Sunday, December 23, 2018

Outside the box--the Short Cut Series


Laya raised her head until it touched the cover of the box and tried to peep through the little hole. She was looking for the Big Dipper and the North star. The combination helped her keep track of time. It seemed she might have dozed off a little longer than she should have after the blow to her head. She could feel something wet on her forehead where Frank had hit her with the rake. She knew it was blood and that probably explained why she found it hard to raise her head. She had planned and waited for this night for the last 37 days. She looked towards the farmhouse and found the lights had switched off in Franks room. It was past the time she had to start to make it to the highway to catch the bus towards city.She knew the exact time it took cause she had already once practiced her breakout and she was almost about to hitch hike a ride to the city on a tractor when she feared for what would happen to Aily and Paily. When Frank finds of his captives escaped he would kill the other girls and dispose off all evidence. He was the most monstrous “thing” she had ever come across in her life. He has hardly any bit human hence the “thing”.
 Her frail fingers reached for the hinges and slowly worked its way to open the box.The moment the box opened, she ran across the field to where the other girls boxes were. She had never asked them for their real names but Frank called them Aily and Paily and that had become their name.She tapped twice on their boxes before opening just to prevent them from screaming. The girls usually screamed in fear of what awaits them whenever their box was opened. Laya had developed a special unexplainable connection with these girls.They were bonded in misery and suffering. It felt the wounds in their bodies were connected,everytime he beat one of them the rest felt the pain too.Aily had a particularly painful day,her leg was bleeding profusely and Laya was hoping she can still make it to the highway.The girls ran past Bull,Franks equally monstrous dog.Laya had managed to sedate him and the other dogs. Her major in botany had finally come to help here in identifying and making the perfect mix of herbs from the stuff she found around the farm.
Their bare legs ached as they ran through the dense forest. The other two girls had spent too much time in the box that their legs had almost forgotten what it was to run and they needed to be helped back onto their feet.They could hear the howling of some animal.They also knew the forest might have snakes but nothing seemed as fearful as being back in the farm.37 days ago Laya was on a hike in the nearby mountains when she ran into Franks truck. She was in a hurry to get back home before it gets dark and then she heard a moan from within the truck. Her heart stopped beating for a moment when she peeped into the truck and saw a wounded young girl lieing in the back seat with her hands and mouth tied.She could have called 911 but instead she tried to open the truck.She then felt a huge blow to her head. Next thing she remembered she was in a box,her hands and mouth were tied. What had followed would be things she really wished she could forget.
Laya turned around and saw the girls had a lot of catching up to do.Ailys hurt leg was really slowing her down.She looked up at the sky and guessed they probably had about an hour before dawn.Their plans were at great risk if they didn’t cross the county borders by bus before Frank wakes up. From all the things she had seen on Franks farms,she has come to believe the law enforcement within the county would side with Frank. If they are to get caught in the county,they might be sent back to the farm.Aily had falled down on the floor. It was too dark for Laya to see the condition of her legs but she knew she probably would not make it running by herself. Laya and Paily helped her up and put her hands over their shoulder. The girls had to now run as real sisters in arms.They had never asked each other their names but had always been there to provide each other with a comforting word and after Laya learnt to open the box from within a kind hand to tend to their wounds.Laya had instantly become their only longing at night-someone to open up the box and give them a breather.She had never asked them long they had been on the farm but she knew it would not be too long before they got out.
Paily was praying hard that they make it on time to the highway.They should probably be close to the highway cause now she could hear the sound of vehicles.Aily was crying miserably as she finally saw the light from the cars on the highway. Her leg seemed like it was cut off from the rest of her body,she could hardly feel it anymore.Laya got to the edge of the road and she could see the city bus heading towards them.She pulled down her torn and tattered skirt and waved frantically at the bus.She hoped the driver would see her in time and stop.
The driver on the bus,Mona was horrified when she saw three ghastly looking girls standing on the highway and waving at the bus. For a second she thought she had dozed off  and swerved past them.She could see through the side mirrors that the girls had falled down on the side of the road and had broken down into tears and she instinctively brought the bus to a hault.She knew something was terribly wrong and she could not drive past these girls.She would then watch these girls look at the haulted bus in disbelief and then hug each other.
The girls looked out through the window as their bus crossed the county lines and they looked at each others shabby faces.Tears trickled down their faces and for the first time in a really long time,they were tears of relief.Laya lifted Ailys wounded legs and cleaned it with the first aid kit Mona had provided.Something that seemed like a smile came upong Ailys face and she said “I am Maria,whats your name?”.

Friday, December 21, 2018

In the spin of a globe---the Short Cut series


What are the chances that one of the world’s richest women spends a month living with the world’s poorest? Zilch you might say but for Rhea Kumar the chances were very high. When her ex-husband and business partner Naresh ousted her and the 10 year legacy she created at the world’s largest communication enterprise Collab Communications by winning the Collab Board in their long pending power struggle, her career was written off. Who knew the closing of one door would open up her entire life to a much higher purpose? That day Rhea returned home sad and depressed. Her little angel-her 5 year old daughter Tara who was playing Super Girl would ask her mom if she can spin the globe so her little fingers can touch one little spot on the Planet that she would fly to. For a split second Rhea wanted to fly far away too to whichever spot her pretend Super Girl flies. It was so surprise that little Tara’s fingers would reach out for a African country and specifically the Central African Republic. While Tara flew around the living room in her Super Girl costume, so did her mother’s thoughts. Rhea had always dreamed of helping communities and making a greater social impact.
As the CEO of Collab Communications she did initiate a number of social projects to connect the world better and to bring affordable higher education to rural India. She also made Collab City, the township around her company’s headquarters a completely zero waste town. However, it was often that she felt she could do more. While the rest of the world pitied on how a woman had lost her entire life legacy to her ex-husband, she called her closest staff and planned a trip. Neither the media nor her family would be aware of how one of the most powerful entrepreneurs in the country would fly out unnoticed.
Navigating a war zone would not be as easy and Rhea realized that the moment she arrived at the border through Chad. For a moment she doubted the spontaneity of her decision. Her daughter clutched her moms arms as she saw all the armed men. Her daughter would then watch her mom freeze as her staff and the border patrol would warn her one final time against undertaking this dangerous journey especially with a child. But Rhea who had always courted danger in both her professional and personal life, would turn a deaf ear to their pleas. Rhea and her daughter very quickly realized they had checked out of heaven and checked into hell. They visited a number of humanitarian organizations and talked to many of the local war victims. Rhea worried if her little girl was being exposed to too much misery and if it will impact her negatively. Strangely, it worked wonders for her. One night, the until then petrified Tara picked up  her dinner(sandwich and soup) and walked across the camp to where the refugees were lining up to pick up food. She eyed one particularly frail little girl who was wailing clinging onto an older sibling. She walked over to her and handed her the food plate and her little pink teddy. She told the little girl largely non verbally that the pink teddy was going to keep her safe. Rhea felt a lump on her throat as she watched this. 12 years of international schooling would not have given her daughter that confidence to spread a little joy in another life when she herself was submerged in fear.
 From there on, Rhea went on to build multiple shelters that also doubled as a schooling facility for the young. With ideas from her daughter Tara, who loves to paint and read,the curriculum was structured to focus more on the creative arts with an emphasis on learning to read.Tara believes that at the most desperate of times, hope can be found in a little story somewhere and reading would unlock that hope for all. The focus on art did add a lot of color to these kids otherwise dark world. Rhea later expanded her efforts in other parts of the world few people would even dare to travel. There are no super heroes in these parts of the world. Only ordinary people with a brave heart who would give their everything to make an iota of difference. So next time someone asks a probability question and the odds are less, remember it’s always high in a story.


Thursday, December 02, 2010

The day earth stood still…

So this one Thursday morning I log onto Facebook and find that I see most of my friend’s profile pics containing abusive content. Initially I think it’s a Facebook bug, later I realize no one else is noticing that absurdity,its just me.After a long de-bugging process with my friends,sending across screen shots of what I see etc,I realize there is something really wrong on FB or with my account.It sure can not be a hacking of my account(I don't see anything suspicious on my account) also how can someone really change the content I view on others profile by compromising my account,so I conclude it’s a serious issue I need to report.I search on the web for any reported issues,I don’t find any of that sort,I then decide to seek FB Help,but it simply does not give me an option to report any issue what-so-ever.After huge rigmarole of running from list of topics,questions,answers,I feel very frustrated and more than that scared about my security on Facebook.As someone who is on Facebook for about 3-4hrs a day(I know!) I am still not sure if this is right direction to go,but I at once seize it as my golden opportunity to press "that" button.If I ever had to quit Facebook its now!Its almost like Facebook itself is pointing me to the door.I de-activate my account,inform my close friends and move on.But in the minute I was driving myself toward that decision,its almost like apocalypse to me,as that has what this addiction has come to be.For that small moment....my earth stood still:-(

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Robot makes me write...

Well…I must first warn you.Though I am a fan of Rajini,I aint that fan that prepared endlessly to celebrate the Endhiran First Day release,neither was I the kind that paid three times the money to watch Endhiran first day first show in a crappy theatre as I did to watch Avatar 3D in Imax.I didn’t whistle my lungs out through the movie so much so that I lost my voice for the next three days.I aint the kind either who would rush after the show to call back folks in India asking them to book tickets for the next available show.But none the less I must confess I am a Rajini fan in the sense I love to watch people do the above.Infact I watched the first day second show just to see what the hue and cry was about.I thouroughly enjoyed the experience.Watching this movie was more like buying a ticket to Six Flags and taking one ride after another,although in my case unlike the above Rajini true bloods it was a largely vicarious pleasure.Coming to the point,do not send people to knock me down if you do not like what I write,just ignore,delete DOT.
Heres what worked for me
1. Technology-Being close to 160 crore budget movie,obvious the technology had been put to good use but I also loved the way they had presented the entire Humanoid concept to a audience that might not understand every nut and bolt without making a technologist feel---Oh Cmon!It was truly refreshing to watch thalaivar deliver technical jargons sophisticatedly.What really impressed me as a Computer Science student was the paradox question put worth to the robot in the conference.Well Done!
2. Message-I know most of you are falling off your chairs reading this but yes after all that endless violence that made up the last part of the movie I felt was a message.The comparison of ill will,jealousy,anger to the red chip inserted in the robot kind of added to the point.Though I liked the message I had a problem how it was presented,discussed later.
3. Not a Shankar Ending-I love Shankar movies cause they try to beat the harsh reality,often make us ask questions…Indian,Gentleman, etc.They also try to solve everyday hardships with revolutionary and sometimes violent solutions.All the same after all that wonderful thinking having a fairy tale ending really kills it,I mean sometimes you just feel bad in a sense that Indian grandpa doesn’t exist or that we don’t have politicians like in Mudalvan or even youth who will get into politics with that strategy.Its more like watching a fairy tale movie with the dream ending and you just wish…..In the case of Endhiran though I liked the way he didn’t really end it his usual style like say Dr.Vasi deciding to secretly let Chitti roam around doing good stuff for people or say the army secretly deciding to buy Chitti and putting to use at the border.It had a ending that really left us thinking without wishing or being told whats the future of robots.I thought the ending got my biggest vote simply because it wasn’t a Rajini movie ending neither a Shankar movie ending,it ended the way sci-fi ends to end with-leaving the audience thinking “If”.
4. Graphics-I really do not have to say this…loved the army formations in the end,beautiful graphics…neat.
5. Rajinism-If one Rajini eshyle meant 200 decibels and a earth quake on magnitude 7.5 in the theatre,100 of Rajini twisting and turning in eshylish formations meant EXPLOSION.I had the vibrations and that feeling of vicarious euphoria resonate in my head and heart for hours after the movie got over.

What didn’t work for me
1. The extended climax-Despite the visual treat for the eyes with soo many Rajinis is various creative formations,at some point in time I was getting a headache with the endless violence.I began for my thrill ride to end.I liked most of the other rides in the movie but this one was just too long.
2. Violence-Yes,its official-I am sensitive.Could not stand watching people(largely policemen and army men) getting shot at like spraying Bagon on this infiltrating ant population at home.No,it did not work for me.I have never seen mob get killed with as much ease as in this one.What kind of annoyed me more was the reaction of the audience to this.
3. Improper ewaste disposal:-Lol!You knew that was coming but could not help question a CMU cum Stanford student just hammered his robot and threw in the landfill?!Disappointed!
4.Retrieving the red chip-Ah!Wished there had been a better way to stop V2.0 from tearing the city apart than just demagnetizing him and later miraculously pulling him alone into the van and carefully removing the red chip.Easy and disappointing.For all the CG stuff would have expected a more creative and entertaining closure to 2.0.But I realize at that point in time in the theater I just wanted the whole thing to end and didn't care in the least how.

OK you must have got the point,I really could not find anything that didn’t really work me.Now lets go the ritual.It was one movie I watched and felt proud of the way the director had dealt with the story and used his budget.It’s NOT yet another indian movie that people can make fun about,its just another sci-fi movie with a truly Tamil touch-aka Rajini touchJ.Even as I realise someday scientists will figure the neural schema in question and it will not really be a sci-fi but a reality there is one thing that might never get figured out and will always be that exciting phenomenon I am standing in line for hours in a rain to experience,its simply that ride I want to take despite the fear of losing my ear drum to the shrill of the crowds-it’s the magic of Rajini and the spell he casts on his fan folks DOT.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

My adventures with nothing...

Several years ago my dad took me to a car shop.He insisted I needed a car for the journey of life.He choose the most reliable,safe and luxurious car.I was not even sure I wanted to drive a car on this journey called life.I had all along been dreaming a different dream.While at the store I picked this rare map to a exotic location.Despite not really intending to travel there I got it as it was on a good deal and knew several others would die for it.So then I took to the road and have been driving ever since.The road is smooth and the views are great.The car is luxurious and fully loaded.I often see several fellow travelers on their sometimes bigger and better cars.Some are happy,some inexpressive(that's what I call them),some with company,some all alone.They all seem to have their eyes on the road.Initially we used to carefully watch out and re-check on the guidelines on our map.Soon we realised all we had to do was to follow the road and it will take us to our destination.There are no turns,no bumps,just smooth straight road with a lot of traffic.We pass mountains,rivers,wonderful fields laden with flowers and bees.We just stop by once in a while to take pictures but we never step out of the comforts of our cars.I paste these pictures on the dashboard as a memory of where I have been.Sometimes it makes me wonder why I never stepped out...out into the fields laden with flowers,played in the meadows nearby,swam in the river or climbed the mountain.I tell myself I paid for the car and the map.The moment I step out,I am in danger,I might lose my car.We were told when we started on this journey that the moment you step out of your car,some one else can take it away and that to be in the comforts of the car are for a few blessed.But I see several people on the road.Sometimes I see abandoned cars,covered with dust and the driver missing-perhaps they took off riding the roads and took onto the pathway.People say wild tales of how they were lost for-ever.I have been driving on this road for long.I can fall asleep and still feel I am driving.Sometimes I feel I am always asleep.It rains,it snows,the sun shines through our windshields.We are always protected by our car and our safe to be on the road.As I stare at the wildness and the beauty that my road leads through,I sometimes feel the desire to get off the car and explore.Sometimes I feel I was not born to be on the car but to get out and explore-to find what lies beyond what meets the eyes,to let go of the map I poses and didn't want to.I tell myself I don't want to do that because my dad paid for the car and my safety and I found the rare map to a place I don't really want to be.Sometimes I tell myself I don't want to step out cause I don't know where to step into-the mountains,the river,the dessert,the meadows...I tell myself I don't know what I want.Sometimes I tell myself there are several others on this road and they are not stepping out and there is a reason I don't see as yet why they aren't doing it.I do not know what this journey is about,I have a map to a destination and people says it nice.But neither do I have a burning desire like some other travelers neither do I have the courage to step out of my car.I know I will be safe in my car,I know the roads lead to the destination.I know whats going to happen on this journey...I just keep driving and driving.But somehow I just do not feel happy about it.I was always told we need a car to take on the journey of life and that we would be blessed to be safe.But today I feel the safety of this car and the certainty of the road is killing me.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

How to make a man smile for a picture...

I was asked to write this article for WikiHow and I thought why not write it for my own blog first(selfish me!:-P)
Most men are not used to smiling for pictures,this is especially true if he is portraying the serious "guy" image(Unlike us women who are always giggling at silly things all the time:-P).Strangely this attitude gets carried over when they have stepped out of the role and are now asked to pose as a more soft,cheerful person.There are some exceptions to this rule though,ones that can gracefully change roles as needed.
HOW?
# TRICKING HIM--If you are his girl-friend and are trying to get him to smile for a picture,remind him of something funny that's happened between the two of you and strategically have the picture taken by someone else as you talk.
# TREATING HIM--A warm hug and long kiss might help him relax and be prepared for the task.Also note most male homo sapient species love food,a delightful scoop of vanilla over gulab jamun or a yummy tandoori thali might have the same effect as above.In both the above cases,ensure he does not know whats about to befall him.The above two scenarios works best for guys who are nervous about posing for picture as they would not know his moment of un-cautiousness is being clicked away.
# TEACHING HIM--This is for men who are not really afraid of the camera but just don't know how to smile.A little tickling(beware of barbaric men who think its a call to swing their clubs at you),juxtaposing a cardboard smile card over the appropriate facial area,showing him some pictures of the best smiles in the world(1.TRR's karadi smile 2.Sam Anderson's weak smile 3.Vijay's youth smile 4.RJ Shiva's world conquering smile)might build the confidence for his own smile.
# THREATENING HIM--This works if the above suggestions don't work in your favor.Every guy has his own fears and if you are someone trying so hard to get to smile,you will know what are his.Use it!!Get the dude to smile please.
WARNINGS!
# While following the "treating him" ensure your photographer clicks the appropriate moment,not when your man is indulging himself awkwardly in a piece of chicken or when you are hugging him
# While following the"threatening him",remember that female versions of threat are not really the males version too.E.g:Threatening to make him watch "Yaruko Yaro--the step knee" three times in a row is more of a delight for the species and might fall into "treating him".

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Blessed...

I looked out and watched the dark clouds
Clasping my heart by now filled with doubts
Of an impending danger I know not but soon
Fall on me before the light of moon
With bated breath I heard the voice on the phone
Heart started weeping by then hearing the tone
I cried and cried and felt the pain wallow me
Then I saw the things that I didn’t want to ever see
Its been there lurking around the dark clouds
Then came the lightening and rain of tears
It was the worst night of my life
Despite it all, looking back now- it feels rife
How wonderful the journey has been from there
All it took was to hope with my heart and dare
To call quit and move on….
To blissfully wake up to see a sunny dawn
Cause no matter what, life must go on
Time is a healer-slow yet strong
That which I thought was a loss and a curse upon me
Is today a blessing in disguise and a path to true glee