Running on Thin Luck

Luck, I would think, is cold, like ice. It is dispassionate. It is stiff. It can soothe, but it can also burn. Mine sorta felt like it was burnt out last Wednesday.

I had my M.Phil. viva voce on that day. I was running a bit late because I had to make myself presentable at the beauty parlour. The Metro decided to stop for the 10 minutes at Dwarka Sector 14 that day. If it had stopped for longer, I would have been seriously late. But it didn't, which meant I would be at the Department of English on time, even with some time to spare. I usually take a rickshaw from the Metro station to the Faculty of Arts. I thought I would flip through my dissertation during the ride.

Then suddenly out of nowhere a car took a quick turn and my rickshaw swerved to avoid a head on collision, the turn was so sharp that the rickshaw tilted and fell over sideways. I was screaming while it was happening. Before even falling I knew I was about to fall and then swat like a fly I was flat on the ground. I got up, don't remember if anyone picked me up or not. I checked myself while someone came to pick up my things for me. I realised that none of my clothes were torn, I didn't have many scratches. My knee hurt a little. It was nowhere like the scooter accident I had in Okinawa, when I had lain on the ground conscious but unable to move for quite a while.

I don't know where I got the courage from but I wanted to shout at the car driver. Now there were two cars, and it was the second which came out of nowhere. The first one stopped but the second -the culprit- ran off. I was furious, moving towards the car which had stopped, I asked loudly to no one in particular and the world at large whether it was that car who caused the accident. When people told me no, I think I ranted in the middle of the road about who knows what...

Then a motorbike came fast near where I was standing and I shouted at them to kill the rest of me that happened to survive! I then stormed to my rickshaw, sat on it and ordered the rickshawala to go. I sobbed on the way a bit and when I reached the Department I wanted to breakdown completely. I was still in shock. Interestingly I didn't cry much (very unlike me). But I didn't want to stand in front of all my teachers like that! The Dissertation was so far off my mind at that moment. I could only think of how much worse it could have been.

I asked the office peon, who is a lovely gentlemen, one of my favourite office staff at the dept., to tell them what happened if they asked for me, that I was going to the bathroom to wash my face, that I need five more minutes. The convener of M.Phil. came out and asked me whether I wanted to sit down while they met the second candidate before me. (Did I mention I was the first person in the whole list?)

I sat and calmed down. Spoke to my friends. The story spread around and I kept saying, " It was nothing really." But it was something. I was shook up and I didn't really do a good viva in there. I was not confident anymore. I was nervous. I answered the questions but I wished I could have been more forcible and articulate, not stumbling looking for words..

Interestingly, I could still manage to joke when leaving. Trivedi told me to take care, and hoped I would be alright soon. I replied I'm already feeling better, and that my bag seems to have suffered worse physical damage. It was my favourite red bag that I got from Tokyo. And its strap came out.

* I may be a little superstitious, but I forgot to carry the Japanese charm I bought on New Year's day. I got the 'education' charm so that I can finish my Dissertation without ill-luck...

** on the Happy side, my Dissertation grade was A. Let's see what my overall grade, including the viva result, would be. It should be out soon. Keeping fingers crossed!

Delhi Metro is doomed

On Wednesday, 12th August, I was stuck in the Metro for over 2 and half hours. I boarded the train at around 5:45pm from Vishwavidyalaya but did not reach home until 8:30. A route that should have taken less than 1 and half hours, took over 2 and a half. Reason, around 4 o'clock a train got derailed at the Dwarka station. The driver of the train switched to manual and the train overshot the tracks which were still locked. Thankfully there were no casualty and the train was travelling at a low speed, otherwise it would have jumped over the elevated ramp onto the road. In the whole network, apart from the stations from where the train goes to the depots, there are only two sets of tracks, one coming and the other going. No extra track has been made for emergency. Due to this, the whole train schedule was running late, and there were very few trains running. The number of people queued up to board trains which didn't show up, and when they did, they were already full to the brim. At Rajiv Chowk, I stood and waited for two trains which were so packed that I refused to step into them. I chose instead to go back a few stations from where it wouldn't be so full. That was my mistake. I was unaware of the derailing and thought it was just some minor delay. The authorities hardly made any announcement, and when they did, they said the delay was due to some technical error. There was no procedure to stop passengers from entering the stations, commuters piled up with nowhere to go. It was stuffed but shockingly many people still stayed in line! When I was in the train, I had a seat but those standing were squished. With swine flu on the rise, who knows how many viruses were transmitted.. In the heat and humidity, the A/Cs hardly had any cooling and once the power went out; it was excruciating. Our train was halted for 20 minutes at a station with the doors closed. No announcement was made to inform us why it was stopped, even to regret the inconvenience caused. People fought off those trying to board the train when it did move to the next station. One guy in my train started shouting press the emergency button, lets talk to the driver and ask him whats wrong. and they did, which halted the train for another few minutes until some officials came to see to the problem. It could have been a medical situation.
In another 5 years or so, Delhi Metro will become obsolete. In its construction, there has been a unfortunate lack of foresight. Many things have not been thoroughly thought out before execution. If there had been extra tracks, this chaos could have been avoided. Not only that, but they could then have run rapid and fast trains which stop at only major stations, just like the Japanese system. In the present system, the train stops at all stations of the route taking an unneccessarily longer time! Also, they made Rajiv Chowk big, but not big enough to handle the load that will soon be added when the trains to Noida start. They need to add two more bogeys, but they still don't have them ready. Who knows how much time they will take for that. and even when they add them, the no. of people coomuting will also have increased. which means that trains will still be stuffed. I wonder what can be the solution?

new blog?

so... am wondering what to do about my blog.... I am on the last leg of my M. Phil. Chronicles... the viva dates have been announced. As some of you may know through my Facebook status, I am the first person on the list. I don't think its a good thing, all the profs of the department and the external will probably be too enthusiastic in the beginning and thus, they will fire off questions at me.. I donno what it'll be like and have been terrified of this moment since I first started M. Phil. I am not even ready to re-read my dissertation and long papers just yet! and its next week on Tuesday, 18th August!! Which also means that the grade on mydissertation should be coming out within this week! Gah! its moving too fast for me to be comfortable...

Which brings me back to my blog. I don't think I want to start another blog... I already have one for Oki and 2 others.. that's the trouble with titling it with a portion of one's life. I knew Okinawa Times would get over someday, and the M.Phil. Chronicles must come to an end too. So why did I name them such? Right about now I can't think of a new title. But I suppose I can wait until my final result comes out which would be by the end of August I suppose. But after that I will have to change the name. Still thinking on it. Maybe it will come like a flash as it did with my dissertation title. But I wouldn't mind suggestions! :) so, friends, do you have any?

News:

1. The Dissertation is over and done with. I decided the title on the final day! It is: "Anarchy in the UK! Punk Rock, Racism and Hanif Kureishi: A Cultural Study" How does it sound?
   
   
2. I saw Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to celebrate the completion. I loved the movie, but wanted more! I also felt that it would be confusing for a person who hadn't read the book. I had read it a long time ago and hardly remembered the story. Wanted to re-read it before watching the movie, but am glad I didn't have the time to do so, coz then there was some amount of suspense!
   
   
3. Last week, I attended this 6-day orientation for new teachers of the English Language Proficiency Course that will be run by Delhi University for the second time from August 10 to mid-December. Needless to say, that I am one of the teachers... Lets see how it will be trying to teach nearly-adult learners the correct usage of English.
   
   
4. On the 5th day of the Orientation, I started coughing. The constant AirConditioning finally got to me. As the day progressed, I felt a dull ache in my head coming along. My back started aching as well and I knew I was gonna get sick. The next 3 days were spent trying to bring down my temperature from the 101-2 degrees Fahrenheit that it was. My cough still hasn't completely gone.
   
   
5. On Sunday, 2nd of August, I moved out of the hostel. I was still very sick at the time, but I didn't ask for another extension since the International Students House for Women authorities suck majorly. They have been trying their best to kick old students out so they can fill it with new unsuspecting ones since we oldies know their dark history. The hostel is not the place it used to be, and I am glad I am out of it. The way they behaved especially with my friend, Aditi, telling her to move out in a day on her birthday(!!) was nothing but DESPICABLE. I'm very disgusted with these women and a full rant will follow soon enough.
   
   
6. I am now living at home and looking for a job (besides the ELPC).