GOOD BYE MUGGING... I HATED YOU WITH ALL MY HEART AND HOPEFULLY NEVER HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN
Its amazing how nice the weather gets, how you have a spring in your step, how a trodden down flower seems to have that little bit of fragrance left and every morsel of bhel puri in JPS tastes that much more tastier after the exams. Liberty, freedom and one day nearer to enfranchisement.
The story of all the exams so far have been the same. Waste all holidays prior to each exam, frantic studying a few hours before, leap of faith in shutting the books and calling to the Gods to save you, a jhakaas paper, completely idiotic invigilators irritating procedures and an even more irritating neighbors and the usual sinking feeling when you're putting up a fake smile when everyone about you is discussing the answers. That just about sums its up. I will enjoy studying for IIT and AIEEE though. They are just a game of Russian Roulette without a bet. Jackpot if I hit it, no hard feelings if I don't.
Waking up early is getting harder and harder with every passing day. That cajoling voice inside your head which suddenly wakes up when you're doing something you shouldn't be is making that extra effort to make me go back to sleep.
Oh and finally, a blog isn't a work of literature or any double and triple edited newspaper item. Its just an output for all the random, insane thoughts that keep popping in there, more so when there is an exam the next day.
Have fun for a day people and get back to studying. The big mama of all exams coming up. Pray for good luck if you're playing roulette like me. Slog your ass off if you think you've got a decent chance coz you might just make it.
Cheers
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Growth rate, dal roti and criminals
Define a politician.... Ans, A person who is good at everything other than what he is supposed to be good at.
Define a wannabe politician... Ans, Someone who's great at what he does, but wants to suck at it by joining politics.
And that's exactly what Baba Ramdev (The semi naked baba who teaches yoga and is a regular bane to people with grandparents, especially when there's an awesome movie going on) is planning to do. Bored with teaching the same old stuff, the great baba is planning to flaunt his own political party. "Stick to your yoga" is what I wanted to tell him when I was reading this article in the Times when I noticed one of his dialogue. He said "Manmohan Singh is a great economist and understands the economics growth rate very well, but he does not understand the economics of dal roti."
I scoffed at this statement just like you might be doing now, but there is some truth to it. An increased growth rate is good for a nation, but the nation mostly consists of people who don't give a rat's fart for the growth rate. They want dal roti for their daily lives, and reduced prices in their daily essentials. What use is an increased growth rate when there is inflation. An Economist might disagree with me saying that Growth rate and Inflation are different things, but the reality is that the people of the country are not economists. All i need is for the price of my vegetables to go down, bugger the growth rate.
Nevertheless, Baba Ramdev, never in a hundred years will you get my vote. I would rather put my trust on Manmohan Singh and his Harvard degree and would sooner have him lead the nation.
Political sense seems to have been flushed down the loo in the Deve Gowda household, with both father and son trying to outdo each other for the place of "The most ridiculed" title in Karnataka politics. The constitution says that criminals who have been sentenced cannot stand for elections while it gives the green signal for people who have been acquitted.
Its easy for us to say that people who have been charged with an offence also be denied the chance but it is very unrealistic. All someone has to do then to prevent a candidate from taking part in the elections is frame him in some dacoity or murder ( I guess I've been watching too much kannada soap, and I know doing that is difficult, but its still not impossible) There is nothing that can be done by the judiciary in this regard. All lies in the voters' hands. Vote for the right person if you have a vote.
Campaigning for the BBMP elections is getting more annoying daily. Y?esterday was the height when there were two autos, one from Congress and the other from BJP, trying to outshout each other on the mike. the result was a nasty case of noise pollution and nothing more. If everybody who moves about with those candidates makes sure that their families vote for him then the candidate is going to win with ease. Unfortunately, most people campaign for money and nothing more.
Anyway, coming back to second PU exams, half our fates are decided already. The other half will be decided on April 28 and 29. All the best folks. But remember, a wise man once said "Marks dont maketh a man, it only makes proud parents and nosy relatives"
P.S. the wise man is me :P
Define a wannabe politician... Ans, Someone who's great at what he does, but wants to suck at it by joining politics.
And that's exactly what Baba Ramdev (The semi naked baba who teaches yoga and is a regular bane to people with grandparents, especially when there's an awesome movie going on) is planning to do. Bored with teaching the same old stuff, the great baba is planning to flaunt his own political party. "Stick to your yoga" is what I wanted to tell him when I was reading this article in the Times when I noticed one of his dialogue. He said "Manmohan Singh is a great economist and understands the economics growth rate very well, but he does not understand the economics of dal roti."
I scoffed at this statement just like you might be doing now, but there is some truth to it. An increased growth rate is good for a nation, but the nation mostly consists of people who don't give a rat's fart for the growth rate. They want dal roti for their daily lives, and reduced prices in their daily essentials. What use is an increased growth rate when there is inflation. An Economist might disagree with me saying that Growth rate and Inflation are different things, but the reality is that the people of the country are not economists. All i need is for the price of my vegetables to go down, bugger the growth rate.
Nevertheless, Baba Ramdev, never in a hundred years will you get my vote. I would rather put my trust on Manmohan Singh and his Harvard degree and would sooner have him lead the nation.
Political sense seems to have been flushed down the loo in the Deve Gowda household, with both father and son trying to outdo each other for the place of "The most ridiculed" title in Karnataka politics. The constitution says that criminals who have been sentenced cannot stand for elections while it gives the green signal for people who have been acquitted.
Its easy for us to say that people who have been charged with an offence also be denied the chance but it is very unrealistic. All someone has to do then to prevent a candidate from taking part in the elections is frame him in some dacoity or murder ( I guess I've been watching too much kannada soap, and I know doing that is difficult, but its still not impossible) There is nothing that can be done by the judiciary in this regard. All lies in the voters' hands. Vote for the right person if you have a vote.
Campaigning for the BBMP elections is getting more annoying daily. Y?esterday was the height when there were two autos, one from Congress and the other from BJP, trying to outshout each other on the mike. the result was a nasty case of noise pollution and nothing more. If everybody who moves about with those candidates makes sure that their families vote for him then the candidate is going to win with ease. Unfortunately, most people campaign for money and nothing more.
Anyway, coming back to second PU exams, half our fates are decided already. The other half will be decided on April 28 and 29. All the best folks. But remember, a wise man once said "Marks dont maketh a man, it only makes proud parents and nosy relatives"
P.S. the wise man is me :P
Monday, March 8, 2010
Kannada Cinema
Is it only me, or does everyone get a grimace on their face after listening to or reading about kannada cinema? I am talking about today's cinema and not of the yester years. We all know and like to believe that the movies of yester years were amazing.
I will not go on about how kannada, on a broader spectrum, regional cinema sucks, but try to find out why these people are not able to get over rowdies and girls acting like "You Know What"s. (Starts with 's' and ends with 't' and no marks for guessing what it is)
1) Most film-makers are supposedly under the impression that people like to see other people being chopped up and surreal action scenes which end up looking idiotic. People, the days of Jogi are long gone. Nowadays, even techies, who used to keep yapping in english even when the whole group consisted of kannadigas are starting to talk kannada, and if I may add so, with a certain degree of pride. The kannada cinema audience no longer consists of wannabe rowdies and the so-called 'porki's who come into our mind whenever we think of a theatre showcasing a kannada movie.
And lets face it, however hard you try, you film-makers will never be able to mimick a Mission Impossible or a Terminator. Anyone who has seen those movies will surely walk out, or fall asleep during one of your action scenes.
2) To all script writers and directors. A heroine DOES NOT MEAN and arm candy. There are so many more sensitive roles that only a woman can play. And when I talk of an actress, I dont mean that girl whom you saw walking on the road and the next day she becomes a heroine. Qualifications for being an actress should just not be a pretty face and the ability to dance seductively. There is so much more to acting.
3) Especially to some new kannada hero called Akshay Kumar... I was watching one of those film review shows and this dude's movie had just been released. He humbly requested all the people to go watch the movie because IT HAD LOTS OF GREAT DANCE STEPS AND GOOD ACTION SCENES. NOT AN EFFIN WORD ABOUT THE STORY OR THE PLOT OR THE ACTING. Who wants to go spend, rather waste a whole afternoon watching dance and fights? Has the movie been reduced to just dance and fights and songs?
4) Songs... There have been some amazing songs in the post Mungaru Male times. But lets be realistic. If I am watching a movie, I certainly will laugh at some rowdy hero singing about love in complex lyrics. Please have songs which relate to the film in some way.
5) Casting... The casting sucks. Because none of the heroes knows anything other than kicking butt and none of the heroines knows anything other than dancing with skimpy clothes. We have heroines like Ramya who cant even deliver a dialogue and needs a voice-over for her films. Doesn't that kind of defeat the entire purpose of her acting? Isn't acting maimly about dialogue delivery among other things?
The Hindi cinema is coming of age now. They have finalyy figured out what people like to see and are doing a good job. There is atleast one radical, very different movie every year. Lets just hope that the Kannada cinema gets over Annavru and the golden olden days and comes down to earth. Rajkumar was a good actor, I agree, but his romance movies no longer work. Think out of the box and give us more to see and digest.
I will not go on about how kannada, on a broader spectrum, regional cinema sucks, but try to find out why these people are not able to get over rowdies and girls acting like "You Know What"s. (Starts with 's' and ends with 't' and no marks for guessing what it is)
1) Most film-makers are supposedly under the impression that people like to see other people being chopped up and surreal action scenes which end up looking idiotic. People, the days of Jogi are long gone. Nowadays, even techies, who used to keep yapping in english even when the whole group consisted of kannadigas are starting to talk kannada, and if I may add so, with a certain degree of pride. The kannada cinema audience no longer consists of wannabe rowdies and the so-called 'porki's who come into our mind whenever we think of a theatre showcasing a kannada movie.
And lets face it, however hard you try, you film-makers will never be able to mimick a Mission Impossible or a Terminator. Anyone who has seen those movies will surely walk out, or fall asleep during one of your action scenes.
2) To all script writers and directors. A heroine DOES NOT MEAN and arm candy. There are so many more sensitive roles that only a woman can play. And when I talk of an actress, I dont mean that girl whom you saw walking on the road and the next day she becomes a heroine. Qualifications for being an actress should just not be a pretty face and the ability to dance seductively. There is so much more to acting.
3) Especially to some new kannada hero called Akshay Kumar... I was watching one of those film review shows and this dude's movie had just been released. He humbly requested all the people to go watch the movie because IT HAD LOTS OF GREAT DANCE STEPS AND GOOD ACTION SCENES. NOT AN EFFIN WORD ABOUT THE STORY OR THE PLOT OR THE ACTING. Who wants to go spend, rather waste a whole afternoon watching dance and fights? Has the movie been reduced to just dance and fights and songs?
4) Songs... There have been some amazing songs in the post Mungaru Male times. But lets be realistic. If I am watching a movie, I certainly will laugh at some rowdy hero singing about love in complex lyrics. Please have songs which relate to the film in some way.
5) Casting... The casting sucks. Because none of the heroes knows anything other than kicking butt and none of the heroines knows anything other than dancing with skimpy clothes. We have heroines like Ramya who cant even deliver a dialogue and needs a voice-over for her films. Doesn't that kind of defeat the entire purpose of her acting? Isn't acting maimly about dialogue delivery among other things?
The Hindi cinema is coming of age now. They have finalyy figured out what people like to see and are doing a good job. There is atleast one radical, very different movie every year. Lets just hope that the Kannada cinema gets over Annavru and the golden olden days and comes down to earth. Rajkumar was a good actor, I agree, but his romance movies no longer work. Think out of the box and give us more to see and digest.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Simple Pleasures
I recently read an article in the TOI regarding the very easily available sexually explicit material for youngsters and the "pornification of society" (I'm not making this up, those were the very words used). Reading about how pre-teens are using, rather, abusing the internet made me wonder about my school days and my life as a pre-teen. Forget the internet, I never had time enough to play outside.
My early life was a truly spectacular one considering the positive impact it has had on me as a person. Those were days when a simple one rupee lollipop could keep me engrossed and smiling the whole day. Growing up was even more fun with so many interesting things to build and destroy using toy bricks. I was made to eat healthy home-food on days when I was hell bent on eating outside thus making a rare visit to a hotel a truly satisfying experience. A 5 rupee MTR softee would make a day and time spent playing in the park, an amazing time. A few years down the road, cricket entered my life and representing my club was a matter of great pride. A half century lifted one to the status of a demi-God and a century took one all the way up Mount Olympus, onto the lap of Zeus Himself.
School was an entirely different story, but almost same in essence. There were friendships, fights, competitions, speeches, and first time experiences with crushes, that was the limit of sexuality.
The other day I was talking to a teacher of mine who taught us in school. She now teaches in Brigade School, clearly the school for the creamy layer. I was shocked to find that their lunchboxes contained spaghetti(still don't know what that is, but definite that it can never beat good old masala dosa) and pizza and their summer vacations were trips to Europe and other such countries. Their pocket money was in thousands and none of their mobile phones a cent below 20k. I seriously believe that we have to pity such children.
What excitement will they have in their lives? We all have certain goals in our life and all the goals aim at bettering our positions in life, monetarily, aesthetically and philosophically. When you already have the best of everything, what further improvement can happen in your life. The journey of life ought to start with nothing and end with everything. It is the journey that counts and perhaps not the end result. It is the journey that is exhilarating. It is the journey that moulds your character. But what journey can you make if you already have the end result? that too without even realizing its worth?
Most of today's problems with the youth taking up vices like smoking and drugs is an offshoot of the lack of a firm grounding and moral values that ought to be taught at home. If I am given a 100 rupee note, when all I needed was a hug of comfort from my parents, I would also end up like that. The misguided sense of love by many parents in willingly encouraging their children in their misbehaviors is truly tearing the delicate social fabric apart. A sense of superiority which is instilled in the minds of young children from a young age will definitely see them becoming arrogant later in life.
Extra money in hands of young children will obviously result in them misusing it, especially with the internet at everybody's fingertips. What is the need for a child of 10 to sit at home and surf the internet when he can be playing outside. Why should a child of 10 worry about looks and comfort when he/she ought to be rolling about in the mud having the time of their lives getting dirty. When will they ever know of the fun in falling and getting hurt and wearing the scar proudly for a long time? When can completing a scenario in Warcraft ever substitute jumping on muddy puddles after rain and later getting yelled at by parents? When can they truly experience the fun there is to be had in drinking tap water if they have been drinking mineral water all their lives?
Pray for the days of old to come back. Pray for days when children do not need PSP s to take the place of good old Cadbury Eclairs. Pray for the days of Simple Pleasures
My early life was a truly spectacular one considering the positive impact it has had on me as a person. Those were days when a simple one rupee lollipop could keep me engrossed and smiling the whole day. Growing up was even more fun with so many interesting things to build and destroy using toy bricks. I was made to eat healthy home-food on days when I was hell bent on eating outside thus making a rare visit to a hotel a truly satisfying experience. A 5 rupee MTR softee would make a day and time spent playing in the park, an amazing time. A few years down the road, cricket entered my life and representing my club was a matter of great pride. A half century lifted one to the status of a demi-God and a century took one all the way up Mount Olympus, onto the lap of Zeus Himself.
School was an entirely different story, but almost same in essence. There were friendships, fights, competitions, speeches, and first time experiences with crushes, that was the limit of sexuality.
The other day I was talking to a teacher of mine who taught us in school. She now teaches in Brigade School, clearly the school for the creamy layer. I was shocked to find that their lunchboxes contained spaghetti(still don't know what that is, but definite that it can never beat good old masala dosa) and pizza and their summer vacations were trips to Europe and other such countries. Their pocket money was in thousands and none of their mobile phones a cent below 20k. I seriously believe that we have to pity such children.
What excitement will they have in their lives? We all have certain goals in our life and all the goals aim at bettering our positions in life, monetarily, aesthetically and philosophically. When you already have the best of everything, what further improvement can happen in your life. The journey of life ought to start with nothing and end with everything. It is the journey that counts and perhaps not the end result. It is the journey that is exhilarating. It is the journey that moulds your character. But what journey can you make if you already have the end result? that too without even realizing its worth?
Most of today's problems with the youth taking up vices like smoking and drugs is an offshoot of the lack of a firm grounding and moral values that ought to be taught at home. If I am given a 100 rupee note, when all I needed was a hug of comfort from my parents, I would also end up like that. The misguided sense of love by many parents in willingly encouraging their children in their misbehaviors is truly tearing the delicate social fabric apart. A sense of superiority which is instilled in the minds of young children from a young age will definitely see them becoming arrogant later in life.
Extra money in hands of young children will obviously result in them misusing it, especially with the internet at everybody's fingertips. What is the need for a child of 10 to sit at home and surf the internet when he can be playing outside. Why should a child of 10 worry about looks and comfort when he/she ought to be rolling about in the mud having the time of their lives getting dirty. When will they ever know of the fun in falling and getting hurt and wearing the scar proudly for a long time? When can completing a scenario in Warcraft ever substitute jumping on muddy puddles after rain and later getting yelled at by parents? When can they truly experience the fun there is to be had in drinking tap water if they have been drinking mineral water all their lives?
Pray for the days of old to come back. Pray for days when children do not need PSP s to take the place of good old Cadbury Eclairs. Pray for the days of Simple Pleasures
Friday, February 26, 2010
Soap songs and morons
The title rhymes!!! I'm a poet and I did not know it!! :P (that rhymes as well!!)
We all know that Bungee jumping gives us a high. But bungee jumping without the bungee gets you so high that it takes you straight to heaven. Proof? the people who jumped from the top floors of Carlton Towers. Murphy's Law: "If anything can go wrong, it will. If anything can prevent it from going wrong, it wont work".
Let us understand the relevance of this great statement and have a moment's silence for all the people who tried to bungee jump from the top of Carlton Towers without a safety harness.
What do you do when you are stuck at home with no TV, nothing interesting on the computer, the same old food to eat and infinite repulsion to anything that vaguely resembles a textbook? You make a list of all things that make no sense in the world and write it in your blog.
Soap Songs...... Probably the most irritating songs in existence (i.e. not considering the songs sung by the great Himesh Reshammiya... hope the spelling is right. If not who cares? ). If ever there was a set of songs guaranteed to make you mad enough to try challenging the might of a brick wall with the hardness of your skull, it is these songs. What pray is the big idea behind torturing co-watchers by playing an irritating tune to taunt an irritated mind? The songs by themselves have no meaning. They are mostly used as alarms to alert the weak ears of old people and coax them into increasing the volume.
Pramod Muthalik... Another person who is off his rockers. He should be kept under observation in NIMHANS and should be used as an example in lectures on megalomania and fanaticism. Mr.Muthalik, Please read the Ramayana. You act like a babboon besmeared with bubotuber pus(for more on bubotuber read harry potter. LOL another rhyme!). Looking at you in the news irritates me more than a particularly nasty itch in a particularly nasty part of my anatomy.
America's Got Talent... 4 people sitting on a table and millions of moronic Americans looking to sing in front of them. This show also irritates me. The reason I even watch the show is that it comes after "Friends" and before "Baywatch". :P
Vodafone's Missed calls... Almost as irritating as soap songs.
Switching between soaps and cricket match and finally ending up watching neither... Usually happens during a cricket match is on and the remote is in the hands of your soap-addicted grandpa. IT SUCKS.
Kannada movies... Not even worth mentioning but one of the things that does irritate me. Why script writers and producers can't see past filthy rich chicks falling for filthy looking heroes, action scenes that are even more moronic beats me. WAke up People!!
Sania... Whatshername??? oh! right! Mirza... It woudnt be surprising if you see her travelling on a local bus the next time you visit Hyderabad. She's finished.
BJP... Almost as finished as Sania Mirza. Atleast in Karnataka if they continue to have idiots like V.S.Acharya in the cabinet.
My IIT aspirations... gone, vanished, finished, non-existant.
Anyway, Mad MARCH coming up. I am in desperate need for some interest in studies. And horrible second prep marks didn't help either. All the Best. May the Gods favor you.
We all know that Bungee jumping gives us a high. But bungee jumping without the bungee gets you so high that it takes you straight to heaven. Proof? the people who jumped from the top floors of Carlton Towers. Murphy's Law: "If anything can go wrong, it will. If anything can prevent it from going wrong, it wont work".
Let us understand the relevance of this great statement and have a moment's silence for all the people who tried to bungee jump from the top of Carlton Towers without a safety harness.
What do you do when you are stuck at home with no TV, nothing interesting on the computer, the same old food to eat and infinite repulsion to anything that vaguely resembles a textbook? You make a list of all things that make no sense in the world and write it in your blog.
Soap Songs...... Probably the most irritating songs in existence (i.e. not considering the songs sung by the great Himesh Reshammiya... hope the spelling is right. If not who cares? ). If ever there was a set of songs guaranteed to make you mad enough to try challenging the might of a brick wall with the hardness of your skull, it is these songs. What pray is the big idea behind torturing co-watchers by playing an irritating tune to taunt an irritated mind? The songs by themselves have no meaning. They are mostly used as alarms to alert the weak ears of old people and coax them into increasing the volume.
Pramod Muthalik... Another person who is off his rockers. He should be kept under observation in NIMHANS and should be used as an example in lectures on megalomania and fanaticism. Mr.Muthalik, Please read the Ramayana. You act like a babboon besmeared with bubotuber pus(for more on bubotuber read harry potter. LOL another rhyme!). Looking at you in the news irritates me more than a particularly nasty itch in a particularly nasty part of my anatomy.
America's Got Talent... 4 people sitting on a table and millions of moronic Americans looking to sing in front of them. This show also irritates me. The reason I even watch the show is that it comes after "Friends" and before "Baywatch". :P
Vodafone's Missed calls... Almost as irritating as soap songs.
Switching between soaps and cricket match and finally ending up watching neither... Usually happens during a cricket match is on and the remote is in the hands of your soap-addicted grandpa. IT SUCKS.
Kannada movies... Not even worth mentioning but one of the things that does irritate me. Why script writers and producers can't see past filthy rich chicks falling for filthy looking heroes, action scenes that are even more moronic beats me. WAke up People!!
Sania... Whatshername??? oh! right! Mirza... It woudnt be surprising if you see her travelling on a local bus the next time you visit Hyderabad. She's finished.
BJP... Almost as finished as Sania Mirza. Atleast in Karnataka if they continue to have idiots like V.S.Acharya in the cabinet.
My IIT aspirations... gone, vanished, finished, non-existant.
Anyway, Mad MARCH coming up. I am in desperate need for some interest in studies. And horrible second prep marks didn't help either. All the Best. May the Gods favor you.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Awkwardness
I had been to a function today. It was one of those aftermath events of the wedding. The groom's side hosted the girl's side a luncheon and I was invariably dragged along.
The wedding was of a supposed near cousin. The only glitch is that I never knew that such a cousin existed a couple of years back. I did not go to the wedding citing obvious reasons like exam and stuff, but today my aunt, the groom's mother insisted that I come and there I was.
The reason we had gone there was to have BK. "BK" is a acronym for Bitti Koolu which literally translates to Free Meals in Kannada. So we went there about an hour before lunch, the time which is socially accepted. Late enough to go willfully drag yourself to get ready and early enough not to appear rude and blatantly show to the world that you went there just for BK. I really don't know what purpose it serves because everyone present there knows that you have come for exactly that, though nobody says it aloud.
Moreover it was only for "immediate relatives", the so called "first circle", and I knew absolutely nobody there. I go there and I hear loud voices and laughter from inside. That was the first dampner on what little enthusiasm I had. Its bad enough introducing yourself in a company that comprises of people about 10 years elder, its even worse when they are enjoying themselves and may see you as a possible spoil-sport. I step inside and everybody starts staring at me. Though the stare lasted only for a moment, it feels like eternity by the time they take their eyes off you and return to their chatter. Let me mention here that the newlyweds and all other family members are extremely good people. But however good or accommodating they are, it is impossible not to feel that sense of alienism, that sense of unbelonging. It might not be there the next time I go there, but the first time it was blatant.
I got myself a seat in as obscure a place possible in a perfect rectangular hall with almost no walls to hide behind. And after answering the usual questions like which class and college, I settled down with a newspaper, acutely conscious of every movement in the room. I would have had so much to offer in that conversation if it was in group I was familiar with.
And after that it was all wait for the food, hog and then rush back home.
Unfortunately the food arrived late and the guests even later. We were the only fools who had gone there so early especially for BK and did not have brains enough to come fashionably late like so many others.
It is always in such circumstances that one realizes the true worth of time. IT seems like such a waste reading about bloody Bt Brinjal while waiting for food in an unknown place with all unknown faces around you. I spent about 2 hrs there and was almost fuming by the time I actually got home. If I was at home, I would have probably wasted that time anyway, but when time is wasted and it is not our doing, I bet everyone gets wild.
And what did I do after coming home? Kept switching between the cricket match and Lagaan (Amazing movie by the way :P ). AVS ans HSN would have committed suicide if they realized that an IIT Desirous, 2nd PU student had been to a function just 24 days before the board exams and wasted 2 hrs. To hell with them.
P.S. I dont get the lozic behind the bride's side having to pay for the expenses of the marriage. It ought to be shared equally. The very gesture probably shows the concern that the groom and his family have and will show for the daughter-in-law of the house. But who am I to question 2 millenniums (or millenia???) of chauvinistic tradition.
Good night
Have my physics practicals tomorrow. May the Gods be merciful and give me Ohm's law.
The wedding was of a supposed near cousin. The only glitch is that I never knew that such a cousin existed a couple of years back. I did not go to the wedding citing obvious reasons like exam and stuff, but today my aunt, the groom's mother insisted that I come and there I was.
The reason we had gone there was to have BK. "BK" is a acronym for Bitti Koolu which literally translates to Free Meals in Kannada. So we went there about an hour before lunch, the time which is socially accepted. Late enough to go willfully drag yourself to get ready and early enough not to appear rude and blatantly show to the world that you went there just for BK. I really don't know what purpose it serves because everyone present there knows that you have come for exactly that, though nobody says it aloud.
Moreover it was only for "immediate relatives", the so called "first circle", and I knew absolutely nobody there. I go there and I hear loud voices and laughter from inside. That was the first dampner on what little enthusiasm I had. Its bad enough introducing yourself in a company that comprises of people about 10 years elder, its even worse when they are enjoying themselves and may see you as a possible spoil-sport. I step inside and everybody starts staring at me. Though the stare lasted only for a moment, it feels like eternity by the time they take their eyes off you and return to their chatter. Let me mention here that the newlyweds and all other family members are extremely good people. But however good or accommodating they are, it is impossible not to feel that sense of alienism, that sense of unbelonging. It might not be there the next time I go there, but the first time it was blatant.
I got myself a seat in as obscure a place possible in a perfect rectangular hall with almost no walls to hide behind. And after answering the usual questions like which class and college, I settled down with a newspaper, acutely conscious of every movement in the room. I would have had so much to offer in that conversation if it was in group I was familiar with.
And after that it was all wait for the food, hog and then rush back home.
Unfortunately the food arrived late and the guests even later. We were the only fools who had gone there so early especially for BK and did not have brains enough to come fashionably late like so many others.
It is always in such circumstances that one realizes the true worth of time. IT seems like such a waste reading about bloody Bt Brinjal while waiting for food in an unknown place with all unknown faces around you. I spent about 2 hrs there and was almost fuming by the time I actually got home. If I was at home, I would have probably wasted that time anyway, but when time is wasted and it is not our doing, I bet everyone gets wild.
And what did I do after coming home? Kept switching between the cricket match and Lagaan (Amazing movie by the way :P ). AVS ans HSN would have committed suicide if they realized that an IIT Desirous, 2nd PU student had been to a function just 24 days before the board exams and wasted 2 hrs. To hell with them.
P.S. I dont get the lozic behind the bride's side having to pay for the expenses of the marriage. It ought to be shared equally. The very gesture probably shows the concern that the groom and his family have and will show for the daughter-in-law of the house. But who am I to question 2 millenniums (or millenia???) of chauvinistic tradition.
Good night
Have my physics practicals tomorrow. May the Gods be merciful and give me Ohm's law.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Baar Baar Barber
I had a haircut today, hence this post. I'm really not able to resist logging onto the net so i might as well write something.
My visits to the barber, ever since I was 6 years old has been a monthly affair. Get up early, go to the barber's shop, tell him just one word "Short" and wait and watch till he hacks off that thick bush on top of your head and then get up and go home. Never, I repeat never have I ever had more than a one word conversation with any barber, until today. And so far my visits to the barber have been hassle free.
Visiting a barber is similar to living in Afghanistan. You have no freedom and you are completely at their mercy. If they screw up your hair, then there's no fixing it back.
Even today I went a bit late, so there were already some people there. The usual banter in Tamil was going on. As always there was today's edition of Bangalore Mirror. I don't know whether it is a coincidence or not, but whenever I see someone reading that paper, its always in THAT PARTICULAR PAGE. No points for guessing which page. Anyway, today an old man of around 50 years was reading it. I wondered what use it could be to him. As always I picked up a copy of filmfare magazine. Interestingly, irrespective of all the newspapers and magazines, it is Filmfare which is most read. (For proof, just look at its condition the next time you go to a barber)
It is completely irritating how all the old guys turn their heads towards you and give you that rueful headshake. Completely pissing off. The other dude was reading "Ask the Sexpert" for Ol' Pete's sake and nobody even raises an eyebrow. Many even kept glancing into what I was reading from time to time. The same ones who gave the rueful headshake and the "See what the world is coming to" looks to each other.
Anyway, after all this tamasha, I finally got to go sit on the chair. I was getting comfortable in the seat when the guy who was supposed to give me a haircut wanted to attend nature's call. The idiot did not return for quite a long time. I usually spend time like that making irritated faces, and when I get bored of that trying out with different looks and gazes at the mirror. Afterall that's right in front of you. What I did forget was that the whole bloody room is full of mirrors and any monkey-like action I do is visible to everybody. So finally stopped acting the goof.
At last the guy came back. I got was about to fall into the familiar stupor and submit myself to his will, become a puppet in his hands when he gave me a look. I replied "Short". HE continued to give me the look and then he asked me "Slope or rounded" I had never heard both words related to haircut before. He took 2 minutes explaining what they were and I finally settled on slope. He tried to ask me few more questions but then realized its futility and started with the familiar hacking and snipping.
I am sure all of you will agree that the waiting part is quite boring. For the first time, I actually remembered how I spent that time.
1) First tried to give that dignified image. Closed eyes, the serious thinking expression. Realized nobody cared.
2) After the initial putting of water and combing was done and the first bit of hair fell down, I tried to open my eyes and started to guess where he would cut hair next. That also got quite boring after some time.
3) It is most fun when half your hair is cut. The barber keeps combing and recombing it to cut somewhere else, and you end up with some amazing hairstyles, although only temporarily. The best thing to do now is try giving different poses to best suit the hairstyle.
4) I still have not gotten over the dreadful feeling of how short the hair actually gets when he's done with the cut. One moment, it's all glamorous and stylish and the next moment its just plain old normal you with a typical scrawny look and very less hair on your head.
Happens to everybody I suppose. But my head does feel a lot lighter after the cut.
Need not trouble myself for another month atleast.
Does it happen with anybody else or is it only me who fears getting his hair cut after studying something. I have this absolutely insane notion that whatever we read gets stored in the hair. You lose the hair, you lose what you have studied. :P Stupid I know but its always nice to have those small superstitions to yourself.
Bye.
My visits to the barber, ever since I was 6 years old has been a monthly affair. Get up early, go to the barber's shop, tell him just one word "Short" and wait and watch till he hacks off that thick bush on top of your head and then get up and go home. Never, I repeat never have I ever had more than a one word conversation with any barber, until today. And so far my visits to the barber have been hassle free.
Visiting a barber is similar to living in Afghanistan. You have no freedom and you are completely at their mercy. If they screw up your hair, then there's no fixing it back.
Even today I went a bit late, so there were already some people there. The usual banter in Tamil was going on. As always there was today's edition of Bangalore Mirror. I don't know whether it is a coincidence or not, but whenever I see someone reading that paper, its always in THAT PARTICULAR PAGE. No points for guessing which page. Anyway, today an old man of around 50 years was reading it. I wondered what use it could be to him. As always I picked up a copy of filmfare magazine. Interestingly, irrespective of all the newspapers and magazines, it is Filmfare which is most read. (For proof, just look at its condition the next time you go to a barber)
It is completely irritating how all the old guys turn their heads towards you and give you that rueful headshake. Completely pissing off. The other dude was reading "Ask the Sexpert" for Ol' Pete's sake and nobody even raises an eyebrow. Many even kept glancing into what I was reading from time to time. The same ones who gave the rueful headshake and the "See what the world is coming to" looks to each other.
Anyway, after all this tamasha, I finally got to go sit on the chair. I was getting comfortable in the seat when the guy who was supposed to give me a haircut wanted to attend nature's call. The idiot did not return for quite a long time. I usually spend time like that making irritated faces, and when I get bored of that trying out with different looks and gazes at the mirror. Afterall that's right in front of you. What I did forget was that the whole bloody room is full of mirrors and any monkey-like action I do is visible to everybody. So finally stopped acting the goof.
At last the guy came back. I got was about to fall into the familiar stupor and submit myself to his will, become a puppet in his hands when he gave me a look. I replied "Short". HE continued to give me the look and then he asked me "Slope or rounded" I had never heard both words related to haircut before. He took 2 minutes explaining what they were and I finally settled on slope. He tried to ask me few more questions but then realized its futility and started with the familiar hacking and snipping.
I am sure all of you will agree that the waiting part is quite boring. For the first time, I actually remembered how I spent that time.
1) First tried to give that dignified image. Closed eyes, the serious thinking expression. Realized nobody cared.
2) After the initial putting of water and combing was done and the first bit of hair fell down, I tried to open my eyes and started to guess where he would cut hair next. That also got quite boring after some time.
3) It is most fun when half your hair is cut. The barber keeps combing and recombing it to cut somewhere else, and you end up with some amazing hairstyles, although only temporarily. The best thing to do now is try giving different poses to best suit the hairstyle.
4) I still have not gotten over the dreadful feeling of how short the hair actually gets when he's done with the cut. One moment, it's all glamorous and stylish and the next moment its just plain old normal you with a typical scrawny look and very less hair on your head.
Happens to everybody I suppose. But my head does feel a lot lighter after the cut.
Need not trouble myself for another month atleast.
Does it happen with anybody else or is it only me who fears getting his hair cut after studying something. I have this absolutely insane notion that whatever we read gets stored in the hair. You lose the hair, you lose what you have studied. :P Stupid I know but its always nice to have those small superstitions to yourself.
Bye.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
