For all the Crybabies

Are you an extremely sensitive person? Can a slight, rude remark set off a torrent of tears from your eyes? Do your eyes become moist at the thought of leaving home and staying at a new place? Do you cry when a close friend ignores you? And, do you feel embarrassed when someone notices that you cried? If the answer to the last questions is 'yes', read on.

**

How to let the world assume that you are all right when you are actually choking:

1. Take the weather's help. If it's cold, say "I think I'm catching a cold. My eyes are watering". If it's hot, splash your face with water and leave it wet.
2. If you are living in a city that is rich in flora, like Bangalore, say " I'm allergic to pollen". Else, you can even blame the dust!
3. If you have long hair, leave it loose so as to cover your face.
4. Sing aloud a rock song.
5. Show off that you are a protective elder sister or brother. Talk to your sibling about how his/her studies is going on. You could give all the gyaan on handling the exam pressure.

Do this; people around will think you are perfectly ok. After a while, you'll actually be all right! :)


PostScript: Do not try to act smart with your Mom. She'll somehow know that you are sad.

*****
Current Song:

Payal by Jal (Album : Boondh )

Kaanch ke thhe saaare vaade
Rishtey ya kachche thhe dhaage
Dil ke taaron ko chhed kar
Tum kahaan chal diye

Joy of problem solving :-)

We were facing some problems with our modem since a few days. It would work fine for a few minutes and suddenly disconnect, leaving my brother fuming since his downloads got aborted. Unlike me, he lives 'online'. He approached the BSNL technicians to get this problem solved. They declared that the modem must be replaced.

Modem was replaced today. But the problem persisted. My little brother screamed "do something. I want internet!". The the young engineer at home (who is seldom taken seriously) got to work. Yeah, that's me.

The glitch was in the cable. Wrong wires in contact. Then my bro said "that was it! so simple " Problems look miniscule only after being solved.

It'd been quite some time since I really solved a problem. I'm elated :) The solution did not involve rocket science. But, what a joy is it to make something work!

PostScript:
There was nothing wrong with our old modem!

***
Quote of the day:
Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.
- Benjamin Disraeli

*****
Current Song:
Cannot Turn Back The Years by Phil Collins

First fine for traffic rule violation

I was about to reach the Honda service station to take my Activa back when it struck me that I had forgotten to carry my helmet. This had never happened before. I never ride without a helmet. Then I thought "Big deal. Home is just four Km from here... just ride this time..."

I could not believe what happened next. The traffic police appeared at a junction from nowhere and caught me! I have been riding on this this road for five years and there was never a cop at this junction. Yesterday, I paid my first fine, of Rs.100 for not wearing helmet :(  My perfect driving record no more remained so :(

Anyway, what was amazing was - Bangalore traffic police use a Simputer ( Hand-held simple computer) to record traffic rule violator's name, license number and vehicle number to their database. And, details are sent to the wireless printer that another cop manages few feet away so as not to cause bottleneck at the junction. You pay the fine there and collect your receipt. Way to go Bangalore traffic police!

 ***
Does it happen to you that you make a slight mistake once in a blue moon  and get properly reprimanded for that? It always happens with me! Talk about luck!

******
Current song:
Don't Cry by Guns N' Roses

Talk to me softly
There's something in your eyes...

How about a little bit of courtesy?

Some days ago while I was picking up groceries in a market I witnessed this act of arrogance. There was this lady shrieking with anger at an attendant "You people don't have yoghurt? Such a big store does not have yoghurt?" The lady had given a cursory look into the cooler and when she did not find what she was looking for, she made a big fuss over the issue.

If this lady did not find a product at one store, she could simply have got it elsewhere. There was absolutely no need to shout at the attendants. Why do people yell at others who are not in a position to shout back at them?

We are all in a hurry to get to college/office in the morning. But how much time do we really lose when we slow down a bit to let the school kid or an aged person cross the road?

Students who have just completed class X/pre-university/Class XII are at a crucial juncture of their lives. This is the time they would have to choose a field of study/degree major, which they mainly base on their exam score. There is no dearth of so-called-relatives/friends who only know to play down the poor student's results. The percentage could have been 95+ or just average, some people by default downgrade the score. How difficult is it to be a little supportive?

Enter a moderately crowded city bus, holding two bags. It is not uncommon to find people looking at you scornfully because the space around them just got congested due to your luggage. Why do people scowl over trivial issues? You may be dangling from the support rod, still not many of those seated comfortably would offer to help you out by holding your bag for a while.

We do not lose anything by being a little considerate, do we?

*****
Current Song:
Title track of the movie Dil Chahta Hai  :)  :)

Kaisa Ajab Yeh Safar Hai, Socho To Har Ik Hi Bekhabar Hai
Usko Jaana Kidhar Hai, Jo Waqt Aaye, Jaane Kya Dikhaaye
Oh Oh Oh ...