Bullied by Decency

Yesterday, 'bus' ing home I faced a dilemma that has bothered me often enough. Often enough to write about that is.
Got a seat, sat through most of my journey, got up with two stops to go. Passageway on a Volvo is quite narrow and me and my bag had to make way through, mumbling apologies ( me); and getting stuck ( my bag).
The landing area near the door,was packed with people. Most took one look at me and squeezed, angled, contorted, themselves to make way... and waited. A few just sucked in their tummies, held their breath ...and waited. A father picked up his kid . The doors hissed open. The conductor looked at me reproachfully.
I didn't think too much after that and quickly got off.

But you see, it wasn't my stop.
And it wasn't the first time.

Ravings of a cribber :)

Need to start something different. Chose a good day for it and now I am totally down. Bad headache, bad tummy and bad attitude. I wonder how people get things done :

Kya kool hei hum :)

Wats life without colorful undies?

Alonely

Whiteboard art...dont wanna go :(

My weekend..

About that "knowledge is free" thing. I honestly have been giving it a lot of thought and the idea is sounding better with each round. I am sure I will have something up in a few days time.

I found a quote I like:
“Simplicity is not the goal. It is the by-product of a good idea and modest expectations.”– Paul Rand"

Watched a movie " The Spirit" this weekend. Honest opinion is that I liked it. It is a very visual movie by a person who has a clear idea of what he wants to convey.The wikipedia entry for it is bloated and useless with too much emphasis on the plot ( which actually is not very important)

Finished reading the book "The Godfather" by Mario Puzo this weekend. Really good read, the characters are mind blowing and well balanced. The story tight and unputdownable. Will also try to read "The Sicilian" if I can get my hands on it.

Submitted an entry for a design competition this weekend, lets see how that goes.

Not bad for a weekend...

Knowledge and me

Knowledge should be free. I will see what I can do about it.

Its time to open the toilet door again

I remember a time when I was traveling overnight in a general class railway compartment during college. I used to do that a lot then... wonder why I stopped. Met really genuine people during those journeys. Anyways that's a different story.
So, I was in a general compartment, had not got a seat ( never ever did actually) and so, about twelve of us were wedged inside the narrow corridor connecting the two exits( yes, almost under the basin and beside the toilet).
I use 'us' generically as I did not know any of my co-passengers. Actually, when one is in a situation where one has to ask permission from at least three people to shift own weight from one buttock to another, one kind of develops a rapport with the whole group.
It was night and it was very hot and humid. There was absolutely no cross wind as a guy was standing in front of one of the door windows. All were perspiring freely and cursing the poor guy, when an old man smiled and said " Open the toilet door".
Yeah right, exactly what we needed, to add 'stink' to the heat and humidity. Most, all of us scoffed at the yucky idea. The old man grinned his grin, got up and went and sat in the toilet, holding the door open. " Give it some time", was all he said.
Soon the stench filled the corridor, but that was gone in 30 seconds flat. Cool air flowed freely from one of the door windows out of the toilet window and took all the stench out in seconds. We were a lot more comfortable and refreshed as the breeze also took away both the heat and the humidity. The solution still left another toilet for its intended use.

Taught me a good lesson that I think is very useful for me right now. :)

rhyming happiness

To her:

She is in Kolkata;The city of joy
Somehow this time she isnt able to enjoy

It is humid ; and; it is hot
And the work she is doing needs a lot of thought

Jumping about in offices all day
She still finds time to ask me about my day

To check my email and to say that she is there
Always for me and I know that she cares

The days will be over soon when u are far
When we will be together dreaming where to go in our car

Loved u before and always will
Hope u read this when you have time to kill


Her reply:

what a lovely thing....it made my day

am so happy...what else do i say

got out a bit early to check your mail

you make me stronger and drive away the fear of fail

the place is good, the work is bad

miss the time together in college, make me sad

not good at word so nothing to write

but just want you to know that you make my things right....

love you

miss you

To her once more...
I thought whole night (of course in my dreams)
I still dont know what to say it seems

Somethings do go a bit beyond love
The comfort of you being there stays above

I know that no matter what I draw, rhyme or joke
You will love it like Amir Khan loves coke

Hope your work get done well today
And u get to return feeling happy and gay

I will call and disturb when I can
Wishing that all this heat at least gives you a tan :)

Her reply final...

Thinking a lot what to write
Some word that makes your day bright

Will write some other time
Not finding words which rhyme

Wish I was a bit attentive in school
Then I would not have been a fool

But how can I turn back and change
Whatever done is done, its not in my range

whatever, however I am
Am glad, you love me the way I am

THE END

Tendencies

Animals are surprisingly like humans...or it must be the other way round.

generally...2

Felt refreshed doing work today. The final solution was simple but I took a very round about way of reaching there. Nevertheless, it gives a feeling of satisfaction :) My geometry has truely gone for a toss.

Wonder whether an ant feels some sense of satisfaction after scaling a garden wall. Judge for urself...I know I would...

generally....

I have this unknown craving for finishing off stuff that I just started doing. Things can be done so well with patience. I want to believe that's the only way of doing things well.

Was reading a blog of a friend of a friend. She writes about simple everyday things that make her happy in a simple everyday language that is so wonderful to read. Will take a leaf out of her book and note down 3 things that made me smile today.

1. A note on a manhole cover: "Do not enter without authorization. Confined space."

2. Ross explaining his speed of eating to Rachel in an episode of Friends. " I grew up with Monica; if you didn't eat quickly you didn't eat at all."

3. My roommate shouting out bits of lyrics while listening to music over headphones.

:)

Designer-ware

Have noticed lately how I keep cribbing about things I don't have. Designers don't get appreciated enough; someone else gets the credit; never enough money....blah blah blah.
Amidst all that something does beg to stand out.... We own a lot of Designer ware.

This is my coaster. It is one of a kind; hand painted by the designer herself. No one else has a coaster exactly like this one....and no one ever will.

Thanks Manjiri :)

Perils of convenience ( SBI ATMs)

Hi,

This is just to bring to your notice the perils of an SBI bank Account. Key Takeaways are pointed out below for people who do not have time. Dramatic Story follows Key Takeaways.

Key Takeaways:

Never throw away any, I repeat any printed slip that the SBI ATM spits out at you. (Keep all of them even if they fade and go blank)

Always double check your account if the ATM says ‘unable to process’ or ‘insufficient funds’ after you have entered the amount you want to withdraw

Always double check your account periodically anyways ( you never know)

If there are discrepancies in your account (missing money!!!) the bank will first try to blame you; then your friends; and then other banks in that order

Dramatic Story

This started with me trying to withdraw money from the office SBI ATM(Jan 1, 2008). On taking a mini-statement I was informed that Rs 1000/- had already been withdrawn from my account earlier!!! Alarmed I called up the Branch Manager who told me that I must have done it myself and forgotten about it!!! My arguments led to nowhere and I went down to the branch to talk about it directly.

What the manager told me came down to two things:

• My amnesia (or a deliberate lie for 1000 bucks)!!
  

• A thief must have taken my card without my notice and knowing my ATM pin had withdrawn Rs 1000/- from my account and then returned the card to my wallet (fascinating)!!

I also informed him that the last time I tried to withdraw money was yesterday from an SBI ATM but I couldn’t due to lack of funds in the ATM. The manager disputed even that till I produced the slip. With no alternative, I blocked my ATM card.

The branch manager was also kind enough to tell me that mine was the first case like this he had ever heard. Frustrated, I asked for the transaction details of this mysterious withdrawal and was given a letter stating the ATM ID number. The manager said that the ATM was of Axis Bank and if I go there they will be able to check their security cameras and identify the culprit!!!

We went to the Axis Bank and were told politely that this withdrawal was not made from an Axis Bank ATM and the SBI was making a mistake. Back at SBI and really mad, I told the bank manager to help out. It was not the question of the 1000 bucks but the security of my account. I had to also threaten him with escalation at my company. He relooked at all my withdrawal slips and then suddenly realized that it was their mistake after all!!! Yesterday when I was not able to withdraw money, the account had nevertheless been debited with the amount I tried to withdraw!!! It was apparently a common problem (it happens once or twice every 1000 transactions!!!!!).

I had to submit a copy of that slip, a letter for asking my money back and was told that it will be credited to my account after verification in 10-15 days. Since I had blocked my card, it will take another 10-15 days to get a new card (I have to pay Rs 15/- for it). If I had not kept that slip, both my peace of mind and the money would have disappeared.

Please bear this in mind so that you are better prepared.

Seventy ways

Last Sunday me and my roommate, went out for a movie at a mall near MG Road, Bangalore. Well, as Bangalore has more people with disposable incomes than movie halls for them to dispose their incomes in, we didn't get the tickets we wanted.
Ambling around we decided to try out some 'freshly baked cookies' (can't name the chain,they have enough 'disposable' money to sue). Well, the cookies weren't fresh, or crunchy; the staff was indifferent and I found none of the advertised nuts in mine. Probably we selected the wrong flavors.

Cost of two cookies( paper napkins included, VAT included) : Rs 70/-

We came out of the mall, down the street, by a roadside ATM and found a small'ish shop selling a unique combination of " Chats and Italian". We went in to find out that it also sells paranthas. Ordered 4 paranthas ( 2 gobhi and 2 sattu :) with customisation ( no oil, no butter) and two bottles of soft drinks. Service was good, the chef was talkative, the table was clean, the fan worked.

Cost of the two meals and drinks ( paranthas came with dahi,subzi, achar and salad) : Rs 70/-

Lest it be felt that we were out only with gastronomic intentions in mind, let it be known that the afternoon was spend browsing through books at Crosswordz and then buying a few from Blossoms.

Evening we decided to try out some falooda at another roadside shop. "Falooda special with fruits" came in a tall glass. A mush of vermicelli, syrup, color, ice-cream topped with apple, nuts and incidentally, the chefs hair; was delightful (except for the hair part).

Cost of two glasses(with profound apologies for the unintended topping): Rs 70/-


:)

Disobey Obedience !!

Obedience can never be a virtue.
After being through the entire rigmarole of school and college life and into a year in a corporate I realize that much. Actually it is in the corporate world that this unsettling understanding established itself in my psyche.
I think obedience is taught as a virtue to make the job of parenting and teaching pain free. What it also creates is a batch of youngsters who cannot act on their own and rely on someone else to make decisions for them.....for many this is something they cannot get rid of in their entire lives.
We are taught to obey unquestioningly in school, obedience is associated with integrity, good character and discipline. At what costs?
It culminates in an unerring dependency on authority for any action. We always have to be told what to do. We obey tyranny, oppression, racism, to keep our own 'moral' high ground (obedience is a virtue after all). In office we defer going against the ruling of the higher ranked person.
There are few 'rebels' who do......who finally earn the right to decide for others and the process continues....
What should be taught to kids is the ability to decide for themselves. It will make a lot of difference to this world.

serendipity

A lovely word ( with no parallel in any other language, I'm told). The reason I like it better than procrastination is because it needs you to try to make something happen. There is a chance element there but that would never come up if one did not attempt anything at all.

I feel most good designs are a result of that. When I think post-its, the kaleidoscope, dominoes ( its other use), tea....someone somewhere was trying something else and they ended up with something wonderful and different.

The lesson is to keep trying ....sooner or later something will go wrong...for the better!!!

Pointed

There comes a time in everyones lives when he stops feeling envious for what others have and starts to appreciate the joys in his own life.

That time hasn't come for me yet...

By cycle....2

By cycle....

I love to cycle.
As a machine it has always fascinated me. I often wonder at the confidence of the person who built the first one. I am sure he must have promptly fallen off the first time he rode it and yet,must have persisted till he mastered the balance. I cannot honestly recall the last time I did that with a design of mine that did not succeed at the first trial.
Went for a long cycle trek yesterday. It was about 30 kilometers. I think it is the best way it understand the problems with the design.... actually any design. Most of what we do is use a product once and try to figure out the things that could be improved.
Using my cycle once would never given me the idea that the wrists hurt due to the right angle the handle bar makes with the hands, or that a rear view mirror is a good idea even on a bicycle, or even that the seat cushioning does not match my butt contours!!
I guess why people depend on the power of collective opinion( surveys) is because it is quicker and throws up interesting charts and figures ( and though this is very important, it is an imperfect process).
To know the design it is much more useful to take the bike out for that long hike. The painful butt is a powerful stimulant!!!

Art and Maladies

Found the perfect definition for the maladies bothering me since a long time. Its called procrastination. For those rolling their eyes, I must tell that for a long time I thought procrastination to be a glorified word for laziness!!!
For those still in the dark...do check the definition here.....it is bound to make a lot of you feel better.

Been reading a book called "The Invisible Art" by Scott Mccloud. Haven't finished it ....only reached the 3rd chapter but will recommend it to everybody interested even remotely to the world of comics. I am sure it is standard reading material for comic artists ( I can see them again rolling their eyes).

Have been studying a bit about the art of persuasive presentations and examples cannot get better than this book.

Google to know more....