Was it just twenty years ago that a landline was an 'in' thing?! Was it just twenty years ago that inland letters were quick enough? Was it twenty years ago that anything dot com would have been met with a blank stare? The world is celebrating the world wide web's twentieth year in existence, today! (Thank you Mr Berners-Lee!) and I'm joining in!!
My first foray into the web was thanks to my brother, some twelve years ago! I still remember, we used to pay Rs.30-Rs.40 an hour (some cafes charged that for half hour) and I used to simply sit beside him, bored out of my wits, while he searched (not sure if it was Google that he used) for pictures of bikes, cars and then some minuscle studies related stuff (the original excuse behind the funds for this adventure! )
I only occasionally gave in to peer pressure during my teenage years, and the time I saw everyone rattle off email IDs (cuteflower@watever.com, findmeifyoucan@creepy.com etc etc) was one of them! I begged my brother to create one for me. So he told me that there was something called a yahoo and that my 'email ID' was myname@yahoo.com. Armed with this cool thing, one day, like a know-it-all (yes yes, sometimes that disease afflicted me too!!), I walked into this net cafe, asked for a computer and then in vain, let me emphasise here, ABSOLUTE VAIN, tried to access my emails. After about half an hour, I was a very very irate customer wanting 'the internet to be fixed' and value for my 30 rupees!!!
Its still difficult to forget the look on the person's face when he came upto my computer. He asked me if I were trying to access my emails, on affirming, he moved the cursor to the address bar, deleted the 'myname@yahoo.com' that was typed there and said, you can't really type your email ID on the address bar.......pause.........ma'am and proceeded to explain the 'sane' way of accessing emails!!!
Definitely, it's been a long time!!! Now look at me, I'm all internet savvy and have multiple email IDs (several overflowing with junk), work for a company that is entirely web based, watch TV on the internet AND *dreamy sigh* thanking God for social networking!!
Happy Birthday Internet!!! We all love you!!
7.3.09
Not so pretty
I'm a pretty patient person. Seriously. I don’t get too bothered if I miss the green light at the signal by a micro second, I am pretty calm even when all the steppers are taken by the men and boys in the aerobics class and we girls and women are left with zilch. Yes, I am a patient lass.
Of course there are things that test my patience like none else. Like the clock inching towards 1.00pm (lunch time..hehe), like Thangam aunty (the lady who helps us with house cleaning) repeating the same thing at least twenty times, just so she can drive her point home, like, know-it-alls, like condescending creeps.
But, there are some things, which are beyond the realm of 'patience'. Some things which make me experience physiological changes (blood boiling, nerves throbbing, knuckles itching to punch). Like chauvinists (the real kinds, not the ones who pretend to be so, just to tease), like......I think I'd like to explain this one.
One of the best things about the eight hours at work (if that) is the smell of freshly ground filter coffee making everyone in the Fourth Floor, South Wing, a bunch of happy (and high?!) yuppies. Today, I was standing near the coffee machine, behind a few ladies getting their shares of teas and coffees, when the door to the South Wing opened and 'she' walked in. Now, I'm not going to explain her in any intricate details, but I'll tell you this- if there had been a guy there, he would have had a tough time keeping his eyes off her! What I noticed however, was the absolutely enchanting perfume and the obviously expensive pair of jeans she was wearing.
Of course, we know that light travels faster than sound and that's why we see the explosion before we hear it. Something to a similar effect happened when she said that one word - 'Tea'. Which brings me back to what had me start this narrative- things that are beyond the realm of patience - she had cut the queue. I wasn't as angry as I was shocked (which reminded me of Vivek's "jeans pota mangaatha'!!!) And I thought, queue cutting happened only in the grocery shop mom and I frequent every week or the petrol station. No, I didn't say anything to her (when it comes to queue cutting, I am usually a stickler for speaking my mind!) I think its one thing to say that in a grocery shop, with several kilos of vegetables and fruits weighing you down and another to say it with a coffee mug. Still, somewhere, it pinches. One thing is for sure, my misconception that education subtly infuses courtesy in those who have none, has been cleared.
I guess, just like common sense, even courtesy is not so common.
Of course there are things that test my patience like none else. Like the clock inching towards 1.00pm (lunch time..hehe), like Thangam aunty (the lady who helps us with house cleaning) repeating the same thing at least twenty times, just so she can drive her point home, like, know-it-alls, like condescending creeps.
But, there are some things, which are beyond the realm of 'patience'. Some things which make me experience physiological changes (blood boiling, nerves throbbing, knuckles itching to punch). Like chauvinists (the real kinds, not the ones who pretend to be so, just to tease), like......I think I'd like to explain this one.
One of the best things about the eight hours at work (if that) is the smell of freshly ground filter coffee making everyone in the Fourth Floor, South Wing, a bunch of happy (and high?!) yuppies. Today, I was standing near the coffee machine, behind a few ladies getting their shares of teas and coffees, when the door to the South Wing opened and 'she' walked in. Now, I'm not going to explain her in any intricate details, but I'll tell you this- if there had been a guy there, he would have had a tough time keeping his eyes off her! What I noticed however, was the absolutely enchanting perfume and the obviously expensive pair of jeans she was wearing.
Of course, we know that light travels faster than sound and that's why we see the explosion before we hear it. Something to a similar effect happened when she said that one word - 'Tea'. Which brings me back to what had me start this narrative- things that are beyond the realm of patience - she had cut the queue. I wasn't as angry as I was shocked (which reminded me of Vivek's "jeans pota mangaatha'!!!) And I thought, queue cutting happened only in the grocery shop mom and I frequent every week or the petrol station. No, I didn't say anything to her (when it comes to queue cutting, I am usually a stickler for speaking my mind!) I think its one thing to say that in a grocery shop, with several kilos of vegetables and fruits weighing you down and another to say it with a coffee mug. Still, somewhere, it pinches. One thing is for sure, my misconception that education subtly infuses courtesy in those who have none, has been cleared.
I guess, just like common sense, even courtesy is not so common.
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