A Social Retard - Me.

So it seems I've found the right word for all these posts about my lonely friend-less life.

 

The word is called 'Social Retard.' (Applause!!)

 

The citation goes - This individual has received a degree in 'Sciences of Social Impediment' and is called a Social Retard.

 

Before I go any further, I'd like to give due credit to the source of this word and thank him for introducing this powerful, all-encompassing word in my rather retarded social dictionary.

 

Yes, I am a graduate in Social Retard sciences. How does one get the degree? It is simple.

 

Step 1 - If you are reading this post either on a weekend or when evening has gone a few shades darker - then you already clear the entrance exam.

 

Step 2 - Think about the days  you were busy doing something else at this hour of the day. (If you never were busy doing anything other than reading/blogging/watching tv and similar solitary acts, then congratulations! You are a bloody born Social Retard! Go get your degree printed on black with Gold.)

 

If you were busy some other day at this time watching a movie with friends/having coffee with them or sipping beer/watching porn/packing your bags to travel or any such exciting activity then you can move to step 3.

 

Step 3 - Ask yourself - "will I be doing this sometime soon? Maybe tomorrow or maybe in a week's time? If your answer is yes, then I am sorry to say you cant even get the certificate. You are socially active.

 

Step 4 - If your answer was no and you went in to this day-dream-ish mode, thinking of all the nice times and how you haven't had them in so long, then congratulations! You have passed the certificate course in being a Social Retard.

 

Behold! Step 5 is for degree holders!

 

Step 5 - If you are continuously thinking of the fun times long gone and of how this blog/web world is your only friend. If you identify more as 'unscrupulous hot hunk' or 'worldofmine' or 'morbidthoughts' or 'techjunkie' and similar such names then yes, you are a big social retard. If you are done and over with missing your friends and have accepted that you won't have any real offline friends to go for a drink with and your only connection with 'real' people is through the phone or facebook then woohoo! You are a graduate in Social Retard Sciences. Like me. 

Muthalik FAQ

How many pink chaddis did Muthalik receive?

 

About 50K… and do not forget, that's a small fraction of the actual mass of the forward, pub going women.

 

What is Muthalik's reaction?

 

He must be thinking of selling the chaddis off, but no one wants to buy chaddis with cuss words written all over with black marker-pens!

 

Wasn't he gonna send Pink Sarees?

 

Dude! He never thought he'd have to send out 50K odd sarees!!! His 'sene' will need to sell itself off to pay for so many sarees!

 

What will he do now?

 

Unable to sell the chaddis, he must have given out to his sainiks to distribute them to their girl friends. His next step is to sue all of us 'loose, pub going and forward women' (jokes jokes all the way!!)

 

Will the loose women like being sued?

 

Hell yes! I  I'd love to have in my name such a law suit and maybe even be jailed for a few days with pub going, loose and forward women like me. :D It will be one helluva party!! 

 

What if they manage to shut all the pubs in cities?

 

Tell me, will Rihaana stop spinning music? Will Kingfisher stop producing beer? Will Bose and Creative stop producing Bass Booster Speakers? Will we forget how to light a cigarette? Will parents of our rich friends sell off their farm houses? Long live house-parties!!!

  

So what’s the conclusion?

 

Even if all the pubs were to shut, Beach parties, river side parties, rave parties, farm house parties etc which have been going on since eternity, on the sly, will continue being there. We will continue the pub culture even without the pubs and we will continue being loose, cheap and wasted. We like it like that.

 

Mind it, we will still manage getting married to these really awesome men at age 27, quit smoking and drinking, and breed children who will continue our legacy of being cheap, forward, loose, drunkard pub-goers.

 

Tell me Mr. Muthalik what will you do of us? Your 'sene' is just too small in size for us wasted pub goers. Go do whatever you can.  

Freedom of action, not consequence.

Ok I know all the jazz about it being of little consequence when we start pondering over decisions already taken. The deal here is, this one decision I was so proud of until last evening is making me miserable today. Here goes the long story -

 

7 months ago, I chose to come back home and stay with family, after eight long years,  to a rather small town. This small town has no one that I can refer to as 'friends' and a 'friend circle' except for this little college going kid who is my only source of arbit muse.  Now, as most of you would know (personally or through the blog) I have always been surrounded by a whole bunch of  friends - beer buddies, emo buddies and the likes.  I haven't had a routine or schedule per se in any of those 8 years. I haven't slept for more than 4 - 5 hours each night. Socializing, drinking, getting wasted after all demands time!

 

And the days I wasn't socializing, I would either sit at that corner table at Barista - sip Brrista Frappe, smoke about 6 classic milds and either talk non-stop or listen non-stop. (Or maybe read/gaze non-stop.)Then there was always my iPod - fully charged around my neck like a school-tie. If I wasn't willing to get bitten by mosquitoes at 8 PM and drag myself out of the coffee shop, I'd go home straight from office - switch on the little TV, sit on the bean(less) bag or the long comfy cane chair with a drink (smirn-off was ever present in our apartment) and our oh-so-famous eco-friendly ash tray* and get semi high. (More because of the milds than the smirnoff) I would then either make Dal chawal for myself (and if required for NB and cams) or ask Cams to get something packed for me to eat. I would blissfully watch TV, interrupted by ever-welcome phone calls from sister dear.

 

Or sometimes plug my iPod to the huge creative speakers, play some insane bhangra/club music and try damn hard to shake a leg (I have 2 left feet, but I manage dancing at clubs with some close friends.) These were also the times when I would think about the long spans of (not-so)single-dom (that my friends do not comprehend. I have a knack of attracting/getting attracted to Mr. Wrongs.) And then naturally, I like to think of things that are supposed to be more in my control - like higher studies. So there are these recurring thoughts of taking GMAT and fleeing to a far off land.

 

And on that one day when NB and Cams, the catalysts of my thought process were not in town - I put down my papers at Google. I was convinced that only all the stress and pressure of being jobless can make me focus on GMAT. I (wrongly) thought I was done with drinking, smoking, getting wasted. Little did I know that though that wasn't me in entirety, it was a large part of me for sure - No, not the drinking smoking, but I missed being by myself and the randomness that comes along.

 

I was too eager to pack up and leave - and I did. No divine force told me that these are the last few precious months with Cams before he ties the knot or before NB moves to Delhi. And the taking the test and screwing it up like never before, is all history. Oh how can I forget, GMAT also brought along bloody relationship(t)s and dumb, unnecessary heart breaks. Hmph!

 

Fast forwarding from September 2008 until yesterday evening.

 

I told NB last evening how proud I was of myself for having broken out of the Google comfort zone (I still am.) but today - today is the day of reckoning. I am very sure I am stuck in the painful number game (I love my parents just too much to want to break out of it right now.) I am 24, so by 26 I should finish MBA so that either I find a boy or they find me one and then I 'settle down.' Yes, settle down in an ugly and monotonous routine. Like the one I have now - wake up, have breakfast, go to work, come back, watch the same soap on TV and then the same news channel and have dinner and go to my room and either read or blog. Do you see the missing and the most vital element? Social circle and me being me - yes!

 

So now that I can't get out of the number game, the only way out is to give myself a deadline for GMAT, take the damn exam and ace it, meanwhile job hunt at a different place in these economically wasted times. Which reminds me, there is some more frustration - I haven't been paid in the last 3 months and I can feel the pinch/slap/bang/rape that finances (or the lack of them) can cause/afflict. Anyway, coming back, all I can do is bloody focus for the next 3 odd months (HOW?!) and then get the fuck out of this place. (excuse the language, there is no other way of expression that's apt here.)

 

Wish me luck. I am dead bored of the way life's been treating me or vice versa.

 

* I have requested for the photographs. They'll be up shortly.

Same things, I know! I was tagged again...

Like FB wasn't enough! Ok so here are the 25 things about me - all over again. People like PP and Gale can skip reading this post :P 

This one wasn't so tough since I did this a while ago on my other blog - so just a copy-paste with a few edits here and there! (Excuse me if it is painfully long!) I know most of us have done it already. I won't tag anyone but feel free to do it if you want to. 

1. I love all seasons. I have told myself in every season - THIS is my favorite season. But in reality I like every season equally. I love winters, summers, rains, winds, stillness, grey skies, blue skies - everything.

2. In my bag you will ALWAYS find - Vaseline, iPod, comb (not hair-brush) and Hanuman Chalisa.

3. I dig bad guys. Ruffled hair, unshaven and careless fashion have the maximum appeal in my mind. Bigger the pyscho-head, the better. Somehow I feel lot of love for people who do not find me great :P But the biggest turn on is an ambitious mind. Nothing beats a guy who wants to go out and get the damn thing he likes/wants.

4. I cannot live without my friends. Literally.What I am today is such a vivid fragment of each one of them. 

5. I smile a whole freaking lot. No matter how difficult times are, I do not fail to smile. I don't have to 'try.' I can't help it but smile most of the time. :) And I love myself for that.

6. I get attached to people very easily. So easily that I go through hell to see them go, even if it's been only ten days of knowing them. Basically I love everyone. I can't think of one person I hate. It's strange.

7. I am super-balanced and super-eccentric both. That is what makes people hate me. A part of me wants to scrape paint off walls and live alone in Norway and a part of me wants to be a CEO and have a family in NYC. Most people cannot deal with it.

8. I HATE when people sulk too much or for too long. I feel so restless when I see people who cannot control their head and heart. The thumb rule of my life has been to always be in charge of my thoughts and emotions - I get irritated when I see people who are not at least 50% as in charge of their life as I am of mine.

9. I have lost some of my most important qualities - like organizing stuff and good execution of plans. I have become a procrastinator. I have lost focus. I aspire big but somehow I don't seem to be working to make those aspirations come true.

10. I want to be *exactly* like my mom when (if) I become a mother.

11. I need to talk a lot and I am damn elaborate. Actually I know my stuff so well when I talk, that I feel the need to bring that clarity on to the other person's thought. That way I end up giving long explanations!

12. I underplay stuff - I cannot show off, I will ignore if someone embarrasses himself, and I compliment only when I whole-heartedly feel it. I am a barren sea for people fishing for compliments and I am bad at giving ego massages.

13. I am a firm believer of - "love yourself if you want to love others." I totally love myself and am so proud of what I am. I would not trade an inch of me to be something or someone else.

14. I accommodate people and can go out of my way to see things from their perspective. I do not ever raid other people's space for my comfort. I do not cascade blame and in fact make it a point to see and rectify my contribution in any situation of pain/disharmony. I am not scared of taking responsibility.

15. I am damn scared of getting a head injury. That is why I am such a careful driver and I always wear a helmet while on a 2-wheeler. Somehow I fear losing my mental stability and stuff. Broken limbs and bruises, I think are cool. :)

16. I am a good listener - I fully absorb myself in a conversation and mean it when I give suggestions and/or express myself. You will never ever have me listen 'casually.'

17. I know when things seem silly but in reality mean a lot to the other person. I am good at grasping moods, facial expressions and making people comfortable around me. I do not give jitters. :) And trust me, I know when people fake. I swear!

18. I cannot remember fiction/stories. At all. I have read so many books and seen so many movies but surprisingly, I don't remember stories beyond a few days. But yes, I remember real-life stories quite well.

19. Ok this one is a no-brainer. I read a whole freakin' lot. I can live and die in a library.

20. I don't enjoy eating much. I eat because there is no other way out. And I HATE Italian food with a vengeance. For me, Indian food is the way to be! And of, course ice-creams :) I cannot have wine to save my life and I can live on Old Monk for the next 20 years :D

21. I do not and cannot cry. Disagree as much as you like, but I really really think crying is a sign of weakness. That said, the people I love the most in the world are some of the most teary people one could ever come across. 

22. I have nothing to do with sunsigns, numerology, palmistry, tarrot, kundali etc etc. I see no point trying to predict. Anyway we do our thing, no matter what the gyaanis tell us!

23. I have lived in a hell lot of towns - from non descript villages to metros. Being a South Indian who grew up in North India, I think I have the best of both worlds. 

24. I cannot deck up and look all fabulous. I have no idea how to apply make-up and I think the only way to be with clothing is being low profile. I CANNOT wear loud clothes. 

25. I find it very difficult to look too happy or excited on my birthday. I totally enjoy this day but I am such a happy person even otherwise that I don't know how to look/feel happier on certain pre-fixed days...!

Me as a Googler.

I joined Google on this day exactly 3 years ago - Feb 20, 2006. RMZ Building at Hyderabad Hi-Tec city. The 'cool' place both fascinated and intrigued me. I was 1 among 4 other recruits. 2 of whom happen to be my closest friends today.

 

I hated Zubin and was neutral about Shaheen.

 

Zubin seemed arrogant and mean. Little did I know that Zubin would stand by me through thick and thin, literally. No one calls me Chotu with as much adoration as he does. He is the one person who will literally beat up anyone for my sake. I can (and I do) call him up at 2 in the night to save me from some real mess and know that he won't say a no. Like all other strong relationships, ours has also passed some acid tests and it is one of the most cherished friendships I have.

 

Shaheen seemed too simple for my liking - but she is the ultimate example of 'nothing is as attractive as simplicity.' Our bonding was spontaneous and deep. Long conversations at lunch and after lunch defined the 'us' that we are today. The last time we met, before I quit and she moved to Australia, was also over lunch - this time not at cafeteria but at Novotel.

 

Other than that, Google gave me my NB and a whole bunch of other people. Not to mention - a resume to be proud of, my trip to dream destination London and an awesome capacity to consume alcohol. 

The exquisite tragedy - My Best Friend's wedding.

Yes, I really never thought Poona would be about 4 busy working women who are my best friends and who would go out of their way to spend that extra hour with me and take time out for me, no matter what. Never thought Poona would be about fancy dinners and expensive clothes. Never thought Poona would also be about my best friend's wedding.

I was at Pune from 10th of Feb until the 13th. I was there for Piyu's wedding. Piyu's wedding was the most awaited event in the life of me and Shilpa (and of course in the life of Piyu and Chetan!)

We had a spinster party for Piyu. No there were no male strippers brought in with the bride in a limousine at Vegas over alcohol over flowing all over the place and with 50 of the bride's chic friends. The party had 3 people - The bride, Shilpa and me.

It had 2 phases. The first one started at about 10 AM and got over by 12 in the noon. There was some crazy clicking of pictures, checking out the bride's (much discussed) nightwear and li*ger*e (wink wink Piyu!) and of course - 'Piyu, brush kar! Mujhe bhook lagi hai!!!' The party had Poha, chai and vada-pav to eat, all consumed at the Joshi vade vale counter in BMCC lane.

Phase 2 was the night before the wedding - 3 of us pretending to be asleep in 3 beds in the same room at the venue of the wedding. Then there was some discussion about how we wish the wedding wasn't the next day and we could talk all night long without the fear of dark circles and swollen eyes for the bride.

The wedding started late the next day. It was a beautiful Maharashtrian wedding - simple and pure. There was a small girl, aged about 10 who sang Shubha Mangala Savadhan in the best way I've ever heard. The garlands were exchanged, the couple blessed and a tear rolled down Piyu's cheek - and that's when I decided I couldn't and wouldn't stay for the Bidaai (yes, the official send-off of the bride.) Yes, I was selfish. But seeing Piyu go was like giving my favouritest possession to someone - for no apparent reason.

I also felt the contrast between a guy's wedding and a girl's wedding. Cams's wedding was fun - he was bringing in someone new. But Piyu was going away. (In reality, Cams is gone to another girl whereas Piyu will be back to us right after her honeymoon!) We finished lunch and I almost instructed Chetan to love Piyu as much as we do, since anyway no one can love her more than us!

On my way back to Mayu's apartment, Poona had changed for me. It was a different world. Piyu was now married. Piyu was no more the girl with t-shirts that have wise cracks and denims folded up half way through her calf. Poona was no longer about the single Jinu and single Piyu not minding being called lesbian partners and being broke to the last penny on the 16th of the month.

Poona was now about Piyu's new home - with a husband; where all said and done I would be a guest, not a room mate.

* I know, the title sounds depressing. But that's how it is to give away your best friend or your sister to someone. 

Pune Times

No, Pune is not the Oxford of the east or the pensioner's paradise for me. For me, Pune is Poona - Poona is friends, college, food and me. Yes, what I am today is 60% Poona, 30 % childhood and family values and 10% Google, Hyderabad etc.

 

I went there when I was 15 and stayed there until 21. Until recently I used to say I lived alone in Poona. But saying that is as good as saying Piyu, Shilpa, Mayu, Gayu, Prachi, Nam, Cams and a whole bunch of people were never there for me. And that would be a blatant lie. I look back and think there has been no other time in my life when I was surrounded by so many people at the same time who love me so much.

 

My best memories of Poona range from lifting buckets of water on the my 7th floor apartment in Rasta peth to eating veggies floating in oil and pulses floating in water. Poona for me is racing with my sister on a 60 CC scooter with boys on 150 CC bikes - and us winning the races. Poona for me is spending an entire day over one cup of cappuccino among 10 people and looking cool. Poona is riding aimlessly across the town - picking up and dropping random people. Poona is dancing on the roof with Piyu with rain piercing through us. Poona is late night drives to Lonavla to spend the weekend with someone special and riding back that very morning because the girls are planning to meet up over a movie.

 

Poona is talking all night, night after night with friends trying to sort out each others not-so-complicated lives. Poona is BMCC and breakfast at KNP. It is fights with the gatekeeper over parking tickets and shedding fake tears at police station when scooty would be towed away. Poona is saving money through the entire month to go clubbing once and have 3 pints of Foster's beer. Poona is crashing at aunt's house when I was sick and when I was homesick.

 

Poona is eating at Flag's to celebrate, N number of punctured tyres with Gayu and getting drunk in Sru's apartment. Poona is reading Richard Bach all night long and getting mesmerized. It is watching the shittiest movie at E-square for the 10:30 am show - since it was cheap. Poona is the 1 bedroom apartment in Aundh and all the bittersweet memories attached with it.

 

Pune is Natural's ice cream at Pulse and choco dip at Cream California. Pune is uphill walks with Picku and going to the gym because the instructor was cute. Pune is sitting with Shilpa outside the Psychology department or at the open canteen. Pune is standing in extremely long queues at the university to apply for various certificates and sheets for various people.

 

Never thought Poona would be about 4 busy working women who are my best friends and who would go out of their way to spend that extra hour with me and take time out for me, no matter what. Never thought Poona would be about fancy dinners and expensive clothes. Never thought Poona would also be about my best friend's wedding. 

Bombay diaries

I went to Bombay, all excited since I was visiting that place after so-o-o long! When I used to be in Pune, Bombay was like second home to me. I would always take a volvo and drop in to my my brother's house as and when I wished. Then I would go around the town meeting some close and not-so-close friends. 

This time I met 2 of my closest friends, my friends from Google days. I took a local (first time all by myself) and went from Vashi until VT where Zubinder was waiting for me. He was shouting at someone over the phone. I figured out it was a gf-bf fight. My heart bled for him - he is such a sweetheart I wonder how anyone can break his heart! 

He drove me around the town and a while later we met KV over lunch and drinks at Woodside Inn in Colaba. We spoke and laughed non-stop for the next few hours. The next stop was at Gaylord's on Churchgate for some yum-yum desert. The boys then took me on 'terrorism-tourism' and showed all the places that were attacked on 26/11.

After about 6 mad hours with the 2 of them I rushed home (with my brother getting all angry) to see my youngest nephew for the first time. He looked like such a sweetheart but when my phone was chucked down from the balcony, I realized why they call him a 'terrorist.' That is exactly what he seemed. 

Now my phone had lost display and would switch on/off at its on whim. (The repurcussions of which I am still going through!) Anyway, after this was talking to bhabhi for 2 nights straight over the world's best coffee (unlimited supply) and catching up about everything. She is the one person who has taught me what ageing gracefully is all about - 13 years older than me and a mother of 2 sons, she is the most charming, witty, funny, sensible and of course, lovable person in the world. 

I do not bond so much with my brother anymore - guess he is just letting me be. But yes, I know I am still his favouritest person in the world and I think that's what matters. That old man is just awesome :) 

On 10th morning, I made the much awaited bus ride to Pune. That is the ride which brings me closest to the real me. More about it in the next post. 

...and I'm back!

No my vacation is not over still, but I have a computer with internet connection to my disposal and quite obviously I'm back to scribbling tit-bits here! As most would know, I am in the last lap of my 2 week destination, covering 3 locations - Bombay, Pune and Bangalore - in that order. 

Next few posts will give everone a snippet of my chuttis and I will add pictures very soon! 

The trick is growing up without growing old.

I turn 24 today. Yes, it's my birthday. And I also know I don't look half as thrilled as I do in the rest of my posts - which are about nothing special. Somethings I want to tell everyone today - 

I am not scared of ageing. Not only am I accepting it with grace, I am also starting to believe that  growing up/old is not such a big deal. In fact I think there is something terribly wrong if one is NOT growing up or old.

I am not having such a great day - not because I am not drinking, but because I am busy handling my dad's midlife crisis. All ye 20 somethings, trust me it is worse than quarter life crisis. So get geared for worse times to come.

I have a new blog, something on which I've been writing for a while but was waiting for this day to sort of go public. That's the introspection blog. Check it out here if you want to. 

I am writing all this today because I am on vacation for the next ten days and I don't know when I'll get to write next! Here's a whole bunch of quotes on ageing/growing up/growing old that I found and I think are nice - 

As we grow older, it becomes difficult to just believe. It's not that we don't want to, but too much has happened that we just can't.

Do everything. Love as much as you can. it may hurt but it helps us grow. Give all you have...you may be poor but you will be content. Always forgive....your heart can not afford not to. Teach what you know and learn what you don't. Stay open to all.

"You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was." 

--Abraham Lincoln

Now I'm growing and I can see my faults. I can look at myself objectively and say I can't blame anyone else; it was my own damn fault.
--Christopher Atkins 

" 'Age' is the acceptance of a term of years. But maturity is the glory of years."
-- Martha Graham

Surreal

Yes, I finally know what 'Surreal' means. It was almost a turning point in my life.

 

Theoretically, Surreal means - Like a dream.

 

Surreal in reality is just that - It's bizarre and like a dream. Not because it is too good or bad to be true, but you look back in time and it is hazy, dreamy. It doesn't feel real but is undeniable all the same.

 

Surreal to me means this - It feels like a dream because I could not ever even dream of such a simple and yet piercing conversation.  45 minutes down, I only remembered traces of it. I can kill to rewind it in my mind but I cannot. I am happy because it was something worth remembering forever. So what if I don't.

 

But there was one look that will stay. We shared a moment that will last forever. The honey-eyes, spoke a million words. I feel no regret for things did not turn out some particular way. They were never meant to be any other way. 

P.S: I know I sound like I had an almost romantic encounter but that is not true. And that is where the beauty of this 'surrealism' lies. 

And I am saying it loud and clear.

They are exactly like honey in color and texture. Brown and Transparent. Those eyes are the most beautiful eyes in the world. Not because they never lie, but because they are so true and so pure. When I see them seeing, I want to step out of my eyes and see the world through those eyes. They can see sadness and happiness for real - without mixing the two. Those eyes want to see it all and they see without any fear.

 

Those eyes do not intend to talk. They know that they are there to see and they see while establishing their territory on all that they look at. Yes, like casting a spell or making things stationary, for the convenience of those eyes. 

They of course, have their own expressions and you want to ask what they mean, but obviously - they know they should see and not talk. They might not talk but they sure as hell hear. And I love that - 2 eyes looking and listening. And making it so easy for me to talk. 

 

Those 3 hours across the table made it almost impossible for me to see through my own loud and restless eyes, the eyes which embarrass me now with how they shout while trying to talk to those calm, clean and brown eyes.

 

I know this makes no sense to most of you, but I have felt something strange with those almost magical eyes that look without fear. And to my joy, I happened to see those eyes, undisturbed for about 5 minutes when they were sleeping and I almost thought I could steal them. But you can't steal purity, can you? When those eyes woke up to see me there, they were still as calm and unperturbed. And I think that expression they gave me was of a smile.

P.S: This is not some prose I have come up with, but something I have managed to put into words after about 3 years of seeing those eyes in the hot sun, at pubs, while buying me an ice-cream, while making a confession and while cracking silly jokes. Those eyes were listening to me like a father and looking at me like I was a bird. 

And no, I am not in love with the one who owns them, but instead in awe of that pair of eyes. 

 

Yet another Best Friend's wedding...

Me and my sister went to check out a paying guest accommodation at Shivaji Nagar in Pune. A puny little girl opened the door. Me and Sony gave each other this look - 'snooty bitch. Huh. Wait till we come raid this place.'  Neither was she the snooty bitch nor were we the kinda girls who raid places.

 

We moved in a couple of days later. I was in 12th grade and her in 2nd year of college. We stayed up all night that night and by morning I knew her almost as well as I knew myself. We then lived together for the next 4 years. I moved to Hyderabad and her to Bangalore (convenient, I know!) We moved from being friends to being like sisters to teachers, role models, guides and a whole bunch of things in these many years.

 

Just like any other special relationship - It was one without too many things in common except for perseverance and the wish to be together through good times and bad. Yes, there were the fights and phases of - "she does not understand me." It is because of her that the saying 'Blood is thicker than water' ceased to exist in my life.

 

She is getting married to a very lovable person in 10 days from today. It scares me - I am just back from one best friend's wedding and walking straight into another one's with single blues keeping me company. While this happens, I know she will still remain my lighthouse when I am lost, my bank when I am broke, my blanket when I am cold, my mad chic when I need a laugh, my devil's advocate and more than anything else - my crystal ball. Yes, she can see things for me with cent percent accuracy. (And I wont hold it against her if she ever goes fully wrong.)

 

This post is probably not to hold people's interest but to say that I love her much and since this blog is one of my dearest inanimate objects/places, she sure as hell deserves to be here with me.

 

This post is also to inspire my readers to write something about those lovely people who haven't come made a difference and left, but who have come, made a difference and will continue being there forever. There are no right words for these people. But I know as you read this Piyu, you know how I feel. 

Of weddings, reunions and fun.

I had looked forward to this time in Delhi for so long that I had started fearing it would not stand up to my expectations - and I was terribly wrong. Despite some very unfortunate events at NB's place, I managed having a gala time at the wedding and meeting the boys. 

I stayed with NB and did not sleep all night on 28th. 29th was meeting Sruthy. (it's her with the curlers, sitting at the salon.) 29th was also the night of the fancy cocktail party and seeing the boys after about 3 long years!! It was just so weird to see those college hooligans dressed in Black suits and clean shaven. We all drank and bonded over food in the cold cold Delhi evening. 

We headed home at about midnight and had another night of endless conversations. The next day was going for 'a' drink at @Live at CP in Delhi. The 'a' drink ended up being 'a few' drinks and we were scared to drive back home in the drunken state. After getting ready for the wedding, I witnessed 2 of my life's first times - 

a. A friend's wedding.

b. A BIG FAT Indian wedding. 

After attending the baraat and trying to control the drunk boys, the beauty of the ceremony started sinking in. Seeing my friend and his wife go through the rituals of a Hindu wedding somehow gave the feeling of everything being right despite all that they have gone through in the last so many months. I could not have imagined him with anyone else next to him in the 'shaadi ka mandap.' 

After saying an emotional goodbye to him (since this was a scary one!) we reaced home well past 4 am. After a couple of hours of sleep and a rather shocking news from Nidhi's uncle's place, I headed to my cousin's place and met my little niece for the first time. It was then time to meet a very very special friend over a drink - something we had planned for a long time. We then headed to his place for the rest of the evening. The night was fun - 3 movies, Maggi, cranberry juice and staying up all night. 

4 30 am was the time to leave for New Delhi station and travel back home. D dropped me to the sation and it sucked to say bye to him. I enjoyed his company so much this time around. 

I know this is a bad update for a great vacation, but the most special things in life are the most difficult to write about. 

Picture Gallery: 

* Me and NB in our same ol' pose. 

* NB and Sruthy having a giggle fit over snooty Delhi babes

* DC and Cow - after sooo long!

* Sruthy straightening her curls

* Finally - the bride and the groom at the cocktail party. 

My Best Friend's Wedding

Before I write about the wedding, the reunions and the fun, I have to write a small note for the person whose wedding I went for. 

KB or Cams (as me and NB call him) is my friend from college. We were introduced by our Economics professor in 2nd year of college. There was the usual 'let's go have breakfast, I am starving' and there was 'what are you upto this evening?' We would call each other up everyday for something or the other and it then became habit. We were the kind of friends who had nothing in common to start with - interests, lifestyles, hobbies - nothing. Except for the fact that we were outstation students and found company in each other killing time.

We have now come to a point in life where we have everything in common. We have shared everything from clothes,utensils, vehicles, apartments, joys, sorrows - to life in general. 6 years of crazy fights to late night movies to uncontrollable giggles to being there for each other through memory lapses and road accidents we have seen far more than what we had planned to. 

He finally got wedded on Jan 30, 2009 at New Delhi to a girl with whom he has persevered a lot to make the relationship work. 

Me and him are strongly wishing, hoping, praying that things don't change much between us. It was a relief to get the ritual 'good morning' call this morning - Never expected it on the 1st day of his wedded life! 

As I deal with my slight sense of loss, I pray to God to give me the strength to understand that I cannot call him up at 2:00 AM asking for attention or throw an unwarranted fit since I am feeling unloved. I cannot claim my right on the front seat of the car or pick up things from his house like they are all mine. 

At the end of it all, I know we are special friends and much as life may change, the love will remain. 

Incredible India

So as I said some people inspire us to write about somethings. Gale inspired me to write about India with her post about the Spanish guy who has her dream job sings a Hindi song for her. 

I have been thinking of SOOO many things that I would write once I actually start writing, but I am finding this task so daunting. Really, a blogpost can't ever do justice to the myriad things this country has to offer. Please note this is not to glorify the country but to state facts the way they are - the good things are great and the bad things are horrible. 

And that is where the beauty lies. We never have a dull day in India. 

I don't think I can go writing endless prose so I will just list highlights in contrast. Go Google them to learn more - 

Solitude and aroma therapy to Beer and hip-hop

Pashmina to Khadi

Vada-pav to Idli Sambar and momos to Dhokla

Jet airways to Garib Rath

Mother Teresa to Ramalinga Raju

Bollywood to underworld

We do not easily break marriages. We persevere and when we do break them, we do not need therapists. We have a strong family system for shock absorption. 

Our children stay with parents until the kids have grand children. 

Auto rickshaw wala will dupe you for 5 extra bucks and will take you 20 miles for free when you have forgotten your wallet at home. 

We go to the west to make money and we form an Indian community there where you will get sambar powder and garam masala. 

We have abundant sunshine and we do not need tanning salons. We are obsessed with Shahnaz Hussain's fairness creams! 

South-Indians can't speak Hindi without the accent and North-Indians can't differentiate between the the 4 south-indian states. They will bitch about each other and will fight with families for an inter-caste marriage. 

Fair girls will color their hair blonde, the dusky ones will wear brown lipstick. They can both sport short skirts and sarees with equal grace. They will sizzle in parties and in pujas. 

Guys in India will use fairness creams and will hate to be called metro sexual. They think its gay. They will wax their chest and will glare at you to see a pink razor in the girl's bathroom. 

We speak a million languages and dialects. Students in Pune were seen dancing on a telugu soundtrack for well over a year. Now I call this mindlessly beautiful integrity. 

We have huge scams - Fodder, arms, share market and off late IT. Millions of rupees have gone donno where. Laws are archaic and judiciary system is slow. Cops are lazy and we have a new trend of citizen jornalists who now bitch with a vengeance. 

Your friend will go to Kanha and see 5 tigers. You will go and see deers only. If you started at an unauspicious timing - you will see dogs only. 

You will be happy eating at Delhi haat and the next thing you know someone pinched you on your butt. You will be seeing beautiful paintings at an exhibition and will realize the centre piece is of a French artist, which is not half as great but is there because he is French. We are obsessed with firangs. 

Oil prices will kill us but we won't use public transport. When we do, we are not saving fuel but just saving time. Indian middle class still puts money in National Saving Certificates while Mallya buys islands after islands. Pepsi will sell us nimbu pani (yes, its the latest news) We anyway already sell Cobra beer to the Irish.

Finally a girl's perspective as to why we almost never want to marry a non-Indian. Because we have awesome guys here. We do not need to look elsewhere! 

A North-Indian boy - Extremely good looking 8 times out of 10 a disaster when he speaks. But he is just so good looking you don't care how he sounds. 

A south-Indian boy - Company t-shirt, laptop, beer belly. Not even remotely attractive. But when he talks, you just listen. He knows it all and is an awesome orator. Now you don't care how he looks. 

A westerner - Looks fine, talks fine, decently educated but will suddenly do one such thing (like talk loudly or belch after a meal) and you are put off. You go home and decide to ignore it. The package is great and you leave the belch behind. 

An eastern boy - Is either at IIT or almost an IAS officer. Or plays the guitar like a dream. Or knows Shakespere and Othello like they are his neigbors. You don't care now if he belches or looks like a mess. You will gladly go with him to the tea-estates or to the crowded streets of Calcutta. 

(Indian boys can now stop feeling happy. I might just be bitching about you in the next post!)

There is so much more to write but my common sense says people will now lose focus from here on. So I will break my love into different posts to retain reader's attention. 

Mwah to my stinky, sticky, corrupt, mad, colorful, tasty, hot, fairness-obsessed country. 

Valentine Day Violets (no space for blues in my life you see!)

That's the best thing about blogging. Your friends write something that prompts you also to write something and sometimes you read your friends' blog and you know they have drawn inspiration from your last post. I love this thing blogging does to us - invoke thought process. 

My 1st inspiration of the day - Myulee - wrote about her valentine. And it put me to thought. I am a staunch believer of the concept of love is to be celebrated everyday. So valentine day obviously has no special place in my heart. But honestly, its like saying I am a Hindu so I do not like Christmas. Of course I like Christmas and like to do my 2 bits by gifting stuff around. 

So as valentine day approaches, romanticism starts shouting on my face that I am single. I know it for a fact that I am either not going to find someone special at least until Feb 15 or that I am gonna lose this one that I have. I am invariably single on this day and I have to manage with pseudo valentines - best friends, another single guy friend and sometimes even my parents!

This valentine day is no different - I am single (and very sure no miracle will happen in the next 20 days) and to top it all - 2 of my most favourite valentines (my 2 best friends from college) will be married by that day. Sigh!  

Thankfully, I am not alone and at office that day. I have plans to 'catch a drink and grab a bite' with a guy whom I sort of crushed on a few months ago. Let's see now how it turns out! 

Get up and dance, get up and smile, get up and drink to the days that are gone in the shortest while.

Ok I am so bloody done with cribbing and whining. 

I usually scribble stuff on my MS One Note and elaborate/copy paste on my blog when I have internet connectivity. This morning I wrote some rather depressing stuff. Now that I am home (took half day off for no apparent reason) I suddenly feel so pepped up and happy. Guess it's my welcoming and warm room or maybe its my parents who get just so excited when I say I am gonna be early - as if I am gonna be back from a war after 3 years of separation! 

Anyway, I was thinking of writing a travelogue. I thought 2009 was a good time to start since I am visiting 5 places in the first month and half of the year! My first attempt was thwarted by the whole mess that you either have already read or can read here. 

My 2nd attempt is about to begin in a few minutes, but before that I will write about my own country, my India. Not because Republic day is around the corner but because there is so much to tell and to love about this place! 

I am so glad to be feeling so much love for everyone and for myself, again. 

Let losers feel free to complicate their lives while happiness prevails with people who try! :)

From Floyd to Russell Peters - Arbit thoughts flying.

1. The time is gone, the song is over - Thought i'd something more to say. 

And yes, how can I eat any pudding if I don't (b)eat my meat?

Thank you Floyd - that was deep. 

2. It is difficult to say if what you are feeling is happiness or not. You sometimes know that everything around is supposed to make you happy but the happiness just refuses to come. 

3. Are all smiles happy smiles? Of course not!

4. Each time you say there is a problem, I somehow hope for the worst. I am sorry. I am such a sicko. 

5. I believe memories fade. Which is a great thing. 

6. For the first time I thought about what the poem twinkle twinkle little star means. I wonder how many kids really know that the poem is in fact a question and how many teachers actually tell them what those diamonds in the sky are. 

7. Piyu said - whenever you fall, pick up something. I fell and I picked up nothing. Or maybe it's stuck in my sleeve and I'll see it when I get home. 

8. I am wondering if that thing which I am feeling (which is neither happiness nor sadness) is regret? But my principles have no place for regret. Do they?

9. Sony should have been a stand-up comedian. I wonder what she is doing as a teacher. Comedy only, I think. 

10. PP, Sankranti laddus are over now. Write something new. 

11. I have to find a new word for 'Random.' I was gonna have a tag called 'random' for posts like these. I hate to see such an all encompassing, beautiful word go out of my life. :|

I think I'll use 'Whatever.'

12. "And suddenly 3 gay men came on the screen. I mean they 'appeared' on the screen" 

I heard Russel Peters today until I had tears in my eyes! :D

Of Mr. Randomer, of nailing the bitch and of a whole bunch of memories.

So weird. I have been waiting for my hundredth post like Harbhajan would wait for his hundredth run. It is ironic that this post is not one of happiness and jubiliation, like my other posts. But instead, it is a post that denotes closure. 

Randomer and the randomness end w.e.f Jan 21, 2009. 

A few months ago, it was an email that said - "I swear I am not hitting on you. Just give me your number." It was about understanding the nitty gritties of Critical Reasoning in GMAT - something that I sucked at and something that he aced. We spoke for really long every single day until Sep 17th. We spoke of universities to apply and we spoke of tricks to trick the exam. We used to say - "We'll nail the bitch" with so much conviction. That was our motto. 

My devastation was inevitable if not for him convincing me that GMAT is really not the end of the world. GMAT ended rather weirdly but the phone calls continued. They became a daily affair with a new song beig sung every night and with 'leaving on a jet plane' being the most sung. There was everything from retro to Indian classical that was offered! 

One fine day I said how I was going on vacation and after more than 70 emails of deliberation as to where the 2 of us can go, we ended up with Hyderabad as the answer. Meeting someone a guy who is such an avid reader, is careeristic and seems fun was not a bad plan afterall! 

2nd weekend of Nov 2008 it was. We stayed at a lovely place - Pragati Resorts. We had an awesome time watching Billy Connolly and laughing like crazy. As always, I was jumping walls after 4 drinks and I made the poor thing walk/jog/jump with me. 

The following day was the obvious stuff. I loved it. I was wholeheartedly given and not asked for in such a long time. My most desired ambition of life - being a paint scrapper, was not ridiculed and in fact welcomed. I did not know where we were headed but I sure as hell knew I was going to persevere with this one person since this was my challenge to myself that I can in fact make things work out. I have been an utter failure so far in the matters of heart. 

Yes, my already identified weakness 'attachment' was back with a vengeance. I do not chase people when I am attached to them but tend to just go blind. I can't see the obvious and despite all reasoning the heart suddenly starts taking over my head. Anyway within a month I could clearly see the signs and I knew things had already fallen apart. I wasn't complaining yet. I think of every damn thing as a part of life and I can bloody well deal with it with a lot of grace. 

I had almost forgotten everything, courtest all my girlies but as fate has it, this was not gonna leave me like that and God had a better closure in mind! After a tedious vacation, last night I receive a random email asking why I was being such a bitch. 

Yes, Mr. Randomer was not single and I was being put under the spotlight by Mrs. Randomer for no apparent reason! Woohoo! For all the perseverance :| After an entire night of anxiety and some rather pleasant exchange of words with the lady herself, I was starting to feel better. I wonder why I thought speaking to him for the last time was so important. I was freaking laughing with NB over Mr. Randomer being 'busted'. I told Piyu how I was gonna tell him he had been a bastard and how I know this was all so well planned. 

I now know myself better than this. Piyu is rather upset that I was such a saint as we spoke. I gave him gyaan about saying a whole-hearted sorry to her and how he does not owe me an answer. I told him I have nothing for or against him and that he should have a good life and must let me know when he makes it to a big university. I did not want to be mean.  I knew that being myself only would give me peace of mind. And I think I did a decent job. I was polite and mature through the conversation. (I hope!)

Yes. So randomness has ended now. Finally. 

I just removed the post-it on my calendar which was a reminder for me to get him a Jethro Tull t-shirt and to buy a book. I was gonna meet him in February. 

A rather well planned ending for such a random person. 

Or is it a random ending for a not-so-random person?

(Special note if you ever read it - I was hurt man. I don't know for what joy, but yeah, I felt miserable for a few hours. )

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

1. I went through some terrible mess last night (and today morning) - Awesome! Thank you people for making me go through all this shit. You are adding to the stories I can look back and laugh about. In fact I am already looking back and laughing about it! 

(Editing this after 3 hours - I am not laughing anymore. Denial stage that was, I think. But I will eventually laugh, am sure.)

2. I can't wait for mum to come back. 

3. I am sorry if I sound painfully repetitive, but I REALLY cannot wait to see my friends, starting 28th Jan - up until Feb 15th! I am in fact almost getting emotional thinking about it! 

4. I am planning on some cheap thrills with NB for the Delhi vacation. Hope it is fun. NB's notable tit bits for the day - 

a. Relationshit.

b. Wish guys were like Bombay local. It's for us to choose if we want to take them or not*

5. My Orkut forecast for the day - "Learn something today." - Dude, I learnt far more than I had intended to learn in a day!! 

6. Piyu is our (mine and Shilpa's) crystal ball. She can freakin foresee stuff man! Not once, twice - but all the time! 

7. And hell ya, I had a decent trip with my dad. 

8. "Good riddance to bad rubbish jinuni" - said Galette. And I fully agree. 

P.S: Ok the title of the blog is stolen from Myuu's blog post title. 

P.P.S: I don't steal anything else - definitely not boyfriends. 

* I think that's how it actually is - They ARE in fact like Bombay local. They come and go, we can take them or leave them. And I just realized it is fun to just hop on one, go on a ticketless (illegal) ride for cheap thrills :P

Myu wrote about finishing 2 years away from family, on her own. This reminded me I was gonna write about finishing 6 months of coming back to family after 8 years of a nomadic life!! Myu is right when she says we learn so much when we are on our own. We are well past learning from friends, teachers, parents. We make our mistakes and we learn how to stand up on our own. 

When I look back at my 8 years, all I can think of is the beautiful people my life has given me. Some are still with me and by me whereas some are not. But every single person I met in those 8 years has added immense value to my life with many bittersweet experiences. I can't imagine the me I am today, without even one of those many people I met. Even if their contribution in my life was a night at a local club, it was still something to cherish. 

All that I am today is a vivid fragment of all those people. They have helped me shape my thoughts, helped me define a lot of woolly terms like ego, love, respect, success, failure, fotgiveness, thrill, adventure, limits, limitations. The list can go on. 

I learnt a very crucial concept of cultural tolerance in those years. Today I do not identify myself as a South Indian or a North-indian, a Hindi or a Telugu. But I think of myself as a human being. I think of myself as an integral part of this world. Someone whose existence has a purpose. 

I think of myself as a giver and a receiver. I know that I have to live for myself as much as I have to live for my loved ones and for the world at large. I feel happy about the fact that I am neither self-obsessed nor am I wary of my needs. I accept my rights and realize my duties. 

But the biggest thing they've taught me is that one should not nurture the quality of 'hatred.' Today I take pride in saying that I may disapprove of what people say or do, but I do not disapprove of people themselves or do not hate anybody. I am at peace with every single thought in my mind - at least most of the time, if not always. And sure as hell, it is one of those many people who help me find that peace. 

I am an independent woman* who takes care of her own wants and tantrums while being a rather decent daughter, sister, friend and all the other roles I willingly play. I know how to have crazy fun and I know when to draw my lines. I know when to bend and I know when I should stop so as to not stoop too low. I know how to live and let live. I know when to be by people and I know when to leave them alone. 

After all this, I am very aware that this a tip of the ice berg and that there's a lot more to come, to learn and to be. I am very sure I will continue being a good daughter, sister, friend etc etc and will eventually be a good life-partner, mother and a successful professional while making sure the little crazy girl in me who loves to jump walls, continues smiling. 

This is a thank-you note for all the people I have known until this day of my life and for making me the proud yet humble human being that I am. Love ya'll. :) 

* I struck off the word 'girl' and replaced it with 'woman' - and I feel good about it. 

P.S: I hope I am not coming across as someone who thinks of herself as 'Perfect.' I know I am far from perfect but I am at peace with it. I am not anxious about my imperfections and I know I will try to be a better person every passing day!

There is pessimism in the air with the economical, political, climatical and personal instability. The effects are reflecting in my attitude towards GMAT. I haven't ever felt so pesssimistic about an exam. I haven't even started preparing and I have a feeling I won't get the kinda scores I want. Somehow it seems like such a long walk ahead that even the thought of getting started is tiring me out... :( 

PP reminded me its been 5 days since my last post. Yes, it has been a frustrating week. Snippets of my diary rearranged below to look like a blog-post. I've been preoccupied with the following -

 

1. Economical meltdown - The entire economic cycle is right in front of my eyes. I am not a witness of the phenomenon but a victim of it. Individuals are cringing to spend money, organizations are not recruiting and the jackpots of one era (read: Finance and IT) are the latest wells of misery.

 

I am a part of the rut. I am educated but not educated enough. I quit a well paying job with a giant organization at the wrong timing. I had not anticipated the melt down. I now work for a start-up and I have not received salary in the last 2 months. I have long bills which are being foot by my parents, who themselves live an almost hand-to-mouth existence. (An honest public sector class 1 officer has perks which do not turn into cash and a salary which has not been revised in the last 8 years. My mother is a home-maker. )

 

2. Slumdog Millionaire - People were hysteric. Shobha De and the likes wrote posts everywhere about the movie. Friends on facebook were swearing by the movie. Internationally, people have another half-baked story on Indian poverty to talk about in their social gatherings. I downloaded it on Torrent (added to piracy) and watched the movie.

 

I thought it was just ok. Love overplayed for a 'slumdog.' In those harsh realities what does a kid know of love? Never mind, he still chases the girl to a happy ending. (extremely happy ending considering IIM grads of my country are almost out of job and a slumdog is a millionaire!)

 

Spit on my face all ye Europeans and Australians. I am an Indian. I need Danny Boyle and Gregory David Roberts  to tell me that Dharavi is bad life.

 

3. www.intent.com and spirituality - I was going through intent.com for a case study in my organization. I have always been spiritually inclined (I do not read self-help books, in case you were wondering.) and so the website caught my attention. I was mesmerized by the content to start with and emailed a whole bunch of friends about it. Ritually, this morning I was reading intents there and someone said - Only perfection exists. There is no imperfection.

 

I thought to myself, when you write self-help books and cash on the millions of depressed people or make sub standard movies, you are in a position to easily look away from this world's imperfections. Watching slumdog millionaire and dubbing it the movie of the year is stupid if you do not know that world is full of slumdogs who will never ever get a full meal, let alone become millionaires. Life is far from perfect, I am not speaking out of frustration but out of conviction.

 

4. Growing older and other insecurities related with it - Less than a month to growing a little more older. I am starting to get crushed by the number game. I am trying damn hard to be the right sister, daughter, friend etc. and I am missing myself more than ever before. I started 2009 being broke and I will start the 24th year of my life being broke too. Friends are settling down and I m becoming restless since I don't want to settle down but want to feel more secure.  blah blah blah.

 

(pre-midlife crisis.) 

Living, Learning, Loving.

How long does it take to fall in love?

 

A moment? A day? A month? No - it takes about 2 years.

 

What does it take to fall in love?

 

The first look? Drunkenness? The first brush of hands? No - It takes months of understanding and hard work.

 

I realized today that it will be 3 years since I've known NB. And I am effortlessly in love with her. And a bunch of other people. Eight of them to be precise. These are the 8 people with whom I have no blood ties and these are the 8 people who are the essence of my living. They all love me back equally or maybe more. These 8 people are my 8 best friends.

 

And when I say I love them, it is quite literally that. It is an ideal love affair with all 8 of them. It is effortless and easy. We give a lot to each other in terms of time and attention. We are physically present (as far as possible) when required, we spend nights over long phone calls counseling, helping, adoring each other.

 

With each of them I can sit quietly in a room all my life and not find the silence awkward. I can call them up at 2:00 am and when they ask "what happened?" I can say "Nothing." Yes, I do not have an ego debating whether I should call/sms/email them. I shout at them and fight with them over nothing. I am not anxious that I'll lose them. I have reached a stage where the love is there and it is established. Nothing can take it away. Then it does not matter how often they call up or if they think of me every minute. They need not call me or think of me often. They love me and I know it.

 

Why am I writing all this? I, like a lot of other people, thought I am not cut out for romantic love. Men don't last more than a few months in my life. I was convinced I am a difficult person to be with. (or too simple and straight forward for some people's liking!) But each time I think this way, I also think of those 8 people. I have invested a lot in those relations.

 

A lot of time and effort and even sleepless nights. We have had bickering fights and misunderstandings and hating certain traits about each other. But we stuck around. Mutually. And it took about 2 to 2.5 years with each one of them to reach this stage of security. I mean there was a lot of love within a couple of months but there was some fear with each argument and there was some effort in keeping the other person happy. The effort is still there, but the effort is painless. It is a part of me to make an effort to keep these people happy and make them feel loved. I willingly do it.

 

For the Nth time in my life, I am convinced - perseverance is all it takes to make a relationship last. Nobody is perfect for anyone. It is just the willingness to live and love the imperfections. 

I am getting used to lovely mornings :)

It was otherwise a usual Thursday morning for me. Mom ringing the calling bell to my room, early morning phone calls, my alarms going off one after the other and me, I was contemplating if waking up at 7 30 am is ever worth it. I dragged myself out of the bed and I saw beauty! It was raining!

 

So if it is a North Indian December morning, it is anyway chilling. Temperatures are usually around 10 - 11 degrees which is considered to be quite pleasant in India. Yesterday morning, was one of the foggiest mornings ever and it was coupled with rains! The scale had dropped to about 5 degrees ( at 9:30 am) which is below any normal standard.

 

I went down to the kitchen and there was a hot cup of tea waiting for me. And dad was smiling slyly. I knew the plan. We do not go to work. Yes! We bunked office, started the car and dragged mom along. I say dragged because that's what we literally did. We din't let her even change from her night gown! We loafed around for a couple of hours and my sickness was back. So I was home and tucked in like a little child, peacefully asleep for 4 hours. Woke up, took a shower, had lunch, booked a zillion tickets for everybody. (we are all going on different vacations - btw! Delhi, Bombay, Pune, Bangalore - here I come!)

 

The evening highlight was shopping!! I bought crazy Indian wear and I am so looking forward to the weddings!

 

P.S - Those are pictures of the lake, that you can barely see due to the fog. And the other picture is of mom and dad. 

P.P.S - Life is beautiful :) 

Just the usual...

Randomness begins -

 

 

1. Priya has a blog!! I never knew that! Somehow in all these months we never spoke about our blogs!  Priya was Google's one-stop-shop for full fledged entertainment. The girl who will make you laugh incessantly - literally and will shed tears at the drop of a hat. I totally adore her (like every other Googler.) After all these months,  I still have these Priya moments where I am reminded of her acting like the 60's bollywood heroine and I break into fits of laughter!

 

2. Piyu is anxious about getting married and is worried about such dumb things. We (me, Piyu and Shilpa)  are going --dash-- shopping for her. (Fill in the blanks. Hint - we will shop for THE most important thing for a girl when she is a newly wed bride. Rather a new wife  ;-)

 

She counseled me last night. Somehow when she speaks I want to believe her. There are very few people in life in front of whom you willingly let go of emotions and logic both. They are the people whose judgments you can blindly trust. Even about the most important things of your life. She is one of those. I am saying it probably for the Nth time - I have NO freakin idea what I'd do without her in my life!

 

3. Dad's taking me to Pachmarhi - to help me recoup with whatever the stress shit was. It will be about 2 degrees there. Woohoo! And it's a father-daughter vacation! (since mom's doing a father-daughter vacation with her dad!)

 

4. There are so many pending movies to watch. Wonder when will I stop getting sleepy. I am missing my late night movies and phone calls. (sorry peeps, who have been trying to reach me and I haven't been answering! I've seen all the missed calls and will call back. Promise.)

 

5. My firm is looking for getting funded. I am making a Business Plan/VC report with my CEO! Ya!! I had never imagined I would do this at this age and stage of my career. Though I still do not feel too convinced about the job and the organization, I am starting to feel less pessimistic about it now.

 

6. I want to have cup cakes, slap some pseudo Indians who can't speak Hindi (bah!) and

 

7. I fully empathize with D. (D is my cousin who is going through the process of arranged marriages in India, that is, selecting guys.) She thought the guy is too huge for her and so rejected him. Given how well educated the guy is and what a good family he comes from, the older ones of the family see no reason why she did that. But I fully empathize with her. These things sound dumb but sometimes what matters is just the big 'NO' that your head and heart shout when you see some people.

 

Randomness over.