Rising at Dawn

Waking up to the beep of an Alarm Clock is not the most pleasant thing on an early winter morning. But then I can't be late for work. After summing up enough determination, I finally got up and pulled the curtains to check if the day is going to be sunny or gloomy. And hey!!, the sun was not yet in sight but the sky was flushed in dark shades of amber and clouds seemed to be burning. Trees, birds and chimneys..all silhouted against the dawn. It was just so beautiful and yet so unreal a sight. So facinated was I that I just grabbed my coat and camera and dashed out of the house to capture the scene. Maybe some folks were still in bed, sound asleep and they didn't even have to wake up early or go to work. But I must say I don't envy them. They have no idea what they missed. They can dream of it but I got to see it for real. Or was I dreaming! Only my camera will tell...

Lost in the Moment

Imagine a vast green grassy field, a cool breeze and a clear blue sky above. As I lay on the grass watching a bird soaring in the sky, I began to wonder if anything can be more beautiful. I could feel the breeze on my face and see the grass silently swaying in the wind. Far from the hustle and bustle of daily schedules, I was lost in that magical spell. For a moment, I felt I could raise my hand and touch the sky. Every care seemed to melt away in the serenity of the moment. I wished I could stop the hands of time. But, the sun was about to set in the west and I knew that it was time to go home. How I wish it could last forever! I couldn't remember the last time I felt such peace and joy. But, as I walked away, I knew I'll be back...

Columbian Coffee Not Available

I walk to the coffee vending machine 4-5 times in a day. Same old daily routine - insert coin, select drink, select sugar and collect the drink. Nothing interesting but, that's the only thing that keeps me awake and working in office. There are a variety of drinks to choose from in the machine. Lately, a note has been pasted on the coffee machine with the heading 'Columbian Coffee Not Available'. The detail note is below.

---------------------------------------------------------

Columbian Coffee Not Available

Due to some issue with the packaging, columbian coffee

is not available at the moment.

This issue is under investigation and will be

rectified at the earliest opportunity.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience.

------------------------------------------------------------

This was something I couldn't help pondering upon since, i'm from a country where people have got so used to adjusting with the inconveniences around instead of giving importance to it. Maybe just a simple note saying 'Columbian Coffee Not Available. Apologies for any inconvenience.' would have been "more" than enough for me, (afterall isn't it just for a type of coffee that is missing??) but, the detail in the above note is remarkable. Though it's seemingly insignificant, it silently speaks a lot about the difference in the ways of life and the way people think and act.

A matter of honour

I'm writing this after an exciting ten-pins bowling match in the afternoon. It started off as a time pass for a bunch of 7 friends. It was every person for himself or herself, fun and laughter, when it began. As long as some of the guys were in the lead, nothing seemed "unusual". But then, girls started overtaking the high scores, that's when the Girls vs Guys mentality came into picture. It became a matter of honour for the guys and a challenge for the girls to prove themselves. Bowling balls maybe too heavy for the girls but final scores were in "favour" of the girls.

Imagine "opposite" points of view in any Girls Vs Guys game.

GIRLS VIEW:
Guys won. So what?..they are guys.
Girls won. Yes we did it!! we can also win over guys.

GUYS VIEW:
Guys won. We always do. What's so great about that?..Come on, it was against girls!
Girls won. That's sheer luck. We should let them win sometimes. One of those rare cases.

It's not just a matter of winning a game but of sentiments, a matter of honour, of egos and of orthodox mindsets. I guess the debate for equality of men and women will go on for some time.

Sardar Surprise

On a lazy friday evening, we got a surpise call from friends saying they are coming to our house for dinner. As if that was not surprising enough, they told us that they have a surprise for us. It took three of us girls half an hour to make the house presentable to our guests ;). Then when the door bell finally rang, there came in three sardars, one real and two fake..but it was quite a sight. That was followed by laughing, fancy dress, photo session and dinner preparation. I've heard of theme parties but ever heard of sardar theme dinner??