It is not easy to save the world, but saving life is..

It started like ne other day. I woke up at around 8:00AM (This is the time by when most of my colleagues r in the office :-((), leisurely read the newspaper n went through other mundane chores. As usual by the time I reached the office premises I realised that I was late n had 2 rush. At our parking bay, the admin guys generally put hoardings related to events that happen with in the campus. The only time I glanced @ it, they had posted sumthing on saree sale. I have never  ever cared to glance @ it. As I walked into my workplace, one of my team member told me that he was leaving 2 donate blood. Well, they were conducting a blood donation camp in our campus. I thought that a mail must have been circulated, n I was rummaging through my mail box looking for this mail. I went back 2 this guy n enquired about his source of information, n u guys guessed it right....it was the hoarding @ our parking bay!!!

Hmmm...I always wanted 2 donate blood. This was an opportunity 2 probably save a life. But then I was always scared 2 donate. I get scared the moment I enter a dispensary, the Doc's white coat, his stethoscope n the bloody pungent smell inside makes me sick. I am also scared of needles, n here I had seen them using the kind of needles they use on cattles!! I decided to give it a try, "try" coz I was not sure if they would let me donate. Generally, my pulse starts racing the moment I c a barometer n I was dead sure that this time it is going 2 b no different. I had 2 fill up a form with a lot of disconcerting questions ;-)(Sumone who has ever donated blood knows what I mean). They checked my weight, n other Vital stats ;-)(like my BG, Hb count etc). Now I had 2 face my old foe "the barometer", n to my surprise my pulse did not race n my pressure was picture perfect. This was unprecedented. Guess I was destined 2 donate on this particular day.

I was asked 2 lay down n the guy inserted the longest needle that ever pierced my body, into the vein. It was all over in 10 mins. I asked the guy to show the bag that contained my blood, the guy could not control his laughter hearing my stupid request. I had never seen so much blood flow out of my body, Touch Wood!!. The only time I was hurt a bit seriously was in my childhood, n people who know me can easily guess the part the was gashed ;-). Well, it was my head!! As I was resting I wondered abt the person who might share my blood. Also, b4 I even entered the donation center I browsed abt the advantages of donating blood. I read that fresh blood would b infused by the bone marrow in a few days. Well, this was a juicy proposition. The same blood was flowing in my veins 4 the past 28 yrs, n here was a chance 2 get rid of sum of it n infuse sum FRESH blood. I stood up n walked as if I were walking on a surface with a much lower gravity, I was scared 2 expend energy. As I walked out I was offered sum juice, buiscuits n a CERTIFICATE.

When I was a kid my Dad always asked me to safeguard the certificates that I won in school n college competitions. He always told me that this would cum handy during my job interviews. Most of them were for my antics in Quizzing n Sports :-), n never 4 academic performance. Thanks 2 my Mom, I won a prize for the best handwriting in my 1st grade.  But, he was wrong, no one has ever cared 2 ask abt these achievements, but then probably it was his ruse 2 help me safeguard those certificates so that I feel good every time I look @ them. But, this particular certificate that I got was very different from the rest. Here is a verbatim recollection of what it said, " You have donated your valuable blood to our Blood bank and thereby saved many precious lives. Your special concern and responsibility is laudable". I was exulted reading this. U don't get praised 4 ur efforts this way. If ne of u guys want 2 hear the same, go donate blood! I left the center with an exalted(n exulted) feeling of having done something worthy. Well, I am running the SunFeast marathon next week, hope I am fighting fit by then. I want 2 complete the course n get a shot with Deepika ;-).  Well, tomorrow as I walk out of our parking bay, I am definitely going 2 pay attention to the hoarding

A lot can happen over coffee!!!!

Well, this is a real tough one. I have been thinking of posting blogs on loads of topics ever since this muse has hit me. But then since last Wednesday I have been just thinking of blogging on this bizzare subject. We all start our day with a cup of beverage. My day starts with a cup of tea, n yet when I visit my granny's place I am forced to have her Jaggery laced coffee. My granny has this amazing talent of varying her ingredients to such perfection that, till date I have not had the opportunity of sipping two cups(prepared by her) that tasted alike ;-). Guess she is still working on that perfect taste!!!! I also have a couple of Aunt's in Wyanad, n they happen to b coffee growers. Here I just dont have an alternative, I could b hanged by my thumbs if I ever asked 4 tea. Well, out there they even have coffee b4 they hit the sack...guess this is the only place in the world where coffee is used as a sedative.

The only other place where I like having coffee at, is the COFFEE DAY. I first heard abt this popular hangout when I was studying at M'lore (way back in 2001). I did not even have the faintest clue that it was a coffee joint inspite of its conspicuous name. All I knew was that this is where the pretty girlz of M'lore frequented. Yet I never visited this place not coz I wasn't interested in girlz, but coz I thought the prices were exhorbitant. Amazing!!! even then Money mattered more over girlz. Guess I matured a bit too early :-). After I came down 2 B'lore, the buzz abt this place grew louder. I could c this popular joint at almost every well known address, or probably the address was well known coz of this joint ;-). This is where the younger population of B'lore jam. Yet, my first visit 2 this joint fructified only in 2005, only after I managed 2 fetch a descent job. Ever since, I have visited this place an umpteen number of times. Well, my tryst with coffee is not worth mentioning, I always end up ordering Cappucino.

This place has been a rendezvous pt on an umpteen number of occasions. I have had loads of fun here meeting my old friends n making a few new ones too. I luv this place 4 the ambience, service n the smiling faces of the young convivial CREW working here. An other rather hospitable fact abt this place is that u can laze around 4 for eternity. So, if u have all the time in the world n r looking 4 a congenial place 2 hang out with ur special sum one(or sumone's ;-)) this should b the quintessential choice. U just can't miss a coffee day hoarding, the logo in RED n WHITE, with the purple background. In the dark these glowing neon signposts beckon u like the casino's at Las Vegas(a rather imaginative metaphor, coz I have never been to Las Vegas :-)). Well, now is the right time to talk abt the mischievous tag line. Have u guys ever wondered what it really means!!! Well, the only thing that I can picturize on hearing this tag line is a rainy day, two soul-mates sitting across each other, with their eyes locked in each others glare, a subtle mischievous smile(lips curved towards the top on one side) on the girls face, pleading eyes of the guy(sorry guys, don't know why v end up on the loosing side!!!) n two steaming cups of coffee.

U cannot miss the assorted(like a box of chocolates) crowd out there. U find young college going kids having oodles of fun, Lovers holding each others hands lost in oblivion to the fact that the whole world is watching them, ex flames trying 2 reconcile, People like me who hang out with friends n talk abt the good old days, My friend Mr.V n his kind of people who like 2 introspect(rather weird) in solitude at CCD(wondering how he finds solitude in the multitude of people arnd him) , older generation signing off deals...every sundry kind u can think of. I luv biking n biking alone!! This is my time of solitude, so I generally ride all the way 2 Mysore to visit my bro. On the highway even when u r zipping past at maddening speed u cannot miss the CCD at Maddur, don't know why, definitely nothing 2 do with my olfactory ability(well the bloody Sinus problem). I find a lot of fellow bikers lazing around, stretching their backs n gearing up for the ride ahead. With so many sundry class of people frequenting CCD, there is an other kind n I too joined this kind an year ago....guess what.....guess what....the people in search of their prospective soul mates. My parents have been literally pleading me 2 get married 4 the past couple of years ever since my elder bro Nit's got married, n after a lot of hue n cry I gave up n had 2 give heed 2 their words. Thanks 2 my Mom I had my first official date ;-) . I was asked 2 meet this girl @ a CCD here in B'lore n ever since there's been no looking back....I have had the pleasure of officially dating a few more girls. Well, my dear friend N.man had one such date yesterday.

I even tried my hand at an unofficial date once. I invited a person(girl obviously ;-)) 4 coffee at CCD, but then she preferred the office canteen. I thank my stars that I atleast had it in the office!!!! What ever b the kind of people, b it the college kids, young guns just out of college, people like me lost in obscure thoughts, solitary souls like Mr. V, Bikers, Hikers, Lovers, Deal signers, soulmate finders, reconciliaters ....... well, this has been a place that has embraced them all with gr8 warmth(literally). My favourite drink out there is Hot choco - latte. The menu says that it is a perfect substitue for a warm hug. I have never had a warm hug, I only hope that this choco drink is no substitute 4 that ;-). Yeah, now lets get back 2 where it all started. Well, last Wednesday it had rained in the evening n the weather was just awesome! Me n N. man had gone out 4dinner n as v were returning home, v passed by the CCD beside our apartment. Out of the blue I felt a sudden urge for sum ice cream n again the gleaming neon board beckoned me. As v walked in, I saw one of the most amazing person I have cum across in recent times....Well, it was tough 2 concentrate on my ice cream, but then, it tasted better than ever!!!! (Suchin, I know that u r ROFL as u r reading this). Just wondering if she maintains sum kind of a weekly schedule, planning 2 walk in again this Wednesday ;-)))...just 2 clear my doubt...but then u never know, a lot can happen over COFFEE ;-))!!!!