some way or other.

O-lan: The heroine of the novel reminds me of certain breed of people who are fast extinguishing from the face of this earth. These are the kind of people for whom their personal life doesnt matter at all and forever in their life they live for others: right from their birth till death. And people dont pay any attention to these people, for them, these people are like non-existent and their imporatnce is felt only when they leave us forever. Then we realise, how silently, without making any fuss of what they are doing, these people have been working marvels for us, but we never cared about them, never bothered whether they are happy or not, never even wondered what their needs are!

O-lan is one such woman, whom Wang Lung completely ignores most of his life and later he realises what a blunder he has done all through his life, but then it becomes too late for him. This post is a tribute from me to women like O-lan who these days are really difficult to be spotted on this earth. I am stopping here. Nothing more on the story of the book. Read it for yourself and let me know how you felt.

I have also learnt a word in Chinese: Nung in chinese means one whose wealth is from that of earth. The good thing about this book was that the author never deviated from the title a lot. Whatever she has told, it all revolved around the same thing: Earth and how it influences this Chinese farmer's life.

So what next? Now, from a Nobel Winner, I have moved on to a Pulitzer Winner. This time its not an American author, but its an Indian author, but shes female too. Pearl S.Buck moved from USA to China and this woman I guess has moved from India to USA. My first novel of hers as well. More on that later: hopefully sometime early next week, if this novel is also that good and I finish it off this weekend.

Food for Thought

Don't marry Airtel woman .they say TOUCH TOMMORROW. Don't marry BSNL woman they have CONNECTIONS ALL OVER INDIA. Don't marry Hutch woman where ever u go THEIR NETWORK follows. Don't marry IDEA woman, an IDEA CAN CHANGE her life. So marry Reliance woman because buy one get another free

A wealthy God indeed...!

A trip to Thirupathi after a long long time. Had forgotten the whole place.Mom reminded me that my last trip was 13 years back. Ooh! Who remembers stuff that happened 13 years ago!? Travel time was less than what me and my thatha expected. We started at 10 PM in the night and we were there at 3.30 AM banging the hotel room where my parents had already checked in.It was the first "Meet the Parents" act this year for me (its March already!). So naturally that meant none of us slept after that. There were stories to tell and stories to be heard. Updates to be given, updates to be heard. We were by the way there to witness the marriage of Lord Mr.Venkateswara with Ms.Sridevi and Ms.Bhoodevi. Kalyanautsavam happens everyday at Thirumala for Him. Lucky person!

Get ready, breakfast done, travel from Thirupathi to Thirumala through the ghat road. Thatha was amused (not satisfied and upset a lot) about the changes that had taken place over there. "In this place, which is empty now, there used to be a Mutt. There, there used to be a Mandapam.What happened to these people? Why have they destroyed these structures?". There were other old people who echoed his sentiments. Anyway, left our slippers outside (in an unguarded place, taking a lot of risk) and we were ready to join the queue.

Man, it has to be said: People's patience is best tested at Thirumala. Mom would now tell me the stories of my brother, how impatient he used to get in those never ending queues! But this time, we were special guests to His marriage(that means we had already paid Rs.750 for the Kalyanautsavam ticket and two people are allowed for one ticket and we had two tickets. There was Rs.2500 Kalyanautsavam ticket as well. The priest outside told us: "Dont worry. You people have paid so much. You would be given the treatment that money deserves"), and that means the queue time is going to be less for us. But, one thing needs to be told about Thirumala: The queues are organised and managed very well. So after many rounds of checking, we are now put into a gallery where all the people who had paid 750 would be seated. Of course, there was a seperate one for 2500. And the beauty is that the system is so systematic and its happening over and over again everyday that the people who are managing the crowd, exactly know when to let people inside the gallery, when to let the people out as they know the timings of things happening around exactly.

We joined the queue at around 9 AM. Went into this gallery at around 10. There we were sitting for half an hour and by the time we passed various stages of the Q and reached the Kalyana Mantapa it was like 11.30. Mom wasnt happy. It was my uncle who booked the tickets online (He told me he was lucky to get them, for they were all booked for next two years already) and she was of the feeling that we should have booked the 2500 one: for there would be something special done for them than 750. Money Speaks!

So in the Kalyanamantapa, the people with 2500 ticket sat in the front rows.Money Speaks! And i psyched up my mother that yeah the Sankalpam would be done for people who paid 2500 and not for us. She got tensed up."No, I wont accept this marriage ceremony then. If I am not doing the Sankalpam with your father today, we would wait, pay 2500 again and do this whole thing again". So we were sitting behind and after sometime the priest who does the marriage arrived and the chating of mantras all started. After sometime it was Sankalpam time and luckily after all 2500 tickets were done, yeah, much to the satisfaction of my mother, we were allowed to do the same as well.

Now, my Dad and thatha would open the money covers which others had given to them to offer in the Hundi. Thirumala is so different from all other temples in the world. How wealthy is this God and how wealthy is this temple!? I have seen so many other temples in India, ancient ones but in a ruined condition.It would be pathetic to watch such temples going to ruins. Have heard stories of priests in those temples finding it damn difficult to make both ends meet. But for Thirupathi Balaji, its all different story. Mom would say "Hey, he owes a lot of debt to Kubera. We are just paying the interest of the loan still. The original amount is still left". I would reply back: "How many generations are you going to say the same?". When i put a 5 rupee coin into that cover of Dad, i told my Mom "This is enough for Him. He is already very rich". I used to wonder: "Why cant these people do something to other temples I have talked about? Why cant they do something to renovate those temples? Why do you have to concentrate it all to this temple? Arent those Gods, Gods? What is so special about this person who lives among these seven hills?".

Look at the mentality of the priests over there. (The following, which am saying is not applicable only to Thirumala, but in general to most of the temples I have seen). When I went for the Sankalpam, I didnt have any money with me in my hand. The priest never cared about me. But, when my Dad was waving a 10 rupee note, the priest snatched it in a flash of a second, then asked my father, name, gothram and did all those good stuff. So where is the Bhakthi here? Its all money. If you pay, they would do anything for you. If not, nothing, literally nothing! I also used to wonder, why do we need these special entrance tickets within temples? Why should I pay to see Him? Is God accessible to only those with money and not for others? After the Kalyanautsavam was over, when we stood in the queue to worship the main deity, I was told that all other queues of people in General Q, 50 rupee Q would be blocked and the God would be exclusively available for people who have paid 2500 and 750. Now these people in General Q would have waited for hours (sometimes it goes to a day as well) and see what happens now.We the people who paid money, would have access to see Him and they have to wait till we leave!

We had a good darshan though thanks to most of the crowd that was blocked because of us. I was angry at Lord Mr.Balaji and when we were out outside after the darshan, we went to this Q for Prasadam. It was free prasadham, mind you, and the person who was distributing, was getting money from certain people and was giving them the prasadams rather than people in the Q. Now, after me, my thatha got angry and shouted at that person. See, this is what is happening everywhere! Money speaks. When we were finally out after all these to the unguarded place where we had left our footwears, know what? All the other three people with me had theirs safe and secure and only mine was lost. Mom and myself were looking over it all over, but no use! Yeah,Lord Mr.Balaji, so you have punished me for getting angry at you, huh!?, I thought. Such an instantaneous response, wow! I didnt expect. So I started walking bare foot. Was like 2.30 in the afternoon under hot sun. Yeah, go ahead Sir with your treatment to me for expressing an honest opinion to you. But, let me tell you people, on the contrary, I guess with those slippers of mine, I have left over something(which am not gonna tell u what) bad which I wanted out of me desperately but wasnt able to do so for a long time now and yeah I am feeling it for last 5 days. Then on my way back from Thirumala to Thirupathi I was thanking Lord Mr.Balaji for that. May be losing those slippers was a very good omen.Actually, he has done good to me for what I did to Him. I was thanking you then. Am thanking you still and I would be thanking you for this forever.

A Feel Good Song

I dont know. Whenever I am reminiscing, thinking about something serious in life(Ha ha ha), whenever my mood is not Ok, this song somehow crosses my mind and after hearing this or singing this, everything seems to calm down. Whats this with this song? What is the message she is trying to convey here to me? I dont know. Like last sunday, was alone at my Thatha's and was thinking on something serious. After sometime got sick of it and switched on the FM and there she goes again:

Do lafzon ki hai, dil ki kahaani
Yaa hai mohabbat, yaa hai jawaani

Oh, Asha Bhonsle, what a mellifluos voice you have got that ties me down! Have heard many of your songs: old, new, but this one is special and its magical.

Dil ki baaton ka mathlab na poocho
Kuch aur mujse bas ab naa poocho
Jiske liye hai, duniya diwaani
Yaa hai mohabbat, yaa hai jawaani

Venice, the city that floats on water. How would it be like to live on a building that is on water? Shouldnt it be amazing! One of the cities I would like to visit before my life journey ends.

Yeh kashtiwaala, kya gaa rahaa tha
Koi isi pe yaad aa rahaa tha
Kisse puraane, yaadein puraani
Yaa hai mohabbat, yaa hai jawaani

May be this is what she is trying to tell me when I am down: Life is short. Make it sweet. Dont waste it by worrying too much on many things that are trivial. Focus on important things and be happy

Is zindagi ke, din kitne kam hain
Kitni hai kushiyaan, aur kitne gham hain
Lag jaa galey se, ruth hai suhaani
Yaa hai mohabbat, yaa hai jawaani

Not that this is the only song I keep humming all the time. There are many more, which I would talk about later if possible. For now, let me leave you with this feel good song from the movie The Great Gambler

Zindagi Ek Paheli

I tried enough to keep you a secret Jike. I was not happy at all about you getting any sort of publicity.Why?The line of thought was that I become too sentimental and too personal with my posts and never I did I want any publicity to my miseries.I read what so many others write(has become a sort of addiction these days) and writing too has become an addiction for me.But I have refrained myself from commenting on any of these posts of others for the same reason as above. What I do is, ping that person concerned on IM and say something like this: "Hey, know what? That post of yours was too good." ."Your snaps are all looking good". "I too share your opinion on this".And all they would ask me back is "If you liked it so much, then why didnt you comment it there itself!?". Well, then I would start my story once again.I have even asked people who had link to my page from theirs to remove the same: All for hiding you from 'most' of the world.Now, yesterday, I found one more page that has an invitaion to visit you, my son, and I very well know the person whose page that was.So,on my way to work today, this was on my "To-do List" for today. Ask this person too to remove the link pointing to you.

Steven Spielberg: One of America's most acclaimed directors. Double time Oscar winner(guess thats the right info). There was this particular tele-serial which he produced. It was called 'Taken'. It had ten episodes in total: Story of aliens coming on to earth and people are taken away to their planet and some sort of research is done on them. The central character of Taken was a small girl, who gets conceived in an alien airship when both her parents are taken. Now after few years, the aliens come back to take her away forever. Now, this whole story is told through the eyes of this small child and she tells all funny good things. One thing i remember still from Taken is this(this the child says in her narration): "Life is all about asking questions and not knowing the answers. There would be many situations in your life, when for most of the questions you ask, you wont find an answer. But still, keep asking questions". This thought I liked it a lot. And what are these questions, i used to question. The greatest puzzle in everybody's life I think is to understand what you really are. So the questions you should be asking would be like: Who are you? What are you? Why are you? Why are you the way you are you? Are you OK with the way you are you?. If we find sincere and honest answers to these, then I guess Life becomes smooth.

I have been asking these questions so many times to myself and yeah what I found was I am weird. But yeah, who else is not weird on this earth? Everyone is weird in their own way. Nobody is perfect. Yeah, true that I tell about most of my miseries to you, now does that mean that all those who are reading it along with you are "the" happy chaps on this earth? No, definitely not. Just that they dont write it out publicly (Reminds me of this Tamil song from Padayappa, where our Superstar sings and asks us to point out who else apart from a child and a sage who are really happy on this earth). Ok,lets see, I get this link unlinked from this person as well.

Do I know, how many are reading this with you without my knowledge? I dont know.
Do I know, how many have linked to you? I dont know.
Do I know, whether a casual search on Google my some Mr. or Ms. XYZ from some corner of the earth on something else would end up listing you? I dont know.

So if there are so many "I dont know", is my purpose of keeping you secret is 'truly' satisfied? I dont kn...Stop.. Go to hell... What the heck am i trying to do? Shit. This is more crap than what I thought. Also remember Gerorge Truman telling this to William Truman on the day when he is awarded by his company for his achievements at work. He says something like this: "Will, I am happy that you are here. I know you are queer. But I love you my dear". Yes, thats it. Thats so true. If I am queer, am miserable,so are others with their own miseries hiding behind their back. And these people would love me for whatever I am.

PS:
1. For all those who were unhappy with me for not commenting: Yeah, I would definitely from now on. (Although am scared at reading some blogs where the level of intellect is so so high and sometimes I dont understand completely whats being said)
2. For all those whom I asked to unlink Jike from their page: Well, I dont know.Thanks for listening to me. I cant say, please put that back again. If you still wish to, yes go ahead. I dont mind anymore.

First Rushdie Experience

It has taken me a real long time to finish my first Rushdie book(started right after Pi). RL started asking what is that I am doing with it for such a long time!? To be honest: I didnt like the book that much. It was so boring. Nothing great about the story as well. Not captivating at all... "If you dont like it, then why dont you throw it off and take another?". This was Ponp. I dont know. I didnt wanna leave it half way somehow. The Moors Last Sigh started off in a place very familiar to me (just as Pi started in Pondicherry): Mattancheri, the Synagogoe, Cochin Port.... Hmmm. The story of da Gama - Zogoiby family which travels from Cochin - Bombay and finally ending in Spain. I didnt understand what Rushdie wanted to say through the climax. One thing: everybody dies in the novel someway or other. Pam actually wanted me to start off with Midnight's Children, RL with The Ground Beneath Her Feet, but these two are apparently missing from RL's mini-library at RSAS HQ: a library to which I have free unlimited access and to most others access is denied and books given only after much consideration/threats/bribe/stealing.

I have been reading like 10 pages per day and that too yours truly had been going home pretty late these days in a 75% sleepy condition that I doze off right after 2 or 3 pages. May be thats what had caused the boredom and dislike. But one thing: I found Rushdie sahib's English damn good. If his vocabulary is rated on a scale of 10 at 9 say, mine would be 2 maximum. Am i gonna read Midnight's Children and The Ground Beneath Her Feet ? Definitely yes. May be I would like them.. Let you know once thats done.

The Return of the King

Time is running so fast. Five months have gone past so fast. So, Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia would announce this sunday the return of the king to the racing arena once more. Welcome back: Michael Schumacher. All the very best for your 8th world title.

Hope this season is little interesting and other guys give schumi 'atleast' a little bit of fight. Hmm. An Indian is gonna drive a F1 car for the first time ever. Happy to see that. Hope people get involved here in something other than cricket.

Catch you later Jike. Have a good weekend. Mine is gonna be fantastic.

Strained Relationships...

Amazing! Thats what I can say about it(No, not about the subject line). You guys would think I am crazy that I keep writing about it again and again and again. But, to be honest, I dont care what you think. If something is so good, I dont mind doing it again and again. Yesterday, got an answer to a question which I have been thinking for a long time now. Why was 'Will and Grace' named 'Will and Grace' afterall? Shouldnt it have been named 'Jack and Karen'? Arent these two stealing it all away from Will and Grace!? Yesterday, got the answer through Episode: 5.03 "The Kid Stays Out of the Picture". Time for Eric and Debra to steal away whatever accolades I have been giving so far to Sean and Megan. Especially, Eric. ("You took it all away Wilma".) And thats what i said was Amazing. Now this one episode, Eric and Debra showed why 'Will and Grace' has to be called 'Will and Grace'...I love these guys.

Now, why am i writing on 'Will and Grace' in paricular this time is that this episode made me think about the thing which one of my friends told me over the last weekend. Its all about a simple stuff that most of us forget to do and which leads us to the subject of this post. Now, what can be one of the reasons to create a strained relationship? How many times have we not openly told the other person that we are pissed off with something they did to us? This 'other person' can be anyone: be it a friend, a relative, parents, a neighbour. If you are not happy with something they are doing it to you, then tell it to them, right at that particular moment... Dont put it somewhere at the back of your head, for all you know, this would erupt as a volcano when later you have even a small difference of opinion with that person and change that into a verbal war, if possible a physical fight and finally in a strained relationship.

Now, look at Will and Grace. Best friends for 15 years right from their college days... Stay together, they know each one in and out, no secrets between them and consider this friendship more than anything on this earth. They decide to have a baby now, through AI(that is Artificial Insemination for you), cos Will is gay, Grace is straight and they both can have anything between them, except sex. And suddenly this handsome doctor, Leo, enters Grace's life, shes infatuated and want to wait and see how this relation develops into. She keeps this thing away from Will though(not intentional), but to her misfortune, Will finds this out. Now read along and see how this 'Big Fight' goes and how it ends.(Thanks to Rob once again for the transcript. Actually, you guys are lucky. He even has the video of this verbal war. You can very well see how well its acted out)

GRACE: I'm sorry. I was going to tell you. I started to tell you. And then you were so understanding. And then there were gifts and curled ribbons--

WILL: Grace, Grace, bottom line. Do you wanna have this baby with me, or not?

GRACE: You said I could have more time.

WILL: That was before I found out you were sneakin' around behind my back. If you wanna back outta this, back out now. I don't wanna have this conversation again in a month like we did with the cabinets. [MOCKING GRACE] "I like the nickel pulls. No, I like the brass pulls. Oh, no, I like the nickel pulls again." Make up your friggin' mind!

GRACE: So what you're saying is, if I don't do it tomorrow, you don't want to do it at all?

WILL: That's right, Grace. It's now or never.

GRACE: Well, if that's the case, I guess I have to go with never.

WILL: Oh, I can't believe this! This is only the most important thing we've ever done together, and you flake out on me? I don't know why that's surprising. You're a flake!

GRACE: I am not a flake!

WILL: Oh, please. The dinners you blow off, the dry cleaning you forget to pick up, the rent that's late every month, and it's always been this way, Grace. You skipped out on my law school graduation party before I cut the cake. That was a big deal.

GRACE: It was carrot cake! That's never a big deal!

WILL: But I always let it go, Grace, because it's not like we're making a baby or something. Except this time, we're making a baby!

GRACE: Yes, at the moment you say, the place you say, wearing the clothes you say. You are a control freak! All I asked for was one month, one month to see where this is going.

WILL: Oh, let me tell you where this is going. You'll end up hating him in three weeks, because--I don't know, he has a weird chest hair pattern, or he doesn't like watching E! Or he'll end up hating you, because you're too needy. Then you'll fall apart, I'll pick you up, and then, magically, you'll be ready to have a baby!

GRACE: Wow. So that's what you think of me. Look, I'm sorry that I met someone, 'cause I know how much you hate it when I'm happy.

WILL: Oh, that is such a load--

GRACE: Admit it. You're happiest when I'm miserable. I mean, come on. Isn't that our thing? Because then you don't have to look at how miserable you are.

WILL: Shut up, Grace!

GRACE: But I am not gonna be miserable for you. I am gonna try to be happy, and if you can't deal with that, then you are even more pathetic than I thought!

WILL: Get out of here.

GRACE: Go to hell!

WILL: I want you out of here in two weeks! You don't live here anymore.

And the story?
To Be Continued..................

Jams N Jammers

The idea of having a flyover as we all would agree is to increase the road space and to reduce traffic. Never the case in bangalore. Take the case of the Jayadeva Hospital flyover which is like 2 minutes walk from my home. The flyover has ruined the place. It has done everything to increase the traffic jam there. Road that was 50-50 on both sides has now become like 80-20 and the side of the road where it has shrunk: right at the place where it begins to narrow down, there is a bus stop. Now, when one single bus stops there, thats it. A queue which can be hardly imagined, develops and people get struck. Take the example of Dairy Circle Flyover or Madiwala flyover. There have been instances where people are stranded on top of it for hours! And our own Jayadeva flyover and the Domlur flyover project are halted in between bcos the contractor now refuses to continue without pay hike. So who gets affected. We the people!

And these people take hell lot of time to complete a flyover. Jayadeva Cardiological Hospital was the worst affected. Many patients found it very difficult to reach the place 'cos the flyover construction made it so. Even doctors who had clinics nearby the flyover construction place had to move their clinic somewhere else! Now with a 'part' of the flyover over and open to public, I could see some relief. But God knows when the rest of it is gonna get over. Domlur Signal Flyover has been going on and on for years now! Who knows when it wud be over! Its hell to cross this signal during peak hours.

The effect: Pedestrians are affected. Two wheelers and sometimes autos too, now ride not on the road, but on the pedestrian footpath which they find it free when its a jam packed road on their right. Nothing is irritating to the pedestrians than the blaring horns we hear from these people when we are walking on the pedestrain path. But, cant blame those guys either. What to do!? Who knows how many of them are in a hurry!? Even am tempted to do the same when I am on a two-wheeler ride.

The main thing about Bangalore roads is that they are very narrow. People in the Garden City would have concentrated more on trees rather on the roads, when they would have constructed roads. I mean, Bangalore was once very cool, calm: was called 'Pensioner's Paradise'. Now, see with the advent of so many IT companies, its become a hell. The vehicle strength: both two and four wheelers is growing at an alarming pace. Now why is that? The number of bachelors in the city is high...Most of the IT companies have now constructed way outside the city and agreed that they have pick up and drop service: but with the timings under which we people operate doesnt match at all with those timings. Bus service as such in Bangalore is pretty bad: You can hardly spot a BMTC bus after 9 in the night.Compare this with Chennai, for example, we have lots of buses in the night, the roads are far wider than that of a bangalore.

Now, know a funny reason for increase in number of two wheelers? This guy, Mr.T, joined the company last year.The first thing he did after getting his first month sal was to get Pulsar 150. What do I see after couple of days? My school junior, shes riding with him sitting on the back. "His bike is too cool ya. It was so nice of him to give me a lift yesterday, u know". She might as well would have said to her colleagues. Are bikes the birthplace of modern day love stories? Hmm. How many couples I would have spotted on bikes, going arm and arm, --- and --- !. Anyway, that was just a thought that Guys want to show their girl friends that they have a bike which they can take their beloved for a jolly ride.. Not exactly, may be!?. In case of our Mr.T, I am sure, he has told me, his house was far far off, so he had no other go, but to get a bike!

So, what helps us the Common Man, then? Bangalore is saved 'cos of these private vehicles: Matador vans, the Tata Sumos and the company buses which operate here. When BMTC deserts you, these are always there to help you. Another thing which I have noticed thats creating jams are the traffic signals.. Many of the places you would find that right at the exit of a traffic signal, there is a bus stop. What happens 'cos of that? You wait for 5 mins to cross a signal. You cross it and again you stop immediately. Jam grows! And next major hindrance to commuters are the potholes. And with Bangalore, where it can rain on any given day of a year, imagine the situation.

Next big jammer for me, would be the people as such. I am talking about the situations where two people fight over an accident that was just averted. I mean, its fine when you block the traffic when there is an accident,that becomes necessary and of course unavoidable, but whats the point in harping on to the same point and trying to prove to the other party that he was the one who made the mistake and u r clear. You wont remember the other person's face in couple of hours and this incident would vanish from your memory forever. So why are you punishing other people for this stupid argumnet of yours!?

In short: Roads in bangalore are bad and narrow. Traffic sense among common people is poor. And most of the people who come to bangalore do not go out without complaining about the traffic. Now I dont know what to do to improve any of these, except that I know am suffering 'cos of it. Atleast i would leave you Jike with a T-Quote. This one saw on a guy near Marathahalli: "Women are like Elephants. Just look at them. Dont owe one"