Balance of Nature I

Nature has its own way of maintaining equilibrium within itself! or should I say, amusing itself? :D
Some people, for some reason decide to pollute the nature, releasing toxic waste and disturbing the wildlife, greenery and ecological niche! Now some people see this, feel that its their responsibility to save the nature and set out to do so, fighting against those who polluted the nature. Some might even feel guilt that poor innocent wildlife and humans have to suffer because of few people's activities. Now there's another group of people who don't bother about nature and live their own lives (I belong to this group!), polluting very less and also not planting very much.
Same analogy can be applied to helping homeless, poor, unemployed and saving civilizations! Some destroy, knowingly and unknowingly, and some try to save, knowingly!
Could it be that when our world is about to reach a perfect state of equilibrium, the nature itself triggers something in someone's brain that makes him/her do something to disturb that equilibrium. Some then join this person in disruption and some fight against it... nature lets these two groups sort it out and when fun is over and equilibrium reached again, nature plots something else... nature has its own way of having fun I guess! :D

IPL 2009

IPL did it again, the underdogs won yet again, and a thrilling, and more than that deserving finale. The celebrations sucked, especially Kat's performance... I hate the new avatar of Jai Ho! The fireworks were fine, Akon's was disappointing! Why the hell a beauty contest? :O
Anyways, the finale was great. Stopping the opponent from chasing a marginal total! Lovely! I rarely watch cricket but being at home I watched the finale. The look of frozen anxiety on Vijay Mallya's face was hilarious!
To be honest, Royal Challengers could have won, but I guess they just lost too many wickets! But Deccan Chargers deserved it. May the best team win always!

P.S. Sorry for a late post on IPL but I had to write one on it.

swear/foul/abusive words

As a kid I've been rather uncomfortable about the use of swear/foul/abusive words. Initially I found it as a sign of badness in a person, but some of my good friends changed my perception on that. Till date and perhaps for many more years to come, I haven't been able to speak a swear/foul/abusive word to anyone! It just doesn't feel right.
I often argue with my friends that swear/foul/abusive words are used by those who don't have enough language skills or lack confidence in the same, or those who want to express themselves using a common lingo, a word or two rather than speaking out the whole thing... and for this argument of mine I receive(d) a few abusive words in return!
I did mumble the swear/foul/abusive words to myself when in a desperate or urgent situation and it felt good, but then I asked myself later, was it really necessary?!
But honestly, these words can add to the style factor of one's talk... when the protagonist shouts the F-word at someone, it amuses me a lot !!

Some of my favorite phrases

1. It isn't you, its me!
2. he/she was all over me!
3. we need to talk!
4. One thing led to another!
5. Care to make it interesting!
6. Don't bother on my account!
7. for old times sake!
8. you got to be kidding me!
9. gimme a break!
10. Follow my lead!
11. Count your blessings!
12. say (some greeting) to (someone) for me!
13. Was thinking on the same lines!
14. For greater good!
15. Back in business/game!
16. Get a good grip on yourself!
17. Interesting turn of events!
18. Keep up the good work!
19. Good Going!
20. Are you even listening to yourself!
21. The best of both worlds!
22. We have a history!
23. You are not one of us!

Static electricity

I walked towards my lab, extended my hand to hold the handle on the door and as my fingers touched the rim of the handle, I felt slight tingling shock and I pulled back my hand. Then carefully, I touched the handle with tip of my finger, ready to pull back my finger in case I felt the shock again!
This has been happening to me for a month now. It has happened so much and so frequently that when I didn't receive that shock today, I felt a bit disappointed. I extended my hand with same consciousness and touched it, expecting to receive a tingling shock but all I felt was a slightly cold handle of a door. Seems hard to believe that I learned to enjoy the shock!
Initially I did give few laughs to others in the lab when instead of touching the handle with my hand, I first brushed it with my t-shirt or my bag or a book or something else available with me. Few times when someone touched my t-shirt from behind or brushed against it, they did feel the static electricity and I too felt it, a faint clicking kind of sound...
Strangely, I experience the static electricity phenomena only in the lab in which I work!
P.S. Someone told me that his neighbour (also a student) when he was in Kota, used to practice some Chinese martial arts and hence could collect some amount of energy like static electricity in his hands... quite fascinating! But the guy had to stop practicing the art for safety of himself and people around him!

Looking at a watch

Occasionally, a passerby has asked me for the time. Quite often such a passerby has been a laborer or a person who doesn't have a watch, be it for financial reasons or lack of ability to read the time.
This reminded me of those days when I was a kid and didn't have a wrist-watch. I did have many wrist watches at different times but they stopped working within few months so I developed a belief that a wrist watch doesn't last long. Then one day in 10th class, I saw a titan watch on one of my tuition-mate's wrist. It looked good and I asked him about it. He said the watch has been serving him for last 2 years. I was quite impressed and decided to own such a wrist-watch. I then realized that the previous wrist-watches I had owned were kid's watches and had lesser lifetime.
As a kid, I had the watch showing time as numbers, i.e., the digital watch. It was quite convenient. I don't remember when I learned to read the time but it must have been in 1st or 2nd class. Presently I don't think I'll be comfortable enough reading time from a digital watch as I have got used to the minute hand and hour hand aligned with each other at an angle, and the seconds hand ticking.
I also remember twisting and tilting my head in the direction of the face of the wrist watch of a person near me, to know the time, rather than asking him/her. :D
A common prank which everyone must be aware of, can be played on the less attentive ones. Ask a person for time who is holding his drink in the same hand as his wrist-watch. The less attentive one won't take care of the drink and directly twist his arm to look at the time.
A watch/clock is indeed one of the complex instruments and time one of the essential need for our existence.
P.S. - Could asking for time be a good way of starting a conversation? Take out your watch, hide it in your pocket, approach a pretty gal/handsome guy and ask for the time. :D

Keep the change

Not having the exact amount of cash can be a problem at times. For people commuting in buses, 7-seaters etc., cash in form of 10 Rs. notes or coins of lower denomination becomes a necessity.
The times when I've gone out for lunch/dinner with friends, the one in the group with "change" pays for commuting, or one keeping track of the expenses pays for everyone in bulk.
One is often left in awkward situation when one takes out a Rs. 100 note for paying Rs. 10 or Rs. 15, and the rickshaw driver or bus conductor says, Chutte nahi hai saab.
Change is also required to pay a beggar who comes across you, or you come across the beggar, whose condition reminds you of doing good for humanity.
How could one pay to the beggar when one only has cash in form of Rs. 100 notes?
Well, in such situation, one prefers to lie, saying, Chutte nahi hai, or indicate at the pockets or shake hands in air indicating that there's no reserve cash for that beggar.
Today, as on many occasions, none of us had change while coming back from 4-seasons after having dinner. So, few of us dug deep into their wallets, searching for every coin that one could find. Yes, we were successful in paying for the 7-seater ride.
So, always remember, keep the change before going out!