Sunday, January 10, 2010

Diamonds are forever!!

I believe everything on earth comes with an expiry date. Fortunately, most of the commercialized ones have a shelf-life tag to identify the burial ceremony. As long as I can see the scientifically tested date, I am not bothered exception being the food I cook :) Who would be a better person than myself to tell that my culinary products expires the moment it feels the palate of the victims? (I am NOT serious Mind it!!).
Keeping aside the obvious, talking of the foreseen like machines will have a determined life depending on the way it is used. There is an optimum course to be followed for an optimum shelf period. More usage is not always lesser life, but a non-efficient usage does decide the factors. Stagnancy is death- another anomaly which stands parallel to the theory behind the machines. On one side where kinetics reduce the life other side high potential and no kinetic conversion is a factor leading to extinction. The best example could be humans and fruits. An apple is better off eaten than refrigerated, similarly as humans are the best working. The life of an apple is unpredictable till it is plucked from the tree; similarly lifestyle of the natal decides its demise only after the umbilical cord is cut.
Another aspect is complementary and approximately virtual like ‘man’ and ‘woman’, ‘diamonds’ and ‘girl’, ‘salt’ and ‘soup’ et al. The terms are complementary; they hold no significance without each other. It will not end the life but deteriorate the rest of life, if isolated. So, considering this; if Diamonds are for-ever for girls, it is just a lifeless stone otherwise.
Tagged, non-tagged, standalone, connected are the four possible categories of absolutes on earth; I am aware of, for which there is a determinable shelf life.
Giving a thought, if there is a shelf life for all the absolutes; does love age or love isn’t an absolute yet?
It is on us to shape this diamond for our lives to make it last ‘forever’.

Monday, January 4, 2010

A trip to the land of low cost brands

Starting the day with betrayal from a fixed up cab driver, we were almost at bay with the idea of traveling on board to the neighboring country, Nepal. Fortunately, we met another cab driver though he was not known to us but was experienced enough to tackle the casual custom checking. After being relaxed on the checking part, we had a concern on the measurement of how far would the Naxalites allow us with safe shopping. We settled on traveling till Bhairva which was 15 Kms away from the Sunauli border located at around 90 Kms from my native. This was the safest periphery according to our cab driver.

We started for our destination quite late in the early afternoon.

After three hours of traveling, we realized that not withdrawing enough money was one mistake which could delimit our shopping budgets; not only because there were no ATMs on the way but also it would be a cross currency trip.

Money crunch was resolved when I came to know that mom had enough cash to facilitate shopping for both the couples, but there was another welcoming. There was a huge traffic waiting for us at the Sunauli border, which intimidated me with time crunch as well. But luckily, the cab driver had good connections at the border which got us way in sooner than expected.

There is something weird about the cross border trips. Every security guy would take you in suspicion provided you act smartly to blow them off. So, the cab driver was constantly asking us to behave normally and keep talking. Being extra smart at dramatics, we managed entering in the foreign country without hassles. No longer that we entered the border; the scene changed, the dogs were unchained and they were free to run to grab the bones from everywhere. We were like dogs, chained by security checking and the cab. Cab stopped for permission ticket and we grabbed on the cheapest deal on the nearest available selling product – apples. We moved on with the plans of bigger bargains and entered the Bhairva market covered with jackets and shoes and cosmetics and gadgets. The plan of approximate shopping with no list was a bad idea. Shopping in Nepal is like a monopoly, planning could get you good bargains and a very satisfying shopping experience. We wasted first hour wandering and window shopping for good jackets. But subsequently, the hunger increased and the mad rush begun with grabbing three jackets at stretch. The clock ran fast, leaving more constraints on the time left. Market in Nepal is amazing; it is like a mini China not to ignore the fact that China is an adjacent neighbor. The Chinese impact is high in Nepal esp. on electronics goods. Every chink-chi brand can be seen in the market. Where else can you get Reebok and Nike for 800 bucks? Oh…the furry jackets for 700 bucks, Denims for 400, shaver for 350, stylish handbags for 450, all branded cosmetics at half the price. A complete transformation of the looks with chink-chi brands in 3000 bucks only. Yes, Xerox no doubt but as my personal experience, I still have the childhood Nepali paraphernalia being inherited by my smaller cousins.

After a tireless and thirst less shopping for four hours, a sense of happiness lingered in me, firstly because I have invaded a market of dreamy brands at much lower cost, secondly I have no idea about how was it possible and thirdly…I am a foreign Return now ;)

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Diary- December 25, 2009

“Every city has a story to tell. Every animal has a story to tell. Every social animal has a story to tell. Everything has a story to tell. With a natal year on the way, We all have stories to tell so that we start a new year with nothing unspoken.


Andhra…errr…Telengana!!! My city has also a very confusing story to narrate. My work state has got into an identity crisis. Though, born half a century back, Andhra is still in a fix to decide on its Namakaran ceremony. Andhra is a forerunner in the literacy race in the country. But, the deadlock created by the dear Andhraites made the world doubt the fact.

Tied in the political dilemma, the mother of state could not do a baby sitting properly when baby KCR created tantrums by refusing to have his cerelac. Babies cry- a fact, babies demand- a fact, it is babies’ very innate nature- a fact, I understand that, infact many of us understand that. But the point is why this is still an undeterred fact for the Congress. Did the Andhra crib shrink to accommodate the twins or the babies are now big to get into different beds now?

Moving the focus, the month brought tremendous luck to me instead. I would not say that I really want the month to repeat itself as it would be wickedly selfish on my part. But yes I really wished to end the year with royalty. As with my company hitting a bad crisis, lifestyle was something first to catch the flu.

With an unbeatable temptation of sumptuous meal with wine, my mom managed to get us book a trip to home for New Year celebrations. My excitement was blithering with my no reason smiles and lower efficiency at work :)

A daily discussion on the plans for celebrations was always on my lists. Tensions and unannounced shut downs in the city didn’t touch pass my plans for shopping. Little planning here and there, the last installment shopping is done.

The bags are packed for a long trip to excitement and amazing food.

I shall break the nib as this is all in my story for the year end and would actually like to hear,what is yours?