On the Tree series

On The Tree : Full Circle !

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So there. So much for balloons. You have them in many varieties. In so many different shapes, sizes and colours. And of course, the ‘balloonwala‘ of my childhood time used to carry a rich paraphernalia of multi hued balloons and all sorts of contraptions that made noise !

He used to announce his presence with a sort of a whistle. And to every parent in the neighbourhood, that was like a medieval battles conch, announcing the commencement of war !

But those days are passe. The modern times that we live in of course have balloons that fly you ! Hot Air balloons they are called. The only heat in the balloons that i am used to is the one coming from my own breath !

There is one memory thought, that is evergreen. It was kindergarten. My class teacher brought a set of balloons to class, and set a raving cat amongst feisty pigeons. A fight ensued over a particular balloon of bright red colour.

And she separeted us saying , ever so sweetly, ‘its not the colour of the balloon that gets you higher. Its whats inside’ ! And was i floored !

I didn’t make much of it back then. But that conversation stayed. And many years later, made much sense. Of course. Of course ! That was a profound statement.

And then, the MBA happened.

On a hot summer day, after a listlessly ‘hot’ case study discussion punctuated with ‘it depends’, the prof remarked,

‘Gas will get you only so far. You need something else to get any further…like some colour ‘ !

I stared at him. And thought of my Kindergarten teacher. Life seemed to have come full circle !

This post concludes the three post series titled ‘On The Tree’ !

On The Tree : Of Pesty Definitions !

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Pests ! They are everywhere. Aren’t they ? All the time ! It was many years back that i read the Pied Piper of Hamlin. I was young boy given to grandiose dreams and grander imagination. In my mind rodents that would infest houses to the point of destruction, had a multi dimensional image & excitement.

‘Those sick, rotten creatures’ (said with all discomforting movements to the face that my English teacher could conjure ) that would wreck destruction on any and everything that would come their way in that town of Hamlin that jumped out of the English course book !

And of course, i was totally in awe of the Pied Piper !! And if you think i had grand dreams of leading reams of rats into the river, well….

Many years later, i was at a Naval camp aboard a warship. Reprimands were a way of life. And for a rather innocuous mistake ( no, i am not in a tell-all mood) , as a prompt and a simple reprimand got a, ‘Now, don’t be *#@#*@# pest’ from an officer, who shouted as though the sun rising the next morning depended on his clarion call abuse !

At that very moment, an image of a creature on many legs, tails, whiskers and all, scurrying around, with my face morphed there made its way to my mind. One of life’s vivaciously poignant moments ! I have moved on from that moment and that warship.

On another note, every time i have bought pesticide, there has been obvious thoughts of different kinds of pesticides that would be required to tackle the much versatile pests of today. That leads me to another existential question.

How do you define a pest !?!

Offhand, i think of these characteristics. A pest has got to be small. Pesky. Usually, pests causing pain / frustration / loss. They are generally difficult to eliminate, because of extended http://premier-pharmacy.com/product-category/adhd/ mobility, law of large numbers, small sizes, problems in identification / singling out / differentiation and of course, an intense immune syst em that develops capabilities against every pesticide that comes out of an inventive mind. And let me not talk of procreating capabilities !

Now, that’s too generic a definition. That’s applicable to rodents and mosquitoes for sure. Of course. But lets put this definition to test over others.

Say a talib terrorist. Small. Pesky. Mobile. Large numbers in numerous caves. Attack in small numbers. Would be difficult to tell one from another, with the beard, turban and AK 47. Has fought the combined armies of the world very well. And their number seems to be growing.

Voila !

OK. Now another test. Does a chairman of a company who embezzles his own company fit here. Lets expand this. Do CEOs and other white collar criminals fit this definition of Pest ?

They are small in the mind. But they are numerous and spread across organisations. Operating from cubicles and cabins. And quite obviously, one doesn’t get to see too many of them at one go. And of course, with the Armani pin stripe and lacquered floor its going to be difficult to identify one. And as we are seeing here, they almost, always get away ! Voila. It seems to work here as well..

That definition would fit to vast majorities of politicians, sportsmen, salesmen, recruiters, drivers …whoo boy. And i think it fits people like me as well, if you ask certain people whose names i withhold for security reasons.

It really depends on who you ask. Heck. I think what the world needs SOME pesticide! Day and Night !! And perhaps a new definition as well !

This post is the 2nd in the three part ‘On the Tree’ series of posts. Posts that draw inspiration from human work on a simple tree !

On the Tree. Back-To-Front !

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The head matters. I mean, whats ‘on’ the head. There indeed was a time that i recall in my head, when ‘whats Inside’ mattered much. But ever since, Intel took on that onerous responsibility with the ‘Intel Inside‘ campaign, i guess, (sic) lesser mortals have graduated to being more concerned with whats on the surface !

That is a huge obsession and cause for worry. I believe, and strongly so, that there would be more hair loss due to worry. Worry about, you guessed it right : Hair loss !

Some weeks back, a friend of mine** informed that there are more ‘options’ available for people with a hairless crown. Upon some prodding, and on the strictest conditions of anonymity that would put the British stiff upper lip to shame, many types were mentioned.

Laser treatment. Hair Transplant. Shampoos. Conditioners. A phalanx of tablets. Diet. And so on. ‘A combination of all of these in some proportion would do good’. The friend claimed. In all earnestness.

Two days later, this image arrived via email titled ‘Norwood Scale‘ ! Strategically marked to the missus as well. I understood this friends good intention. But i suppose this friend didn’t understand that missus has written me off as a whole. Just having some saving grace with hair on top of the head will serve no purpose. Yes. Serves-No-Purpose !

My friends journey continues. In the coming days, numerous steps of innumerable clinics will be climbed. Hair treatment specialists will be consulted and good advice listened to. And of course, this friend will end up with a lighter wallet and a heavier bag of oils, ointments, herbal prescriptions and hope !

The last heard, was some vague mention of ‘hair transplant’ on a slightly more serious tone, loaded with positive intent. ‘Hair from the back of the head, gets to the front’ i am told ! I cant understand these back-to-front jobs ! I really cant !

Look, the world is in a recession. Sales figures are dropping off the bottom most point of charts on a wall. People are losing jobs like a well made sweet sinking into a sweet tooth’s tongue. Bank deposits are evaporating like a distantly striking mirage. Heck, banks are going that route too…Governments are falling off…

And here was worry about falling hair !

But wait a minute.

All of the above is about falling, right ?!? Economies, banks, deposits, sales figures, lifestyle, malls…. and hair…then, maybe we could do what those hair surgeons.

And perhaps bring whats on the back, to the front ! Maybe, that’s the prescription we need ! Hmm..

This post is the first in a three part series titled ‘On The Tree’. Drawing inspiration from spotted on trees !

** Posting with approval from this friend !