I am back to work finally!

There is some positive news from my end. I got the internship finally. And that too the at the broadcasting company I was very interested in working. I joined last Tuesday and I am enjoying every bit of the new work environment. It is so different from the previous company I worked for and I am already finding this job an enriching experience. I have to take a 45 minute subway ride and then a 10 minute walk to reach the office as opposed to the short 15 minute walk in my previous job. Although the travel time is kind of exhausting, I try and engage myself playing Sudoku or reading the newspaper. Sometimes, I just observe people. There is so much you can observe in terms of new fashion clothes, accessories, shoes and even people. :)

At around 3pm everyday, I feel sleepy at office. :) Looks like I am yet to get adjusted to working again! I never imagined this would happen. Partly the reason could be my current routine of waking up at 6.15a.m, which is very early compared to my previous timings. I hope I get used to it soon enough.

Hmm, I am feeling sleepy now. Well you see, I am trying to get into the routine of sleeping early too. So, I am off for my sweet slumber.

Till next time, take care and have fun.

From where to where?

I just came back from a visit to my hometown. Normally, on such occasions, friends at office come to know that I had visited home after one look at my face. They say that the freshness and the happiness really show. It’s like I thoroughly enjoy the break from work and prefer to be taken care of than the other way round routine. Today they actually asked me if I had really gone home watching me sulk repeatedly. "It was a wasted trip", I exclaimed. I lost my mobile, my precious Motorola L6 slvr or rather the ‘good’ looking guy who sat next to me in the train, filched it leaving me in total despair.

I am not very friendly when it comes to strangers in the train, especially with guys. It is merely the feeling of laziness which prevents me to actually continue a conversation initiated by a guy. A vague answer to his question and I am back to what I was busy doing. I mean, I have my own ways to pass time in the train. My Mp3 player and a recent copy of The Week or Woman’s Era is something I ensure before boarding the train. Apart from that, I sleep a lot so there the twelve hour over night journey comes to an end in no time.

This time, out of the ordinary, I actually blabbered with this guy who was going home for vacation. Maybe, I was too bored to even do the normal stuff like sleeping, reading or listening to music. Pretty much amused with his flattering talk and funky dressing sense, we talked about work, our home towns and finally landed up discussing about mobiles. Fascinated by my mobile, he took it and examined it for a while after which he approved the beauty of the slim handset. Soon after that, I asked him for his mobile and he showed me a very basic Nokia model. We chatted for some more time till I was bored of talking too.

Time passed by, and feeling sleepy, I climbed onto my berth and adjusted the mobile’s alarm (vibrate mode). Then, I realized that I have no pocket to keep it since I was unfortunately wearing a salwar kameez that day, contrary to the normal cotton pants I wear when I travel. Aware that I wouldn’t be able to feel the mobile vibrating in the bag, I kept it in the gap between my hands and my handbag and slept off. Well, anyone can ponder on the possible reason for me ensuring that I keep the alarm. Once on a similar train journey, instead of getting down in my hometown station, I woke up totally in a different city because of the simple reason that I slept off. That day, I had to come out of the AC coach of the train and catch a normal crowded local bus and travel another 3.5 hours to go back to my hometown.

Morning, I woke up frantically thinking that I again missed my station, but somehow I was lucky and realized that I got up just in time but to my utter dismay, I found out that my mobile was missing. I checked the whole area of the berth. Thinking of asking that guy for help I looked up at his berth, only to find him also missing. His station was to come much later than mine and I just couldn’t comprehend where he had disappeared. I sat there finally, exhausted and quivering not knowing what to do. The station I had to get down came into view and I slowly rose, took my bag and came out of the train with tears trickling down my face. It was the first time I was in tears reaching my home town. I was in a shock and it took me sometime to realize that he had stolen my mobile. The first prized possession, I bought with my own savings. :( I really couldn’t believe it even after I reached my home. One look at my phone’s charger and I felt very lonesome all of a sudden. The mobile I cherished, which was with me for 14 months was no longer in my hand. I was coming to terms with how much it was a part of my life. It was not only that the mobile’s gone but I also missed the appeal of how it looked and how I felt when I used to hold it in my hand. I mean, I was the first person to buy the moto slim phone in office and the phone itself was very famous over there. I bought it much before Abhishek Bachan started endorsing the phone too. Ok I guess that’s enough of regret for keeping the phone near my hand and not in my bag.

I really did not enjoy my holiday and I came back all irritated and sad. Last night, I bought a Nokia 2310, which is a basic model. From where to where? Moto slim slvr phone to Nokia basic model? I was so used to a slim and light mobile. Those days, I used to check my pocket umpteen number of times atleast, to make sure that my mobile is still inside the pocket. A smile lights up my face on the feeling that it is there.

Now when I slide the new phone inside my pant pocket, I can easily make out the difference. :(

Where are you, my moto?

Bargaining-inevitable process here!

Disclaimer: No offense intended to the city of Chennai.

This post is a continuation of the previous one.

During my student days in Bangalore, I used to love the whole process of bargaining. For shopping, I had to manage with the monthly allowance, which was the pocket money given by my brother. Those days, the bargain shops in Commercial Street were a huge blessing to me. Just take that few hundred rupees, stuff it safely inside my handbag, the bag being the result of a bargain again and set off to the epitome of bargain shops in Bangalore. Back then, it was sheer enjoyment to go through the whole process. I enter a fashion wear shop, look around and in a minute I know my eyes are hooked onto few tops. Being very particular about trying out stuff, especially when it comes to clothes, I happily go through the ordeal of trying out both the sizes M and S for all those tops. Once the selection is done, I approach the salesman and there the process begins.

Me: Huh bolo Bhaiya, kitna hai? (Huh how much is it, brother?) :) I know a little bit of respect always works!

Salesman: Donom milke paanch sau rupiye dedijiye. (Give Rs 500 for both together).

Me: Woh bahut zyaada hai, bhaiya. Thoda tho kam karlo.(That is a lot too much. Reduce it a little bit).

Salesman: Teek hai, aap hi boliye, kitna desakthe hain? (Ok tell me how much are you willing to pay?) I guess he knows that I am good in bargaining…:D

Me: Hmmmm dosauchaalis rupiye hi kaafi hai uskeliye. ( Err..Rs 240 is more than enough for it).

Salesman: Huh!! lekin jitna mene kaha tha, uska aadha bhi nahin kaha aapne. Nahin, charsau rupiye se kam nahi hoga. (That is less than half of what I quoted. I can give it maximum for Rs 400).

Me: Nahin Bhaiya, Aap ko dena hai tho dohasauchaalis rupiye mai dhedijiye. Ek baat samach lijiye. Agar aap muche yeh kam daam par dengke, tho meri saari dost bhi is dukan mein hi shopping karenge. (If you want to sell it to me, give it for Rs 240. Understand one thing, if you give it in lower price, then all my friends will also come here for shopping).

Salesman: Lekin dohsauchaalis rupiye bahut kam hain. (But Rs 240 is too less).

Me: I reply back very innocently, Teek hai bhaiya, dohsaupachaas rupiye lelo. Ab tho aap khush honge, na? (Ok then here take Rs 250. Are you happy now?

Salesman: Huh!! He was totally bewildered. Poor chap.: D

Few seconds later, the salesman smiles, and writes the bill for Rs 250 and takes it to the counter. I pay the same amount and happily walk out of the shop. Don’t you think the whole process is worth the trouble? Adding onto that is the joy of seeing the salesman shocked and speechless. :D

Now when I have to go through the whole process of bargaining, I absolutely hate it. Or rather it is so much a part of my daily life that it is becomes inevitable. The last post ended with me relating the trouble finding an auto and completing the bargaining process as soon as I can, if I have to reach office in time. If I am not able to find an auto in the stand and will have to rely on an ajnabi auto, the whole conversation goes like this.

Me: Teynapet ponamge. Ange Karumuttu Centre irikille? (I need to go to Teynapet, near Karumuttu Centre). No point of adding words of respect. Believe me it will not work with auto drivers in Chennai.

Hmmm…This guy is for sure not going to work, I think to myself.

Autowala: Apollo Hospital Pakkama?(Near Apollo hospital?)

Me: Haan Atheithan. (yeah that’s the place). Oh speed up guy, you are losing my patience.

Autowala: Ange enge Ma? (Near Apollo where?) Now I feel really angry.

Me: Ninga hospital pakkam stop paninga. Evilom? (You stop near the hospital, please). How much? Here begins the tough part.

Autowala: 65 rupees aakuma. (It will be Rs 65). Believe me this guy is doing daylight robbery. My office is just 2.5 kms away. No surprise at his words anyways, since I am used to auto drivers over here.

Me: Rs 30 than koduthittu irriken. (I give only Rs 30 daily). Saying this, I start walking by.

No! He doesn’t bother calling me back. I knew it was going to be total time waste. Any where else, the walking away strategy works in bargaining, but over here it doesn’t work with most of the auto drivers. Hmph, I sigh to myself. Soon enough, I find another auto. The same conversation above follows: Whatever it is, finally end up getting an autowala who will take only Rs 30 but the whole bargain lasts more than 5-10 minutes.

All this trouble is saved, if I find an auto in the stand because all the drivers there know me and I can avoid the tedious bargaining process with them. Also, if I have time to spare, I can just wait near the stand because one or the other auto will be back there in few minutes as that is how their normal practice goes.

Phew! A timely sleep does save a lot of trouble!

Timely sleep saves a lot of trouble!

A portion of my bed where my arm rests, starts vibrating at sharp 7.45 am. It is the alarm from my cell phone. Soon enough, I reach out for the cell phone with one hand coming out of the covers, slowly searching for the snooze button.
Now why do I keep it in vibrate mode? There were times when I had kept some ring tone and while sleeping, the loud ringing alarm sounded like a lullaby and I never got up in time. Not that I enjoyed reaching office late, but the only option back then was to sign the late register. Three times I do that happily and the fourth time I am late, it becomes a half day. I guess those days, every month I had exhausted the three days allowance easily. :D. Once or twice, I even had to go for half day. Now what happens on a day when I am late for office and I am aware of the already exhausted 3 days? Simple, I will continue sleeping knowing that I might as well go to office in the afternoon since anyways I will have to take half day.

Now back to the snooze button. I always end up adjusting the alarm a little early before the actual time for me to rise and shine. Most of the days, it is 7.45am to get up maximum by 8am. I have no words to express the glorious joy with which I sleep after I hit the snooze button. It is like the feeling of total bliss, knowing that you still have some more time for that sweet slumber or for that beautiful dream to continue. Most of the times, it is the latter which I go for even though sometimes I try both of it. Now what happens is that how ever I try to make the dream continue, it does not move from the point I woke up to reality. So as my normal practice goes, I start making up the dream. I try to imagine that whatever I fantasize while sleeping is actually a part of the dream. Wicked, isn’t it? There is some happiness in that too.

Once I get off the bed and if the time is 8.00, I have enough time to do all the stuff I normally do along with some exercise and roommate bonding. Exercise would include a bit of yoga plus stretching and bonding would normally be talking with my roomies. I know talking is not really what bonding is all about, but I would be glad even if that happens. Three of us stay in the same house but seldom gets to meet the other person. One girl works in a call centre as a team leader so it calls for night shift. In essence, when she comes back from work in the morning, I leave for work. The other girl (again team leader) works in a BPO and enjoys the benefits of day shift but again both of us don’t get to talk that much. The so called reason being, the fact that she is always on her phone talking to some or the other person.

Now, if I get off the bed even a minute after 8.30am, the whole exercise and bonding process goes for a toss. I will have to rush and go to the bath room. By the time I finish all the activities inside, it takes totally 40 minutes (no compromise with the time I spent inside the bathroom even if I am late). I rush out, get dressed and run to the kitchen for breakfast. The time is 9.15am. The servant lady, who cooks for us break fast and lunch, keeps my cereal ready. I gulp it down in a minute. Sometimes, the cereal can be really hot and then I curse myself for sleeping that extra half hour. Few words would follow like this, “ooh ahh” Also, I would ask her not to keep it so hot. How I wish I could speak proper Tamil to her after that. Obviously she understands a bit of my broken Tamil and would mumble something to herself.

Suddenly, I would realize that there is no time to waste. I would just force some water down my burnt throat, pick up my lunch box, umbrella and handbag and rush outside the flat. Normally it takes exactly 12-15 minutes for me to reach office by auto. A few miles away from the apartment, is the auto stand. I would be praying that there should be an auto waiting for me. My bad luck can sometimes be so bad that there would not be even one auto, which would mean that I will have to walk another extra mile to find one. The problem is not only finding an auto but then I will have to complete the whole bargaining process as soon as I can, if I have to reach office in time.

To be continued....