Thursday, October 13, 2005

Of rain and electronics

What is wrong with the world? First it rains buckets in Maharashtra, late into the year, making Puneites ( and other Maharashtrians) wonder if the month of Shravan was 365 days long. Then there's Katrina in the US, and now, it's endless rain in Bournemouth. I can see some of you shake your heads, thinking the latter is not comparable to the first two, but to those who have seen a sunny day only once in the past 20 days, I think it would be of great consequence. Like yours truly.
A native (British citizen, if you prefer) commented to me that the mugginess in Bournemouth must remind me of Delhi. Now, two things - One, although largely patriotic, I do not quite jump for joy when people think all Indians must belong to either Delhi, Mumbai or Bangalore. Oh come on! Update your geography a little.... I mean, I knew of Luton, Bristol, Cornwall, Portsmouth, Stirling, etc. etc. apart from the glaring London, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin! Secondly, I want to say a big sarcastic HA! to that.... Delhi mugginess, or worse, Mumbai mugginess, is unimaginable to the Western layman, with due respect. It's like trying to explain snowfall to a Mumbaite, who has only ever experienced it inside an air-conditioned theatre when a scantily-clad woman prances about in the Swiss Alps. But we shall put my indignation on hold for a while to address other pressing matters.
I do some part-time work with the Additional Learning Needs department at the uni as a note-taker. I've had a great time doing it last year. I even sat through some lectures on Archaeology (and produced some good notes, mind you!). But those who have known me for the past half-decade or so will probably roll on the floor with laughter when I tell them about the subject I am taking notes for this year..... Electronics! Yes, you're allowed to laugh. It's the Revenge of the Sciences. I, who sprinted as far as possible from frequency, amplitude, analogue, digital, C++, etc. have to take notes for all these units. Poetic justice? You might be right. Don't get me wrong, these are all highly interesting subjects that I was good at (well, at least sometime!).
But jokes apart, it is very interesting going through all those concepts that I learnt ages ago, taught this time round by teachers who invest in making learning interesting (though I suspect I am in the only person in class who actually pays attention to all that is being said). What's even better is that since I am the only female presence in a congregation of just-about-voting-age boys, I get special consideration from the lecturers ('Good Morning, gentlemen... and lady'), which I don't hear myself complaining about ;). Go Electronics!!!