Hole in the earth - part II

More details about the tree cutting here

Duh!

I have been working from home for four years now (I didn't realise it was this long till just now). I have become so spoiled that even a good salary isn't drawing me out of this house. There is travel involved and there are times when it gets hectic. But largely I get to decide when I will travel and how much of hectic work I will partake, so its been GREAT fun even if it hasn't meant great money (that's mostly because I haven't been smart about it and not because there isn't any money to make. But I am ok with that)

However there's a flip side to it. One gets lonely at times. Cable TV isn't a great option for a break. When I am not traveling it gets very difficult to have some company. Everyone else is working their 14 hour schedules Monday through Friday, plus the mandatory 2 hour road rage session a day so whom do I actually talk to in person? Just V. (That explains my phone bills)

Its a funny thing this work week and weekend division. Just about everything in your life that is not "work" gets pushed to weekend. Bill payments, shopping for home, meeting family (not just extended but also the people at home. You actually "see" them properly only on weekends. Rest of the days it is just a blur of faces saying good byes, good nights and packing lunch for you), meeting friends, catching a nap, catching a movie or a play, everything is for weekends. And then there are just two days and so somethings are forgotten. And this is mostly people because bills come with due dates and penalties...people can wait.

I have lived this life for so long that even after four years of working from home, I still haven't changed the weekend routine. It hasn't registered in my head that I can redefine my lifestlye! Now that it has occurred to me its time to do something about it.

I am not in the race anymore but I am still running

Things I learned about Americans

I happened to host 40 Americans for 3 days and the experience was educational to say the least.

1. All Americans didn't vote for Bush the second time around and some seriously want Hillary to be the President of USA (we somehow didn't touch upon Obama).
2. They all know about global warming and regret that their President, denied the phenomena at a crucial juncture.
3. They are extremely emotional people and get super senti about their country and family.
4. They are ridiculously crazy about pets.
5. They take things very literally...so Indian humour is beyond them.
6. They cannot survive without a map even on MG road which is possibly the easiest road in Bangalore to maneuver through.
7. They need clear and precise instructions for everything, even to board a train.
8. They love India. Everything about it except that the crowds overwhelm them and possibly can never drive on our streets.
9. They seem to be unaware of the American influence on the cultural aspect in this part of the world...Everything from Jeans to Mc Donalds to Steaks and the presence of HBO was a surprise to them.
10. They ask a LOT of questions (which is true of any foreigner actually)
11. They say "thank you" just WAAAAAAAAY too many times! I was exhausted by the end of day 1 saying "its alright" to all their thank yous.
12. This bunch actually asked a lot of sensible intelligent questions on "issues" and went against the stereotype of "not so bright Americans"

Its amazing how much you can learn by just meeting and talking to people.

Hole in the earth

138 trees on the St John's hospital road (Koramangala) have been marked for cutting for widening of the already wide road.

The trees that lined the Golf course on the Windsor Manor road have been chopped off for road widening.

The lovely big trees on Hosur road (between Madiwala junction and St john's road on the right) have been marked for cutting for road widening I suppose. Only a few of those Banyan trees are left now. I don't know for how long.

I saw a large hole in the earth where a tree used to be at Malleshwaram circle (for flyover this time)

I cannot explain the feeling of emptiness I feel when I see these holes. These trees have been around or were around before I was born. I have no idea how to save these trees. Bangalore, I am told needs more space to breathe. But what are we going to breathe? Oh we are going to pay so dearly for all this callousness.

I don't see a reason why I should continue to defend my decision to stay in Bangalore. Actually I do have a line of defence...a known devil is better than an unknown angel.

Maharashtrian politics over women's safety!

The fourteen accused in the Mumbai molestation case (what accused they are there in the picture grabbing those women) did a very smart thing yesterday. They put on their best maharashtrian self and went to Raj Thackeray, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief and pleaded their innocence. And Mr Thackeray who obviously saw the mileage in this hauled them off to a state minister to plead their case. Yes, he has achieved the "protector of all things maharashtrian" status with this. But isn't this incident showing badly on Maharashtra's beloved Aamchi Mumbai? How come he doesn't care about that? Doesn't this show that he doesn't care about women? Maharashtrian or not?

Read the news here

Nobody cares about the women isn't it? If they get molested, raped, burnt, beaten...they deserved it eh?

Brand new year and a brand new issue of Just Femme!

The first issue of this brand new year is out! "Career" is the theme for this issue. Login and see what the women have to say about juggling careers and homes. Also read the interview of Kasturi Chandrasekharan, a woman who has carved a place for herself, despite coming from a "disadvantaged" background.

All this and more at http://justfemme.in

Happy Reading!

BIFFES - 3rd day

Today's films

1) A documentary called Atheism by Julian Samuel. A very vast and sensitive subject - religion. It was handled well as a subject but filmmaking was all over the place and it ended up being very heavy too.
2) Dealer (2004), Hungary - Found it very depressing!
3) Zim & Co (2005), France - LOVED IT. They managed to pack in a lot of issues without making it sad. Very endearing.

I want to catch a few of the Indian docus in the coming days...lets see.

Mumbai molestation case - update

The 14 people arrested in the case were put through an identity parade today. That's all the reports say.

BIFFES - 2nd day

Today's films

1) Hukkle (2002), French
2) Woman of rumour (1954), Japan
3) When you come down from Heaven (2003),
4) City of dreams (2001), Gianfranco Norelli
5) Pane Amaro (Bitter Bread) 2007, Gianfranco Norelli

Unfortunately the number of films I can see is in a day is going to come down from tomorrow...hoTTe paaDu noDi.

BIFFES

Strange name but great movies to watch so no complains :) The second Bangalore international film festival was inaugurated yesterday and the festival started in the earnest today. There are 110 movies to watched in the next 10 days. For the first time in my life I am actually in the city when something exciting like this is happening. And so I plan to be there all day for the next one week. I have deadlines to meet almost everyday but I am gonna work at nights on them :)

Today I watched 3 films
1) Croatian film (Totally enjoyed this one) - What's a man without a moustache
2) Hungarian Film (Blew my mind with the great story telling even greater camera work) - Porcelain doll
3) A documentary (This one made me want to pick up the camera and right away ) - Taxi Dreams

I don't have time to review them :( but I am gonna put them up here so that at least I don't forget what I saw!

I am going to be there at 9 am tomorrow and hope to watch some more fantastic films tra la la la

Update on "Mumbai molestation" case

Today Mumbai police announced a prize money for anyone who gave leads on the case. Thye now have a complainant and so they can take action. They are using the pictures taken by Hindustan Times to identify those among the mob. So far 13 people have been arrested and 2 have have surrendered.

Surprising that this has not hit the headlines as much as anything else in the last 2 days. National dailies haven't covered as well (not on front page).

And most people including women's reaction to the incident - "why the hell were they out so late at night. What else did they expect?"

Well today they did at midnight if you don't check it they'll do it in broad day light is all I can say!

I am too disgusted!

"Two years in a row, New Year revelry in Mumbai has gone awry. This year, in a city which boasts of being safe for women, a mob of 70 to 80 men groped and molested two women for about 15 minutes on a busy main street in Juhu early on New Year's Day. " More details here

What's with the men? And 70-80 men going after two women just because they dared to step out after midnight? Seriously sex is the only thing on mind anytime of the day whatever the occasion huh? While going to work if a woman crosses by whistle at her. Comment on her breasts and bottoms while she's trying to get on a bus who's window seat you are sitting at. She's trying to drop her kids off at school in a car say she's too hot to be a momma. She's waiting at the bus stop to be picked up by a 20 year old son, hover around her giving her leery looks, making her nervous. You are walking along with your friend after work and a girl walks by and you have this sudden urge to push your friend on to her and laugh about it.

UGGGGGH disgusting! And anyone who dares to say that it is because of what women wear you have another thing coming!

!@#@$@!$@#$!$#$!$#@$@#!$!@ Bloody hell!