There are times...good times we spend, which we realize only long after. This thinking in retrospect and then brooding over had I done that ...and had I not is something I have been dealing with for quite sometime.
During my brief stint at Uncle Sam's country, I had this roomie. He was a mad Bong. Quasi-American or at least that’s how he liked to put it. The term madness is pretty relative. It starts from absolute craziness and tends towards absolute indifference and it largely depends on the extent of madness that you have handled before. This roomie of mine with a heart of gold was somewhere perfectly balanced in the middle of craziness and indifference. If ever in life you have seen a freaky computer geek for whom the whole world was around Data structures, algo's, AI's, DNA structures then this guy was actually a lot different. Now that you are confused how Data Structure can go along with DNA, I must state that I am more than undereducated to explain that. He seemed to have figured out a way to interpret the DNA structures with Data Structures or something like that. At time people say Ignorance is Bliss. What I figured out was Ignorance was by choice. Anyway I could not make out the head and tail out of the lectures that he used to give, not that I was really trying, but I always appreciated his effort. You had to, when you see someone sleeping 4 hours a day by choice just to dedicate himself to such R&D. More so when for someone like me who could not fathom class, inheritance of OOP in 2 years, and seeing someone using it like ping pong balls, a sense of respect is bound to generate automatically.
By the time I had left the country, this guy had credited to himself a book that helped thousand people solve thousand problems that was published by a well known publisher. My claim to fame- well a few pictures I had taken on my digicam for the book, and some countless lunches and dinners I had cooked for him during this time. Its not that I didn't enjoy my stay with him. He was really funny with a decent sense of humor and nice to hang around with. We used to travel a lot together and good part was, these are the times probably a miniscule of his entire life that he spent not thinking about all those #####.
Having said all that I was amazed at this guy's capability of trusting people right from the word go. It was just that we did hit off well from the very acquaintance stage and now we are really good friends. Had it not been like that i would have never really got to know this person, who is one of his kind altogether. Never ever he realized that going into a good restaurant and asking the waiter to deliver whatever was best was actually asking him to come and rob him off. I still remember those waiters taking the onus of selecting delicacies that never tasted like they were supposed to when ordered and trust me they were like dipped in French Wine, then prepared in heaven and transported to earth for his royal highness to savor.
People who belong to the generation prior to ours have a strange notion of solving every problem with marriage. It doesn’t always work, but at times it does. For thus guy it was a miracle of sorts. We still have chat over phone; most of it is spent in discussing what he had for lunch and dinner, prepared by his loving wife. Considering the kind of involvement he had with books and technical journals when people around him spent most of the time appreciating the beauty of the opposite sex, this is a change that must have taken a herculean effort. I truly appreciate his wife and I believe she is any day a better manager than most of us have at office. Having stayed with him and seen everything first hand, I must say this lady can give the IVY League grads a run for their money.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
I have grown UP !!!
Approximately 25 years of disillusionment is all i can claim them. A realization that has come in good time.
Initially it was all about hogging the limelight, getting whatever I wanted (the best of chocolates available in the market. I still remember those). But life does not treat you good for long. Thus came the era of the schools and all the pandemonium along with it. It was like Hell Broke loose. Back then the world was a newer place and the mind had the space and intention of absorbing all the new things. It was soon that the traits of a demon in the making started coming out. Alas, my teenage prayers weren't answered and it eroded my initial faith in God who was called on for life-death situations a 13 year old faced - annual results, recitations on annual day in school. Fared poorly in Math’s, don't remember in which standard, but still remember the spanking from my dad. Took a bold initiative of reciting a poem on Annual Day in school. Got stuck at the first para itself. Attempt 2 - got stuck at the second last para again. So near yet so far. Final attempt - just recited the first and the last para and fled from the stage. Got appreciations anyway for my never say die attitude and the unconquerable fervor that I had. It was so unlikely of me that now it seems I was doped by someone. I even remember that I had also prayed and fervently hoped that POET whoever wrote that piece, would drown in the lake beside my school. I still remember my inability to walk up or down stairs. I always skipped a step, running up or down the stairs. I don’t recall any particular moment in the past from where to source this anomaly from. Then came the years where every beat of the song sent blood pumping through my system. I felt strange, it was like living my dream, life was like crazed out, it was absolutely mad and crazy, every thing is broken up in trances, and every thing is psychedelic, blue lights...purple lights. Thereafter a phase that was dominated and well spent to be honest just by the admiration of the opposite sex. Still remember those discussion forums on the intricacies of the human body and the strange way it behaved when subjected to some external stimuli. Learnt the difference between voluntary and involuntary actions. But now I have grown up. How do I know that???? I do not drink tea in the morning with my pinky raised anymore. My pants don't become too tight at the crotch, and the invisible pulsating forces throbbing underneath that threatened the seams have now calmed down. I am no more enraged as a wild beast can be enraged. My fingernails are not overgrown, as I bite them off before they see the light of the day (thanks to my 9-9 job!!!). My brain is incapable of accessing higher functions as it has been forced day in and day out to perform a ordinary task ordinarily.
Initially it was all about hogging the limelight, getting whatever I wanted (the best of chocolates available in the market. I still remember those). But life does not treat you good for long. Thus came the era of the schools and all the pandemonium along with it. It was like Hell Broke loose. Back then the world was a newer place and the mind had the space and intention of absorbing all the new things. It was soon that the traits of a demon in the making started coming out. Alas, my teenage prayers weren't answered and it eroded my initial faith in God who was called on for life-death situations a 13 year old faced - annual results, recitations on annual day in school. Fared poorly in Math’s, don't remember in which standard, but still remember the spanking from my dad. Took a bold initiative of reciting a poem on Annual Day in school. Got stuck at the first para itself. Attempt 2 - got stuck at the second last para again. So near yet so far. Final attempt - just recited the first and the last para and fled from the stage. Got appreciations anyway for my never say die attitude and the unconquerable fervor that I had. It was so unlikely of me that now it seems I was doped by someone. I even remember that I had also prayed and fervently hoped that POET whoever wrote that piece, would drown in the lake beside my school. I still remember my inability to walk up or down stairs. I always skipped a step, running up or down the stairs. I don’t recall any particular moment in the past from where to source this anomaly from. Then came the years where every beat of the song sent blood pumping through my system. I felt strange, it was like living my dream, life was like crazed out, it was absolutely mad and crazy, every thing is broken up in trances, and every thing is psychedelic, blue lights...purple lights. Thereafter a phase that was dominated and well spent to be honest just by the admiration of the opposite sex. Still remember those discussion forums on the intricacies of the human body and the strange way it behaved when subjected to some external stimuli. Learnt the difference between voluntary and involuntary actions. But now I have grown up. How do I know that???? I do not drink tea in the morning with my pinky raised anymore. My pants don't become too tight at the crotch, and the invisible pulsating forces throbbing underneath that threatened the seams have now calmed down. I am no more enraged as a wild beast can be enraged. My fingernails are not overgrown, as I bite them off before they see the light of the day (thanks to my 9-9 job!!!). My brain is incapable of accessing higher functions as it has been forced day in and day out to perform a ordinary task ordinarily.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Human Being of the 2nd kind !
Human Beings to my belief are of 3 kinds. Unmarried Male, Married Male, and Female. I propose that scientifically they should be distinguished as Homo Sapiens and Home (read that as homay.. sounds scientific) Sapiens. The 3rd type doesn't need any distinction though it might be said and felt, is the most dominating of the three. The 2nd variety of the species I believe has over the ages evolved into a highly adaptive, receptive, predictive and preemptive kind. The interesting part is that, the second part is a metamorphosed version of the first kind, however defying every law science it does not have any traits or characteristics of its parent. A DNA analysis on this matter is yet to be performed and that I believe needs to be performed by the first type (for all who are already confused...first type refers to unmarried male).
Let’s now delve into how this metamorphosis takes place.
•The most drastic change is in the eating habits. Brunch in the weekends is now a forgotten concept, as one is already half way through the day at the time of brunch. Wholesome food becomes a part the diet, which in turn results in a change in measurement in the lower abdominal area. Wine replaces beer as the drink of choice. Home cooked food should be a reason for delight.
•Refreshing the wardrobe which was previously undertaken on a as needed basis now becomes a bi-weekly ritual. There is a conscious effort to make it quality compliant, given a chance it might be grilled through the PCMM standards. Even documenting it is important, as there is a monthly exit test on the stats of the process.
•The cozy bed which was earlier used also as a book rack, a computer table, a CD holder, a walk in closet is now only a butt resting place.
•Quiet dinners at home with guests are in, Night Outs with friends at the local pubs and discos are a POC. A Statement earlier is only a Suggestion now.
•The Kitchen all of a sudden becomes cramped with, plates distinguished separately for guests and self, knives designated for different items, glasses designated for different drinks (I wish it was for liquor), detergents designated for utensils and washing hands, toasters, juicers, grinders, grillers, mixies, tea coasters, coffee makers and the list is endless.
•Add to this one is supposed to keep a track of new household grocery store coming up in locality, the cheapest grocery store in town, furniture outlets giving discounts, different brands of female cosmetic products, gold rate in the jewelry market, the most happening holiday destination and some more.
Coming back to the important point where we started of. The formation and existence of this second type of species has long been ignored and whether this metamorphosed version is beneficial for the human race is still a topic of discussion and debate. On the contrary one should keep in mind that the birth of this second kind stemmed from the requirement of a happy and peaceful living of the third kind.
Let’s now delve into how this metamorphosis takes place.
•The most drastic change is in the eating habits. Brunch in the weekends is now a forgotten concept, as one is already half way through the day at the time of brunch. Wholesome food becomes a part the diet, which in turn results in a change in measurement in the lower abdominal area. Wine replaces beer as the drink of choice. Home cooked food should be a reason for delight.
•Refreshing the wardrobe which was previously undertaken on a as needed basis now becomes a bi-weekly ritual. There is a conscious effort to make it quality compliant, given a chance it might be grilled through the PCMM standards. Even documenting it is important, as there is a monthly exit test on the stats of the process.
•The cozy bed which was earlier used also as a book rack, a computer table, a CD holder, a walk in closet is now only a butt resting place.
•Quiet dinners at home with guests are in, Night Outs with friends at the local pubs and discos are a POC. A Statement earlier is only a Suggestion now.
•The Kitchen all of a sudden becomes cramped with, plates distinguished separately for guests and self, knives designated for different items, glasses designated for different drinks (I wish it was for liquor), detergents designated for utensils and washing hands, toasters, juicers, grinders, grillers, mixies, tea coasters, coffee makers and the list is endless.
•Add to this one is supposed to keep a track of new household grocery store coming up in locality, the cheapest grocery store in town, furniture outlets giving discounts, different brands of female cosmetic products, gold rate in the jewelry market, the most happening holiday destination and some more.
Coming back to the important point where we started of. The formation and existence of this second type of species has long been ignored and whether this metamorphosed version is beneficial for the human race is still a topic of discussion and debate. On the contrary one should keep in mind that the birth of this second kind stemmed from the requirement of a happy and peaceful living of the third kind.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
When grey becomes white..
This post is an after effect of the freezing temperature in this record breaking (or should I say thrashing) summer of Kolkata...Life has changed in the last few months. I thought I changed place of work for better. In retrospect....I am still confused...Most of the time these days, I spend the greater part of my waking hours in a place which is maintained at a constant cold twenty degrees.This I believe is a genuine effort to conserve the residual grey matter of the mortals.Why not change this to a morgue???...It doesnt look like living creatures are inside anyway... In any case after a stretch of 30-40 hours in this place, I guess even grey changes to white..Not sure but I think the white matter has greater fighting capabilities than grey....(as a matter of fact my life science knowledge has luanched a thousand debates during my lifetime itself....quite an achievement huh!!!) Sometimes I seriously wonder if people higher up do really have such a high level of intellect or is it just a fallout of some incapable moron whose grey is now covered in cheese after all those pizza dinners that we have had.
Even today I fail to understand....
From the day Sense started prevailing...or at least I felt so...I have not charted on the way others had...or I didnt think as others thought and this has continued ever since. For my friends...they felt it was normal that insanity dominated a sane person at times...but then for some it was subdued madness that was wrongly mistaken as raw intellect. Even at the moments of enlightenment (all of a sudden I am thinking of the emergency light in a loadshedding).......I HAVE FAILED TO AWAKEN MY HEART to the joy...of understanding things as they should be understood.....Even today I fail to understand....
Last 5 minutes to Say
If we discovered that we had only 5 minutes left to say what we wanted to say, every telephone booth would be occupied by people calling other people to stammer that they loved them, but people forget that the better you know someone, the less there is to say. Or maybe, there's less that needs to be said. We always fear of losing but you would never know how special someone is until they leave, but maybe sometimes its important to leave, so they are given that chance to see how special that someone really is.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
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