of shopping carts, mirrors, phone, coffee, ears and birthdays...

Men push around shopping carts like how they want to drive a car. Sudden brakes, spot u-turns and turns so sharp the wheels almost lift off - everything they don't want to (can't) with a real one :)

I am a little narcissistic. Don't ask when left alone with a mirror - best time to check out the smiles, the blushes and the teeth.

Things change when I see a mirror in public. Coming down that escalator in the shopping mall - mirrors all around - I know I want to check my smile but end up with an emotionless face (damn the people around who ALL are waiting to see what I do).

A neat little trick: I talk on the cellphone, or atleast listen to voicemails. Smile, laugh or whatever - I just make sure the phone is on the ear. People now wouldn't think I am crazy guy smiling at myself. (What! No one actually looks at me? And I am not the only one this happens with? Phew!)

Engaged tone, voicemail box we don't want to speak into, dropped call or simply getting hung up on. Why do we end up looking at the handset quizzically before hanging up, as if it has got something to do with it? :-)

Coffee never tastes the same.

Brains interpretation of coffee's taste = f(mood, level of tiredness,

temperature, coffee's actual taste).

Imagine having a very small stage - say size of a match box. Take tiny singers (with really loud voices) and miniature instruments (again really loud) and place them on the stage. Now, take this stage and place it right inside the center of your head and ask the musicians to perform.

That's how it feels when we listen to music on headphones. Coming out right from the center of the head. That's not how things are supposed to sound. Ears are so wonderfully designed, we have this ability to sense where the sound is originating from. Its, for me, equivalent to having three dimensional vision because of two eyes. I prefer actual speakers. They don't fool my brain to think someone is sitting inside my most critical organ.

Why don't people sing the Happy Birthday song as soon as a baby is born? Isn't that the real happy Birthday? :)