A Wonderful B'day

So, I am a year older now. Surprisingly, I feel younger! When I was in my early twenties, I used to think that being in 30s would feel not so good...you're growing old...you have responsibilities etc. But when I did get there, it is refreshing and definitely not old :-) There is one thing though - you are mature and you understand things better.

The day started at midnight, with birthday messages and calls pouring in. Well, actually, someone wished me at 11:30 itself, in advance! Then, I was woken up by Sid (my little bro) and mom with a birthday song and ice-cream with candle in it. He made a video of the whole thing as well, and mentioned very clearly that I have turned 31 now :-). Shiku was awake to wish me while Chunchu slept. The messages continued till 1 and I was glad, since it was after so many years (6, perhaps) when my birthday actually began at midnight!

I woke up early in the morning, to feel the fresh air, to see the day breaking and to listen to the chirping of the birds. It was cool and I sat in the terrace just to observe the beautiful day. And the only thought that came to my mind was "Thank you, God!" Of course, later I remembered to ask Him for a birthday gift too :-)


The whole day went by as I had expected - fun and laughter. I cut the birthday cake at office, with my friends. Of course, some part of the cake also landed at my face first, before the rest of it reached everyone's mouth. It was the first time ever that my birthday cake was applied on my face and I wondered how come it had never happened before!

There were calls throughout the day...wishes coming in from far and near. A wonderful lunch with kids and family, then a visit to family friends' house - all of it was amazing. Some calls were expected, some totally unexpected! Some old friends, some new ones...the day was made of lots of fun and laughter...exactly like I wanted it to be. Throughout it all, I felt like a teenager...and, there was icing on the cake too :-)

All in all, a good day! And I wish myself many more such days...

Driving woes...

OK...so it's been about a month since I started driving to office myself. The experience has been mind-blowing, to say the very least...yes, it blows my mind to see how people drive and how they expect others to think of them as the owners of the roads where they tread!
I might be a new driver, but I know the rules and it feels like I'm the only one following them. Only once in a while I meet a sensible person following the rules as much as they can, and I feel like me, they must also be struggling with the decision to become like others (aka reckless and insensible) or to continue being glared and honked at just because you stop at the red-light, or give an indicator while taking a turn, or try to be sensitive towards other drivers or peddlers...
There are things I think are plain common sense, which I wonder perhaps, people leave at their homes when they take on to the road!!! Some examples:

• Aren't you supposed to apply brakes, when needed, or is it a race where the winner is the one who NEVER applies brakes, come what may? So what, if the car right in front of me had to brake because some strayed animal decided to cross the road suddenly?
• Aren't you supposed to STOP when the signal is red, despite the fact that there is no one ahead of you...I mean the signal must mean something. If they wanted you to jump it at every opportunity, why would they put it there in the first place?
• If you are on foot and trying to cross to the other side of the road in the middle of a busy highway, aren't you supposed to look right and then left, and then again right, before you step onto that dangerous road and force each of the moving vehicles to brake furiously, just because you forgot that lesson you were taught in class 1?
• If you bought that two-wheeler thinking that it was your ticket to ride anywhere and everywhere, aren't you supposed to realize that by assuming you don't need any space to move on the road, you are actually putting other people's lives at risk? I see the bike-riders zig-zagging through the traffic, over-taking from the wrong side (that too on a turn!), or hitting your car from behind when the signal turns red! And their argument always is the same, "Why the hell did you apply brakes???" So am I expected to keep moving, probably fly on the top of the vehicle in front of me, just because the honorable bike-rider doesn't want to stop or slow down?
• Isn't it common sense that if I turn on my indicator, I intend to take a turn? Why do people always have to speed at turns, what satisfaction do they get when they are able to stop someone from taking a turn? Does it satisfy their ego, or their sadistic senses to have delayed someone? (BTW, why do they think they are delaying me?)
• Since I am a woman and women drivers are considered to be "bad" drivers, aren't they taking a greater risk if they are breaking the rules while I am on the road...why do they have to apply sudden brakes to see if I can handle the pressure, or cross the road running and grinning at me, or perhaps trying to race with me on their pathetic bicycle? I guess these typical MCPs are just looking for an excuse to comment at me, or mock me...but you should see their faces when the trick doesn't work! I do not pick a fight with them, I do not reply to their sick comments, and I am able to maneuver my car without being hit and without frowning at their desperate attempt to piss me off!
• And then, there are these auto-rickshaw drivers who will NEVER let you overtake them because how can a car, that too a woman's car, possibly overtake them on the highway, while they are busy proving to the other auto-wallah that their vehicle is the fastest?
• Let me not forget to mention those smart ones who will keep honking every few seconds to probably remind you that they are following you, and they hate to follow since they probably own the road and no one else has the right to bar their way, even if there is a traffic jam, or occupied lanes? It is, after all, your responsibility to give them way, even if there is none available. And I so foolishly thought that if I wanted to overtake a vehicle, I had to find space and I had to increase my speed!!!
• Then, there are those who will honk at you when you are buying a ticket at the toll plaza...why, their time is so precious that they expect you to break the signal, damage your car, put your life at risk, break the law, get arrested, do what it takes to LET them go ahead of you? They CAN'T possibly WAIT to let you pass first! Come on, how insensible of you to think that the purpose of the toll bridge was to pay before you used the road!!!

 I could possibly go on and on about how insensitive and insensible people behave while driving, but then my words fail me...there are so many instances and so many types of nerds on the road that I guess I should write a book (will probably title it "Being a Woman Driver in India"). On a serious note, I think Indian government should also introduce driving tests for issuing DL and also, implement hefty fines for those breaking the rules; because they not only put their own life at risk, but also that of others in danger. I, personally, would love to live till I am old, and die amidst my grandchildren (not on road because of some idiot who decided to break the law for reaching 2 min early)!