Random pods

Listened to a podcast on entrepreneurial thoughts over the commute to 9TO5.. Some quotes:

"When you get a job, you don't get a job you get a key to the building."
(elaborated with, you don't have to wait for someone to give you responsibilities or problems to solve..)

"Entrepreneurs build the ladder below them"
(said in conjunction with how entrepreneurs don't have to wait to be anointed. They can choose to print 'president' or 'ceo' on their business cards)

"To solve a problem: You first have to know the world with the problem. Then you have to visualize the world without the problem. Then build steps to reach from this world to that."

The good citizen

For 2 days the garbage collection truck did not come to Umesh' house. His house is in HSR layout - one of the popular residential layouts of Bangalore. He took the trash out in search of a garbage bin nearby.
There was none.

The good citizen he is, he did not throw it in the nearest vacant land, and hopped into his car along with the trash bag. He drove around his sector of HSR Layout, then the next, and the next - in search of a garbage bin.
There was none.

Then he drove out to the Outer Ring Road, and still did not find any.
Not willing to give up, he walked into his office on outer ring road, the garbage bag replacing his laptop bag that usually walks in with him..
He looked around and finally found one on the 7th floor of the building.
He dumped his garbage bag in that garbage bin - a proud moment for the city that has citizens such as him.

But, what happens when the garbage truck does not come to his house the next time? What did other people in his layout do - who don't have a vehicle or an office or were getting late for their kids' school?

I got a forward this morning about this initiative to clean Bangalore in a day: http://www.cbengaluru.com/. It is a drive organized by an NGO - Anonymous Indian (?!), calling all citizens of Bangalore to join in this noble drive on August-15.
(Of course, this is a well implemented prank! Thanks, Anon!)

But, what are the city administrators doing??? I am sure they will not get the point that the joke is on them!

Internet killed the childhood crush..

Recently I got back in touch with my childhood crush (one of the many, of course).. Those school days when anyone who - looked remotely like shashi kapoor or sang kishore kumar songs, or begged adoringly for forgiveness to the principal for being caught red-handed smoking in the bathroom - qualified as a crush...

And even in those primary school years you knew that the best way to keep your one-sided romance going, is not talk to the other.. Just stare now and then, and imagine that he stares when you are not watching.. just like the latest hindi movie you saw.. That make-believe romance gave enough morale high to see through the continuous bad hair days, fear of missed out homework, and worries of not finding a place next to your favorite benchmates when the classroom changed with the academic year..

So, here I am, after a few decades, happily settled in every meaning of the word - taking time whenever life permits to look back and relish those innocently clumsy memories. In my imagination, every crush had grown into a shashi kapoor or a kishore kumar or an underworld don..

..Until one of those kiddos found me on a social networking site..

Now I know about his whole history, where he went to college, who his friends are, what they talk, what his hobbies are, what his kid looks like and more.. Rrrrrrippppppp....The curtains on a stage dimly lit with delicious mystery was suddenly lifted to reveal stark brightness of knowing... And in that brightness disappeared one of my fondest memories..

These are the very few times I wish the inventor of the www paid heed to the words -"Ignorance is Bliss".. :)

What do you say?