There is one thing that never fails to surprise me. No matter how comfortable our lives are, we almost always find something to gripe about. I was suffering through a hacking dry cough a couple of months back. I stuck to my decision of not taking any antibiotics for as long as I could before I gave in. They failed to cure it. Homeopathy was equally ineffective. A visit to a chest specialist resulted in the diagnosis that it was caused by pollution. The remedy was neither very expensive nor particularly inconvenient – a couple of pills and an inhaler for a few days. But that was enough to make me complain 'why me?'.

And today morning I read an article about VonHippel-Lindau syndrome. I read about how rare it is and how those who are afflicted with it are fighting back. The same newspaper carried another article about Mark Inglis who is living life to the fullest despite being a double leg amputee. I can't express in words how ashamed I felt of myself and my constant griping.

Funny thing called 'Life' always has a few lessons in Perspective tucked up its sleeve. Thank God for that!

I don't get it. Whichever way I look at it, I just plain don't get it. When the so-called 'law-makers' of this country can spend majority of the monsoon-session hours arguing with each other and coming to blows, then that's acceptable. That's not at all considered to be a mockery of the democratic system even if they are doing it at a time when the economy is floundering. But if someone decides to raise voice against corruption using cartoons then that's branded as an insult of national symbols? What in the hell is wrong with these people? They are worried about national symbols when each and every one of the states is plagued with one problem or another? They are worried about national symbols when the decisions that are for the good of the country are being delayed forever? They are worried about national symbols when the rich are getting richer and the poor are being pushed deeper into poverty?

There is a lot that is rotten in the state of India.

As part of my duties as the Delivery Head, I am present when candidates are being interviewed for the positions of a software developer. Though I come from a Java background, the company that I am working for currently has all development in .Net. That means I don't generally venture into technical questions except for basic OOPS stuff. And yet, surprisingly, I find that the candidates who claim to be very good developers are often at the deep end when it comes to the fundamentals. Some cannot give a whole picture of the project that they have worked on except for their own contribution. Some are clueless as to how the project is going to help the end client. And some are over-confident to the point of sounding arrogant.

Last week I dealt with one such developer who answered my questions as if he was doing me a favor by providing answers to the questions that I in my ignorance wasn't capable of finding on my own. And then, at the end of the interview, he had the cheek to ask me for feedback. I almost heard myself say 'You are very confident - because you gave even the wrong answers very confidently.'. But I held back out of sheer politeness.

Looking back, I think I need not have been so polite.

Recently came across a book review of "The myth and reality of office life". Must check it out one of these days....

'How much is it?' I asked as I checked the reading on the cab's electronic meter. 'दो सौ पैतालीस' said the cabbie. ' दो सौ पैतालीस? मतलब कितना'. I said in a puzzled tone. The driver looked at me as if I am from another planet. 'Is it two hundred fourty five or two hundred thirty five?' I asked again. Now it was his turn to get puzzled. Oh dear, 3 years of Hindi in school wasn't helping me here. ' दो सौ पैतालीस मतलब दो सौ पचास में पांच कम या पंधरा?' I asked in desperation. 'पांच मेडम' he said. I handed over the money and got down wondering if he was the illiterate one or I was.

It is not often that you come across a cab driver who is philosophical about life. Last week I ran into one. We were stuck in a traffic jam where I get stuck every day. He muttered something under his breath and then turned to me 'If everyone drives in straight line then there will be no jams'. I nodded. 'But who will tell them? If you try to, they will only shout at you and curse. Even educated people don't know how to behave with others'.

I folded the newspaper that I was reading. 'I don't think civility has anything to do with education. They don't teach you that in school or college. Now-a-days the kids spend more time away from the family so there's no teaching of basic values anywhere during their developing years.' Now it was his turn to nod. 'You are right. People don't know how to talk to their elders. They don't even know how to talk to their younger ones. It used to be so different in my time'. He said sadly.

I looked at him and wondered if I will say the same a few years down the lane.

जिंदगीसे आप जो भी बेहतरसे बेहतर ले सको ले लो
क्योंकी जिंदगी जब लेना शुरू करती है तो साँसेभी नहीं छोड़ती

(Forwarded)