Loss of Technology

The first mail I receive for the day is from my IT team saying that we were having some issue with our servers and that mails/intranet portals etc. were all gonna be down. 'Good Fun', I thought. Apparently not. After a few failed attempts at 'Test mails' to each other, we all resigned to doing mundane documentation works and the likes. 

What I did realize today, was that lack of technology can give you a lot of time to: 

• Listen to good old numbers 
• Sing Along
• Clean up your desk/desktop/laptop/mobile etc. 
• Panic about what all needs to be done
• Eat with a few munches more
• Wonder why the 'Send/Receive' button on Outlook hasn't jammed yet

and the likes.

So, overall "Lack of Technology = Time for a LOT of forethought" :P But, on the flip side servers are back and all work is flowing in NOW, when we would ideally be packing bags! Dyammit! ;) 

Violently Right

I don't understand people's desperation to prove that something is right, that too violently so. Recently have been seeing people defend or talk about certain news events with so much violence that it is scary. What happened to just 'letting the dogs bark'? 

So Maria Sharapova made a statement saying that she didn't know who Sachin was. I understand, Sachin is not just a player, he is an emotion, he is God and so on. But there so many such people whom we so fiercely care about that the world doesn't know of. What do you do then? Go to every ignorant person and TELL them about the people they don't know? Start a social media rampage against the so called ignorant person, mocking them and making fun of them? 

It is a shame that in the same country that has gone to war over Sharapova not knowing Sachin, there are people who don't know that India isn't playing in the FIFA WC (watch this) or that we have celebs who don't know the difference between Prithviraj Chauhan, Prathiba Patil and Prasoon Joshi for that matter. 

One thing that social media has done (which isn't all good) is that it has given wings, hands, legs and everything to people so that they can bombard twitter, facebook and the likes with brutal messages. 

While most of us have been on a morcha against Sharapova, Sachin has been happily involved in some good entertainment (see this) and has been clicking major selfies (here). We must learn to take a chill pill when it comes to such things. Indians and our passion soaring high, what to say :)

Note: I am no different. I too have had moments of flaring passion that have made say/write stuff in sheer haste. But we need to learn to pause. Right?

Memory Wipes

"........and so I request you to let me be a part of this program.

Sincerely, 

Johnathan Letters " 

Sealing it with a mild thud, John set out to post the letter to Futureinc. The biomed company had come up with a new trial and ever since John had heard about it, he knew he HAD to be a part of it. 

A few weeks back, John had found a copy of the news daily lying on the park bench. Bored, he picked it up and soon his eyes fell on the new clinical trial that Futureinc had proposed. It was dangerous, but John knew he had nothing to lose. 

The trial had been nicknamed 'Memory Wipes' by the media and soon everyone was talking about it. The company had invented a new drug that could remove memories as far as six months to 5 years in the past. They hadn't listed any side effects, but that was because they hadn't done a human trial yet. This made the trail prized and expensive as well. 

Would someone be willing to lose their memory for a trial? What if your memory never came back? Or if you began to remember the smallest of details in life? John did not fear this. Nor did he want the money or house that they were offering to the person who goes through the trial.

Futureinc's only requirement was that it had to be a male, between the age of 28-40 and he had to be single (how convenient!). John couldn't personally go over to their office (even though it was only six blocks away) because that would mean he would have miss time at work and that would mean he loses money. 

Pinning his hope on the long letter that he had written to Prof.McDaniel, sharing in detail the experiences that he wanted to forget and nothing but such a trial can help him get on with life. John had been completely honest in sharing details, only hoping that the panel would pick him and no one else. 

John dropped the letter into the postbox and sat besides it, recollecting the exact moments from the past 3 years that he would want to erase at any cost. 

Guilty Me.

What happened last evening may have happened many a times in the past, but suddenly the guilt trip it gave me was worse than ever. So, husband and I were in pondy bazar for some shopping. After 15 minutes of searching for a decent place to park the car, we almost were dashing to the store to finish work.

As we were walking a lady came up to us and stopped us mid way. She looked like she was in her late 30's and she certainly didn't look lost. She said 'Hi, Can I have a minute of your time?'. I realized that she was a saleswoman and quickly said ' No No thank you!' but she kept insisting that we hear her out.

By then husband had already walked a few steps ahead and I was left to politely tell her off and carry on. She kept saying 'I don't want your money, one minute madam' and I kept saying 'Ille please, we need to go. Sorry'. Slighta I had lost patience and decided to just like walk away. Appo she said 'I don't want your money, these candles are to support blind people'.

I didn't know what to say, so just said 'Romba sorry ma' and walked off. We all have come across sales-people whom we have just walked past, but yesterday I felt I could have stopped and at least heard her out. I didn't and now am kicking myself in guilt.

Has this happened to you? Have you felt bad about ignoring such requests? 

This Day

Day 1: 15th April. 

The day probably is normal to everyone else, but to me and a few more like me, this day is when we thank God for giving us a lady whom we cherish in every day of our lives. 

The smallest memory of her is painstakingly beautiful. I grew up in her arms, she was the one to feed me everyday after school with tales of Ramayana, tirelessly telling me the epic in her own sweet way. I still remember how she used to roll oru 'vaai' of paruppu saadham with vendekai or beetroot in the middle. My earliest memories of her were of her tie and dye sarees and the faint smell of Mysore Sandal Soap all around the house. 

There was a charisma to the way she was. She was simple, yet to me she was like the biggest idol ever. I remember the way she used to freshen up everyday, sharp at 4PM. She would wash her face and there used to be a little bit of soap left on her forehead (this is something I too do and have a hard time telling my husband that it is normal). Then she would dab on some Yardley powder and with her index finger apply the perfect red vermilion on her forehead. 

Some memories are strange. After we lost her, I never used to think about her much, but over the past few years, I think how things would be if she had been around. I know, my life and several others' would have been completely different. 

So why talk about somber things when I want to start something new? Maybe it is because I have been trying to see her presence in things I do. Especially since I got married. I have been trying to walk the path she laid forward, ever so gently. 

Sometimes people say I cook like her. I never used to cook, but have always watched her cook and have been one of the few people whose tongues and tummies are always thankful to her tasty meals. I wouldn't say I cook like her, but I try to. In an effort that some day, at least one dish that I make would remind me of her. 

I try to be calm like her. I have never heard her utter a bad, angry or rude word to anyone at all. She was always pleasant and soft. I must admit, I am nowhere close to being like her, but I am trying hard. Deep down, I know that just the thought of wanting to be like her has made me a changed person. 

Having spent 20 years of my life under her shadow, there has been lots to learn and lots to follow. Like my aunt just rightly said, she would have been 81 today and surely spreading her warmth and charm all around. I know I would be right in saying that there certainly isn't one soul on this planet like her. 

Her loss has been heavy, but I am happy that we got a strong vote sitting next to the Big Man up there, rooting for us in everything we do. 

Wherever you are, I know you are the brightest star in My life. 

Happy Birthday Kannu.