Life in the time of Swine Flew!

Health and hygiene seem to have hit a new high (or is it low?) in the country since a certain virus took over almost half the planet. Well, this might seem like Resident Evil or some of those SciFi movies, but it is true. What started not more than two months ago in Mexico is officially a global pandemic. Thanks to globalisation and reduced international air travel fares, Swine flu has officially taken the lives of almost 50 people in this country. Just the last week , TV channels began to put up numbers indicating the no of victims of the deadly disease. It was quite an ugly site with some of 'em putting nos at their own choice.

As a matter of fact, our country (atleast the majority of it) does not subscribe to even the basic diktats of hygiene. We are in essence a soft candidate to the disease which some are even frightened to say out loud. It could even become a cult one day such as you-know-who disease and I am not referring to Lord Voldemort here. As to when this disease would subside in this country remains more illusive than the everyday crossword. Every day contrasting reports come out making people even more anxious. And it is quite terrifying to find people wearing masks. It does give a kind of spooky horror movie feeling. And Mr. Swine seems to be very cunning indeed as it seems to have broken barriers of Language, caste, race , age and gender to infect almost every indian in sight. It is truly an Indian disease so to speak , since it has (as we have read in our civics text books) found unity in diversity. Whatever that means. So to say, there will be more masks seen is no consolation for me. Lets hope we can put up till turkey flu strikes.

P.S Chilean scientists have found H1N1 in turkeys. I don't seem to understand why the virus has taken a particular liking to the culinary delights of the Carnivorous!

SCISSORS,KNIVES AND DAMN THATS OLD SPICE

I am not so comfortable with Sharp instruments!


Just the last week, having spent six hours to watch a 2 hour english movie(should be trying to watch), i decided it was time to let go of my hair. Not that I had too much, but not for nothing was I known as snake in the grass, wave in the head etc. Never have I had a good haircut. Wait, there would be one. But it was back at Tirupathi, it would hardly qualify as a haircut. Still coming back to last week, I got up and had one last look at what remained on my head. Frantically adjusting the part of the hair on the front of my head, I set out to the nearby barber's.


I have always been fascinated by people who have cut and tried to style my hair. I say tried to because after all the cutting part, there's this small part of hair on the front that would refuse to budge either way. I have seen barbers spend the most of their time and their patience on it, in vain. Perhaps I am every barber's nightmare???


The one funny thing about my hair is its desperation. Everytime I start to the Saloon, it tries to feign obedience. Now , that is not so hard to spot. Ordinarily, my hair tries to align itself in all possible directions. Sometimes I feel that my hairline was the inspiration for the discovery of the fourth dimension. But I don't give in and bravely proceed to get it cut. I don't know if it's me or the barber, cos i never seem to get it right. But the funny thing is that I can get my hair cut as long it is still der on top of my head, however unruly.

I know a lot of my friends would agree with me when I say that there are very thin lines between youth and middle age (or kezhats as its called in colloquial tamil), in my opinion , there are two - Waist line and the hair line. :)