Items I can live without

Okay so on this allergy inducing Sunday I thought to myself of all the things that drive me nuts. Here is a sampling -

Allergies - Any kind, but mostly those that cause me physical or mental discomfort. Pollen, pet dander, stupid people etc. are main culprits in no particular order. Pointless having them in the atmosphere but I guess unless we find a way to pollinate for the survival of the species the tree huggers are gonna want it.
Adults who organize surprise parties for other adults - I am not sure if this is a bay area disease but I am often informed of ridiculous events like a spouse organizing a surprise birthday party for their other half. I mean what sort of mental defective does not know a party is being planned under their own nose? Got to be some allergy that chokes the nose to not know that? And they don't just organize it but 'throw it'. The attending sycophants yam about this event by describing how so and so threw this surprise party for her spouse who just finished graduating from B-school. What a load of crock! I think that surprise is more to the accosted guest who is hand picked to help with the festivities and not get paid for their labor. Because it is usually the female member of the species that organizes this for the male in the household and dumps the work on the unsuspecting male guest(s). This male guest in a vacuous attempt at chivalry often falls prey to this scam. I am not sure if I am more amazed that a grown man had a party to celebrate spending money in school or turning 40 or 50 years old or whatever days he consumed material goods on this planet and occupied valuable real estate, or that his spouse was yearning for a look of surprise so bad?
People with pets - Leaving turds on other people's property to entertain themselves by taking out their defecating animals or letting them loose without a leash as their idea of fun, are retards in the community I can definitely live without.
Women that wear welding glasses on the street - these tend to be mostly Asian and have this habit of wearing a massive sunshade that prevents visibility to traffic in their vicinity. I have often feared for my life as one of them veers into traffic with their European stroller with no knowledge of that car inches behind them doing sixty.
Chit chat about transgender - when a country has no real world problems to deal with it makes them up. Bathroom design for transgender people is one such. I empathize with all genders when it comes to taking nature's call. But answer me this - if someone not of the gender marked on the bathroom door walked in the opposite type - what happens? Nothing! I mean who is taking trips to bathrooms of opposite sex as if it was an amusement park? Is this a real threat to our society now? Which goes to my other bigger problem of what is with the gender specific restrooms in the first place? Women long wanted equality so what the heck is with this made up nonsense?
Another election - if democracy has taught us one thing it is that you can find free comedy come election time. But honestly I am considering watching professional comedians if I need a fix.
Money design- can we please not waste collective societal time on BS like whose face can we put on the money?

On the go(zay masta) in Japan again

Cool cat the Japanese are Tokyo at dusk My second visit to this land of the rising sun after almost a decade. Back then clearly I was wet behind the ears product manager and likely didn’t pay attention to all (efficient) things Japanese. But today I did and of course continue to be impressed. It is as much the obvious stuff like on time travel that is both clean and comfortable and all that which makes it possible. The impressive landmark and landscapes that these humans have put together despite their cramped (or because of it) surroundings and precarious geological conditions could amaze a novice architect among us. But it’s also the little things that someone had to think about which have a phenomenal impact on day to day lives that make the Japanese stand apart. Below are few random examples- 1. Providing a very fine machined wooden toothpick in every packet of wooden chopsticks. The said chapsticks are simply set on the To Go counter of any food vendor/ convenience store wher...

Presumptive Society

Today's world is hyper connected. I am not so sure what it means but you hear it a lot. It is probably hyper but not sure how connected it is. Sugar (fermented or not) is available in many ways than before and so getting hyper is easy. It is probably more a threat than cocaine since it is sold legally. And what is this connected stuff? Most people I encounter seem disconnected from reality. So going back to this assumption that we are connected there are subtle and no so subtle instances of how brands and companies and middle men try to portray someone - A linkedin profile for somebody working for X years at a place advertises to the connected network that so and so is CELEBRATING X years @ Such and Such Inc. Do we know if (s)he is celebrating or cringing? Perhaps a better way to portray will be - So and So LASTED X years @ such & such inc. Then it exhorts the readership to go ahead and congratulate them for this lasting effe...

The Central State aka MP

Narmada river and site of Omkareshwar Indore Rajwada or palace of the Lady Holkar Somewhat geographically centered in India is the hot landscape of MADHYA PRADESH. A region I had a faint memory of visiting as a young lad eons ago. Now in my (along with my best half) quest to get to know lands far and wide I got an opportunity to visit Indore city and surrounding areas in MP. It begins with an evening visit to a bustling old market selling native snacks both savory and sweet. It is the realm of jewelers who run night time street side restaurants once they close their primary operations at dusk. Think of it as desi style block party that I am told goes into wee hours of the morning. My impression was it is worth one visit. The humid and hot ambience along with crush of humanity doesn’t make for a pleasant dining experience but the sheer variety of foods sort of makes up for it. From piping hot coconut filled fritters to oodles of milk based sweet confections, I gorged on item...

Brown Motion

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