The Rickshaw did not even halt fully when i find myself jumping out of it and running across the road. I knew i was very late and that the chances of my missing the pick up van and ending up late in office were high .I walk the entire strtch of the overbridge clutching my handbag ,scarf , hanky , mobile (all in one hand!!!) and the ticket in the other hand ( this hand is usually kept free to defend the self from assaults (pushing) of fellow commuters (all of them seem to have been sumo wrestlers ) ). Just towards the end i see the Ticket checker when i realised that i forgot to punch my ticket .Very grudgingly i went back , punched it and ran towards the platform (by this time i too had become a sumo wrestler "in the making" ).Just as i set foot on the platform the train starts ..Bad luck !! Cursing the train i wait for the next train and the wait seems to be everlasting.
Finally a slow train comes crawling and it seems to be on a slow motion sight seeing ride ( My BP shoots and i curse myself this time for boarding this bullock cart).There i am clinging on to some rod sticking out of somewhere, doing a balancing act , standing on one foot .. and here i see two girls happily leaning on me and chatting away to glory . In the midst of this torture , i become spectator to two women picking up a quarrel and hurling at each other the finest of "gaaliyan" just because one stepped over the others foot!!! (here everyone would be happy if they get a place to keep just one foot on the floor and ... ) . Amidst this commotion a little girl comes selling trinkets at throw away prices and i see all the ladies forgetting their balancing act and rush towards the girl (God some breathing space atlast )...By the time i reach Goregaon am drenched in sweat (Havent even reached office ).But even as the train slows down i find myself being pushed out and there i land on the platform. Picking myself up and thanking God for being alive , i walk towards the bus stop.
Realising that i still could make it to the pick up , i start running towards the stop. But just as luck would have it , the pick up leaves in front of my sight , me being late by a few seconds .This time ,cursing the driver,i take an auto and finally reach the office towers , only to realise that i left my access card at home .............
......... And thus i ended up as a fitting finale to the run up of errors , sporting a big visitor sticker (so big just to tell everyone . "hey look at me , i am the one who forgot to get THE access card " )and tagging behind an "escort" the entire day.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Where small is lucrative
The mind is so filled with clutter that it becomes so difficult tomake a simple decision. The decision was to zero down on a topic to write about (Why is it that the most simple of decisions are the toughest to make ? like suddenly somebody asks u tell a joke/ story ... and you are struggling to pull one out of your mental clutter !!! ). Anyways i finally decided to write on one of my passions .. (God now this is really simple .. but again what will i write on when i am done with all my favourites !!! )
Finally the world (automotive ) is waking up to the fact that small can be powerful, beautiful and of course lucrative .It all started with the ambitious project of the Nano and then within a year we have almost all the top players competing to launch their own versions of a car in the small segment.Toyota , which never wanted to step out of the luxury car segment also wants to desperately launch a small car.
Inspite of the recent slump in the automobiles segment , it did not deter these makers from setting to launch their cars in 09- 10 . The segment has become lucrative because of
1. Number wise :A rise in the upper middle class population ( largely due to white collar employees )
2.Buying power wise :The recent pay revision, lucrative salaries (corporate sector )
3. Cars wise :Attractive Variety and style in the new models / versions not compromising on quality
4.Behaviour wise :These new upper class consumers have always dreamt of owning a car ( when they were in the lower middle class ; and jump at an early opportunity to fulfill this dream )
Moving further ,the new launches lined up for the next 10 months are refreshing and attractive . Take a look
1. The JAZZ by Honda
2. The RITZ by Maruti
3. The NANO by Tata
4.The BEETLE by Volkswagen in the small cars segment .
Friday, January 30, 2009
An Illusion ???
Why is it that most of the time we make our judgments and decisions based on mere physical appearances ? Why is it that we fail to look beyond beauty ? Why is it that we like only perfect things though we may be comfortable being imperfect ourselves ?
We learn so much about inner beauty , real person/thing , deceptive appearances etc yet very happily fall for the thing that meets the eye and love what we see. I have often wondered if such a love is true and to what extent .We are very comfortable being with people like us but when it comes to some one who is differently abled or someone who needs constant support , be it even an ailing person ,or say an aged relative who needs a little extra care, our views and feelings change! Initially we are overwhelmed with a feeling of pity, empathy, etc etc . but beyond that we are not very comfortable with them. If it has to be something like taking care of them or even something as simple as helping them cross a road , we feel hesitant , coz it is embarrassing/time consuming/burden for us. We are not very comfortable taking care of them , which explains the increasing number of youngsters who are willing to pay a little extra and put their old parents in old age homes rather than take care of them at home. They feel they are fulfilling their duty by paying for their expenses whereas what they might have actually needed is a little of their time and care.
In the same way we are ready to preach , about how we need to help the differently abled but when it comes to actually helping them we conveniently turn a blind eye. But we do claim we feel sorry for their condition and we would love to “ do something” for them !! While we “appreciate” their struggle against odds , we are not willing to accommodate them as one among us or even fight for their rights.
Are we capable only of loving fancy things ? beautiful things ? perfect things ? And what after the beauty fades ? does the love also fade away? was it ever there to fade away ? was it love or mere infatuation or say a relationship for mutual gain ? We seem to like those to whom we needn’t give much but who can give us much… We claim to “feel” for someone but cant actually love that person if he /she needs extra time/effort from my side …. What is this supposed to be ? I feel we are supposed to be called HYPOCRITES !!and that all Love is an ILLUSION.. ..
We learn so much about inner beauty , real person/thing , deceptive appearances etc yet very happily fall for the thing that meets the eye and love what we see. I have often wondered if such a love is true and to what extent .We are very comfortable being with people like us but when it comes to some one who is differently abled or someone who needs constant support , be it even an ailing person ,or say an aged relative who needs a little extra care, our views and feelings change! Initially we are overwhelmed with a feeling of pity, empathy, etc etc . but beyond that we are not very comfortable with them. If it has to be something like taking care of them or even something as simple as helping them cross a road , we feel hesitant , coz it is embarrassing/time consuming/burden for us. We are not very comfortable taking care of them , which explains the increasing number of youngsters who are willing to pay a little extra and put their old parents in old age homes rather than take care of them at home. They feel they are fulfilling their duty by paying for their expenses whereas what they might have actually needed is a little of their time and care.
In the same way we are ready to preach , about how we need to help the differently abled but when it comes to actually helping them we conveniently turn a blind eye. But we do claim we feel sorry for their condition and we would love to “ do something” for them !! While we “appreciate” their struggle against odds , we are not willing to accommodate them as one among us or even fight for their rights.
Are we capable only of loving fancy things ? beautiful things ? perfect things ? And what after the beauty fades ? does the love also fade away? was it ever there to fade away ? was it love or mere infatuation or say a relationship for mutual gain ? We seem to like those to whom we needn’t give much but who can give us much… We claim to “feel” for someone but cant actually love that person if he /she needs extra time/effort from my side …. What is this supposed to be ? I feel we are supposed to be called HYPOCRITES !!and that all Love is an ILLUSION.. ..
Monday, November 24, 2008
The craving for attention
All of us are attention seekers, albeit to different extents .
The way we market ourselves , the way we speak, walk, the wardrobe we choose, the latest hairstyle that we try, infact many things we do in a social setup are all aimed at seeking attention , consciously or subconsciously, if not everyones , atleast the approval of a select few's . When we entertain a crowd , the chaos a gang of fun loving students create, when a singer performs on stage , when you complete a task and look at your friend or boss with meaningful eyes , expecting a pat for the job you did,the number of times you look at the mirror, the way you suddenly start talking in a loud or obvious manner in a group.... and the list goes on .... we never even realise that we require so much attention.
Now what i would like to explore is
1. why the need for attention
2. why some people crave for attention
THE NEED
Why should we get an approval from someone else about how we do a particular thing , when in the first place we like , or are comfortable with it ?
Maybe it is because we would like to dress according to their tastes and so have the sense of security that their approval and hence their support would lend. It is the need for social security.
This again arises because we have a sense of insecurity ourselves.We are all born with a little bit of this insecurity. Even a child throws tantrums to seek attention. Perhaps a little bit of this attention seeking is natural.Also associated with this is our lack of belief in the self . We dont believe that people would accept us the way we are , so an attempt to appease them. But why should we appease them ? Security again ... . Here again one may argue that there are a few who live life their way , least bothered about social norms... but dont you think that is another form of attention seeking ? the attention bestowed is negative , but it doesn't matter to them , they get talked about ;which might not have happened had they been an ordinary person.
CRAVING
In the above cases the person is satisfied when he gets the attention he seeks.
But there are a lot many people , who are never satisfied with all the attention that they get. They go out of the way to seek this attention and always feel dissatisfied , lonely and neglected.
perhaps this is the case with all of us for different reasons ...
how many times have we complained ... "that sir would never even look at our bench ", "that person would'nt even bother to talk to people like us " , " oh do you still remember me ? "
though what we felt would not have been the case.
This might perhaps be attributed to the mental attitude and the emotional background of the person. The person might not have found acceptance somwhere at some point in childhood , perhaps from a parent or a friend ...... and so feels that whatever he does he is stil not going to gain acceptance ( though this might not be the case with him now ) . thus they might be a nuisance to those around them , or in their quest , might exhibit negative behaviour such as pessimism , sarcasm , dominance , defensive , or possessiveness.
ILLUSION
My question is ,
how do we deal with such people .. and how do you help them overcome this ( if at all )...
open to all suggestions and criticisms
The way we market ourselves , the way we speak, walk, the wardrobe we choose, the latest hairstyle that we try, infact many things we do in a social setup are all aimed at seeking attention , consciously or subconsciously, if not everyones , atleast the approval of a select few's . When we entertain a crowd , the chaos a gang of fun loving students create, when a singer performs on stage , when you complete a task and look at your friend or boss with meaningful eyes , expecting a pat for the job you did,the number of times you look at the mirror, the way you suddenly start talking in a loud or obvious manner in a group.... and the list goes on .... we never even realise that we require so much attention.
Now what i would like to explore is
1. why the need for attention
2. why some people crave for attention
THE NEED
Why should we get an approval from someone else about how we do a particular thing , when in the first place we like , or are comfortable with it ?
Maybe it is because we would like to dress according to their tastes and so have the sense of security that their approval and hence their support would lend. It is the need for social security.
This again arises because we have a sense of insecurity ourselves.We are all born with a little bit of this insecurity. Even a child throws tantrums to seek attention. Perhaps a little bit of this attention seeking is natural.Also associated with this is our lack of belief in the self . We dont believe that people would accept us the way we are , so an attempt to appease them. But why should we appease them ? Security again ... . Here again one may argue that there are a few who live life their way , least bothered about social norms... but dont you think that is another form of attention seeking ? the attention bestowed is negative , but it doesn't matter to them , they get talked about ;which might not have happened had they been an ordinary person.
CRAVING
In the above cases the person is satisfied when he gets the attention he seeks.
But there are a lot many people , who are never satisfied with all the attention that they get. They go out of the way to seek this attention and always feel dissatisfied , lonely and neglected.
perhaps this is the case with all of us for different reasons ...
how many times have we complained ... "that sir would never even look at our bench ", "that person would'nt even bother to talk to people like us " , " oh do you still remember me ? "
though what we felt would not have been the case.
This might perhaps be attributed to the mental attitude and the emotional background of the person. The person might not have found acceptance somwhere at some point in childhood , perhaps from a parent or a friend ...... and so feels that whatever he does he is stil not going to gain acceptance ( though this might not be the case with him now ) . thus they might be a nuisance to those around them , or in their quest , might exhibit negative behaviour such as pessimism , sarcasm , dominance , defensive , or possessiveness.
ILLUSION
My question is ,
how do we deal with such people .. and how do you help them overcome this ( if at all )...
open to all suggestions and criticisms
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Last 16 Hrs before an exam
Enough of wasting time .. i have to start atleast now if i want to pass ..suddenly my head is spinning and i dont know where to start from, i dont even know the syllabus !!! ( now i know what you are thinking of me ;) but then i have managed to pass this way for the past 5 years ) . with my brand new , just dusted books, i set off seeking advice from all those generous souls who are midway through and wouldn't mind letting a word or two of advice slip from their mouths .
After admiring their sincerity and learning prowess, i finally get a hang of the enormity of the portions and wisely decide that this is not the time to display my chivalry and attack the portions from the front . Instead i get those "Important Questions " ( somehow ,only those would not show up in the question paper tomorrow , by Murphy's Law) from my "well wishers" and set of on this formidable quest for a pass mark.
Last 14 hrs
I realise that i am getting nowhere , and then meticulously plan out a strategy ( which i know am never going to implement) and decide that it would be better to start full fledged after dinner .
During dinner i see all intellectuals of my class engrossed in discussion , teaching ,comparing status ... omg where am i ?
After a hurried dinner, on the way back i find consolation in the fact that a few poor souls like me exist too and we all decide to tackle the challenge through " combined studies " .
After a while into the combined studies i find that we are only discussing how to study , what to study,but not studying actually , i decide alone would have been better , and head to my room.
6 hrs before
"and marketing of perishable goods like apples ... and Newton made a living by selling apples .... selling is not marketing understanding consumer .. goods washing machine .. Newton is washing clothes ... "
what !!!! it was a dream ....omg i've been sleeping all the while thinking that i am reading...
the remaining hours are spent skimming the pages, half asleep , audio learning (friends recite the lessons to me )and finally rush off to the hall just on time .
The dread is here
Happy that some of the questions i prepared for have come , i start to write the answer . but the pen doesnt move, suddenly everything is blank .. i remember the humorous analogy that sir had derived for easy recall , but now i recall only the humor and not the concept !!
Very sure that i would be coming again to give this paper a second time, i set off creating my own stories , proposing theories and explanations ( i take time to giggle at them too ) , cursing the education system and finally hand over my research paper well before time .
The irony
I make sure that my parents are mentally prepared to accept news of my flunking , desperately pray for mercy that i dont deserve and don't even bother to learn the correct answers.
But wonder of wonders most of the times it so happens that i pass . (strange isn't it ??)
Musings
What does the education system attempt to ascertain ? a persons rote memory , his writing ability in those 3 hrs ? and how do these help in guaging a persons true command over the subject ? The system should have a gamut of more practical, logical and application oriented tests .And these should be on a continuous assessment basis .
Illusions
This is too far fetched an idea and if anything the system will only go worse , what with a 5 th class kid already being burdened with IIT coachings and schools with no playground becoming the order of the day .....
After admiring their sincerity and learning prowess, i finally get a hang of the enormity of the portions and wisely decide that this is not the time to display my chivalry and attack the portions from the front . Instead i get those "Important Questions " ( somehow ,only those would not show up in the question paper tomorrow , by Murphy's Law) from my "well wishers" and set of on this formidable quest for a pass mark.
Last 14 hrs
I realise that i am getting nowhere , and then meticulously plan out a strategy ( which i know am never going to implement) and decide that it would be better to start full fledged after dinner .
During dinner i see all intellectuals of my class engrossed in discussion , teaching ,comparing status ... omg where am i ?
After a hurried dinner, on the way back i find consolation in the fact that a few poor souls like me exist too and we all decide to tackle the challenge through " combined studies " .
After a while into the combined studies i find that we are only discussing how to study , what to study,but not studying actually , i decide alone would have been better , and head to my room.
6 hrs before
"and marketing of perishable goods like apples ... and Newton made a living by selling apples .... selling is not marketing understanding consumer .. goods washing machine .. Newton is washing clothes ... "
what !!!! it was a dream ....omg i've been sleeping all the while thinking that i am reading...
the remaining hours are spent skimming the pages, half asleep , audio learning (friends recite the lessons to me )and finally rush off to the hall just on time .
The dread is here
Happy that some of the questions i prepared for have come , i start to write the answer . but the pen doesnt move, suddenly everything is blank .. i remember the humorous analogy that sir had derived for easy recall , but now i recall only the humor and not the concept !!
Very sure that i would be coming again to give this paper a second time, i set off creating my own stories , proposing theories and explanations ( i take time to giggle at them too ) , cursing the education system and finally hand over my research paper well before time .
The irony
I make sure that my parents are mentally prepared to accept news of my flunking , desperately pray for mercy that i dont deserve and don't even bother to learn the correct answers.
But wonder of wonders most of the times it so happens that i pass . (strange isn't it ??)
Musings
What does the education system attempt to ascertain ? a persons rote memory , his writing ability in those 3 hrs ? and how do these help in guaging a persons true command over the subject ? The system should have a gamut of more practical, logical and application oriented tests .And these should be on a continuous assessment basis .
Illusions
This is too far fetched an idea and if anything the system will only go worse , what with a 5 th class kid already being burdened with IIT coachings and schools with no playground becoming the order of the day .....
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