Kramer Vs Loungers

M. Kramer walks into the lounge and says “What’s up, lounge lizards?” The sprawled out bored loungers gaze at this nerdy looking guy with messy hair and worn-down clothes. They answer almost in chorus “Not much”.

Kramer says “Say, I have an idea. I have put over 150K miles on my car and its resale value has shrunk. I was thinking I could drive my car backwards (in reverse gear) on the highway and bring down the miles. Am I da coolest or what?”

Guess what the loungers said to that?

My grandmother

Written in the memory of my grandmother 'Radha Obalappa'
Oct 21 1922 - Jan 9 2005

My grandmother was an extraordinary lady who led an ordinary life. My earliest memory of my grandmother is the way she would sing the lullaby 'Jo Jo Shri Krishna' when I used to get asthma attacks as a child every other week. My mother would pack me off to my grandparents' because she knew that that was where I wanted to be, where I would be pampered and cared for. My Momma, as I used to call her, was deeply religious used to sing songs like 'taarammayya' and tell me stories about 'prahlada' to take my mind off the pain.

If I had to describe my grandmother I would say she was the picture of dignity. She wore a big maroon bindi on her forehead, very nicely made ruby earrings that looked like a flower with gold petals would hang low, big framed glasses that were little too big for her small face, yellow stoned nose ring and a very kind smile. She was so petite that I would always worry about her frail body. I remember this one time when I went shopping for my grandmother, I was looking for a sweater for her and ended up buying a sweater made for a seven year old. When she tried it on, it fit her perfect!

She was so selfless, always putting the needs of others before her own. She was happiest when she was doing something for others. She would fold my clothes in a neat pile and look at me for my approval. When I told her it was great, her smile would light up the whole house. It was always very easy pleasing my grandmother; all it took was a flower or a stuffed toy. She truly believed in the simple pleasures of life.

Right from the time I've known her, I've seen her perpetually busy, doing something all the time, be it cooking, cleaning or just waiting on my grandfather. She would make pickles every mango season and they lasted for more than 4 years usually. No illness could keep her down; she would always bounce back with endless energy and constant activity. Towards the end of her life, her memory began to fail and she felt angry and helpless when she could not remember things. The day before her death she told our maid what a nice girl I was but did not recall my name. She always said the nicest things to people just like she did about me:). She was also a very God-fearing person who always did anything only if it was morally right and her last words a few moments before she left us were the names of God itself.

One other quality my grandma possessed that never ceases to amaze me is her incredible love for my grandfather. She was so crazy about him, worship him, would always talk about him when he was out of town selling land in Chitradurga and I could tell that every essence of her being craved to be close to him all the time. She would hate spending time at my parents' house without him and would sneak out of the house and go back to her house thinking my grandpa would be there. Now, I think about the times I would be angry at her for going away from our house without telling us and I understand that her place was always beside my grandfather, and she could not help the way she was devoted to my grandfather. They had spent over sixty years together and he was the person closest to her heart.

I will miss my Momma very much and she will always have a cherished place in our memories and in our hearts. She was a wonderful combination of warmth and kindness, laughter and love. Her spirit and strength lives on in each of us and in the lives that she touched. I am much of who I am today because of her. I feel proud and blessed to have had a grandmother like her.

Alternate reality

Hope you have a great St. Patrick’s Day! I know I did! Wore green and went Irish pub crawling yesterday ;-)

An atom is the fundamental building block of matter - the ultimate and smallest division of matter. They say each atom has a charge or a spin to it – positive or negative and they attract or repel each other.

(Side note: Have you heard of the latest idea in nanotechnology? Making the world’s smallest motor is a snap assignment. Take 2 atoms with opposite charges, and put them close to each other – such that the charges cause it to spin.)

Now some of these atoms are bound together and make an object. Different permutations and combinations are possible - some of which make a human : you and me. Now with zillions of similar atoms floating around in space, don’t you think there could be another object with similar chemistry/constituency as yours? Could this be your doppelganger?

So I read a book on this topic – the existence of a parallel universe. We are only aware of 3 dimensions – actually four when you include time and rumor has it that they are infinite dimensions. There are some cosmological observations that demonstrate the possibility of a parallel universe – like how gravity is actually such a weak force in this universe but may be a bigger one in the parallel. Also some wise men think it could be like Schrodinger's cat. Will it be the end of the universe the day we stumble upon the parallel universe?

When will science catch up with philosophy? I'm dying to meet my double.

Update : The best comment on the post so far . . .

Paolo Magnone said...

VC, you have opened up such an awesome topic. In your Indian scriptures it is written that "The One who can understand an atom and experience at the atomic level shall be liberated from bondage eternally".

Yes! Thats right some of these atoms are bound to each other and they form objects such as stone, human, elephant etc etc. I have a theory ... just from an intellectual perspective .. no experience! Have you noticed that in an atom the tedency is to fall into the center? If such a thing happens there would be no atom! There would be no object! There would be no universe. There would be "nothing". But there seems to be an opposing force(?) that keeps them apart.

Have you noticed that when you have heard a wonderful song or have had a sad experience or have had the best experience through a movie, friend or a Master ... you want to share it? I remember when we were kids we used to listen to Heavy Metal songs and there were some songs that we loved and we would take the pains to take it to each others place and play it and make the others listen to it .. share it with the hope that they feel the way that you feel! I see it now as my innate nature to "merge" with the other .. looking for some common ground .. looking for understanding and some acknowledgement!

Then think about this .. your appreciation for the song was not felt by whom you shared with .. or when someone is not able to see your side of the story! You hear of family members fighting .. "You don't understand me" they scream ... My theory is at that point of time they are feeling the separation! The distance between the one and the other! This is the force that opposes the merging ... The force that keeps two beings apart .. so that they maintain their identity .. their chemical properties. So everytime you experience distance, if you remember, you could think that you were experiencing the force that opposes merging.

Think about the times when you were understood .. and without you having to speak a word someone had heard .. without you having to ask ... you were taken care of .. then I tell you .. you have expereinced the "oneness" ... the force that is propels you towards merging with the other.

Now we all understand that in the material plane if everything merges there would be nothing .. there would be only a void. There would be nothing at all isnt it ..

No one .. No other ..

No separation .. No merging ..

No freedom .. No attachment ..

So my questions are Should we really prefer one over another?Are'nt these forces supposed to co-exist to maintain the balance?So why seek understanding or why seek dispute?