Back to Basanti...

I watched Rang De Basanti few days back. While, it didn't make me go out and join the Indian Army, or, shoot the average Indian Politician -- it did remind me how colourful and vibrant India is. "Behind all its noise, chaos and hustle-bustle, there survives a sense of silence... A silence that many are desperate to hear and feel - but, may never get the chance to
experience..."

Hearing the movie's soundtrack today, I ended up browsing through some of my stills from India -- and I came across a picture-adventure I had setup. Rather, it was an attempt to capture the memory of an adventure.

Me and Asha went visiting a few unique spiritually-themed locations across India -- even though, in India, every street appears to have some form of spiritual significance!
We were headed back to Ajmer after a real long day spent at Merta and some other random village (everyone seemed to have a different name for it!) By the time we touched Pushkar - a site we had already visited and exhausted earlier - we were a bit drained out and fairly hungry...

More than the hunger, I think, it was the impressive signboards of the Pink Floyd Cafe & Hotel that got me a bit tempted. I guess, my heart painted an image of a soft-lit acoustic lounge, with the dark shaded walls -- and that perfect cup of coffee... Of course, my mind knew what a scam this would turn out to be!

We asked the driver to follow the signs and head to the cafe -- however, the luxury of a Maruti Esteem could only take us half-way through the journey, after which, we had to walk.

Walking was good -- a walk is always a much better way to experience the surroundings. Your feet touching the ground - more intact with Mother Earth - better instincts.

So, we walked...
We followed the well-designed signboards, with the stylized fonts. Each signboard leading to another.

We passed a barbershop, where the barber actually ran out of his shop and said, "Sir, good barber here..."
Asha smiled at him, as I calmly waved - "No, thank you"
He hit me back with "No problem, for you, free beard shave!"

It was around then, with Asha's car-ignition-like laughter, that I realized I probably needed to shave. I, obviously, ignored the barber, who, so openly, insulted my prized possession. It was just a 5-day growth -- I couldn't look that horrible!

We continued our Pink-Floyd quest -- each street getting narrower and uglier than its precedent. And then, it appeared. The narrowest street - the signboard no longer used the stylized fonts, just a pink-orange-blue colored board, reading - "Pink Floyd Cafe & Hotel -- Wish You Were Here"

I was there! And, I wasn't interested in going in!
But, me and Asha burst out laughing, while I started taking pictures of the actual location, with three boys walking out, saying - "oye, hamari foto ley riya hai, de board ji?"

Fairly amused, me and Asha walked back to the car.
Right next to where we were parked, we noticed The Moon Dance Garden Restaurant & German Bakery. I never knew there was such a specialized thing as a German Bakery. I, obviously, like most of you, pictured an angry dictator-like baker -- "Siht Dhown! Eatch zee Cgake!" However, we decided to give it a go. How mean and cruel could a guy be, if he promoted his restaurant as "Air Condition, Multy-Cusine" ?

It wasn't a bad choice. We came across a waiter who ended every conversation/transaction with - "chee-ers"...

...

Think it's about time I head back to India...

Sigh!

Chee-ers...

The Death of Independence

I told another friend to quit her job today. However, today it probably hit me, harder than ever -- how often have I asked (most of) my friends to do that!

Let's face it - you're never a 100% satisfied with the job you're with. It's mostly because of the people you're working with/for. They're all Idiots -- they always will be, because you are telling me the story! Who tells a story where he/she is the evil idiot?

But, whatever the story, my response, inevitably - "why don't you just quit?"
Sure, things are never so simple. We can't just 'quit' and walk away.
However, today, I realized the efforts of my unconscious mind. I've been trying to get my friends to quit their jobs - all at once....

Just imagine. Every regular employee, from the local barber to the regional manager at CBTL, from the cleaner at Skyline College to the Sport Management Head at the Griffith University, from me to you -- everyone just quits.

We all pick a day, and we just quit. It won't be a media issue, because all the journalists and producers also quit!
You go to your local supermarket and see all the shareholders, who have finally come to work! It's about time they tried working at the cash-counter!
You go down to Starbucks and see Howard Schultz personally sticking up posters of his new marketing stunt - "How to brew your own cup at your local Starbucks (ps - please, deposit the right amount of change into our self-serve cash register when you're done)"
Ingvar Kamprad will move IKEA back to Sweden -- back to the roots, in that small wooden shop on some busy street. No more yearly catalogues, no more in-store restaurant with that $3.00 hotdog - just furniture and a big sign reading "we don't deliver anymore"!

Even if 10% of the global workforce quits today -- there will be complete chaos.

I know, most of you probably won't quit because of the Starbucks thing I mentioned -- "to make my own cup of coffee? Don't I need a degree for that? No, I cannot live without my perfect brew - I can't quit!"

I understand!

I guess, the whole point here is how dependant we have to be on someone or something - while those independent small-scale businesses, with their personal services, are dying/dead. The guys who remembered your name and order not because they were trained or told to do so -- they did it because they cared... They appreciated the fact that you appreciated their store...
People like Kathleen Kelly with her Shop Around the Corner can no longer survive.

I was 4, and then, one day, it all started to get complicated...

My dream is hidden somewhere in that picture -- perhaps, someday, I'll find it...

First Breath....

Monday morning - 30, Jan, 2006 - 00:49 (+4 GMT), Tao of Me is finally up and running.

For now....

...."No soup for you! Come back - one year!"

Sushi