Tuesday, February 22, 2011
21/2/2011 It rained!
Oh My God ! It rained in the night. This is what Bangalore should always look and feel like. Lovely lovely weather.First rain of summer. Haiiiiii
Thursday, January 27, 2011
27/1/2011 On a cold Winter morning
On a bike, on airport road at 7.30am today. It was cold. Seriously cold. I looked like Rorshac(from Watchmen) without the moving ink stains of course. I had the dupatta wrapped around my face, and my jacket's hood pulled over.My hands tucked inside the sleeve of the warm jacket. Everyone around too was in jackets, sweaters, mufflers, monkey caps, what nots.
I even considered sticking to the big Volvo's engine side. It was crackling warm for the few seconds that I was stuck next to it.
While continuing to brave the cold and plodding on, a bike zoomed past. A guy in formals. No warm gear. I was awed. How did he do that?
And then I see his J&K number plates. No wonder. Given that he is from Kashmir, it's no wonder that Bengaluru doesn't warrant winter wear from him.
We are weighed down by pre-formed notions always aren't we?
Well, at that second, I wished I was as cool as him. But no, shiver me timbers.(I used that, to talk about the fact that I was shivering. And maybe, I'll have to get some timber and burn it(oh, a fireplace too) to keep warm).
I even considered sticking to the big Volvo's engine side. It was crackling warm for the few seconds that I was stuck next to it.
While continuing to brave the cold and plodding on, a bike zoomed past. A guy in formals. No warm gear. I was awed. How did he do that?
And then I see his J&K number plates. No wonder. Given that he is from Kashmir, it's no wonder that Bengaluru doesn't warrant winter wear from him.
We are weighed down by pre-formed notions always aren't we?
Well, at that second, I wished I was as cool as him. But no, shiver me timbers.(I used that, to talk about the fact that I was shivering. And maybe, I'll have to get some timber and burn it(oh, a fireplace too) to keep warm).
27/1/2011 Mutton Chops
My mom was at the local Meat Stall buying stuff while I was waiting on the bike. (Me a veggie by choice, can't stand the sight/smell of raw meat). There was a small stone bench on which a guy (your average useless youth (movie style)) was sitting. Unfortunately, at the same time that I noticed him, he noticed me too.
I couldn't believe what happened next. The guy takes out his phone, positions it in front of his face at nose level. I looked away. But something made me look back again.No one reads messages like that.
I was a good 30 feet away on the road, sitting on the bike with the helmet still on.
He was taking a photo.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. There's only so much good that can come of creating technology that's affordable to roadside louts.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
I couldn't believe what happened next. The guy takes out his phone, positions it in front of his face at nose level. I looked away. But something made me look back again.No one reads messages like that.
I was a good 30 feet away on the road, sitting on the bike with the helmet still on.
He was taking a photo.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. There's only so much good that can come of creating technology that's affordable to roadside louts.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
25/1/2011 Flower Power
Another parking story. I found an empty spot on a crowded road. Happy that I didn't have to go another circle in the one way, I was about to park when 2 college girls told me, "Our friend is coming, you can't park here". Me: "You're reserving a parking spot?" And they nod yes. So, I look ahead and find no other spot. The girls didn't look like the budging types. Sigh. I was off to find another one.
Then I noticed that the spot was big enough for 2 vehicles, pointing that out and confirming that they had only 1 bike coming, I parked. The girls grudgingly made way.
By the time, I got off my helmet, a guy zoomed into the next spot. And the girls went "Uncle, this lot is for us". He laughs and says "What is this, a BMTC bus?" Dude parks anyways and walks off.
That was another first for me. Generally guys tend to be accommodating if girls ask for something. Well, looks like not always.
Then I noticed that the spot was big enough for 2 vehicles, pointing that out and confirming that they had only 1 bike coming, I parked. The girls grudgingly made way.
By the time, I got off my helmet, a guy zoomed into the next spot. And the girls went "Uncle, this lot is for us". He laughs and says "What is this, a BMTC bus?" Dude parks anyways and walks off.
That was another first for me. Generally guys tend to be accommodating if girls ask for something. Well, looks like not always.
Monday, January 24, 2011
18/1/2011 Initiation into Crime
I saw something yesterday that really saddened me. I was at the local veggies store and 3 kids walked in, 2 of them all sure about the world and 1 all shifty eyed and worried.
While one of them was paying for tomatoes while the other kid swiped a carrot and started chomping away on it. The younger kid, now, trying to be all cool put his hand in the basket and fumbled to take out a carrot.
And to his horror, he turned and saw me looking at him. That look on his face. The fright. The shame.
I hated looking at it.
And I couldn't / didn't do a thing.
I dont know if this was his initiation into some sorry crime-filled life.And I still don't know what to do.
While one of them was paying for tomatoes while the other kid swiped a carrot and started chomping away on it. The younger kid, now, trying to be all cool put his hand in the basket and fumbled to take out a carrot.
And to his horror, he turned and saw me looking at him. That look on his face. The fright. The shame.
I hated looking at it.
And I couldn't / didn't do a thing.
I dont know if this was his initiation into some sorry crime-filled life.And I still don't know what to do.
22/1/2011 Ek minute Bhaiyya
Me and sis were in the parking lot at Lifestyle, leaving. A girl with a Scooty has parked her vehicle perpendicular to the remaining lot of 30 odd bikes. 30 bikes in a row, she comes in and parks it bang opposite. The parking attendant runs to her and politely says "Madam, park straight please." The girl says "I have some billing issue, I'll get it checked and come back". Attendant says slightly sterner "No madam, it is blocking". And turns to us for some moral support.
Oooops, I realized I was staring at the mini-drama, gave the dude an embarrassed shrug and turned around. By then, the girl passed me by, looking over her shoulder and telling the attendant, " Ek minute bhaiyya, I'll be back".
And he was left spluttering. And I was looking at him, totally blank faced. I could not believe she walked away.
For one, where there's a rule of parking, you don't break it.
Two, if you make the mistake and some poor soul asks you to correct it, you correct it.
Three, you never walk away after making the mistake and hope a smile makes it ok.
I was embarrassed. Honestly. What made the girl think she could walk away. Some people take so much for granted. It would affect the guard, others would have trouble taking out their bikes, her billing issue won't take just one minute. How can one have no consideration for others. How can one walk away when another is still talking to you.
Its just not done. Is it?
Oooops, I realized I was staring at the mini-drama, gave the dude an embarrassed shrug and turned around. By then, the girl passed me by, looking over her shoulder and telling the attendant, " Ek minute bhaiyya, I'll be back".
And he was left spluttering. And I was looking at him, totally blank faced. I could not believe she walked away.
For one, where there's a rule of parking, you don't break it.
Two, if you make the mistake and some poor soul asks you to correct it, you correct it.
Three, you never walk away after making the mistake and hope a smile makes it ok.
I was embarrassed. Honestly. What made the girl think she could walk away. Some people take so much for granted. It would affect the guard, others would have trouble taking out their bikes, her billing issue won't take just one minute. How can one have no consideration for others. How can one walk away when another is still talking to you.
Its just not done. Is it?
24/1/11 Namma BSNL
Tring Tring. The landline rings. It takes me a second to recognise a ring that doesn't sound like a movie song, but sounds like an actual telephone ring.
Tring Tring.
Me: Hello
Dude on Phone: Hello, we are calling from BSNL.You have a Internet connection?
Me: Yes, tell me.
DoP: Can I speak to someone who uses the internet?
Me: Go ahead.
DoP: Is there someone around who uses the internet?
This is weird, just because I am a woman and speaking in Kannada, he seems to have assumed I don't/ cant use the net. I don't even want to tell him now that "Yes, I use the net"
Me(in a mean tone) : Tell me.
DoP: So, you use the internet?
Nope, not responding to that mister. Silence.
DoP: We have launched a new website called ...., I want to speak about it.
Me: I'll check out ..., thanks.
and I put the phone down. grrrrrrrr.
How hard was it for him to figure out that a woman at home in the middle of the day can use the internet!! I still can't figure out, why he was so reluctant to give the info. Even if all he had reached before me was housewives who would pass on the phone to net savvy people, I still felt offended.
Not in this time and age.
Tring Tring.
Me: Hello
Dude on Phone: Hello, we are calling from BSNL.You have a Internet connection?
Me: Yes, tell me.
DoP: Can I speak to someone who uses the internet?
Me: Go ahead.
DoP: Is there someone around who uses the internet?
This is weird, just because I am a woman and speaking in Kannada, he seems to have assumed I don't/ cant use the net. I don't even want to tell him now that "Yes, I use the net"
Me(in a mean tone) : Tell me.
DoP: So, you use the internet?
Nope, not responding to that mister. Silence.
DoP: We have launched a new website called ...., I want to speak about it.
Me: I'll check out ..., thanks.
and I put the phone down. grrrrrrrr.
How hard was it for him to figure out that a woman at home in the middle of the day can use the internet!! I still can't figure out, why he was so reluctant to give the info. Even if all he had reached before me was housewives who would pass on the phone to net savvy people, I still felt offended.
Not in this time and age.
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