Take a risk, take a chance, Make a change, and break away

I am on wheels again. In last 3 months I have already changed 4 cities. After leaving Bangalore, I am in Hyderabad. Now a days this place is pretty hot n sunny in afternoon, and cold in evenings. Thats the difference between city of gardens and rock city :) but i am enjoying change.

why am i doing this? may be i like changes in life or i wanted to leave Bangalore? May be its my final Adiós to Bangalore.

me coiffeur and barber

Haircut is my one of the insecurities. I always feel I look weird after my haircut, this phobia always makes me postpone haircut appointment. Recently I had to go to see barber for haircut, it reminded me how Indian barber shop is different from parisian coiffure.

I remember the first time I visited coiffure. Those are the days I was struggling with language problem. There are very few coiffeurs who can understand/speak English. It is definitely big risk to explain haircut and giving head in front of them. Fortunately I never had bad experience with coiffeurs. I entered big spacious shop. "Bonjour monsieur ", he welcomed me with very warm smile. I really liked the way french people welcome guests. "Je ne parle pas français", this was my opening line for quite long time. After knowing I cannot speak french, he switched to English, "How can I help you?". This line was pretty fluent, may be he is used to speak this line. "I want to get haircut.", me. "Do you have appointment?", he replied with french pronunciation of 'appointment' as 'app-oi-nt-mon'. This was pretty unusual for me, as in India its pretty open system. find your time, just visit barber, and get it done. I never had appointment with barber. "When shall I have it?", I was using my hands for gestures. "vendredi, 2pm", he provided his suitable time. "Make it samedi 3pm", i replied. But he was confused to hear mixed English and french. I noticed one thing about french that these guys never mix french word with English and vice-versa.

I was there at shop on Saturday 3pm. He recognized me. "Bonjour, ca va?", he welcomed with broad smile. "Tres bien", till now I knew few key sentences. He pointed out one of the coiffeur. She approached me with pretty smile, and took my jacket to cupboard. The first thing was shampooing, one pretty girl said, "Bonjour". and something that I couldn't understand. and went behind my chair and started pouring lukewarm water. Her nice fingers were running through my hair. "ummm! that feels better", to self of course. After shampooing another lady guided me to another chair. I was bit surprised and happy that I am getting haircut from a lady. But was little scared that she doesn't understand English. I tried to explain how the cut should be, but was pretty sure that she didn't understood anything of it. She adjusted my chair and dragged another chair for her beside me. She herself had stylish haircut, with attractive hair color. She was wearing very nice perfume. I was praying all the time during whole process. Very carefully she was using comb and scissor. She pardoned me twice when comb touched my scalp hard. This was pretty long process. Finally, it was done. I checked in mirror. It was ok, I was looking weird as usual. But I was quite happy with my overall experience. With happy faces we did au revoir.

I visited barber few days back. This shop was comparatively small with 3 chairs for haircut and a long bench behind it. "Hello sir, what can I do for you?", he with professional look. I was his just customer just like anyone else. "Haircut", me answered plainly. He pointed to chair. He got into the chair. "Yes sir, kaisa cut chahiye? small or medium? machine se ya ustarese?" (This translation for MZ "Yes sir, how do you want haircut? small or medium? will be with machine or razor?"). He was in neat uniform. The barbers generally keep their hair short. But this barber cannot stand in comparison with that stylish lady coiffeur. I explained him how I want my cut.
He started with his tool. He was skillful, but still my insecure mind was looking up in the mirror. Somehow this guy is going to spoil my hair. "Oh! he is cutting it very small. I didn't ask him for so short. The sides are too short again.", I was real impatient. Finally its done. "oh my god!", was my silent, pretty unhappy reaction. "Maybe in 3-4 days it will look good/better", consoling myself. I know its my internal insecurity which is etching me. May be I need to find out *good* barber shop or parisian coiffure in my city :P

Kya mujhe pyar hai.....

Recently i hooked up with the song 'Kya mujhe pyar hai' from 'Woh Lamhe'. Why do I like this song? one obvious reason is K.K. he is my fav singer. But the real reason is the lyrics of the song.

sometimes its fun to catch people to listen your favorite song. Very first day I caught my roomie,JM. "isnt this good song?", me. "Haan re! I liked it.", JM with some interest. "Hey! I want to listen another song, can u change it", JM on second day, irritated with continuous repeat mode. After loosing patience on third day, "Oye, dont you have any other song?", JM, "I liked this song but now I m quite bored listening to same again." Muhhahha.....he was prey of continous repeat single song.

Next person was my remotely connected friend, PR. I caught her on chat, "check out this new song". "where can i get it? here everything is blocked at firewall.",PR is eager to get it. "Do you accept 9mb attachment?", I was ready to do anything for free advertisement. "ok then, I will upload it to some fileserver.". PR downloads the file, "oh, this is such crap song.", that was first comment she made. "such a silly song, lyrics is pretty ordinary", PR added. This wasn't expected from her. I am damn angry, "aah, girl wont understand this, listen it again, atleast for 4 times". PR doesnt reply. She comes back, "Why r u so passionate abt this song?" me promptly, "I liked lyrics." "But the lyrics are pretty ordinary.", she remarks. She wanted to know more from me.

ummm, may not be the only lyrics, but something else. but I am enjoying the song.

tum kyon chale aate ho, har raat in khwaabon mein
chupke se aa bhi jaaon, ek din meri baahon mein
tere hi sapanen andheron mein ujaalon mein
koi nasha hain teri aankhon ke pyaalon mein
tu mere khwaabon mein jawaabon mein sawaalon mein
har din chura tumehn main laata hoon khayalon mein

Unfit for Mumbai

I confess that whenever I was in any other city than Mumbai, I always missed Mumbai. This city has its own lifestyle, pace, and spirit that makes it very unique. Every creature leaving here has to be in sync. There is no place for those who steps out of this routine. Each one gradually adapts Mumbaiyya lifestyle, and they lost in it. Spending few days here I noticed that how Mumbai points out your incompatibility.

"Hey mom, what’s for dinner today?", I asked while getting ready to go out. "It’s your favorite fish curry tonight", mom replied. "Wow! I will be back for dinner." me. "Are you sure? Don’t get lost in Mumbai. Things have changed so far.", mom warns me. "Come on mom, i grown up here, I don’t think Mumbai has changed in last one year.", me little surprised. "Doofus! Its not Mumbai but you have changed.", Mom clarifies. "Hmmm, but anyways I cannot stay at home.", I was out before ending my statement. I was on the same old street, same old shops, similar faces around. "But hey, why do I smell this wierd smell? I never felt that before. I can distinctly get smell of rice, chandan, oil, coconut, spice, onion etc.", I was wondering what happened to my nose. For clarification I asked Pappu, "I am getting different smell at different shops. This grocery shop smells differently than that pickle shop. Do you feel the same?". In return Pappu laughed out loudly, "Dude, you just lost compatibility with Mumbai. Each mumbaikar has filter in his nose. You need to install it in your nose.". I was surprised, but totally avoided him by giving sarcastic smile.

"Hey! What are you doing? Are you counting cars on the road?" another 10 year kid reads my confused state of mind. "I am waiting for the signal to become red. I think its worth to wait for 2 minutes", me clarify. "Haha, just get into the middle of the road, its easy to cross the road. There is mutual understanding between pedestritian and driver. No mumbaikar wants to waste 2 minutes waiting for signal. The life here is so fast.". "I guess you need attachments for your mind and brain, just similar to each mumbaikar has. It will keep you active and alert for this fast life. Please get it installed.", he added more. I am puzzled.

"When is next 43 coming?" I enquired about bus. "in 15 minutes.", immediately I got reply from some unknown person on bus-stop. I knew that 43 goes to Matunga, But wondered how destination to bus-number mapping is maintained? You won’t find any maps or routes of buses, but still everyone travells comfortably. "This definitely needs brain with huge memory just like mumbaikar", I just pointed out. 200 stops at bus-stop. "Dadar jayega?", some girl shouted at crowd. Immediate reply came from some co-passenger, "haan, get in. Dadar jayega.". "I suppose mumbaikar's brain has support for huge memory. I will need memory card for my brain and kind heart to help other people. It’s like databank, faster than DBMS." to myself.

43 arrives, but it is so crowded. I feel it’s not worth getting into it, but let it go. But Ajju drags me into the crowd. "Why do you want to waste some more time waiting for bus?" surprised Ajju. "Its risky traveling like this.", I answered him. We both were hanging in the door. "Haha, don't worry nothing will happen. You just need another attachment of courage for mind, just like mumbaikar.", Ajju finishes. Mumbaikar has fast calculating mind. if he has to catch 5:14pm train, then he has to take 4:30pm bus, and to catch this bus/train, he doesnt want to waste time at queue, crossing or at signal. In any scenario he has to catch the bus/train, even if it is overcrowded.

"Huh, Bus is stuck in traffic, it hardly moved in last 30 minutes." I complained. my co-passenger replied, "haha, timepass karne ke liye itne saare FM radio channels hai na. Time toh aise nikal jayega". It seems traffic is least bothering these people. I don't know what I need for this? "But its very hot, so much of horn, noise. so much of pollution", I complained again. "Dude, each mumbaikar has special filter in his ears, which filters out high decible noise. You need it.", got the answer. "You need special skin, for this humid climate. each mumbaikar borns with special pollution-defence kit. I am sure you had it, but it seems you lost it some where." some more he added.

"Arre, but I don't see any good looking girls in Mumbai now a days", I was little disappointed. "Have you gone blind?" shouted Pamya, "Have you visited shopping malls?". "Yes, i was there couple of times", me. "and Multplexes?", he. "Yes", me. "Visit colleges, you will find many good looking girls there as well", Pamya. "Oye, I did that too." unhappy me. "Dude, you have visited all the places where high proximity of babes. I think you have fall in love", he concluded, and he left me confused.

flickr bugged me but i loved it

I got surprise, when i logged in my flickr account today. no of views has shot from 600+ to approx 6800 in just 2 days!! isnt it exciting. suddenly my album got huge no of visits. My album is so popular. just great feeling.

but sadly, comments counter hasnt been increased since then. just refreshing page views counter keeps on incrementing. hahahaha!! no other numbers are changing except views-counter.

so is it bug that flickr got? One quick observation is newly added photos are getting more-n-more hits. surprisingly this is not happening with everyone. i checked
my contacts' photos n views counter. uufff! it is showing normal behaviour.

by now I am finishing this post, my views counter is 6930. If you want to add few more hits visit my album. It will be good idea to add more comments there.


I really dont know whats happening with my flickr account. but thanks to flickr for selecting me!!

zig zag.......zoooom

One of the big advantage of working in big team onsite is project-party. This summer we had lots of project parties....quarterly party, common project party, silver jubilee party.......whatever is the reason but we are happy to be like party-animal. This is one sunny day in september. place is versailles. The day was nicely planned, it started with group lunch in indian restaurent. after chit-chat, next event was palace visit.



But the real fun was in garden. After the palace visit, all of us gathered in garden. The next plan is boating in Grand canal of Chateau. But somehow somebody thought its worth to have voting to decide if we should go for boating. General opinion was 'I want to go for boating, who will row for me?'. "arre, sirf aadhe ghante ke liye lete hai. jo nahi kar payega woh idhar hi chakkar lagayega.", one acceptable comment, and it was decided. Total 6 boats are taken 4-5 people in each boat. All enthusiasts are geared up in mood of competetion, everyone wants to reach other end of canal, and come back. But this flame didn't last long, once everyone is in trumbling boat, with oars in hand, trying to find out what and how to do?

My team is full of enthusiasts. miss PV, miss SR, Mr. PP and myself. As soon as we settled in boat, the guy (who pushed our boat) said, "only one person should row!!". Its about PP n me to take decision. Being at wrong position/seat, oars came in my hands. I am sure everyone felt that the guy pushed their boat in wrong direction, and its difficult to get it into main direction. Somehow boat stops moving, or it just spins round. Oars just splash water on the next person. "Arre yaar, usne jorse dhakka diya hota toh sahi tha.". Getting into the direction is one difficult task, and another difficult one is to maintain straight direction. Somehow all the boats have got manufacturing defect, due to which boat always move towards left. or is it left hand is not sync with right hand?

Somehow our boat is in main direction. PV excitedly, "Hey, I want to try my hands on this, sil vous plait". Gentleman always respect lady's wish. "Ok, come over here. Take this left. I will handle right.", said me. PV got the trick very early. As per the Newton's third law (Sorry SR, I have to give science funda here), equal and opposite reactions, she managed to push the boat ahead with her delicate action-reaction, displacement on left-side is not same as on right-side. As a result, after 2 forward stroke, I have to make reverse stroke to compensate. SR is not interested to touch oar at all, she is holding her handycam all the time on us. I felt myself funny, to give smiling expressions while rowing(!!!).

"Jor laga ke.......haiyaaa!!"......."Lage raho munnabhai.." shout comes from nearby boat. NG is shouting from his boat. By now, he is master in rowing the boats. practice makes man perfect. Our boat is moving in regular zig-zag fashion, with delicate action on left and forward-backward strokes on right. "kitna time baaki hai abhi?", asked PV. "aadhe ghante mein wapas karni hai.", PP was prompt. me, "sure kya?". PP, "Dekh na ticket pe likha hoga na.". "Oh man! we already came this far in 20 mins." SR was curious how do we do it?

"I am tired", i said. PV is surprised, "what? so early? ok fine. PP will replace you". aah! only gawd knows how much mehnat i did. PP is also beginner, but he successfully managed to take the boat from center to edge, changed the direction. Even I pushed the boat from edge, the boat denied to come to the center. The couples on the bank stopped their work, and started enjoying tussle fight of our boat and bank stones. After hitting 3-4 times to the same rock, we decided to go for well co-ordinated scientic method. strength is measured, 3 left = 1 right. huh! PP is quite strong. Direction is defined, instructions are understood. For synchronisation, PP put himesh reshmiya's song "Aapki kashish...." in his kewl mobile.

We are all set to zig zag zoom. I am standing on behind of these two heroes, measuring strokes and angle of deviation. As this angle of deviation increases leftside, PP has to put his oar down, PV has to make it fast, and otherwise. This was successfull experiment. After entertaining all the people/couples on the bothside of canal, we managed to return back to the land successfully.

shopping drama

Being both shopping addict, from our previous shopping experiences we decided to cut down on un-necessary stuffs. but definition of un-necessary is relative, and thats the origin of fight. our shopping is the most entertaining. we fight, we convince each other. a brand, price, usage, usefulness, time, productname any damn criteria can be used to reject the item. each item is discussed in detail manner before it goes in shopping basket.

Generally shopping is a weekly affair. and as routine my roomie and me were in shopping mall on this saturday evening. the drama started at 7pm. place is carrefour shopping mall in sartrouville. The initial plan is to buy cycle for roomie(NG). but important thing is to buy week's grocery. we have 3 hours to buy all this. "haa....thats sufficient time. we will buy general shopping first, and then cycle.", NG said. "hmm....but it will be painful to carry the basket after" , this is me. "okie, lets select the cycle first and after shopping we will pick the cycle and move" , this idea of NG is accepted. after taking test-ride, cycle is selected... nice red, easy gears, cool looking. "checkout those cameras", NG dragged me to electronics section instead of grocery section. "wow, thats awesome", I just love window-shopping. After spending 30-45 mins there, we ourself reminded about actual shopping. from tomatoes to apricots and chewing gum to cereals, each item was discussed. many items went back in shelf and some are taken out from basket as well.

french announcement goes on. "i think they are asking us to finish ASAP. they are closing", me. "haan, apna toh shopping ho gaya. lets take that cool bike.", NG impatiently. "lets get the salesman to check its handle", I said. either of us said lets keep the baskets here and take the cycle. "koyee nahi leke jayega yahase", one of us. we are in cycle section. NG is still trying his cycle. checking gears and breaks. "this is really cool, this is better than last one.", NG said. We are happily returning back to our baskets. "do you remember the place where we put them?", my first question. "arre yeah cashier ke samne rakhe the", pointing to good looking cashier(female of course) NG said. "then where they gone?", worried me. "look there, those guys are collecting left items in those trollies", NG screamed. NG runs there. trollies with 2 guys and 2 girls all are staff. NG narrates, of course looking at first girl, " hi, we left our baskets here, and we cannot find them here.". girl gets confused due to sudden attack of english. somehow she understands that NG just spoke in english. She turns around to another girl, "parle vous anglais?". "oui" was reply. "aah good", NG must have said that. NG again repeated same sentence this time very slowly, but fails... both girls took him wrongly. first girl understood something, she replies (in her broken anglais), "do you want basket?". must be thinking, "what stupid guys are these, here is pile of baskets, why is he asking for baskets?". After explaining more 2nd girl laughed out loud, she understands the problem. "Do you find them in these trollies?", she said. NG said, "no, that doesnt have ne of our items". I am still staring the trolies, suddenly she said "i understand little hindi". we both shocked. "I watch bollywood movies. do you know shahrukh khan?", without waiting for our reply she said, "he is my husband". she winked eyes at us. We are talking to great french fan of SRK. i am so jaelous of SRK first time, this cute looking french babe says she is SRK's wife. oooof, am i competing SRK? "chal bhai, I think apne baskets toh gaye us trollies mein", NG said to me.

thats the first time i felt how affectionate i was towards my shopping baskets. eventough, we have'nt paid for those items but the efforts and time spend on collecting all item are so precious. "how carefully i have selected those apricots.", said I with so much emotions. "Arre chal, we dont have option, but to run and do it again", NG is practical minded. The same shopping that took us 3 hours, now we finished in hardly 15 mins. again french anouncement aired, i think this time it was only for us. we went to SRK fan, emptied basket in front of next cashier. "so aapko hindi aati hai?" I am testing her hindi. she just laughed. NG paid bills. we said "shukriya, bye and au revoir" to her. So the drama ended with happy ending.

RER station: Magenta

tour Eiffel: one of the seven wonders in the world.