This is one of my favourite paths into the land of fantasy. Now, I know the title is slightly puzzling.
Let me clear up the puzzle for you...
Whenever I look at a car from the front, I always get this strong feeling that the car's bonnet is like its face and the headlights (which are the most prominent thing in the car's front) are like its eyes. Some cars have cute headlights that make you think of the smileys that you see in the Y! messenger audibles. Others have headlights that make you think of children with eyes wide open to absorb the splendour or wonder of what they are seeing. The Hyundai Santro Zing is a classic example. Then there are the long headlights that make you think authority and intimidation and a 'better watch your step' attitude. Most Mercedes cars fit this description.
I would love to be able to illustrate exactly what I mean with photographs, but that will have to wait. Primarily because I don't know how to post photos/pictures in my blog yet. :)
But, it's an interesting hobby. And the best part is that it helps you while away time when you are caught in a traffic jam. To look at a car's headlights and wonder what that particular expression means and what the car would have said to go with that expression if it could speak. But I've often observed that if you know the person who drives the car, it sometimes influences your opinion of what the headlight expresses. It's still fun though!
This is one entry that will be updated a bit. I'll try to put up photos or at least name specific cars and put down what they make me think of.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Of taking notes and asking doubts
Of taking notes... and asking doubts.
Well, it's been a long time since I came anywhere near my blog and I have a lot of good reasons for it. Good reasons, I said... like my system hanging up on me and my being wrapped up in my own world. Getting wrapped up in my own world and introspecting my thoughts, actions and what I perceive to be other's opinion and impression of me seems to have become a habit with me of late. Maybe it had something to do with the time that I spent travelling alone minus a book to lose myself in. (A total nightmare for a person like me.)
Having joined a new job, I was required to attend an induction program conducted by the program. Now, I do know that some people consider induction to be really painful, but I was looking forward to it with an enthusiasm that would be considered distasteful by some of the people of the former category. I can see you rolling your eyes and muttering "why"? It is a simple answer. For someone who had been on the other end of the content and teaching spectrum, attending an induction where I didn't have to bother about either conducting the program or facilitating it for the participants looked really attractive.
I had been wishing that I could attend some sort of training program of late, but with deadlines looming large upon the horizon, it wouldn't have happened in a hurry. I can see some of you raise your eyebrows and cast a pointed gaze at the title of this blog. Well, be patient... I am getting there. The title has everything to do with the induction program. To cut a long story short, I attended the induction and jumped into it with my heart and soul.... and attained a reputation by the end of the second day - that of taking enough notes to rival the presentation used by the facilitator.
We were divided into groups of 8 and my group members would tease me every time I didn't take notes in a session. Well, my philosophy on asking doubts is simple. If in doubt, ask. Except in exceptional situtaions where you know that everyone except you understands what's going on and you'll probably look like a silly ninny or worse as if you are seeking to grab attention if you voice your doubts. In that case, the safest bet is to stay silent and clarify it with the group later on. Of course, having a dollop of common sense goes a long way in helping you determine because very often the basic concepts are more about applying common sense in theory to practical tasks than anything else.
Coming to taking notes, the point my group made was this: All the slides or at least most of the slides that we were being shown were already in the kit given to us. So where was the purpose of my taking notes? The reason is simple: Each person has his/her own way of absorbing things that are taught to them. There are some who are blessed with a photographic memory and can just look at a page and remember it for days afterward. Whether they retain it in their long memory is something I am not aware of and I have no way of finding out either. There are others who gulp the contents of the book as if they were delicacies and burp them all out in the assessment. And then there comes the category that I belong to: those who have to write down things as and when they hear/learn them to commit them to memory. I know it works for me.
Maybe because doing this involves putting down points in a short manner that would later help you recall the concept just by looking at the points. Recall value, you know. And the additional advantage is that when you put things down in writing, they somehow don't look as complex as they did when they were on the slide. And it gives you the additional advantage of being able to note down the anecdotes or examples given by the facilitator to illustrate and illuminate the point. This is like a higher advantage - even if you don't recall the explanation, the notes about the example will probably make your brain recall the example and the detailed explanation that followed. Sounds simple right? Wrong! Apparently, it's a waste of energy to write notes when the material is already available and you could probably gain more by listening intently to the lecture.
Well, there's no convincing people to look at things in any other way than their own. Certain types of people at least. So, I took my own easy way out. I take notes to help my memory and they sleep to help theirs. Convenient and comfortable! And a lot easier on the stress levels.
Well, it's been a long time since I came anywhere near my blog and I have a lot of good reasons for it. Good reasons, I said... like my system hanging up on me and my being wrapped up in my own world. Getting wrapped up in my own world and introspecting my thoughts, actions and what I perceive to be other's opinion and impression of me seems to have become a habit with me of late. Maybe it had something to do with the time that I spent travelling alone minus a book to lose myself in. (A total nightmare for a person like me.)
Having joined a new job, I was required to attend an induction program conducted by the program. Now, I do know that some people consider induction to be really painful, but I was looking forward to it with an enthusiasm that would be considered distasteful by some of the people of the former category. I can see you rolling your eyes and muttering "why"? It is a simple answer. For someone who had been on the other end of the content and teaching spectrum, attending an induction where I didn't have to bother about either conducting the program or facilitating it for the participants looked really attractive.
I had been wishing that I could attend some sort of training program of late, but with deadlines looming large upon the horizon, it wouldn't have happened in a hurry. I can see some of you raise your eyebrows and cast a pointed gaze at the title of this blog. Well, be patient... I am getting there. The title has everything to do with the induction program. To cut a long story short, I attended the induction and jumped into it with my heart and soul.... and attained a reputation by the end of the second day - that of taking enough notes to rival the presentation used by the facilitator.
We were divided into groups of 8 and my group members would tease me every time I didn't take notes in a session. Well, my philosophy on asking doubts is simple. If in doubt, ask. Except in exceptional situtaions where you know that everyone except you understands what's going on and you'll probably look like a silly ninny or worse as if you are seeking to grab attention if you voice your doubts. In that case, the safest bet is to stay silent and clarify it with the group later on. Of course, having a dollop of common sense goes a long way in helping you determine because very often the basic concepts are more about applying common sense in theory to practical tasks than anything else.
Coming to taking notes, the point my group made was this: All the slides or at least most of the slides that we were being shown were already in the kit given to us. So where was the purpose of my taking notes? The reason is simple: Each person has his/her own way of absorbing things that are taught to them. There are some who are blessed with a photographic memory and can just look at a page and remember it for days afterward. Whether they retain it in their long memory is something I am not aware of and I have no way of finding out either. There are others who gulp the contents of the book as if they were delicacies and burp them all out in the assessment. And then there comes the category that I belong to: those who have to write down things as and when they hear/learn them to commit them to memory. I know it works for me.
Maybe because doing this involves putting down points in a short manner that would later help you recall the concept just by looking at the points. Recall value, you know. And the additional advantage is that when you put things down in writing, they somehow don't look as complex as they did when they were on the slide. And it gives you the additional advantage of being able to note down the anecdotes or examples given by the facilitator to illustrate and illuminate the point. This is like a higher advantage - even if you don't recall the explanation, the notes about the example will probably make your brain recall the example and the detailed explanation that followed. Sounds simple right? Wrong! Apparently, it's a waste of energy to write notes when the material is already available and you could probably gain more by listening intently to the lecture.
Well, there's no convincing people to look at things in any other way than their own. Certain types of people at least. So, I took my own easy way out. I take notes to help my memory and they sleep to help theirs. Convenient and comfortable! And a lot easier on the stress levels.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Waiting!
It's been quite a long time since I attended an interview. In fact, I doubt if my first interview could be classified as one, technically speaking. It was more of an exhibition of my skills. Now, you may ask... Why an interview. Well, to tell the truth, I was forced to attend it due to certain circumstances that cropped up. And I didn't quite mind attending one because from my point of view, look at it this way: Either I get the job, or I get an idea of what interviews are like nowadays. Either way, I win right?
Now, considering that I had such balanced (?) views, don't you think I ought to be pretty cool about it? You do... Well, I was all right. That is... till I entered the campus. I am not going to mention any names because the people who matter know which campus I am talking about. Tall buildings with a name of their own, which by the way weren't mentioned anywhere on the building's exterior. Three or four main gates and you can't enter through the gate that happens to be the nearest one.
Once I entered the reception room and waited for the person I was supposed to meet, I began to get the butterflies big time! Now, I do write poems, but their arrival depends on my mood and creative instincts at the time. This tension in the reception room kind of fuelled my creative instincts because I managed to write a poem by the time the interview was over.
Here is the poem for those of you who have put up with the others:
Now, considering that I had such balanced (?) views, don't you think I ought to be pretty cool about it? You do... Well, I was all right. That is... till I entered the campus. I am not going to mention any names because the people who matter know which campus I am talking about. Tall buildings with a name of their own, which by the way weren't mentioned anywhere on the building's exterior. Three or four main gates and you can't enter through the gate that happens to be the nearest one.
Once I entered the reception room and waited for the person I was supposed to meet, I began to get the butterflies big time! Now, I do write poems, but their arrival depends on my mood and creative instincts at the time. This tension in the reception room kind of fuelled my creative instincts because I managed to write a poem by the time the interview was over.
Here is the poem for those of you who have put up with the others:
Waiting
Manifold forms has this earth,
and so does the chore of waiting.
It's waiting tinged with anxiety
when a loved one perilous travels makes
and a "I can't stand still" brand of waiting
when it's good news everyone's expecting.
A spate of butterflies reign supreme
when it's a question of achieving your dream.
of course! it can also happen to you
if you're about to attend an interview.
But wait! don't lose hope.
for you haven't heard the best yet!
And that's the fact that even the longest wait,
finally, its end does meet.
Well, that's it. My poem on waiting. I hope it makes for good reading. Funny, how the worst situations can result in something good, right?
Manifold forms has this earth,
and so does the chore of waiting.
It's waiting tinged with anxiety
when a loved one perilous travels makes
and a "I can't stand still" brand of waiting
when it's good news everyone's expecting.
A spate of butterflies reign supreme
when it's a question of achieving your dream.
of course! it can also happen to you
if you're about to attend an interview.
But wait! don't lose hope.
for you haven't heard the best yet!
And that's the fact that even the longest wait,
finally, its end does meet.
Well, that's it. My poem on waiting. I hope it makes for good reading. Funny, how the worst situations can result in something good, right?
Friday, January 02, 2009
The New Year
I suppose the appearance of this blog won't surprise many people. I mean, what better thing than the New Year to talk about?
It was a comment by my little (o.k, not so little) brother that set it off. He was commenting on how people sent you messages saying "Happy New Year 2009". And his point was that the new year and 2009 were the same thing and saying Happy New Year 2009 was like saying the same thing twice. You either say Happy New Year or Happy 2009 because the new year and 2009 are the same right? Yeah... but then it makes guys happy to say New Year 2009 because what if you confuse which year they mean? I know, I know, its very mean, but the truth is not many of us realise what we are doing wrong and the ones who do, aren't much perturbed. I mean... the sender doesn't have a problem, the receiver doesn't have a problem, then what's yours? True, so we'll let matters stand as they are and move on to more interesting things.
(To be continued)
I started writing this blog soon after the New Year was rung in, but stopped midway because I couldn't think of more things to write. I guess it was a kind of premonition of things to come. And now, I am going to leave this post the way it is, because I can't remember what the interesting things that I was going to discuss were.
It was a comment by my little (o.k, not so little) brother that set it off. He was commenting on how people sent you messages saying "Happy New Year 2009". And his point was that the new year and 2009 were the same thing and saying Happy New Year 2009 was like saying the same thing twice. You either say Happy New Year or Happy 2009 because the new year and 2009 are the same right? Yeah... but then it makes guys happy to say New Year 2009 because what if you confuse which year they mean? I know, I know, its very mean, but the truth is not many of us realise what we are doing wrong and the ones who do, aren't much perturbed. I mean... the sender doesn't have a problem, the receiver doesn't have a problem, then what's yours? True, so we'll let matters stand as they are and move on to more interesting things.
(To be continued)
I started writing this blog soon after the New Year was rung in, but stopped midway because I couldn't think of more things to write. I guess it was a kind of premonition of things to come. And now, I am going to leave this post the way it is, because I can't remember what the interesting things that I was going to discuss were.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Cell phones
Have you ever tried searching for a needle in a haystack? Well... if you want a taste of how the experience feels, maybe you should try searching for the perfect (ok... not so perfect, but at least one that meets all your needs) phone on the net. Even if you have zeroed in on a brand, choosing the best phone that meets your budget and specs from that brand is a nightmare that I pray no one has to face.
I had decided that I wanted a phone with emphasis on music quality and a good display. Well, it took me one whole month to select the phone that I wanted after selecting the brand. This does show my lack of decision making abilities, it also says a lot for the marketing abilities of cell phone manufacturers. They give you an interactive site with a simulation of the phone and so many different varieties of one single phone that it is enough to drive any sane person to the other extreme!
Now to add insult to the injury, the site does not quote the prices of the phones. No sir! They are not ready to make your job easy. Once you think a phone fits you (r specification), you need to log into one of the mobile store sites and check out the price for that particular model. Only to find out 90% of the time that it's way beyond your budget. Sigh!!!
And now, the hunt begins again.
All this searching kind of makes me feel that the good old landlines with the round dials were much better and easier on one's brain. And I used to love the way that round dial swung round and came back to status quo... Wish they made mobiles with keypads like that...
Oops, I take it back! The present dilemma is bad enough. I don't want more confusion to be added. And if you are wondering whether I managed to find a phone, the answer is: I did. It took a little amount of compromise and a lot of pondering, but then all's well that ends well, right?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Here it is... in prose
Hello there!
Well, I guess someone out there will be glad to see this prose blog. My blog has had nothing but poems till now. To confess the truth, the reason I began a blog in the first place was to have an outlet to post my poems on. But now, with a lot of views to express and share, I am beginning to see the brighter side of writing a blog. So here goes nothing...
The festival of brotherhood.
I couldn't think of a better way to introduce it. You don't tie rakhis to sisters so I can hardly call it the festival of sisterhood. Rakhi or Rakshabandhan, call it whichever way you want to address it. This festival is something that arouses a feeling of some sort within all the young people, whether they are from school, college or even working in offices. Radio stations, fancy stores, big departmental stores, even banks cash in on this festival craze. (Not that Banks need a festival as a reason to cash in on something. ;)) Rakhi is percieved with mixed feelings that cover a wide range from that of euphoric delight to ahem... disgust and a feeling of being trapped like a bird in a cage. Time to take a look at it from the point of view of both the genders.
The male gender:
The male gender, or most of it, leans towards the latter view stated above. School boys and most college boys spend the day in dread of having the girl they fancy as their future life partner tying a rakhi to them. This is not to say that this is a universal view point. If you are lucky, you might find a boy/young man who is actually glad to have a classmate/friend tie a rakhi to him. Most boys prefer to spend the day indoors away from danger, or so they comfort themselves not being aware of the persistence and perseverance of the other gender. Other boys consider it a honour to have a girl tie a rakhi to them and treasure the relation like the gift of a lifetime. There is a third category that treats rakhi like any other festival. To them, the thread has no special significance and they treat it with an indifference that suggests that they allow the girl to tie the rakhi to humour her and stay out of trouble. One would almost think that they were recieving protection without paying for it too!
Ok... I can see a lot of raised eyebrows and before I ruffle any smooth feathers, I will move on to the other gender which I might add is not entirely blameless.
The female gender:
This devious gender has its own reason for pursuing the practice of tying a rakhi with the utmost sincerity (?)
It's not just a boy who is scared that his lady love to be might tie a rakhi to him. For most girls, Rakhi is that one time of the year when they can send out clear signals to the other sex - "this is your position in my life and don't you entertain any hopes/wishes of moving beyond that!" A strong way to send out a strong message. After all, no boy could mistake the meaning of a rakhi, no matter how simple it may look. There are other girls who tie it to boys out of sincere affection and a wish to acquire a sibling that life may otherwise not grant them. Of course, distinguishing between the two kinds is not an easy task. Wait a sec... The third category exists here too. This is the category that considers itself above such simple rituals and festivals and would rather use words as the sticks and stones that achieve its task.
Now that I have pulled enough legs and ruffled enough feathers to cover a 70mm screen, let's take a serious look at what began as a festival for sisters and brothers to reaffirm their sibling bond. The rakhi symbolises the sister's wish for her brother's safety and happiness and the brother's promise to protect his sister from all harm and ensure her happiness above all else. Though initially, it was restricted to brothers and sisters already bound by the relation of blood, it slowly extended to include those who were brothers without having been born into the same family. It's a sweet festival that lets you experience the joy/irritation of having a huge group of siblings without being born into a large family. A nice way to experience your privacy and yet have a huge team to support you and cheer you on when you feel low. But, as with other festivals, it seems to have lost its symbolism in today's fast paced world. Yet, before I bring this blog to an end, I have a simple question: Does it really require a rakhi to declare your affection for your brother who may have already displayed his affection and care for you? And is it really wrong to tie a rakhi to a friend whom you may regard as more than a friend?
Happy thinking!
P.S: I did it again. I said one question and asked two. Oh well! Its the festive season. Ask for one and you'll get two. :-)
Well, I guess someone out there will be glad to see this prose blog. My blog has had nothing but poems till now. To confess the truth, the reason I began a blog in the first place was to have an outlet to post my poems on. But now, with a lot of views to express and share, I am beginning to see the brighter side of writing a blog. So here goes nothing...
The festival of brotherhood.
I couldn't think of a better way to introduce it. You don't tie rakhis to sisters so I can hardly call it the festival of sisterhood. Rakhi or Rakshabandhan, call it whichever way you want to address it. This festival is something that arouses a feeling of some sort within all the young people, whether they are from school, college or even working in offices. Radio stations, fancy stores, big departmental stores, even banks cash in on this festival craze. (Not that Banks need a festival as a reason to cash in on something. ;)) Rakhi is percieved with mixed feelings that cover a wide range from that of euphoric delight to ahem... disgust and a feeling of being trapped like a bird in a cage. Time to take a look at it from the point of view of both the genders.
The male gender:
The male gender, or most of it, leans towards the latter view stated above. School boys and most college boys spend the day in dread of having the girl they fancy as their future life partner tying a rakhi to them. This is not to say that this is a universal view point. If you are lucky, you might find a boy/young man who is actually glad to have a classmate/friend tie a rakhi to him. Most boys prefer to spend the day indoors away from danger, or so they comfort themselves not being aware of the persistence and perseverance of the other gender. Other boys consider it a honour to have a girl tie a rakhi to them and treasure the relation like the gift of a lifetime. There is a third category that treats rakhi like any other festival. To them, the thread has no special significance and they treat it with an indifference that suggests that they allow the girl to tie the rakhi to humour her and stay out of trouble. One would almost think that they were recieving protection without paying for it too!
Ok... I can see a lot of raised eyebrows and before I ruffle any smooth feathers, I will move on to the other gender which I might add is not entirely blameless.
The female gender:
This devious gender has its own reason for pursuing the practice of tying a rakhi with the utmost sincerity (?)
It's not just a boy who is scared that his lady love to be might tie a rakhi to him. For most girls, Rakhi is that one time of the year when they can send out clear signals to the other sex - "this is your position in my life and don't you entertain any hopes/wishes of moving beyond that!" A strong way to send out a strong message. After all, no boy could mistake the meaning of a rakhi, no matter how simple it may look. There are other girls who tie it to boys out of sincere affection and a wish to acquire a sibling that life may otherwise not grant them. Of course, distinguishing between the two kinds is not an easy task. Wait a sec... The third category exists here too. This is the category that considers itself above such simple rituals and festivals and would rather use words as the sticks and stones that achieve its task.
Now that I have pulled enough legs and ruffled enough feathers to cover a 70mm screen, let's take a serious look at what began as a festival for sisters and brothers to reaffirm their sibling bond. The rakhi symbolises the sister's wish for her brother's safety and happiness and the brother's promise to protect his sister from all harm and ensure her happiness above all else. Though initially, it was restricted to brothers and sisters already bound by the relation of blood, it slowly extended to include those who were brothers without having been born into the same family. It's a sweet festival that lets you experience the joy/irritation of having a huge group of siblings without being born into a large family. A nice way to experience your privacy and yet have a huge team to support you and cheer you on when you feel low. But, as with other festivals, it seems to have lost its symbolism in today's fast paced world. Yet, before I bring this blog to an end, I have a simple question: Does it really require a rakhi to declare your affection for your brother who may have already displayed his affection and care for you? And is it really wrong to tie a rakhi to a friend whom you may regard as more than a friend?
Happy thinking!
P.S: I did it again. I said one question and asked two. Oh well! Its the festive season. Ask for one and you'll get two. :-)
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
The Ocean's Waves
The waves of the ocean come tumbling,
neither grumbling, nor mumbling, but roaring.
Yet, the ocean's roar is more soothing,
than the soft voice of a friend consoling.
Some prefer the warmth of sun-kissed sands,
some the shade of palm tree fronds,
yet some prefer the cloak of darkness,
and some the facade of happiness.
These quiet companions may bring some peace,
yet the ocean's roar puts me at ease.
Compassion and sympathy it cannot pretend,
no matter what you do, it remains your friend.
Your silence it understands,
much more than words.
Relieved of its burden,
your soul can join the birds.
With the receding waves,
retreat your turbulent thoughts.
I hope the ocean brings smiles,
to many more distressed hearts.
neither grumbling, nor mumbling, but roaring.
Yet, the ocean's roar is more soothing,
than the soft voice of a friend consoling.
Some prefer the warmth of sun-kissed sands,
some the shade of palm tree fronds,
yet some prefer the cloak of darkness,
and some the facade of happiness.
These quiet companions may bring some peace,
yet the ocean's roar puts me at ease.
Compassion and sympathy it cannot pretend,
no matter what you do, it remains your friend.
Your silence it understands,
much more than words.
Relieved of its burden,
your soul can join the birds.
With the receding waves,
retreat your turbulent thoughts.
I hope the ocean brings smiles,
to many more distressed hearts.
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