Blogging

A friend asked me why I blog even when no one is reading. I have been thinking about about an answer.

One day I may become rich and famous then people may be interested in knowing more about me. They may want to know my opinion. This blog may become the window to my thoughts.

This may even be the stepping stone and I may write a Harry Potter. Someone said everyone can write one best seller and that is his autobiography. I will name mine "Abnormally Normal". First I should wait for google to start free publishing. Then like I do after every blog, I would send a mail to all my beloved friends – “I have written an autobiography please read”.

Someday I may learn to write interesting things and my blog shall have thousands of hits per day and then I shall make some money out of ads on my blog. Times of India may find my thoughts interesting and invite me to write editorial. It may also die out someday. Some religious organization may call my blog hurting their sentiments and smash my computer or even send in a suicide squad. Government may find my blog causing mental agony to youth and ban it. My room mates may blackmail me to stop this nonsense or leave the house. But most probably some day I may get too bored to write any more blogs and I will stop for good.

Then having dinner at a nearby Sukh Sagar I got the right answer. He was talking to himself answering unasked questions. He was reasoning the unreasonable. He was questioning with out expecting an answer. He was talking without expecting to be listened. He was mad.

Opportunity

“every blessing ignored becomes a curse”.
Polo Cohello in Alchemist

Quite true I should agree. All average men live with these curses. But there have been times in our life when we let go of an opportunity after a lot of thought.

At school I had an opportunity to visit Lakshadweep at a huge concession rate. I always loved travel. This was my great chance. But on the flip side this meant I will miss my much awaited Christmas vacation. Ten days spend with my parents, meeting my brother. My friends reasoned that I will not miss home in all the excitement of the trip. But yes my home shall miss me. I gave it a miss. I enjoyed that vaccation the most and back from vacation I felt great.

There are few “well thought” misses we give to opportunities in life. People may state those as our failures. But these well thought missed opportunities are an important factor that define what you are.

But then I agree there are some misses that are curses too.

Strolling through the path of time
With idle thoughts that are mine
I saw her pass by
She was my dream, my life’s golden lane
To her I cried out in wane
Why did you have to leave me in pain
With empathy she wined
I had given you a chance
It was you who left with just a glance

Never Talk to Strangers

I was having Dosa at SKC. It is one good south Indian restaurant around, famous for Tamil food. He walked in and occupied the place near me. As I repositioned myself to give him more space, he looked at me and gave a warm smile. Now it is against my principle not to return a smile. So I smiled back.

X: The Dosa here is good. Right?
Another way to start a conversation, good, I thought.
Me: oh yes. It is good.
X: I am Sailesh. I work for infosys. I stay in 15th B Main. Where do you work?
Me: Wipro

He was young, stylish and looked like a typical software engineer. He is a neighbour too after all I thought.
Here it stated and then went on. Topics moved from work, to VLSI, then Hosur road, then traffic, infrastructure in Bangalore, Delhi, travel, then to Kerala. I finished my dinner by the time he finished a cup of filter coffee. As we walked back home he offered me his visiting card. He got my mobile number.
I had forgotten the whole story by the time I reached back home. As usual, life went on. Then after two days I got a call.

S: Hi, how are you?
Me: Hello, who is this?
S: Hi buddy, this is Sailesh. Forgot? How are you?
I did not even remotely think of storing his number. I have his visiting card I thought as I slowly build up his case file in my mind.
Me: Hi Sailesh, great to hear from you. How are you? How is life?
S: doing great yaar. Btw I have started a small business of my own. And that too is doing well. I manage that in the free time that I have and make decent money too.
Me: that is great.

Curiosity got the better of me and I committed the crime of asking what the business was.
S: Oh. It is quite interesting and simple too. I will meet you today evening and explain in detail.

Did I ask for this? Anyway let me be-positive and after all there is no harm in giving a patient listening to some one. So we did meet in the evening. He was an Amway Business Owner. It was a kind of money chain. And he was hunting for people to join his chain. Then it was a one hour long great talk show, where I added background scores like yes, ok, fine. At the end I politely informed of my disinterest.

S: you should meet my friend. He can explain things better. He earns in near to lakhs from this. Once you talk to him you will be dying to join Amway. I am sure. Give it a try buddy. After all what is the harm in just listening?

So we met this big boss. There was a whole gang of Amway members at his place. The boss explained that he had resigned his private company job to manage his Amway work full time. He got out a whole set of forms.

Big boss: So which plan are you joining? 20 or 30 thousand. You just have sign in the following places. Sailesh will give you all the guidance. And congrajs.

Excuse me. I did not even say I am joining. Things were moving very fast. I wanted to get up and run. He thrust the set of forms and pen into my hand. This was it. I had wasted enough time. With a lot of conviction and a pleasant smile I got up.

Me: thanks. But I will not join. Good night.

I made a conscious effort not to run as I waked out of the room. The whole thing has left me a bit irritated but still amused. I was dying to tell the story to my friends. Dinner first, I thought as I walked to my favorite SKC. I occupied an empty table and ordered my Dosa. Then this young man walked and took the chair near me. This time I had become more careful. I concentrated hard on my Dosa. He ordered a plate of Idly.

X: Hi, nice spectacles. Where did you get this? I was looking for one last weekend but did not find a good one.
Bloody hell, another Amway guy, it is definitely not my day.
Me: Thanks, I got it from Eye Sense near to Forum Mall.
X: I am Praveen. I work for IBM.
Not again my friend I thought silently. I cannot handle one more today.
Me: Hi, I am Sailesh, I work for Infy.

Then it went on the usual way. As we said good bye he offered me his card. I got Sailesh’s card from my purse and handed it over to him. I safely tucked his card into my purse. After all I may meet more of them.

Connectivity

With mobile and internet, we have moved closer to people far away from us physically and moved farther from people closer to us physically.