My date with Nature :)

My love for nature's beauty goes back to childhood days when sitting in the sun and relishing an orange was an epitome of a winter day. Back then I didn't realize what it was that I really cherished but there was something special about it. Having spent some time in this part of the world, where winters take up majority of the year, I would not miss any chance to enjoy the beautiful outdoors.

This weekend started with a gorgeous sunny day so I planned to pick up a novel and my camera and head to the lush & pretty botanical garden in the city. The entrance was welcoming with some cherry blossoms right outside the paradise I was yet to experience. There were vast expanses of green grass which led to budding cherry trees with some in their peak. It looked ethereal even with so few in bloom, I could only imagine what the scene would be when the rows of trees are at their peak. Many people posed for pictures in front of the vibrant colors while a few of us decided to capture them up and close.

A little further down I surrendered to the inviting grass, where lots of people were also basking under the sun. Sound of chirping birds and laughing kids running around the field just sweetened the scene. The warmth, the breeze and the cool grass kept me affixed to my novel for a couple of hours before I decided to explore a little more of the beauty this place had to offer. Bushes of bright flowers and rows of exotic plants awaited to be photographed.

The highlight was what they call the Magnolia plaza and I am afraid words will fail me to express the magnificence of what lay ahead of me. Divine is almost the only word that can do justice to those pretty pink and white trees with the sweetest fragrance I have ever breathed in. I strolled around the area to absorb as much of the pulchritude as possible. The least I can say to define my appreciation of the place is that I have been looking for Magnolia scented perfumes ever since my return.

With all my senses refreshed and joy in my heart, I can only sing for you oh beauty that this year's love had better last........

Let's be concise !

Note to self - I will only use words when essential.

Inspired by the generation of tweets, I am attempting a new series of posts where I will try my best to be concise.

My history in writing doesn't help but change is always welcome.

Let's start with a topic close to my heart - movie reviews !!!!!

What's wrong with corporate India ?

With a smart, young and skilled workforce, India has definitely caught attention in corporates globally with special recognition in the Information Technology(IT) industry. Our Prime Minister has proudly referred to this in many of his speeches across the world. What surprises me is the accepted work culture in most of these organizations across the country.

Indian corporations take pride in operating 24x7 with an energetic set of people available to offer their expertise at almost any hour of the day through the week. I respect the dedication of my fellow country folks and the brand value they are bringing to the country but are we missing a crucial aspect ?  Yes! I am talking about the so called work-life balance. I have had so many conversations with friends and family who work in many of these organizations in India and am yet to find a good logical explanation of why there is this insanity about working 12 hour days and having a working weekend is totally acceptable.

The shocking answer that I have mostly heard is "I have to work over the weekend because everyone else in my team is working". So what I infer from this is we are our own enemies. We are mass propagating this disease of putting hours into work instead of putting work into our hours. What happened to efficiency ?

There have been others which sound like "I have too much work and my boss needs me to finish it by Monday". To this, I really am starting to question the whole concept of assigning work. How on earth did you end up in this situation ? Where are your rights to tell your boss what you can do and what you cannot ?

I know this is all easier said than done. You might lose your job or get a bad review at the end of the year if you don't work as many hours/weekends as your colleagues but honestly, what exactly are you getting from such a job ? And this takes me to the so called root cause of all of this - Money ! I understand ours is a developing country and people need to earn to survive in tough economic circumstances and to support their families. And my dear friends, the answer to this is the most important reason why I am forced to write this.
What we are not realizing is that to earn money we are staking our health and well being. By risking your own life, you are not going to be able to support your families for long. The recent unfortunate incident of Ranjan Das should at least serve as a wake up call to corporate India.

I am not asking you to be less passionate about your jobs or take the hard work out of it. Let's just try to make it a healthier environment for ourselves and our fellow workers. If you are a boss, stop asking people to work on weekends or judge them by the hours they put. Dig deeper, look into the quality of work they bring to the table. Respect their time, their health and their lives in general. If you work for someone, make sure you accept work you can attain in a week instead of killing yourself over the weekend...It is called week-"end" for a reason !

All I am asking is question the next time you are in a meeting where work is being planned for weekends or week nights. Raise your voice and question the system even if it means taking a few setbacks. I assure you it is not going to be easy but it will be so worth it in the long run. We need to change this madness and the race we are running against our own people. No political leader will be able to mandate it - it is the change only you as part of the culture can bring in.

More than half a year flew by !

So I was just browsing and thought about my blog...might as well pay a visit and that brought a realization - The last time I wrote felt like just yesterday but more than half a year has gone by. Time literally flew by without me realizing how fast life can move sometimes. Indeed this took me back to figuring out what has kept me away from sharing my thoughts for so long and I could evidently tell what that is :)

Yet another exciting hobby I'm proud to have inculcated and now that I look back I'm surprised how I did not get into it earlier ? Better late than never was my reaction to my own amazement. Anyone who is connected to me via any social media is well aware of what this new so called obsession is - yes I have joined the club of people who can be found strolling the streets with a big bag hanging onto their shoulders.

I'm now one of those who like to see the world through the lens and love to capture every possible moment. There's this passion about achieving perfection with the help of advanced machinery ofcourse. I am guilty of judging those with the camera as some kinda crazy given the amount of time, patience and energy it takes to compose those perfect frames but I totally get it now.

I wouldn't have called it an obsession until the two recent incidents where I happened to pass by some picturesque skies and regretted not having my camera with me. The phone camera does come handy but it feels like I missed an opportunity to get that out of the world picture. It is hard to express the emotions that you go through when you miss that chance or even when you get it right....I'm sure my fellow photography lovers would understand what I'm talking about here - Happy Clicking :)

2013...In retrospect

Before every article out there starts throwing in the top 20, 10, 5, 3 lists of the year in every possible arena, I figured I'd give it an early start. I mostly do this analysis every other year but this time I thought it's worth noting down given the mix of things in the year past. The special thing about this year was that there was nothing big or life changing yet I learnt a lots of life lessons.

The year started in my home land so couldn't ask for a better beginning. Visited some good old friends and had a blast with them making the trip sweeter. Then came a little bump with a foot injury which taught me to value what I have. Nothing major but these small hiccups remind you to cherish every moment because you don't know what the next one might bring. It is difficult to express how much more appreciative of life it has made me but I can definitely say that I look at life through a different lens now.

There has been an immense amount of energy around me this year. I've had days when I couldn't stop dancing for hours and then those when I couldn't get anything done for weeks. Random emotions, spontaneous decisions and unreasonable rage have all been a part of the fun. Also had those various professional moments of highs and lows. It seems like a lot to happen in a year yet nothing big enough not to fit into one.

Experiences are what make life what it's worth and there wasn't a dearth of those too in the year gone by. Be it some amazing get away with family or a simple dinner with friends - these pleasures came in small wonderful packages. Not that there weren't some unpleasant ones but my brain has a great optimistic filter so let's stick with the good ones.

It will be unfair if I do not talk about my cyber life given the hyper-activity out there as well. It has been instrumental in catching up with some childhood friends and of course the new found pass time of sharing pictures and enjoying the reactions that follow.

Music makes fifty percent of my life so it definitely deserves a special mention. I've fallen in love with many tracks through the months and some even stood the test of time. I could probably survive without food and water for a few days but life without music seems close to impossible.

All-in-all a great year so far with much to be thankful about including the tough times. Looking forward to many more such years that I can look back to without regrets and confidently say that I've grown wiser by a year :)

A part of the world..yet a world apart !

Having lived in this part of the world for a few years now I' have a lots of thoughts to share. It takes a lot of time to really understand people, culture and appreciate it but it takes a very few seconds to form the first impression. So let's start with first impressions - this is a place with freedom in the true sense. I started as a student so it's fair to say you're free to choose what you study and how you do it. There is so much structural flexibility which is quite evident if I tell you that they have take-home exams and even open book exams :)

The part I've enjoyed most is the freedom to study wherever and whenever you like ! I've studied at every hour of the day and at every possible place in the campus - be it the bench in the park, the building stairs, the couch at starbucks or on top of the wall outside the lab. All you need is a laptop(if you're a fellow computer science geek) and a good wi-fi connection which existed every possible place on campus. It's not just the liberty that comes with amenities, there's no social pressure...no one judges you or at least does not bother you with their opinion unless asked for.

Too much freedom can hurt you sometimes but I'll not walk that tangent; lets focus on the brighter side for now. This reminds me of another great quality people around here have and that is the wonderful habit to always greet with a bright smile and exchange pleasantries. It's true that most of it is superficial but you know sometimes a "Hi ! Have a nice day :)" from a stranger can make your day ! They know how to talk - they really do. It's no surprise how they make the best sales and marketing people in the world.

And yes they have an amazing sense of humour.You'll be glad to know I've recently figured out what makes them so funny - they make fun of themselves and once they have won over the audience they crack a few on the listeners as well. For example: I was at an event recently where the speaker was talking about his career and these were his exact words "I change my team every 2 years before people know what a fraud I am !". Even politicians in this country make jokes on themselves...infact they have an official dinner every year where they invite a famous witty guy to make fun of everyone including the President who sits there and laughs along.

Lastly, unlike our perception they also care and spend time with their families. They might not know every distant relative but there is a close bond that exists within their immediate family. The ideologies and customs are sure different but that's a part of the culture. At the end of the day it is yet another way of life !

Count your blessings name them one by one :)

Life is like a sine wave with lots of ups and downs. There are times in life when you are on top of the curve and do not realize what you've got. You're happy with tons of achievements and success becomes the new normal. It is when you are on the lower end of the curve that you understand the value of the happier times.

I believe it is the balance of nature to bring you to the lows so that you can appreciate your accomplishments. Just envision yourself sitting at the bottom of a hill mesmerized with the beauty there must be at the peak. The thought of the breathtaking views at the summit can be almost dreamy and inspiration enough to keep going.

I can proudly say that I have been through a few periods of 2 pi of these curves (geeks can chuckle :P). My experience says that to make the best of the time when you are moving along the negative Y-axis is to look back and enjoy what you missed when you were busy winning the game of life. It is very important for you to savour the blessed days and stay motivated to go uphill again. Take this opportunity to thank those who have been by your side all along.

Back in school we used to sing a hymn in the morning prayers which now makes so much more sense.
"Count your blessings name them one by one....and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done"

When mother nature gets furious !

Last week has been quite eventful and silent at the same time. There were predictions about an enormous hurricane hitting the east coast of the country. News channels and authorities were beginning to send out cautionary messages and the word of the town was Sandy now. Sandy is what the hurricane was named this time - again a feminine one...don't we have women out there in weather stations to prevent such nomenclature ? Anyway, preparations were catching pace by saturday evening. Grocery stores soon had people lining up to stock food and water in case things do get bad.

Loud wind gusts striking against my room windows woke me up around dawn on Sunday morning. It sounded like those ghostly winds typical of horror movies. I somehow managed to shield myself with layers of blanket and pillows and went back to sleep unaware that this would be the sound I would've to sleep to for the next couple of days. Wind speeds only got worse by the end of the day and stories of what to expect were all over the place. Evacuations had begun on lower grounds and 'do not come to work' emails were floating around. Mayor, Governor and even the President addressed the public urging them to follow instructions and take it seriously. It was expected to be the most devastating storm of the century.

Monday morning was full of anxiety and excitement for the worst was yet to come. My eyes were glued to the rising water level in the river that runs by my apartment building. Weather channels were giving minute by minute update of the location and intensity of Sandy as it made its way towards us. The sky was dark and the rain and waters looked angry. Power outage and communication loss were being anticipated and feared.

The day was passing by real slow until we approached the dreaded hour. Winds were going insane and rain water swept along. Soon, the news flashed that Sandy had made landfall and whoosh cable and internet went off. I stood by the window and saw water gushing up from the river. Within the next few minutes it was atleast a foot above the ground. It was also a full moon night so soon the high tide came in as well. Water rose a few more feet and then I saw something I had thought only happens in movies. A rescue boat appeared from somewhere and suddenly it felt like Venice where it is common to see boats instead of cars on the road. The only difference was it was just not a normal sight. The increasing flooding sent shivers down my spine - lots of thoughts crossed my brain. Although I was way above the ground but humans have a strange thought process. The only bright side was that all of this lasted only a short while. The waters receded soon and the gusts eventually slowed down. Life came to a standstill and darkness spread all around. It felt calm after a day of too much action and apprehension.

Next morning brought in newer challenges - no power and no connectivity days were ahead of us. Almost a week has gone by and there are still people who are living in the dark and those who have suffered property losses. A few unfortunate have even lost their loved ones. Millions of lives get affected by nature's single act of fury. I'm not sure if it is just how the universe works but this experience would not be forgotten in this lifetime. 

Words of wisdom :)

Here are a few quotes I wrote in the last couple of years:

• "You realize how wrong you were about life only when you start living your dreams" - GV (06/12/2010)

• "There's never an ideal or right way of living life. It all lies in your definition of happiness" - GV (06/13/2010)

• "The only thing predictable about life is that it's unpredictable" - GV (01/21/2012)

• "It is not lack of interesting things which makes life boring, it is the lack of passion" - GV (04/01/2012)

• "Wisdom does not come with age - it's learnt through our own foolish acts. The irony is that we act as fools more often as we grow old" - GV (07/08/2012)

And here are some that have inspired me through the years:

• "It is better to prepare and prevent rather than repair and repent" - Ezra Taft Benson

• "Do as well as you can do today and perhaps tomorrow you may be able to do better" - Anonymous

• “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein

• "Flattery is like Eau de Cologne - to be smelt but not swallowed" -  Josh Billings

• "Work, work, work till the brain begins to swim, Work, work, work till the eyes are heavy and dim" - Thomas Hood

And I'm back....after a long hiatus

Numerous thoughts and unlimited themes come to my mind. I could start writing and not stop for hours or even days together. It is one of those times when my brain just wants to pour itself out. The tougher part is where do I begin. School has long been over and I have moved to a different phase of life - the one which I dreamed of as a kid. That very idea of getting up in the morning, dressing into some formal attire and walking into a workplace has always fascinated me. Though the truth is that having done that for almost a year now I feel how people manage to do it over and over again for decades - it is tough to sustain in the monotony of life.

It's been rightly said - "Grass is always greener on the other side". You always want to have what you don't and do things ahead of time. There was a time when coding was my passion. I enjoyed doing it more than any of my peers. When everybody around me was busy studying Physics, Chemistry and Math - I was occupied in designing my own world of websites and softwares. Now that I get to do that each day I'm back to looking for something more exciting. That something which wouldn't let me sleep. Somewhere deep down I feel I know what it is but I ask myself how long will this last ?

When I was in high school my mother attempted to get me interested in the more girly task of cooking but I was a complete rebel. It felt as if she wanted me to do something I am not born to do. And now the joy that I derive after coming out of the kitchen with a plate full of a spicy appetizer or a sweet delicious dessert  is probably inexplicable. I surprise myself with this new found love for cooking and I'm sure my long wish list of things I want to learn and excel at will keep me amazed.

On that note I should make my way to the kitchen where lots of ingredients await to be baked into a delightful chocolate cake :)

They say....But...I don't !!!

Well here comes an off-hand piece of writing....Just began typing and this is what I ended up with !

They say I'm a geek..
But haven't they ever seen me dancing ?

They say I'm modest..
But doesn't that just suit me well ?

They say I'm secretive..
But how would they know if that's a secret ?

They say I'm diplomatic..
But doesn't that save them from my brutal words ?

They say I'm good to all..
But would they even know me if I was not so ?

They say I don't speak..
But doesn't that give them more space to talk ?

They say I'm a good listener..
Now that's what lets them say so much :D

The Magic of “Tere Bin”

For all the Hindi music lovers out there, I have something for you to ponder upon and some tracks to add-on to your playlists.

Surprisingly, for ages the phrase ‘Tere Bin’ has been an integral part of most of the melodious and hit songs. Let me take you back to the late 70s when the “Tere bina jiya jaaye na….. ” from the movie Ghar made the buzz.For those who can’t recollect, just read through the lines below :

“Tere bina jiya jaaye na….Tere bina jiya jaaye na
Bin tere tere bin saajana… Saans mein saans aaye na…”

Well, that is just an example, there have been many ‘Tere Bin’ numbers that followed. In the recent times, it has caught ground and take my word if you tune on the radio for a couple of hours you are sure to be humming along one of the many ‘Tere Bin’ songs. I’d list down some recent ones that have apparently made me realize the repetitive phrasal occurrence.

Starting from the mesmerizing “Tere Bina tere bina lagta nahi mera jiya….from Kal Kissne Dekha” to the good old Atif Aslam’s “Tere Bin main yoon kaise jiya, kaise jiya tere bin……..from Bas Ek Pal”, all have definitely topped the chartbusters. I guess the following listing would surely remind you about one of your all-time-favorites :

--> Tere bina beswadi beswadi ratiiyaa O sajnaaa….from Guru

-->Tere Bin Sanu Soneya, Koi Hor Naiyo Labna….by Rabbi Shergill

-->Tere bin nahi lagta dil mera dholna….by the legendary Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

For the Himesh Reshammiya fans :

-->Tere bin tere bin dil naiyo lagda……from Aap ka suroor

-->Tere bin chaen na aave……………from Karzzz

Also, if I take a few variants, the list could include :

--> Bin tere kya hai jeena……from Who Lamhe

--> Ke Bin tere jeena nahi, haan bin tere jeena nahi……from Aggar

…….n many more…..

Let the Magic of “Tere Bin” prevail !!!!!!

I'm addicted....Are you too ???

Things have changed with time and so have people and their outlook towards life.We've gone virtual and found a whole new world to live in. It's not about the young generation alone, people of all age groups have accepted and adopted it with equal enthusiasm. It was never before that people displayed their personal feelings so openly. We would not know what a distant friend has been upset about or what makes your best buddy angry ? Now we even know what each one on our contact list had for dinner or how late at night they went to bed !

When you are lonely, this new world opens a big space to have company. You prefer to sit staring at the screen and see people log in and out feeling they're there for you. Every one has found their own comfort zones out here. Not just this, people pose for photographs so that they can put them up as their display pictures on social networking sites or maybe on their chat messengers. Are we so dejected in lives that we've been forced to take up such new and weird forms of being happy ?

How many hours a day do you stay online ? Status messages like not@desk and out for dinner say it all. We can't even keep away for minutes ??? Is it not addiction ? Well ofcourse it is ! The point is not to prove whether we have become preys to it....the bigger question is what good are we getting out of it ? Are we moving towards a healthier lifestyle ? A more socialized culture ? or are we ruining the real essence of life ?

Well, opinions would vary. Many would call it a necessity or maybe their work demands them to be online 24 X 7 and that is true in most of the cases. But what about those of us who simply wake up to a yahoo buzz ?? If you're not able to decide what your reasons are...just imagine being cut off from the internet for a week or maybe you can dare to try it and you'll have your answers.

P.S. :- You read this as my blog rather than hearing it live from me..Lolz..It's endless !

A Day of Delight

Way back during my school days, I once wrote a poem. I'm sure you'd be able to make out what it was all about if you read just a few lines. So here you go :-

"A Day of Delight"

Twenty Seventh September 1987,
The time was half past eleven.
Everyone thanked the Heavens,
As they heard the cry from the doctor's cabin.

There were visitors on the lifts,
With their beautiful gifts.
The nurses on shifts,
Cleaning up the tit-bits.

Hello Grandma ! Hello John !
The news went on.
It went to the Don,
That her sister was born.

She was filled with joy,
For her lovely new toy.
She told every girl & boy,
About her little toy.

The little toy was none other than me,
Received as a gift from God for free.
She wanted to climb up the tree,
But then, she was only three.

What else can I say,
About that day.
That was my first day,
Into this world of play.

The Nostalgic Night !

During my life at the hostel, one night I was extremely home sick and felt worse than I could have ever imagined.In those gloomy moments, the poet within me came to life and I ended up writing this little snippet......

With all these passing years,

I'm losing control over my tears.

And every drop that rolls down my cheek,

Leaves me feeling terribly weak.

People see me with that permanent smile,

But who knows I could flood even river Nile.

I hope no one's around to hear,

This secret that my pillow and I share.

My heart yearns to be back,

But I'm already past halfway through my track.

I have ambitions to accomplish,

Before making that last wish.

..........soon to my rescue was a sweet friend of mine who helped me get out of that dark night and the poetic realm switched it's domain as follows :

To the sorrows I was about to succumb,

I was just a little far from getting numb.

But, to my delight,

Came in the savior of this dreadful night.

My melancholy I could not hide,

As cheering words were flowing from the other side.

I talked through of my plight,

While he made efforts to keep the moods light.

Moments of joy I owe to thee,

I hope I can give in the best I can ever be.

Sayings and quotes I often read,

But you've been a friend in need indeed.

" I'm no more a school kid Mama ! "

Every teenage guy or gal has atleast once in their lives exclaimed this. Be it to go on an excursion with friends or even if it was to convince that we've grown up to make our own decisions, all of us have done it. Last night I heard my cousin say that to my aunt and it reminded me of the first time I had said so but I'm glad it was for a noble cause....yeah 'noble' is what I'd call that for I'm sure you would agree with me soon.

I had completed my first fortnight at college and hostel too. My confidence levels were on a high because I was leading a so-called independent life away from home. College seemed to be fun until I went beyond the confines of my classroom since the rest of the premises were full of the most dreaded seniors.

It was yet another lecture-packed weekday when someone interrupted our physics class. A senior had some announcement to make so he started off and everyone listened to him curiously. He told us that the NSS was organizing a blood donation camp in our college. Interested candidates were supposed to give in their names to him. After he had read through the notice, he enquired if anyone was willing. A few hands shot up from different corners of the class. I looked around and was perplexed to see that it was only guys who were coming forth for the camp. All the while he noted down the names, I kept wondering if I had overheard some detail that was to do with female candidates' eligibility. After he had finished, he confirmed whether he had left out any by chance and hesitatingly I stood up. To avoid being laughed at by folks, I waited for him to come a little closer to my place and then softly I enquired if gals could participate. He grinned and then spoke aloud- "Ofcourse you can! Your good name please?" . Aah! that was some relief. I got my name entered and then relaxed back on my seat. Suddenly someone pinched me on my shoulder. I turned around and to my surprise there were those amazed looks on the other gals' faces. One of them interrogated - "Won't you ask your parents before doing that ?".I simply replied back - "Yes definitely ! but I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem with that". The whole day I waited for college to end so that I could talk over to my parents about the upcoming blood donation camp. I was thrilled about it and thought that even my parents would be proud of me when I'd convey the news. It might sound a bit crazy on my part but that was something I had waited for from the very day my mom told me that she had once donated blood during college. Not that I had affinity with clinical stuff but the very thought of making that big a donation in life was exhilarating.

I got back to my hostel and quickly reached for my cellphone. The ringing phone was never so irritating to me. Finally, I heard my mother's voice and conveyed the days' happenings to her excitedly. I paused and waited for a response. My mother queried me as to who had brought the notice, when and where was it to be organized, who was doing it etc. and I promptly furnished the information to her. Then like a very obedient child, I humbly asked for her permission....umm yes 'permission', I have always been in a habit to do so even for the very obvious things; I've done it for my own good and ofcourse to satiate them. Then I heard something I could not initially believe. I confirmed - "Mama did you say NOOOO ? " and there came a list of innumerous reasons which I was most unwilling to hear. I was disappointed and angry to quite an extent. The consequence, which you would have very well guessed by now was 'The Statement'. I almost yelled out the words - " I'm no more a school kid Mama ! ". My mom did not argue further and warned me that I'd still have to obey whatever they decide after Dad is back from work at night. I was almost furious but did not dare to speak more for I had already crossed the line today. With hardly any options, I waited for my Dad's call till late at night. After a long discussion over all sorts of risk factors involved, we settled in for something reasonable.My dad told me that I would be allowed to participate only if I assured about appropriate arrangements in the camp before venturing in. Qualified doctors, sterilized needles, hygienic environs, so on and so forth. There were some other precautions and advices that I better follow on that day to keep all hale and hearty. I agreed almost instantly for what mattered to me more was that act of bravado I'd be undertaking.

After a two days' wait, it was time to prepare for the day. I was forced to buy those instant energy biscuits, carry some extra water bottle, stuff in an overly nutritious meal and then move on to college. Things appeared normal for the rest of the people around me but I was heading for something exceptional. I waited in my class for someone to come and call for the donors. My eyes constantly fixed at the door even while the lecture was on. A couple of hours passed by and some dispiriting thoughts started striking my head. I tried to keep myself busy with work although the wait seemed ages long to me. To my rescue, finally someone knocked at the door. Hopes went high and the next moment I was packing my belongings and headed a queue of people being taken to the camp in the basement of the building. We made our grand entry into the basement where the scene was more like some government hospital. Nurses and ward boys pacing up from one room to the other. The classroom benches had been replaced by beds and the whole place was reeking of the typical anti-septic smell. We were seated in a room at the far end to wait for our turns as already there were seniors in huge numbers lining up to occupy beds. A little while later some seniors got into our room. I was pretty scared as there were only a handful of first year gals around and all strangers to me. Soon I saw one of the seniors marching towards me. Fortunately, his only motive was to enquire if I was scared about all that needle and blood thing that I would face. I smiled back telling him how least worried I was about the pain. It was only then that realization dawned on me of the various investigations I had promised to make. Moments later that very guy escorted me to the room where all the formalities were going on. I started my scrutiny right from the moment I got in. There were sealed needle n bag sets, doctors seemed to be decently sophisticated, everything appeared to be in place and I assured myself that I had taken all the necessary precautions and it was time to move ahead.

The examination began and an attendant signaled me to take my position on the weighing machine. He told me that there was a minimum limit of 45 kgs for one to be a donor. May be I looked undernourished[:P] but to his surprise I was comfortably above the lower bounds. Soon, I was queried about my Name, year of study and 'Age'. I responded '17' for the latter and there he stopped short at me. He said - "Sorry ! you should be atleast 18 to donate blood". After all those retaliations at home I never thought of this being a reason of my disqualification. I told him I'd soon be turning 18 but he would not let me proceed. On seeing the disappointment on my face he called for a senior doctor. There was this huge lady sitting right in the center of the room. He told me to go and have a word with her. I explained my situation to her but she denied. I pushed on saying that I would not really grow older in a week for it was my 18th birthday six days later. On hearing that or maybe realizing how eager I was, atlast she agreed.

A nurse took hold and found a vacant bed for me. I was made to lie down and then she brought the needle set and carefully unpacked it. She glanced at me before piercing it into my wrist. I'm sure she saw no signs of fear on my face but still as is advisory, she told me to turn my face aside. I calmly lay there for some fifteen-twenty minutes, noticing streams of my blood gushing into the bottle hanging right above me. Every time a staff member came in to monitor the level in the bottle, they'd smile at me and I grinned back. It was a bit painful but I was cherishing it in my own sweet ways. Time passed by and the

nurse returned to take off the needle. She told me to rest a little while on the bed before leaving. Taking out some 250-300 milli litres of blood enervates individuals for some time. I got up and sat at the extreme end of the bed. The nurse was busy preparing things for the next candidate who had already occupied my place on the bed. A few moments later I experienced a wave of dizziness. I thought maybe it's the instantaneous weakness so I sat still. Just the next moment I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded by four or five of those doctors, a couple of nurses and a few seniors. I was lying on a bed at some other corner of the room with my legs uplifted on some support and someone rushed in with a glass of water. It was then I realized that I had fallen unconscious for some time. The huge lady came in and asked - "How do you feel dear ? " and I smiled sheepishly and she continued..."I warned you not to go ahead, there's still time for you to be 18". I again responded with a smile – the best escapade for a situation like this .Soon after, I walked out of that room with a couple of people around to make sure I don’t collapse on the way. Gradually I felt better and moved out to catch my college bus.

I had made an achievement and no one else could understand the reason of my joy that day. Even when I went to bed at night, I had no regrets of being unconscious and I couldn't even feel the pain that the clot on my hand gave. The happiness of having contributed some part of myself for someone I do not know and would never get to know was far greater. I hope I'll find more such occasions in life to be proud of my “ I’m no more a school kid Mama ! “ acts.