Rendezvous with the Technologist

A suburban train in this city ferries some fifteen hundred commuters during a single journey - a conservative personal estimate, that being. Mumbaipedia has gone a step further in defining a suburban train, which it claims to be a series of motorized carriages, in Mumbai, transporting a third of the world's population every year!

At close to half past six one evening, out from work, I ambled into Churchgate terminus and found myself ill-timed to have missed my usual ride. Boarding another, only minutes after, i chose to avoid, as i always do, the desperate battle-struggles of co-travellers to find salvation in being seated to begin their long and sometimes arduous journeys homeward.

At the next stopover, which like the others doesn't last more than a few seconds, in came someone i thought i knew. Uncertain, yet enthused by this pleasant happening of chance, i waited a while to make sure. Suspicion turned certainty after i sent the 'suspect' a text message seeking confirmation and then pronto - i came face to face and shook hands with the famous blogger and technologist, as I choose to call him.

Chirag Jethmalani was introduced to me by his blog some years ago and we exchanged notes on blogging, social media and the like, not ever having met before, without the possibility of meeting ever - until that evening. And my enthusiasm knew no bounds as i chatted away at this delightful happenstance.

Warm, exuberant, mature and with a distinctive poise, here was a person who had, fairly early on, understood the ramifications of technology and its influence on our lives and businesses in a very definite manner. Having incubated his own business venture and also pursuing higher education, Chirag is a corporate blogger engaged by a number of names in the industry. But he is best known to be the founder and editor of squamble.com which is a platform for sharing the latest buzz on business in India and updates on technology. Today, over 700 articles, close to 4 years and some 75,000 pageviews later, Squamble commands a brand value.

And aptly, like he describes himself, he is an established blogger and comes across as a thinker, who admires creativity and innovation and is hungry for gyan with ideas turning him on.

But what could one say about a chance meeting, for the first time, on a suburban train - endless possibilities in the maximum city?

Time Check

Of considerable interest to me, though largely incomprehensible to my limited mind, is the marvel of time, its passage, and the sheer change it brings about in life.

Quietly, yet seemingly at rather fast pace, i have covered some 120 odd days in this Eden of people and concrete. I'm surprised at how yesterday gives into tomorrow and beyond and am equally amazed at how it feels that i have lived here for a few years now.

Maybe that is precisely why they say that time slows down at high speeds!

On another note, the railways here should consider issuing frequent traveller options like how the airlines do :-)

Blanked

Today's thoughts run into a blank. The otherwise free flowing feel of the mind seems wrenched and there is no particular reason i can think of for an answer. I cannot be certain if it is due to a number of preoccupations or contrarily due to an inert state of nothingness. But today, my mind is drawing a blank and there isn't anything i can really think of, other than a feeling of scathing emptiness, that is different and a bit concerning too.

As if to reassure, i seek explanations from my weary mind, in assertive assumption as if it was a manufacturing plant designated to churn out a new product at every regular interval of time. Realization and reason further draw a blank when the mind fails to recognize the question and refuses to offer any response.

As a defensive rejoinder, i am relegated to dwell on logic, analysis and rationale - when i'm gently reminded by an inner voice that those attributes do not qualify one bit to describe the human mind. And then, there are the ringing words of Charles C. Finn which say that 'i will tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, do not be fooled by what i am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what i am not saying.'

Hello Burfi!

Dear Burfi!

Your acutely intensely portrayal of life amidst debilitating impairments moved me a great deal. Even more appreciable was the underlying theme of being able to proffer a smile at even the most incapable occasion.

I'm not sure if a lot of us are able to conduct ourselves similarly under comparable circumstances - of that i'm certain that i surely cannot! Life makes many of us malleable and ductile in ways we cannot have imagined, and then there are also some of us who grow terribly tempered to eventually breakup, losing the ability to withstand the tempest and remain tensile.

So, human as i am, i will relegate these 'rare' distinctions, commonly, or, only possible on celluloid!

I care not if you've been a snitch-job from portrayals across decades, classics, industries and people - for me it's been quite an out-of-the-ordinary 'weekend entertainer' that i enjoyed.

But, in the same breath, i wouldn't quite go bouncy about the Oscar part. Perhaps it is depiction of characters that was most interesting really!

And, you did manage to score a thing or two on the editorial of India's only entirely 'Page 3' newspaper, huh?

tada!

The Odd Buff