Sunday, December 28, 2008

Picture Rant ...The Subway

These are a few pics i took in Toronto... mostly in August when i was using the subway everyday...

I've said this before, but i shall remind... I'm not much of a photographer... but I'd like to know what you think either way...






Sunday, December 21, 2008

Not so Extreme Rant looong post.... the end and the rest....

There are some things in life that matter, and some things that are just not worth the sweat. Its tough to choose the right and appropriate moments to lose your cool, because there is a thin line between hot-temperedness and low self esteem.

*****

Sowww... the first half-year-chapter of my independent life has come to a very subtle close. How does one describe a period of time? What really defines it. The wars that were fought... the speeches that were made.... the new episodes of heroes that were aired... there are so many ways to look at a slice of time. Sometimes, a single moment could suffice to describe an entire era. The flip of a card or the toss of a coin could make history.

Let me start with the end, which in most stories is the most exciting bit anyway (not the case here since technically this is the beginning.... *whaa?*). So Umer and i went to the airport on the subway/bus, which was quite a pleasant journey(thank god). We had a Timmy’s coffee and i proceeded onto my metal bird.

There were three things about the airport that seem to be stuck in my mind. The first was on my way to the gate. You know how there are sometimes those walking escalator thingys? well there was one here and on the outside edge of the escalator was a heightened ledge(about a foot off the ground). As soon as i saw the ledge, my first instinct was to walk on it(no surprises there), but i didn’t. I don't know why i didn’t, and as i was contemplating on the thought, a little girl skipped past me. Of course she was doing her skipping on the ledge.

This whole incident, as uneventful as it seems to be, made me think about the difference between little Udai, and UofT Udai... What i found was that even though i yearned to give into to my little Udai, something held me back. I wonder what it was....



The second eventful moment occurred at the terminal(the place where we sit and wait to get onto metal bird). As at most terminals, the wall facing the planes is generally a massive window. So one is able to see the planes doing their thang... In one section of the terminal, there were two boys(who looked like brothers) who were playing with paper planes.I thought the moment was noteworthy just because it looked cool. If you were standing behind them, you could see them playing with their paper planes, and right in front of them, these huge mothers screaming at full throttle down runways.



The third and final (more significant) moment would bring you to my current state (lappy in lap and typing). I got onto me plane, trembling with excitement. I found my seat, which was a very convenient aisle seat, and got comfy. The girl next to me seemed to be in an unrest about something. A few moments later she asked me if i could swap seats with her boyfriend whose seat was in the same row as us, but in the middle section. I know how irritating it can be not sitting next to the person you’re traveling with, so i agreed (not thinking twice). So i gave up my aisle seat for the boyfriend.

At that time, i was too tired to think twice about it... but five minutes later, i realized that i could have kept my isle seat and made the couple happy by asking her to give up her seat to sit with her boyfriend in the middle. Instead the couple got their seats and the comfort, and who lost? Oh well its just a stupid seat(that I'm gonna spend the next 15 hours in). Big deal...

I can still see them from here, cuddling and hopelessly in love. The thoughts that followed to enter my mind greatly troubled me. One realization that i came upon was that I always act before i think, and because of this, that pang of regret is always around and ready.

The second emotion that hit me was jealousy. To see them like that, it nearly sickened me. I wanted that.

******

And so to the beginning... aah yes, college. Words that could describe the last four months for me... free, musical, new, different... a lot of words come to mind, but none would envelope the entire experience. Yes, it was a good experience. It was definitely not what i expected.... awesome at times, and sometimes, not so awesome. I learned a fair bit about the that person i am and the person that i want to be....

At the end of the day, all is well and good... coz, in a few hours, I'll be home.

booh yeah!