Chinni's 2nd Birthday

Finally, we couldn't celebrate her 2nd birthday. All credit goes to cold, cough and fever. 

She had been asking for cycle since so many days after we returned from Hong Kong. As a gift for her birthday, we brought her a new tricycle yday, which is not as good as the one in HK. 

Unfortunately, I could not bring the tricycle that was purchased in HK. We really miss that one, after all the first ones are the first ones!

Hoping that her next Birthday will be a rocking one.

Will never forget that kiss

Date : 22nd Dec, 2010
Time : Around 2.30 am

 Chinni was not doing well since a couple of days. Severe cold, cough and repeating fever made to loose charm in her face, but she would still smile and play when ammi and pappa returned home from office. It's been 2 days that N has re-joined office, but Chinni has very little cribs except for not having proper food. After all, cold and fever also contribute to that.

On 22nd, she slept with running nose and little fever at around 11 pm drinking 5 ml of crocin juice (yes, she calls all the tonics as juice). It was 2 am, I woke up to her cry for water. My hand went to console her, kept it on her back and she was burning, had very high fever ? N had already woken and was warming milk. I took Chinni on my lap to make her sleep, she felt a little comfortable.

She closed her eyes for around a minute and woke up suddenly. I was wondering why ? She sat on my lap and kissed me. I was literally amazed, couple of tears dropped too. This is what is called as "Love".

I can never forget that kiss!!!

School ? No, no, nooooo!

It's been quite some time that Chinni has started going to play home. Unfortunately, or fortunately, she had more breaks than her attendance. She took almost a month's leave after completing the first week. Who gets such rare chance, it can only be at this age. Once she starts going to school, I am afraid she can ever enjoy one such vacation.

And not only that, once in 2 weeks there is definitely a holiday. There isn't dearth of holidays in India, but hardly few can realize them, except kids and government employees.

Well, now that Chinni has been attending play home sessions, she has identified the path from our house. She immediately reacts "school byada" (don't want school) if we step on that road. The reluctance has started appearing now itself. Myself and N are much worried how will she go to school if this continues ?

Even after reluctance to go to play home, we haven't received any complaints from the care takers. She plays normally and doesn't remember pappa and ammi, hopefully a good sign. Now that N is going to start her working from tomorrow, I am worried how will Chinni manage without both of us. It's never been a situation where we both have left her alone, except for couple of unavoidable circumstances.

Iksha is going to complete 2 years on 23rd this month. It's been amazing till now with all sort of experience. I remember the day when I first took her in my arms and she was fast asleep, totally unaware of where she has stepped in. After the first 2 years, she has learnt so many many things which is truely astonishing for both of us. 

I don't think it's easy to identify colors, sing rhymes, count numbers from 1 to 10 along with pappa, play simple games on mobile, sleep listening to songs, identify Mr Bean, Chota Bheem on pogo, Barney, Thomas, Tulli etc on tv, select which dress to wear depending on the colors, pictures on them, identify animals, fruits, vegetables in books.........for a 2 years old child.

I know she will learn lot more in the next year, but I hope she will gain more on behavioral aspects. There is learning at each step of life, hoping she will identify what is good and what is bad.

Wish you a very Happy 2nd Birthday, in advance, Chinni. Btw, she can say "Happy Birthday to you" too :)

Struggle of life or Struggle for life?

I dropped N and Chinni to Dharwar and returned to Bangalore last month. My bus reached at 5 am, a bit early than the normal arrival. Thought I would get some time to sleep before going to office.

The only option was to take an auto to home, so asked one autowala if he can drop me to my home. Unfortunately, in Bangalore, it's the auto driver's option to drive to a location, commuters just keep pleading and waiting for the right auto. So, this autowala agreed but said he would charge Rs 80/-, which is 2 times  more than the normal fare. I tried to bargain, but in vain. So agreed and headed to my home. My home was just around 500mts - 700mts far from the location I had told the driver. Upon dropping me, I handed over a 100 rupee note and the driver promptly denied to return Rs 20, only because he had to come 500m far from the spot I had mentioned. At 5.30 am, I had to argue and fight with him to give me back Rs 20. Finally, after heated arguments, the auto driver just left the spot ignoring me. I stood there helplessly for 2 minutes, thinking what to do. I was upset for the whole day and could not concentrate on my work and it all happened because of Rs 20.

After a couple of weeks, I had to been to Dharwar again to get N and Chinni back to Bangalore. Again we travelled by bus and reached our destination around 6 am. Again, didn't have any other option than auto. to reach home The auto driver again asked Rs 80 and I agreed upon without trying to bargain. Upon reaching home, I handed over Rs 100 note and told the auto driver to keep the remaining amount. The auto driver smiled and finally before leaving, he asked to verify I had left any luggage in auto.

I could not judge who is right and who is wrong after these incidents. I can give Rs 20 extra, but I can't afford to give each and everybody to make them happy. I am struggling to survive with my own earnings.

Now thinking in autowala's perspective, if I am struggling to survive with my earnings, definitely autowala would also be struggling for life with his earnings, since his earnings might be less than me. It would be hard to imagine his situation and circumstances of life. If fighting for Rs 20 with autowala can spoil my whole day, autowalas are spoiling their whole life fighting with several customer every day for the same Rs 20.

Last week, I completed impact analysis and estimation on couple of change requests that came in from my client in office. After the estimations where submitted, client scheduled a call to discuss the estimates. Even after explaining thoroughly why it would take so many days to complete the task, the clients disagreed and we had to come to a common platform by reducing the estimates. 

I could relate the client with autowala at that moment and was laughing within myself., difference being autowala argue for livelihood and clients argue to save & earn more money. The question that arises is - what is the purpose of life ? It has merely reduced to earning money. There is no more healthy competition, in fact there is no competition at all, all that has remained is just fight.

Farmers burn their blood and grow grains, vegetables, fruits etc. What do they get is very pity money to survive. But what to financial institutions do ? they hedge upon the same commodities, create futures, options and other derivatives and earn millions of money. They survive, not only survive but also live a king size life because they don't grow!!!

What I want to say is life's goal has simply reduced to "Earn Money". I really don't find any other motive of life. Ending this blog abruptly without any conclusion. Wish I had the powers to change this motive of human beings and work towards meaningful life of mankind.