The Balloon man!!!

On my way back from a movie theater today, I crossed a balloon seller... there he was, a 50 something year old pulling along a large helium tank, old dirty clothes, and a hopeful eye on everyone passing by. This was not the first time I saw him and this will not be the last one.

I have never bought a balloon from him, because I considered it a waste of money. This after I just spent Rs. 200 on a movie ticket and another Rs. 250 for popcorn and coke. The balloon costs Rs. 10.

Each time I see him I wonder how much he must earn. Is it enough for him to feed his family? Does he have a family? How far does he travel to sell these balloons? Where does he stay? And many more such questions that my relative economic comfort gives me the luxury of.

And then wonder how much of what I spent on the movie would be enough for the balloon man's monthly expenses. And how much would my spending Rs. 10 help him. What can I do to help him out? Can I alone make a difference in his life?

At the same time I wonder about my last weekend's expenditure. The expense on the latest whim. Why can't I lead a simpler life? Why whatever I earn is only just enough?

I don't have the answer to all these questions. And what worries me more is that these questions only come to my mind when I see the balloon man. Maybe next time I will stop and ask these to him. Maybe he will have all the answers.

Are photographs destroying all the fun...

On a recent visit to Rajasthan, I clicked around 583 photographs over 3 days. Removing the blurred ones, that left me with ONLY 492!!! ONLY!!!

As I looked back at some of those photographs, I realized that I saw a lot less on the trip than I photographed. This got me thinking, "Did my desire.. no no.. my need, to click so many pics actually destroy my trip?" I may hate admitting it to myself, but that just might be the case. And so this blog... yes, photographs do tend to destroy a lot of the fun.

Take your own last new year party for example. How many pics were clicked in those 4-5 hours on either side of 0000 hrs.? I would say enough!! Usually 0000 hrs is the time you kiss your wife a very happy new year and hug your friends. Now, its a moment that JUST HAS TO BE photographed. Why? Will you even see those photographs after February? I doubt.

Take the last team dinner/reunion that you had. Its a time to talk to people. A time to enjoy and remember old times. So, did you carry old pics to the dinner to help the talk and remember old times? I don't think so. What you did do was take your digital camera and click another 200 photos of stupid poses by people, food, and random decorative items in the restaurant which is your attempt at creative photography. You put them on Facebook, get a 100 comments, and then its just one more of your albums.

And what did you do to get all those pics? You asked people to get together in those uncomfortable group pics where no one knows exactly which of the gazillion cameras should they look into, using funny hats, balloons, cocktail glasses, wine glasses, shoes, bottles, candles, flowers, or anything else that will make us look like fools which we just do not want to. And not to forget, the most displeasing of them all, food photographs!! I mean, do you have to really stop a person from eating his beautiful plate of food just because you want to take a photograph of it? From all food lovers to all photographers, don't make us wait for our food!! Please don't!!

At the end of the day, I feel that we are so focussed on creating good "Facebook" or "perfect picture" moments that we forget to enjoy all the wonderful moments just happen. Click photos, lots of them, to remember the wonderful moments. Don't plan moments to take those photos.

Smokers! You murderous cult!!!

Don't get me wrong. I totally respect the right of all smokers to kill themselves.

That said, who gave them the right to kill us with all the passive smoking? There is no logic that justifies it. Of course the beloved statement is, "Passive smoking is more harmful that active smoking, so start smoking man!!" Really!!! What, has all that smoking turned your brain into a charred mess? Smokers, please stop using that statement. Its just stupid to say.

Now coming to the topic of freedom to smoke. I for one am a big advocate of freedom to make my own decisions, good ones and bad ones. Smokers, for you smoking may be a good or bad decision, its up to you. I respect that. But please realize, you need to respect the decisions of others to not smoke. Smoke, smoke all you want. Just not in front of others. Don't smoke in restaurants, in front of the main entrance to a building, on a bus stop, in a cricket stadium, and in parks. Don't say but we already can't smoke in most of those places. Smokers will smoke anywhere they can find oxygen.

Another thing that bugs me about smokers is their callousness. I mean, don't you see the person who started coughing the moment you lit up? Don't you see the pregnant lady, the family with little children, they girl jogging, the old couple next to you, or even the young romantic couple next to you? They are all disturbed by your actions! And they are all probably suffering. And yes, it is your fault.

Smokers, a few truths you may or may not know:

1. No matter what you say, you are addicted.

2. Smoking is a weakness, you may need it for whatever reasons, for calming your nerves, enjoy that drink a bit more, bond with the others, or for starting your bowel movements in the morning.

3. No matter how many mints you have or how much deodorant you use, you always stink of cigarette. And anyone with a decent nose can tell you, its one of the more disgusting stink that you can come across.

4. You really don't look "cool" smoking a cigarette. No matter how many smoke rings you can make.

Now, moving on to the law... I believe instead of making areas where people cannot smoke, it makes it easier for everyone if laws were made about places one can smoke. That way, I, as a non-smoker, have no business being somewhere marked for smoking, do I? Of course, that is assuming smokers are law abiding citizens, which I am sorry to say, they are not.

I have no illusions about ours becoming an Utopian society. But just try, next time you feel like lighting a cigarette, look around and think.

Why blog?

Well, as a good friend of mine will say, why not? Or as some others hope, maybe my writing will stop my talking. :) Lets see, only time will tell.

But why do I want to write? Because I have so much to say. About everything. All the time. And I feel that this is a better way to express myself than the public bursts of anger. Also, I hope this will improve my writing.

Also, for a person with such strong opinion on things (Departed was a nonsense movie, Aishwarya Rai B. is no actress, Delhi for most part is not a city fit to live in, and so on) this is a safer way to express myself. At most all one can do is post a nasty comment at the end.

This blog will feature all my controversial thoughts and there will be no mincing of words. Feedback will always be welcome. And I respect your right to say what you have to.

This just might be fun!!! :)