Yes this is a Joke. I really have to try hard to keep shut. I often feel that the life experiences I am going through are so unique to ‘me’ that though many would have written about it mine would be still ‘me’. This is what often reflects in what I write and what I think I will write but don’t write…………….
Anyway just like most of us in Pune at this time of the year are catching cold and cough due to ups and down in the weather!!!!, Naaaaaaaaaa! It’s the pollution and traffic. OK! I promise to be serious ahead
And then yesterday I finally lost my voice. For a duck it can be so difficult to let the day pass with out quacking. But the little of quack quack here and quack quack there is often I guess makes more sense then some of the most sensible write ups. Anyway enough of boasting.
My experiences, or rather responses of my colleagues as I went mute was.
God! How is she going to work?
Why not take a day off.
What will happen if she wants to barge into discussion as always?
How peaceful it would be today
Can we handle this silence?
But was in the store was much more hilarious than I thought. I was amazed at the kind of non verbal communication I could strike with most people around including the LPG deliver man.
Another amazing thing was that 3 out of 7 colleagues talked to me in the same murmur tone as I talked to them it was such an reflex. It seemed so funny to me as I noticed them speak in my ear. Most of them making fun of me.
Till I finally realised my throat really needs some res even if my mind does not. As our generation has been BLESSED by comps. I finally comfortably took to the key board and the rest was HISTORY…………… :-)
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
I never though I could feel so different – Strange
I never though I could feel so different – Strange
I can comfortable boast of been travelling all by myself for over 15 years now. Quite used to the way one has to make oneself sink into the environment of the place and just be there. The best way to experience a place. Some times doing it over and over again one gets quite over confident of oneself till something tells you not always! And such experiences are amazing.
As I try to sink into Orissa environment, on one of my trips, it sure gave me a stare.
It was all planned for me to land in Bhuvaneshwar, take the next train to Balsore or Baleshwar as it reads on the train ticket, well over confident, I still don’t know. Quite unprepared for the delay in the flight and for sure I missed the connecting train. In a way also glad or else would have missed this experience.
My local friend had asked me to reach the bus stop in case I miss the train. So I did dutifully till I realised that I was only dropped off on the periphery of the bus stop. With the first feeling of eeriness, I could not see another women for next 30 min. Standing close to a porch of a make shift eatery. The kind eatery owner invited me for a platter of rice and dal (looked to me like the local staple) he was really industrious to believe I will eat their. (No offences but rather too unclean) But it helped break ice with the place I was in. (thanks to him)
As I start to mingle with the bus agents I also make an effort to understand the local system and also find out that I should be venturing ‘into’ bus stop actually 5 minutes walk further. As I walk into the bus stop it looked like almost any other place. As soon as I get into bus stop the agents hover over me. Till I decide to call the agents number given to me by my friend.
He soon appears to the scene. (I guess not knowing the local language added to confusion, but in all my best linguistic efforts was trying best to understand what was going on). He is not able to say much before is fellow agents but cleverly suggest me to call back to my local friend as getting of place he says is not Balasor. Only then I start fetching into bag for the venue and realise I do not have one. ‘Good’ – or ‘Gooooooood’
Try calling this local friend and he is out of reach. Luckily enough I get through and he asks me to stick with the bus arrangement he has made. He quite insists strangely not sharing why.
After a talk with the agent I realise it’s still 2 hours before we start and plan to have food, now really hungry and tired, as we would be reach only by 8 or 9 in the evening. Next I find an auto and negotiate, and even the lower rate seems kind of high for me.
All this time I have been getting ‘look’ from people not able to quite decipher what it means. New to the culture and place and the language it really had started getting on my nerves. I had started getting restless but holding back. This is what was different this time around.
We travel on this long road he (auto) stops by a relatively descent hotel. As I walk in very unlikely of me – looking for some women’s’ attendance- in the place.
Anyway once there I decide to have food their. As I get more comfortable and tell myself that no one is looking at me I see more and more faces staring at me. One 7-8 year old cleaning boy looks at me and I ask for more dal and try my best to feel comfortable.
Only later when I am here (at the bus stop writing this blog) I realise when I heard ‘Didi’ form the bus attendant, that all those stares was not so much about eyeing but more about being surprised at a women all by herself in pants and a combination one would have seen most unlikely in this environment.
Back at Bus Stop I call the agent he indicates the bus will be soon in place and everything kinda starts following in place and the driver and the conductor make me feel comfortable. Finally there is an old lady in the bus now over 3 hours and to top it all, they play Hindi songs which look very unlikely of them. As most buses have oria music going on.
Finally I get a feeling of a friendly hand extended by the local environment :-) Happy me.
I can comfortable boast of been travelling all by myself for over 15 years now. Quite used to the way one has to make oneself sink into the environment of the place and just be there. The best way to experience a place. Some times doing it over and over again one gets quite over confident of oneself till something tells you not always! And such experiences are amazing.
As I try to sink into Orissa environment, on one of my trips, it sure gave me a stare.
It was all planned for me to land in Bhuvaneshwar, take the next train to Balsore or Baleshwar as it reads on the train ticket, well over confident, I still don’t know. Quite unprepared for the delay in the flight and for sure I missed the connecting train. In a way also glad or else would have missed this experience.
My local friend had asked me to reach the bus stop in case I miss the train. So I did dutifully till I realised that I was only dropped off on the periphery of the bus stop. With the first feeling of eeriness, I could not see another women for next 30 min. Standing close to a porch of a make shift eatery. The kind eatery owner invited me for a platter of rice and dal (looked to me like the local staple) he was really industrious to believe I will eat their. (No offences but rather too unclean) But it helped break ice with the place I was in. (thanks to him)
As I start to mingle with the bus agents I also make an effort to understand the local system and also find out that I should be venturing ‘into’ bus stop actually 5 minutes walk further. As I walk into the bus stop it looked like almost any other place. As soon as I get into bus stop the agents hover over me. Till I decide to call the agents number given to me by my friend.
He soon appears to the scene. (I guess not knowing the local language added to confusion, but in all my best linguistic efforts was trying best to understand what was going on). He is not able to say much before is fellow agents but cleverly suggest me to call back to my local friend as getting of place he says is not Balasor. Only then I start fetching into bag for the venue and realise I do not have one. ‘Good’ – or ‘Gooooooood’
Try calling this local friend and he is out of reach. Luckily enough I get through and he asks me to stick with the bus arrangement he has made. He quite insists strangely not sharing why.
After a talk with the agent I realise it’s still 2 hours before we start and plan to have food, now really hungry and tired, as we would be reach only by 8 or 9 in the evening. Next I find an auto and negotiate, and even the lower rate seems kind of high for me.
All this time I have been getting ‘look’ from people not able to quite decipher what it means. New to the culture and place and the language it really had started getting on my nerves. I had started getting restless but holding back. This is what was different this time around.
We travel on this long road he (auto) stops by a relatively descent hotel. As I walk in very unlikely of me – looking for some women’s’ attendance- in the place.
Anyway once there I decide to have food their. As I get more comfortable and tell myself that no one is looking at me I see more and more faces staring at me. One 7-8 year old cleaning boy looks at me and I ask for more dal and try my best to feel comfortable.
Only later when I am here (at the bus stop writing this blog) I realise when I heard ‘Didi’ form the bus attendant, that all those stares was not so much about eyeing but more about being surprised at a women all by herself in pants and a combination one would have seen most unlikely in this environment.
Back at Bus Stop I call the agent he indicates the bus will be soon in place and everything kinda starts following in place and the driver and the conductor make me feel comfortable. Finally there is an old lady in the bus now over 3 hours and to top it all, they play Hindi songs which look very unlikely of them. As most buses have oria music going on.
Finally I get a feeling of a friendly hand extended by the local environment :-) Happy me.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Why a thud, why a brush!!@#*
Why a thud, why a brush!!@#*
Something struck me today at ‘personal’ level beyond the analytical, logical, anger, politics of what is better known today as 26/11
I am engaged in Development sector or some one might debate it as Rights Sector. (Though I have always believed that rights and responsibilities go together and it has been a struggle for me to maintain it that way).
I ran a programme with young community people to bring about energy, spark in the work we are doing. As from outside how ever exciting it seems it often gets rather lethargic, mundane, political on inside and one often feels like brushing things up.
The point here I am making is of the words we use. This process I secretly called it as young guns may be inspired by Rang de Basanti (I can be very filmy at times) Days later as I was looking at my old n rough drafts and stumbled upon this file called ‘young guns’.
Today I take a lot of interest in the political, defense, etc. development some of us still following after 26/11.
The way I have been feeling since evening of 26-pained with violence. I have never liked violence; I would not even like the site of violence. Yes, I was not among those surfing channels during the 60 hours siege. Something inside me told me not to do it.
Only now I realise and am questioning myself. Yes no one likes violence but all of us are violent all the time. In our speech, in expression, in inclusion and exclusion. I have often felt the need of letting my steam off too.
But Hey! Can we find a new language? Find new expressions which are not violent, don’t hurt, don’t exclude (We – starts with me, This is my dream work today)
May be too romantic an idea, but I would love3 to believe in such a tomorrow. Explore the unexplored. Walk where no one dares with a hope and belief that there is a beautiful tomorrow out there to be brought out here.
Human Nature Imagine Lyrics:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
(Imagine) Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do (so hard hard to do)
Nothing to kill or die for
No religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...(oh...Living in peace)
You may say I am a dreamer (I am a dreamer)
(But I am not the...) But I am
not the only one ( I am not
[ Find more Lyrics at www.mp3lyrics.org/4GQ ]
the only one)
I hope some day you'll join us
(Imagine all the people)
And the world will live as one
(Imagine if you can...)
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...(Sharing the world)
You may say I am a dreamer (I am a dreamer)
(But I am not the...) But I
am not the only one (I am not
the only one)
I hope some day you'll join us
(Imagine all the people)
And the world will live as one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
(Imagine all the people...)
(Living as one...)
Something struck me today at ‘personal’ level beyond the analytical, logical, anger, politics of what is better known today as 26/11
I am engaged in Development sector or some one might debate it as Rights Sector. (Though I have always believed that rights and responsibilities go together and it has been a struggle for me to maintain it that way).
I ran a programme with young community people to bring about energy, spark in the work we are doing. As from outside how ever exciting it seems it often gets rather lethargic, mundane, political on inside and one often feels like brushing things up.
The point here I am making is of the words we use. This process I secretly called it as young guns may be inspired by Rang de Basanti (I can be very filmy at times) Days later as I was looking at my old n rough drafts and stumbled upon this file called ‘young guns’.
Today I take a lot of interest in the political, defense, etc. development some of us still following after 26/11.
The way I have been feeling since evening of 26-pained with violence. I have never liked violence; I would not even like the site of violence. Yes, I was not among those surfing channels during the 60 hours siege. Something inside me told me not to do it.
Only now I realise and am questioning myself. Yes no one likes violence but all of us are violent all the time. In our speech, in expression, in inclusion and exclusion. I have often felt the need of letting my steam off too.
But Hey! Can we find a new language? Find new expressions which are not violent, don’t hurt, don’t exclude (We – starts with me, This is my dream work today)
May be too romantic an idea, but I would love3 to believe in such a tomorrow. Explore the unexplored. Walk where no one dares with a hope and belief that there is a beautiful tomorrow out there to be brought out here.
Human Nature Imagine Lyrics:
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
(Imagine) Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do (so hard hard to do)
Nothing to kill or die for
No religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...(oh...Living in peace)
You may say I am a dreamer (I am a dreamer)
(But I am not the...) But I am
not the only one ( I am not
[ Find more Lyrics at www.mp3lyrics.org/4GQ ]
the only one)
I hope some day you'll join us
(Imagine all the people)
And the world will live as one
(Imagine if you can...)
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...(Sharing the world)
You may say I am a dreamer (I am a dreamer)
(But I am not the...) But I
am not the only one (I am not
the only one)
I hope some day you'll join us
(Imagine all the people)
And the world will live as one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
(Imagine all the people...)
(Living as one...)
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