The Prefixed 'i'

There is something about the photograph that has been put up on the Apple India homepage. He seems to be saying, "Wait for the next launch. I have quite a few surprises lined up!" The photograph also portrays a sense of humor and an almost mischievous glint in the eyes. Photographs taken at various events impress his strong personality upon the observer - simple hand gestures and a confident jaw.

I have never heard him speak. Not even his much acclaimed Stanford Commencement Speech on Youtube. And I do not know how he sounds. Rather, how he used to sound. And I would like to keep it that way.

I would rather remember him as the thin man in a black turtleneck - the iMan.

The Things People Say...

There are a couple of mails that are frequently circulated that contain a list of all the funny things people say. Some have equally funny/witty replies. We all know them. Here are a few things people have said to me / I have heard:-

On understanding that I lived abroad for a year and a half, a kind looking gentleman asked me, "Were you all alone in a new city, a new country so far away?" I replied, "No, Sir. I was with a cousin and her family. I also had friends there. So I was never alone."
"Oh! You mean you were all alone with you cousins and friends."
Phew! Go get a dictionary, and look up the words "alone" and "missing family", if that's what you mean.

One day, I was at the watch-maker's, waiting for Mum's watch to be repaired, when I heard the lady behind the counter yell into her mobile phone, "You just switch off net now otherwise there is one tight slap for you!"

Its funny how people are good at writing in a specific language and how they goof-up while speaking in the same language. Let me admit that I have had such goof-ups too. I just hope there weren't too many of them! Some of the phrases/parts of sentences literally translated from one's mother tongue to English and vice versa:-
1. "Where/What it is?" for "ते कुठे / काय आहे?"
2. "If anything goes, it goes of me. What goes of you?" for "तुझ काय जात? काही असेल तर ते माझ बिघडत"
3. "I was there only" for "मी तिथेच होते"
4. "I don't believe on that" for "माझा त्याच्यावर विश्वास नाही"
5.And an annoying habit to insert 'the' at will. For example, "Does the (name of celebrity) live here?"

On a serious note, languages are very important. Communication started because of language. It was a medium through which daily life and business was carried on. Every language is as varied as the other. The older the language, the richer it is. There is huge scope for expression in languages. Languages evolve and get richer because people use them. Adaptation of languages is one thing and maiming them is another. It is sad that the importance attached to them has been decreasing in schools. It is time we wake up and start respecting them!

Considering that this blog is about language goof-ups, the following tweet (RT queen_uk) sums up my feelings towards all languages:
"No, Mr Jobs, there is no such thing as American English. There is English and there are mistakes!"

A Step Nearer

I was a mere child of 8 during the 1992-93 blasts and riots that rocked Mumbai and India - in extension (Every thing that rocks Mumbai rocks India - in extension. Otherwise won't they target places in the remote interior corners of the country?!). I have very few memories of that time. Most of what I know is from what I have heard. Given my age, my parents (I think) did not discuss the events that unfolded in my presence. However, I heard a lot of things at school and on the school-bus (main source of education and learning, even more than the classroom itself!). They were gruesome, yes. Even then I remember thinking that people cannot be as evil as described. I still do not know if the school bus stories were real or mere figments of wild, unhampered, young imagination. During the following years, due to no such unfortunate event, the memory of '92-'93 faded away and I naively assumed that terrorism in India had come to a near end - there were just the wars along the borders. And of course, I was very far away from them! Not in my vicinity!

Roughly a decade after, followed the blasts on the London Underground and at other major metropolitan cities across Europe and of course, the 9/11! (I may have got the order incorrect). But every time, it seemed as if the blasts happened in places where I could not possibly imagine me and/or my parents and relatives to be. This strengthened my feeling that nothing of this sort would happen in my vicinity. I started believing that I would be safe, no matter what. This did not happen in my vicinity!

Back in India, the first decade of the new millenium saw a series of blasts throughout the country - Bangalore, Delhi, Jaipur - to name a few. Again, not in my vicinity! Mumbai was not left out, of course. There were blasts on local trains, near railway stations and at super markets. Again, these were places me and my family did not frequent - Bombay Central, Vile Parle and Mulund Railway Stations. And there were others at Zaveri Bazaar and Gate Way of India. Again, not in my vicinity! Though close to the areas I frequent and certainly close to my father's office. This was the first step nearer.

Next came the one of the most gruesome firings at Hotels Taj Mahal & Oberoi-Trident and Nariman House. Though not frequented, these were places that hosted conferences and exhibitions which I did attend. Also, I visited other places that are in the vicinity of these. This was the next step nearer.

And the most recent on July 13th at Dadar. DADAR! Do I frequent it? Yes! Is it in my vicinity? Yes!! Do I know many people visiting that place? Hell YES!! It's like a huge, homely super market!

With every planned activity, are they getting a step nearer?

Reflections

Today being a Saturday and a half working Saturday (I work full days on Saturdays!), I decided to de-stress and go a-ramble into the depths of cyber space. And that reminded me about my space in it, my blog that I had neglected for so long.

Signing in after what seemed like ages, I found it amusing to read my previous blogs. As amusing as going through old school photographs and smiling at triggered memories.Something about the blog gave me a stale feeling, a feeling of unchanged-ness. This feeling has been surfacing quite frequently these days. Probably because of the office and its environment. (Note to self: Blogged when with LifeCycle). Nevertheless, I decided to revamp and give my dear blog a new look. I randomly follow various blogs and this inspired even more.

My blog has to reflect me. Period. But what is it that really reflects me? I thought about many many many things but all that I could come up with was - Books!! And hence this background image :)

And with this revamp, I shall endeavor to blog regularly, yet again!