she entered every doorway where there was something for sale, and everywhere she found something that increased her desire to live
Monday, December 14, 2009
Holidays!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
zzzzZZZZ
Friday, August 7, 2009
I Can Never Leave
When I left the insti for the 'last' time after finally finishing my thesis and leaving the mundane technicalities of settling the hostel and other dues to my unfortunate friends, I felt nothing. It was like going home for vacation. I made sure I met everyone before leaving. And yet, it never did hit me that I was indeed leaving for good.
A couple of months later, I was back. On the way to the campus, I noted that the hoardings were teaming with the enigmatic DOCOMO signs and the flyover on the Cenotaph Road was close to completion. How fast places change, I thought, wondering how difficult it must be for NRIs to come to terms with change when they're home. The entrance to the campus had a huge board welcoming us to the 46th Convocation of IIT Madras. Everything else was just the same; and this was more difficult to digest than the differences. I realized that I was an outsider in the place I called home for four years. And the place was just the same without me.
But as I met my friends and profs, and the day wore on, I realized that those four years of my life had taught me so many things and got me so close to some people that I couldn’t ask for more. And though my room was somebody else’s, or I was a guest in the mess, or I couldn’t use the DCF anymore, this place still was home. The long (and oh-so-walkable!) road to the main gate, the colourful GC, the bustling bus stop, the gentle rustling of the unnumbered trees, the gleaming eyes of the black buck, the chirping of the sleepless birds, all seemed to welcome me with arms wide open. It was not easy to leave this time, and I knew at once that I’ll never stop belonging here. This is home, forever.
I left with a vague sense of relief and excitement. This trip seemed to clearly mark a new beginning in my life; I was at the threshold of a whole new phase – a different place, a different culture, new faces and new challenges, and more lessons; but with the bolster of my alma mater behind me.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Oh Baby! (Part I)
Kids are scary. Robin Scherbatsky was the only enlightened one among a bunch of ignorants carried away by cute smiles and tiny socks. This weekend trip visiting my infant cousins made me see kids for what they are.
I boarded the flight having nice thoughts about the weekend. I was excited. A two-year-old and her mother were sitting next to me. As soon as she saw me, she shouted in her shrill voice "Haa Pee-Kee". She says, "Hi Pinki", her mother explained. Wow, so sweet. The plane took off when she was playing with the seat belt. And that was when it all started. It started at a bearable pitch but after a few seconds, I nearly jumped off my seat for her every wail. And she kept it going with such inspiring tenacity that, had I been deaf, my heart would have melted. She wanted the windows opened. Really? I don't mean to brag but if I have grown out of such featherheadedness, it wasn't learning or even evolution, it's a divine miracle. And the cynics need not worry about the threat of AI; such learning can never be simulated. For god's sake, it's not a car! She puked into the air-sickness bag and spilled water on her seat to spice things up a little more. After a long one hour, everything stopped. It was as abrupt as the touch down. I needed to run out of the airport to let some fresh cool air help the ringing in my ears. I never felt more liberated, more so thinking about the girl's mother
Of course, my cousins too warrant a page each in my blog but I'm going easy on them. One, they are my cousins. Two, they are so complicated. But here's some advice for you. Don't ever try to lift a baby too high up - it tries to climb higher and finally puts its foot right on your face and you'll be so lost and confused you'll nearly drop it (nearly, let's be clear on that). Don't plan on going to a movie with an infant's mother. It knows everything and will never let her go. Murphy's law applies here too! Don't say some kid is cute, the others will stop treating you well. And finally, get rid of that stupid misconception that kids are oh-so-sweet and totally desirable.
This is what they do - they wreak havoc in your life in myriad ways and leave you no choice but to bear them with love. Even the thought of revenge is blasphemy! No wonder a baby is god's way of saying the world should go on.