Kriti's Laboratory

That's when you really wish, you hadn't given away your bicycle...

2008-05-14T23:28:00.017+05:30

These are my random thoughts penned down in exactly the sequence of their eruption in my mind.

Everyone is out from their homes... some with their cars, some on bikes... cycles or with bus no.11. :)

It has just stopped raining after those muddy winds, but it rained quite heavily... Yeah, the untimely ones have always been like this. But frankly speaking, they give a big relief from scorching weather, at least for few hours. But they also make me think about mango, litchi and watermelon and all fruits' crops, I wish they are not ruined. How will I spend summers without them??

Now it's as cool, serene and clean as it could be. Direct drop of 13 degrees from 35°C to 23°C.

This smell of soil is like heaven, tiny droplets still falling from sky, breeze striking my face and slowly knocking my brain making me remember those unexpected rains of Aprils and Mays that I have seen till now. All the dusty houses, buildings after being washed in rain appear recently painted. Trees, grass in parks and lawns look that they have come out in this world just now or have suddenly come in their full vigour.

And that's when you really wish, you had not given away your bicycle. Why did I gave it away..what was I thinking?..may be that I am too old for riding a bicycle.

When I was kid, I used to check out the new world that appears after rains, riding my bicycle. And the striking breeze today is still like the one which I used to feel then. I am really missing those rides, that I used to have on my bicycle just after the rains.

Had I been on Prakhu's home right now, I would have ridden his bicycle.

Anyhow, I think I should not miss enjoying this weather typing this post. I can take a rickshaw ride... obviously I won't drive it. But I know that it's not gonna be like it used to be with my bicycle.

It's a whole new more colourful world out here but I miss you my "ladybird", and now I know that I was never too old to have a ride on you :(

Thank God, Chemistry Labs have Emergency Exit..

2008-04-29T16:50:00.031+05:30

EMERGENCY EXIT of chemistry labs ...huhh...do they ever come in use...I mean, I never saw them being used..may be because hardly any such accident takes place in chemistry labs that one may need to vacate lab through emergency exits.. Usually all sorts of chemicals which can be dangerous are put out in lawns, outside labs when they are meant to be used..like Benzoyl chloride which can cause serious damage to eyes..hydrogen disulphide..though not very harmful, but it smells really bad.

Well, the EE (that's how I'm gonna abbreviate emergency exit now in this post) did come in use ...but one should know how and when to use these doors...

It was in January this year( I was in 2nd year then), when we were all supposed to attend a 3 hours Chemisrty Practical class with our Chemistry HOD, as planned by chemistry department teachers.

The class was supposed to start at 8:40 a.m for which I need to take 8 a.m bus from outside my house.
It was already 8 in the clock. I was still at home and I was late (as usual).
"First finish your milk"papa said.
"No Papa, I don't wanna miss the bus again... next bus is very late"
"You never listen to us, do whatever you want" said Maa, taking the glass of milk back in the kitchen..
"Sorry Maa, Maa but I promise, I will drink two glasses in the evening ...promise..bye.."
"Okay, bye, take care...and don't forget to eat something in college even if you need to miss some lectures.." ( yeah, I know..my maa is cool ;) )

I crossed the road outside my house almost running.. to reach to the stop..
but the bus left in front of my eyes..
"Oh...what the hell...I would have never missed that bus if only Maa and Pa would not have argued..."
"Next bus is after 15 minutes..I am definitely late.."
There was no auto rickshaw to be seen, so the only option left was to wait for the next bus.

Our chemistry HOD is a 60+ old man. I had heard people saying things about him...like he is very rude and shrewd but he likes to get the attention of all the girls...so he hate the boys who are talked about in the class... or who are quite famous among girls..

"What will I do now...I can't reach on time..what if he really doesn't allow me to attend the class..Oh my God, then he'll not give me marks (internal assessment marks)...is it any use waiting for bus now.. should I go for others classes only..", kept ringing in my mind.

The next bus came exactly on time, at 8:15..I boarded it...and as usual it was jam-packed.
While in bus I received a SMS from Richa (one of my friends in college and also my chemistry locker partner) - "krt, whr r u?? hod is abt to come..hv you missd d bus again? you knw na..he wont allw u 2 entr..this is nt r regulr clss wid r regulr Tchrs."
I replied to Richa "yaar, m late. rght nw in bus"

I reached college at 8:55...I rushed towards the chemistry lab.
And as expected HOD was there..people were doing salt mixture analysis (finding the 3 cations and 3 anions present in the salt mixture). HOD was also asking questions from the students about this qualitative analysis, calling them one by one. This was all that I could see through the last window (the one farthest from the teacher's table and also the nearest one to the EE) of chemistry lab. I was still outside the lab.

I went one window closer towards the teacher's table. There I could see many students, Rahul was nearest.
Rahul, a very good friend of mine, the only boy in our class who helps almost everybody in every matter, be it studies or break ups...patch ups (which are actually break ups for the others).

I called him from the window,"Rahul, Rahul, ... what all is going on? Is HOD in good mood?
Rahul...come here, near the window"
He came near the window and replied, "What?? Don't you know, he doesn't like the boys which get the attention of girls. I don't wanna lose marks. ". And he went away and continued with what he was doing. "Such a coward you are."

I went back to the last window and there I saw Richa pouring something in a test tube.
"Hey Richa...here ...at the window...come here,please."
"Oh, Kriti...What are you doing here?? Go from here, he won't allow you to enter...go before he sees you.." said Richa as she approaced the window.
"Hey yaar, should I take a chance and try to make some excuse?"
"Don't even think of it, he's BUDHA (this is how some of my classmates call our chemistry HOD) and not our regular teacher. "Now go." said Richa and went away.

"I am already not getting any marks for attendance as I am not regular in chemistry practical classes, and now no marks for internal assessment..."

Well, I was very upset and was cursing myself that why do I always get late when people who come from so far are always on time.
Suddenly I got an idea. As I was outside EE now, I thought of entering the lab through it, though it's not meant for this purpose.

"No one ever comes here...and HOD is busy asking questions.. It's quite dirty here near the EE..What's the use of making the EE so far from the working tables..In some emergency, I bet no one will even think of using EE ..everybody's gonna run towards the main door (the one that is nearest to the teacher's table)...Oh..now I get it...the door (main) is closest to teacher's table so that at least the teacher can escape comfortably...Ohho...what am I thinking...I have to get in somehow...."

Well, I did it...I wore my lab coat and sneaked into the lab through the EE... without anybody knowing it...not even other students...ok..ok..except a few ;)
I reached my table, brought the salt mixture which I was supposed to analyse, from a corner table.

Later I realized that I could have been caught had the HOD or the lab assistant seen me near the corner table taking the salt mixture, because all the students had already taken their salt mixtures.
I did the salt analysis well..got all the 3 cations and 3 anions...and later answered almost all the questions asked by HOD during my turn.

This is how I made a use of EE of chemistry lab. And I have been using them since then (proudly). And I sincerely hope to continue to do the same in 3rd year as well. B)

Hey, why don't Physics and Biology labs have EE too??

What if someday machines or rather instruments, as simple as Vernier Calliper start ruling mankind...we will surely need a EE in physics labs also then.

And what if during the dissection class in biology labs, the anesthesised rats and frogs suddenly revive and start shouting from the dissection tray,"We are now going to take our revenge, we'll cut you ..chop pieces out of you...and study your nervous system, circulatory system.., as you have been doing with us...".
We will need a EE in this case for biology labs too. :)

PLEASE NOTE: Through this blog, I in no way mean to offend anybody, specially our Chemistry HOD. I have full respect for my teachers and elders. But..ya....Richa and Rahul...they can feel offended :)

Please Maa...just once...

2008-04-28T13:18:00.003+05:30

It was when I was in 6th or may be 7th grade..We were having some function in our house.. so invited many relatives and friends..

It was about 10 in the morning, "Maa, please ...just once..i also want to soften my hair..please.. ", i said.

"No, you are not gonna use conditioner...now go and take shower. Everyone is about to come and you are still not ready", said Maa. This was not the first time that i asked her permission for using conditioner. Perhaps she considered me too young for using conditioner that time.

Well, I really wanted to use the hair conditioner...so i used it this time..

And at that time I was so foolish, i didn't know that a hair conditioner doesn't produce lather..

After shampooing my hair, i put the conditioner...well..as you would have expected...
I got completely terrified within few minutes because it didn't produce lather..

I kept massaging ... no ..actually rubbing my head for 10-15 minutes..hoping that it
might be because of hard water and conditioner has less detergent...so I should try rubbing more..

One thought kept coming in my mind again and again..what if i lose my hair...aaila..completely BALD.. I was completely terrified.
I couldn't tell this this to Maa at that time..because she was already angry with me..and was
busy organizing things.

After few minutes, when nothing happened, i decided to wash my hair with water and shampoo them again..

I was so horrified that while washing them with water, i didn't notice that my hair had actually become quite soft...

But, I shampooed them.. and came out with even more frizzed hair.

After few years; 3 or 4 years, i get to read what is written on the conditioner bottle.. "It doesn't produce lather". It took me so long to read about it because after that day i never tried to even look at conditioners again.

Well...I learned something very important that day...no..no..not that we should obey our parents...but that one should always read about things before using them...

And till today...whenever we get something new...i am the last one to try it ... because when everybody at home tries it..i read its manual...

Now I never miss to read preface or foreword of books..even textbooks; instruction manual of new electric kettle, new cell phone... and that's the reason why Tarun says, "phone ki kitab nikal aur padhai kar le pehle.... dekh mat". I look stupid most of the times..but now that's how it is..

C'mon, you were supposed to laugh.
And please don't ask if I ever used any hair conditioner again after that.