Endless loop..

When we are young, in school, we hear study well now, you will be able to enjoy in higher secondary school, before the board exams.
When we reach standards just before board exams (8th and 9th in most cases), we hear dont waste time, why dont you start studying for the board exams now only?
So we think, these college guys are so lucky, they dont have to give board exams. We start dreaming about the college.

Once board exams are over, in pre-university(AKA 11th), we hear dont waste time, 12th is very important year, whole life depends on it. Study well, get admission in good degree college, then you can enjoy college life. Now our jealousy and dreaming gets extended to degree college (Engg in my case).

Board exam is done, you get admission in good college, then you know, things are different here. Every year's exam is like board exam. Now we hear, get good marks, get placed in good company, then you can enjoy with your Earned money. Again, we think, anyway we dont have to give exams (Exception those going for higher studies.. Salute to them and their patience..) so at least we can enjoy once we are out of engg college.

Ok, now engg is done, job is secured, we start thinking at least now we can enjoy. But then we face the bitter truth. Here we face exam every day... And we just sigh and 'Gosh, school was much much better than this!'

Welcome to corporate world..

Once upon a time there was a potter. He used to make earth pots and his son used to take them to the town to sell. He used to get decent income for his family of four. Soon he became aged and was unable to make pots as beautiful as he used to.. So he told his son to take over his business, and said that he would do the selling work instead of him. Son agreed, but was very worried about his father, whether he should let his father take the pots to town. 'He may over exert himself' his son thought.

Next morning, his son told him, 'Father, lets hire another guy to take the pots to town. We need to hire him just for an year or so. Soon, my son will finish the school and he will join me.' Father agreed to what son said, unwillingly. Son soon hired a person. The person told son, 'It will be very hectic for me to come here again and again just for few pots. Can we convince some more potters to give their pots to me, so that their work is reduced, and my trip wont be futile?' Son thought hard, and agreed to it. He, alongwith the Person, convinced some more potters for this.

Everyday that Person started to come to village and started taking pots to town. Slowly he started demanding that unless certain number of pots are made, he wouldnt come. Whatever happens, potters had to complete their task. Once that Person said to all the potters, that the business would be good at a farther town, so he may need more money to travel, and he may give less money to them for some days. Potters started thinking on the proposal, but they couldnt resist the prospect of good business. They agreed for this also.

The business continued like this, almost two years passed. The father asked son, 'Son, isnt it time to let your son take over the duty of taking pots to town and selling?' Son answered, 'Father, it is not like the old times now. Then, we owned the business.. Now, i have to ask the Person before letting my son do any of this work. And even i have to see whether my son can do the work like the Person, or if he can meets Person's daily requirements..'

Father thought to himself, "Welcome to corporate world!!!"

Hogwarts...

"When superstars and cannonballs are running through your head..." With Animal song running through my head, i was walking towards my uncle's home. Actually i didnt know the way exactly, and i was supposed to be waiting for my uncle to come and fetch me from stop to his house. But owing to wild human nature (courtesy: Animal song..) i just couldnt wait there. And so, i started walking...

On the way i was also looking around, to see if my uncle is coming. That time only the song changed. My trustworthy phone started playing another one of my favorite song - Theme song of the anime Naruto. And i was swept into total rocking mood.. Practically telling, my five senses were receiving stimulus from the surroundings but my brain wasnt ready to register at all. Suddenly i saw something, which brought me back into the world, but not the real world. It took me to magic world of J K Rowling. I know, some of you would have guessed that i saw harry potter movie's poster somewhere; but hello, new HP movie isnt released yet.. No i didnt see any poster, instead i saw a sign post...


I started thinking, how can it be? According to J K R, it is somewhere in Britain. Then how come its sign board is here? And why the sign board? Most importantly, why am I able to see the sign board? I cant be a Wizard.. If i would have been one, i would have got a an owl post long back.. What the hell was happening? Was i left out by mistake? Or was it because of some ruddy house elf (err.. Sorry Hermionee...) that my letter got blocked? But it was no use now, as i had already completed my graduation and was already earning muggle money. Didnt have no galleons or sickles or even knuts to even try to enroll my name.

But, main question was, why is hogwarts advertising its presence? Was there any scarcity of students? Or there were lack of funds? With so many questions in my head, i started looking in the direction shown by the arrow. I couldnt see anything. 'Maybe i am a muggle afterall' i thought and started walking. But wait, hogwarts is in England. Is there any secret passage from here to there? Or maybe a portkey? My eyes suddenly started darting in search of ordinary looking thing.. But alas! There were so many of those items, i just couldnt finalize which to try out first.. With all courage i had left (yeah 'left', coz bus journey in Bangalore eats up most of it) i thought of trying out the most ugliest looking thing, a rotten shoe.. And just when i was gonna touch it, a hand grabbed my shoulder from behind, bringing me back to world, this time, real world...

My uncle was shouting at me, 'Are you mad? This is the dumping ground of this area. What are you doing here?'

................................................

Most used alphabet 'e'

Scene: Cryptography class

'The most used alphabet in english language is e', He kept on. 'This is key point in solving any coded language.' Some of his students noted this down. But he noticed that one of the last bencher wasnt writing anything down, instead was smirking... Feeling offended he asked that student to stand up. He asked that guy if there was anything funny or unusual with his sentence. That was the basic clue to solve almost all the cryptographic languages. But that student kept smirking, and started writing something on a paper.

The student gave paper to him and said, 'Sir, last week i deciphered this code after trying out for 3 days, give it a try...' He took that paper, started working on it. But something was not proper with the cipher, also, he was getting restless because of the student's smirk. Finally, after 1hr of hardwork, and after getting nowhere in solving the cipher; he asked student to help. Student wrote a line below the ciphered paragraph, 'ts mdrn dys sir. mst usd alphbt s nt 'e', instd ts mst drppd alphbt...'

Fr frst tym in hs lyf, he ws spchlss.....

On time...

ring ring... something shook in his pocket. He had not got used to new cellphone. To be comfortable, he had kept the ringtone which reminded him of his old phone back at home. He took out the phone, and saw the number. Thinking, 'Isn't it a bit too early for this call?' he checked the number once more. He was missing his pager, where he used to get instructions directly. He never felt comfortable talking to the other party. Letting other party hear his voice, was like losing a bit of self information. But then, he had to be update with the latest technology.

After few seconds, reluctantly, he answered the call. From the other end, he heard a husky voice 'Its me'. He thought, i know its u, now just tell me the job and let me go for it. But he said, 'Yes.. Tell me.' He got an address from the man on the other end, and also an order that the work should be done exactly at 3:ooPM. He had heard that in this job many clients have strange requests, but such request was even more peculiar. Most of them want their job to be done during night time. But anyway whatever you hear, is not always correct.

After noting down the location (mentally) he started thinking the ways to approach there. So that he will be able to reach there by 3. He planned out everything, and started executing it. He reached nearest bus stop and caught a bus. 'Thank god, its not the rush hour' he thought, 'Otherwise i wud have had to change the plan' He noticed one thing, the co-passengers were curiously looking at him, for he was carrying a strange package. The one who was sitting just besides him, was keeping an constant eye on him, as if he had carried a bomb, and gonna leave there.

After getting down at the desired bus stop (with the package) he hurriedly entered the railway station and bought the ticket. Again, thanking the client, for choosing good time, he boarded an almost empty train. He sat in train recalculating the time, and he found a mistake in his planning. Mistakes was rare in his case, but still it happened; owing to his first on field experience. He hadnt considered the preparation time. Also the time to get away from there, for next job. Yes, there is next job waiting for me, he reminded himself. He corrected his mistake, and this time he found out that he would have to almost run. As soon as he got down from the train, and he came out of station; he started brisk walk.

Finally he reached the destination, just in time. He had 5 mins for the preparations. Plenty of time, he thought. He started unwrapping the package he was holding and took out the thing which was inside. Carefully setting it on floor, in front of the door mentioned in the address, he serveyed it from all sides. Everything till now was looking perfect. Only remaining part was, the last blow. He checked the watch again, 2 mins to 3. Anytime now, his mind racing.. And again, something disturbed him. ring ring... It was 'him' again. To check if everything was in place.

Exactly at 3, He set the timer in the thing placed there. His job was done. He would leave now. But before leaving, one final check.. Everything was just perfect. He was going to get awarded for the first job well done. Then suddenly he remembered, last thing to do. He went ahead and pressed the doorbell. He need not wait to see what happens next. He was informed, only the target will be home, alone. So, he left as soon as he heard footsteps coming towards the door. He travelled a li'l distance and stood there in shadows, appreciating his work. The door opened, and precisely at the same time the timer also timed 0:00. It was time.

The lid of the box suddenly opened, and with a small blast, the woman opening the door was showered with rose petals. She scremed with rejoice, 'he remembered not only my birthdate, but also the exact time..' He saw the intense reaction on her face, and knew by instinct, that her husband had made sure that her birthday would be as memorable as possible, for her. 'Timing..! Need to be on time in this job...' his brain was reminding him. His phone rang again, this time for saying congratulations on first job, tailing with order to come back to office as soon as possible. Next gift was waiting to be shipped.

He said to himself, 'C'mon, hurry up you goddamned legs.. No time to rest. Need to reach on time..'

Just Imagine! (Day two)

Statuary warning :- if u r good @ imagination then only read this blog. otherwise u wont be able to 'feel' it. This is the second short story in this series, if this also goes well, i might consider writing some more also... :)

Consider a rare, perfect day of ur life. Its a perfect day to wander outside. Sun is shining bright, very little that too white clouds in the sky. Its not so hot outside, and not too chilly also. U decided to just go out somewhere. Anywhere where ur legs take you. So with some cash in ur hands, u start off the journey for a day which u have not planned, where to go, what to do, how to go and all..

Now that you have left home, you went to bus stop for ur next adventure. You get on a bus, not thinking where it is going, as you want to go wherever it takes you.. you ask the conductor for the last stop, sit down on a seat (told you its perfect day, you even get a seat in bus!) and ask co-passenger where does this bus goes. he tells the name of the place, thinking that you will visit a new place, you become happy and carry on.

you get down at the last stop, now that you have started feeling hungry, you search for a hotel. you find one very good hotel nearby (perfect day!). you enter, sit down and order something to eat. the order comes in no time (i didnt say anything now..) you finish the dish and get up and go to counter to pay the bill. you see the bill, its not much; you take out ur wallet from right pocket and pay the bill. you again keep it in right pocket. you leave from the hotel and catch the bus which just arrived outside to go to ur next destination(?...!) once in bus, you again take ticket for last stop. you take the wallet and pay the ticket.

but wait, something is fishy. you kept your wallet in right pocket, how did it go in left pocket? first you think you only by mistake kept in left pocket and forgot. you go ahead and occupy a vacant seat. you still feel something fishy, that wallet did look like yours but something was missing. you take it out again and start examining it. you feel something in ur right pocket, you take that thing out to look, its ur wallet. whose wallet was there in ur left pocket then? you start somparing the two wallets. surprisingly both are almost same except for the contents. the new wallet has much much more money than ur wallet. now think about it, when and how exactly that come in ur pocket? was it stolen by someone?

there is no sign or card of anyone in the new wallet. no single sign to know whose wallet is that.. after searching thoroughly, you find a chit in it. printed in it, is "you have been graced by the luck. enjoy the money as much as you want. but before that you should get this chit zeroxed and distribute to at least to 100 people" haan another one of the chain mails. you see something scribbled on the back of it, curiously you check it out. its written 'go to hell!!!' it must have been written by the owner of the wallet. "my god, he lost this much amount of money for not distributing this!!!" you first think, then just wave off this thought, saying that some pick pocketer took it and to get away from crowd put in ur pocket. but hey, wont he come back then? he may even take ur wallet.

leave it! why to worry now? but still you keep ur wallet in ur front pocket. you get down at the last bus stop and start thinking of returning back to ur home. but wait the 'perfect' day is just started.. you first go to a small shop to ask about the return route. there a person sees you and start chasing you. at least you think you are being chased by him for a moment. you get the information about the bus route and get on it. the person u thought to be chasing you isnt on the bus so you sigh with relief saying that it was just ur imagination. you sit on an empty seat (perfect day hasnt yet ended..)

you start thinking of the events happened from the morning. nothing much great but something somewhere is bugging you. something is not right here. you check the pockets. ur wallet is not there. only the new wallet is there. you start panicking but then you remember that you only kept it in front pocket. you check it and find in there. again a sigh of relief.

once you get down at the ur bus stop, ur old familiar bus stop, you start feeling secure. just then a hand grabs ur shoulder. shocked, you turn to find only the ticket checker. you show him the ticket and start walking away from the bus stop. again one hand grabs ur shoulder, this time less shocked you turn and find the some unknown person, u say 'excuse me'. the person replies, you have something which you shouldnt carry without satisfying the rules written on it. just do whatever is written on it otherwise the bad luck wont leave you at all. freaked out, you leave urself from his grip and start running away.

you reach home, gasping for some breath, enter the kitchen and drink some water. after a li'l bit of time you feel a bit more comfortable. you think of calling someone and telling what happened. who else can you call other than ur best friend? you call him (or her) and start narrating what happened since morning. till you reach the bus stop and met the stranger who said... ur friend stops you abruptly and asks "did he say, 'you have something which you shouldnt carry without satisfying the rules written on it. just do whatever is written on it otherwise the bad luck wont leave you at all.' ??" startled, you say yes! on that friend replies, perfect, now he deserves 500/- for the beautiful and perfect acting..................................

Habit

If you havent read the title of this blog, there is a puzzle for u

what is this thing?

it doesnt go so easily..
if u remove first letter, a bit remains
if u remove first two letter, bit remains
even if u remove first three letters, still it remains
told u, it is very difficult for it to go..

now as you have read the title, yes the answer is habit.

what exactly is a habit? its something which is a part of you. so in-built in you, that you often do it unknowingly. or it is something without which you wont be able to live life as lively you wud with those things. seems a confusing sentence? i ll explain..

in general, someone has defined habit as two types - bad habits and good habits.
for explanation, i ll take help of a bad habit. smoking.. have you seen a smoker, who missed his normal quota? either that person becomes so irritating, you wud feel like kicking him; or he will become so restless, you wud not be able to keep up with his pace with ur eyes.

as i mentioned above, there are two types of habits - good and bad. bad habits are really very very hard to leave and good habits are really very very hard to get hooked on to..

one more thing. many of the habits are deceptive. they seems to be making ur life happy, bearable. but in reality they are making your life miserable. there are some good habits, which make your life miserable now, but help you in long run. (e.g. waking up early in morning and going for a jog)

once more, as habits are very hard to go, be careful before getting habituated to something.

habits are not only related to that of things we do. habit is also for a person. its like u get habituated to a person so much, that you may start taking that person for granted. if the person is good enough to understand that you have become habituated to that person, he wont mind. otherwise that person may feel offended, and the bond with that person may break.

there is one movie, as usual i dont remember name, but in that movie, there is a clear misunderstanding between habit and love. its about a game show. in that, you have to stay with a person for three weeks and one week without even seeing each other. at the end of every week, there will be some questions asked to each other regarding other person. so for this purpose, you have to notice the person you are living with very carefully. so now once you are habitual to the other person in that one month, you get to decide whether you will go for money and a rule which states that u wont meet the other person in next ten years, or ditch the money and go with the person. this is where habit comes into picture. as you have got used to that person, you cant resist the desire to see that person.

this is about the movie, but just think is that right? people in that movie have mistaken habit for love. they say in movie, that the person wont take money coz they will fall in love with each other in a month’s time. grow up..... love isnt a thing which will grow up in one month’s time of introduction. it needs knowing each other, trusting, supporting each other and all...

finally time to confess, something which i have grown habitual to. i have grown habitual to staying late in night in office, wasting time in stuff like surfing, reading manga and all. its not that its completely bad or something like that, its just i dont get complete sleep. and right now I m feeling very very sleepy. so going to sleep. c ya in next blog.

P.S. if you think this is an abrupt end, you can have your own ending to this blog in comments, i wont mind. this was just what i think about habits. if i get to know anything more, i will surely update this blog..