The Raise and Fall of Thyself

Wow. I cannot believe I've been away for 2 months. It pains to remember I promised myself to blog more often only in my last post.

However, I have news. News worth waiting for 2 months? Definitely. Atleast, for me. I've had some tough career decisions to make - learning a few lessons along the way. Not to mention help a good friend make a live-love-career decision. Am not going to talk about that. So, the news? I've changed jobs. Not just jobs, but positions and technologies. Its a big jump from web development into the Cloud. (Sounds geeky? Never mind). Of course, I got the raise too.

The new office is really good - a well equipped cubicle, a great workstation, nice new people, free coffee, basement parking and more. My only complaint - the tiled floors. Back in my ex-company, we had carpets and I could run around, swirl in my chair all with great control and without causing damage to myself or others. Here however, even walking has to be a conscious effort for new comers. Fortunately, indoors is more manageable as I can pretend to be playfully tapping the top of the cubicles while really trying to get something to hold on to at the turns.

Some parts of our new building are still under construction - like near the corridor to the food court. So, this morning when hunger beckoned like never before, I didn't hesitate to go for a quick snack down to the food court all alone. As providence would have it, there was some fresh wood dust over the tiles (and light coloured ones that didn't highlight the layer of dust).

The fall was quick. At first impact, I thought I did good by landing on all fours. Next instant, I was on my nose. I still wonder how I managed that. After resting for sometime on the chair the security guy kindly offered, I set off towards the elevators feeling a growing stinging feeling inside my nose and a swelling on my upper lip. Later examination revealed, one of the incisors had cut the skin inside the upper lip.

It was a bit embarrassing to sit holding ice cubes to my mouth for the next several hours. But believe me, not as bad as a 6-foot framed guy slipping on tiles in front of adults who don't seem to find the tiles a bother at all - and then blog about it in first person. Damn! Read more…

Misplaced Sole?

How many times has it been that you lost your slippers outside a temple and forced to walk bare footed back home (or the less noble ones, on someone else's shoes)? Did you think it was someone who was lazy to locate his (or her) own slippers that took yours instead? Or was it you indeed who was lazy to look for your own and took someone elses? Ever realized this is a vicious circle? If everyone took someone else's footwear because theirs was missing, who's would the last folks wear? (This is a bit like Agar Roopa ki baniyan pehnoge toh...Roopa kya pehnegi!!)

I've thought much about this and found no answer. However, I woke up to an interesting conversation between my parents. I don't know if its really true but it seems quite probable - what if it weren't humans who (directly) took your slippers?

It seems like its dogs. Dogs which seem stray. What they got to do with slippers you may ask. But do not underestimate the lengths loyalty like a canine's can take you.

These best friends of man are trained - to steal footwear (mostly slippers) that are left unattended. We have a pair of slippers lying in our backyard which we use when we need to go to the garden. We've lost them brand new, twice. I guess its the cobblers who'd benefit most from such acts! So next time you see a stray dog entering your compound, make sure you chase it away before its spots a useful item to grab.

PS: Am not sure if its the dogs at the temple. It could be cats!
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