of men and their demeanor...

You are always presented with at least two choices every time...

1. Be normal = compassionate, sensitive, sensible etc
2. Be a jackass = ruthless, arrogant, prickly demeanor etc

How you choose to behave is directly representative of the amount of self-respect you possess!

of governments and government employees...

This past week I have been a regular at a number of government offices in Madras...I wont get into the details...not for any other reason but it simply is amazingly boring just to even begin typing what I've managed to get done here...!! No no...its all relevant to the scheme of things but just an endless list of "to-dos"!! B.O.R.I.N.G!

I think its fantastic that most every employee there knows all that rules and regulations like the back of their hands -> Well, knowing what to do usually means half the job done...right? WRONG! here knowing what to do means they are 100% committed to not doing their jobs and have actual rules to support that..!! :D

I mean a request as simple as expanding my intials was made to sound as if I was asking for a complete change in the customs rules for procuring weapons grade plutonium or something else equally abominable! Ofcourse -> the fault was all mine -> I didnt "route" the request through the "proper" channel with a few hundred rupees additional special service levy!! :)

of customers and customer service...

Well...sure when you pay for a product/service...you obviously deserve delivery of that product/service within the committed/agreed time frame...

It is extremely important to realize that everyone is always attempting to deliver their end of the bargain...I mean the day all of us stop believing in that there would be a total global spiritual meltdown!

What would be left after establishing such total 'dis-belief' or 'mistrust' would be just endless negotiations...and non-performance penalty clauses...and subsequently no delivery...!!

But I think it is extremely important to still treat everyone with respect and not believe you have reasons to take away anyone's respect just because you went to him and not his competition...

I can tell you nearly all of us would agree that only the product/service was offered as part of the sale package and not the individual's respect!

This entry in here comes after being witness to some absolutely ludicrous behavior from a particularly well educated gentleman while this friend of mine was having lunch with me on a Sunday afternoon!! It is unfortunate that some of us still believe for a few hundred rupees we have the right to take away someone's time and respect anytime of the day/week/month/year!!

Changing times...

First things first - the Pune era is coming to an end.

Last 48 hours or so here...good city...wide roads...reasonable people...plenty of good restaurants...and...and...and...I know this is never ever going to happen again in my working life -> work was exactly 6 minutes away from home! :)

But heres something really interesting - the internet and phone was down for the last three or four days and honestly I couldn't care less. Parents were extremely angry about it and I am going "good lord...whats happening here?!?!" I am extremely happy about the fact that both of them are net savvy, it is a relief actually especially when you are constantly travelling and there are times when internet is more 'available' than a public phone...but I think being upset about not being able to logon to facebook is a little amusing if not worrying...

E.M. Cioran

I like reading a lot...(but I love doing nothing...!)

In fact, this past extended weekend was a true testimony to that...two of three days were spent without even opening the door of the house and the day in between I was literally forced out for something which I couldn't squirm out of as much as I wanted to.

I was introduced to Emil Cioran's world of rather brilliant nihilism a couple of years back by a person who I am particularly fond of despite rarely being in touch with each other! :)

Cioran's nihilism (and dare I say this in public domain) is more sensational than what Buddha really propounded...and makes for very thought provoking reading (whatever little there is available to read on the world wide web)

Some of the most effective thought provoking bits are -
- Glory - once achieved, what is it worth?
- A sudden silence in the middle of a conversation suddenly brings us back to essentials: it reveals how dearly we must pay for the invention of speech
- Ambition is a drug that makes its addicts potential madmen
- Anyone can escape into sleep, we are all geniuses when we dream, the butcher's the poet's equal there
- By all evidence we are in the world to do nothing.

End of the day, I dont claim to understand the exact place where this man is coming from - but I surely can comprehend some of his rather sensational "so whats" and would dearly love to get my hands on some of his full blown books!

Indo-Pak cricket a.k.a Misbah Mania!!

India vs Pakistan = Misbah vs Nehra!

Misbah's commendable preparation - sought batting tips from Indian batting maestro Ravi Shastri...!!

Nehra betrays his team midway thru the match...unfortunately Misbah saw the betrayal too late!

Gul refuses last ball single to keep Misbah on strike! :D

Singh to Gilani in reference to Misbah -> There is a good samaritan. He is the ideal role model!

Tendulkar awarded with the man of the match as a token advance for batting performance in the finals...!!

Misbah R. Shastri scr*wed over yet again! Afridi says sorry to his nation...and feels sorry for Misbah!

Misbah's cause seen worthy of a nobel prize for peace...! First time ever, an entire nation recommends it as well unanimously...!! The neighboring nation...that is..!! 

dumb conversation...!

hey!
hello!

How are you?
Ok.
Ok. Great. Lets start right away.

Describe yourself in one word.
Dumb

Describe yourself in two words.
Extremely dumb

Describe yourself in three words.
I am dumb

Describe yourself in four words.
I am extremely dumb

Can you guess the next question?
Describe yourself in five words?

No six words!! ohhhh...you just missed it by a whisker...!
I am dumber than you think

AWESOME! Well done!

Manufacturer monograms nicked...

Well...I was extremely upset when my month old car...was scratched...(presumably by kids!) and it appeared as if someone was using the right door of my car to practice alphabets!! (I could make out "A" and "Z") - in fact I felt very let down and angry that someone could be so sadistic and scratch a car for the sake of amusement!!

These days - most every car in Pune is seen without its manufacturer's monogram both under the front hood and the boot...!! Well, most every 'foreign' brand car!! CRUEL CRUEL CRUEL...!!

(Un)Healthy optimism...

The best part (if any) about coming down with a severe cold and sour throat is that at some level atleast you start to think that you sound like Morgan Freeman!! That may very well be the medication induced hallucinations - but who cares!! :P

Thank you...!!

Today is just one of those days or rather this whole week has been one of those weeks when everything has just been right...!! Picture perfect is more like it...

I am a lucky chap in life...and I want to wholeheartedly thank everyone for making me feel this way this week...this includes friends physically around...and friends who are far but in spirit always around close!!

Cheers guys...you know who you are!! :)

my skill set...

I am a borderline burn out with less than desirable social skills but what really is my biggest asset is my ability to very very quickly extinguish that seed of ambition that surfaces every once in a while, unprovoked, before it transforms itself into a serious goal!! :P - KJA

2010 - Top 5!!

This is me doing a semi-David Letterman here! Or as always attempting...!! :)

#5 - Sir, the senior citizens table is at the end of the hall...("not funny" waitress)

#4 - But seriously sir, how can we help you? (barber...)

#3 - Dude...tummy tuck PLEASE! (friend who very kindly took a few pics of me recently)

#2 - Mr. Karthik - you really have a lovely handwriting....but....(sales guy at wembley drum center...)

#1 - Sir, would you please inhale deeper so I can get the tray out...deeper...deeper...deeper...(airhostess...)

2010 - The End...!

I still remember how enthusiastically I embraced 2010...well...here I am...a few days before the end of 2010 and trying to see if anything really changed...

Besides - few negligible improvements, the year over all has been pretty much slow and low in all respects...2011 isn't expected to be any different...

Normally, no year is different from any other...its all the hype and hope about future in general and the mysticity (new word...HAHA) around the unpredictability of the future that makes us believe that there is always this huge change just around the corner...!! But truth be told...mostly that change is not even remotely visible...leave alone achievable...only you keep looking for it or chasing it...

I for once am learning to not just accept but even appreciate the great 'constant' that is my life...and love the part that there is hardly any surprises or shocks around it...and hope it stays that way...for as long as I have to deal with it

Heres to my docile life and to a very predictable and stable 2011...

Haggling

haggling when your product is relatively out of date and off market...

may may...just MAY very closely resemble something else! :)

YOU GOT TO BE NICE TO US...DONT YOU KNOW US...WHATS WRONG WITH YOU?!

Be nice to us...

Be nice to us please...

Why cant you be nice...?? Try it...dont be afraid...its not as complicated as you perceive it to be...

I am going to have to stop talking to you...!

Ok...I was just kidding...but what is the problem here??

I am involving my brother now! He is going to beat some sense into you! (*LOL*)

Come on...its nice to be nice...to everyone!! Ok?

Animal cruelty is all wrong! You dont pelt stones at dogs do you?? Why discriminate now?!

poor mothers! you got to love them...

Mothers dont give up...they dont EVER give up!

here goes...

Astrologer -> the best period in your son's life is now...

Ma -> Really? Great! (Extra special 'thank you' prayers from today...)

Ma to KJA -> The best time for everything is now. Everything is great. 

KJA to Ma -> I burnt the dinner last night...had to eat out...when are you coming back...

Ma -> Are you even listening to me?! We re-re-visited your horoscope. You are going to become a human soon...the time has come

KJA -> Splendid. What else?

Ma -> You are midas now according to him

KJA -> Ok. Its that time of the year to show investment proofs etc. I have a bunch of used boarding passes as my 'investments' for the year. This special power will really come in handy!!

Ma -> He is wrong. I give up. What bad luck...I should have stayed single...

....

....

....

KJA -> so whats for breakfast in Madras...?

....

....

....

Saree Jahan See Acchaa!

Most of us (...including yours truly) at some point in time or the other have felt bad or disappointed about having to deal with a lot of "unacceptables" in this truly lovely country that I am super proud to call my home...

Tonight...was special...something truly special...my unit had an official gathering at a cozy little place near my residence...(super thanks to all who chose that place...the sheer relief that you feel past mid night knowing that you are home in about 5 mins is really hard to describe in words really)...towards the end of the night...I had this truly inspirational exchange of thoughts with this new found work friend...talking about history...culture...heritage...and mostly how India is more "human" in every sense and tone of that word...than the rest of the world...

HUM --> we/ours....

MAN --> mind....

HUMAN --> oneness in thought...! :)

JAI HIND

all about the hunger!

Airports...airports seem to bring out the best in everyone!! here goes...

few weeks back...am waiting behind a fellow flyer at the boarding gate...this was an early morning flight...visibly the bloke was little restless...he walks to the airport staff...displays his boarding card...and as he walks past this lady...."andhar khana milega na??" - "food is served inside right??"

This lady was stunned...and politely said..."yes"!

...I was behind this dude...and I couldn't help but smile at her..."I wouldn't dare ask that question in that tone to even my mom or my wife..."

....a giggly....."Enjoy your flight sir"

..."Yes. I will. Thank you. You have a good day"

baggage bliss!

I am sure most working professionals returning "home" for a break from work will be able to relate to this feeling of relief (no need to cook and clean for a few days), mild thrill (perhaps the recently launched F1 2010 game on the PS3 waiting for you as a surprise), guilt (coming home empty handed as you have just finished the box of cookies all by yourself)...etc etc...

But this isn't about all that - obviously everyone is attached to their luggage! No matter whats inside - you are attached to your bags, suitcases! There is no denying that! AND they are attached to you as well (YES YES YES!!)

How else would you explain the 4 somersaults that they perform on their way to reaching you on the baggage belt at the Madras airport!! They know you are too old and physically unfit, so they take over and exhibit that unmanageable bliss that you really feel inside every time you land home at the Madras airport!!

total freedom

Everyone wants to be free... most seem to stop at the "freedom to do whatever I wanna do, whenever I wanna do" phase. Recently, I took it to a slightly different dimension...

You will be able to achieve a sense of complete freedom, unless you kill your conscience somehow, only when you completely lose your ability to hurt anyone or anything (including yourself) willfully or unwittingly by your words/thoughts/actions!

In reality, I think if this has to be achieved, one must welcome the state of "total social insignificance"! :)

On a lighter note - wearing a cloak of invisibility is surely not a bad way to start...

pluuu plaaahhh!

Today was a live dose of the famed blondness or blonditude!

At the airport, while waiting in the long winding queue there was a temporary cut in the power supply and within moments it was restored using the back up!

There was a blonde woman waiting in the queue as well....making conversation with some people around her...just 'socializing'...you know! As soon as this power supply thing happened - her expression turned a little concerned and she asked "what if the same thing happens inside the aircraft?"

For a moment there - I froze and then the "oh she's blonde" calmness fell over me and I walked in for the free "feel me up" session with the security personnel!!