“Z”ERO

My itchy fingers couldn’t zero in on a theme for today’s article and then they suddenly realised that what they had been searching for was right in front of their eyes: “Z”ERO. Voila!

Dictionary defines Zero as “No quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.”

Mathematics defines it as the smallest non-negative integer.

The only natural number which is not positive.

However, I see this Mathematical wonder to be a beauty. A paradox in itself.

Courtesy: Google Images

When it means nought, then how come everybody becomes incredible and willing to do the incredulous when the mid-term or year-end appraisal approaches just to insert some more Zeros to their paychecks? Of course, at the end!

How come anything divided by Zero, a practically insignificant term; becomes infinite, the undefined?

How come the whole nation or a bunch of scientists enveloped in an atmosphere of anticipation and frenzy hold their breath as the Zero hour approaches?

I wonder how something with virtually no value could turn out to be so valuable that everyone would run after it.

To think of it on a broader level, maybe not everybody is running after Zero, not students at the very least!

Isn’t it ironical that something we tried to drive away from our Report Cards all our educational journey becomes the driving force of our lives as soon as we step into the professional arena?

Mathematics states Zero to be an identity element.

In layman terms, it’s a neutral element.

If you add something to Zero or subtract Zero from something, multiply something to Zero or divide it by any number, the result is always the number itself or Zero. It has always been!

I think we can learn how to be true to ourselves and others and not changing our colours from Zero.

Can you see the firm will and pure determination of this small number which signifies practically nothing?

I pity the contemporary generation fighting the battle of Intelligence Quotient as it has achieved Zero when it comes to Emotional Quotient!

When the technology is on an all-time high, different types of content is literally flying at us from all the directions, the contentment level is going down to Zero.

Don’t you think that we are taking lessons of life from Zero but are implementing it in the wrong dimensions?

We have to understand that there is a huge difference between 1000/0 and 0/1000 and the tables can turn any time.

We have to be extremely careful enough at all the times hence.

Sometimes, I feel envious of Zero because it’s a clear demarcation between the positive and the negative.

Such an easy life. Isn’t it?

When you know what’s black and what’s white; when there are no surprises and one doesn’t have to deal with the so called grey area or set sail in unchartered territories.

I am bitter at the fact that Zero, nothing, is given the due respect and treated at par with the other numbers if not less despite being the “smallest” non-negative number, the “smallest” even number.

Then how come our generous society attaches a social stigma to the so-called “small” things in life?

Again, a lesson learnt wrong. Isn’t it?

But as they say grass is always greener on the other side.

You will understand the same when you will try to focus on the precarious position Zero is in, being the clear dividing point between the positives and the negatives?

I wonder how it might feel.

Maybe just like how the whistle-blowers might feel. Or maybe those who take up the responsibility and always get the work done while simultaneously being termed as zero, nothing or taken for granted.

Maybe the life of Zero is not as simple as it sounds.

It may have its own demons to deal with and own sunshine to bask in even though it’s neither positive nor negative.

But we as the only “intelligent creations” might want to learn from this Mathematical gift and apply it in the right direction lest we want the output to be Zero.

My itchy fingers would like to leave you at this note with the hope that whatever they wrote forced you to stop, to think even though for a duration.

They would feel blessed indeed to know that their effort did not create Zero impact on their readers.

This is the 26th post and the final entry in the series #AtoZChallenge.

This post is also for #BlogchatterA2Z ------> 'Z'.

"Y"ESTERDAY!!

 Birth,

Youth,

Adulthood,

Old-age

If every phase was yesterday, then at which juncture are we today?

Slim,

Strong,

Beauty,

Edged brain 

If physical and mental fitness were applauded yesterday, then what’s in vogue today?

Winters,

Autumn,

Summers,

Spring

If that’s what seasoned yesterday, what’s next in future?

Anxiety,

Excitement,

Enjoyment,

Relief

If all emotions have been lived, are we passionless this day?

Money,

Corruption,

Poverty,

Misfortune

If that was the up and down of finance, what’s more in store today?

Music,

Party,

Dance,
Raising a toast

If these ensued yesterday, shall we expect more parties this day?

Friends,

Foes,

Slaves,

Masters

We have seen many associations since yesterday, are many more tie-ups in prospects?

 

Courtesy : Google Images

Yesterday,

Today,

Tomorrow,

Forever

You read them since yester-period, itchy fingers will keep on tickling!

This is the 25th post in the series #AtoZChallenge.

This post is also for #BlogchatterA2Z ------> 'Y'.

“X”: A JOURNEY

Honestly, my itchy fingers had grown quite apprehensive when they realised that they had to come up with a write-up on “X”.

What could the topic and theme be?

And then a friend suggested to write about my encounters with X till date.

And they set out on a journey in the past to dig out the precious moments when they had encountered X.

Kindergarten taught the itchy fingers as to how to draw standing and sleeping lines and etch alphabets in the colourful ruled notebooks. But then came X, an alphabet (a consonant to be precise) that taught them diagonal lines, both forward and backward slash together in a bundle!

As my itchy fingers climbed the education ladder, so did “X”.

In second standard, it graduated from a mere alphabet to the mathematical symbol of Multiplication.

Multiplication of money and happiness is the slogan for the contemporary years, right? I can’t comment if the list is mutually exclusive or exhaustive though.

Courtesy: Google Images

And then in the coming years, “X” took another leap from being a mere symbol to an independent variable. A variable that gave us nightmares as its value had to be found out from a set of seemingly complicated equations. The equations which needed to be subsequently represented through graphs with the specific values of x highlighted using Blank pen.

The situation worsened when the formidable “X” was not alone anymore, it was joined by x₁, x₂, x₃, ……… x_n.

As the years passed by, the independent variable invaded the life of my itchy fingers with its enigma and awe inspiring air. As discussions were now held around some “Mr. X’ or “Miss X” in hushed tones lest anybody came to know about them.  The mystery deepened when the itchy fingers were introduced to “X”-Men via Cartoon Network and subsequently the movie franchisee with sequels and prequels raining here and there. And to add on to that, everyone is searching for the “X” factor in the potential candidate for a job.

I wonder if you can’t define it, then how will you know when you see it!?

Then they realised that nobody has been spared by the mystery surrounding “X” as every inexplicable phenomenon is named as X. It does not have a caste, gender, religion, nationality. I think it represents neutrality.

But wait aren’t the female chromosomes designated to be “XX”? So is there any logic behind the nomenclature or ?

Let my itchy fingers know if you are able to find a solution.

My itchy fingers used to find “X” to be innocent and sometimes sympathised with it too.

Why?

Because nobody asked X for its consent before being assigned to denote some random name, place, animal, thing till any catchy phrase came along.

However, they became all the more confused about the innocence of “X” when they saw the terrorists marking the encircled target area as “X” in the movies.

And weren’t the mistakes highlighted by big red “X” in the notebooks? Now it signifies anything that is prohibited for being illegal or dangerous.

They started to wonder if “X” was really naive, a victim of no fault of itself or just a mean, vile symbol hiding underneath the shroud of innocence.

Before you get all serious about  "X" and the underlying connotations, let me tell you that “X” acquired mushy colours as well from the hush hush secretive ones.

Written at the end of messages/ notes accompanied by o’s sometimes to be something like xoxoxoxoxoxo….

You get the drift, right?

I’m not sure though how many more fortunate and not-so fortunate encounters my itchy fingers are going to have in the years to come. But that is given for my itchy fingers have come a long way with X.

My itchy fingers would like to take your leave at this note for they have to go and explore the unknown, the “X” for now.

This is the 24th post in the series #AtoZChallenge.

This post is also for #BlogchatterA2Z ------> 'X'.

"W"ATER OF LIFE!!

“Ma'am, I do not get a chance to collaborate with my peers who gel very well amongst themselves over liqour errrr whiskey!”, complained my colleague in an office seminar on collaboration.

“Well, you do not need to smoke or drink, i.e., use third party agents to get along with the colleagues or bosses!”, replied the speaker.

Listening to this, I saw a spark in the eyes of few of my colleagues. I wonder what went through their minds but I also know from friends that drinking whiskey is their way to vent out negative feelings and be real. I wonder if being real when every body is actually high makes sense. 

But this takes me back to college courtyards and parties which were accessorized with whiskey. Some of my dear friends tripping after a few shots and others competing for a few more pegs. Some working on the ice cubes and others cheering upon some useless but integral topic of that moment. While not to forget few who were always busy maintaining the stats of over-drunk friends and count of the pukes too….eeewwww….I know!

But yes, whether it was a joyous moment or a sad one, whiskey became the saviour of my friends which allowed them to blabber their heart out.

Courtesy : Google Images

My itchy fingers couldn't ever understand the joy my companions felt after being high on the water of life aka Whisky/Rum/Beer/Vodka and what not. However, they are now busy swaying in the celebratory music of full participation in #A2ZChallenge. Almost there!

This is the 23rd post in the series #AtoZChallenge.
This post is also for #BlogchatterA2Z ------> 'W'.