My first portrait

This is my first trial to draw a portrait!! Hope my friend likes it! :)

Why don't you make it Rs. 2.50??

Back to my undergrad college days when I used to travel by the BMTC buses to commute to college. (BMTC is Bangalore Metropolitan Transportation Corporation. For those who don't know.) It was a usual day and I think I wanted to go to the Bangalore Market and ten take a bus to Banaswadi .... that was where my friend lived. These Market buses are usually crowded with the village illiterate people. The ladies who sell flowers, handmade baskets, small accessories etc. They live their village life tuned to the city life. Kumkum that spreads to about quarter of the forehead, bangles which are about half a centimeter think and keep tingling in the crowded bus, Beetle nut in the mouth which gives a red color and the odor from them would be as if they haven't taken bath for about a week. Usually they think that the city people are smart and they have to fight in order to get their places in the bus. I prefer to leave place for them and stand aside. It so happened that day that .... a lady with a basket of flowers was standing beside me. She managed to push the basket under the first row of the seat. When the conductor asking for tickets, she pulled out a crippled note from her clothe made wallet. I can't say how many times the note must have been folded. She waved at the conductor for ticket. When the conductor where she wants to go, she said " Markattu" ... meaning Market.
He said, "Innu ondu rupayi kodu". (You have to give me another Rupee). She asked him " Enappa .... 2.50 rupaayee maadko?" (Meaning why don't you make it Rs. 2.50!!??) . I was so surprised to see the lady bargain with the conductor. :)
It was so funny to see someone bargain on a bus ticket price just like the vegetables price or some other commodity. Well, there do exist such people. :)

A sec - ages ..

I believe in this that -
it takes a sec to put an end to any relationship and say goodbye to it. How much ever you enjoyed and shared most of your feelings. It's just a word to say GOODBYE forever. But, it takes ages to make and build a good relationship. Incidents, situations, share, care, feel ... lots and lots more have to go into the relationship to make it stronger by by day.

So, think before you say a word. Be it your mom, dad, bro/sis ... boy friend/ girl friend ... or your close friend :-)

The FALL has arrived!!

The next week is opening of the new session of our school for FALL quarter. I see so many under grads coming in. All over the campus there are some boards which read "Express unloading". I tell myself its probably for the new undergrads who are moving into the campus .... New faces, with their parents and all smiles and giggles!! It feels so nice and fresh to see such environment. They have a lot of orientations etc..

I happened to meet an Indian girl who came newly to the campus today. When she introduced herself, she told me that she is an under grad!! She had a typical indian accent. The Indian kind of dressing. She was wearing a kurthi. I was wondering if she was born or brought up here. It did not feel like she lived for very long here. I know that I have adapted some words that Americans use. I call a cover, a bag .... I call Maths/ mathematics as Math ... and many more if I go on listing. I don't know what a 12th std or a Plus two is called in USA. I just asked "where did u do your Plus two or whatever?" Just to know if she has come from india or if she was a ABCD. She said "Mumbai".
Hmm ... makes sense ... I should have understood when I saw her in the kurthi. Under grads are not funded usually here. I don't know why these people come all the way till USA for under grad.
I was thinking probably she is rich. How rich can one be to educate their kid for 4 year in USA?
Lakhs and lakhs rupees? :P Hmmm Lakhs would probably not be enough. 1 Crore?
How many zeros does a crore have? 
1,00,00,000 .... Hmmm ..... 7 zeroes!!! 
Baap re .... I have seen a few lakhs of Rupees in my life but not a crore. And I don't think I will be 
seeing that much money in future as well. It is so easy to earn zeros school days ... but its hard to earn 
these zeros in money :P He he 

Goodbye Carriage Hill :(

Sitting here amidst all the things that need to be shifted to another apartment I feel so heavy at heart to leave from this apartment. This is not the first time I have shifted a house/apartment, but I feel the same every time. This time it is difficult to leave the apartment in which I have lived for two years, with fond good, bad, ugly and sweet memories. I booked this apartment walking up the hill to the leasing center with the aura freshness and newness (I don't know if there is such a word in English :P) all around me when I had just arrived in the US. Its hard to believe that it is already 2 years. The memories are so fresh. Spent early days with so many friends all the time coming home. I can remember me giving so many curses to the up hill every time I walked up. No more cursing :(
The little arguments with roomies (the usual thing for gals),  making new friends, enjoying the arrival of juniors, helping them with accommodation and studies. The Indian students association ..... hmm ... it was good and ugly ... :P
Now I can't stop mentioning about the breezing thought that went by .... two of my dearest friends and I sat atop the carriage hill and ate icreams bought from the speedway which is located just opposite to Carriage Hill ... Most wonderful moments, i don't even know if they are going to return ever in my life again :(
I can't forget the first winter, when I slipped and fell close to the apartment when it was too icy to walk on the road. All the eat outs all around the apartment, taco, pizza hut, purple chopstix, McHappys. Oh, not to forget the walk to the school all the way from home. Some times with friends and sometimes just me! Every moment is just so fresh and worth treasuring. How I wish someone would come and tell me "you don't have to leave this right away!!". I know I am going to miss Carriage Hill ...... I am gonna live away form my favorite place and favorite people too .... :(

But I realize that life is always like this .... bring a big U turn when you are all cozy and comfortable with life. But we move on hoping that the U turn gets us to a much greener grass place!!!

Goodbye Carriage Hill :(

The eye!

The genius!!

Yesterday I was in a meeting with couple of guys from NASA, Boeing and Rockwell Collins. I happened to meet my advisors first PhD student. He works for NASA now. He is such a brilliant guy. I saw him speak in the meeting. He was so so calm, composed and spoke absolutely sense though he spoke less. I was astonished to see how great people behave!
He looked so simple. He was not wearing very fancy formal shirts like few others. He was just wearing a white shirt which had a NASA logo. He also brought a few NASA cufflinks for all of us and distributed it to us. It felt so good. Probably all great people are like this, simple and composed. I did not have a chance to talk to him but I think just sitting with him in the meeting itself is an opportunity.
Later when I told my professor about my respect for him, he was telling that he was a brilliant guy. Extraordinary!

So, guys, brilliant and extraordinary people are around you! Watch out :)

Two years!!

It's been two years since I've been living in US of A. I left India on Aug 15th 2008 from Bangalore airport. I should have probably written a separate write up on the journey itself which was such an experience.
If I have to comprehend my experiences in these two years, I should say, I have had good, very good, bad and very bad experiences. Met a lot of people. I met a lot of people who are so different from my usual group of friends. Had some good times with them. The good is always accompanies with bad too ... like the other side of a coin. They are like twins :)
Yes, the point I had to make was, I had bad times too .... Some sweet and some stressful events.
All in all .... I am seeing another shade of life.

Ambigram :)

Another label got added into my list!! :) ... "Ambigrams".

I am not sure if I am going to have any more posts added on to this label though.

My friend made this for me. And I am proudly and gladly posting this here :)

Thank you!! :)

Meter pe pandrah rupaya ...

If you live in Bangalore for a few days you would know what I am referring to. I am not sure if this is the case with other cities too in India. I have not lived in other cities for too many days.
When I had been to India last time, I had to take an auto from Jayanagar to Rajarajeshwari Nagar. After I reached home, I paid the auto driver .... I paid exactly the amount the meter was reading. He grabbed the money from me and said .... Pandrah rapaya aur do. Rudely..... Curtly .... As if it was his birth right. I was so astonished at his behavior and demand. I asked him why I had to pay extra. He had no reason for it. He justs wants Rs. 15 more. Thats it. I don't know what was that confidence in him that made him to just demand. Does he think he is the lord?
I was boiling with anger. But as usual no words to speak. I just told him that I wont pay anything extra and walked away. He kept shouting "hello madam .... hello madam ..... "
How I wish I had the courage to say just get lost ... go to hell!!!
Most of these autos don't have the digital meter readers though the law was imposed. All the non-digital meters are biased. They just jump so fast.
I used to travel to my company pretty often by auto. It usually costs around Rs.45. But some times .... the auto meter used to read Rs. 60 or so. After I reach my office I paid the guy only 45!!!
As expected the guy would shout at him. I used tell them ... I travel everyday and it costs just 45 ... and his meter is faulty. I would tell them lets walk to the police .... the next sentence they would utter is "pay how much ever you want madam" .... Which means they know their meter is faulty.

I know they are not from well to do family ..... they need money .... and people who have money should be generous. I agree with this. But when I give money by myself it is a different scene, if they demand so rudely nobody would like to donate money. Rs. 15 looks like Rs. 150.
I don't understand where these auto drivers started learning to behave so curtly and rudely.
Is this fair to try to loot money from public like this?

These days they have started another saga. They will be ready hire only if you ask them to some area they like. They like .... I mean to say if it is around evening they will look only for those people who ask for hire close to their house. If your area does not match with the auto driver he wouldn't even respond to you telling that he is not ready to drive for you. He will just drive away from you very fast without talking a word as if he never heard to you. If you are new to Bangalore it would take you few seconds or mins to understand the auto driver rejected your admission into the auto :P
Ridiculous!!

Dearest one ...

The dearessst ones in your life .... have you ever thought how you treat them when you are in a atrocious mood? Most of us are so rude to the most dearest relationships in our lives at such times. I don't know what we get by venting out all our frustration or irritating feelings on them.
They take all of it calmly without a question. Without a mumble. After a while you realize the truth.
Is this because we have the right to behave that way with them or is it because we have taken them for granted? If these are not the reasons, is it because of ego? Have you ever thought about it?

Excellent moral

I really like this forward too ...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

An Excellent Moral mainly for software Engineers...


Do we have to change ourselves to please strangers.
And if you do, you are in for life long misery.

Start and go ahead don't miss even a single line..

An old man, staying in a small south Indian town came to visit his son
in Bombay recently. The son in his early thirties is a successful
businessman living with his wife and son.

The father, having spent most of his life at his birthplace, hardly
understands a splatter of Hindi or English, forget Marathi. But he doesn't
care. 'I have come here to spend a few days with my son and his family.
I don't have to go out and socialize with the city people,' he said.

But the son is very excited about his father's rare visit to Bombay. He
wants to make the best of it.

He and his wife want to show him around the city. And yes, the son
enjoys those evening hours too, when he and his father go out and sit in a
good bar, sipping their favourite drink.

Face off

Last week he was in a very good mood. 'Let's go to a five star hotel's
bar tonight,' he told his father. It was a beautiful evening.

Talking about everything under the sun they had a few drinks. As usual
they were offered some salad, peanuts, wafers etc .as accompaniments
with their drinks. The old man being almost toothless was not much
interested in eating. But that day when they got up to leave, he simply took
a handful of chana (roasted grams) and stuffed it in the fold of his
dhoti. He might have thought about munching on them, sitting in the car,
or whatever.

Unfortunately while walking in the lobby, he missed a step and
stumbled.

Down he went, scattering the chana on the plush carpet.

No problem .Now try to visualize that scenario. Someone else in his
son's place would have been mortified, embarrassed to death. He might have
cursed not his father but his own self for causing this awkward
situation. 'Never again will I take my old man to such hotels', he would have
vowed.

No sir, not this son. Gently, with a smile, he helped his father get
back on his feet. Instead of feeling irritated or angry, he was amused.
He found the whole incident very funny.Laughing, they both went home and
on the way they decided to return to the same place the following
Sunday.

The old man liked the place. Liked the chana too.A son rises A few days
back, at a friend's place they both described this event and made
everybody laugh.

Weren't you embarrassed? Somebody asked the son. 'Oh, come on now'
replied the son. 'He is my father. He talks in his native language, prefers
to wear a dhoti even to a posh city hotel, takes chana from the bar to
eat later, does whatever he feels like.... So what? Why should I feel
embarrassed with his nature and habits? Nobody has a right to stop him
from doing whatever he feels comfortable with, as long as it is not
harmful to others.'

The son doesn't care what the staff in the hotel thought about that
incident.

He says 'they should be concerned only with their bills and tips. I am
concerned about my father's happiness.' The wife too totally agrees
with the husband on this issue. She feels there are enough other qualities
in her father- in- law to feel proud of.

Accept them .The above incident is not mentioned just to show the love
and devotion of a son for his father. More than love it is a matter of
understanding and a healthy respect for the other person's lifestyle.

A seventy plus old man doesn't want to change his lifestyle now. He
likes the way he eats or dresses or talks. In his eyes there is nothing
wrong with the old ways of living. And the son says, ok, fine. Every body
has a right to live as per his wish. Now at his age, why should he be
forced to learn to eat with a fork and knife, if he doesn't want to? I
will feel bad if he is doing something morally wrong or indulging in
some harmful activities. But otherwise it is fine. I am not going to try
to change him at this stage. He is my father. I love him, respect him.

Hey folks, can you think this way?

So many times we see people getting embarrassed by the so called
unsophisticated behaviour of their family members. They keep on apologizing
about their lack of class and manners or about their drawbacks to
outsiders. My wife can't speak proper English; she doesn't know what's
happening in the world, so I avoid taking her out or introducing her to my
friends and business associates...

My parents can't eat with a spoon and fork, so I don't take them to
restaurants.... My husband is working as an ordinary clerk, so I feel
awkward when I introduce him to my rich friends. My brother is mentally
challenged, so I don't feel like going out with him...

Are you plagued with such thoughts or do you meet such people who think
alike?

If you do, please ask yourself. Why do others or I feel this way?
Really what is there to feel ashamed of? Most of the people always have this
fear of other peoples' opinions and comments. What would others say?

They think and try to alter their own way of living.

Sometimes unnecessarily. What is worse is they try to change their own
people too. And when they can't, they are ashamed, angry. And
apologetic to outsiders.

In fact, these are the people who have no respect for others and no
confidence in oneself. They try to copy others, try to be what they are
not, and constantly ask for outsiders' approval for their behaviour. They
don't care about the feelings of their family members when they avoid
or belittle them.

They don't think how happy his or her family member would feel if
he/she gets an opportunity to go to some swanky restaurant or a fun- filled
party. Your wife, mother, father, little sister, and old aunt...all
those people depending on you for their happiness. If you don't fulfill
their desires, who will?

They are what they are. We are what we are. We don't have to change
ourselves to please strangers. And if you do, you are in for life long
misery.

In that case you would never dare taking your dhoti dad relative to a
five star hotel. And your father would never sit amongst your friends
and laugh his heart out over some funny incident.

ONE BEDROOM FLAT

Found an old forward in my mail box. It's a thought provoking story (Not mine though) Go ahead and read it!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

ONE BEDROOM FLAT... AN INDIAN SOFTWARE ENGINEER'S LIFE... - A Bitter
Reality
As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software
Engineer and joined a company based in USA, the land of braves and
opportunity.When I arrived in the USA, it was as if a dream had come
true.

Here at last I was in the place where I want to be. I decided I would be
staying in this country for about Five years in which time I would have
earned enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only
asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat. I wanted to do
some thing more than him. I started feeling homesick and lonely as the
time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week
using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years of
Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the
foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupeevalue went down.

Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10
days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got
my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually
enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home.If I miss anyone
then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week
going through all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting
shorter I was forced to select one candidate.


In-laws told me,to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3
days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, it was
time to return to USA, after giving some money to my parents and telling
the neighbors to look after them, we returned to USA.

My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started
feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a
week sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. After
two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a
girl,were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my
parents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see their
grand-children.

Every year I decide to go to India. But part work part monetary
conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a distant
dream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were
seriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could
not go to India. The next message I got was my parents had passed away
and as there was no one to do the last rights the society members had
done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed away
without seeing their grand children.

After couple more years passed away, much to my children's dislike and
my wife's joy we returned to India to settle down. I started to look for
a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the
property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to
the USA.

My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in
India. My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife I
would be back for good after two years.
Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my
son was happy living in USA. I decided that had enough and wound-up
every thing and returned to India. I had just enough money to buy a
decent 02 bedroom flat in a well-developed locality. Now I am 60 years
old and the only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to
the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left me and gone to the
holy abode.

Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after
staying in India, had a house to his name and I too have the same
nothing more.

I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.

Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damned
cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing
their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my
children asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will be
performing my last rights, God Bless them. But the question still
remains 'was all this worth it?'


I am still searching for an
answer................!!!!

You are special to me!

Mom, dad, siblings, grandparents, close relatives, girl friend/boy friend, wife/husband ..... these are the usual close relationships everybody has in this world. Apart from these closely knit family members most of us are attached to friends. Friends are very special people. They are not blood related yet so close. They are important to everyone. Someone says, "If you don't have a family, you are not an orphan, but if you don't have friends you are an orphan."

These relationships are all common. Have you ever treated anybody in your life different from these relationships? Special ... indifferent from these relationships. Probably you meet these people as friends and later you realize that is not apt to classify them as just friends . It's so different to know such people in life. Difficult to define.
Sometimes it is so difficult to understand myself. Or is it difficult to understand what I am going through? I don't really know. Few things are just too complicated to be understood even after trying to think in different directions. Does it happen with you too?

I am actually running out of words to write this post! :(

The colony nostalgia – Part 2

After I wrote the part – 1 about colony, I feel like writing more about my school. -:)
We had a MATH teacher who was supposed to be very very strict. All students in the school very often spoke of her. Her husband worked in the same school too. He was also strict. But she was like a sadist. After all she is a female you see!  She had a girl kid who was a year junior to me and she also studied in the same school. The whole family came to the school in a BAJAJ scooter from what I remember. The kid was quite hefty. She used to bend forward while her dad drove the scooter. Finally, when I was promoted to seventh standard, Mrs. Prabhavathi was my MATH teacher, the terror of school. Few days went by without much of hassle. I still can’t forget the way she shouted in the class. “Vijay!! Can’t you understand what I am telling? I told you to stand outside the class until you finish your home work.”
It once happened that there was a unit test in the class (MATH) and I did not do the homework. When she came to my place asking for home work I told her that I did not do the homework because I was studying for the unit test. She held my arm and started twisting. “Homework is homework and test is a test. You have to do both of them”. And then she pinched my arm. I was never hurt physically by any teacher so badly. Hitting with a scale on the hands and knuckles was common but I don’t know how she managed to pinch me so hard that by next day there was a dark black scar on my arm. My mom saw my arm sometime the next day and she exclaimed in fear. “What is this? Has anything bitten you?” I told her what had happened the previous day. I told my mom it was not a big thing and there was nothing to tell to my principal. After everything it was solely my mistake that I had not completed the homework on the day it was due.
The next day when I went to the school, she was giving away the test scores to everyone and when she was calling each person’s name she wanted us to stand aside. I don’t remember now for what reason she told us to do that. She called out my name and she stared at me as if she is going to swallow me:-P After all the books were distributed, “Ok … now I am going to tell you a story!”. I was already sweating. I kept my fingers crossed and prayed to god. Hope my dad has not spoke to the principal I said to myself. She continued “I heard that was a severe injury on a child’s arm in this classroom. Thankfully, there was no need to take her to hospital by ambulance”. I took a deep breath and I started sweating even more. By nature, I am scared of people who go on demanding. I am a coward I should say, always run over by such people. I am always ruled by them I should say. She used to wear a thick pair of glasses and looked at an angle from those glasses. Sometimes I felt she was trying to look by not using the glasses. When she does not want to look through them, why wear them? Her look was so scary. I didn’t even dare to look at her face. I kept looking at the floor. “I will not speak to that child now on. I won’t ask her any questions. She is on herself.”
Her declaration looked so scary to me. I could do what I wanted and what I felt like. Strange!! All I understood was that my dad had spoken to my principal and the principal has warned or whatever and I am gone for a toss :P She had stopped talking to me as she announced. There was never a conversation between me and her after that. She corrected my test papers but while giving away she never called out my name I would understand it’s my turn.
If I recollect the incident now, I feel it was so funny. First of all I don’t understand till today why I was so scared. Probably as a kid most of them are scared of their teachers. Some kids are scared of teachers more than their parents. But I don’t understand why the teacher behaved so strangely. I would call it immaturity.
Thankfully she never came to teach me in 8th standard. In my 9th standard also she was not assigned to my class. But unfortunately, she was to teach my brother’s class. I told my brother not to tell her that he had a sister if at all she ever asked him. It is a small community where one knows each other pretty well, so ultimately there came a time when she asked everyone in my brother’s class if they had any siblings studying in the same school. My brother told the truth. He told me that she never reacted. I know that my brother was a pretty intelligent boy and there were lots of teachers who kept my brother in mind to design the question paper so that he does not answer them 100%. She couldn’t keep herself away from appreciating him all the time for his intelligence. After a month or so she got transferred to some other KV. I had a sigh of relief.
The education system is changing radically these days. The teacher can never handle student rashly. They submit home works only once a week. This is the age of iPads ;-)

The Pani Puri embarassment!!

Recently I had been to an Indian restaurant at Columbus. "Bay Leaf".
Me and a group of my friends had been there for a buffet on a Sunday.
I was done with eating what ever I wanted in about 15 min I should say.
And then I saw my friend eating a chat and I thought I should have grabbed one too.
I looked out for the chat table. I went there and asked for a chat.
The guy made the aloo chat and asked me if I wanted pani puri too. After my usual confusion I said a yes because I thought Pani puri is the king of chats. Missing it is no fun :P
I took the chat plate and came back to my table. I started eating the aloo chat which wasn't very tasty. And I thought I should give a try to pani puri. I just dipped one puri in water(pani) and when I was about put it in to my mouth, the puri broke :(
The water started to fall in my plate.
My friend came my way and said, " Look I have a idea. Don't dip the puri into water instead take a puri and put the pani into it with a spoon". This would work better, I thought :)
He called me again and said, " The American lady in the next table is watching you."
Don't make a fool of yourself!! I was instructed by my brain :P.
I took a peek from the corner of my eye. She was looking at me with keen interest. Just watching how I would eat it. It was kind of embarrassing. I was thinking if I should eat or not. What ever I do the lady would continue to watch me. So I just filled one puri with some pani in the spoon and rushed it into my mouth. The American lady clapped and laughed loudly. Nothing much to say from my side. I think one can understand I had nothing else to do apart from sitting in my place feeling totally embarrassed.
I was wondering what was so funny about me eating a pani puri?

The colony nostalgia - Part 1

The other day I saw my cousin’s childhood pics and slipped into the memories of the colony where I spent my childhood. I can’t remember why but I am feeling so nostalgic about the busses in which I travelled helluva times. The first time … hmmm … I may not remember exactly, but it has to be when I started going to the Kindergarten School. I can remember few days very vaguely. My grandma accompanied me to the school and I keep crying. “I don’t wanna go to the school …. Buhuuu”. My grandma had to come with me for probably few days. After a week I complained to her that my mom was not accompanying me. I probably wanted all my family members to study at the Kindergarten school along with me. That was funny. The bus driver started yelling at my grndma. “How many days are going to come to the school? WE are supposed to admit only kids into the bus!!!.” I don’t really remember when she stopped coming with me to the school. I remember the bus stop which was right beside the house. Whenever we missed the bus just by a few mins of time, we had to run to the next bus stop to catch the bus. In the evening time, we had so much fun in the bus. As kids, we used to play Charlie chaplin, aa meena … and so many other games. There was another fantasy; we kept jumping when we knew there was a hump on the road. When the bus passed through the hump, we jumped high. Getting thrown up high in the air, made us feel so happy. :-) It feels so silly now. As years flew by, playing such games started to become rare. Now we made groups, chatted, shared silly talks, laughed. There used to be few days when the transportation department of the company which that owned these buses came for a checking. Only the students who had the right bus pass were allowed into the bus. I don’t remember why exactly but I used to never have the bus pass with me the right day…. the day when the check used to happen. There were no cell phones you know, to call papa and complain. Sometimes we came home walking all the way from the school because we were thrown out of the bus. That was fun too. I remember leaving my cello water bag somewhere in the way once while walking. I had to hear the usual words from mom “Totally irresponsible girl!! How can you drink water from water bag and forget the water bag on the road bench? I am not going to get the costly water can again for you!”
Then when we were studying 8th standard or so travelling in bus became a very trivial way to get to school. We needed a bicycle. The bicycle felt like a Lamborghini car in those days. Though dad bought the bicycle for me, I was the owner of it. Now starts the fun. Racing over bicycles, running into each other’s bikes, showing off to the juniors. :-) Oh, I cant give the count of the number of times I fell off from my bicycle!!
Every Sunday these buses used to get people in the colony to Town. It was the place where we got most of the groceries and did our shopping. There used to be a bus every hour to the town and a bus every hour from the town to the colony. We bought our charts, pens, pencils, etc from town. I can still remember the first HERO pen I bought :-) It was from the book store in Town!!
I wanted to pen these wonderful days to share it with you. Everyone has such wonderful days never to be forgotten.

Values

Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. Ther are -
- Work
-Family
-Health
-Friends
-Spirit.
and you are keeping all of these in the air.
You will soon understand that work is like a rubber ball, if you drop it, it will bounce back.
The other four balls are made of glass, if you drop these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for it.

Work efficiently during office hours and leave on time. Give required time to your family, friends and take rest.

Value has value only if its value is valued.

By Bryan Dyson, Former CEO of Coca Cola

Forgetfulness ...

It happens with me too. Not to complain. I read it somewhere that if you really care to do something you will never give a reason saying that you FORGOT.
If you say that you forgot to call a friend, you forgot to wish a friend on his/her birthday, forgot to remind your dad about something .... all these are just reasons. If you really cared, you would remember to do those things on right time. Until and unless it is unavoidable situation.
It applies to me also. If I say I forgot, it means I did not care to remember. AM I right? :-P
Well ya I would agree upon you reminding me about what I am writing now when I forget something next time ;-)

Blogging from iPhone :)

Feels nice to blog from my iPhone. :-)
Something new and handy.

"The straightener needs to be checked!!"

After we landed at Frankfurt, we had to get to the other gate so that we board our next flight to USA. It is obvious that we had to pass through the security check. When we were to enter the gate, the security guy who was checking our identity, asked for an I-20. It was surprising.
Further we entered the security check center. The security check started with pushing our cabin baggage and back packs into the scanner. And then the security check for "us" started. As I went inside for the check, a lady started checking me with the scanner. The checking was so thorough that she went through my body up and down some 4 times approximately. I was so astonished with what was happening with me. After I was done with the so thorough canning of myself I stepped across and the lady asks me -
Security officer(Lady): Is there a hair straightener in your bag?
Me: Yes ... mmmm ..... (Why is she asking me about that?)
Lady: It needs to be checked, can you please get me the straightener?
I gave the straightener to her. And I was standing there worried. What kind of checked? Why should the hair straightener be tested? What if they are gonna take my straightener saying that it can not be carried in the flight? Oh god ITS A GIFT!!!!! And then a moment later I realized something else!!!! What if she says that the straightener is some explosive material???!!!!! I will be put behind bars in Frankfurt and god knows how I will come out. And these people will not even understand any other language apart from German. I did learn a bit of German but I do not remember most of it.
By the time these thoughts were flowing in my brain, she told me again. "Our doctor has to test it!!".
The guy took the straightener and applied some solution on the iron flat and gave it back to her.
"Now we have to wait for the results" she said.
Wait for the results? Is it some blood test of X-Ray??!! Strange.
She finally told me, "You can go now".
Hmmm .... I was relieved with all sorts of doubts and thinking that was going on in my mind.
Isn't it funny to check a hair straightener for what ever reason?

Travel!!

Offlate I realized that I like travelling. Do I love travelling? I am not sure though. But I like travelling a lot. I like to visit each and every small place that is around the place where I live. The right people would it make it more enjoyable. :-)
It would be more interesting to go around with similar thinking people.
Now on, I will post about the places I travelled too ...
I haven't travelled too many places but quite a few. And I will write about them and the places I would like to travel. (Along with some pics)

Bhai saab hum 9 log hain ....

I had been to India for a months vacation. On the way back I had an amazing thrilling experience. I thought it was worth sharing it. I happened to travel by Kingfisher airlines from Bangalore to Mumbai. The journey was pretty good except that I was horrible about leaving my parents back there and flying abroad. I could hardly concentrate on what Mr. Vijay Mallya was advertising all the time through in the flight due to that. I met the whole gang of 8 of my friends with whom I had to travel till the US of A. We all travelled from Domestic airport to International airport in the local shuttle and made ourselves present in the check-in queue for the next international flight we were to board. Mumbai to Frankfurt. The first friend (say A)of ours who went to the desk was told that our tickets are not confirmed and all 9 of us have to move out of the queue. What??!! Our tickets are not confirmed? What do we do? Whom do we ask? When will we reach? So many reactions. Of course, we started taking some actions. We called up the agent who booked the tickets for us. "No no no .... how can that be possible? I have everything confirmed here". My friend told her to speak to the Lufthansa guys. The guy and the counter says "Your tickets from Frankfurt to Philadelphia and Philadelphia to Columbus are confirmed. But I can not see the ticket confirmation for Mumbai to Frankfurt"!!!! Now what does that mean? All of us started talking among ourselves. There were very few people going around to find out what was happening and most of us just sitting and talking. (I think thats what happens when there are more people going around). Some one came back and told " They are going to confirm the tickets but we have got to wait".
The time was aorund 2:15 AM and our flight was supposed to take off at 3:30 AM. Lufthansa Airways. "Am never gonna book for Lufthansa once again!!" said my friend A.
Hmmm ..... and then at 2:30 am we were called one by one for check-in. The baggages were checked in and the boarding passes until Columbus were given. My friend A, B, C and me got our baggages checked in first and we rushed to the immigration check counter. One of our friends told us to just by pass the whole queue and 3 of us landed at the immigration officers counter. The interview started.
Officer: What are you studying?
We: Ms .. Ms .... PhD.
Officer: Is this the second year?
We: Yea.
Officer: Let her answer(Pointing to me!!)
Me: Yes...
Not knowing whom he was questioning I was keeping mum seeing the other 2 answer. "Yes the second year" I said as if they were the diamond worth words :-)
Officer: Ok. You can go ahead!!
My passport was stamped first and the rest were being stamped. Not knowing where to go next, I just ran behind the immigration counters. One of the responsible officers stopped me there. "Hey!!! Where are you running???!!"
I said "Sir .... sir .... we are 9 people ..."
Gosh .... I was not finding words. I still cant remember what I was blabbering. My friend A came to my rescue. "Sir we are 9 people and our tickets got confirmed in the last minute. We have our flight at 3:30 AM. She is searching for our other friends".
Officer: Just go ahead for security, they will come ....
We: Ok...
We three of us went inside and for our astonishment found that the security queue was split into two and for my sight I felt the queue would measure at least a kilometer :-P
we asked the ladies standing at the queue. I guess they Lufthansa air hostesses. "You can not by pass the queue, you need to ask the security officer!!".
We: Please let us go and talk to them.
We:(With the security officer) Our tickets confirmed in the last minute and we need to board the flight in about an hour from now. Please let us go in and complete the security check.
Security Officer: Theek hain. Seedha jao aur take the lift. You will find a queue there.
We three of us went for about a furlong and then realized that our friends need to join us. And they do not know about the by passing the immigration and security. I told my friend, just stay here take care of everyone from our gang who comes. I will go stand near the security entrance.
I ran to the security officer. I told him "Bhai saab hum 9 log hain, our friends are stuck up at the immigration check. Can I please get them?".
Officer: Jao jao ... no problem ...
I ran towards those ladies(Lufthansa air hotesses). The same dialogies repeats .... hum 9 log hain ...... "Ok go ... "
After a wait of about 2-3 minutes, 3 of my friends come in from the immigration check. I take them in and tell them please take right turn and go straight, you will find someone from our group". They come back and tell me "they are not letting us in!!".
I went with them and saw the officer again. "I have to see you to let them in!!".
Gosh ... I sent these people in. Again 2 of my friends came ... I took them along to the officer and let them in.
My friend A comes running and says that the 2 people who went inside just now never met him!!
He ran inside once again came out and started yelling!! "Give proper instructions to people, they just went and joined some queue."...
HMmmmmmm ..... this was tiring and tensing. Time now was 2:50 am.
Friend A comes running once again. Where is "D"?
Me: I don't know, he is the only one left. He is not even seen in the immigration counter.
Lets check in the security queue. He ran everywhere. I was searching to see if there was any announcement kind of thing I could make. There was nothing. This was not Walmart you see. :-)
We ran all over and did not find him. I saw managed to get a peep to the immigration area among the people. A red backpack. I shouted "there he is!!".
We both ran to the entrance of the security zone and asked them if we could get to the immigration center. "NO" was the answer. We stood there waving our hands so that he sees us. Time now was 2:55 Am. We shouted his name aloud. And I was shouting so loudly for the officer who I met in the immigration center. He finally heard me. He came to us. We were on the security side and he was on the immigration side. "Bhai saab ......" the same sentence starts again. "Can you please arrange for a immigration for him?".
He calls one of the immigration officers and tells him to do immigration check. My friends kept staring at us for what ever reasons. The immigration officer talks to us in the mean while.
Officer: Why is your friend staring your faces when we have ourselves told him to by pass the queue?
We: Yea .. sir we will tell him.
After so much of shouting and showing directions, he went to the officer.
Officer: Are you both gang leaders? What are you studying?
We: Me, Ms, A, PhD.
Officer: USA.
Hmmmm .....
My friend comes along into the security area and we were so relieved. The time was now 3:05 am.
We told him that we had taken the permission.
We ran like, there was a bomb inside the building. So fast. On the way we thanked the security officer. "Thank you bhai saab...!!!" We really gotto be thankful to him. If it were not for him, I do not know whne we would have reached the flight.
We took the lift and went to the ground floor, searched for the security queue and joined. One of our friend shouts from the other side of the security queue "We are all done, ask for permission!!!".
My friend A says, one more last time ... :-)
"Bhai saab ..... "
We were through. At about 3:15 we joined our group and we saw that there was a long queue boarding the flight. We managed. Yes we managed. After all the struggle.
My friend A said standing in the queue to board the flight, "Was it not a thrill?".
Yes it was.
After we boarded the flight everybody just went to deep sleep after all this. We reached safely :-)
But this 1 hour, probably I will remember for years to come :-)