Update

Been a very long time since I blogged.

Can’t say that I was busy, but yeah, I didn’t find time for this. For the past 5 months, I guess I was actually taking in other people’s words and worries for a change, instead of rattling about my own.

The harder you listen, the sharper you grow,

As long as its not outside my door                                                                                                 

Been going for Keyboard classes and I am surprised to find that I like them! I mean, I usually drop out of classes as fast as I can but this time, I just feel like staying on. My classmates are all younger than me and maybe thats one of the reasons. And one fellow in particular, aged not more than 4, is too cute for words!

My college life is at an all time low level and am suffering because of that. All major subjects and am not interested even in one!

But my literary world has been good and keeps me happy at all times. Started on Wodehouse on bro’s compulsion and found his works to be marvellous. Jeeves and Wooster make a pair and Psmith (though I read only three of his) never failed to amuse me. Wanna read all of Wodehouse’s works that bro has.

Got to buy IBSAT and CAT forms this week Hope I’ll get through them with flying colors. Okay, that was a bit too much, sorry :p

That is all for now, will try blogging once every week.

When the hell will the results be published? :(

  My results for the third semester will never be published I suppose Of course that’s good in a way, but at least if it is out, a lot of unwanted tension could be avoided. Right from 28^th January, the sky is thick with rumors, and the latest news, oops sorry, rumor is that, since they had had some problem with the stupid OMR sheets, it would be out only before Feb 15^th… At least they can give some information regarding the results in Madras University’s site (www.unom.ac.in)

These Simple Things…

You want to meet Nature? Some lovely children of the North? A few interesting pets? Or some pestering ghosts? Read Ruskin Bond. I read one of his collections The Ruskin Bond Omnibus a few years back. Recently I got hold of another collection, The Ruskin Bond Mini Bus. It’s lovely, beautiful and it’s funny as well.

        It’s a collection of his stories and verses and essays, all about his favorite people and animals:  Himalayan Tales, The India I Love, A Little Night Music and Roads To Mussoorie.

        His poems are so simple and nice. Here is a small one titled These Simple Things…

The simplest things in life are best-

A patch of green,

A small bird’s nest,

A drink of water, fresh and cold,

The taste of bread,

A song of old;

These are the things that matter most.

The laughter of a child,

A favourite book,

Flowers growing wild,

A cricket singing in a shady nook.

A ball that bounces high!

A summer shower,

A rainbow in the sky,

The touch of a loving hand,

And time to rest-

These simple things in life are best.

Earn Ten Thousand In Just Three Hours…

These words catch our attention for at least a few moments (usually found on compound walls and on those small posters stuck in buses). There is no denying this fact. I notice them too, but I never had any idea of what they do there, most importantly, what they want you to do.

Recently, one of my friends invited me for a “seminar on career planning”. Yeah, those were the exact words. And as I had already listened to one of them the previous week and had found it highly interesting, I politely excused myself by saying I wasn’t interested. But as all my old friends, whom I hadn’t met for several long years (not really, just 8 years), had agreed to come, I was asked to come too, for the sake of meeting them. I was promised that we didn’t even have to get inside the “seminar” hall; we could just use it as a meeting place. So, on a lovely Sunday, which I would otherwise have spent in reading a novel, I found myself in front of that hall. I met the others, and was forced to register my name and go inside.

Once inside, we were asked to maintain silence and switch off our mobiles. And so, I waited for some guy to start ranting about IT sector and all that. But to my surprise (and most of the others’, I later learnt that they were tricked into coming too) six to seven people in complete formal attires started talking about some product of their company (which came up to some seven thousand rupees).

All this was okay, but then, they started about this “Multilevel Marketing”. After buying their product, we have to bring people to the same hall, convince them to buy the product and at least two should. We get some money for that, and then, the people who were doomed to buy their product because of us, bring two others and this goes on. Each time someone joins our team, we get money.    

They showed proof for their genuineness through the checks some of them had obtained. And by this time, almost all of us were brainwashed (completely or partially). Next started their session on teaching, “how to get money from the parents for this product”. “Lie that you have to pay your semester fee”, said one. “Take without their knowledge”, said another. “Never tell them the true reason”, was their advice.     

At last it was over, we were permitted to go. I said I had to think about it and somehow got myself away from that place. When my friend (who had lied that it was a “career planning seminar”) asked again whether I would buy it, I almost said yes, but on second thoughts, refused.      

I thank my stars that I had the sense to refuse, because, not long after this happened, I read about these people who trick others into joining these multilevel marketing businesses and was horrified to know that they were all tricksters. I don’t really know about the genuineness of some of these companies, but don’t you think it is better to just stay away from such “money-making ideas”?

Sorry guys, am back..

I thought I would restart my writing efforts with poetry. But wait, if you are ardent fans of poetry, please stop reading, this is my humble request.                                                                                                             

Uncertainty

Lots of days,

Thousands of months,

Years and years,

I passed through them,

With everything but fear.

But now, I see shadows and ways,

Filled not with roses,

But doubts, unclearable doubts..

 

Yesterday, which I thought,

Was just another day,

Reminds me of opportunities lost,

And, scares me,

Cos, what about so many other days,

Which went before yesterday?

And the things they would have offered me?

And I, I just ignored them..

 

And so, ignorance isn’t bliss,

And the present,

The lights flashing by,

Are they lights of wisdom,

Glory and Wit?

But wait, they may be,

The flashes before thunder too.

Doubts, am Uncertain..

 

And the most scariest, My future.

I have to work hard, to compete,

And win, in this fast moving world,

But then, where are those lovely days,

When the sun shined with a smile,

Hugging the earth with its warmth,

Birds chirped, bells clonged,

Songs of happiness..

 

They are just there, I know,

But I am ignoring them,

Inorder to find a future,

Firm and strong,

But am I succeeding,

In finding that?

No, not at all.

Am still uncertain..

 

So, what am I doing?

Losing everything,

Gaining nothing,

Ignoring the simple joys of life,

Forgetting my passions,

And like so many others,

Fighting nothing

But a losing battle..

 

 

No Dirty Gold

Indian culture, its a culture with many values, rituals and ethics, and gold has an important place in it. It entwines with our culture, and it has been marking its path in our rituals for centuries. Presently, it has become a symbol of love and commitment. Nearly everyone in India, are practically mad on gold. Not only the women, even men like its glittering purity and divinity.
But many of the gold consumers in India, and in Foreign countries too, dont know that behind this so called sign of purity, there are human right abusals, imprisonment, beatings and murder, and damage to the eco-system. Gold mining is done mostly in the US, remote parts of Indonesia and other places. In Africa, nearly 30,000 people were abused and killed because of the gold mining activities between 1990-98.
“Blood Diamond” brought forth the devilish treatments employed to obtain diamond. Two years before this movie was released, an international compaign was established in the US, called “No Dirty Gold”, on February 11th 2oo4, which was not against gold, but the method in which it is mined, sold and bought. They started this compaign three days before the Valentine’s day, during which the sales of gold goes high.
Right from the day it was established, the activists of this compaign started distributing Valentine cards which said, “Don’t tarnish your love with dirty gold”. These activists have been working hard for safe-guarding human rights and our environment for nearly three years now. Wedding rings and engagement rings, surely, they are a sign of love and happiness, but, the production of a single gold ring, weighing less than an ounce, generates nearly twenty tons of mine waste! Not only this, they use huge quantities of pure water for the mining, after which, the dirty water is just dumped in the rivers. And, the lands which they mine, most of them are illegally forced out of poor people in the remote parts and once they are mined, they are not suitable for either agriculture, grazing or for any other activities.
“No Dirty Gold” activists have atlast succeeded in making atleast some of the Jewellers in US to say “no” to this dirty gold and to purchase pure gold, which comes at a higher rate, but is mined without causing damage to life and environment. These Jewelleries advertise as “No dirty gold is sold here”.
Well, here in India, its not so easy to bring about this change. Though some social activists in TamilNadu are emphasising on this compaign, its not easy to convince our people to reduce their gold purchase and to make sure they dont buy “dirty gold”. Gold and diamond, should we adorn ourself with ornaments made of these, at the cost of the burial of humanity?

Thats the way it is…

          I have always had this said to me, atleast thrice a week, “Dont speak in that way to me!”. Be it my family, friends or strangers, I never understand what they mean by “that way”. Does that “that way” point to my way of expression, or the words I use or my tone?! Before I ponder over such things and come to a decision about it, two or three more of such confusing statements will be kept ready for me, like, “Do you think you know everything?” or “We have all crossed your age and come over a long way”.

          Am sure I know only a few things, my knowledge is limited and as for “everything”, well now, thats a BIG word! And I dont deny the fact that all the people in this world were born as infants and start growing up and they are tiny tots at first, kids next, adolescents after that and then become what they are at the present. But, if I tell all this and ask certain doubts, I wont be appreciated and cleared of my doubts, but, will only have this said to me, “Dont be cheeky!”
         

            I am as ernest and honest as I can be, when am asking such things. And cheekiness is something which is not there in my nature (maybe I should develop it).But after a few stabs and insults offered in quite a humiliating way, I have stopped asking such things, but just started to accept them and ponder over them, in silence. This burries so many of my innocent questions under the depths of dumbness, silence.
 

          But, this silence is beautiful as well! Now, dont start thinking about nature and all that now, expecting me to say that its because of those that silence is heavenly, but my reason is that, it avoids so many confusing statements, still more confusing answers ( these are from my side ) and of course it gives peace, atleast for one side. Actually, being silent seems to irritate my beloved advisors, but who cares, seeing them getting irritated is funny too! Anyway, I always want to have the last laugh

Life Without A Mobile…

Almost always, certain things tend to happen when we dont want them to. For example, you will be very seriously talking to your friend on your mobile about important things like, what she was upto at that instant of time or whether she had her lunch or whether she was still hanging out with her latest boyfriend or whether she had ditched him. And exactly at that time, the landline rings. What will a sensible person do? Ignore it, but of course its optimism which turns into foolishness, to expect sensible outcomes here. We will answer the call, only to know that its a wrong number!

Thats just the way things are, i was told, when i asked about this to my friend (By the way, she was in a very dejected mood when i asked her about it, so the answer i guess). I had this collection of extracts and essays called ‘Words of Wisdom’ as my English text for my first year, and one of those extracts was ‘On Not Answering The Telephone’, by William Plomer. It was a very funny one in which he explains why he says ‘No’ to a telephone, and how he lives without it. The way he spoke about it, had me in a kind of anti-telephonic mood for a few days, and atlast I decided that I would try life without my mobile.

Making this decision was pretty easy of course, but living it? I decided to try. My point is, there are so many people without a mobile, and they look perfectly happy without having to worry whether their mobile model looks better then their friend’s, is their bluetooth working fine, and so on and so forth. So with this feeble fact in my mind, i thought i will bid farewell to my mobile at the end of this month, when my validity would expire, that is, May 30th.

But i guess, my fate and the Airtel fellows, had some other plans for me. Now, rewinding back to a few days, i had a message from Airtel, asking me whether i would like to choose an hello tune for my callers, and if yes, i should reply as Music and they would call me and let me select a song, whereupon my call charges would be saved. Now, if i had been sensible, i should have ignored that message, but living in Chennai and of course, being a citizen of India, i wanted to try it out not only because of the charge saving thing but also because i wanted to see whether they really will call back and immediately, found out that they did. I chose a song, quite a good one of course, and Rs.30 was charged for it with an additional Rs.15 rent for each month.

I quite forgot about this, as of course, i dont call myself and yesterday (13th May) i had a message from Airtel saying that my monthly rental charge for the hello tune has been taken. I checked my balance and found that it was an all time low, a negative value! I neither could call nor message anyone, and if i start talking about the disadvantages of Prepaid connection, that would go on and on forever. So, anyway, i decided that the time was ripe for the pre-planned mobile-ditching operation.

I topped up, and after the negative balance became positive, i was left with Rs.4.88, i informed all my friends about my decision and then, to use up that balance, called my friend. I not only wasted my balance, i wasted my time too. But then, certain things are destined to happen and we, mere humans, cant stop them.

And so, i said Goodbye to my faithful companion, took out the sim, and there started my experiment of a “Life without a cell phone”. The only bad thing about this is that, i had to give up my brand new LG mobile to my mom. Well, as i said, things not only tend to happen when we dont want them to, but they dont happen the way we want them to either.

Letter To Bill Gates…

I got this funny letter as a forward and thought I would publish it here… I seriously dont know why these Sardarjis are made fun of like this, but this one is quite funny…

Dear Mr Bill Gates,

This letter is from Banta Singh from Punjab. We have bought a computer
for our home and we found problems, which I want to bring to your
notice.

1. After connecting to internet we planned to open an e-mail account and whenever we fill the form in Hotmail in the password column, only ****** appears, but in the rest of the fields whatever we type appears, but we face this problem only in password field. We checked with hardware vendor Santa Singh and he said that there is no problem in keyboard. Because of this we open the e-mail account with password *****. I request you to check this as we ourselves do not know what the password is.

2. There is a button “start” but there is no “stop” button. We request you to check this.

3. A small doubt, is there any ‘re-scooter’ available in the system? I find only ‘re-cycle’, but I own a scooter at home.

4. There is ‘Find’ button but it is not working properly. My wife lost the door key and we tried a lot for tracing the key with this ‘find’, but we were not able to trace. Is it a bug?

5. My child learnt ‘Microsoft word’ now he wants to learn ‘Microsoft sentence’, so when you will provide that?

6. I brought computer, CPU, mouse and keypad, lekhin there is only one icon with ‘My Computer’, remaining ka kya huwa?

7. Aur ye to kamal hai, windows says ‘My Pictures’ lekhin there is not even single photo of mine, So when you will keep my photo in that?

9. There is ‘MICROSOFT OFFICE’, what about ‘MICROSOFT HOME’? I use the PC at home only.

From:
Banta Singh

Positive thinking… Or maybe, attitude…

Attitude, thats what life is all about.. And the perspective through which we see everything… It may seem very difficult to see everything with a positive attitude, but seriously, this proves that its possible!
There once was a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head. Well,” she said, “I think I’ll braid my hair today…” So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head. “Hmmm,” she said, “I think I’ll part my hair down the middle today…” So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head. “Well,” she said, “today I’m going to wear my hair in a pony tail….” So she did and she had lots of fun that day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn’t a single hair on her head. “Yay!” she exclaimed, “I don’t have to fix my hair today!”

Haha, just an hair falling (not hair rising) incident out of an old woman’s life, can teach us so much… Though of course, i dunno whether its practically possible….