Sunday, March 16, 2008

Great Words...

"It doesn't matter what we do until we accept ourselves. Once we accept ourselves, it doesn't matter what we do." - Charly Heavenrich

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Unreliable Reliance

I stay in the financial capital of India. I am a subscriber of Reliance India Mobile. I need it because it offers me a highly favorable tariff plan. I am a victim too. Of their poor network. Poor network everywhere in a city like Mumbai. Unthinkable but true. Yes true.

Now that was a new style of writing I was trying out. Really short sentences. Real short. Well, without dwelling onto the same style of writing again, I will resume the topic. Reliance has proved to be a necessary evil as far as my cellphone is concerned. Think of the following scenarios. I will call myself 'me' and the other party i9.

Scenario 1
Embarrassment Level - High
Frustration Level - High
me: Hello
i9: Hello
me: Your voice is breaking!
i9: Well this is what you say all the time. Change your damn connection!
me: :( :(


Scenario 2
Embarrassment Level - High
Frustration Level - Very High
me: Hello
i9: Hello
...
...
(There is something really important going on)
...
...
me: blah blah blah
i9:
me: Are you there?
i9:
me: I cannot hear anything.
i9:
I hang up. I call again. But in vain. Raat baaki, baat baaki, hona hai jo, ho jaane do.
I keep grunting and keep trying.


Scenario 3
Embarrassment Level - High
Frustration Level - Very Very High
me: Hello
i9: Hello
...
...
(There is something really important going on)
...
...
Suddenly, out of nowhere, I get this stupid damn message on my screen "CALL DROPPED" !!
(These stupid call droppings was exactly what lead me to change my cellphone from LG to Nokia. I was happy to have a Nokia but even that did not help. )
Anyways, so after seeing a CALL DROPPED, I hang up. I call again. I get to hear the stupid engage tone.
I call again. This time, the number is not damn reachable!!
Losing my patience and frustrated with Reliance, I try again. This time, the cellphone things call has gone through, but the response is blank !


Scenario 4
Embarrassment Level - Very High
Frustration Level - Very Very High
There is a plan called "Night Talk", in which, for a monthly payment of 875 bucks, you get Reliance to Reliance calls all over India free from 11PM to 6AM. Thats the best part of the deal. But only in writing. When you get to use it, you discover that the call gets cut every 15 minutes. So that amounts to 28 calls of 15 mins each, and that too when every call gets connected in the first attempt, which, sadly, is never the case.

Nevertheless, I must mention, what I love about Reliance is the variety of ways in which your call gets lost. Keeps me guessing :)

In the end, I am the sad sufferer who has more reasons to keep this connection than to dispose it off.

Sadly, the grievances are not limited to this one side. There are problems even when I am on the receiving side. More often than not, a caller gets a "switched off" message when actually the phone is on with decent number of network bars. I doubt if Mr Anil Ambani uses a Reliance connection!!

One of the best works by Abbas Tyrewala

Sapna Toota Hai, To Dil Kabhi Jalta Hai
Haan Thoda Dard Hua, Par Chalta Hai...

I just love these 2 lines from the song (Apun Jaise Tapori). Full lyrics here

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Time Never Stops. Period.

यूं ही चला चल रही यूं ही चला चल राही
जीवन गाड़ी है समय पहिया


Beautiful thoughts !