Am I Normal?

Was it sofia? or sonia? Would they announce it in every flight today?

After hearing the announcement "Happy B'day Sofia/Sonia", in the flight, I asked my neighbor. This was the very first thing I spoke with him.

He replied, "May be it's some passenger; So they need not do it in every flight".

"If that is a passenger, then they won't be using her first name. So, it could be one of the stewardess", I remarked.

He suggested that it could be child. Sure, then the first name could be used.

I thought that it made sense, but I let it rest without mentioning "Birthday Paradox" to say that, there are more than 23 people in the flight and blah blah blah to prove my point. [Well, I hadn't realised at that time that he had enough math background to understand without explanation]

But I marked it in my mind that my neighbor in the flight was a smart fellow indeed. :) ... and he turned out to be a really smart fellow.

Well.... that is not the point, right? Just wanted to show the oddity! ;)

After my accident, I never did a detailed report of the event. :) .. It was mainly three or four things which I thought about... just after the accident.

I had seen the car (a green one) coming towards me and I knew that it would hit me and of course, my calculation was right! [If only I were wrong!!]

Well, after getting hit, I was thrown away and my bike was thrown away as well. While in the air, I saw my bike flying above me (I say above, because, I remember it vividly that I saw the flying bike and sky was the background).

I fell, people came around me, informed the police ... blah blah blah. It was paining, my leg was the only organ which was hurting and I was not scared at all ... as I knew that it's only my leg which is hurt. (Even though I didn't know ... to what extent it was hurt. I hadn't expected to have broken both the bones)

First thought: WOW! Time slows down. I had seen it in a documentary, that... when we are having an accident or something, our brain-clock ticks way fast that we feel and see everything in slow motion. And I knew in that instant - why the sight of flying bike was so clear and vivid to me.

Second thought: What if I were a primitive man? I just thought that if I were a primitive man (say neanderthal) then there might not be anyone to help me out.. and some animal would come after sometime and eat me. Then I realised that I would be dead because of the cold even before any animal would find me. Then I corrected myself that, if I were indeed a primitive man, I wouldn't have had an accident at all. (Crazy me.. right?)

Third thought: I am missing the important meeting with professor. This one I even shared with the nice fellow who was holding me from moving and hurting myself further. He said me that it's fine. Then I also said him "So ist das Leben" -- meaning ... "Such is life" .. "no complaints". This was of course a very normal thought.

The fourth thought was really crazy and I should give the credit of the thought/dream to the sedative which was flowing through my arteries. I dreamt about matrix/real-world/what-is-real/Nietsche etc. etc. It was an awesome dream which felt like for hours but I can't explain all of it in words. That dream, I am sure, was really not so normal.

I didn't tell about these things to others, as they might find me a little(?) crazy. But now I am posing before you, the question "Am I normal?". Am I???? (Yes, I know, I am :) )

Signing off, Sands.

PS1: There was a BBC documentary series "Am I" -- "Am I normal", "Am I Obese" .. etc. etc. The title reminds me of the series

PS2: Does it sound like I am blowing my own trumpet? ;)

Overwhelming....!

Many a time, this word "overwhelming" is used to exaggerate. But this time, I should think that it is not enough.

Last weekend, I flew to home - back to India. As I am a little disabled for the coming month ,because of the broken leg, I preferred to stay with my family where I get enough care. (In fact, I was getting enough or even more than enough care at Munich itself. I don't have enough words to thank my friend. And also, thanking would make it formal and I don't like it.)

So, I reached home on Sunday, morning 10. :)

Now, take a guess - How many visitors did I have during the first two days?

There were 49 visitors in the first 36 hours at home. After seeing the number of people came to visit me at Munich, I was thinking - "hey I am popular enough". Now, after these many visitors here, I just don't know what to think.

Well, I so happen to be popular by myself; a son of well connected parents  (vitamin B) and the brother of a *very* active, popular sister. :)

I am going to have a 4 week vacation - just for reading and taking rest. :)

Signing off, Sands.

PS1: The idea of getting the count of visitors - credit goes to my sister. (she has written down even the names of all)

PS2: Vitamin B -- is a style/usage in German for "connections"/"good network of friends" ... etc.

Well, it's tough...

When I want to have two celebrations and a news update in a single entry, things are difficult... even giving a sensible title itself is tough.

I should perhaps start in the reverse order... starting with the news update. I met with an accident. I don't want to bore you with details. A few days after the accident, I called up a friend of mine and asked her to inform the rest of our group, she sent an email... a small one which explained everything well.

while going with cycle, car hit – thrown away– cycle  too was thrown – broken (right) leg  – hospitalized by police and helpful German people – steel rod inside leg – after operation, while getting awake, bit oxygen tube – lungs trouble, some small damage  – doctors concerned – put in Intensive Care – now lungs problem over – can walk with crutches – will get discharged tomorrow.

(As the email was partly in Malayalam, I have taken the liberty to translate/modify to English. And I have not asked her .. if I could use her email.. [permission taken for granted.. ;)] )

So that's the story and I was in the hospital for a week - starting with ICU, then Casualty and finally in normal ward. It was a different experience and no bad feelings at all. Now back at home for the past 5 days.

Now to celebration one : I have written earlier - I feel at times that I am getting more than I deserve, and I felt it again while in hospital. I was simply overwhelmingly happy by the people (so many of them) who came to visit me. I am so glad that all of them really did take the effort to come to me and spent time with me, spoke with me.. [well, that's an outright lie - in most of the conversations, I did more than 80% of the talking ;)]

Almost wherever I go, I land up having many friends or very good acquaintances. And the same is true here as well. My neighbor in the hospital ward was impressed. ;)

Once again I want to say that I was very glad that so many people came to me. I was not disappointed by the ones who were not in Munich... they did ring me up and gave their time and attention. My dear fellows, you all make a difference in my life and I am so glad. I feel blessed. :)

Now celebration two : This very entry happens to be the two hundredth (200) entry in my blog. Great... isn't it?

I thank all my wonderful, loyal readers. :)

Signing off, Sands.

PS: A bit of food for thought - While trying out Indian food, most of the foreigners like it in the first trial itself. While trying out European cuisine, most of the Indians complain about the lack of taste - in the first trial itself. And the worst part is here - Indians explain it that Indian food has all the great ingredients, masala etc. and is of course tastier. Wonderful explanation. But couldn't it be that foreigners adapt better, complain less and we are just cribbing all the time - thinking that *what we have* is better than *what they have*!!? ... Living in fools paradise?? What do you think?