"I am writing to you from XXXX Services , Chennai. We currently have a opportunities for which may be of interest to you. I have attach the job description also for your reference..."
(Glossary: "Emote Texts" - Emotions in texts / phrases. Please note that this post features(!) a sprinkle of my emote texts in orange italics.)
Just when some of us are looking at kids these days in awe & wondering how much more shrewd & advanced they are, there are some others who seem to be looking at us & wondering what fools we are & how primitive still, and have even gone a step further to cash in on that! *look of disbelief & then, the knowledge-is-power grin* (Of course, that’s because this is my blog & you’re reading what I have written). No, I am not talking about politicians here. For just this once, I shall take the spotlight off them, with much difficulty. It’s my phone service provider that is the protagonist of this post. Or maybe, their victims, you will find out in the end.*giving the mysterious & hence, glamorous look*
I use the ZooZoo network. Apparently, they just can’t imagine a moment in their lives without their customers (such a moment could be called, well, err..Bankruptcy). So, they keep a close, continuous touch through a shower or should I say, a relentless downpour of love through service texts & calls. All, at the most strategic times. Like, just when you are waiting for 'the' call from your special someone, hoping to hear a yes for a date you'd asked for after having waited for near eternity, you get the ZooZoo call & all you hear is Pink screaming her guts out singing 'So what? I am a rock star, I got my rock moves & I don't need you tonight...' & then you hear a sweet ZooZoo head telling you that if you got money, you could get this song on your phone! *grrr*. Worse still, on an empty evening in the thick of your 'hole'some social life, when no matter how sensuos or super cool your moves are, just one person gets to check you out, i.e., yourself through the mirror, you get a ZooZoo calling you & singing 'Where is the paarrty, ada unga vootula paarrty..'. *grrrinding the teeth...and almost breathless*.You dont know what is pissing you off more, the song or the 'shoot' of the ZooZoo. The thunder & lightning bit of the downpour, you will feel, if you get overwhelmed on seeing these love expressions & respond. Each response costs only Rs.3. But if you are a very emotional person, watch out! *anticipating audience reaction, with a knowledgeable smirk*
Anyway, through these zoozoo texts, the zoozoo creators offer to demystify us by predicting our past and/or to defog our minds by telling us whether we’re headed towards a love or arranged marriage! And if the mobile owner happens to be a 13 yr old; hey, this could be the one cue that could help us beat the UK in ‘the youngest father’ scoop! We’d beat them in some way, at least! Squashing all these minor kings’ reigns under its feet, walked in the Zoozoo Emperor Text, last week: The Palmistry text. Yes, you read right, it was ‘Palmistry’ service through SMS! *giving that ‘I know, So, I am the leader look*. It read something like this: Palmistry is a way of knowing about your future by interpreting the lines in your palm. So, if you want to know your future; we can predict the same through Palmistry; just message ‘PALM YOUR NAME’ to 58888. @#$?!!!! *my big eyes continued to roll in disbelief* *head nodding as though things have gone out of my control & I have to take charge & investigate further* To see how far on the ride they will take us, I responded. And then I got this eye-opener, insightful text that said, I am an open minded person BUT truthful or something like that. And that was not it! They sent one more message saying that my thumb/finger lines can give me more detailed insight & all I have to do to know in exact detail about whether I was going to run into their office & just fire away insanely or not, is to type in ‘THUMB / FINGER MY NAME’! And I would attain enlightenment! *a single finger image popping up on the mind at this moment’.
I am a very positive soul & a proud one, at that. *an assertive nod*.. Therefore, all this makes me do is wonder how many more would have tried the mobile Palmistry to see how far on the ride they will be taken! *anxious, discerning nod, with hand on the chin*. I have just one such word defining all such people in my glossary; Just one word for these humans that come up with such bizarre reasons with their soggy-single-celled-brain, somehow making these Rs.3 a text mobile Palmistry, a success: ZooZoo heads. *conclusively nodding & then a straight face*.
Just at a time when I wanted to make a good comeback at my blog and have been wondering with a ‘What on?’ in my mind, Venice offered an irresistible subject for me. No, I have not been there. Not yet, at least. But it figures in my bucket list. And I can still talk about it. Most of the things in life, I may not know anything about; yet I talk. A lot. Don’t ask me what makes the pulp then; you might get some great fruit juice, even if by fluke, just talk to me! :) (No, no. I don’t roam around with a fruit basket or something. I am only talking about ‘Juice for thought’, if there is anything like that! And I am sure those who know me can see that I have deliberately avoided an allusion to double entendre, my usual comedy wand. It shall no more remain my regular).
Venice, a classic favorite for lots of renowned artists in the past, has always intrigued & enchanted me just as much as it had charmed them. Only that my painting is on a delusional canvas & can be seen only by me. ;). A recent show I watched on the television; 1000 places to Visit before you die; served as an appetizer to enhance the lure of Venice, which resides in me in harmony with many other lures :). Obviously, Venice featured as one in the 1000. It just had to. A traveler couple hosted the show or rather experienced Venice on air, giving something for us to relish, as well.Though I caught up with the show only half way through, that waft of Venice charmed my heart & mind just enough.
Venice, as I saw (on TV!), had a very ‘rooted’ air about it, where you can still, this long after creation, connect better with the beginning of time. The architecture seemed ancient & ‘earthy’. The lack of sophistication in the concrete part has made Venice a classic city. Simplicity seemed the grand virtue of the city, like it is, perhaps, in some beautiful villages back home in India This quality in these places could be comparable; but the experience differently gratifying, am sure. The harmonious existence of man-made structures alongside generous, almost untouched drape of nature made the place very warm & heart stirring in a way.
The ‘water person’ in me was smiling when I saw people travel, in this City of Waters, in peaceful unions in gondolas. (A cousin of catamarans’ perhaps; I know I can google up, but I’d rather keep my writing as raw as I am. All you get is all there is. :) ). The river seemed spotted with gondolas everywhere yet there were expanses of empty space on the surface huge enough for one to look into, to know better & to befriend the lagoon. The length & strength of their friendship with the lagoon was very much evident as the gondolas & their gondoliers glided through taking it for granted almost as much as sunset & sunrise. It felt as though the lagoon was reassuring its love through its silent ripples with the metal bows in the gondolas, looking over the vows ,giving a desired illusion of smiling back at me.
Then there were the glass artisans; the glass making lineage apparently exists in Venice since the thirteenth century and it showed in the way they effortlessly gave life to a mere shapeless glass in molten form, by blowing it up & with quick skillful strokes, sculpting it into desired forms. It just took time in seconds to make each of the sculptures & I was awe-struck not just at how they made those art pieces, but at how they still employ century old methods and at how strongly they felt about themselves as artists and sculptors; nothing more & nothing less.
Another simple yet fascinating work, Venice & Italy as such are known for, is apparently, their Mask-making. The whole culture coloring the mask-making art sounded so much fun & very creative; each & every mask they made seemed bohemian in their own way in that they had not many similarities and was quite unique.
Venice sparkles with carnivals as much as it does with its centuries aged culture to which the pigeons have been mute, happy spectators so much so that they will not leave anyone who visit the St. Marc’s square where they live, in large numbers, a proud, privileged life.
This is undoubtedly, not all about Venice. All it is a mere reflection over what I saw in a show (!), just a whiff through my perception. But being aware is not all; it only makes you thirstier. So, somebody, anybody, let those pigeons know well before that my family would be visiting them in the future; ask them to stay prepared coz we will settle for nothing short of the warmest welcome!
And Venice, await us! We will come to experience you soon; to kiss at sunset under your Bridge of Sighs, to solemnize our eternal love & wishing to return for more Venetian kisses in continuing celebration. ;) :)
I had promised my friend a treat for being an awesome co-hunter & to celebrate our find. So, we decided on flick & dine. From Body of lies to Rab ne, we had to settle on Bolt. Quite a bolt that! Nevertheless, it was an easy, nice evening. Dinner at Chilly's with my favourite molten chocolate grand finale, followed by the bolt. The movie was kiddish, yes, but cute & gave our rough week, a light end. (There were some intermittent, brief animations, this evening.. unnecessary but unavoidable over the phone tussles that drained me of my illusionary sense of humour. So, no funny attempts today. Sorry!)
Thursday was the day. I finally found a room. Spacious, fitted within my budget & this got my friend dancing in joy, in the elevator on our way back! I was thinking look at what money does to people! makes them dance at its ishaara! Jokes apart, honestly, he was such a sweet heart to enjoy my success as his own. Rare find, him. Tougher than rooms! I happen to know him through my sister & am glad (and even surprised, come to think of it) that my sister has such friends. Coming back to the room issue...there is a hitch though, in the deal we cut - the house mates (a couple with a kid) are non-vegetarians. Into sea food at that! But i cannot let go of this room that we found after a very tough hunt. And, I have to move. Soon. So, it could be fishy. But i have to get in there!
Today was a busy day. I was busy doing what i am paid for. (You know, one of those days that comes & goes! This is obviously one of my attempts...please laugh out loud, in charity, so that I continue to be the respectable professional that i am!). Anyway, so, not much of house hunting carried out. The other day, my friend & I had gone out looking for places that would have sticky bills with room ads. Smart-ass thinking. Let the source be a secret - I shall not endanger 24 (precise) years of built-up reputation. A dented image, yes; but not wholly so. Not yet. And not to mention, I am mature enough not to resort to such cheap things (C'mon, being over 25 by a couple of years, such poise of thought comes naturally to me!). Getting back on track, for the millionth time, to the room hunting story.. My friend, obviously, being a man, felt like he's sort of incharge of the situation & hence, the guide, expert et al, just like how all men feel, usually. He flipped his phone out & dialed a number in a matter-of-fact & apparent lateral approach to the situation on hand. The legendary phone had a feature that would stylishly voice out the number being dialed. How that helped, I have no idea! But yes, this feature came with a flaunt of style - as guessed, totally unwarranted, from him. Well, so he called another smart-ass friend in the area, from his vast(?!) network, to find out about the nearest place that would have such bills. The nearest place was a supermarket about 7 minutes away; not so near, considering our feet were sore, we were hungry & were at the fag, fatigue end of the day! Yet, we managed against all odds, to drag ourselves to that coveted place. From across the road, we were looking for signs of bills and heaved a sigh of relief when we found, on the door of that supermarket, One, yes only one bill. Atleast something! Heaving a sigh again, this time loudly, we crossed the road to get a closer look at the bill. It read "Stick no bills"..
I am at work right now (got here about 2 & 1/2 hours ago) & the only other colleague that was here, left a couple of minutes ago. Only peace & quiet give me company. Not to forget the contesting dull but continuous whirring sound of the tubelights. Now that i am concentrating, the noise sort of rips through my head. My man, at this juncture, would have said - well, there are 2 options - you can stay conscious of the noise & end up sullking (loudly, within) & let all this kill the greater peace that prevails OR you can ignore that sound & continue to relish the peace around & within. Simple! Choice 2.
So, the major part of my time today, i have spent trying to look up for rooms to rent online. Did jot down a few leads that i am going to personally check out in a couple of hours, hopefully. There was this one interesting call i made, that i am compelled to share to align with goals of this blog. It went like this -
"hello; this is re your room in karama, is it still available?"
"halllllo"
"well, this is re your room in karama, is it available"
"rrrrroom?"
"yes, the room in karama"
"d(h)rama?" well, i feel like am in one now!..
"hmm...err.." (that was me, groping for words..which is hardly the case usually; people who know me will vouch for this)
"wait(h) please"
"ok?!!"..then the 'gentleman' that held the d(h)rama so far, handed over the phone to a more gentle lady..
"halllo" ...there was some common thread that bound the family!
"yeah, i am looking for a room in karama for one working lady, myself; is it still available?"
"you want(h) worrrrking ladies?"
WT%^ "hmm!!!!!"
"you want(h) worrrrking ladies?"..yeah right, i have no roof over MY head, i will get some more working ladies with me & we can all keep running around like a train on the road, hiring more working ladies simply because that is what is available!
"Sorry!", i hung up. WhatEVER! ..
Phew! Anyway, another 20 mins of work here and then I am off, to carry out my room hunt with a sweet friend who is waiting & ready to help me out! It takes all kind of people to make up this world!
