Gag bag

The mind plays such an important role many a times. And is wholly responsible for our actions even if we really know we don’t want to do a certain thing the way we do it. Well I don’t have many examples to show this, but it hit me the other day. I will explain that later. For now though I have certain things to discuss on the same. Now I don’t know what is this 'mind' which does take part and is responsible for a certain action of ours. But it is an involuntary response of ours certainly. And no, I m not talking about our reflex actions. Those are totally different I feel. These are more voluntary. Yet, somehow we just accept them as the situation unfolds.

Ok. This is going very vague. So I will first quote that example...

Well it so happened that I was watching the IPL match the other day. And there was this run out chance. The fielder was at point. And the batsman hit it there, and began to run. Now this fielder picks up the ball. The wicketkeeper has already taken his place behind the stumps. Here is when I observed, that whenever such a situation occurs, the fielder automatically throws the ball at the keeper. Not directly at the stumps. Why? Now there is no direct answer. I mean he has a better chance in a close run out to get his team a wicket by a direct hit. While if it’s a greater margin, then throwing at the keeper makes more sense. But then, in that split second how many decisions are you going to make? Is it a flaw in human psychology and his way of thinking? Is overcoming this is what we call presence of mind? I mean I just observed this now, so it may be like, wow! to me. But I don’t know. Like again, consider. That you are listening to your I-pod. And at the same time, someone asks you something. While answering, your volume automatically goes up. I mean why is it that we can’t just maintain a same volume level. After all, we talk at about the same decibel level throughout, and for a person like me who talks so much, I must have so much practice maintaining the same level. But no. It’s like you have to hear yourself at the same volume.

Now I don’t know if I m making sense at all. But it’s just that this struck me the other day. And hence thought of writing something about it.

There may be some clichéd examples to this category as well. Or so I think so. Like given a new pen, we automatically write our name first. Or just getting a pen in our hand, we start scribbling and writing any crap whatsoever, even if there is no need at all. Another thing I observed in this type of behavior is that almost everyone is affected by this. Otherwise normally human tendencies are such that they change from person to person. But a normal person acts in the above ways itself, no matter what happens. Unless of course you overcome the mind control. Its funny, but its true. I m still not done on this topic. But I myself am getting so confused that I don’t know what else to write. So I better stop before I go crazy and just go on a cyclic redundancy…

I don't think Santa will have anything to say this time. After all, I m a psychic...

‘Be on tekdi at 5:30…’, ‘Tomo morn futbal at 7…’,’ B in B in 8 mins…’ and so on.

These are some of the SMSs received (a little variation in the time and place and the activity) almost everyday. And it’s funny, because even for the small time lag, no one ever pays top priority to any of these timings.

No one and I mean no one ever arrives at the time decided. And its somehow a understood thing that when someone says a certain time, that everyone arrives a little* late. Each one expects this way that when he/she arrives, all will be there so that he/she won’t have to wait for anyone. Only to find out that he/she has arrived the earliest. And I don’t know how, but this goes on be it any thing. Now for a game of football suppose, who ll like to arrive late? But no, still people break records and arrive 45 mins after the decided time. Till then hardly 2-3 people arrive, just sitting and giving missed calls.

There is no reason for its origin. Though I guess we can think of some options. Like some people meet regularly and there is one person who is the eternal late comer. So to adjust with him/her, so that no one feels that he/she arrives too early, people start coming a little late. This way now all are on time relative to one another. So that now they can do the thing they intended without any lag.

Now everyone of this group has been affected with this disease (or can we say habit), so that they start spreading it. Like they say, one bad apple in the basket spoils the rest.

Now how late can one be tolerated? It’s a relative question again, but I guess it depends on the purpose of the get together. Also, is there a way to tackle this?

I don’t understand yet another thing, that if everyone knows that when a time of say 6 pm is decided, and that all are going to arrive at 6:15 then why not say 6:15 itself, and arrive then right on time. How long can we go on extending this, without getting caught up in the recursive nature of this method, that whenever our mind analyzes a certain time, it automatically adds the lag and then processes on it. If there as such really exists this algorithm, then can't there ever be a stage that we state a time right and the mind analyzes it right so that all arrive at exactly the time stated?

Okay, still this isn’t all that the problem is. Even with by afflicting each and every person, we all start arriving 15 mins late, so that still, all arrive on time relative to one another (a little here and there of course). So its all well and good.

But then there will always be this one person, who says he/she still wants to arrive the last. So now he/she starts adding another 5 mins. Now he/she won’t be the only one of course, so that he/she will spread this disease to all the others. So that the mind of each starts adding 20 mins, instead of 15.

Will this too stop at some time? The additions will go on I guess, so that people start arriving more and more late. But this addition mostly is decreasingly exponential, so that after a few iterations I think it will be small enough to neglect. I don’t know the actually case, but I do hope this is the case. Else time really will have no meaning.

I guess what you can do is talk it amongst yourselves and start understanding each other better so that you can avoid this at the bud stage itself. It will be difficult for you to handle it if you don’t heed it well in advance. Or else, just go with the crowd as usual.

Nothing much to ponder over actually. It’s a hard reality, so just accept it.

Santa said ,”Lets meet at 12 exaclty?”
I said, ”Par aapke 12 kab bajenge?”

*Little- the term little is relative here. It varies from 10-15 mins to half an hour or so, or sometimes not at all…

Gazing down
in the cafeteria,
I saw a hundred faces
all in their own thoughts.
I scanned through people
quickly as a hawk,
In an instant I targeted my prey,
And although I knew I could never go for the kill,
I stood still, gazing, waiting, concentrating.
After what seemed like an eternity,
I turned to go my way.
And now when I recall,
All i can think of is...
GUESS?

Just today I had been on tekdi, like always :-). As usual I proceeded to water the plants over there, when two little kids came running to me calling out 'kaka,kaka..'
At first I just looked at them, and when they were close enough and checking out what I was doing with their usual inquisitive eyes, with questions galore, I proceeded to correct them immediately, telling them to call me dada, and not kaka..
After the little fun talk with them, going through explaining what I was doing, and asking them their names and the usual stuff with small kids, I proceeded on my way*. There, the thought arose whether now I was old enough to be called kaka? I mean was there a defining limit after which you are called a kaka, because this was surely the first time this happened. And I certainly didn't like it. I mean do I look old enough for that, or does the maturity show(!) on my face..? Am I up to the mark to be called a kaka? The thing struck me, more so because at present I did correct the kid, but later on I would have to accept the fact and live with it, being happy called as an uncle. Is there a way to avoid this? Or is it just how age treats you and you just cant help it? I don't think even Kaya Skin Care clinic can solve this either.
The further question arises. Will there also be a time when someone will call me an ajoba? That will be worse, especially when you hear it from outside. This just shows that at heart you maybe a kid forever, but thats not how age treats you. Like they say, age 3 to 5 or so is the most innocent age, and these kids can just be the most honest in deciphering you, whether or not you like it. Age really is unforgiving, and you just have to accept the changes and move along. Like in the new Pepsi commercial, the famous 'Youngistan' one, King Khan has become a dad to Deepika. Similarly, actors too move on to play roles of dads, grandpas and so on as time moves on. They have to accept it and give way to new talent, or just new people in many cases. So there I was, wondering and pondering on this but still, just moving along as though nothing happened*. Thats how life is, unfair though it may seem...

*-both the ways are the same, i.e along the tekdi road to the quarry..:-)
~ kaka-> uncle
ajoba->grandfather
dada->brother

Well on a totally different thread. Euro 2008 Austria Switzerland is going to be one hell of a competition. Well, its bad enough though, that England hasn't qualified. In any case though, my support for the English team will be undying.
But taking into account the circumstances, I have to have a team to support for, in the upcoming games. Which undoubtedly will be Spain.
Spain have been underachievers in all competitions. And its time that they show the mettle they possess. And they have one heck of a team to bring about the results.
The Spanish individuals have been performing at their best levels wherever they are playing. With the likes of Fabregas, Torres, Reyes, Cassilas, Villa - who else do you want!!!

I think the Spanish will pose a formidable strength at this Euro. Ofcourse, time will tell...

Cassilas
Puyol
Ramos
Iniesta
Xavi
Alonso
Fabregas
Torres
Villa
Garcia
Reyes
Morientes
Raul
Krkic

are names you just cannot overlook....!!!

Hoping for the best results and a great game from these young talents...

Currently my third year end of semester exams are going on. And it’s the usual situation, with lots of last minute studies left, many things left untouched. Calling up friends and checking and rechecking the exact stuff required to be done for the exam, collecting the required material to study a day before the exam and so on. And as the years have gone by, everyone is getting more and more relaxed and comfortable with this approach. No one gives a shit to do all this weeks earlier... Why?

Since schooling began, the one major worry of students and parents alike is exams. Parents take leave from work, all activities of the child are stopped as the exams come closer and closer. Students stop coming out of their house to play, outside food, hotelling (a cheap term indeed) is banned for a few weeks. Then everyday the child is made to slog, with the whole house bearing down expectations on him... And if he is an over-achiever, gods save him.

As the years progress and until he finishes his 12th, the expectations and the burden just go on increasing...

Post 12th however, atleast in the engineering phase I have witnessed in my life, I have observed that the level of seriousness, the tensions, the gravity of exams just loses its worth and that too quite suddenly. I mean I don’t know why, but since after coming to engineering, the exams have never given me the same amount of fear as earlier. Ok, I agree that I never did get tensed or nervous before any exam as such. But then, still, there was a bit of seriousness involved. But coming here, it’s a totally different picture. Let us elaborate and analyze that a little more, shall we?

Fine. I guess one of the major reasons is that we have exams, like almost every month. So after a 10-15 day breather, it’s exam time once again. Many a times we haven’t even got the result of the earlier exam, when we are giving the next one. The class tests are a real joke. Absolutely no one gives a damn, and when the test is taking place(which sometimes are surprise tests, which is really surprising cause I mean we are doing engineering, its not some 4th or 5th standard for gods sake. When will they realize this...?), it is then that the symbiotic behavior is at its best. Everyone, mark my words, is so helpful and friendly in giving and taking information. Wow! It’s worth a watch really... So these again have lost the meaning and have made the exams lose their status.

So the frequency of exams maybe perceived as a reason. But then that was the case during school life too.

Another thing is the days in which a book, almost 600pages can be digested in. It used to take hours of study for a month or so to study in school in 9th or 10th. But upon coming to engineering, we have become magicians. A one read is just enough. If you have read everything twice, then mostly you are the class topper. Has the retention power increased so much over the years?

The seriousness levels. Hehehehehe… I mean I can’t even utter this line seriously. I don’t know if I m a fool, but seriously, no one is serious. None at all. A week before the exam, people are attending functions, weddings, are on holidays, going to concerts, playing like mad, making projects and doing all stuff totally unrelated to the syllabus. While this would have just been a sin were it done 5yrs back. What’s with this? Why is no one serious? Everyone takes the 'Que Sara Sara, whatever will be will be' attitude. It’s only the day (mostly the night) before the exam that everyone goes through the stuff. And you have to write everything the next day and you are done with it. And actually, we all achieve the aim this way.

I m totally cool nowadays around exam time. Actually speaking, I like the exam period more. Because you have no college to attend, so you can sleep and get up whenever you want. You have to sit at home and supposedly study. So no one puts any responsibility on you. Then you say you need the fresh air. You fall out in the evening. I mean it’s heavenly. I adore exam time (barring the actual exam and the results).

I don’t know. Maybe this is a wrong approach. The other day, my friend and I were discussing the same thing. That why do we feel we have 'lost it' suddenly. I was never a hard worker, was never a geek or a nerd. But I always did the required thing and came out in great shape. But the pattern, or the system, or the torture or don’t know what accompanied with engineering really takes the steam out of you. It turns you into a pachyderm. You don’t get affected by anything around you. You have that 'X'* attitude around you. And somehow you enjoy it. Or so has been the case with me.

It’s bad. I know it’s bad. I m trying to change. I m trying to revive myself, trying to pull myself up. But the quicksand under me just isn’t allowing me. What all with the vivas, the practicals, the projects and the deadlines, the aptitude tests and interviews, the class tests, the submissions and file completions, the seminars, the case studies, the pattern change, the semester timings change and what not in a 2 weeks span made me so miserable. And it really was visible on everyone’s faces. I don’t know if this is what engineering demands. I don’t know if engineering is meant to trouble children ahead of the exams itself than during it. I don’t know if this is what makes us ready for the future. I don’t know if this will be the life ahead and all this is just a start. But I certainly do hope and wish that it shouldn’t be introduced in this way. There must surely be some other way to go around and tackle this problem.

And if this doesn’t really kill the spark inside you, it is only then that you arise like a phoenix from the ashes. Because let me be frank, the total system is just ashes now...

I have gone from one topic and ended somewhere totally different. So let’s get back to where we started. Though a pointer here, most of the upcoming topics will be concerning this very thing.

As I said, its exam time going on now. Precisely the reason why I felt like creating a blog now. I had decided not to post anything till the next paper gets over. I did keep that promise, but the promise I didn’t keep was not to change the deadlines of the earlier promise. :-)

I hope I did make sense. It is all clear to me, but while putting it in words, I was left stranded many a times, conflicting my own ideas.

All said, I go nowhere from where I was, apparently two hundred lines earlier. But then that’s life. You want change, but you don’t want to accept it when it comes. Who knows, change might be worse. Anyway, I don’t care. Currently I m enjoying, cause its exam time!!

Santa asked: Are you tensed?

I said ya, past perfect!

* - Don’t care

नमस्कार,

As a cliche, I too will go with the mainstream. This being my first entry into the blogging world, I ll rather not post something of value. Just a big HI...!
I ll start posting soon enough. It may not be worth reading maybe, but then who cares...!!! Free service by Google, and though I m very late in using this service, I hope to make the full out of it...

Anyways, keep smiling...It goes a long way...Enjoy life to the fullest, and take care...!!! I ll be back soon...