Tag Archive for 'No good'

Disadvantage in my car

Published on October 16, 2008 in No good. 14 Comments Tags: , .

My one year old Blaupunkt Maui CD player went kaput. CD Error, it kept displaying. All this while, I kept thinking – perhaps those cheap CDs were the reason. Finally when I told the friendly dealer about it, he said it was a company lens problem and asked me to bring it back for replacement with any other equivalent CD player. Thank god for warranty period.

So I go and choose a Sony X-plod. Dealer says, sorry cant let you switch over from Blaupunkt to Sony. Those are the rules.

I exclaim – but you said ANY OTHER CD player!!!

Dealer apologises profusely but stays adamant. I have no other choice but to select from about 10 models of Blaupunkt, each crappier than the next.

I fret and fume but am sure that this time, I want a CD player with USB because I was sick of writing CDs to death before. Every time I downloaded a new song from the net, I had to go through a whole process of CD writing. It was too much work.

I chose one with USB and by the time I finished pointing, the mechanics are already half way through installing it in the car. The demo goes well till I insert my 2 GB USB and then - gasp - USB ERROR!! 

I cringed inwardly, oh no – back to square one.

The dealer unconvincingly tells me – it just doesnt play 2 GB, thats all – see it works perfectly fine with a 1 GB USB. I feel like wringing his neck.

I dont want a new replacement which has USB size issues after which the dealer tells me (politely though not explicitly) to take it or leave it.

I eat his brains for about 3 hours, trying and testing all other models and eventually ending up with the one that gave me a USB error for 2 GB. 

By this time, the smile on his face’s been wiped out and so’s mine. We’re both feeling slightly hostile towards each other.

As I drove back home, I realized – maybe its okay I at least got a new replacement. The old one had completely stopped playing CDs and was only capable of FM. Have been using the new CD player and it works fine fine fine except for 2 GB USB.

Now I’m confused whether to feel happy about the replacement or to be unhappy about the entire problem to begin with. Or maybe Blaupunkt should change their logo of The Advantage In Your Car to the one in my title.

People can think what they want

Published on October 13, 2008 in Life as it happens and No good. 12 Comments Tags: , , , .

I was at the bank sometime back and had nothing to do other than listen in on a most personal conversation between two women, well… due to lack of having anything else to do. They had just finished hugging and greeting each other in such a manner that it was safe to assume they hadn’t seen either in years. In the mean time, a kid kept tugging at one of the woman’s dupatta, wailing about something or the other.

The other, apparently older friend then proceeds to generally fawn over the little dumpling and after getting over with the mandatory cootchiecooing, she turned her attention back to the mother.

“So how many kids do you have? How old is this little tyke?”

“Oh, he’s five. And also an only child”

“Hmm… so you have ONLY one kid?? I guess thats okay too. But I hope you guys are planning to have at least one more kid, you know. After all, you’ve been married for what? Ten years now?”

Embarassed laughter. “I guess we could always try…”

“Yeah, well – you know what people say when you have only one kid…”

What do people say when you have only one kid??? Poor sperm count? That they were apparently lucky that one time and god knows if not for that, they’d be childless and lets not even go to that kind of situation?

This WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK syndrome, which is a common enough topic in India, doesnt just stop at that poor ONE kid. For all we know, its an offense to:

1. Be a spinster/bachelor after 30 perhaps.

2. Have a live in relationship.

3. Be a childless couple.

4. Get separated.

5. Get divorced.

6. Get re-married.

7. What else? Perhaps think for yourself too?

I knew a chronic bachelor who was hounded by matchmakers all over town in the hope that some lucky girl would one day snag him and cut short his freedom. Another friend of mine’s a happy go lucky 38 year old spinster who doesnt mind categorizing marriage at the bottom of her priority list.

P.S. What will people think, eh? Answer in  # 24 of http://ringchen.com/things-about-me

Duh day

Published on September 29, 2008 in No good. 10 Comments Tags: , , .

I’m extremely irritated at this point of time. I’ve sat in front of the computer the whole day and my eyes are watery and I’ve begun to get a mild headache that’s threatening to turn into a big one.

There was a bandh in the state today from 6 am to 6 pm, the first one in 10 years. As a result, I couldnt go out and do anything I wanted to. Not that I roam around like anything and keep doing things on a regular basis. But the idea of being confined to one space and not having the option to take off as I wanted to was a major reality check for me.

We take the notion of freedom of movement very lightly now that its been about 60 years of independence? Yet, when life comes to a standstill and you dont get to do the normal things that you take for granted, its a shock, nonetheless.

To top it all, I deleted the previous post. Arrghh. I dont think I am in a fine mental state to type it all over again. My back hurts from sitting here all day and my moods worsens.

And I dont even want to go towards my state of writer’s block. Its been plaguing me for some time and I think I’m running short of things to write about in this blog. Brain function decreasing and oxygen suppy diminishes.

I… cant… see…

Stupidly fearless girl

Published on September 20, 2008 in memoirs. 18 Comments Tags: , , .

As you grow older (and wiser perhaps: seems aging is mandatory, wisdom optional), you look back at all the things you used to do back when you were young and wonder how on earth are you still alive today to blog about it.

Me and a friend were talking about college days when we used to make the arduous journey from Sikkim all the way to different parts of South India which meant four days of very long travelling. Most of the times, we used to have other batch mates escorting us. But there were vacations such as Onam holidays for me during which they (the guys, if you could call them that) wouldnt want to travel back and forth in such a very short period of time; so they decided on staying back in Calicut.

I, on the other hand, HAD TO travel, even if I had to do it all alone, just so that I could come back home, stay for a couple of days and head back again. Stupidity number one.

Once, I traveled all the way till Calcutta along with other friends. They reached their destinations and went home happily. My connecting overnight train to Sikkim was at 6 pm and I remember one very decent batch mate worried about how I would wait all alone in the platform. I exclaimed – Come on! I’ll wait in the ladies waiting room – its no big deal, yaar! Thats when he informed me that I was standing in the wrong railway terminal in the first place. Stupidity number two.

He kindly escorted me to the other platform, which was miles(?) away from the previous one and he finally had to take off since I had hours to kill before the train arrived. His face was all scrunched up with worry while I laughingly waved him goodbye.

Six pm came and went – I had already left the ladies waiting room and was in the platform waiting for the stupid train to show up. Night fell and everything started becoming dark. There I sat on the platform, propped up on my rucksack, reading a book while porters in their red uniform and other creatures eyed me quizzically till 11 pm. Thats when the train finally showed up and I took the upper side berth to promptly fall asleep. Needless to say, I reached home in one piece.

Looking back, I kind of fear for my own safety and thank god nothing happened to me. During that particular journey and so many others after that.  I cant imagine traveling alone right now. I need an escort to reach me till the train bathroom – thats how much I’m scared to death, honestly speaking.

I guess thats what age does to you. It makes you aware of how fearless you once were.

Security

Published on September 14, 2008 in No good. 15 Comments Tags: , , .

I came to know about the bomb blasts which occured in Delhi claiming the lives of 22 people and injuring over 100 people. I find it difficult to imagine the monstrosity of the people responsible for this. What could possibly be going on in their heads? What greater purpose do the blasts serve? Its a shame that innocent people all over the country have to pay with their lives for whatever animosity lies behind the blasts.

We live in a world filled with terror. Of hatred for one another. Of cold, heartless killers who do not hesitate to take countless innocent lives. When the Jaipur blasts occured, one person on TV said, We are living in fear for we do not know if we’ll return back home in the evening or not. It struck me as a very unfamiliar emotion and state of mind. I remember thinking – how could anyone live like that? Surely we deserve to be safe and secure in our homes or offices or the streets we walk in.

Justifiably, people are more insecure these days. We do not know where the next bomb blast could possibly take place. It could be 1000 kilometres away from you. It could be next door. How pityful is it for us to be and remain insecure about our safety. How very primitive.

I feel sorry for the people who lost their lives in the Delhi blasts. For their families who mourn the loss. Notwithstanding, It could have also been any of us.

The government is talking about anti-terrorist laws. With so many attacks happening all over the country, it is high time that action should be taken and the people responsible behind it punished. Let them also know that they cannot just blow up cities and kill people for no reason.

We need to feel secure again.

The End

Published on September 10, 2008 in Musings. 10 Comments Tags: , , .

My maid comes to me today morning and says we’re all going to die today. I go – huh? Is this something to do with what they were talking on TV yesterday about the world coming to an end? And she says – yes, yes. Thats what they’re saying. I told her – I dont think we’re all going to die today. At least I hope not. Wouldnt that be a shame.

And what a fit beginning for Armageddon, I’d have to say. The sky’s turned a shade of dark gray, rain’s started falling this early in the morning. Thunder rumbling somewhere in the back ground. You know how it is at the end of the world. I’ve seen plenty of hollywood movies to recognize it instantly.

Some years back, a person from where I live too predicted a similar end of the world BS and thankfully he was wrong. What about today? I hope the prediction doesnt come true cause I sure as hell dont want to die today. Or any day soon.

I’m feeling jittery already. Oh crap.

Pseudo feminist

Published on September 7, 2008 in Favourite posts, Gender blender and No good. 14 Comments Tags: , , .

I have very strong feelings when it comes to gender discrimination. I’m usually telling people off whenever I come across discussions pertaining to women belonging to the inferior catgory and what not. One of my colleague sometimes counsels students by saying This is not America. While it is true that THIS really is not America, I find it hard to maintain perspective when he says that men can do anything they want because they can. And women cant. Thats the law of society and thats just how it is. So quit with the behaviour-influenced-by-western-culture. Understand?

He’s right, I know. Our culture and society favour men. We, the women are the weaker gender and even though so many issues have been raised regarding the equality of women, the gender debate is far from over.

I, personally dont think that women are any less capable compared to men. If I were a man, I’d be able to afford a wife (who wouldnt need to work) and raise children comfortably. I’d also rather punch the daylights out of all chauvinists but thats just how I feel.

So, it was a shock, a major one at that – when I discovered a woman standing with a measurement strip wound around her neck at a local tailor’s shop yesterday. I tried my best not to stare at her, closed my mouth and proceeded towards the tumultuous ordeal of talking business to her.

(After staring at the lady for a long time)

Me: Erm… where’s the other man who used to work here?

She: (Frostily) That guy left the shop ages back. He doesnt work here anymore.

(Desperately trying to figure if she would screw my dress because whoever’s heard of a female tailor??? Certainly not the pseudo-feminist that I was)

Me: Umm… It’s been years since I’ve visited your shop. Thats why I was looking for that other guy… (Attempting at something that probably does not even resemble a smile)

She: (Smiling back) Oh, thats all right. I’ve been working here for the past 4 years now.

(Sigh of relief as I exhale audibly. If she’s been working for 4 years, my clothes are in safe hands, I figure)

Me: Oh! I just didnt know that you’re working here. Okay. No problem.

As I left the shop, I thought to myself – how ironic is it that I berate others for gender discrimination when I, as a woman, did exactly that just now.

It is doubly hard to change the world unless you can change yourself. Isnt it?

My dog is no longer my dog

Published on August 20, 2008 in Life as it happens and Winkie. 13 Comments Tags: , , .

She’s a murderer. Or wait, is that supposed to be murderess?? Either way, I will never forget the turn of events on an otherwise ordinary monday morning…

I woke up late so I couldnt take my lab, Winkie out for her usual walk. So I let her outdoors to go do her dirty business otherwise, the house’s guaranteed to be in a stinking mess when I get back home in the evening.

Winkie took off but after a split second, I see her jumping after a chicken which materialized out of nowhere! Standing on my balcony, I didnt bother much cause the stupid dog’s prone to be overtly affectionate towards cats, goats, strays or anything that moves whenever she’s set loose.

However, this time to my horror, both chicken and dog dive headfirst into the bushes and after what seems like major struggling concealed by the plants, Winkie emerges with what looks like a dead chicken in her mouth.

I called or rather, screamed at the stupid dog (in ultrasonic frequency) to come home and she does, with her prize in the mouth. So thats how a highly idiotic dog and a chicken-that-was-breathing-faintly ended up in my living room while I was struggling to keep myself from screeching in (again) horror.

I called the cook and told her to oh-my-god! please, please-take-the-chicken-out-to-the-balcony but the moment she did, Winkie attacked it and snapped its neck, it seems.

We shut the dog and its hunt in the balcony, thinking wtf, she might as well eat it there but when I checked after 15 minutes, nope she was licking it instead. Guess she didnt know how to eat it, feathers and all.

So the cook got busy dressing the chicken and cutting it up after which I cooked it up with Winkie’s food. After meal time, all that was left behind was a clean plate and a lip smacking dog.

You know, I’m beginning to look at my dog differently now. She’s no longer going to be beaten with the same intensity that I used to before. I’m suddenly afraid of my own dog and I finally understand now why people cross the street when they see Winkie coming.

Have some respect

Published on August 12, 2008 in No good. 13 Comments Tags: , , .

I couldnt believe my eyes when I read this on MTV’s tickr:

Sania’s track pants will make more news than Abhinav Bindra.

He will not get to feature in a single advertisement.

Harman Baweja will be more famous that Abhinav Bindra.

No girl with put up a poster of Abhinav Bindra in her room or even wallpaper on her desktop.

No one will recognize him on the streets.

His signature will never become an autograph.

So what if he won a Gold, Rohit Sharma will still make more money than Abhinav!

At best, RGV may approach Abhinav Bindra for a gangstar film.

And he wont pay him for it.

No one will come on iSuperstar and want to be Abhinav.

Big Boss will not invite him to his house.

Abhinav Bindra will become one of the officers in Khatron Ka Khiladi, at best.

The Abhinav Bindra Fan Club on Facebook has 43 members.

Thats probably two less than Tusshaar’s.

The sad part is that MTV wants to be so cool – it thinks making fun of a national hero is okay. I dont agree with this. Watch out, MTV – this is not one of your Roadies that you’re talking about.

This is a big deal and I for one was stupendously proud of the Indian National Anthem being played at the award ceremony. This is not a small achievement and we all know it.

The 25 year old has achieved what no one had before in the history of Indian Sports. He is India’s first individual Olympic gold medallist while the last gold for India was won by the hockey team in 1980.

He has done India proud and reading such tasteless jokes on MTV makes me ashamed of the media. For what its worth, his picture is now on my desktop.

Congratulations, Abhinav Bindra!

Funny cake

Published on August 10, 2008 in Musings. 2 Comments Tags: , .

Yep. We all had a happy Ferwell since the cake mentioned everyone of us should so we did.

The cake seller was downright careless or indifferent, I personally think the latter, because he didnt write the three names to whom the farewell was being given for.

Instead of which, he wrote a “U”. How lazy is that.

Not that it stopped us from eating the cake or celebrating the farewell or anything. That would have really taken the cake.

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