Stuffy, smelly and overcrowded – if any one of you out there has been working in London city you might catch what I am trying to convey here; yes I am referring to the famous London Tube which started as the city’s pride and honour in 1867.
It is an unusual experience travelling with so many people for brief periods of time in a confined box. You stand so close to another human being yet you are so far away from their world. If you are an “Anthro-enthusiast” (I don’t know if this word exists but I hope it does) and do not might staring at people – not rudely but subtly, I find Tube journey can be quite interesting.
I find work for all my senses even though the olfactory one gets a bit more work to do – if you are bit lucky you get to sample all the latest perfumes if not there is a chance you might get out of the carriage feeling sick. My safest approach to life has always been pragmatic - any interview my best answer would be that I am a quick learner and a great team player; observing people had made me realise how fortunate I am for being a human.
I learnt a lot about culture and the differences in it, the emotions of human heart and the ubiquitous sense of freedom and race and finally the timings of prime time traffic
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Thursday, 17 September 2009
What is in a Present
A lot of things are taken for granted when you are familiar with a set of people, be it from work, family or friends. One can never guess what the other person’s likes or dislikes are. I have been in a dilemma lately thinking of the stuff I need to get my sweet heart for his birthday. Well I might be blamed for not knowing what the person closest to me would like for a birthday but I have said it .. there you go.. It is difficult to get things for men especially when you know them inside out.
What would be an ideal occasion, to gift someone you love with a token of appreciation? Since the time I started to make my own decisions I have learnt to appreciate people around me. I understood that things should never be taken for granted and even though not everyone is in anticipation of a favour, it is always good to give for a change. It is not the quality or quantity of the present but the mere gesture of giving something makes one feel happy.
Things apart, I did cook him a nice meal and got him all the knick knacks he desired without him knowing that he desired them and that was a warm hearty surprise.
What would be an ideal occasion, to gift someone you love with a token of appreciation? Since the time I started to make my own decisions I have learnt to appreciate people around me. I understood that things should never be taken for granted and even though not everyone is in anticipation of a favour, it is always good to give for a change. It is not the quality or quantity of the present but the mere gesture of giving something makes one feel happy.
Things apart, I did cook him a nice meal and got him all the knick knacks he desired without him knowing that he desired them and that was a warm hearty surprise.
Monday, 20 July 2009
Whodunit
Being my favourite subject both to read as well as watch, I have had the privilege to attend a different kind of party the other night. The pair of us got invited to a weekend party at my colleague’s place which had a theme to it. We were given invitations which had an introduction to the kind of night we would be entertained with, as well as the dress code. Normally, the dress code for a dinner party in an English household would be evening gown for ladies and dinner jacket with a bow tie for men but we were in for a surprise – my costume was a waitress gear from top to bottom with the half white apron and a colourful waistcoat with a punk hairdo for the dude.
Well, the story begins in such a way that guests are invited to an island named Isythia in Turkey and the timeline is of 1875 after the Crimean war for the grand opening of Thistledome Manor Hotel. The host Hector Sprocket had made sure that all the parties arrive in time for the opening of the hotel. The plot starts with the murders of the host Mr. Sprocket and one of the guests Lady Grey on the opening night of the hotel. Mysteriously all the guests and the employees had a motive to kill the host and the task of the cast and crew at hand is to find who had done it. The plot unfolds all the dark secrets being held by the guests and also the entangled relationship between the waitress and the host and the maid and one of the guest couples.
I commend the ingenious effort of my colleague in writing a ten scene script over a period of six months and also making sure of the flow of character from one to the other. I was surprised at the commitment of the guests as well. Even though it was supposed to be a weekend summer night, each of us was flared up with enthusiasm till the end of scene ten. The crowd enjoyed the spread and the punch kept flowing through the scenes to quench the thirst of the dialogue readers. None of us knew the script in advance but the flow was never compromised. When it was time to make educated guesses as to whodunit it was a classic tumble down the molehill. None of us could get the plot right for both the murders.
However, I won the prize for getting close to exposing the murderer; there were two other prizes for the best costume and best orator. It was a fun filled night with a group of audience to encourage the protagonists and an overall success for my colleague. I think it takes immense attention to detail and loads of skill to succeed in an act like this. This experience gave an impression to my colleagues that I could rightly guess any murder plot, but I myself know the truth that any average reader of Agatha Christie could do what I had done.
Well, the story begins in such a way that guests are invited to an island named Isythia in Turkey and the timeline is of 1875 after the Crimean war for the grand opening of Thistledome Manor Hotel. The host Hector Sprocket had made sure that all the parties arrive in time for the opening of the hotel. The plot starts with the murders of the host Mr. Sprocket and one of the guests Lady Grey on the opening night of the hotel. Mysteriously all the guests and the employees had a motive to kill the host and the task of the cast and crew at hand is to find who had done it. The plot unfolds all the dark secrets being held by the guests and also the entangled relationship between the waitress and the host and the maid and one of the guest couples.
I commend the ingenious effort of my colleague in writing a ten scene script over a period of six months and also making sure of the flow of character from one to the other. I was surprised at the commitment of the guests as well. Even though it was supposed to be a weekend summer night, each of us was flared up with enthusiasm till the end of scene ten. The crowd enjoyed the spread and the punch kept flowing through the scenes to quench the thirst of the dialogue readers. None of us knew the script in advance but the flow was never compromised. When it was time to make educated guesses as to whodunit it was a classic tumble down the molehill. None of us could get the plot right for both the murders.
However, I won the prize for getting close to exposing the murderer; there were two other prizes for the best costume and best orator. It was a fun filled night with a group of audience to encourage the protagonists and an overall success for my colleague. I think it takes immense attention to detail and loads of skill to succeed in an act like this. This experience gave an impression to my colleagues that I could rightly guess any murder plot, but I myself know the truth that any average reader of Agatha Christie could do what I had done.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Wales
Wales was originally a Celtic land and belonged to one of the Celtic Nations and it emerged as an identity after the Romans left Great Britain in 5th century. Like many other tourists we have been drawn to the wild and picturesque landscape of this country. The highlight of this tour was the pure bliss of non commercialised touristic spots which needed a bit of physical energy to enjoy every bit of their scenery. I confess that I always disliked tiring myself on a holiday but this one was different as I could feast my eyes on great earthly delights.
Our tour was planned for 3 days which in the end was only perfect for 2 days as the climate refused to co-operate with us on the third day. Our journey started with a peaceful encounter with the three cliffs at Gower bay and came to an end with a chilly whiff up the Snowdon Mountain in Gwynedd. The three cliffs bay was truly a masterpiece to start the journey with. The emerald green waters of the sea when mixed with the pale brown sand, churn up a delightful mix of shades and it is worth spending a whole day to observe the change of colours as the sun advances inland. Three Cliffs Bay also appears in a music video entry for The Red Hot Chili Peppers made by Swansea film company, Studio8.
Our next destination was Martin’s Haven where we had to catch a boat to the translucent waters of Skomer Island leaving behind the treacherous waters of Jack Sound. Skomer is best known for its large breeding seabird population, including Black-legged Kittiwakes, Atlantic Puffins, European Storm-petrels, Eurasian Oystercatchers and gulls, as well as birds of prey including Short-eared Owls. The island is also home to Grey Seals. Our next destination for the day was the beach which made to the top ten most beautiful in the world, the Barafundle Bay. This bay is secluded as it is covered by limestone cliffs on three sides and makes it a proper hiding place for love birds. We decided rest our quest at this beautiful bay.
The second day started with exploring the city of Merthyr Mawr in the city of Bridgend. Although we expected to see sand dunes we were exhausted before we got to the water front. The next two stops were the natural waterfalls one of which was a home to a corn mill and a tin factory in early 18th century and the other being the tallest in England and Wales (Rhaeadr). Once amused with the water falls we drifted to the Hall of Mountain King at Ogof Craig a Ffynnon, the most decorated show caves of Britain. The calcite formation was interesting and could take any form to an imaginative eye.
Our tour was planned for 3 days which in the end was only perfect for 2 days as the climate refused to co-operate with us on the third day. Our journey started with a peaceful encounter with the three cliffs at Gower bay and came to an end with a chilly whiff up the Snowdon Mountain in Gwynedd. The three cliffs bay was truly a masterpiece to start the journey with. The emerald green waters of the sea when mixed with the pale brown sand, churn up a delightful mix of shades and it is worth spending a whole day to observe the change of colours as the sun advances inland. Three Cliffs Bay also appears in a music video entry for The Red Hot Chili Peppers made by Swansea film company, Studio8.
Our next destination was Martin’s Haven where we had to catch a boat to the translucent waters of Skomer Island leaving behind the treacherous waters of Jack Sound. Skomer is best known for its large breeding seabird population, including Black-legged Kittiwakes, Atlantic Puffins, European Storm-petrels, Eurasian Oystercatchers and gulls, as well as birds of prey including Short-eared Owls. The island is also home to Grey Seals. Our next destination for the day was the beach which made to the top ten most beautiful in the world, the Barafundle Bay. This bay is secluded as it is covered by limestone cliffs on three sides and makes it a proper hiding place for love birds. We decided rest our quest at this beautiful bay.
The second day started with exploring the city of Merthyr Mawr in the city of Bridgend. Although we expected to see sand dunes we were exhausted before we got to the water front. The next two stops were the natural waterfalls one of which was a home to a corn mill and a tin factory in early 18th century and the other being the tallest in England and Wales (Rhaeadr). Once amused with the water falls we drifted to the Hall of Mountain King at Ogof Craig a Ffynnon, the most decorated show caves of Britain. The calcite formation was interesting and could take any form to an imaginative eye.
The journey to the top of Snowdon Mountain was amusing and slow as the chill factor was dominating the quest of the eye. However, we did manage to get to three fourths of the summit and called it quits as there was absolutely nothing visible. Thus we decided to end the journey and catch the holiday crowd on the M6 on the way back home. It was a heart warming experience as I have never been to a perfect country side and given a chance I would never miss a chance again.
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Spiritualism
The odd conversation that sparks a few well known facts when you are travelling on the tube or waiting at the bus stop really gets interesting when it starts paving its way to personal choice.
Stranger: Ohh what a nice evening!!
Me: Yes! Indeed!!
Then it goes on with a couple of yaade yaade yas etc to politics.
Stranger: I don’t think the government can afford to go on with benefits anymore with the recession!
Me: How long ago was it when they last decided to cut on benefits?
Stranger: Don’t you remember 1985 when the blah blah affected the pensioners
Me: Well I am afraid I don’t because I am new to the country.
Stranger: really then where is home?
Me: India!
Stranger: oh so are you a Hindu?
The epitome of conversation lies on the onus of my reply – err Yes I am!! I was asked the same question twice in a week and thats when I decided to give it a thought.
How would you describe Hinduism as a religion???
Well!! How would I? I replied in short saying that it is most religious and probably the oldest religion in the world. Then comes pat another one – Is it easy to follow?
What is easy and what is not is I guess more of a perception than a definition. All I could tell him was that it if given account of the principles, it gives one the right to choose between right and wrong and guides one to attain what one thinks as one’s spiritual attainment. My learned friend attending the seminar of Stephen Covey’s Industrial Vs Knowledge age, said that he found similarities between Hinduism and Daoism where both of them preach about personal tolerence. I could not comment on it as first I need to know about Daoism as a religion.
This discussion had led me into thinking about religion and how much do I really know about any religion.
Stranger: Ohh what a nice evening!!
Me: Yes! Indeed!!
Then it goes on with a couple of yaade yaade yas etc to politics.
Stranger: I don’t think the government can afford to go on with benefits anymore with the recession!
Me: How long ago was it when they last decided to cut on benefits?
Stranger: Don’t you remember 1985 when the blah blah affected the pensioners
Me: Well I am afraid I don’t because I am new to the country.
Stranger: really then where is home?
Me: India!
Stranger: oh so are you a Hindu?
The epitome of conversation lies on the onus of my reply – err Yes I am!! I was asked the same question twice in a week and thats when I decided to give it a thought.
How would you describe Hinduism as a religion???
Well!! How would I? I replied in short saying that it is most religious and probably the oldest religion in the world. Then comes pat another one – Is it easy to follow?
What is easy and what is not is I guess more of a perception than a definition. All I could tell him was that it if given account of the principles, it gives one the right to choose between right and wrong and guides one to attain what one thinks as one’s spiritual attainment. My learned friend attending the seminar of Stephen Covey’s Industrial Vs Knowledge age, said that he found similarities between Hinduism and Daoism where both of them preach about personal tolerence. I could not comment on it as first I need to know about Daoism as a religion.
This discussion had led me into thinking about religion and how much do I really know about any religion.
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Evolution
I am a small town girl by birth and I must say that all I have known about community when I was a seven year old was the ever punctual house maid, weekly washerwoman and the conspicuous Youngman who brought the monthly rents of the one and only stately house my granny owned in the stately Draksharama village. I was told that these people were different from my family but I never understood how. As I grew up and got enrolled in a catholic convent for my upper kindergarten, I understood the difference in classes and at the same time was confused at the way the system was meant to be.
Owing to the confinement of catholic convent, I must say that I was pretty influenced by them and learnt to appreciate God in many forms and also people from other communities. Albeit the school being catholic, I confess that all the girls at school knew and understood the difference in their social class and status. I render Kakinada, the small town as a culprit for the narrow minds. It was an average small town dominated by a medical and an engineering college and we had colonies of people belonging to the same class confined in a location when I was growing up. Even the inter college politics were not devoid of this class distinction.
I grew up and so did my little wisdom. I moved out of my hometown to the nearest metro at first and slowly to a bigger metro and then to the hub of the silicon forest. In the initial stages of my career I understood that I do not need a backing social class for my growth and all I needed was commitment and knowledge. I got my chance to travel some parts of the world and I forgot all about this distinction until my recent encounter with my school friend.
It was great to catch up and discuss about the partners and the state of the art matters of courtship and statutory ceremonies. During our conversation and occasional mention of our mutual friends I have noticed that my friend associated every other girl we remembered with their social class or their status – “A”! Oh she is a BC and married her senior and now lives in Florida. “S”, that goldsmith’s daughter, she never married and works with XYZ. “J”, she can’t be more than happy she married into a family with double their own fortune and has three house maids in Detroit.
I chose to forgive her ignorance as she just stepped out of her shell from Kakinada and appeared in London. I am glad I was never succumbed to this social glitch, if so I would have never found my sweet heart, who I would swear is not prejudiced by my phony status or is it class no may be caste… whatever..
Owing to the confinement of catholic convent, I must say that I was pretty influenced by them and learnt to appreciate God in many forms and also people from other communities. Albeit the school being catholic, I confess that all the girls at school knew and understood the difference in their social class and status. I render Kakinada, the small town as a culprit for the narrow minds. It was an average small town dominated by a medical and an engineering college and we had colonies of people belonging to the same class confined in a location when I was growing up. Even the inter college politics were not devoid of this class distinction.
I grew up and so did my little wisdom. I moved out of my hometown to the nearest metro at first and slowly to a bigger metro and then to the hub of the silicon forest. In the initial stages of my career I understood that I do not need a backing social class for my growth and all I needed was commitment and knowledge. I got my chance to travel some parts of the world and I forgot all about this distinction until my recent encounter with my school friend.
It was great to catch up and discuss about the partners and the state of the art matters of courtship and statutory ceremonies. During our conversation and occasional mention of our mutual friends I have noticed that my friend associated every other girl we remembered with their social class or their status – “A”! Oh she is a BC and married her senior and now lives in Florida. “S”, that goldsmith’s daughter, she never married and works with XYZ. “J”, she can’t be more than happy she married into a family with double their own fortune and has three house maids in Detroit.
I chose to forgive her ignorance as she just stepped out of her shell from Kakinada and appeared in London. I am glad I was never succumbed to this social glitch, if so I would have never found my sweet heart, who I would swear is not prejudiced by my phony status or is it class no may be caste… whatever..
Monday, 16 March 2009
Oxford Street
I have been to the famous Oxford Street of London after a year and half of coming to stay in this country. First thing I have noticed there is the number of named outlets and their locations. I was overwhelmed by the number of people inhabiting the street in-spite of the call of recession. It was like any other Saturday without the significance of a fast approaching event, which contradicts to the act of thousands of enthusiastic spenders.
I would never count myself as an enthusiastic shopper but I guess I did my bit on Saturday and got back to my senses after my wallet was empty. There are about half a thousand high street brands available on this gigantic street and I guess I have not done justice to any of them. When I initiated the trip it was supposed to be only window shopping and I confess that after my encounter with the first few galleries the initiation went out of the window.
I spent most of my hard earned grub on clothes and a few shillings (if they are still in distribution) on footwear. This makes me wonder about the reputation of women being compulsive shoppers. Is it true and did I see it happen with my own grub? I am affirmative that I do not desperately need any of the items I have acquired during my shopping conquest; then why did I acquire them – I have no clue!
I would never count myself as an enthusiastic shopper but I guess I did my bit on Saturday and got back to my senses after my wallet was empty. There are about half a thousand high street brands available on this gigantic street and I guess I have not done justice to any of them. When I initiated the trip it was supposed to be only window shopping and I confess that after my encounter with the first few galleries the initiation went out of the window.
I spent most of my hard earned grub on clothes and a few shillings (if they are still in distribution) on footwear. This makes me wonder about the reputation of women being compulsive shoppers. Is it true and did I see it happen with my own grub? I am affirmative that I do not desperately need any of the items I have acquired during my shopping conquest; then why did I acquire them – I have no clue!
I made a pact with myself that I would recommend visitors to Oxford Street so that they would benefit from an outrageous shopping spree and I can be deprived of my guilt. Confessions apart, I genuinely think that it is one and only place to shop for any occasion as the outlets do cater to all kinds of budget and I guess the shopping association should release some royalty towards this incoherent advert of mine.
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