I’ve thought about this long and hard and I always come back to the same thing. If I could really invent something useful I would create a solution for garbage disposal. I think India, like most developing nations, struggle to contain the garbage situation. People will continue to create waste; it’s inevitable until science advances enough to get rid of this situation for us. I think our scientists must try to work on this as a very dangerous situation could arise out of rotting garbage.

For the last few days on the bus ride to Koratty on my way to work, I pass by the area just after Kalamassery. There is a huge vacant land that is a piling ground for garbage from the city. Just looking at this place creates bile in my throat. I know that the workers are doing their best to level it off but you can just see the layers of plastic bags and stuff in that land. I have two areas near my apartment building that are dumps for garbage – all sorts of rotting foul smell coming out from rubble, bags of wasted food and who knows what. So here’s what I would want to invent.

I would want to invent/create something that dissolves garbage. Maybe a chemical which, when you add to plastics, food waste, materials, rubber, cardboards, dirt, old cloth etc reacts with it and dissolves it to — nothing! The end by product should be absolutely nothing. Got a lot of waste products? No problem; just pour a little of my liquid chemical into it and presto! In about less than an hour, it all just gets dissolved into nothing.

Ok so you say there has to be a by product. I get that but there’s nothing that says the by product has to be bad. So the by product of my garbage & waste destroying chemical liquid is going to be a fragrance that wafts in the air – and it smells like lavender! Fuck yeah I’m a genius.

This point / discussion came up today during the training session I was conducting for the agents of the call center in my new office and I gave them ample time to come up with points and counterpoints. I have my own points on this particularly topic. This is something that I have strongly argued over during the last few years.

Ok first let me tell you the standard dress code that I am used to – Monday to Thursday formals (shirts tucked in, belts, formal shoes – preferably black) while Friday, Saturday and any Sundays that I go to work could be casuals – jeans, t-shirts (not that I wear any) and sports shoes or open shoes. I’m guessing that this is the standard in most companies over here or anywhere for that matter. And I am happy to follow this. Infact I will go so far as to endorse this code as I feel that it is necessary. I have seen too many youngsters dress really badly to the office and feel that a little discipline goes a long, long way. Some of them kids come to the offices with gaudy & overly bright coloured t-shirts with fancy lettering and at times obscene written messages. Jeans or pants are hug low on the waist line and if they happen to bend down, you will get to see the partition between India & Pakistan! And if their hair doesn’t look like it was mistaken for a toilet cleaning brush, I’d consider the rest of us truly blessed.

So that’s why I feel that they should get used to wearing formals. But I do not believe what some old foggies say that when you wear casuals to work you tend to be too casual in your work. Especially if you work in customer care over the phone. I’ve heard that a lot (as I have been in the customer care / call center industry from 2002) and you know what – those who say it are usually assholes who have never taken a single call in their life with reference to customer care. Another thing – I did my best work over the phone, nay my best days, over the phone when I was dressed casually. You know why? cause I was comfortable and I wasn’t worried about anything else and so my concentration was on my customers who got connected o me. This is true for most people who have worked in this industry. So for those who do not agree – you have not worked for more than a few days in this profile and hence your opinion does not count.

It so depends. When I am in the company of people younger than me, like 25-19, I feel so ancient. At those times I talk of 1987 and 1985 as if they were during the dark ages. I feel like a daddy at those times and talk like I’ve been changing their diapers for ages. I even tell them that. Like the sweet girl who works in recruitment for my previous company – she even calls me pappa and I treat her like she is a small kid. This comes rather naturally for me.

Well when you are 34 and all them whippersnappers are over 10 years younger than you, what else will you do? However at times I feel that I should actually be much younger, just a little past the kid stage. When a longing comes in my heart, I am a eager & young as a teenager. I even look younger at those times (according to people who are close to me). A few people have not felt that I am my age, in looks as well, which is downright flattering but I think I do look my age and so is that a bad observation on their part?

So in conclusion, it differs for me as to whether I feel older or younger than I really at, depending on who I am with, where I am, what I am doing and what the situation is all about. But then you can’t forget my life philosophy – You are only as old as the girls you feel!!!!

So bring on the 16 year old hot cheerleader gals, baby!

Good grief, I thought that this was an easy one. Well let me make it easy. I’m gonna type whatever comes to my mind, without putting too much thought into it, when I think of sunrise & sunset and then see which one sounds more appealing.

Sunrise: alarm clocks, sleepy eyes, stiff joints, stretching, yawning, struggling to get out of the sheets, stumbling towards the loo, brushing teeth and getting that first cup of coffee to make yourself awake.

Sunset: more coffee, the day’s winding, heading home from work or heading to get a bite to eat with family or friends, drinks, food, chilling, enjoyment, city comes alive, as do you.

Now you tell me which one do you prefer? For me, it’s sunset all the way.