Lost In Madison

Hello dudes and dudettes. If you are wondering why I have been MIA(Missing In Action, not ur MTV VJ Mia), its because for the last two months I have been transitioning from Namma Bengaluru to Our Madison via Apna Dubai. (I should have said that in Mallu instead). So after working for 2 years in Bangalore, and lazing around for a month in Dubai, I reached U Esh of Aye to do my :hold your breath: “PhD”. Now wipe away that look of incredulity from your face and also start breathing please. I dont want my readers to die on me. At least not without reading the entire post. I am sorry, I digress. So this post has nothing to do with my job experiences at http://go/ogle or my abilities of sleeping for 14 hrs at a stretch(Yeah, I know you have slept for longer), but its about my present(my gift as per Kung Fu Panda) – the beautiful city of Madison,WI. I can throw many many stats about how healthy, green, beautiful, safe and family-friendly this city is. But instead I am going to bore you with a list(as always) of Madison’s features. So if you ever get lost in your baloon-ride around the world and land in an unknown city and if you notice the following, you are in Madison

- Loads of people running or cycling on the footpath, listening to music on their ipods, drinking “potions” from their belt, and wearing as little clothes as permissible. (Now you know why they are running)

- If you see a bicycle lane, between two high speed car lanes.

- If you see people driving scooters/mopeds that look like the mini LML vespas of yesteryears.

- Hoards of people wearing red t-shirts and having an angry animal cartoon(a badger
) imprinted on them. No these people are not members of PETA fighting for Badger Rights. Actually on a side note – Wikipedia says that “Badgers are fierce animals and will protect themselves and their young at all costs. Badgers are capable of fighting off much larger animals such as wolves, coyotes and bears.” So I would really be fighting for Bear Rights here. Anyways these people are actually supporting the University team, Wisconsin Badgers and the angry cartoon is Buckingham U Badger( aka Bucky Badger). A badger whose first name is Buckingham!! Poor guy, he would have got picked on by all his badger classmates.

- If you happen to come in winter(Oct-Mar), then the city is Madison if its covered in multiple layer of white. Except the sidewalks(which would appear like Grand Canyons), where you can still see people running and cycling(but this time with more clothes on)

- If the entire city has only 3 indian restaurants.(I think this is the only American city left alone by the “enTrePrenEuriAL” indianS)

- If it is as hot as Delhi one day, as cold as Ooty the next day, as hot and humid as Chennai the third day and snowing like Mount Everest the fourth, you are in Madison my dear.

- If the bus drivers thank you when you enter the bus and you thank the bus driver while leaving.(I dont know why, I never thanked the bus drivers of Mumbai where if you reach your stop in one piece, you SHOULD thank him)

- If there is no conductor on the bus to check your tickets.(I miss the “Ticket Ticket” and the stapler sounds)

- If you find a free newspaper stand for a newspaper hated by the “Jains” – The Onion.(PJ, In case u missed it) No it has nothing to do with the market rates of onion or any other veggie for that matter. Its a truly hilarious paper. Surprisingly much more than my blogs. Seriously. http://www.theonion.com

- If you dont find Starbucks at every second block. I hate this.

- If you dont find people at every second block. I hate this too. But not as much as no coffee.

- If you find a fountain that seems like two screw gauges spitting in each others mouths. I still cant figure out why would you name it the “Descendant’s Fountain”

- If everytime you walk for 2 miles, you see a lake.

- If you think you are in Washington DC, you are in Madison. We copied the Capitol Hill from Washington to especially fool ballooners like you.

- But the easier approach would be to ask the crowd around your balloon. Seriously do that.

PS – Question of the Day
Q: Why the wierd capitalization in “enTrePrenEuriAL” indianS ?
Hint: http://nerdshark.wordpress.com/2006/12/12/random-capitalisation/