Got to ask the planets...

A lot of mommy bloggers are talking about some parent's indifference to their kid's actions especially when the kid is out hurting other children physically. I have noticed this too. Though the father atleast apologize to you in case he notices his kid behaving badly, the mother is just mum about it...Guys...Now dont give me the bullshit that mothers dont do it because of love, thats nonsense! I was under the impression that moms tolerate their kid's behaviour only when the kids are young and when the kids grow old, the moms give kids some spanking as and when they deserve. Or atleast thats how the 70s-80s born kids were raised. I remember how my mom scolded me when I sulked talking to my uncle and aunt while I was in 6th class. She told me how important it was to be respectful to everyone and she stressed on phone and host-etiquettes so much.

During a trip to India this year I was really surprised by my relative kid's behaviour(the boy is 15 so I dont know whether I should address him as a kid) I had got them a Lamp from IKEA for their new house and I gave it to the kid's mother. Before she could retort "thanks", this kid comes to the scene and asks his mother "What is this?" When the boy's mother told him that it was a lamp which I had got them from the US, the kid retorts "Aamaam...periya lightu...idhulla enna irukku" (Huh, whats the big deal about it? Its afterall a light) I was shell shocked and stared at the kid and looked at his mom waiting for her to correct him or ask him to apologize. NOPE! She just did not say anything. I was shocked. I wanted to tell that boy then and there that he needs to be respectful to elders but considering the fact that there were elders in the house who watched the whole thing but still sat mum, I did not say anything.

Later when asked the kid's mom about this incident, she denied the fact that such a thing happened. I did not talk about it to her further but no sooner this happened, the kid started imitating me, the way I told his neighbour "I live in Los Angeles". At this juncture the kid's mother told the kid "Dont do like this...don't you know Anusha does not like it?" Uff...She just did not correct the kid saying that its bad to behave like that to anyone. She just asked him not to behave like that with me just because I did not like it...God save that kid! I dont know what to say about such parents. This boy's mother and her family make the excuse that this kid's horoscope is like that and he does not study/behave well because of planet's position(Got to ask Mars and Jupiter abt it :)...) and he will be a big guy when he is around 35-36. What bullshit? Its a sad thing to realise that some parents dont want to correct kids, and dont want to instill some ideals and values in them. They dont realise the importance of educating kids about etiquette, phone manners, hospitality to guests etc. They dont realise that the kid might get into trouble if he continues to behave badly, he/she would get serious spanking in work places.

Hail the Kiwis...

Just when I was enjoying India's truimph over Srilanka in the just concluded ODI...here comes the icing on the cake in Cricket...The Kiwis beat the mighty Aussies in the ODI series...Wonder what Punter has got to say about this tremendous series defeat...

Not sure whether this will bring down the Aussie's morale in the World Cup but atleast it will keep the Kiwis hopes alive...How I wish Fleming does a Peyton Manning in this World Cup(Oops if I went off board :p)!!!

The Kiwis deserve every chance to win the World Cup!

Just same random thoughs...

Its really nice to get in touch with friends with whom you have lost touch over the years. With the coming of Orkut, batchmates and other online communities, getting in touch has been easier. I am a member of Orkut but not of other communities as just this Orkut got me into an addiction mode. Also the fact that what we do, what we talk/msg others is just thrown outside to the world and million people can find out what you are doing etc...Well that's not the topic of this post.

When you find your friend/acquaintance after years, initially there's so much of curiosity as to what he/she is doing, where he/she lives etc etc...You exchange scraps 4-5 times trying to cover as much as what you are doing, whether you are in touch with some common friends, blah blah...but after few days the initial enthusiasm dies out and you stop being in touch...This might be true/false. Its just that I have noticed this when getting hooked to these online communities. Infact the other day a friend of mine was echoing the same sentiments. I have a friend who tells me with great pride "You know Anush! I have 400 friends in my orkut list!" I told her "Wow...thats cool...Do you scrap these friends often" She said "Nay...Once in a bluemoon" EXACTLY!

Also things between friends are not the same as before. Over the years people change so much. A lof of things about them change. Who once was your close buddy in school pings you once in a while and rarely responds to offliners. You cannot blame them - Busy lifestyle, personal issues take the priority but healthy socialising has taken a beating. You lose that intimacy and develop barriers. With these changing times, we have time for friends who are miles apart but cant dedicate time to meet your old neighbour or friends who are pretty much in the same city as you.

I try to come out of this Orkut mess but I find myself getting hooked into it more often. Guess it has become more of a habit or addiction...Sigh!

RACISM ----------> FANATICISM

As if RACISM was not enough, FANATICISM is brewing...

The Cauvery water tribunal's judgement is out much and TN CM seems to be happy about it as the judgement is in TN's favour. I am sure the ruling party workers would carry out slogans like "Thanneer Vaangi kudutha Thanneer/Tamil Thalaivar"(Sorry guys, I dont know how to translate this in English). Minutes after the judgement came out, the SW and other companies in Bangalore have declared half a day holiday and asked the employees to go home safely. It is also learned that all schools and colleges would be closed tomorrow for fear of stone pelting and ruthless assault on tamilians on the road. You can ask me "How does this affect you, someone sitting at LA miles away from Bangalore?" Well, I can just identify with what the tamil population in Bangalore would be feeling right now, the goosebumps they will have before they dare venture into the streets tomorrow to buy a packet of milk. Reason: I have gone through all the chaos which happened in Bangalore in 2003 thanks again to a Cauvery Judgement.

A couple of us especially freshers who joined a MNC in Bangalore were bullied and intimated by fellow colleagues or should I call them fanatics. We were abused left and right with words, thank god they did not physically assault us as they were scared they would get sacked.

"Why are you working in Karnataka? Why dont you go back to Tamilnadu?"

"Why are you not talking in Kannada? Why are you talking in English?"

These questions were posed again and again for a week or more and it went to such extent that we were scared to be in the same meeting/conference call with them. Infact there was one guy who bullied me so much that I reported about this guy and these sentiments to my manager who unfortunately was a tamilian. Having just returned from US, he was not aware of such sentiments and asked me "How come that guy does not say all that to me? I am a tamilian, too" to which I replied "You are his boss, if he does that to you, he knows you will kick his ass out. Since I am a junior in the team, he is bullying me." Things were resolved soon and he owed us an apology but did not speak to us since then.

I remember how one guy was beaten by some people in Indiranagar for talking over a phone in Tamil...The mere thought about it makes me shudder...Agreed that such fanaticism prevails in TN too but I dont think that these kinda feelings are prevalent in educated circles.

My dad tells me that when he went to Mysore few days back to visit a friend, some guy in the bus asked him "Why are you tamilians stepping your feet in Karnataka Soil? This place is for only kannadigas." My dad had replied "If you are so particular about who should be here, why do you let the MNCs set their business here?"

Anyways I just hope that things dont turn our ugly and people are safe in Bangalore.