A bit distorted

Things have not been moving as expected or planned. So, life has gone haywire to an extent. And it has taken a toll on blogging too. Worse, it is going to be in limbo for some more time .

Ah! Someone had observed an out-of-lane car always takes time to regain its position. So, never waver your speed or lose your track.

The World Will Pass Underneath You

My friend asked me to write this, so I am putting it up on my blog. He has devised a unique plan of controlling the oil problem that has the whole world in convolution. But the nonchalant way in which he presents this to everyone is the most impressive part. So, I won’t be able to emulate him a wee bit here.

Ever wondered why does the earth rotate on its axis? Yes, or may be not, but we all would have definitely studied about it at some part of our learning. But did you ever think about harnessing this natural phenomenon? It can indeed be done. Whenever an aero plane takes off from its runway, make it go vertically upwards and not forward. After it has reached a comfort zone among the clouds, rest it there. The damn earth will nevertheless keep on moving underneath it, and after sometime when the destination is reached, let the plane descend gently on its new place. Whacky!!! This is bloody double whacky.

I had my food dropping out of my mouth, when he narrated this grand idea to me while we were having lunch. Despite knowing fully well in advance that it was ludicrous, my mind started working out the reason why it was not feasible. The famous Physics problem, “Why our body doesn’t get hit by a moving train when we jump inside it?” No, this case is different. I did find out the reason; the whole exercise of this churning of mind being a non-exercise in itself. But the important thing is that his plan did strike me and got me thinking; and it struck others also who were listening to this. Bravo! Well done, and hats off to you, Sunil.

A recap

Really the last two weeks passed so fast that I am getting time now only to re-gather some part of it. I won’t and shouldn’t talk about my work life. There are two reasons: first, I don’t want to spoil my blog and second, as per one news article (I read it last week only), companies have started firing people writing job stuff on their personal blogs. I love both my blog and job.

Anyway, just to mention, contrary to my earlier fears, it was a very sedate time on work front; thankfully, as it allowed me some more time to ruminate. But the most happening things happened during the return journey. I started off from Champaign, in a resigned mood about the impending 24-hour journey seated, sleepless and foodless, in a plane. The weather had started to get inclement too. Portents of delayed flights, held luggage, harrowing time etc. - my rumination had already started. At the airport, check-in happened and then, the long queue of security check waited. As my turn came, the lady at the counter said that I had been marked for extra security check, and she didn’t know the reason why. Damn it, everyone knew why, and one knows more so, when one and also one’s friends had to go through the same exercise during the onward journey too. It was embarrassing. I can’t write shorter than this. No wonder, the disquiet about discrimination has reached everywhere. But as a learned person, I sobered myself. The rumination though added some more views to my already partly-conceived topic of similar nature (should be a part of another blog item soon)

I passed the security check. Did I need to write this? I don’t know. Anyway, my journey to Chicago was a non-descript as I kept my eyes closed almost all the time. The small jet was literally shaking in the fast-blowing winds J At Chicago, I waited for the next flight to Frankfurt, and as I went to the counter to get my boarding pass, I was told that I had been put on stand-by due to the flight being overbooked. I knew this. They had done this to me last year too. But I had managed to get on board that time by constantly haggling with the counter people. So, this time too I shamelessly kept going to them, but as time passed, it seemed the rugged idea won’t work this time. The plane was indeed overbooked, and they were looking into arrangements how to send the held passengers in later flights. As a deflated but hopeful passenger, I tried the last time and stood at the counter. Sometime later, an attendant took note of me, and after some searching glances beyond me, asked for my stand-by boarding pass. Yes, a passenger had not turned up and I was getting on board. I knew it, because you know, last time too, this had happened. I boarded the plane only five minutes before departure.

I was given seat 12E, and when I enquired the seat position from the standing flight attendant, she ushered me to the anterior part where the board of ‘Lufthansa Business Class’ stood in front of me. Good, gosh, jolly! I again thanked the lady at the counter umpteenth times. So, then … I opened my shoes and sprawled on the big seat with an affected aura around me to look the part. I read financial newspaper which I never do; opened my laptop to scribble something, and when done, nonchalantly put on my i-pod. First time experience can border on nasty showiness. After sometime, I started talking to my fellow passenger who was much senior to me. He was a German, going back to his country after attending some business conference in San Diego. More talks revealed that he was the founder and Chairman of a pharma company, even though small, in Germany. Good to share the space with him. He knew a lot about India too, and we talked like business partners for long. On his recommendation, I tried shrimp and salmon fish too. Another first for me. And in the end, slept well to conclude an easy ride to Frankfurt.

I thought it may not be the end. Another flight, back to Larnaca awaited. I boarded the plane on time and this time, much to my dejection, I got an economy class window seat. By the way, my ticket said economy class only J My adjacent seat remained empty for sometime, and then I saw a beautiful girl hurrying from the front door, and landing straight on my empty adjacent seat. Things were happening. The plane also took off. My mind too was bordering on the brink, thinking about not-so-have-happened things. Could it be the day? I kept thinking; time passed; I slept; she slept; Larnaca arrived; she walked; I walked. And it all ended. An anti-climax for day? No way! I was smart. I didn’t want to take a chance to put a blot on my day. Moreover, my day had taught me that unthinkables happen only when one doesn’t think about them. So, it will happen, if it has to happen someday, in the most unthinkable way. Otherwise too, it is cool J as it has been till now.

I wore off my jet-lag, sleeping in the office next day, even though tons of work had been pounded on me as soon as I came. Back to real world Mr. and again a time to ruminate, this time though about defects and assignments. Ha ha ha

2nd Coming, US

I am in Champaign, Illinois right now, and scribbling this stuff at 4 o’clock in the morning. I slept yesterday continuously for more than 12 hours from mid-noon to mid-night crossing two days. I don’t know when I had slept this much last.

Though it is a hastily arranged 2-week business trip, it feels nice to be back in US. The US remains the paragon of development for any nation. Things are so immaculately planned and developed that you wonder how much time any other country is going to take to reach the same level. Even a small city like Champaign looks so posh, even though it has a likable green rustic look to it.

I was here last September for three long months, and explored quite a bit of it. I was able to experience the change of weather too from post-summer to pre-fall. It is relatively hot though right now. Also I don’t think I will get a chance to add to my sight-seeing this time around due to the hectic work planned. Work comes first, every time!

This time, unfortunately, a few things are more glaring than last time around. The news channels are obviously occupied with the Obama-Clinton showdown, or rather the end of it with Clinton withdrawing her nomination. But also there is the much abominable news of schools’ shootings, killings, minor-rape charges etc and unidentifiable TV programs of reality shows, sex talks etc. Well, equally bad news but of different kind is replete in TV channels in Cyprus and India too, but as said, it is of a different kind. I don’t know which one is worse, but it just goes on to show, the world is diversified even in bad things.

The perennial oglers

I received a mail forward yesterday from one of my ogler-set friends. It was an old one but its amusing power wasn't diminished. Excerpts from it:-





Especially hilarous was the comment at the end. As if the girls really mind. I don't know, may be. But it is medically certified now. Not posting the pictures (meant to provide some exercise)attached in the mail here for obvious reasons.

I am an egoist

What is the difference between self-respect and ego? I have been wondering this ever since I found that I am an egotist. I never had a liking for my voice being cut, even if I was wrong. Worse, if someone corrected me in a brazen way, I would put up a sullen face and act as if he committed a mistake. It was the most-adhered way of keeping my sanctity intact and also smarting the so-deemed offender. In a way, I destroyed myself and also hurt the other.

I don’t say, I still don’t do it. But I at least try not to do it, and in the instances, I have been successful, I find the world so radically different. The problems then cease to exist and what comes out is happy co-existence for one and all. Ego isolates one by keeping an exalted view of oneself, and thus can never reach the solution. Self-respect on the other hand keeps one exalted in the midst of all by solving the problem. I fail to understand it, or more importantly, adhere to it when the situation demands. It happens in the heat of the moment, and it takes a gigantic effort then to put aside my self-righteous views. But it definitely gets better when I get it right. I need to puncture my ego at the start only, and hopefully one day I can make make my life even more beautiful.

My Egypt Trip - V

Having reached Cairo, we had another easily-attained sleep. Next morning, we were ready for the final leg of our journey. Neevin was her usual beautiful-self in a spic green dress.

The day seemed like the hottest of all the days we had spent in Egypt. The traffic was huge too. Since we had only half a day at our disposal, we had to drop the Citadel from our itinerary. As known now, it was another important location of history which we had to miss. Incidentally, the location has its relations to one of my favourite historical characters, Saladin.

Old Cairo:-

We went to the old Cairo first, famous for its ancient churches, synagogues and monuments. We had to walk through a relatively narrow street into the area. After about a 5-minute walk, we reached the famous Old Roman Fortress, now lying below the ground level. Built on top of it is the Hanging Church. I had not been to any church till then, so was quite expectant about the opportunity.

Hanging Church is the most famous church in Egypt, supposedly built around 4^th century AD. It was very beautiful from outside and quaintly eye-catching inside. I had the first view of altar, pews and the frescoes inside a church. It seemed they had intentionally kept many things in an old and worn state, probably to retain their archaic look.

Coming out, we found another church lying adjacent to it. As told by Neevin, it was the Greek Orthodox Church which she didn’t visit as she was a Coptic. The Christians in Egypt are called Coptics and are the most populous ones there. Interestingly, I had a chance to visit Greek Orthodox Church here in Cyprus recently, and found it to be a bit different with people kissing the pictures of Jesus as a ritual.

Anyway, we then went to a synagogue, Ben Ezra, the oldest in Egypt. It was another first for me to visit a Jewish worship place. The central part there was more expanded, and actually elevated, finally rising in a pulpit. I don’t know whether it was a particular feature of that synagogue, or common to all. The Jews in Egypt have become very few in number recently.

It didn’t take us much time to visit these places, but still we were left with only a few hours to visit the Cairo Museum, our last destination. Swerving through the Cairo traffic, we reached the site, the place which was the home to the mummies of the great pharaohs of the past.

Cairo Museum:-

It was indeed crowded there, the reason of which really doesn’t need any telling. While going through the security check, one guard incidentally told us we had got the best guide in Egypt to escort us. No further words on his indulging remarks:). Cameras were not allowed inside the museum, so we had to leave them at the counter. But before that, we took a good number of snaps in the lush green and cool fountain-seeped environs outside.

Egyptian Museum is a two-levelled building (ground floor and first floor) containing antiquities of great interest. Entering the museum, we could find so many things-statues, paintings, rocks etc in front of us. It was a sea of ancient world wonders before us. But the most important things were on the first floor.

Yes, the mummies’ room! The cost of entry into the rooms was the highest of those of all the other places; but many people go to see those reclining centuries-old corpses only, so it was justified. The first room was a medium-sized one, surprisingly (I had visualized it to be a big hall containing the royal mummies in different chambers, he he :) ) Great lesson: Everything is a downer if you expect too much of it. Nevertheless, the mummies are there to see right from the door. Lay in a series, the mummified bodies are kept in glass chambers with detailed labels on them. The first or may be, second of those (if I remember correctly) was that of Queen Hatshepsut, the Great Royal Queen. She had one of her teeth protruding out. The reason I looked at her quite attentively was that our guide, Youssef, at Luxor, had said she was very beautiful. 3000 years later, I couldn’t make it out from her face, but her hair was indeed free-flowing. That was the case with most of the other mummies: nails were spotless, hair very much grown, some even luxuriant, cheeks and heads prominent. No doubt, some of them were the products of the recent chemical works done on them. I just laughed and wondered inside me about the sheer belief and science of those Egyptians. The world would have been a better and more developed place if they would have been still surviving! Ramses-II’s mummy too was there. He looked very thin, but age does take its toll! The second room was very much similar to the first one and contained mummies of other royal persons. I could not spend much time on the lesser known ones’, because we had to head off to another marvel of modern world-the treasures of Tutankhamen.

The treasures occupied a large area along almost two sides of the first floor. Practically all the materials related to his life-chariots, gloves, jewellery, gameboard, the famous throne and mask were on display. He was buried within a series of caskets, all made of pure gold. Such ostentatious wealth! It simply spellbound me. Tutankhamen, despite being a famous pharaoh, was no match in clout to the bigger kings, such as Ramses-II, Akhenaten, Hatshepsut etc. Imagine Ramses-II’s treasure that would have been buried with him. In my stupefaction, I did ask Neevin a stupid question about the treasure ever being targeted at by the gutsy thieves, ala those in Hollywood Movies. I wouldn’t mind even a minuscule share of the booty!

Last, we saw a replica of the Rosetta Stone. The Rosetta Stone is the antiquity which helped decipher the ancient Egyptian languages. It contained three sections with a text written in three different languages-Classical Greek, Hieroglyphics and Demotics. The original piece now rests in Museum of London. It was the only item there which was not authentic.

Seeing only the above things took us about 2 hours and that was what we could afford. Neevin did show us the other things but I don’t remember even an iota about them. But may be, those are for next trip, if it at all happens. We bid adieu to Neevin, wishing Good Luck and exchanging our FaceBook account details. But before that, I asked her whether she understood whatever we talked in Hindi. She nonchalantly replied, ‘thoda thoda’, ala Sue in RDB :) Hope we didn’t say any of those usual commonly-uttered flattering words in her presence.

Mr. Michael escorted us to the airport and we seemed to have befriended him even more by the time we reached there. Thankfully there wasn’t much rush at the airport that time around, and we easily passed through the Security and Other Checks. The Egypt Air flight was on time, and the return journey started in the same way of me falling into ponderous thoughts as in the incoming one. This time though, the thoughts were more educated and refined.

I had never thought Egypt would be such a great place. My preconceived notions, most of them forced and based on fatuous opinions, were torn asunder. A few days are hardly a measure of time to build an opinion, but sufficient enough to quash the ludicrous ones. I saw disporting smile on a beautiful face, dreams in the eyes of a young Muslim girl, optimism of a boy, affability of a senior genial guy and the ever-moving promising buzz of life that was Egypt. Muslims were not all bearded, belligerent and inhuman; Egypt was not another world; and above all, life was not at all different. And do you know, that is true of all the places and people in the world.

My heart was more cheerful; mind learned and ideas emboldened; and all slowly nestled on the perch of my eyes which gradually closed themselves to acknowledge the sleep of a more lettered kind.