You Know That You Need A Social Life

I realise that NITK isn't exactly a bohemian hot-spot and that I don't really fit the party-hopping stereotype, (as my sister loves to point out - "you're soooo boring!") but this December was a real social low. Here's a handy list to know when you need a new social life:

1. The only messages you get on your phone are Google Calendar reminders (pick up such-and-such form, pay so-and-so bill etc.)
   
2. You keep your phone switched off for nearly two weeks and don't miss a single call/message/S.O.S./whatever (even the said reminders choose not to arrive!)
3. The only sound your phone makes is due to the morning alarm.
   
4. Your cell-phone balance (of Rs. 30) remains nearly the same for over a month.
5. You spend a lot of time staring at a nearly empty GTalk list, wondering who is still undisturbed (read not-yet-contemplating-justifiable-homicide) by your boredom.
6. You start writing about random events (you should read some of the drafts on this blog - even I find them nonsensical)
7. You find yourself alone on New Year's Eve (even my parents and sister decided to give me the slip :D)
8. Your childhood friends become extra-busy, so much so that you are cut off mid-sentence with promises of "I'll call you back" which never materialise.
9. Your favourite songs are those about heartaches, loss, sadness, rainy nights and silence.
10. You open your mail-box on the hour, every hour, hoping for some signs of your friends.
11. Your only mails are from News and Techno-geek websites. (apart from regular Calendar reminders :P)
    

The high point over the past three weeks would have to be a brilliant vacation that I really enjoyed. Apart from that, it was a bit of a depressing end to the decade. Thankfully, things are beginning to look up, now that I'm back in college. Happy New Year!

The First of The Last(s)

Another day, another week, another year and yet another semester. Just what makes this particular one worth blogging about? (here's the part where I like to delude myself that this blog has some standards...)
Well, it just happens to be the last semester (hopefully) that I shall spend at NITK, Surathkal, my second home for the past three and a half years. Today, I began my eighth semester with the usual frustrating queues for paying mundane fees, something that can easily be avoided by the tiniest bit of computerisation. As I finished every frustrating formality that could be possibly devised, I realised one thing - that however much I may gripe, crib or complain about the procedure, there is going to be a part of me (in this case, a very very small part) that will actually miss such tasks. I realised that this was probably the last time I was going to stand in a line, trying to get past reluctant people with shouts of "final year, final year". And then it hit me - It's going to be one long semester of "last-times". The last Inci, the last Engi (already over, courtesy our administration) the last time we sat on the terrace, the last time on the beach, the last time at the temple, the last time at the top of the lighthouse, the last time getting high on cheap booze. (for the more experimental among my friends!) I also realised one other thing - I don't have to feel bad that it's the "last time". All I need to do is ensure that I stay happy, and try to enjoy every moment of this semester. Sure as hell, it promises to be like no other. So, here's wishing all my fellow "final" years - Happy new year, and a very happy last semester! May this be the best "last-time" ever!

C'est La Vie!

It's the most discussed emotion, and perhaps the least understood. It has sunk ships, destroyed cities, dethroned emperors and made many seemingly wise men loose their heads. It is also one of the few things that can't really be bought or inherited. Yes, it's that one incomprehensible, illogical yet mandatory emotion, love.
Heh Heh! How was that introduction? Who says you can't make something seem a lot bigger than what it actually is? Who says you can't make the mundane seem magical? Agreed, the above paragraph was a quite pathetic attempt, but you get the picture. In the hands of a competent writer, anything can be made to be bigger than it actually is. Just ask Bollywood.
But seriously, I'd better get to the point before you start cursing your judgement to read this. (if you're still here, of course :D) This post was inspired by a Wodehouse novel that I was reading. (Damsel in Distress, if anyone's curious) Anyone who has read a few Wodehouse novels will be quite familiar with the general layout of any particular book. Man/Woman falls in love with Woman/Man. Due to an unfortunate set of circumstances, said Man/Woman finds himself/herself betrothed to some poor soul who is in love with yet another person. Throw in a bit of English aristocracy, a rural English castle, and you have the makings of a hilarious, light-hearted yet plausible adventure. One of the many interesting parts to this plot caught my eye in this novel. Whenever the feeling of "love" is described in a Wodehouse novel, it is often accompanied by descriptions of the room spinning around the protagonist, the heavens descending in the form of singing angels, the very ground beneath seeming to give way etc. In short, love is described as something that occurs at first sight. Bang! And you are now "in love". Forget "getting to know" someone or "feeling your way" around. You are supposed to know that you are in love, instantly.
While this concept works wonderfully in the world of fiction, can a scenario like this ever occur in the more prosaic world that we live in? The romantic in me (yes, yes, contrary to popular belief, I'm not made of stone - I do have some semblance of emotion as well) certainly hopes so. The other part of me is highly sceptical. The couples that I've seen come together, have done so through a far more mundane route. Months of seemingly innocent conversation, followed by several more months of waiting while one of the partners gathers the necessary courage to actually do something that could lead to the start of a "relationship". This is followed presumably (I'm barely 21 - most couples I know haven't got much further than the hand-holding stage - I refer to mental progress, not physical) by a few years of "getting to know him/her" and maybe, if all things go well, marriage. That's certainly a far cry from the "love-at-first-sight-live-happily-ever-after" that we are all exposed to in our channels of entertainment. Why is there such a huge gap between fiction and reality? Is it because we would like to make-believe that ours isn't a monotonous, boring and lacklustre world? Or is it because of the fact that love at first sight isn't a myth, just something that is fleetingly rare? I hope that it's the latter, (and I hope that I am, someday, the "lucky one") but I suspect that it's the former. As they say, C'est la vie!

Experience and Maturity (or the lack of both :D)

Yes, I know. I seriously need to learn how to come up with better titles for my posts. "Experience and Maturity" - seriously??? Sounds like a bloody platitude. I'm the very last person you should take advice from, believe me. This brings me to my point (I'd bet the word "finally" is going through most people's head right now :D)
Can someone be mature without doing stupid things? The inspiration behind this very irrelevant thought is a conversation I had had with one of my friends. (I have these sort of conversations surprisingly often, given that my EQ is best left undisclosed) During the course of this particular conversation, I picked up on the fact that I may tend to come across as "boring" to most people. (@friend: If you are reading this, no need to clarify your position. I know that "boring" isn't in your description of me ;D) That's true, and I really don't give a damn about it. What was also implied was that I seemed to be "mature" or I had a "level-head". In short, I was the steady, stable guy, as opposed to the "wild" one. Those particular words got me thinking (a sure sign of trouble, isn't it :P) - Can someone be mature without having done stupid things? By "stupid things" I mean the sort of things 20-year-olds do behind their parents' back - dope, booze, sex etc. (Just to clarify, my view on these things is very liberal - You want to do something, go ahead and do it. None of my concern, and I'm nobody to judge) Do you need to actually do these things and then stop doing them, (paradoxical, right?) before you can say that you have grown wiser? Does the saying "wise men learn from others' mistakes" apply here? Or do you need to learn from your own mistakes?
If it's the latter case, I guess I have the maturity of a toddler. (coupled with the emotional range of a teaspoon, it makes for a great combination - just ask some of my friends :D) Heck, even if it's the former, I don't think I've actually learned much - I still feel like I'm fifteen years old, at best. I most definitely don't look any older.

A Matter of Change

No, this post is not about something important/relevant/serious. The title is misleading, as usual.
It's about a strange thing that I've noticed in people. It's got to do with that fact that NOBODY, ever gives me change for a 100 rupee note. Whether I ask a shopkeeper, hawker, auto-driver, bus-conductor (who by simple deduction should have LOADS of change) or even well-dressed passers-by, the result is the same. They look at me as if I'm selling contraband (Psst... wanna buy some stuff???) and shake their heads. (I'd use a few choice words to describe their heads, but that's the subject of another post) At first I thought that it was the fact that I was speaking English that was the problem. Nope! Kannada and Hindi requests (yes, yes, laugh away - but I do speak other languages, and quite legibly at that) end up eliciting the same damn response.
For heavens' sake! it's not as if I'm giving them a fake note. They can check it if they like. It's as easy as holding the thing up against the light and looking at the conspicuous security thread. The note is most definitely genuine. This isn't the 60s anymore, where a Rs 100 note was a rare item, prone to forgery. Further more, do I look capable of a crime? I mean, seriously, look closer. I barely look 18, let alone a hardened forger.
What then, is the issue with helping someone acquire a bit of change? From any angle, changing notes looks beneficial to all the parties concerned. Person A in need of change, gets it and Person B replaces a bundle of notes with a single note. (highly beneficial, considering the fact that Person B a.k.a shopkeeper/conductor/hawker has an excess of change, which he/she isn't possibly going to need) I've tried to come up with an explanation, but I can't seem to find anything apart from the fact that people are just plain rude.

Twit Twit

Twitter. Web 2.0. Micro-blogging. Semantic web. Blah Blah.
Noticed how things are getting shorter and more invasive? From the now ancient e-mail, we've moved on to IM and Twitter. Grammar? Who needs that! Someone's telling us about how he's debating whether to go for a bath or not, and we have the gall to ask for proper English? wtf do we thnk? hes cul, nt lk us.
Who cares if you are debating about improving your personal hygiene? Who cares if you are too sleepy to think? (and by the way, if you're so sleepy, why on earth are you even at a computer to begin with?) We don't think anyone wants to know about how you spent your last ten seconds. We're not in love with you, for god's sake! (Even if we were, we wouldn't be any longer if you made it a point to tell us, every time you coughed)
Whatever happened to the days when people spent hours over a letter, sealing it with perfume (in case it was meant for their special someone) and the lot? We've now been reduced to "I lv u. guess wat i hd fr lnch?" Long conversations involving every topic under the sun have been reduced to a series of profile visits (and photo tags, for the lucky few) on Facebook.
As if telling the world what you're doing every second of every day wasn't enough, we now expect everyone to do so. Hands up, if you want to be informed every time I sneeze. Not too many, are there?
Of course, this is one side of the story. The other side is that there is no escaping the fact that web 2.0 is a fantastic place to sell something. The amount of buzz that can be generated from a Facebook campaign is phenomenal. Just ask Obama. Connecting with people has never been easier. However, what we do with those connections leaves a lot to be desired. A few tags/comments really doesn't do justice to ten years' worth of common experience, does it?

Um, where did you say you were from, again?

This post is dedicated to my roots/origins. For all those who don't know me well enough, I'm half-Punjabi and half-Tamilian. (a stunned silence grips the audience... a few comments ripple through - "he's Tam??? No way. Wait a minute, he just can't be Punjabi either.") As has been well documented by some of my friends, I can barely speak either of my parents' native languages. The only language I can call myself competent in, is English. (shouts of "barely!" ring through the gathering)
Upon hearing my origins, people's responses have been about as varied as they come. Here are a few which I found funny:
1) "Yeah, right" - followed by laughter.
2) "What???" - accompanied with a blank expression.
3) "Impossible!" - the person went on to list a few reasons why I just cannot be tamilian. (I personally think that he was mortified at the fact that I'm half like him) Unfortunately, most of this was said in pure Madras Tamil. I stand a reasonably better chance at Latin.
4) "Eh! No way" - said with a conspiratorial smile. (just who are you trying to fool, eh?)
5) "Oh, that explains it" - and not a word more. Very discomforting.
6) "Ah, OK" - as if accepting the fact that these sort of things happen from time to time. An odd mistake here and there isn't all that bad.
7) "You're joking!" - um, yes. Don't you think I'd have come up with something a little more believable?
8) "Enna da?" - Did you not hear what I said about the language(s)???
Talk about National Integration...

A User's Guide to The Earth

Below is evidence that I'm irritated at the moment. As usual, completely random.

A User's Guide to The Earth

Before you arrive at planet Earth, please take a minute to familiarise yourself with facts about this eccentric planet and its inhabitants. (A bunch of touchy souls best described as being obsessed with little green pieces of paper)
First, you need to know about this insignificant planet you're about to teleport/land/translocate/beam on/to.
1) 3rd planet from a nondescript star on a spiral arm part of the Milky Way galaxy. The star is called the “sun” by earthlings.
2) 80% water, much of it ruined.
3) 20% land, fiercely fought over.
4) 6 billion people, each willing to betray the other for the right price.
5) 190+ countries, every one of them willing to sacrifice young earthlings (they're called “men” and “women” or simply - “humans”) to defend what they see is a right cause. It often is not.
6) 7 continents, not one of them free from weapons designed to eliminate fellow inhabitants of the planet.
7) 20000+ nuclear warheads that could destroy all forms of life larger than a cockroach. Earthlings don't believe in using nuclear reactions the way the rest of the universe does. They seem intent on digging their own grave. (This guide-book cannot be held as accurate at any point in time. One big 'BOOM', and all our statistics need to be rewritten.)
Great. Now you know where this planet is and what it's like. Time for a few tips on how to interact with the local population.
1) Do not stare at people or their body part(s). This makes earthlings really uncomfortable. Before you start getting smug, remember what we were like in our first fifty thousand years.
2) Humans consider the smallest thing a technological marvel. If people comment on how small their phones are, humour them. (Remember that we used “phones” to communicate once too. Small, mobile ones at that. Way back.)
3) Earthlings are not used to people disappearing into thin air. Teleportation is impossible according to the best scientists on Earth. (Humans are like that sometimes – the impossible is often right under their oversize noses.)
4) Some humans are overwhelmingly stupid. They could be shooting themselves in the foot and they won't realise a thing. Don't get irritated, you're only a visitor and the damned place is going to the dogs anyway. Its not like you'd want to come back. (If you do, we suggest you enrol yourself in the nearest mental health facility. Quick.)
5) Humans give a lot of thought to what others think of them. Almost all their actions are directed towards making others think better of them. The clothes they wear, the stuff they put of their faces, the gadgets they use are all things specifically designed to make others jealous. Who needs utility when your neighbour is jealous? Certainly not human beings.
OK. That should give you a fair idea about the planet and its dominant life-form. It should also make you question your sanity in visiting the place. It's not too late to turn around, just press the “save-me” button located near your USI (Universal Standards, Incorporated) seat. If you don't see the button, it's time to sue your transportation agency. If you still wish to continue, then it may just be your funeral. Don't say we didn't warn you!

Don't Laugh...

When was the last time you laughed at someone's antics, secure in the belief that nobody thinks about you in that way? Not too long ago, right?
We love laughing at each other. Someone does or says something stupid and we pounce on him, making him out to be the most idiotic being alive. Some of us don't even need provocation - the poor fellow could be going about his own business in a perfectly normal way and we'd laugh at him anyway. Call it sadistic pleasure or jealous nitpicking, the point is that we love laughing at others and some of us even live for it. When we laugh at someone, most of us think as follows: Is it possible that people could be laughing at me in the same way? Nah... I'm not an idiot, so that's out of the question.
I wouldn't be so sure. Chances are that people laugh at you, only you're just oblivious to it. You're as much a laughing stock as the weirdo down the proverbial hall. In fact, you could be actually funny to others. Maybe its the way you talk or walk. Maybe its the way you eat. Maybe its the way you think. Maybe its the way you write. You could be the world's funniest person without you even realising it. Only people will be laughing at you, not with you. Think about it.

Selfishness

We're all selfish b******* at some level or the other. True? Or do you beg to differ? As usual, I've forgotten to give any sort of introduction to this article. Well, let me correct that.
One of my friends was telling us about a conversation he had with someone last night. The someone was of the opinion that friendship was above all else. In his/her (I can't reveal too much, you know - once bitten, twice shy!) opinion, friends came before oneself. He/She claimed that he/she would sacrifice anything for a friend. Really? I doubt it. See the comments on my earlier post - I've come up with a scenario in which most people will serve their own interests over their friends'.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we are all selfish, narcissistic seven letter words. (or five for the fairer sex) Almost all of us feel proud of the fact that we have a good set of friends. But to what extent would we support them? In most cases where we aren't really affected, we'd back our friends 100%. Imagine a scene where there's a 50-50 chance that by supporting our friends we adversely affect ourselves. Not such an easy choice now, is it?
Consider a situation where backing your friend means that you loose out horribly. You'll still support him? I doubt it. Either you're the Dalai Lama or you're lying through your teeth.
All of us have some sort of purpose in life. (Yes, even me. I may be utterly clueless most of the time but I do have some vague idea of what I want at the end of the day) If people get in our way, we're going to remove them ASAP, irrespective of who they are. Period.

It's All About The Money

Warning: Serious post ahead.
Money. Cash. Paisa. Kaas. Duudu. (Hope I got all the vernaculars right...) Anyway, you've probably got the point of this article by now. As the cheesy line goes, "It's all about the money, honey." How true! I think everything done by most people is centered around earning more of the green stuff. Why are we studying? Why do we want to do an M.S. or an M.B.A.? Because we like it and want to learn more about it for the pure and simple joy of enlightenment? Please. Give me a break! We're doing it because it'll help us rake in truck loads of cash. 75% of people at NITK joined the college for its placements. (Different matter that they maybe wondering where on earth the companies have gone courtesy the recession and other personnel factors...) The remaining 25% have joined because it offers a (slightly) better chance for pursuing a higher degree. Ultimately, everyone here wants to make money. Full stop.
But are we (by this I mean the world) doing the right thing? Do we even bother about human relations other than our families? Most of us would readily back-stab a friend for power/money. (With power comes money and vice versa, so they're really the same thing.) Friendship? Who needs that? Friendship is for powerless losers. All we need is a fat bank balance and twenty minions to order around as we see fit. An average software engineer works about 50-60 hours a week. 60 hours every week till they turn 45 when they start working even more. How many times have they stopped to admire the way rain falls? Or to see the moon play hide-and-seek in between wispy clouds? The closest some of them have come is youtube. Sad. Even exercise is indoors in a controlled 24 degree atmosphere. No more green grass, open air, chirping birds, fluttering leaves in a gentle breeze... in short, no more mother Nature. Who needs her? We've got power yoga followed by an expensive laughter session coupled with Rs. 150 (introductory offer) organic energy drinks. We're too busy caught up in money making schemes to bother with anything else. The world could on the brink of an ecological catastrophe and we'll just continue burning oil while make our useless millions. No matter that we're destroying the only home we'll ever have, we just continue pursuing that elusive rupee. No matter that we're dying younger than ever before, (due to stress, cardiac problems etc.) we just continue pursuing that elusive dollar. No matter that we don't have the compassion to at least think about those less fortunate than us, we just continue pursuing that elusive pound. Let's hope we don't pay our pound of flesh for it. Because that would be one really heavy pound.

Attitude?

Well, I think everyone is fed up of reading my posts related to anywhere abroad. So, I thought I'd return to familiar territory. OK, the subject of this post (more of a discussion actually) is attitude and the many forms that it comes in.
Let me first define what I mean by attitude: A person's way of interacting with others. For example, is someone diplomatic or blunt? That sort of thing. If you prefer some other more appropriate term, go ahead and use it.
The question I wished to ask was this: Is a straightforward (blunt, in-your-face, says things as he/she sees them) person better off than a diplomatic person? When I say better off, I mean in a personal way. Who would you prefer to talk to and why? Personally, I'd like to talk to someone who is blunt. At least I know that he/she isn't just saying things to please me. With a diplomatic person, I'm not so sure. Nothing is more frustrating than getting a diplomatic person to take a stand. Just ask Poi and me. We had probably the most diplomatic person as our room-mate. It was impossible to get his opinion on anything without a maybe/if/but.
I'm on the other hand, quite blunt. At least I was until it really hurt me. I got sidelined when I arguably deserved better. (I think everyone knows what I'm talking about) Ever since then, I've made a conscious effort to be a little bit more guarded in my speech, a.k.a. Diplomatic. But is this what people want? To have everyone talking in words that leave everything ambiguous? I guess so. Sad.
I'd have thought we require more clarity, rather than more ambiguity. What do you think? Are we better off with diplomatic or blunt fellows around us? Do tell me, I'm all ears. (Just look at my pic carefully, will you? :D)

A Little Voice (I Should've Listened To)

Summer Time. Lazing around the house, eating ice-cream and generally feeling peaceful and contented. Yeah right!
That used to be the case until we (by this I mean most college second years) got wind of something called internships/projects. A few months back, EVERYONE I knew was hunting frantically for something worthwhile to do during the summer. Not wanting to be left out, I used all the contacts I could get hold of in order to find a summer intern/project. A little voice in the back of my head kept saying: "Watch it, don't ask too many people - You might get more than you bargained for".
At that time I told that little voice in no uncertain terms to shut up. Big mistake! The funny thing about little voices is that they're always right when ignored.
Three months on, in the middle of summer, do I feel peaceful? Nope, not a chance. Contented? Maybe, in the future-tense sort of way. You know, the kind of feeling you get that tell you what you're doing is good but just not at the moment. Maybe two years from now. That sort of feeling.
So, what am I worried about? I have not one, not two but three projects/interns to worry about. (b.t.w. I say that in a purely self preserving way) Over the past week, I've spent hours at the damn laptop trying to make sense of what in god's good name is going on. Status Report: Hmm.... Let me see.... Still seeing.... Nope not yet... Ah! finally... NEED MUCH SLEEP QUICK.
I can still hear the little voice from the same little corner of my head. Only this time it's saying "See, I told you so". I swear I can also hear a hastily suppressed laugh!

What Men Want (Apart from THAT)

The other day, I came across an article in the Bangalore Times. It explained how women say one thing while meaning something entirely different. The author went on to give a handy "look-up" table (don't ask me where he got that expression from) which would guide a man with regards to what women want.
That got me thinking. Do women keep a handy table to help them understand what we want? Does such a table even exist? I've never come across an article/movie with the title "What Men Want". Are we that obvious?
Hardly. I personally think we're pretty easy going and that's why no one has bothered to explain our actions. (or the lack of it) We're prepared to overlook a lot of things when we are with women. I think it has something to do with our pre-disposition to act the preux chevalier.
Have I got it right or am I sitting happily in delusion-land? I know that I'm far from simple. If I can't understand myself (after nineteen years of trying) then how can I be predictable? Maybe my better half (if and when she comes along) might need a book titled "What Gulati wants"...
Anyone willing to write it?

Childhood

When was the last time you made a paper rocket? (that innocent thing that transforms a piece of paper into an aeronautical marvel) Or played your heart out in the rain, dirt flying everywhere? Or simply marveled at the outside world? For those of you convinced I've finally gone mad, (arbit ramblings - first sign of madness) NO, I haven't lost it just yet.
A few days ago, my sister asked me what I'd have done in the summer holidays at her age. I told her that I'd have spent it making rockets out of my year's used notebooks, playing with my friends esp. in the frequent rains or getting my hands dirty in the backyard. It was then that I realised that I really missed these things. Nobody seemed to be doing them anymore. The last time I played in the rain was over two years ago. Why? Have I simply "grown" up? I don't know. Maybe its time for me to get in touch with my thirteen-year-old self. I should be in for a wonderful time!

Disappointment

It's a part and parcel of life. How you deal with it defines who you are. When viewed in the right way, it can be the most essential thing in life. Disappointment. Something each and every one of us has to go through. Whether it is personal or professional, disappointment cannot be avoided. But how on earth do you deal with it? That overwhelming sense of worthlessness. The feeling that every thing you do is just no good enough. The fact that others have got what you felt you deserved. The tag of “failure” that you inevitably attach to yourself. All your mistakes come right back at you. You feel “if only.........”.

Finally you realise that it wasn't entirely your fault. Things can go wrong. And therein lies the best way to deal with it. Treat each cause for disappointment as something that just “happened”. Never ever doubt yourself. At the end of the day you've got to stick up for yourself. Nobody else is going to do that for you.

Many of you might be wondering why I'm (of all the people) telling you this. Well, I have this theory that my luck follows a yearly cycle. For a good portion of the year, everything goes along nicely. I like what I'm doing and the world seems like a wonderful place. However there is a three-odd month period when things just do not work out. Everything around me seems to be conspiring my downfall. Bad luck seems to be the order of the day.

The funny thing is that I don't grudge these three month lows. I feel they're absolutely necessary. They make me feel very happy during the other nine months (Don't laugh. This is not some rambling by a three year old. At the end of the day, you've got to feel happy. Nothing is worth it if you can't or don't). They also help me maintain a reasonably level head.

So yeah, the next time you're disappointed, look on the bright side. There's always bound to be one. It may not be waving cheerfully at you, but its there all the same.

The Person Sitting Next To You

The next time you take a bus/train/flight, take a little care to observe those sitting around you. Chances are you'll learn a lot. Little things like how they speak, what they wear and how they treat others can tell you a lot about their character. The different ways in which people behave amidst others is fascinating to watch. Small gestures such as eye movement, seating posture and facial expressions give away a lot. An overtly expressive person is in all likely-hood short of confidence. A beautiful woman in the midst of a crowd understandably alters things to a great extent. Most people try and steal covert glances when they think she isn't looking. The more intellectual ones (those that pride themselves as being above such base passions) try and busy themselves with a book/newspaper. A classic way of avoiding social contact is the cellphone. Its very simple to make yourself look busy by typing at random.
I would love to travel with people who aren't evasive. Openness, warmth and good humor make for lively conversations. Maybe the next time you travel, a friendly glance will make the trip seem a lot shorter.

Life As We Know It

When I was walking down the street the other day, I saw a couple of kids playing with an old football. It was torn in several places but nonetheless reasonably round. What fun those two were having! For a few moments I stood watching one of them baffle the other with his trickery and excellent ball-control. This young boy, barely thirteen years of age, had the potential to give any defender serious nightmares.
However, he never will. He lives in a slum near my house and will soon be working for a living. When he turns fourteen, his father will make him work as a cleaner in a nearby restaurant. For ten hours of hard labour, he will take home a paltry sum of forty rupees. Some of us will spend his entire monthly wages for a few minutes of fun without batting an eyelid. Some of us will look the other way when he comes to clean our table in the hope of escaping reality. Some of us will become experts in looking the other way whenever we find it convenient. The rest of us will become masters at ignoring our guilt. All of us will find solace by asking the following question: "How many can we help? There are too many".
There are indeed too many. Its life as we know it. We just have to deal with it. Unfortunately, I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel for the boy. He looks set to live a life of poverty and there seems to be nothing on offer to change that. Looking at him playing football, blissfully unaware of the future that awaits, I feel like a fool. Why? Because I spend far too much time worrying about things. If only I could be more like the boy, joyfully enjoying his moment in the sun. Perhaps I need to learn the true meaning of contentment. As the saying goes: "To get what you want is success. To want what you have is happiness". I intend to start living that way.

Live and Let Live

Live and let live. One fantastic philosophy. Too bad we can't seem to follow it.
How many of us can honestly say that we've never interfered in the lives of others (or atleast tried to). Very few. Even among those few, I can safely say that no one has not passed judgements like - "See what he's doing. I'm much better in my moral standards."
That's the problem with India. Everyone seems to be interested with what others are doing rather than doing something themselves. If a couple wants to display their emotion in public, let them. Big f****** deal. They're grown up adults for god's sake. If an artist want to paint a few figures, so what? It's not like he's forcing those paintings onto everyone. (I doubt most people will be able to afford them anyway)
Stop making a hue and cry whenever some beautiful woman flaunts her assets in public. She's doing it because she can. Stop being jealous and learn to live with it. Some people I know actually live for that sort of thing. Where would they go if denied this silent pleasure?
There are only two choices we have :
a) Be an ultra conservative society reminiscent of the 1900s. (nobody really wants that - do they? It's too damn boring. No excitement.)
b) Be an open society where nobody really gives a damn. My school of thought. You want to lay a wet one on someone you love, go right ahead. So what if a thousand people are watching....
Let's hope we don't have a hung house for this one as well.