Are you God ?

One cold evening during the holiday season, a little boy about six or seven was standing out in front of a store window. The little child had no shoes and his clothes were mere rags. A young woman passing by saw the little boy and could read the longing in his pale blue eyes. She took the child by the hand and led him into the store. There she bought him some new shoes and a complete suit of warm clothing.


They came back outside into the street and the woman said to the child, "Now you can go home and have a very happy holiday."

The little boy looked up at her and asked, "Are you God, Madam ?"

She smiled down at him and replied, "No son, I am just one of His children."

The little boy then said, "I knew you had to be some relation."

[By Dan Clark. Read in Chicken Soup for the woman's soul]

Small things

Got this nice email sometime ago. I am a strong believer in this theory. There were many instances ...

The day was September 11, 2001. Many people perished. But, the head of a company survived
because his son started going to kindergarten that day.

Another fellow was alive because it was
His turn to bring donuts.
One woman was late because her
Alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike
Because of an auto accident.

One of them Missed his bus.One spilled food on her clothes and had to take
Time to change.

One's Car wouldn't start.

One went back to Answer the telephone

One had a Child that dawdled
And didn't get ready as soon as he should have.

One couldn't Get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man
Who put on a new pair of shoes that morning,
Took the various means to get to work
But before he got there, he developed
a blister on his foot.
He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid.
That is why he is alive today
Now when I am
Stuck in traffic
Miss an elevator,
Turn back to answer a ringing telephone...
All the little things that annoy me.
I think to myself,

This is exactly where
my guardian angel wants me to be
At this very moment..

Next time your morning seems to be Going wrong
The children are slow getting dressed
You can't seem to find the car keys,
You hit every traffic light,

Don't get mad or frustrated;
May be just that
Someone is watching over you.
May Love continue to find you
With all those annoying little things
And may you remember their possible purpose.

For many of us, the God and the guardian angel have to work overtime - can't take their eyes off me even for a minute ! So, let us help them and listen to their gentle hints ...

New House - 2

After reading my last blog on our new house, there have been comments from friends ! Questions, doubts, snide remarks ! So, I think, I should better answer all these people with another post on our house, howmuchever I don't like to write about my personal life ...

Of the two photographs you have posted, one is of the house from outside and another is from the house of the outside (sic). So, are we to assume that the inside is not photogenic ?

No. Here is a photo of our 'living room', which is as photogenic as it can be (without us in the picture). Another view of the same room is given at the bottom of this post.

What do you mean by your policy of non-event ?

Oh that ? Durga and myself are not really used to organising big parties or functions or celebrations for any personal events in our life. Quiet and simple life, you see.

Even our wedding, readers may remember, was a simple affair - we got married at 6.30 in the morning in a temple, had breakfast with everyone by about 8.30; and by 10.30, Durga was in the school attending a class and I was in the Hospital to continue work on a software I was creating those days for our insurance programme ! Now, you understand our policy of non-events ?

So, you didn't do any ritual related to house-warming ?

Of course, we had a cute little ritual of பால் காய்ச்சுதல் (boiling over of milk) in the new house, a few days before we actually moved. On 7th May, at an auspicious hour (as prescribed by my mother), we boiled over the milk.

We had the pleasure of our friends Bala-Viji and their kids Madhu and Arun with us that day. Madhu, Arun and Vennila sang some wonderful slokas and songs. It was wonderful. (Will write more about them later in another blog).

Durga's efficiency. Vennila's cooperation. Fine. What about you ? It looks like you didn't do much (as usual) ...?

Hmmm...Next question, please !

How small is small ?

It is enough for three of us; to keep all our things; our two computers; and, books. More than us, the guests who may visit us will have to adjust !! (If Circuit of Munna Bhai visits our house, he will surely say, अरे भाई, ये रूम शुरू होते होते ही, खत्म होगया !)

But, I must warn you about our bathroom and toilet. It is built for Indians, more specifically short Indians. If anyone has ideas of dancing while taking bath, that is surely out. Tall (defined as anything above 175 cm) people should sit and take bath. Washing clothes, of course, can be done outside with that wonderful view mentioned in the last blog.

I believe, this answers all your questions.

New House !

Last Saturday (10^th May 2008), we have moved to a new house. After living near the Vidyodaya school for many years, we have moved outside the 'campus'. As has been our policy, the shifting process was also a non-event. We packed everything in a few hours on Friday evening; moved almost all our things on Saturday morning; and by lunch, the new house was ready. Another example for Durga's efficiency. And, cooperation of Vennila.

The new house is smaller compared to our old one; but, within few days, we feel that this is more than enough. With little bit of planning and organising, all our things have been nicely arranged. Quite a few people have visited us during the last few days and have said, it is cute and nice. The cement sheet for roof is the only thing we would have liked to be different – a Tiled roof would have been ideal. May be, we will try to get some used old tiles and try something.

Vennila was the first to make friends with the neighbours. If the old house had a terrific view from the front, the best part of the new house is from the kitchen or back. The frog hill, view point and the forest around the Ooty road and a small valley where vegetables are grown ... really terrific view. Isn't it ?

And, while packing our stuff, we could decide on things that are not really being used by us and we are in the process of disposing them off. A whole lot of clothes have been distributed to others in the last couple of days. I am seriously considering whether to take a decision not to buy any new shirts for the next one year – even the mandatory Deepavali and Pongal ones can be avoided. Let us see.

And, it looks like the electricity and phone connections in this area are not very perfect. There is very low voltage for most of the time, especially in the evenings. Can't switch on our computers at all after 6 PM. May be, this is good. If I can get used to this, I am going to have quite a lot of time in hand !

Drop in when you are passing by this side !!

Dogs have owners

I have some strong views on the eternal debate going on about our pets, especially Dogs Vs Cats.


I am a committed believer that Dogs are the ideal pets. Recently, I read somewhere which tellingly illustrates my feelings towards Dogs ("Wow") and Cats ("Ugh") !

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

I heard that dogs are attached to people, while cats are just attached to the houses where they stay. So, when people move houses, dogs are the first ones to move with the people, while cats lazily stay on the roof. (May be the modern cats being kept in flats get packed with all the other belongings and go with the luggage to the new house !)
I once famously commented that Dogs have the most beautiful faces, and I love them next only to girls. As I told this when I was in my early twenties at IRMA, it was considered quite sacrilegious to compare anything with the beauty of girls ! But, I stand by it - even in my early forties ...

When I come back from work, Vennila comes running to welcome me and gives a hug. Such things give a terrific boost to your ego ! For someone who gets his ego boosted by such things, dogs are really the god send. The way they show their affection and loyalty is wonderful. Bala and myself used to feel quite handicapped without a tail - "If only I had a tail, I would have wagged it to show my gratefulness easily. Telling it in hundreds of words, that too in English, is quite complicated", we used to say.

Compare this with the snob called Cat. Comes to you only when it needs some tickling or food. And, leaves just the moment after that. Is it possible to shoo a cat away or order it to stay near you ? Never !


Read this write-up comparing dogs and cats. And, you will agree with me ...

Ever since the dogs' ancestor, the wolf, connived his way into the hunter-gatherer's settlements, the two species have got along famously. there are ever so many tales of the loyalty and bravado of our canine friends, but anecdotes about house cats are seldom heard.

All along, it has been an uneasy alliance. Sure enough, cats keep the rodent population in check, but view us humanbeings with a delicate air of disdain. It is as if we are a matter of some curiosity, but very little importance.

Recently, I read an article by a doctor couple in a newspaper about how a cat strayed into their house (knowing fully well that the wife is a Gynaecologist) when it was fully pregnant, stayed for a few days, delivered the kittens; but moved the very next day to the neighbour's house (because a Paediatrician was staying there) with all her kids. The Gynaecologist seems to have remarked, "Cats know exactly what they want, and they get it too !"

How typical of cats !

Why are Indians eating so much ? And, depriving Americans ?

Bush does it again. Well assisted by his Secretary Rice. They are wondering why have Indians and Chinese started eating better food now, thereby causing the world food crisis. Reactions in India are varying from 'mind your business', 'what cheek' to 'we know what to eat and what not to'.


But, we should know our priorities clearly. Doesn't the world exist to produce food for America and to consumer products manufactured by America ? How dare we try to change it ? For decades, we Indians have survived by just eating the bare minimum. Now, our prosperous middle class is venturing to eat healthy diets. How dare we do it ! When the precious food is required by the Americans to make bio-fuels and to run their vehicles. Shouldn't we know that it is more important for an American to ride his car than for an Indian or a Chinese to put on a few extra calories ?

Some scientists in India are suggesting that our current practice of growing grains like maize and sorghum, feeding them to chickens and then eat the chickens, is a bad utilisation of land, energy and resources. We will be better off eating the grains directly, instead of this ineffective cycle through chickens. Such scientists should be considered insane for caring so much about things like equity, energy utilisation etc., isn't it ?

Even after blatantly espousing the cause of American superiority, if the Indians and Chinese do not go back to their survival rations and if they dare to eat more pulses and nutritive food, I think, the only step left to Bush and Rice is to redirect their war machinery this side. After all, the only reason required to start another edition of the war on terrorism is for Bush to get paranoid about something or somebody.

We should go far and wide into our country side and tell our farmers to grow fuel for Americans and not struggle to grow food for Indians.


Long live Bush and his American Secretary of State, (ironically called Rice) !

The 90% Rule

There are quite a few golden rules in life. One that had helped me get along in life well is the following one :

90% of everything is boring !

There isn't any profession or a job or any arrangement that is an unadulterated happiness.

After the initial euphoria, almost everything settles into a rather routine schedule; same problems with different faces and names. Things that look extremely attractive from outside are not the full details - there will be many fine prints, ifs and buts, and 'installation charges extra' kind of things.


I used to think creative people like writers and artists have a blissful life. They do what they like the best and make a living out of it - and, get paid for it ! Wow, wonderful, I thought. But, recently I read a wonderful tamil book by A.Muthulingam called 'Viyathalum Ilamae..' in which he has interviewed more than 10 international famous writers. (You can read the review of this book in my Tamil blog here). There these famous writers say how difficult it is to find a publisher, edit the contents as per the wishes of the editor, how they suffer due to impractical deadlines, etc. When we read a nice story or see a terrific (successful) film, we don't realise these things that happen in their lives !

So, now I don't crib when for a full day I search for some missing paise in the accounts. When I sit through some boring discussions. When I format a whole long document inserting page breaks, reducing / increasing the font sizes to fit them into A4 pages. These are all part of the 90% quota. The final product is quite exciting (almost everywhere), the production process will surely fall under this 'boring' rule.

But, what it also means, in other words, is that there is 10% interesting stuff in everything as well. For example, the presentation mentioned in the cartoon above has an interesting aspect that when it comes to an end, the world is going to be one swell of a place ! Much before than it was, when the presentation started.

There is fun hidden in interacting with a terrible government official also. When you find out the missing paise and the statement tallies, there is a thrill. Even when there is a bug in my computer program, if it was logically found out by someone trained by me.

So, when I understood the wisdom of this 90% golden rule, things are quite fine with me.

Sorry, most part of this post is preaching-of-sorts and quite boring. But, what else do you expect ?