Casual Cognition

This was taken in Botanical Garden, Ooty. This has come out well.

These pics were taken an year back by me using my friend’s Sony DSC-H5 digicam. The trip was awesome.

My clix

I sprung onto my feet by a sudden clap of the thunder. I was addled by the sound of a thunder at this time of year. Everything was blank still. As I was gaining my senses, I understood that what I heard was not a thunder but from an old man who was roaring.. errr.. snoring. This is the one of the things that I hate in the train travel. I sometimes feel like grabbing hold of their collar and shout “Damn! You misunderstood the phrase ‘Sound Sleep’. This is not it.” But they are not doing it by their will. It all happens naturally. I looked at my watch. It was 06.15 AM. Another 75 minutes to reach Chennai. This train starts and reaches later than other trains from Bangalore to Chennai.

I looked up to check if any of the other two friends who were travelling with me is awake in vain. They were deep asleep. I reminded myself to ask them for change while leaving as all I had was 100 rs and 500 rs notes. I searched my purse and pocket to see if I can garner 5 rs so that I could get a coffee. I was unlucky. I didnt have a single coin. I sighed and went to the vacant Side lower berth so that I can look out through the Window. Train passed through numerous hamlets and suburbs that were silent. The day has not begun for them yet. The train slowed down its pace and slithered into the Perambur station and halted. I eased a bit. Only two more stations. The train took on like a snake moving out of its hole.

Most of the people in the bogie were still asleep. I started looking out again through the Window. Suddenly I heard claps. I knew where it came from. Shemales on board begging to make a living out of it. I turned back to watch them. I wondered if they were shemales or eunuchs. They looked more like males in a disguise of Shemales. And they were huge. I was startled as they neared me. I was cornered in the side lower berth. They were loud and rude as they asked for money. I remembered that I did not have a change. Bad luck! I denied giving them money but they were not leaving me. So I thought of getting some change from my other two friends who were sleeping. I woke them up and asked for a change, but they did not have too. They quickly continued with their sleep. The Shemales started nagging them for the money too. But they were safer in the Upper berth and shouted at them and went back to sleep.

The shemales got irriated and all their rage was against me now. They asked me for 50 rs now. I said i dont have and asked them to move away. But they were not leaving. They were angry. All of a sudden one of them shouted, “kiss him”. I was like, What? Kiss? Yuck. I turned my head away and was struggling hard not to be kissed. The old man in the lower berth woke up due to all the drama that is happening. He was just watching. I wished he took out some 10 rs and sent the shemales away. But he was more concerned about the money and he was watching what was happening. I went and sat hear him in a small hope that the shemales will leave me and nag the oldie. But unfortunately, they were not interested. One of them attempted to raise her skirt up and it was an disgusting act. The old man started shouting “Oh my god! no no dont do this”. I looked at him and thought “why dont you give some money to them instead of shouting uselessly like this”. He was shouting and the shemales were getting ruder. I wanted this show no more and wanted to end it at any cost. So took out my purse and showed them a 100 rs note. They took it, blessed me and went away. I was in a shock and my body was trembling for another couple of hours. I told what happened to my other two friends. They were laughing their lungs out. I couldn’t help. Its me who experienced this and not they. I would have laughed like this if this happened to any one of them. So no point in worrying about it.

This was the most embrassing situation I have undergone ever. From then on, I am making sure that I have some change with me even if I do not have the tickets to travel. This incident was broadcasted free of charge by my friends and in no time i became (in)famous.

I got this small story as a forward. Enjoyed reading this and so posted it here.

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Year 2007

He and She are engaged. Both are working in Bangalore , while their parents are at Chennai. They are going by the same train to Chennai. Incidentally, the first time they are traveling together. Time 10:00 PM.

She: Ivlo seekram station vandaachu. Naan usual aa 10.45 train kku, 10.30 kku dhaan varuven
He: Naan direct aa cantonment la dhaan eruven
She: He he
He: Seri adha vidu. Water bottle vaangindu varen
She: Seri
He comes back in 2 minutes, catching his breath
She: Yaen ippadi odi vare? Porumaya varalaam la?
He: Illai ma. Nee thaniya irukke illa. Adhaan
She: Aiyoo Idhaan first time naan yaar koodayavadhu poren. Usually naan thaniya dhaan varuven
He: Hmmmm
She: Seri train la yeralaam vaa
They get into the train
She: Side upper, side lower aa book panne?
He: Aaamam. So that we can talk for sometime. Matha berth la yerina udane ellarum thoongiduvaanga
She: Adhuvum seri dhaan
Train starts
She: Adutha varusham, idhe neram we will be going to Chennai for our first pongal after marriage
He holds her hand tightly, and gives her one Cadburys temptation chocolate
She: So sweet.
She splits the chocolate into smaller bits, and feeds him the first bit
He: You know what? Naan nenachi kooda paakale. That I will fall head over heels for someone.
She: Same here da
By this time, almost all passengers are asleep. And someone tells He to talk slowly since he is too loud
He: vaa. Door kitta polaam
He and she are the door. He opens the door, and they sit at the steps
She: Yappa. Kulurarudhu.
He puts his hand over she’s shoulder. After some sweet nothings for some 1 hr, they get in and sleep(Ofcourse at their respective berths)

Year 2008

He and She are married for 9 months by now. He and she get into the train.

She: Endha berth?
He: Rendume upper berth. No disturbance
She: Hmmmm
He: Seri. Thanni bottle kodu
She: Station la vaangikalaam nu kelambachaye sonnen la
He: Munnadiye solla vendiyadhu dhaane! Ippo paar train kelamba innum 5 nimisham dhaan irukku
She: masa masa nnu pesinda irundha andha 5 nimisham kooda irukaadhu
He: cha!
He runs and gets the water bottle, just when the train starts
She yawns and says
She: Seri. Naan thoonga poren.
He: Ok
After the TTR checks the tickets, he also gets into his berth and tries to sleep. He is not able to sleep after a while, due to some conversation happening below.
He turns towards the couple in the side-upper and side-lower berth
He: Excuse me. If you don’t mind, konjam medhuva pesareengaLa. We all are sleeping here!
The side-upper, side lower couple walk towards the door

Informatica World is a conference hosted by Informatica every year attended by our Partners and customers. This year the conference was held at Las Vegas from Jun 3 to Jun 5. The conference was a huge success with over 1300 attendees. There were number of key note presentations, hands-on labs and some innovation awards presented to our clients who have effectively used our software to implement Data Integration & Data Quality. Few announcements were also made: Launch of the new version of our product Informatica PowerCenter 8.6 & launch of our company website in a new look. Live blogs from the conference was available which was updated promptly. But yeah, the thing that was most talked about this conference is the release of this short-length video which shows the importance of the “trusted data” in a lighthearted way.

Few Links:

* Informatica Website
* Informatica Blogs
* Blogs from Informatica World 2008