🎾 Come On, Get Off My Back!

Leave me alone as I get along with the day!

Lately, I’m getting intimidated by the demanding and commanding nature of almost everything I use.

I agree, I asked for a wake-up call in the morning — but once I open my eyes and pat the screen, that task should be done. There’s no need to keep buzzing like a nagging child. That’s one time I feel like throwing the phone away, but even in half-sleep, the price tag flashes before my eyes.

Score: Love-All.

Next up, breakfast. I put my food in the microwave, and it insists I take it out immediately when it’s done. If I’m late, it starts protesting, beeping — just like the better half!

Love–15.

I get into the car. The moment I turn the key, it starts beeping for the seat belt. I politely say, “Thank you very much,” but it keeps raising its voice until I give in.

Love–30.

Like most men, I too suffer from the “I’ll find my way” syndrome — if there’s one by that name — and would rather circle the city than ask a stranger for directions. Yet, I have no qualms taking orders from Siri, Google, or Cortana. Trouble starts when I miss a turn and we both lose our cool, yelling at each other. Eventually, I surrender, follow her lead, and make it to the office — only to be scolded by the elevator lady: “Please press the button for your desired floor.”

Love–40.

At work, I log into my email. The server insists I change my password. I choose something simple, but no — it wants special characters, numerals, and uppercase letters. I twist my simple mind into a complex password I’ll soon forget. Then it demands my mobile number for “extra safety,” sends me a code, and makes me prove I’m not a robot.

Game Over.

Finally, I open my inbox.
As I start writing, my word processor joins the match. It constantly finds fault — grammar, spelling, even my choice of words. Now it wants me to write shorter and shorter sentences.

Being an introvert, I hardly speak in public; now my word processor seems determined to make me write less too.

I ignore it for the time being and override it.

The score stands: 15–Love.
Set 2: Game paused due to serious workload. 🎾 

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Read Reflect Rejoice

Never fight with an idiot

As I was driving to work this morning, I remembered a similar morning in Kuwait many years ago. It was rush hour, and a single-lane road connecting to the 5th Ring Road had conveniently been converted into two lanes, with no regard for the term “right of way”.

I was driving a saloon car when a rugged four-wheel drive started pushing me from my right and eventually forced me to stop as our metals clinked.

I lowered the window and, before I could open my mouth, the other guy said:

“I agree I am an idiot! But what is wrong with you? You should have stopped.”

I was dumbfounded.

The only answer I could have given was, “Hey, I am an idiot too.” But I was forced to leave the scene as hundreds of cars behind us were getting restless and had started honking in a way that could easily have given the South African vuvuzela a good run for its money!

Later, I asked myself… was I competing with that idiot in idiocracy?

Unfortunately, the answer was YES!

Lessons learnt

Never fight with an idiot, even if you are right.

It’s a no-win situation—or should I say, a LOSE–LOSE situation?

You are either defeated by an idiot, or, if you win, you end up being a bigger idiot yourself.