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Sep 25, 2008

Back page of my journal



In anyone’s notebook, the back page is the most personal of all the pages. It’s quite unethical to dig into some one’s personal belongings (the last page of journals in this case), but I am blessed with this habit. I wouldn’t want to leave any chance of getting to know the person better, for good or for bad. So sometimes I secretly used to peep into those last few pages in the notebooks of my pals. And of course this was before we all went paperless.

To your surprise, you can get to know a lot about the owner of that notebook. I found a lot of stuff there… Some were scribblers, some organizers, mathematicians, self-obsessed, and some sketchers. Other things I found there were phone numbers, random thoughts, budgeting, famous quotes, and even personal thoughts. These are like key words to the owner’s personality.

If we talk about my journal’s back page, I would say I have been through phases. I started with being an autograph taker (of course the signatures were mine). Tried different styles and ways to sign. I have been a scribbler too. I used to write the darnest stuff ever! Comments on people walking by, how I love being with some one, or how I hate the chemistry class. You could find it all on that page. And yeah how can we forget the tic-tac-toe and F.L.A.M.E.S!!

Even now, I like to write comments about people, funny, weird, sometimes really mean too… in classrooms, at airports, cafeteria, malls, could be just anywhere. I also wrote interesting stuff sometimes, like a quote that I read on billboard while traveling on a bus, or what I felt like when I was on the way to an interview, or when I was just sitting by the window watching the rain pour…

I always prayed that no one reads them, but could never quit the habit.

My favorite was professor cartoons. Hehe! And yeah, I wrote articles too! Yes I confess! I have written articles and blogs while in class that somehow turned out to be the most interesting ones.

And guess what… the blog you just read was written on the back page of my logbook, while sitting in the lab. Ah! Now you know what I am talking about!

Sep 22, 2008

Morning blues!


Getting so early to work is a big deal for me

7 in the morning! Ah! It’s an ordeal for me

An everyday challenge, I don’t know how I manage

Every morning I forcefully open my eyes

And drag myself out of the bed

I splash water on the still-so-sleepy eyes

Only to turn them in to burning red

Every day I wonder why that happens

But not finding the answer, I just move on

Breakfast and dressing up!

Putting on the work clothes and make up on

I enjoy dressing up for work

Formals and heels

But I hate to sacrifice

That extra half an hour of morning sleep

For me, it’s nothing less than bliss

Rushing through the cup of morning coffee

I wonder what the day beholds

Planning, planning and some more

I wonder why I have to follow the clock

Why can’t I just go when I want to?

Oh yeah!

Cz if I get to do that, I will never go…



Sep 17, 2008

Little things matter


I came across this little speech somewhere... After Sept. 11th, one company invited the remaining members of other companies who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their available office space. At a morning meeting, the head of security told stories of why these people were alive. And all the stories were just:
the 'L I T T L E' things.

Little things that make our days annoying. Like when we spill coffee on our desks, when we are rushing to catch a bus and the boring neighbor stops us to say hi and ask hows everything going, when we drive to work and the guy right ahead of us drives at 20 mph on a 45 mph speed zone, when your boss gives you that extra work right when you are ready to leave...

The security head told the survivors...
As you might know, the head of the company survived that day because his son started kindergarten..
Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time.
One was late because of being stuck in an auto accident.
One of them missed his bus.
One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.
One's car wouldn't start.
One went back to answer the telephone.
One had a child that dawdled and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.
One couldn't get a taxi.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone, spill things... I think to myself, this is exactly what I am supposed to be doing at this moment. I don't get annoyed by this any more.

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you!

May we all be blessed with all those annoying little things that make our life and may we remember their possible purpose.

Sep 11, 2008

War between languages!

The Republic of India, Federal republic Parliamentary democracy, with a population of 1,132,446,000, and official languages of Hindi and English. Most people in this country speak Hindi; it’s a declared official language along with English.

British brought English with them. They left the country in 1947, but I think they forgot to take their language with them. We owe them for this! Really! After all, India’s large English speaking population is what’s bringing more global business to the country. On a more personal ground, I feel that it’s easier (at least for me) to communicate my thoughts in English than in Hindi. I can say anything deep, meaningful and convoluted in English without making it sound too dramatic or tacky. Several examples exist. Imagine an evening when the guy drops his girlfriend back home after a date. While bidding good bye, he says ‘I love you sweet heart. Have a good night.’ Sounds normal right? Well let’s try this in Hindi now… Translation in simple day-to-day use Hindi would be ‘Jaanu, main tumse bahut pyar karta hu. Asha karta hu ki tumhari raat achchi beete’ Damn!! What a turn off! That was one. Now I don’t even want to go into translations of the curse words.

But I am sure it’s not the case for all. Some might feel more comfortable speaking in Hindi. Girls… How many times have you heard ‘I wanna friendship (read as phrandsip) with you’ or ‘I doesn’t goes there’. Ridiculous! But what I don’t understand is, why do these dudes even use English at all? Proposing a girl for friendship or whatever, is definitely not the best time to practice/improve your English speaking skills. Especially when you are talking to an Indian girl, who surely speaks Hindi (or at least one the regional language). Clearly, they are trying to play ‘cool dudes’.

So here is my point… Why a ‘cool dude’ talks only in English? Is speaking in Hindi that un-cool in a country called Hindustan? Strange!

It is becoming a social norm slowly. Go to any big city, and you will hear the youngsters talking, walking and mocking the language. It sure is cooler, but that still doesn’t make Hindi un-cool. In spite of being the official language, Hindi is not that well accepted by the so-called-sophisticated society. Just a few minutes ago, I was ridiculed for the reason that I studied in a school where the medium of instruction was Hindi. Hell no! All my courses (Mathematics, Science, Reading, and of course English) were taught in English. Only social studies were in Hindi. Which actually made me pretty proficient in the language. I read some famous Hindi literature also. It gave me an insight to a different perceptive. I am sure the Indian youth is missing out on this kind of literary work. But when I moved to a different school after 8th grade it was taught in English. But wait a minute, Hindi or English, how does that matter? Is that a reason to laugh at some one? Did it make a difference in what kind of person I am? Or how I talk? Or how I think? Well I don’t think it did, except it exposed me to a native world which is hidden from a lot of my fellows.

So instead of feeling low about being laughed at, I feel proud of myself. And like myself even more J By this post, all I want to convey to the readers is that don’t let English over shadow our own language, Hindi. You might feel more comfortable speaking in one or the other language, but please don’t disrespect the language, don’t type cast it. Next time when you talk to me, I might not speak a single Hindi word, but always know that I love the language!!