The engineer in you

One of the many definitions of engineer in Webster’s, & the most appropriate one according to me, is a person who is trained or skilled in technicalities of some field, not usually considered to fall within the scope of engineering and who is engaged in using such training or skill in the solution of technical problems.

Most of the world believes that an engineer is someone who has crawled four years through thick books full of numbers, symbols & equations to get that single sheet of paper with the words Bachelor of Technology printed on it. They may not be wrong altogether. What with the way we went through night-outs, memory maps, crisp notes prepared by the front bencher with the sole intention of gaining higher marks in the exams… No, we too were not totally wrong. The first criteria laid by any company visiting the campus fishing for talent, was a cut-off mark or grade.  With the whole life ahead of us waiting to be treaded upon, what else would we think about than what mode of transport we chose to ride life on. Of course, we had already learnt the hard way that the simplest way to win a girl-friend was to flaunt a bike, flashier the better. Of course times have changed, but the golden rule remains – maybe the bike has to be swapped with swanky car these days.

The point I wanted to make is how many of us, engineers or otherwise, actually develops this habit of using skill to solve a problem? Yes, these days all services are just a phone call – be it a mechanic, plumber, electrician, even a masseur. But there is a satisfaction in doing things yourself; apart from building independence & self-confidence, there are other tangible benefits of saving time & money.

For example, you don’t need mechanic to change a flat tyre. I have heard people say “I did not know where the jack was kept in the car”. Most electrical problems on a car are related to fuses. So it helps raising the hood, opening the fuse box & checking for any sign of fusing rather than waiting eternally for the mechanic to show up. After a recent incident of engine overheating, I keep a set of fuses of different amperages in my car, ready to face any eventualities.

You have now gained enough experience to conclude that a lot of problems on your computer or cell-phone can be rectified by a simple restart or removing the battery. Similarly, most of the times, the medicine for a computer or any electronic gadget acting funny can be googled. 

Most of you would have resorted to a plumber for any problems with your shower, taps etc...  Just for the heck of it, try taking a pair of pliers and screw driver to your wash-room & see how simple it is to fix a blocked shower or a choked tap. I even went to the extent of installing our gas-geyser on my own, when the technician quoted Rs.2000/- for installation & the necessary hoses. All I had to do was walk to the neighbouring hardware shop for the best quality heat resistant hose. Making connections was cake-walk once you figure out what hose goes where.

The other day the flush on our toilet cistern got jammed. I only had to remove the lid to realize that the system beneath is so very simple. Once opened, it hardly took five minutes to rectify the problem. Similarly, you can set right most of the troubles coming from your bicycle.

I never allow our security guard of our apartment to wash the car. When I get into washing of the car, I have a feel of what’s right & what’s not – thus keeping me updated on the task at hand.  Same is the case with house-keeping at home.

There are hundreds of such minor things popping up all the time. Wise is the one who searches for the solution within, gives vent for the engineer in you to pour out and then take stock of the situation. Mind it, there is an engineer in every one of us. Do we really need a formal certificate to make it active?

Ricksha(w)oes

The Oxford dictionary defines auto rickshaw as a motorized, three-wheeled rickshaw for public hire.  A more apt and elaborate definition would be a pod-like commuter vehicle which snakes its way through mess & melee, looting the passengers all along.

You can’t miss them. They are omnipresent & crying for attention while at it. Take for example your daily commuting in the city. Atleast a quarter of the time you are behind an auto rickshaw. This is the time when you have to be more cautious than crossing the busiest road of the city. The following things can happen when you are least expecting it:

-       If you are following a slow rickshaw, don’t conclude that the driver is conscious of the speed limits; it only means the auto is empty - even a vulture is slow which searching for its prey.

-       The cruising rickshaw can come to a sudden halt on spotting a prospective client.

-       The rickshaw can turn in any direction without giving you any notice. Please do not wait for the indicators to warn you; they are rudimentary.

Let’s assume you just arrived in a city by bus early in the morning. Ever wondered how the passengers in the bus get distributed among the countless rickshaws waiting outside? As you are getting down there are atleast four rickshaw drivers peering through the exit door. You can hear them bidding for you like the IPL team owners: “Black T shirt is mine..”, “Bald uncle in mine..” “Red bag aunty for me..”. By the time you get down you are already “bought” by a particular driver.

Now you start the negotiation. The driver is very courteous in carrying your luggage upto his rickshaw. In the 30 seconds taken to reach his vehicle, he has made a full assessment of your background: are you a newcomer in the town, would you be the naïve kind or would you argue, how much can you afford..

The conversation which follows is something like this:

“Where to?”

“XYZ”

“Where in XYZ”, this is to check if you know the place & the distance. If you falter here, then he has earned 2 points & you are at zero.

“Near ABC”

“Is it near DEF behind ABC?” This is to gauge if the landmark you mentioned is actually known to you or not.

“I’ll show you the way,” is the best answer you can give, so as to save your skin & your money. Any other reply and you are sure to be taken on a ride.

You get into the auto & he immediately pushes off.

“Why is the meter not on?” you ask innocently.

“Meter is not working, sir”. You have to appreciate the unity among drivers. In the morning hours, none of the meters work! Even if it works (which is the rarest of the rare cases), they will ask you one & half times the meter.

“Why one & half?”, you will ask if you are aware of ‘one & half timings’.

The replies can be any one of the following:

-       “Sir, I have been waiting all night”.

-       “Sir, I have to come back here empty.”

-       “New rates not updated in the meter”

Finally you agree for some amount, assuming you have clinched a good deal. Only once I tried to play it a bit longer. I opened Google maps on my phone & showed him the exact distance & then multiplied by the per kilometer cost. The driver grumbled something about one-way and I realized I’m not heading anywhere with my street-smart act.

You will also notice one more thing. Most autos fill gas only when they are engaged. I have never been able to figure out what is the benefit they get by keeping us with them for 5 more minutes. Throughout the rickshaw ride, (something similar to a roller coaster ride, only difference being here you know you are not in a safe & secure environment) all you can enjoy is the extra-loud music of local super-hits and the poster of the local heroines in the sides.

All the above is more or less common in all cities with extent of severity varying from the least in Mumbai (one of the best for hassle-free auto commuting) to the worst in Chennai. I have never travelled with a meter on in Chennai. The drivers are not interested in short rides even if you are ready to pay Rs.50 for 2 kms. They don’t care a damn about idling, as long as the margins are not absurdly high. Three out of five auto rides have come with the complimentary fuel station tour. None of the auto drivers even want to try talking any other language but Tamil.

One more face of autos you will see is the with school going kids packed in. The kids are so stuffed inside that you begin to wonder if the auto has capabilities to compress its contents, simultaneously hanging the school bags & lunch bags dangerously onto rear view mirrors.

All said and done, you cannot do away with rickshaws – they are your first “friends” and only saviors when you go to a new city.

K(NO)w ur LIMITS

Yes, I have been regularly working-out for over 4 months now; cycling, swimming, treadmill or yoga. I started all this so as to reduce that little extra flab on the waist, more importantly because I was having too much of access to delicious food & delicious food has always been my weakness.

Gradually it became a routine. I stopped giving myself reasons like “today I’m on tour, I can’t work-out”, “its too cold outside, the warm bed is too good to leave”, “let me cuddle with wife darling for some more time”, “It was late when I slept yesterday; I deserve some more rest”..

Once on, nothing could stop me: not the cold misty mornings, ice cold water of the swimming pool, wife going for a jog in the morning (we have a kid to take care of)... Somehow I could manage one of the four options.

And no, I did not have to go any extra mile for accomplishing any of the above: I did not enrol into any gym or club, I went swimming at hotel where I stayed. If there was no pool, I’d go to the gym there. If there was no gym I’d practice yoga. I did not join any expensive yoga class, I downloaded Shilpa Shetty’s yoga for free. (Some of my colleagues still doubt that they can practice yoga watching Shilpa & her curves). I did not buy a sports cycle, I used the normal cycle which we got so that we could take our kid for a fun ride.

All I had to invest was that extra bit of interest to stick to the regime. And it was not difficult ‘ços I started loving it – the fresh morning air, the cool water, the well sculpted Shilpa, loud music on the ipod..

Well, I’m not the kind of person who dresses up for occasions or is bothered by the way I look. I’m exactly opposite to my wife or any lady for that matter in this regard. But last week after a shower when I stood naked before the bathroom mirror, I somehow liked the looks - the ups & downs of my physique were becoming admirable. I had also noticed that I could do the padahasthasana (standing erect & then bending forward to touch your toes) with ease & for a long duration at that.

So I decided to try the yogamudra (sitting in padmasama – cross legged – with your hands clasped behind your back & bending forward so that your forehead touches the ground), which I, till then, believed justifies the definition of yoga to be twisting your body into impossible postures. But then I could accomplish it that day!

Today, as my cycle was borrowed by my wife’s friend, I had to settle for a jog. I could have gone ahead with yoga, but of late I had developed the thrill in fighting the winter morning chill with my sweat. That followed by a cold shower was like enlightenment. I had read somewhere that yogi’s in Himalayas took cold showers – it supposingly develops their mental strength. And I’m more obsessed with the mind than the body. So…

I did not have any particular target in mind. When I’m on the treadmill, I generally do 3 km in 30 min, after touching a high of 12 kmph for a while. That makes me totally wet. But today I just went on & on. Not that I was in a good mood, neither was I totally rested – I had slept only 3 hrs the previous night & got up to honor my 0600 hrs commitment. Although the air was freezing when I stepped out of the house, within 30 min I was sweating. The sweat was pouring into my eyes causing irritation.

Strangely I didn’t hit the wall (Wall is a term used in marathon for the feeling that you can’t go any further). My thighs threatened to get cramped. But I regulated the pace & advised them otherwise. And they obliged…

When I finally reached my apartment I had clocked almost 10 kms! That is my personal best! I climbed to the terrace & stretched for 15 min to make sure there were no cramps. Within 75 min I was back home for the refreshing cold shower. One hour later I was out for office.

So guys, there’s no miracle to it. It only takes a little bit of fine tuning inside your skull. “Exercise is beyond me” is only a self-created hurdle in your mind. Like all those dumb people who believe liquor is the only means of happiness. Pity, they have to get out of their senses to experience happiness. Likewise, pity if you couldn't trigger the spark in you..