As far as my knowledge goes, there are two kinds of people - the curious and the not non-curious. In effect, curiosity inflicts all.
The not non-curious type dont ask questions. However, if you are in a mood to talk, they are ALL ears. The curious kind bombard you with questions - all sorts. But the good curious kind empathize with you and try to help you or console you or whatever. The not-so-good curious people irritate me the MOST. To start with, they are least interested in your well being. And their questions are unending - to the point of insensitivity and shamelessness.
One of my acquaintances happens to portray herself this way. She HAS to ask questions - however worthless and inconsequential . It is either RAW curiosity or some overflowing feeling of altruism to spread general knowledge to others about others. In a few of your good, tolerant moods, you can actually find her (and hence such people) very amusing and derive some entertainment value. Dont be surprised if you perceive a radiant glow on their faces and the most dazzling sparkle in their eyes while they put you through the ultimate test of patience. (Mind you, otherwise these people could be very listless about every other thing in the world) The worst part is that the conversation becomes so unbearable that you would want to run to a stationery store, buy a roll of cellophane and expend it entirely on their mouth area. Typical questions would be like this - Candidate looks at a cap and asks.."Oh is this a cap?". You roll your eyes and say "yes". Bang comes the next question(s) - "Where did you buy? How much did you pay? When will you go there next? Where are you going to wear this? Are there other colors? How many? ......" (extending to infinity). Well, that was just to give an example - a very simple and humble one at that.
Well, I have let my frustration out. I had a bout of useless curiosity thrown at me from a totally unempathizing personality and was irritated - having vented that out, let me now get back to work.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
'Cat'astrophy !!!
Getting ready in the morning has always been a rush affair for me. It doesnt matter how early I get up. I always end up running hither and thither and just about manage to catch my bus. (Alas !). Anyway, today was no exception. But guess what I should see in the hall while eating carrots, combing hair and searching for my mobile (yes, all at the same time)?!? Horrors of horrors...A FAT BROWN CAT !!! It sprang behind the TV and managed to slide out through the front door. I was aghast !!! The feline species have not forgiven me. Everytime they HAVE to appear in the most unexpected of places, in the most unexpected of moments and make my heart jump out of my body, hit the opposite wall and jump back in just in time to save my life.
This reminds me of a nightmarish early morning in college. I was in my third year and it was summer. We all slept with our balcony doors open in our respective rooms in hostel. I was in good sleep when I suddenly woke up having a feeling I was not alone in that room. I was not wrong. Yes, a thin black cat with green eyes was sitting right next to me on my bed. Then two things happened in a single instant - I had my first attack of paralysis, it had its first experience of being PT Usha's feline counterpart(atleast I think so) - in short, it jumped past me out of the window and disappeared into the darkness in lightning speed.
All said and done, I am not so much of an animal lover. My love for animals extends only to the point where I can manage to not hate them and can manage to not interfere in their existence. My sincere prayer to all the feline, cannine, whatever-ine species of the world (though they cannot read this) - " Please stay away from me. Good fences make good neighbours :- "
This reminds me of a nightmarish early morning in college. I was in my third year and it was summer. We all slept with our balcony doors open in our respective rooms in hostel. I was in good sleep when I suddenly woke up having a feeling I was not alone in that room. I was not wrong. Yes, a thin black cat with green eyes was sitting right next to me on my bed. Then two things happened in a single instant - I had my first attack of paralysis, it had its first experience of being PT Usha's feline counterpart(atleast I think so) - in short, it jumped past me out of the window and disappeared into the darkness in lightning speed.
All said and done, I am not so much of an animal lover. My love for animals extends only to the point where I can manage to not hate them and can manage to not interfere in their existence. My sincere prayer to all the feline, cannine, whatever-ine species of the world (though they cannot read this) - " Please stay away from me. Good fences make good neighbours :- "
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Horoscopes or "Horror"scopes?
Hailing from a pretty orthodox family, I have had the "privilege" of witnessing and hearing quite a few stories around horoscopes, auspicious and inauspicious times (and the like). Tradition demands that for a girl to be "sought after" by prospective grooms' families, she should have a compulsively impressive horoscope. That includes being born under a "good star" - though I am at my wit's end to understand what that star might have done to the world to have been proclaimed "good". An Indian girl's parents heave a huge sigh of relief when one of renowned astrologers (who would also be probably one of the richest astrologers) give her horoscope a "pass with first class/distinction" certificate. Otherwise their plight would be "Oh is your girl educated? Very good. Oh she cooks? Excellent. Oh she is interested in arts? Fantastic. Oh she looks good too? What else can one want? By the way, What is her star? Bad-star? Sorry, we are looking for a 'good' wife for our son. Bye bye". (All nonsense if you ask me !!!) The worst part is the same star is not as nightmarish to boys !!! In fact people claim openly "If its a boy, not a problem. But for a girl...a big NO". And we call ourselves civilized and educated.. Bah !!!
Not long ago, a certain set of circumstances demanded that I gain some knowledge about stars and constellations, planets and their satellites :P.(No, I am not referring to the study of space or astronomy) I learned that a girl born under Indian star "Moola" would KILL her father-in-law. Now this holds even when the father-in=law's horoscope says he would live so long that the whole world would start praying for his departure(:P). Actually, wouldn't that be a good way to get rid of your old, troublesome, orthodox husband without fearing the law? Get your son married to a girl with "Moola" Nakshatra :D
Indian astrologers are mind-blowing. Apparently with a cost of a few thousand rupees, one can get oneself "cleared" off the ill effects of one's birth star. Now that is sheer baloney ! What is further distressing is there are people ready to take loans and pay the "large-hearted" (and most probably, fat-bellied) gentlemen to PRAY to the stars and constellations on our behalf !!! And even then, these most spiritually endowed souls would warn us "However, we cannot give 100% assurance that these prayers would be answered but 80% of the time, they work." Ohh, how can you? It probably depends on what MOOD the star is when you pray, isn't it? (Sigh!)
Why do we all need proxies for prayers? Are we not all endowed with the same life force, the same capacity to think, act, pray? How can a star decide and DEEM a girl's future, her personality, and her self-respect ? Yet, generations after generations, in the so called "traditional" marriages, this is the story we so often hear, talk about ,and conveniently forget. As long as girls and their parents give in to the pressures of the society, as long as young GUYS blind their eyes to the horrors of horoscopes and deafen their ears to the sorrows caused by dowry/gold and dance to their parents' tunes - (however arrhythmic they are), looks like the "GRAND" saga of most of these traditional marriages which are so generous in providing ample tension, frustration and anxiety to last a lifetime, would continue...
Not long ago, a certain set of circumstances demanded that I gain some knowledge about stars and constellations, planets and their satellites :P.(No, I am not referring to the study of space or astronomy) I learned that a girl born under Indian star "Moola" would KILL her father-in-law. Now this holds even when the father-in=law's horoscope says he would live so long that the whole world would start praying for his departure(:P). Actually, wouldn't that be a good way to get rid of your old, troublesome, orthodox husband without fearing the law? Get your son married to a girl with "Moola" Nakshatra :D
Indian astrologers are mind-blowing. Apparently with a cost of a few thousand rupees, one can get oneself "cleared" off the ill effects of one's birth star. Now that is sheer baloney ! What is further distressing is there are people ready to take loans and pay the "large-hearted" (and most probably, fat-bellied) gentlemen to PRAY to the stars and constellations on our behalf !!! And even then, these most spiritually endowed souls would warn us "However, we cannot give 100% assurance that these prayers would be answered but 80% of the time, they work." Ohh, how can you? It probably depends on what MOOD the star is when you pray, isn't it? (Sigh!)
Why do we all need proxies for prayers? Are we not all endowed with the same life force, the same capacity to think, act, pray? How can a star decide and DEEM a girl's future, her personality, and her self-respect ? Yet, generations after generations, in the so called "traditional" marriages, this is the story we so often hear, talk about ,and conveniently forget. As long as girls and their parents give in to the pressures of the society, as long as young GUYS blind their eyes to the horrors of horoscopes and deafen their ears to the sorrows caused by dowry/gold and dance to their parents' tunes - (however arrhythmic they are), looks like the "GRAND" saga of most of these traditional marriages which are so generous in providing ample tension, frustration and anxiety to last a lifetime, would continue...
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Brown Purse Blues
It takes one of those bright, chirpy mornings where you are all positive thought and energy and are looking forward to a day of "extreme" productivity , to realise you forgot your invaluable purse at your office desk the previous night. Then begins the most unceremonious descent of all nightmares on your day. Yes, this happened to me today.
I had just jotted down "action items" for the day when the disastrous memory struck. I felt like kicking myself hard enough to make me land on my office desk right then - (it would not have made any difference if my purse was actually stolen, anyway). The sunny morning suddenly became unbearably hot. With a heavy heart, I boarded my bus. The journey never seemed to end. When I finally managed to gasp, pant and run to my desk, I found a note from Security - "Claim your wallet from Security Desk". Whew !!! My bright, chirpy morning is back :) .
The point is - I wondered how everything (including me) changed instantly - the blessed instant being when I took my purse in my hands and held it securely tight. Just a while ago, I was anxious and tense. In a moment, I was all smiles and light. In fact shrewd observers would have noticed a light hop in my walk. I even managed to hum a song. The security guy made my day, indeed ! I thanked him immensely and mentally made a 'note' of a new 'note' to go into my newly acquired habit of making daily notes - "Check for purse and mobile before leaving office".
I had just jotted down "action items" for the day when the disastrous memory struck. I felt like kicking myself hard enough to make me land on my office desk right then - (it would not have made any difference if my purse was actually stolen, anyway). The sunny morning suddenly became unbearably hot. With a heavy heart, I boarded my bus. The journey never seemed to end. When I finally managed to gasp, pant and run to my desk, I found a note from Security - "Claim your wallet from Security Desk". Whew !!! My bright, chirpy morning is back :) .
The point is - I wondered how everything (including me) changed instantly - the blessed instant being when I took my purse in my hands and held it securely tight. Just a while ago, I was anxious and tense. In a moment, I was all smiles and light. In fact shrewd observers would have noticed a light hop in my walk. I even managed to hum a song. The security guy made my day, indeed ! I thanked him immensely and mentally made a 'note' of a new 'note' to go into my newly acquired habit of making daily notes - "Check for purse and mobile before leaving office".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)