At last a new month began today. The couple of days at University have been absolutely terrific. The lectures are getting all the more interesting with each progressing class. Having never studied Geosciences and Atmospheric Sciences, these subjects are now sharing space with Microbiology as my favourite subjects. I never dreamed that rocks could throw so much light on Earth's historical mysteries and I'm glad of this new-found fascination.
Sir makes us scratch our head with the clever questions he puts to us with a well-placed itch. We grope around with the clues and just about solve his riddle. Everybody ends us being pleased with themselves. After 3 years I am being taught like this. As one of my class-mates put it perfectly-it's akin to listening to stories by our grandparents. Most of the lecturers are aged but with bucketful youthful enthusiasm and with every passing minute I'm totally captivated and hooked.
Then another professor linked Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, the hat makers, the mercury spill in Japan and thus the Minamata Disease. It was ooh-la-la worthy.
This has been the first time that I have not looked forward to the end of the lecture but the commencement of a new lecture. The eagerness grows everday.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
The key event
It was the 19th of July, a day before my birthday. It was a Sunday and the reason for dressing up and going out was my teacher's wedding who is now going to the US of A for her doctoral studies. Anyways, the point is that me and 3 friends were dressed up in all our finery and after the wedding I had the brilliant plan of spending some time at Sarasbaug.
When we reached the park, Patra dragged us off to see the 'big' and 'huge' fishes in the stinky, dirty and muddy pond. We oohed and aahed at the site of the tadpoles, baby fish and the 'huge' fish in the pond and then marveled at the pitiable state of the pond.
I was in my element and was madly trying to capture the films on my camera and I shifted to another spot to get a better angle-right at the water's edge. Patra came next to me and at that exact moment I was trying to click 3 fishes swimming backward. She showed me something in the pond and what happened next was a nightmare. The instant I clicked the fishes, my keys just left my forefinger and splashed into the pond in front of my stunned eyes. I was speechless and I was for a minute oblivious to my friends exclaiming around me. After I found my voice I just kept muttering 'Oh Shoot!', 'I'm so dumb!', Oh crap!'. What a fix I had landed myself into! I just kept staring tat the spot hoping that somehow magically the keys would emerge out.
We ran to the watchman's cabin and narrated our plight to them. Those idjits turned out to be the most unhelpful bunch of slobs that I had the misfortune to meet. One had the audacity to suggest that I forget about the keys and go home, one asked me to come the next day because the person who could get down in the water hadn't come that day. One idjit, curling his lip at us, asked us to enter the water. He very well knew that doing that would be impossible given our attire. I could have clawed him. And then they asked us to ask any balloon-seller to help us with our predicament.
I found one seller who asked his friend, who just asked us about the spot where the keys fell and got into the water. The water was knee length and boy was it sickeningly dirty! His legs turned with the cake of slush. He dipped his hand into water and got out a variety of trinkets-a hair band, a bracelet, wrappers and black coloured mud. So many things but not the keys. He delved his hand again but was yet again unsuccessful. He did a third time, fourth time, fifth time and still no luck. Now I was panicking and was all set to enter the water. Patra kept telling me to shut up and to behave myself.
A big crowd had gathered by now to watch the proceedings and one man came up and told me superiorly that the minute he saw my keys fall into the water, he kept his in his pocket. He too had been dangling his keys dangerously close to the water. One little boy asked me, “ Khup bhari model cha phone hota ka?” I was aghast and I just shook my head wildly at him.
All this while the man kept hunting for the keys haplessly. Patra then said something that drove my heart stone cold and which I think will make me shudder for a long time to come- “Pranietha, just thank God that it was your keys and not the camera that slipped out of your hand.” I could do nothing but just curse at my foolish, awful habit of holding the keys in my forefinger.
The man then sent his two brothers to the watchman's cabin asking them for a metal trough to sift through the water and mud. But those idjits were reluctant to help and to our chagrin they presented the boys with a bamboo 'tokri'. The man clenched his teeth at the apathetic attitude of the watchmen.
20 minutes had elapsed since the man had got down into the pond. The water had also become turbid and we now feared that the keys might have moved away from it's original spot. My heart was clenched like a fist. The man was all set to come out but my friends begged him one last time to check near the railings. The man complied with our request and put his hand once in the water once again. Heart-throbbing we waited and then he got his hand triumphantly out of the water. The shine of the silver was unmistakable. My keys were back from the depths of murky and dark waters and the entire crowd heaved a collective sigh of relief.
The man rinsed the keys and returned them to me. After he came out of the water, I gave him a 50 rupee note and he refused to accept it. Relief mixed with exasperation, my friends were all set to knock him down. But the man turned us down and finally I told him that it was to be my birthday tomorrow and he had to accept it. He just wished me a 'Happy Birthday' and was ready to go. The crowd instead of dispersing were now looking at us with amusement. Then we tried to give the money to his brothers who also refused and they kept looking at their brother for cues. Finally the little boys could no longer contain themselves and we gave the money to them.
My mood did take an upward swing after this but I could still feel a tight fist clenched across my stomach. The loosening up took a long time and my friends helped me cheer up by pretending that we were part of some loony show. Nevertheless, the thought of the pond with those 'big' and 'huge' fishes gives me the jitters and makes me want to go hide my face into the ground like an ostrich.
While on the overbridge
We had to cross an overbridge to go to the park and I was clicking some shots of the park and the distant hill. All this while I was holding my big, huge bunch of keys in the forefinger of my left hand. While getting down the steps I took a couple of close up shots of my keys and now too I am at a loss as to what prompted this strange behaviour from me. I had no inkling about what was to shortly follow.
The 2nd shot
When we reached the park, Patra dragged us off to see the 'big' and 'huge' fishes in the stinky, dirty and muddy pond. We oohed and aahed at the site of the tadpoles, baby fish and the 'huge' fish in the pond and then marveled at the pitiable state of the pond.
I was in my element and was madly trying to capture the films on my camera and I shifted to another spot to get a better angle-right at the water's edge. Patra came next to me and at that exact moment I was trying to click 3 fishes swimming backward. She showed me something in the pond and what happened next was a nightmare. The instant I clicked the fishes, my keys just left my forefinger and splashed into the pond in front of my stunned eyes. I was speechless and I was for a minute oblivious to my friends exclaiming around me. After I found my voice I just kept muttering 'Oh Shoot!', 'I'm so dumb!', Oh crap!'. What a fix I had landed myself into! I just kept staring tat the spot hoping that somehow magically the keys would emerge out.
The fishes, my downfall
We ran to the watchman's cabin and narrated our plight to them. Those idjits turned out to be the most unhelpful bunch of slobs that I had the misfortune to meet. One had the audacity to suggest that I forget about the keys and go home, one asked me to come the next day because the person who could get down in the water hadn't come that day. One idjit, curling his lip at us, asked us to enter the water. He very well knew that doing that would be impossible given our attire. I could have clawed him. And then they asked us to ask any balloon-seller to help us with our predicament.
I found one seller who asked his friend, who just asked us about the spot where the keys fell and got into the water. The water was knee length and boy was it sickeningly dirty! His legs turned with the cake of slush. He dipped his hand into water and got out a variety of trinkets-a hair band, a bracelet, wrappers and black coloured mud. So many things but not the keys. He delved his hand again but was yet again unsuccessful. He did a third time, fourth time, fifth time and still no luck. Now I was panicking and was all set to enter the water. Patra kept telling me to shut up and to behave myself.
A big crowd had gathered by now to watch the proceedings and one man came up and told me superiorly that the minute he saw my keys fall into the water, he kept his in his pocket. He too had been dangling his keys dangerously close to the water. One little boy asked me, “ Khup bhari model cha phone hota ka?” I was aghast and I just shook my head wildly at him.
All this while the man kept hunting for the keys haplessly. Patra then said something that drove my heart stone cold and which I think will make me shudder for a long time to come- “Pranietha, just thank God that it was your keys and not the camera that slipped out of your hand.” I could do nothing but just curse at my foolish, awful habit of holding the keys in my forefinger.
The man then sent his two brothers to the watchman's cabin asking them for a metal trough to sift through the water and mud. But those idjits were reluctant to help and to our chagrin they presented the boys with a bamboo 'tokri'. The man clenched his teeth at the apathetic attitude of the watchmen.
20 minutes had elapsed since the man had got down into the pond. The water had also become turbid and we now feared that the keys might have moved away from it's original spot. My heart was clenched like a fist. The man was all set to come out but my friends begged him one last time to check near the railings. The man complied with our request and put his hand once in the water once again. Heart-throbbing we waited and then he got his hand triumphantly out of the water. The shine of the silver was unmistakable. My keys were back from the depths of murky and dark waters and the entire crowd heaved a collective sigh of relief.
The man rinsed the keys and returned them to me. After he came out of the water, I gave him a 50 rupee note and he refused to accept it. Relief mixed with exasperation, my friends were all set to knock him down. But the man turned us down and finally I told him that it was to be my birthday tomorrow and he had to accept it. He just wished me a 'Happy Birthday' and was ready to go. The crowd instead of dispersing were now looking at us with amusement. Then we tried to give the money to his brothers who also refused and they kept looking at their brother for cues. Finally the little boys could no longer contain themselves and we gave the money to them.
My mood did take an upward swing after this but I could still feel a tight fist clenched across my stomach. The loosening up took a long time and my friends helped me cheer up by pretending that we were part of some loony show. Nevertheless, the thought of the pond with those 'big' and 'huge' fishes gives me the jitters and makes me want to go hide my face into the ground like an ostrich.
Walk the Rock
A walkathon had been organised by Connecting NGO 25th July to spread awareness about suicide prevention. CYDA was also participating in the walkathon and I too jumped in at the prospect of trying out something new and I truly experienced an evening worth remembering.
The walkathon started from Dastur Girls' High School (I am an ex-student of this school) and nostalgia crept up the minute I stepped inside it's premises. We took a circuitous route from the school, passing by Victory Theatre on East Street, crossing over to M.G. Road, Aurora Towers, LandMark and then back to school.
My friend and me lead the walkathon, keeping up the tempo by shouting out slogans. It was certainly a new for me to have so many people on the street stop and stare while we were walking. People came running out of shops and a huge crowd gathered outside SGS Mall while we passed by. We sure did create awareness and I do hope the message did reach people. And speaking of shouting, by the end of the walkathon I had yet again lost my voice, reminiscent of my days in Bengaluru last year when my voice had left me for a week. Now my voice has yet again become scratchy and my throat hurts as if needles are being shoved down it.
While walking by, I met an old school-mate and she was curious regarding our initiative. I explained to her about her walkathon and got a thumbs-up from her. It feels good to be part of doing something worthwhile.
After the walkathon, a rock concert had been arranged by a band named Jet Set. They put up a terrific show and I let my hair down after nearly 7 months-the last being New Year's Eve. They played killer songs and our group did some good shaking of the leg. We danced for 3 hours non-stop and by the end of it I was all set to drop down dead.
I also met my school's Principal and it was a pleasure to speak to her again after 6 years. She was glad to see me a part of the action and I was surprised to know that she is the trustee of Connecting. What a small place after all! All in all an evening well spent notwithstanding the terrible throat ache!
The walkathon started from Dastur Girls' High School (I am an ex-student of this school) and nostalgia crept up the minute I stepped inside it's premises. We took a circuitous route from the school, passing by Victory Theatre on East Street, crossing over to M.G. Road, Aurora Towers, LandMark and then back to school.
My friend and me lead the walkathon, keeping up the tempo by shouting out slogans. It was certainly a new for me to have so many people on the street stop and stare while we were walking. People came running out of shops and a huge crowd gathered outside SGS Mall while we passed by. We sure did create awareness and I do hope the message did reach people. And speaking of shouting, by the end of the walkathon I had yet again lost my voice, reminiscent of my days in Bengaluru last year when my voice had left me for a week. Now my voice has yet again become scratchy and my throat hurts as if needles are being shoved down it.
While walking by, I met an old school-mate and she was curious regarding our initiative. I explained to her about her walkathon and got a thumbs-up from her. It feels good to be part of doing something worthwhile.
After the walkathon, a rock concert had been arranged by a band named Jet Set. They put up a terrific show and I let my hair down after nearly 7 months-the last being New Year's Eve. They played killer songs and our group did some good shaking of the leg. We danced for 3 hours non-stop and by the end of it I was all set to drop down dead.
I also met my school's Principal and it was a pleasure to speak to her again after 6 years. She was glad to see me a part of the action and I was surprised to know that she is the trustee of Connecting. What a small place after all! All in all an evening well spent notwithstanding the terrible throat ache!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Rainy Walks
Walking in the University campus is such a joy. It's been pouring since the last couple of days and during our break in between the lectures my classmates and me go exploring out to various departments. Armed with umbrellas, I find it very quaint walking on the water sloshed winding paths and the fresh greenery transports me into another world. At times like these I'm at a loss for words and just hum a tiny tune for my pleasure usually one of the songs which I have learnt in dance class.
Today I met my old friends again while I had gone to the bank to deposit the fees for the convocation ceremony. Gosh! Again we buzzed like bees, cracking all the same old nonsensical jokes which make sense to none but us. We had to stand in the queue for over a couple of hours but it really didn't matter. The time was yet too short for us. Then after a couple of members of our group departed, 3 of us went to the University Canteen. It's an old, gloomy, dully lit but an interesting place which serves 'Egg Sez' rice.
While sitting there I wished that it would have been so pleasant to have all my friends there with me and studying with me but they jackasses wish the same thing for me to be studying with them in their departments. It's a good thing though-at least each person likes the course that they have elected for. But I oh so do miss them so so so much :)
Today I met my old friends again while I had gone to the bank to deposit the fees for the convocation ceremony. Gosh! Again we buzzed like bees, cracking all the same old nonsensical jokes which make sense to none but us. We had to stand in the queue for over a couple of hours but it really didn't matter. The time was yet too short for us. Then after a couple of members of our group departed, 3 of us went to the University Canteen. It's an old, gloomy, dully lit but an interesting place which serves 'Egg Sez' rice.
While sitting there I wished that it would have been so pleasant to have all my friends there with me and studying with me but they jackasses wish the same thing for me to be studying with them in their departments. It's a good thing though-at least each person likes the course that they have elected for. But I oh so do miss them so so so much :)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Algae and Bacteria
I love anything to do with micro-organisms but sadly I will not be studying about them in-depth further I think but the interest remains as strong as ever.
Here is a link to something really fascinating about what these tiny things are capable of doing. Somehow made me feel very very happy. Click here
Microbes are great!
Here is a link to something really fascinating about what these tiny things are capable of doing. Somehow made me feel very very happy. Click here
Microbes are great!
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