Lockdown, Covid and Relationships!

Year 2020 had been hard! First, the corona... Second, the corona... Third, the corona... And, last, again... the corona!! Thats all that is there this year, I guess! It has become such a common phenomena that I have stopped watching the updates. I bet there are many who has stopped keeping tabs on the cases. Life needs to move on. Stomachs need to be fed. Business needs to be attended! Life needs to be carried on. And relationships...

Lockdown and restrictions on interstate movements have been removed but yet the risk... No one can vouch for safety! It's at our own responsibility now to take care of ourselves and others! In this era of limited movement how do one cope with relationships? 

Couples stuck in home with kids (online classes and the extra work of keeping then entertained!)... Couples stuck in different states... Unable to meet up. Couples stuck in same state but unable to go on dates like before... Couples engaged unable to fix a date for wedding... Couples newly married unable to go for their dream honeymoon! Couples who meetup occasionally but cant find time for each other like before because of the extra chores at home (as no take aways and home deliveries encouraged!) How do they cope up? Do they flourish and nourish or are they on the path of break up? 

As for me, I feel its a miniature version of long distance relationship thats going on.

We meet almost every day (being in same office and all)... We try not to miss having lunch together... A good 15minutes (spend eating and gossiping)! And we try maximum to spend a few minutes before leaving for home. A good 30minutes (idling and walk to the parking)! And, spend a few minutes on call before reaching home and getting sucked into the household chores! Thats about an hour of togetherness as opposed to 3 to 4 hours that we used to share pre-covid era!! Ofcourse there's always the WhatsApp.

But, is that enough? Some days goes without meeting even for a single minute! We get so entangled in the daily routines that we don't find time for eachother! No quality time! I feel like I had more time before and now no time at all.. not even for myself. I wonder whats happened and what would happen. There are days I sleep off exhausted without even wishing him Goodnight. Complaints have started. 'You don't talk like before. You don't spend enough time.' I don't deny them. And, guiltily, I feel I am not trying enough. The life's fallen into a routine... Waking up, household chores, breakfast, office, works (Meetings... deadlines... running around!), Back home... tea dinner and finally, winding up and collapsing on bed! In between all this a hi, a few updates, a few reminders and sometimes nothing! 

And, I wonder am I falling out of love or is it just a phase? 

I sincerely hope it's just a phase. I hope all stay strong and be there for each other. Like corona, all this is just a phase that would give way to a new a bright morrow. Have faith... Prayers and hopes!!

Bootcamps!

My organization has got us all an annual subscription for Udemy... Udemy is an online learning platform featuring over 150000 video courses taught by expert instructors. 

Now all our training programs are done on udemy because of the covid situation and all! Udemy is a good idea but I generally miss the classroom training mostly because it used to be a welcome break from the daily hectic job! But considering the fact that we are living with this pandemic I guess this is a safe and good move by the company. All nice but then again, it asks for extra time (to do the courses) as one is expected to be working in lab during office hours than sitting in front of internet watching videos be it lectures or anything!!🙄

Anyways, guess its just a small price to pay for the chance to learn (for free!)😊. 

One day as I was browsing for my favourite topics I came across courses titled "bootcamp"... "The web developer bootcamp"... "The modern python 3 bootcamp" etc... For a second, I thought it's some new technology (of course, now I know there is a software named bootcamp, a multi boot utility, by apple that makes it possible to install windows os in intel based Macintosh pcs). Intrigued I couldn't stop myself from doing a small research on "bootcamps" only to realise that its origin is dated so back!!!

A few definitions of bootcamp that I came across:

World Wide Words

"It derives from a slightly older slang term "boot" for a recruit in basic training or an inexperienced enlisted man, on record from 1911.

There is a persistent legend that it appeared during the Spanish-American War of 1898, or at least around that period. One version bhas it that sailors’ leggings were known as boots and that the term was transferred to recruits."

WordNet:

boot camp (n.)

"camp for training military recruits."

Online etymology dictionary:

boot camp (n.)

"training station for recruits," by 1941, U.S. Marines slang, said to be from boot (n.1) as slang for "recruit," which is attested by 1915 and supposedly dates from the Spanish-American War and is a synecdoche from boots "leggings worn by U.S. sailors."

Merriam-Webster:

Boot camp (noun)

1. a navy or marine corps camp for basic training.

2. a disciplinary facility or program in which young offenders are forced to participate in a rigidly structured routine.

3. a place or undertaking that resembles a military boot camp especially by requiring one to endure intensive training or initiation.

Examples:

"Nowadays, the more talented players view their college years as necessary boot camp to prepare them for the riches waiting for them in pro football."— Anson Mount

"These youngsters are put through what amounts to a boot camp of courses in music notation, basic harmony and ear-training."— Smithsonian

 

Cut-short: Basically a slang for basic training! But why name tech training courses bootcamp... and I see there are many organisations as well named bootcamp and also many events!!

Still searching, finally I come across Wikipedia, (Our own Wikipedia and I wonder why I didn't go to wiki first🤦🏻‍♀️!!):

"Boot camp (correctional): a type of correctional facility for adolescents, especially in the U.S. penal system

Boot camp: a training camp for learning various types of skills

Dev bootcamp: a defunct computer programming technical school

Fitness boot camp: a type of physical training program

Bootcamp: Military recruit training"

Ah, now I get it!! And, I have enrolled for a bootcamp as well!😀

August Bloomers 🧑🏻‍🤝‍🧑🏻

Happy birthday 😊😊

Mid 2020: Covid-19: Living with precautions... Are we?

It's going to be four months since the first lockdown! It feels like ages ago... The deserted roads... Waiting for the vegetable shop in front of the house to be empty for grocery shopping... Helping Amma in the kitchen... Making mixture... Cakes... Trying out different dishes... We were safe at home!

Its another lockdown going on...a week long... Just here... Its going to be over tomorrow but this was a lighter version. Offices were open... A few... Ours to be one of them... The roads are less crowded... Shops close by noon... So evening the roads are supposedly deserted apart for a few who doesn't seem to understand the concept of lockdown, I guess! 

I see a few sitting on the pavement of some shops... No social distancing... Ok... May be they belong to same house (though I seriously doubt it!) But can't they sit at home... What's the need to be out... And not far from them I see...as I am riding back home... a street with red banner across blocking entry... "RED ALERT"! 

May be they are poor uneducated people who don't understand the seriousness of the situation or can't grasp it! (I don't seriously think one needs to be educated to know the meaning of disease... Death... Pandemic!!). Ok, for the sake of argument, let's say they don't understand but then...

The other day, in the office, during a team discussion... All sat wearing mask listening to our boss define the problem and probable solutions! There was this junior guy... A post graduate with a good academic record... An asset to the company! He was listening keenly to our boss but all the while his hand was on his face silently grazing the texture of the mask totally immersed in the topic of discussion! I signalled to him not to touch his mask and the response he gave got me thinking!! 

I: You shouldn't be touching your mask!

He: Oh sorry. 

(I felt good that he realised! But... He smiles...)

He: What's to happen will happen, ma'am. Everything is already decided. If it's written that I should get sick then who can stop it?

It was shocking... the reply. I was absolutely shocked (and, angered perhaps!). It was least expected!

I: 'Whatever may be written, why do you need to invite it yourself!' 

He: Ok mam... I should think of others too. I shouldn't infect others. Right?

I nodded, staring blanky at him before turning my attention to the meeting!

Atleast he didn't repeat it again during the meeting! Thank goodness for that! 

But this was shocking and despairing at the same time! A highly educated person should fall back on his responsibilities in the name of fate! Absolute rubbish, I would say!

It left me feeling disturbed! Is this how the educated people think? Is this how they should think? Does education teach us everything? Scoring ranks in university, is that the only aim of our education? Who's going to teach them social responsibility? Who will give them moral knowledge? Who will teach them the importance of compassion? The meaning of empathy?

For what are the doctors, the Cops and the Government working day and night? Who are they fighting for... struggling for? For these highly educated but utterly ignorant youth?

And from then on... Whenever I look at him, I don't see the smart highly qualified individual... I see an irresponsible benighted kid! 

Let's be responsible for ourselves and our fellow beings! This is a time to be aware and be sensible! 

Wear mask and follow the do's and don'ts...

Maintain social distancing...

Lets not move out unless necessary... 

Lets pray and be a responsible citizen!

Lockdown 4.0

Yet another lockdown...

Lockdown 4.0: 18th May 2020 to 31st May 2020!!

I always wonder whether I should stop the newspaper for the time being. Whether it could be a source for infection? But I hadn't been able to decide and am still continuing... But for now, as soon as the boy leaves the paper at the door, we keep it inside for a hour or so before reading! And today I happen to catch a glimpse of the front page as I pick it up from the floor!!

"Watchful Bengaluru back in business, but buzz is missing" 

Thats the headlines today and the first thing that came to my mind on seeing this was the image of the road that i take every morning for my office! 

A few days back it used to be so empty apart from a few two wheelers (it was like heaven to ride)! But since two days, 18th May to be exact, its heavily jammed! Kind of making me cringe as I enter the main road from my street! 

I guess, by now every one's life has kick started again except may be those doing wfh and those returned from hometowns and those stranded! Well, thats what the crowded roads tells me and makes me wonder what is the buzz that is missing? 

Another headline that caught my eyes and made me almost reach out for my Bible...

"Under fire, Karnataka govt decide to relax the testing of returnees."

Clearly that seems like not so a good thing to do considering how many of the returnees have been found infected! (And also how many of them don't follow quarantine!!) We - some of us - had been in a safe zone. Now, with relaxations and getting back to life the world becomes a dangerous place to live in. But, ofcourse, we need to learn to live with corona till may be when some cure would be found! But we need to still live with caution abiding by the guidelines specified by MHA. Making it the norms of our life! 

I would like to know how many are really sticking to it. Lets take the basic one - masks! I see so many wearing masks and I also see so many not wearing! Why i think... is it so hard to tie a cloth around covering your mouth and nose? 

And, spitting... Its a finable offence... Last day while i was on my way to office... A man riding pillion on a 2 wheeler before me turns his head... Lowers his mask... Spits and places his mask back on! Seriously!

And then there are people... The educated people... Mask... Sanitizer...all checked and good! But then you are having a conversation with them... You talk... they reply... And then, may be they don't feel they are audible or clear (i have no idea what!), for, next moment I see them lower their mask and speak! Thats a total and absolute violation of the basic intention behind wearing a mask!!

All this and more... Lockdown 4.0 is for preparing us... making us ready to live with covid19! But I hope people would be more responsible... Not just to themselves but to the society as well.

Hope we fight through this period and come out victorious! 

Be Safe.

Any comments and thoughts are welcome. I am scared and worried. I am sure there are many like me. Share your views.

Thank you.

Career In the Time of Corona...??

Has it ever happened... That you have to choose between "something"and your career. Thats not a question to wives or husbands. Its a question for people with status 'single'. In this time of covid, so many have lost their jobs and many are scared about their future. I am ok. I have a job but then i have elderly parents also at home. As the lockdown comes to an end i wonder, is it worth... This job. Of course there are deadlines and commitments and its a question of the companies growth... Yeah yeah. But as a person, as an individual I can't help but think.

There was a time when i was irreplaceable. I didn't have had to work hard to be it. I just had to do my job, thats all. But now i am not. I still work but as people come and go... As managements change...so does favorites emerge and if you need to survive then you need to fight... Put that extra something or put a lot of extras. But somehow i dont feel like. When i actually think about it, i feel its not worth it. I could be faar faar better not being there but... I suddenly realise I don't have any savings. My savings is my salary and if it stops... May be a year and a half... Beyond that... 

I am scared of even thinking about another job...i feel so useless like every thing in me has been drained. 

i know i sound so vague. But that's how I feel! Has anyone felt the same? I would like some guidance.. of any kind. Because i am done hearing from myself!!

Thank you.

Lockdown 3.0

Let me start with a small prayer for all the people fighting corona... The people in quarantine, admitted in hospital, all the people in the frontlines... The health workers, the social workers, the police and the volunteers... May God give them strength and take care of them... And, all the people who had lost their lives including our beloved actors... May God bless their Souls. RIP. And, lastly all my fellow beings staying home and supporting this fight (including me!). Stay home, Stay safe!!

Day... 1st May 2020. Just a few hours back we all got the news of extension of lockdown! 

Lockdown 3.0 : 4th May to 17th May (2 weeks)!

This extension, in my opinion, is very much required especially in regions classified as RED zone! I happen to reside in Bangalore, one of the district in red zone. 

There are a total of 3 red zones in Karnataka, as of today (according to data from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India (GoI)) and 13 districts are declared orange zones and rest 14 districts are green zones (where there haven't been any cases in last 21 days!). Zone classification is based on factors such as the number of novel coronavirus (covid19) cases, doubling rate of the cases and the extent of testing and surveillance.

I am basically from Kerala and settled in Bangalore for now, because of my job, with my parents! I just hope that with relaxations in Green zones new cases don't pop up there! And, with lockdown extension the cases would come down in the rest!

It's been over a month since we had been in lockdown. Many of us are doing work from home and since my job involves testing not much can be done from home! So, I had been free to do whatever I wanted (and, trust me, there's been a lot of things that I wanted to do) but time just flew. Before I knew one month was over... Just like that! Probably I would have to start office from next week (too much delay in projects, management decides!).

As the day nears I suddenly realise that there was so much that I could have done - so much that I could do - so much that I don't want to stop doing like reading. I used to read a lot. There's still a huge collection of books in my shelf here as well as in my home in hometown. And now my phone's taken up half the memory with epubs that I had downloaded in the hope that I would read but I had never gotten time! Some how in the busy life of mine, they just got pushed back in the priority queue! I dread going back to that busy life... Home-Office-Home... The Routine Life!!

I guess it's HIGH time to make some resolutions... Resolutions for a healthy life... Physical and Mental well-being! One of them being finding time every day to do something for myself... anything at all - a solely myself time! 

Other resolutions, well, thanks to my amma (She's a neat freak... There's always a sanitizer and handwash and a pack of tissues in her bag... Even in those pre-Covid days!), hygiene had always been of high priority in our household. That needs to be maintained and shared... Not just personal but we need to keep our environment clean too!

Such a big lesson this dreadful time has taught us! Hope the teachings stay with us always and we never forget. Let's support this fight. Stay Home, Stay Safe and Save lives!

And, lastly I would like to add, we are safe and secure at home but there are many who are stranded, who has lost their jobs, whose future is a big question mark, lets get together and do whatever we can in our capability!! Like there are so many NGOs working towards providing food to them. Kindly contribute. Thank you.

I believe I am not the only one who feels the same. I would like to hear a few thoughts and know how all of you are coping. Please feel free to jot down your views in the comments section. Thank you.

Tribute to a legend

I am not the kind of person who can be easily persuaded and when it comes to movies and shows i watch... Its almost never that I become a fan of an actor! When I listen to a song, its the lyrics that I listen to... whenever I watch a movie its the storyline that usually strikes me. Rarely does it happen that the acting would be so powerful that even after days not just the story but the character... the person who portrayed the character stays on mind! You recall the movie and its their face that flashes in your mind! I would say, they are the legends!

The year 2020 would be remembered not just for the deadly virus but for the lose of a legend. It was a shock, literally a shock, when the notification from jio tv came in my phone... "Actor Irrfan khan passes away at the age of 54!".  Never had an actor's demise felt so personal. For a moment I had hoped it was just a rumour... A fake news (so many are coming up these days) but...

Today April the 29th would be etched in every ones mind... who ever loved Indian cinema... Not just in india... World over!

I would like to pay my respects to the legend who had made us laugh, made us cry, made us go through emotional turmoils with his performances and movies. Truly a remarkable and an exceptional actor. Truly an original... A rarity! A big salute to him.

Salaam bombay was his debut film and, coincidently, the first hindi movie I ever watched. 

Those were the time of video cassettes. I remember we had a video cassette for that movie and I had watched it a numerous times (i guess, that's because that was the only one we had!). I was a kid then. Probably I would watch it again. 

And, his last movie... 

I couldn't help not add this here

https://twitter.com/irrfank/status/1227515479704657922?s=20

I would have loved to see Angrezi Medium in theatre but... The damn corona. Didn't miss a day to watch it (with my family) when it got released in Hotstar! Amma after hearing the sad news said that we will watch the movie again... As a tribute to one of our favourite actor!

We, and the cinema lovers world wide would always miss him. Condolences to the family and loved ones🙏. May God rest his soul🙏. 

https://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/irrfan-khan-in-icu-for-colon-infection-a-timeline-of-his-valiant-fight-against-neuroendocrine-tumour/story-5mm3peYUrIInORBMUZjvqN.html

The Year 2020 so far...

The year 2020 had started off with a bang. On the official front... so many new projects were lined up. And, in the personal front... well, i was hoping for some good news. (Lets not jinx it yet!)

Its been more than 2 years now since i wrote last blog. Infact its been more than 2 years since i wrote anything at all. I guess its been years since i read anything as well. Where did all those time go? What was I doing? I have no idea because my life seems just the same. I am just the same. Or, am I? Its more like the life has hit a pause button! 

But the world... Our world, as we knew it, is not the same now and it may never be same again!!

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is the name on everyone's lips now. A terror, a concern slowly becoming a way of life. The PANDEMIC, declared by WHO on 11th March 2020. 

Now, what is a pandemic? Had heard of epidemic (thanks to so many movies!!). But a pandemic... It was a new term for the likes of me, i am sure!

Merriam-Webster: "An epidemic is an outbreak of disease that spreads quickly and affects many individuals at the same time. A pandemic is a kind of epidemic: one which has spread across a wider geographic range than an epidemic, and which has affected a significant portion of the population."

And...

"The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases have been confirmed in large number of countries due to which the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 11.03.2020 has characterized COVID-19 as pandemic."

Out of the blue, the whole world is shut down. Even in January 2020 this was not foreseen when the first case had come in kerala. She was isolated and we slept peacefully. But then more and more cases were found in people returning from abroad. Even then we slept peacefully. It was just them and they were quarantined. But then a few went and broke it... Well, the spread was inevitable!

The symptoms are dry cough, fever and shortness of breath! Like any cold and fever the disease spread through droplets in air and those settled down on surfaces when the infected sneezes or coughs. A mere thoughtless act of sneezing or coughing without covering the face (which i am sure all of us have studied at some point in our school and forgotten conveniently!) was enough to infect near and dear ones! And the dreadful part, there's no medicine yet for the corona infection!

And, before we realised the numbers infected doubled... tripled... Forcing the government to call for a 21-days nationwide lockdown. And all flights and trains public transport were stopped. A timely act!

Lockdown: March 24th to April 14th!

It's 28th April now! The lockdown had to be extended as cases were increasing day by day. The infection took its own time to be evident.

Hence, Lockdown 2.0. 15th April to 3rd May.

Our PM said, "Wherever you are, stay there." 'Stay home save lives' became the mantra! Hygiene became the sudden life saver. Where did all our basic education go, i wonder. Was a pandemic necessary for all of us to realise how important basic hygiene was? Mask has been made mandatory. It would be a 2 way minimal protection but main saver would be social distancing. 

A minimum of 6 feet to be maintained between each person. I wonder how easy it would be. But it's not a choice and of course life is never easy. But still in lockdown i see so many people outside on vehicles... on foot... Where do they go and for what? I don't know. I don't understand. Of course a few offices are open with minimum employees but still so many people on the streets and all the time! 

Recently had a chat with my uncle in Trivandrum. He is waiting for lockdown to be over so that he could go out. He is over sixty and they are more at risk. But that seems secondary to him. I am sure there are many like him!  But I feel so safe inside home and i wonder about all the people who are out on the roads making sure we remain safe... The health workers... The social workers... The police.. always on the lookout so that the lockdown is not broken!! I thank them with all my heart. Truly they are heroes in these trying times. For them i think we should stay at home unless absolutely necessary.

But as the end of lockdown nears i can't stop the fear that tries to invade through my calm mind. Ofcourse panic is not a solution but i cant stop the thoughts.

Is the world safe? Would the world ever be safe again? Can we ever trust the fellow beings again, even the same people we knew once...our neighbours... The guy down the street... The colleague... The team mates? Is this just the starting of something more fierce and terrible that's yet to come? Okay, may be I am over thinking but the year 2020 hadn't been a smooth ride till now. 

Guess as for now, our way of life needs a change. I need to hit the resume button of my life and gear up. Who knows, this is just a tip of an iceberg... may be! 

My Dear Diary

Does it happen in anyones life that some one comes along and that there's nothing more that you need, or should i be saying, want. And, your whole life gets centered around that person changing you forever (hope, for good)!!

I used to write diaries since my 10th standard. My dad had gifted me a pen... A hero pen. That was a craze in those times! (Well, those times!!). And he used to give me the diaries he got from his office on new year! And i remember since that day i used to jot down everything in my diary... Each and every emotion i went through had to be written. Those were my memories. Diary was my best friend who wouldn't judge me and let me be myself. Diary was my prayer to God. Diary was my love. 

Well, that was 22 years back. Now there are no entries and yet the empty diaries are piling up. There doesn't seem like theres anything to be written at the end of the day. Why is that so? I stop and think as i see my stack of diaries (while cleaning up my shelf). Well, the answer was right there in front of me. His face flashes on the screen of my mobile as it vibrates with an incoming call... Someone had taken the place of bestfriend. Someone had come to listen to my prayers. Someone had come as love in my life! 

With him always there i never felt the need to write anymore. But as i see the diaries i realise how much i miss them. My hands itches to hold a pen and write but my mind is blank. There are no thoughts. Where had all the thoughts gone? Theres none enough to write down. Before words used to flood my mind waiting to be out on paper but now words dont come but i know if i pick the call, i would be talking non stop!

Whats happened, I wonder. Is it me or are there others who feel the same. Like i have everything i need but still somewhere in the corner of my heart i miss those days. And silently, i know, i wish if i could write again. 

I hope all who like writing or are into writing would never stop writing. Keep the good work going 👍.