Low Calorie Drinking

I recently switched to low calorie drinking. Sheer pressure from my conscience to reduce weight. I'm 78. I need to get to 70 at least.

Beer was my favorite. I fell in love with it when I discovered Corona. And after that there was no looking back. Recently, when I discovered that American regular beers had on an avg 200 cals per pint, I started thinking as to what would Indian beers have. I'm sure it will be more. We Indians don't care about calories when we drink. Hell, I'll be called stupid if I make that statement among my buddies.

So I've switched to Whiskey, Soda and Water. Yes, Totally Desi style. I contemplated keeping the Coca Cola mix, but then Coke is itself 400 cals per 350 ml, so dropped it.

My friends Rohit and Pramathesh had been advising this from months to me. But somehow I just liked beer, then and never paid heed to their advise. Rohit used to think I'm mad not to drink Whiskey or 'daru' in general. Beer, it seems, never fell into Daru category.

So, folks there I am. Your buddie again. I'll drink Whiskey with you now. No more beers. They make me fat.

I think I made a change

I always wonder whether I can be the person who can make a little change for the larger good of humanity. I think the other day, I kinda did it.

Nobody in Pune follows traffic rules. In fact, flouting a rule right under the nose of a Traffic Police Officer is the new high in this city. It's a little better in the evening time since the traffic is intense and cops are everywhere. However, at around 9-30 or so, the cops finish their duty and leave the lives of the people in the hands of Traffic Lights. And people in this city almost hate traffic lights, or just choose to ignore their existence.

However, as a good Samaritan, I always make it a point to follow Traffic rules 99% of the time. I admit that I have my own weak moments, but I'm trying to get over them.

So the other day, it was 9-30pm and I was returning home from work. The traffic light at Pune central chowk was red and quite blatantly people were flouting it and zooming off. Out of a pure call of conscience, I just decided to stop till the light went green. For around 5 seconds, bikes, cars trucks, just passed me by. Some got a little irritated that I was standing right between the road blocking their way. Notwithstanding their stern and disgusted looks I just continued to hold my base.

Around 10-15 seconds passed by and another biker who actually seemed like he will join the gang and zoom of, probably saw me and had a call of conscience too. He also stopped. This seemed to spread like a virus and one by one cars, trucks and other vehicles also seemed to stop. For this to happen at 9-30pm in the night is a big deal. A really big deal. People stopped till the light turned Green after a cool 90 seconds. That's 1 1/2 minutes people. This probably might be considered for Limca book of records or something. :)

From my perspective, by persevering to hold my base there in spite of people not caring a shit, I think I just nudged a couple of other folks' conscience, which always existed, but needed to be nudged a little to kick start into action.

I kinda felt satisfied that day; for just having done one honest good deed for me and my fellow beings.