Double Trouble?

Have you ever wondered that when someone says he/she has a twin sibling, it
probably hasn't crossed their minds that one of them was not intended in the
first place!

When their parents were trying to conceive, they weren't expecting TWO kids!
(Can you imagine how much you can mess this person up?). Heck, in today's world,
even one child can stunt you economically if you aren't prepared for it.

Can you imagine what goes through the average middle class father when he finds
out that his wife has 2 children in her womb? I mean, of course he's happy about
the child(ren). But he's probably also thinking, "How am I going to take care of
double the expenses? I'm still paying for the first kid's school! He hasn't even
gotten into college yet!"

I'm not trying to be mean or rude or hurt anybody's feelings. I should tell you
I have a younger brother and a younger sister, and yes, they are TWINS! So you
might think I'm some kind of weird psycho or a fellow with absolutely no
sentiments of any kind.

Well, I will not deny and neither will I accept any such
accusation. All I want to say is that this thought came into my head today while
riding back from college, and keeping emotions aside, you have to agree with
what I'm trying to say here!

Think about the economic condition of the average middle class Indian family
today. (Inflation's going to touch 13% anytime now). Affording (good) education
for one's child has become really expensive, cost of living is high, and if the
twins are a boy and a girl, you're going to need a new house with more rooms in
a few years (and realty isn't exactly left behind in the race for the most
expensive purchase).

NOW, imagine a couple that did its family planning and decided to have only one
child. If the better half of this couple gives birth to twins, the husband's
future plans have to be changed.... drastically(!) - something
he was not prepared for...!

Not to forget, there are other countries where the average earnings per capita
are much lower than India.
Also, I have not even mentioned triplets/quadruplets etc.

Whenever I tell someone that my brother and sister are twins, I always get
responses like "Oh wow!" or "So cute!" -specially from the girls. (Maybe I can
develop a pick-up on this!).

So the next time someone tells you about being/having/knowing twins, I hope this
article will flash through your mind and you might be left thinking whether you
should be happy or pity those parents. With this I leave you now, hoping you
will not curse me remember me every time you come across twins.

:o)

 

What have you done lately?

Do I really know where I am going?
Do I know the answer to the question, "What do I want to do in life?" ?
Do I really want a corporate job and sit in a cubicle and work for someone? Or for that matter, do i even want to be running my own business?
Or do I want to own a tiny hotel on some beach and spend my evenings in a beautiful lighthouse with the woman of my dreams?
Do I have a woman of my dreams?
Do I have a dream?
I read somewhere that a dream is not that what you see when you're asleep, but its what doesn't let you sleep.
When I read it for the first time, it sounded lame.
I came across the same sentence few days ago, and on introspection I found myself quoting Homer Simpson, "Well excuse me for having enormous flaws and not doing anything about it".

What have I come to be?
I judge people everyday, oblivious to the fact that the very people I judged are judging me at the same time.
I think we all indulge in similar things, and somewhere within we all know that we are being judged too... but we choose to ignore that thought.
Why?
Does it make us feel good?

Heck, we judge people even when we are not feeling like it, even when we know we're going to be burning in hell for this.
What joy do we derive?

I feel I'm making a statement when I wear worn out, red trousers.
What am i thinking when I laugh my eyes out on seeing someone in bright coloured trousers that match their shirt?

(I don't know where this post is leading....)

Am I a quitter?
I'd like to think not.

Then how come I'm an underachiever?
Am I that stupid?

I tell myself everyday about the goals of my life, but being truthful to myself, I don't remember even starting seriously to do the fuck something about it.

I tell stories to people about some really cool people I know who can do amazing things and have achieved a whole lot.
Once during one of such 'story telling' sessions, my friend made me realise that my only achievement seems to be that I know people who have achieved a lot!


At the end of the day, I find myself grumbling about the things I'd do if only I could...

Very cliched it may be, but its probably cliched for a reason - "Stop complaining. What the fuck have you done lately?"

*sound of knuckles cracking*
Hello boys and girls! It's been really long...

Well I don't have an interesting story to tell. But I didn't know what else to do. (got bored of xkcd)

Anyways, here’s a narrative of how I went to Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) yesterday.

It was decided after classes got over at 8.30 PM that we (Sintoo, Fatty, NIILS and I) should go out of station. By 9.30 I was on my way to pack my bag and meet just Sintoo at the bus stand. The others couldn’t make it. (We're trying to be cool by saying we went on an 'impulsive' trip.....to a temple among the hills).

Anyways, we went! This trip was pretty much similar to our last trip (to Vizag, again in Andhra Pradesh).

The characteristic sight of beautiful hills is a constant reminder of the terrain you're on. (The hills in Vizag saved this port town from the Tsunami that last hit South  Asia ).

In Tirupati, the characteristic sight of bald men/women/children walking around normally almost creeps you out at first, but you get used to it...(or maybe not)

The most significant part of the trip i remember is that people in that state still can't make North Indian food, which might be excused. But even South Indian food that is edible is a near impossibility.

We went to India Coffee House in Tirumala (which you reach after driving up a hill in Tirupati) and obviously expected the excellent coffee and dosa that is characteristic of the Indian Coffee House at M.G. Road, Bangalore.
It would suffice to say that the only good edible things available in and around the famous temple are the prashad/laddoos that you can possibly not refuse.

The 30 odd hours we spent in that state almost made us cry for good coffee too! (Even in Indian Coffee House!!!!)

So, you can’t find any Indian food there. But what you can find is CHINESE food! Yes. We have makeshift cooks who can make so-called Chinese dishes better than Indian ones!

A dish that is an invention of Andhra Pradesh is “Gobi Fried Rice”, which is effectively Gobi Manchurian and Fried Rice cooked together. This dish, for better or for worse, is the only good roadside cooked dish I have had in my trips to Tirupati and Vizag.

All things aside, the best part of this state has to be its people. They are very friendly. They do not look down upon you just because you do not know their local language and will not come in your way of a good experience. I am sure there is no need to mention names of states in our own country where the opposite treatment is meted out to local as well as, sadly, international tourists.

Heck, the bus drivers stop in the middle of the road at the slightest wave of the hand.
(Ok, maybe that’s irresponsible, but the people don’t seem to mind). Also, I hear from Sintoo who has lived in this state for many years, the people are also very hard working. The shops and marketplace are open and alive even before 5 AM! (No worries of strikes here, eh?)


Alright, that’s it. With that I sign out. Forgive my rusting writing skills. This is probably not the best article you’ve read. So don't feel obliged to comment.

Almost forgot, a highlight of the trip was the 5-6 km walk from the bus stand to Sintoo’s home at 4AM today morning after returning. If you aren’t scared of being mugged/raped/murdered, and love walking, this is a splendid experience. 

Ta.