Monday, December 31, 2012

Bag and effect

I just realized what wonders little things can do...

I take with me the bag my cousin had gifted me, and what happens? I get to sit down and have things brought to me, I get treated to dinner by JP :) He also told me later that my shoes matched my bag! (he couldn't believe I had p-i-n-k shoes :P)

SS, M and SM loved the bag, and K has got me something from Delhi (which my aunt says will go with the bag!)

And anyway, I think I'll carry this bag around for a bit more, and see what happens :)

I thought I'd do a kinda summing up year-end post, and even had a bit of it thought out, but I seem to have forgotten it already. Anyway, wish you all a great year ahead...

Friday, December 28, 2012

A loveletter

You're on my mind all the time. It doesn't matter where I am, or with whom, you're always somewhere at the back of my mind.

They say that some love stories begin when eyes meet. I don't really know how ours began. When I first heard you, something appealed to me, and I was hooked. I didn't do anything about it, as I thought it was merely a passing fancy. It was only when you actually entered my life a few years later that I realized that we were linked together by Fate.

I'd been going on and on about you, but it still took some time for me to convince my folks that I was serious.

The first time we came into contact, I went into seventh heaven and I felt as if I'd been born just to experience the ecstasy of the moment. It felt just right, and I couldn't bear the thought of leaving. I couldn't wait to get back to you on the morrow.

Alas, circumstances took you away from my life, and I've been missing you ever since.

Loving you has made me "unusual" and at times "weird" to people. A lot of my friends asked me why I couldn't have made a simpler choice. But I am who I am, and I wouldn't be the same without my love for you.

Not knowing whether we'd ever be together made me try an alternative, but the passion just wasn't there. Despite PM's encouragement, I couldn't make much progress, and I'm reluctant to even reconsider the option. And well, it never did feel as good as it was with you, and I realized that my friends were better suited for it than I.

You've become almost an obsession, and I've finally convinced my folks that my love for you isn't just a temporary phase, and that we need to be re-united. I've been saving up for the occasion and dreaming of it.

I can't wait for the day when you'll be mine, when I come home and find you waiting...

Awaiting you,

Yours longingly,
SS

(Update : My dear drum kit, looks like it'll be a while before we get together... Awaiting that day and hoping it dawns soon...)

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Christmas ramblings

Last week, I was told that I was good and "very sweet". I'd been riding on it until I heard today that I was "weird" and "amazing" :) I've also been told that I defy labels...

I'm yet to find out for sure what I am. Maybe someday I'll know...

On an unrelated note, I've just started learning Macedonian, and so far it's been good. I'm just hoping it'll be something I stick to, at least long enough for it to get internalized. What with my innate laziness looming large everywhere, I can only hope for the best.

And I had a great Christmas this year, with KM, RS, JP and I having lunch together. It was a reunion of sorts after nearly two and a half years, and finally all of us were at the same time at the same place without having to rush. Some pizzas, some pasta, some nostalgia, some anecdotes, some advice (relationship and academic!) and much pep-talk (aimed at me) later, we went our separate ways (after deciding that we should do it again someday).

I feel like writing some more, but my eyelids are growing heavier by the minute. (I told my granny I'd finish the food, and it was only as I was halfway through my dinner that I realized how deep the vessel had actually been and how much food I'd actually undertaken to have! As if that weren't enough, my grandpa reminded me that there was more food for me at home... My stomach, for one, will be working overtime tonight)

Merry Christmas.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Another brief update

Just a brief update...

Been a bit busy of late, what with Diwali and the entire family coming together, then catching a cold and maintaining it through my Chennai trip (and even now!)...

Anyway, I've gone bonkers yet again, and PM is providing invaluable assistance by encouraging me to act upon it. And I think I just might!!!

And I've been feeling like a schoolgirl all over again. Only, every time I think "schoolgirl", what comes to mind is "the schoolgirl complexion" of Empress!

Plus, I haven't really read in ages! Imagine! (Cue sad mournful music and a moment to indulge in self-pity)

Anyway, the day's begun, and I must be off. More posts coming up, hopefully, and soon, again hopefully...

Have a good day, then....

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

-

And so, I was telling my mother about my dream, where we were waiting for a buffet, and in the meanwhile had gone to another restaurant to have 'something light before lunch' (and hence she ordered coffee while i had idlies!). I told her that I'd woken up just before our food arrived. And she told me, "See, that's why we should have gone to a smaller restaurant. The service would have been much quicker"

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Lucky me!

I asked a friend, "Why were you born?", and he replied, "To answer your questions, apparently".

Lucky, aren't I?

(P.S. I've now been stuck with a couple of Spanish songs on repeat mode in my head, with a German and a French one also joining the loop! I'd appreciate a break...really!)

Monday, November 5, 2012

Realizations , memories and some random stuff

Last afternoon, I cleaned my cupboard - a task which has been pending for a really long time. By 'cleaned', I mean that I did take everything out, sort them a bit, then put almost everything back, including the junk. This time round, though, I did finally manage to do something I've been wanting to do - get rid of some old junk - bus tickets from when I was in school, chocolate wrappers (stored in memory of people I've now forgotten!), scribbled notes and journal entries...
And the actual 'cleaning' never did happen, only, I put my things back in a semblance of order :)

Anyway, while browsing through my stuff, I came across some old photos, notes from friends, 'poems' I'd written, and many journal entries and logs of messages from friends I'd preserved, for what, I don't know... Anyway, I had a lot of fun wading through the stuff, and made some observations.

- I was one crazy girl back then! (I still am, for that matter...)
- I'd written down things that I don't even remember hearing...
- Who said what seems to have been extremely important to me.
- Who wore what seems to have been even more important, almost as important as who sat next to me, and where we were sitting in the classroom.
- Even assignment deadlines were important and worth remembering!!!
- I was in a complete M&B-Danielle Steele phase. Why, some of my entries made me cringe!
- I'd written some poems, reading which made me shudder - I dared not look beyond the first line of most of them...
- I seem to have been extremely fond of analyzing things, especially people's words. Sample this:"He asked me why I hadn't mailed him for so long. What could he mean? What could he possibly WANT???" Well, you get the drift...
- I'd wanted almost as many careers as William Brown,, including being a graphologist or a forensic scientist.
- I'd received advice from PK, who happened to be a friend of MS - and advice about what, you ask? Well, PK was telling me not to hesitate, and go ahead and tell a person I 'liked' him. Incidentally, this 'liked' person was someone MS used to drool over. :) How movie-like!
- Talking of movies, I found the tickets to a couple of movies I'd seen with my friends - the first time we bunked class for a movie, my friend assumed that the khaki-uniformed students were actually policemen come to arrest us for having bunked a class for a movie :D
- As a little kid, I seemed to come up only till my brother's knees if I were sitting down, and till his elbows if I stood up. And boy, was I chubby!!! :)
- There was a photo in which my brother had turned slightly away from me - my father says that I seem to have terrorized him even at that age :)

And a whole lot more. I found some entries that I dare not let anyone else see... :P

I spent last evening calling people and telling them, "Hey, I found this. Do you remember...? I still have..." I even spoke to people I'd not spoken to in months, and in one case, years...

I had a conversation with a senior from the university, and we spoke for a long time - I told him that I missed the Anjaneyar kovil pongal I got to have more of, as I met him at a temple one day. He told me to call him next time I was in town, and said that we should definitely meet. He even offered me help with my project, if needed... I told him that puliyodharai would be fine too, but let's see... I shouldn't go on like this - it's making me hungry...

I also spoke to a senior from school, and it was fun chatting with him - we haven't met in nearly a decade, but we're still in touch (though he's not in touch with M, who introduced us!). Our recent conversations had been reduced to "Are you watching the match?", "What's the score?" and "What are your team's chances", so it was fun talking to him after all this while. I was afraid that we wouldn't be able to actually carry on a conversation, but my fears seemed to have been unfounded :)

I chatted with another old friend from my French class. We had a good laugh over some of our memories. DC was telling me he'd have loved to see the journal entries, I told him I'd destroyed some of them, and most of them would have to be censored :) It's funny how we've managed to remain friends after nearly 8 years, especially given the situation back then - I had a crush on his friend SD, who seemed to reciprocate. Some M&B-type dialogues later, the scene has changed, and DC is my friend...

This morning, M called me with some splendid news. I'd have enjoyed our conversation even more, if it hadn't been for the constant honking of the buses, and the curious stares of some of the people around me...

Anyway, this morning RS sent me a supernatural reminder that I should do the work he'd given me - actually, I can't find RS' hand in the incident. What actually happened was that I was trying to move some chairs, and as my laptop was open, I was trying to be extremely careful, with the end result that a white board fell on my head, and I could put neither chair nor board down! I finally managed the task I'd set out to do, but as the board which had fallen had RS' equations on it, I'm holding him responsible. And one of the chairs I'd been trying to move was his, which makes him guiltier...

I should leave now - I'm yet to recover fully from having a whiteboard fall on my head!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Of some thanks and some random stuff

It's been a long time since I actually wrote anything worth reading. And people are asking why I haven't been writing. (Can I use the inherent-laziness excuse once more?)

Anyway, I grew an year older over the weekend. :)

AP wished me on Thursday itself, as he had Friday and Saturday off. On Friday, SM got a few people around for a little 'party' :) She gifted me a duck-shaped soft toy, as it reminded her of me. (When I thought about it, well, it did have my expression :P).

I never expected it, and was completely taken by surprise. It was fun, though it was the first time I was asked to blow a torch-light off :)

The actual D-day (maybe I should say B-day!) went in Navaratri arrangements and a visit to my grandparents' place, followed by a small outing with grandma. Oh, and in answering calls asking how I was. I'd had a cold and a slight fever, but the news that had spread had my condition much worse.

What with my brother and his wife wishing me, my cousin calling me from Andaman (where he's on a vacation) with instructions which I followed to find the gifts he'd gotten for me, an old friend wishing me (before even brushing her teeth!), and NR a.k.a. CB, PM and AJ wishing me(and asking me to be like a singing clown), I had a great day.

Oh, I'm just wondering what I remind people of. First, the duck. Then, one of my cousin's gift. Maybe I should post some photos, so you can see for yourself and hypothesize why...

And having been away from the TV the whole day, I asked KR about the matches for the day. AP had told me there was to be a Chelsea match, and there was Real Madrid match too. I thought of watching a match if I could stay awake, but KR told me that Chelsea had won 4-2, and asked if I was a fan. I told him I was a Madridista, and asked him if he was a Chelsea fan too (he's an Arsenal fan). He replied that he "hate Chelsea more than ManU" :) (When I told my cousin this, she asked me, "How can anyone hate ManU?". I assured her that quite a few people did!)

On a different note, yesterday went majorly in the heavy lunch at my aunt's place.

And I spoke to SM - I'd been telling her that I was not the girly, soft-toy type, and she'd been telling me that she'd gotten the toy precisely because of that. And then, she asked me what the deal was with my pillow - my cousin had gifted me a little pillow with a smiley on it, and I got it to my hostel room. Now SM thinks that I am actually all girly, with loads of stuff in pink, with soft toys and cushions and all. :(

I also spoke to I-man after ages, and he's promised me Christmas cake along with chicken fried rice, when I go to his house for Christmas, once he sends me the tickets :) (Wow!!! That would mean a Cochin trip!) When I told him I wanted to go on a ship, he said we'd have to make one :)

Anyway, I've also asked him to keep practising his violin (he has just about 8 years of experience), so he could jam with me when I play my guitar (which is gathering dust, and on which I'm still languishing at the top few frets!) :D

Anyway, I'm sleepy again :) So guess I should wind up - I know I've again written something not really worth reading, and am seriously thinking that I should actually write something better, but it's just gone on to the long list of things I have to do...

Adios!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

You know you're in "The Age of Kali" when...


...
  • you find yourself carrying some heavy books around, only to realize you don't really need them, and had actually intended to leave them at home
  • the lady who works in the canteen reminds you to eat first, and says you can think and read later
  • you wait for a while for your lunch, only to be told it will be delayed further, and finally end up eating something other than what you'd ordered. (especially if some curd is involved! )
  • you get up early in the morning, and manage to get ready early, only to get into a bus which stops before your stop, and then after your stop, with the result that you run to your actual stop only to find out that you've missed your bus by a minute
  • you realize you need to be helped by as many as three people to climb a wall, and then have to complete the climb by literally lying down and hanging from the wall. (and feeling twice-blest like the quality of mercy, having been helped climbing up and then climbing down)
  • your best friend calls you after more than a fortnight just to find out if you're awake and watching the Clasico
  • when your auto-driver asks you why you want to bunk a class, when you're awake early and have sufficient time to get ready
  • when you get weird dreams where you leave your bag in a bus, and get down to take an auto to catch the same bus at the next stop, only to be left stranded when the girl driving the auto suddenly goes to sleep in a shop and refuses to get up, despite your pleas that you have to catch the bus as your bag is in it
  • you have to think twice before telling someone how good they were looking
  • your friend thinks you have a major crush on someone just because you write about them and exchange books with them. (only solace being not termed a cougar this time :P)
  • your friend reminds you of the many barriers you need to cross (especially one involving a dog) before you can get your books back from him
  • you finally get to see your friend playing football, but only when your bus is crossing the football ground
  • you're still reading the same book after three days
  • somebody tells you you can seduce them, but won't tell you how

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

B'day wishes

It's been slightly more than a decade since I got to know him.

I can still almost picture the entire scene in my mind - the Young World Quiz competition, where I was surprised to see M along with her friends. And the fun time, when I ended up facing a rapid fire round from M. It was only later in the evening when we were on her terrace that she told me that my answers had matched those of KR, and not hers. And to top it all, I was brought to task for honestly asking her question , "Do you find this guy good-looking?"

Add to this a disastrous 'reunion', where I managed to invite KR, and forced M to accompany me. Needless to say, I did my duty as hostess by making M make the efforts to keep the conversation flowing :) (M, I owe you one ;) )

I wonder how we are in touch after all these years. (Guess it's thanks to technology.) And it's ironical that I am in touch with him still, while M, who introduced us, isn't.

But anyway, though we don't really have conversations these days (not that we had plenty of long conversations before, but a hi and a bye now and then), I'm glad he's one of the people I met in my life.

Happy birthday , KR.

And on a different note, advance birthday wishes to SRC...


Thursday, August 30, 2012

Onam special

I wanted to post something yesterday, but Destiny had decided otherwise, and so here I am posting today...

So to get to what I was going to say, well, it might be a good idea to start at the beginning.

M had invited me for lunch at his place, it being Onam yesterday. And as I like food* (* - conditions apply - to be elaborated in a moment) , and as K and V were also going, I thanked him for the invitation and accepted it.

After waking up a bit late last morning (the just-five-more-minutes-of-sleep excuse), and having breakfast in the canteen, I went to the library where I came across a book that I wanted to read, and a Wodehouse I wanted to read (revise, more like it), plus a textbook that looked like it would be of some use. I was almost dozing off, and so I decided to go out in search of some chai. I thought I'd also meet K regarding further plans.

And so, RS, K and I were having chai. It was fun, but we had to leave soon. I'd called M, and he said that everyone was there except K & I.

We finally reached M's place, where the dishes for the Sadya were still 'in the making'. With M helping S with the cooking, conversations were flowing all around. In between, we were given little jobs, like closing a bottle and moving a table. (Though K did have to go to the shop to get some things). (We had to make ourselves useful you know ;) )

At long last, it was done, and we were finally allowed to officially begin the feast. Now, though I love food, I am usually a fussy eater. (No wonder I call myself a paradox!) I really loved the Sambar, and with a dash of ghee on it, it tasted simply heavenly. (In fact, the taste lingered in my mouth till dinnertime!). The rest of the dishes (at least, the ones I tried :P) were great too, but at least for me, the Sambar did steal the show.

As we left, I had one regret - that my stomach could only take so much. If only I could have managed another helping...

And so ends the tale of the Sadya...

But that does not complete the Events of the Day (though it was the highlight), but I'll save it for the next post...

Thanks, M. For the invitation, the great food, and for letting me browse through your bookshelves :P (and for reminding me that you still have my books :) )
 

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Of this and that

I've been stuck with the opening guitar notes of 'The Ocean' playing on repeat mode in my head all day. For a moment or two, it felt like the song was stuck in head, but the crisis passed. It's been just the few notes from the beginning of the song.

I really wonder why it's certain specific things that get stuck in my head. Like the drumming towards the middle of 'November rain', the 'slurred voice of the children cry' of 'Windowpane', or the opening of 'I walk beside you'. The drums in 'Comfortably numb' and 'Free bird'. No, not the songs usually; but only snatches of them playing in a medley almost driving me crazy till I've heard every single one of them at least one more time.

***

Today, SM said "Hey, you're one big ...", she was going to say stupid (I verified it from her later). Brushing off various helpful suggestions from RS (not reproduced here for reasons of propriety) encouraging her to finish her sentence, she said "idiot". Even I felt that it lacked the punch of whatever she'd been going to say...

***

I have a lot to look forward to this weekend. There are still a couple of books left over from the pile we bought last weekend. Plus there's this one book which is taking me forever to read, owing to the danger to my life if even a speck of dust sullies the page while the book is in my care. Maybe I should find other sources of books, instead of having to face 'mortal danger', but my tastes don't really run to the highly intellectual stuff that most people around me seem to be into...

Plus, my brother & his wife are coming here for the weekend. Now, that is something to look forward to. And the fact that we just did some major house-cleaning last weekend means that there won't be any major work to be done, so I can happily settle down with my books till they come. :)

***

Pleasant enough to visualize the weekend from here. But, there is still tomorrow to be faced and lived through before the weekend is upon us.

Better I leave now to do something about that, so I can get to the weekend without a load on my mind...


Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Of U.F.O.'s & I.F.O.'s

The other day I was sitting in a window seat in a bus, and was lost in reading and trying to keep my back straight, when suddenly something brushed against my hand. It was only when I looked up that I realized the lady in front of me had just washed her hand from the window and a few droplets came in from my window due to wind. I was thankful that it wasn't the peel from the orange she was eating that had come and landed on me, but I could not wait to go home and wash myself and the clothes I was wearing then...

Yesterday, I was in a hurry to go somewhere, so I just boarded the first bus that came, and I didn't get a window seat. The woman next to me kept chewing something and spitting out of the window every now and then, while her friend in the window seat in the row before us was also chewing something. However, that window was closed, and the lady next to me was trying to open the window for her friend. But the friend didn't (or maybe couldn't) wait that long, with the result that half her spit ended on the window itself. I was nearly puking there, and I had to make a great effort not to think of the spit-laden window.

If it was this bad for me, sitting safe inside the bus, how much worse would it have been for someone on the road next to the bus, if the spit or fruit peels and chocolate wrappers land on them?

I've had the misfortune of sitting in an auto which stopped right next to a bus at a signal. I was just sitting there talking to my mother, and suddenly, there, on my hand was the 'output'* of someone blowing his nose. I almost developed a Macbeth complex that day, but thankfully a few days of washing my hands helped me get back the idea that my hand wasn't 'polluted' any more.
(* - maybe the programming influence... I was actually going to say 'result' or 'product' :P )

I have seen people throwing all sorts of things from bus windows - from water to biscuit wrappers to fruit peels. At times, people puke out of the window (and sometimes, half of it ends up in the bus and on the window), and wash their hands too from there. As if this weren't enough, people also spit regularly, whether or not they chew tobacco.

I could identify only certain possibilities of what could come out of bus windows, but I'm sure there are more U.F.O.'s to fill up the list of what you can expect when you're on the roads...

And I was thinking the other day that road safety seems to involve almost a full body armour-like covering, as just a helmet will not protect you from any of the above mentioned things...

I think I better stop now, before the images I'm seeing in my mind spoil my appetite for dinner.

Good luck, and may you stay safe!


Thursday, July 26, 2012

Of chivalry and other things

I've been meaning to post this for some days yet, but, you know, this thing called laziness keeps getting the better of me. I've finally managed to beat it for a few minutes, but it's sure to rise like a phoenix and have me back in its clutches. So, a quick one for the time being...

On Friday evening, a group of us went out for dinner. It was raining, and there were eight of us, with Boy joining us at the restaurant. We started at 6:15, and by 6:30, we were still starting. It was around 6:45 before we could finally sort out the logistics involved, and actually set out.

Now, I was in two minds as usual - my initial plan had been to stay back, but SM had brought her bike that day, and as she has to cross my house on the way to hers, I thought of going back with her. In the end, I decided that I would decide after the dinner was over. And so, I went around carrying my bag with a laptop, the books I was going to read during the weekend, water to drink on the way...

We were four girls, but as SM was taking her bike, SP said the rest of us could come with him in his car. And so, we got in and reached the restaurant. M&SS slipped out of the other door, and I'd put my bag down next to me, trying to decide whether to get down with my bag, or get down first and then take it. And, voila, the door's suddenly being held open. I looked up, and SP was there holding the door for me.

It was a good dinner, and quite a long one too. Starting with the tomato soup, which SP kindly shared with me( as SM&M shared another vegetarian soup), and ending with the belgian chocolate ice-cream, which no-one other than me wanted to order, but everyone including me had a taste of, it was a good evening out.

(On SM's insistence, I pored over the menu card for quite some time. She declared that she'd never eat out with me, as I was 'unadventurous'. As if that is news to me... I told her that in that case, she should meet PM, who likes trying out new stuff.)

As it was close to 9 by the time we finished our dinner, and what with the heavy downpour, I decided to go back to my hostel. SM's mother called her and asked her to stay back as well, so I invited her to spend the night in my room.

We returned to campus the way we came, but as Boy had brought his car, he dropped a couple of people back. SS, M&I got into SP's car, and SS and M got down at the hostel. I came back to the lab, and it was again SP who held the door open for me.

Now, I'm not usually the demure damsel kind, and I really remember thinking, "Wow, an act of chivalry!" I was just telling SM about this, and she agreed that it was 'gentlemanly behaviour'. I'm not normally a fan of the so-called chivalrous acts, and I find that nowadays, I seem to be the one holding doors open for people, and waiting to see them off safely :)

Speaking of holding doors open, why, even MV did it for me yesterday. He sometimes does do what is commonly known as an 'act of chivalry', but well, this, coming on top of SP's was almost too much.

Anyway, looks like my 'free' time is up, only this time, it's not laziness but fatigue and sleep that are beckoning to me.

Goodnight, folks...

Friday, July 20, 2012

Just wondering

So, just wondering...

Is there something called a 'Middle Class'? If so, then what are 'Upper' and 'Lower' Middle Classes? Does 'Middle Class' actually refer to the 'Middle Middle Class'?


Sometimes, I do ponder upon such random stuff...

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Yet another random post

I though of doing just a little post, but, you know, the words just gushed out, and before I knew, the post had grown beyond the couple of lines I initially had in mind. It ended up being yet another of the random-update-posts I seem to be doing a lot of... So, here goes :

***

My friend V is back from a workshop, and he was telling me about it as we exchanged notes on how the place was, when I was there with RS & JP a couple of years ago, and how it is, now.

As I was leaving the room, I suddenly remembered a conversation we'd started some days ago, but which we never got to complete.I asked him about it, and a while later, I was enjoying the breeze, reading with music playing in my ears, and he came there. He told me what had happened.

And then, I realized I had absolutely no recollection of what he was talking about. I can vaguely remember going to the canteen with SM, seeing the group there, and then talking to her about the bus which would be leaving soon. But V tells me I'd definitely heard what ,hmmm, let's call him MG (for now), said. And that it'd made me mad, following which I just made small talk for a couple of minutes before leaving the place. V kept stressing the point that my reaction, and how I looked on hearing that still remains in his memory.

Alas, I don't even remember it. I asked SM if she remembered it, but she said she'd never ever paid much attention to what those people were saying, to have done so on the date in question. Sigh! So much for relying on someone else's memory...

And the song stuck in my head is 'Remember when'... Ironical, no?

***

And if MG had such an opinion, then why bother calling me to say he's leaving? Why even bother about a farewell if it's so much trouble?

***

On a different note, I told Mr.Mercury last evening that I was not his friend. To which he replied that I was his 'dearest friend'. And AS was kind enough to add that that meant I was the dearest friend to a Bong Boy.

***

Last morning, I had tea with my SLR (though I think that now he's become just the LR, what with SM reading my posts too!), and we had a long conversation - much of which was either about books or related to them (which was why I could participate in it!). As we were taking leave of each other, I saw SU coming there. As I wanted to talk to her, I waited by my cycle, and then thought maybe I could go near the shop and see her when she came out. I was just looking around for a moment or two, and suddenly what do I see but SU cycling away :) I didn't even realize when she'd come out!!!

***

Poor JP, I bored him to death last evening - I located him in the canteen, when we started talking, and then we took a long walk till his room. Nearly 20 minutes went in a conversation covering Korean movies and novelettes :D It was only when I remembered that I had a bus to catch that I realized we'd been talking for nearly an hour and a half!

***

Looks like Boy is again missing out on sleep - I was telling him last week that he was looking sleepy (I should know - I am sleepy so much of the time), yesterday he was looking fresh and bright... And now, he's gone back to looking sleepy.

And oh, he looks grown-up nowadays :D

But then, I'm a kinda-fan of stubbles. (Sheesh!!!, as NV would say ;) - but I still feel like a blushing schoolgirl when I say things like this!)

***

And finally...

It was M's b'day yesterday. And NV's tomorrow. So here's sending my wishes to two of the loveliest people in my life.
And two of the few people who take my craziness and try to knock some sense into me every now and then. (Not all the time - they know overdoses can kill)

***

That's it for the time being. Adios, folks!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Revelation

My friends (SM & Mr.Mercury) finally made it clear that I'm no Sherlock Holmes...

Turns out the 'Bong Boy from Physics', is neither Bong nor from the Physics department. He's from the Life Sciences.

I'm now off to rue my shattered illusions...

On the bright side, none of my friends disputed his being a boy. So, that's some consolation that I can at least identify a boy when I see one...

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

A brief note to AS

Thanks for the memories *

- of the trips to Inorbit, Charminar, Necklace road and the Zoo

- of the boat we rode at Durgam Cheruvu

- of the "mouth-ke-beech" walk

- of the Cakes and more muffins & Subway coffees

- of the time you tried to teach me to say , "Ekdum rock chick", with proper style and intonation

- of the trips to the night canteens

- of the time you 'rescued' me at Gops (from my 11 P.M. friend, to refresh your memory)

- of the times you told me how good 'new friend' was, and how perfect he was for me

- of the time you went to Kolkata and returned, but sans a Bong Boy

- of the times spent philosophizing on the terrace

- of the spells and voodoo we used on the Chief Warden

- of the times we spent on campus and beyond it

And thanks also for the name ( Sam, the Real Reader :) )

So much has happened in the past two years since you came here. We were friends and we drifted apart. Maybe that's how it was meant to be, and now we're happy where we are.

All the best for your presentation!

(*- Sometimes, the corniest of books contain the neatest turns of phrases... )

Proclamation to the world

Just for the record, I'm not the Srinivas-garu everyone seems to be looking for. I think I'd know it if I were him, but no, I'm not him.

I'm not the guy who skipped paying his bills. I'm not the one who owes the RTO a lot. I'm not the one who took out a policy with your firm.

I'm just a poor soul who got this phone number as the one I was meant to get had problems with the activation.

And I don't want to spend my life answering innumerable calls and telling people I'm not the one they're looking for. 

And please, whoever-this-number-once-belonged-to, please inform people that your number has changed. And please also be kind enough to settle your bills. Thank you!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Rambling updates

So, on Friday, I dragged N along to meet MS, who was leaving the next day. It's not for nothing that my sense of direction is legendary within my family. But N being very courageous, set out with me. We finally managed to reach the Adyar Anandha Bhavan at T.Nagar (which we would have reached much earlier and without much cost difference if we'd taken an auto the whole way, but then, how can I take an auto, that too, in Chennai?)

While we were on our way, MS called me every now and then, and I kept telling her, "See, we've started", and updates like, "we're waiting for the bus. Just 10 minutes". In between the calls, I regaled N with accounts of MS & her 'escapades', and how once MS was waiting at the beach, and R (our friend) & I were on our way to meet her. We'd been delayed a bit by unforeseen circumstances (like having coffee&snacks in the canteen and meeting our old classmates), MS was there much earlier. As we stood in the bus, R called MS to tell her that we were almost there, we were nearing Santhome. But in reality, where were we? Not even at Adyar :) Needless to say, it was a while before we managed to get MS to calm down...

Given that MS was pressed for time, (and that we'd made her wait a bit ;) ), we got to spend just about 15 minutes together, ten of which were spent in going through her wedding&reception albums while reminiscing a bit and talking about our friends. But, true to form, I didn't let my stomach down, and managed to make time for a rasogolla :)

As my mother later pointed out, we could have happily spoken on the phone for much longer, MS & I. But still, she got a darshan of me. Which should hopefully help her sail through till we meet again...

When we left MS, N&I called my brother, and he said he'd take a while to start from work. We decided to surprise him, and so we went to his office. When he finally came down, we called him on the phone. He asked us where we were, and we said, "Look up, right in front of you", like in the movies. Poor guy...

We went to this restaurant, and I ordered idlis (my usual safe choice), when the waiter asked me if I wanted Kanchipuram idlis. Thinking that those were the huge fluffy ones, I said yes. When our orders arrived, my brother & N both started staring at me to see how I was going to eat. You see, these idlis had a layer of carrot on top. Plus, my brother reminded me that they used curd in the batter. Carrot & curd. Two of the items on this big list of things I don't like.

I somehow managed to finish it, and then realized that my brother had known all along what the food would be like! But, having been satiated, I forgave him.

Saturday took us to Pondicherry, from there to Mahabalipuram via the ECR, then to my aunt's place and finally back home.

Now, if you've been travelling since 7 in the morning, shouldn't you just sit back and relax in the evening? But, no, they just didn't do that. My cousin started playing the video. The Video - the one I'd mentioned in my previous post, taken at my aunt's wedding. That was when the evening's entertainment began.

First, the entry. Spiderman style. Come running from the side, enter the frame, climb on to the stage by hopping on one foot. There. That entry could have been my gymnastic routine...

But thankfully, I was not alone in the entertaining - there was a shot of my brother slapping his head, then dragging me and another cousin somewhere.

Alas, his role was a mere cameo compared to me. Yes, I was back in focus - the priest was handing out the rice with which to bless the couple, and so I'm going around holding my hand in front of me, as if I were begging and saying that noone gave me the rice to bless them with... Fast forward a bit, and there I am, yet again - running and hitting my brother from behind to remind him to continue the fight he was having. And again, on the swing, where I got myself place to sit by (slowly) pushing out the others who were already there.

"Fortune, fame, mirror vain, gone insane but the memory remains "


Anyway, the rest of Saturday and half of Sunday just passed. And I got onto the train. Though how I managed to do it would require a post in itself. Anyway, here I am, trying to convince myself that I'm still awake...

(P.S. I finally called a friend I was supposed to call when I was there - in fact, she'd called me, but I went in for dinner just then and completely forgot all about the call. And when I called her today, she told me that she'd called before having her dinner, as she wanted to shout at me! The girl who once had her head bitten off by calling me when I was hungry seems to be out for revenge! I need protection!!!)

(P.P.S. : I made SM and her friends feel awkward by sitting like a silent sceptre while they were having a long conversation... But then, I usually am like that, even with people I know, so small wonder I lost my tongue with people I didn't really know)

(An update: I forgot to mention the lovely coffee my brother woke us up with on Sunday morning...)

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Of new victims and old sightings

I seem to have found a couple of new victims.

Yesterday, A brought me a book (which I started reading almost immediately, naturally). (SM had just lent me a book a couple of days ago, and I've managed to stick to my resolution of saving it for a soon-to-come train journey.) And then, we somehow got started with PGW, and I promised to lend him some books.

I went home, and it took me quite some work and effort to find the books. I was so happy to find them, that I called A to share the good news with him. (Poor guy, I felt I had to share it with him, and so called him almost thrice, by which time methinks he had no choice but to answer :) ) I called PM &SM too, but was unable to share the good news with them too.

Anyway, fast forward to this evening, when I met SS with her friends. We just started talking of guitars and music, and I left to go back to my lab. They were still around when I returned a while later, and after dinner, we started walking towards the hostels.

SS' roomie had already called her twice, but, by then, we'd started talking books. Ask anyone who knows me how it is when you start talking books to me. Ask M, AP, AM, PM - I have a long (read loooooooooooooong) list of books that I want to read, and a longer(you can imagine how long) list of the ones I've read. Plus it's one of the few topics it's tough to get me to stopped on, once I get going.

(A friendly warning here to anyone who doesn't know me - don't ever get me started on books, music or my brother. Not unless you want to die of boredom. If you still get me started on any of these, well, it's at your own risk. I've warned you, and it's your lookout now)

And so, poor Ms.SS ended up being subject to my "famous"  reading recommendations and finally, I stopped myself and told her I'd mail her about it, or maybe send her the accession numbers of the library books.

And so, naturally, I'm happy. Who wouldn't be, when there's fresh blood around? ;)

Oh, and on another unrelated note, I finally got a darshan of Bong Boy (not to be confused with SRC) today.

It was like this. KM has been helping me a lot, and she's leaving tomorrow. So, she'd come to my lab today, and after a discussion, she was walking back to her lab. As I felt like having some tea (I'd been about to go for one when she came), I walked with her till the canteen. We continued our discussion over chai (though to be precise, only I had chai), when I perceived Bong Boy at another table.

Now, who's this Bong Boy and why am I making such a big deal out of him, you might ask. Well, Bong Boy is well, a boy. Using almost Holmes-like (the Sherlock one, not the Katie) powers of observation, I've concluded that he's a Bengali guy. Studying Physics. I don't know when or why I concluded that, but I have.

I've been wanting to verify my deductions for a while yet, but there's a slight glitch there. You see, I have no clue as to who he is. I once pointed him out to Mr.Mercury, in the hope that he'd identify a fellow-Bong. But no, our beloved Mr. Mercury turned only after the Bong Boy had left, and then he shouted out to me, "Is this the Bong Boy", or something to that effect.

Short of going up to the fellow himself, I can't think of any way to see if I guessed right. I somehow don't fancy going to a practical stranger and asking, "Are you a Bong Boy from the Physics department?" And the fact that he's never seen alone also puts a spanner in the works :)

Anyway, I'm not desperate to get the verification. I have other things on my mind.

Like the cream biscuits in my bag which are now calling out to me and telling me it's high time I left this place and went to them.

See ya! (as A says :) )

(P.S. A friend told me I seem to be 21, and not as old as I really am. I've decided it's a compliment. :) If you think otherwise, well, you're entitled to your opinions :P )


The Entertainer in me - flashback #1

My brother seems to have had a great weekend, with a splendid Sunday. I seem to have played a major role in making the day so. Or rather, my old self was. You see, the present was busy having lunch with friends, and watching Vidya Balan promote Aliva biscuits for almost fifteen minutes without a break. (It felt like, there would VB be, to the right of the screen, saying "...,andar se healthy", and next moment, she'd come in from the left of the screen holding a packet of Aliva in her hands. And this happened over and over again)

So, what did he do, you may ask, that made the day seem so special? Well, he had been to my aunt's place with his wife. Maybe it was one of our cousins who started it, or maybe it was my aunt, I still don't know. But they ended up watching the video of my aunt's wedding.

To set the record straight, I was seven when this aunt of mine got married. (Like Bertie, I too have quite a few aunts, though probably not of the Agatha-type. Most of them are the Dahlia-types :) ) And through most of my school days, I had very short hair. I'll stop the description here. Like the Bean (or was it a Crumpet) once said, there are certain things that one mustn't speak about when gentlemen are present.

Alas, I digress. Anyway, I had no inkling that this is what they were upto, till my brother called me and told me he was watching Spiderman. I was busy getting ready for lunch, so I just asked him if it was so, and put down the phone.

My brother called me again when I was on the bus, and from what he was describing, I thought he'd been watching Jaws.

And then he told me, "Check your mail. I've just sent you a photo." I told him I could see it only later, and asked him what it was about. He then told me that they had, in fact, been watching the wedding video. It seems I was wearing a red T-shirt and blue jeans (hence the Spiderman). And then, as the video progressed to mealtime, it seems I went and stood in front of the camera, with my mouth full of something. And then, probably out of curiosity, it seems I just looked into the camera and came out. (I'm sorry I couldn't describe it better). (Looks like I had a scientific temper even back then ;) )

At this point, it seems everyone fell to the ground laughing, everyone who was watching the video, that is. My brother then said he'd call me later, as he was still laughing so badly.

And when I finally checked my mail, there was this photo my brother had sent me.

Suffice it to say that my parents got their daily dose of laughter. (And so did I, when you come to think of it).

Wow, when you look at it this way, I seem to have been an entertainer even back then :)

That's it for now. Hope I continue to be an entertainer :)

(P.S. Note to self : Remember not to open the mail with the photo without taking sufficient precautions)

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Dream on, Sam

I woke up early yesterday, for a change. As we were having our morning cuppa, I was telling my mother about the dream I'd just woken up from.

For some strange reason, in my dream, we were all in tents. The 'we' here includes an assortment of people - my mother and brother were there, plus some of my friends, an old friend of my brother's (who once came running all the way to our house to prevent the ice-cream he'd bought for my brother's b'day from melting), some neighbours. I don't remember the rest of the dream. I remember that it had something to do with our being in tents, as I found the image in my mind's eye extremely funny.

My mother then told me she'd had a dream too, where Protugal and Spain were playing a match. (Some background info here : my brother had chosen Portugal as his team to win the Euros, while I've been a Furia Roja supporter for quite some years now. And things were heating up with the semi-finals between the two teams. ) She said that after a while, the game became very friendly, and suddenly there were two balls on the ground, so each team played with one and kept scoring, playing away to their hearts' content.


I still do not know if she actually had the dream, or was trying to pull my leg. I often end up swallowing tales whole, and then realizing that I've been had yet again...

 

***


One morning last week I woke up from an unfinished dream.

And so, I'd just drifted off to sleep, having just re-read The Fountainhead. I'd checked the TV, but as it was the time between the two Euro matches, and as I couldn't even get the score of the first, I decided to go to bed.

And, suddenly, there I was walking. To my bus-stop, around campus. And suddenly there was this guy following me. It was really funny, and then I suddenly decided it was time for lunch and started on my way to the canteen.

There it was, the canteen from Madras university, in the middle of the HCU campus, with the steps of the bakery near NIAS leading up to it :) Anyway, when I reached there, I just sat down at a table. And then the guy came, discussing something with two girls from his class, and I joined them!!! We all went to sit on the stairs, and I finally took my box out of my bag.

Alas, I woke up just when I'd started eating...

***

The other day, when Germany was playing Greece, I chatted with NV after a long time. As I was unable to watch the match (and had to settle for reading live commentary instead), NV was giving me frequent updates as we chatted of various things - we had quite a few things to catch up on...

Anyway, she said something very funny, it brought back memories of the times I used to ask her for advice, and she'd give me more food for thought.

And so, I've been running that conversation over and over in my mind, with the effect that earlier this week, I had a dream featuring me and he-who-must-not-be-named :D

It struck me as an extremely funny one, as far as dreams come, but NV (who's now studying psychology) might do some analysis and end up finding some deeper meaning to it. The subconscious desire stuff, you know?


(I, for one, am glad that there is no way this dream would even come true - it's way too absurd. And awkward as hell. I'm sure he-who-must-not-be-named will feel the same, if he ever came to know :) )


***


Anyway, what with being up most of last night watching the match, by the time I went to bed, I just dropped off into a sound sleep.


Maybe I should take a siesta now, just to make up for it, and maybe to see if the day brings any interesting dreams ...




(P.S. : The title is half-'borrowed' from a song called 'Dream on, Hayley'...)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

This is what you get when you ask me to write when I don't have anything to write about

SM just came to me and asked me why I haven't written anything today. I'd been listening to "Comfortably numb" and it took me a moment to register that someone was talking to me and had asked me something.

Well, if you ask me, I think there are a couple of things that you have to check before you expect me to write something. For starters, you should check whether I'm actually awake, and aware of the fact. I woke up at around 6:15 A.M. this morning, and it suddenly occurred to me to wonder if I'm awake or asleep.


The other thing you need to check is whether I've eaten :) Talk to my friend L, and she'll tell you what happens when you try talking to me before I've eaten - I've bitten her head so much that nowadays when she calls, the first thing she asks is whether I've eaten.

Anyway, I think I'm somewhat awake, plus I've had my breakfast. So maybe you could expect me to write something. Right? NO! I'm not a machine ("You shook me all night long" suddenly starts playing in my head). And I need something to write about, and maybe some time to string my thoughts together.

But still, since SM asked me ever so politely, the least I can do is jot down something.

So, let me tell you about yesterday. It was a lovely morning - the sun shining, glorious weather and all that. I'd slept in a bit of frustration - my team hadn't scored by the 80th minute, and Italy had already scored before half-time. What with the biscotto reports I'd been reading, the Sportskeeda articles and comics, and watching my team's play, I'd had enough. And so, in the morning I asked my dad to check the news, and when he confirmed that my team had gotten through, the day seemed off to a good start.

Having missed my university bus due to certain circumstances, I got into another bus and got a window seat. I happily started listening to music, and brought out my paper to do the cryptic crossword (which I've started doing of late). There was a lovely breeze, and all was well with the world.

As I like being like this :


Or maybe, I look like this :



But no matter which one I resemble more, at the end of the ride, I resemble this :



But I digress. So what?

Anyway, I was telling you about yesterday.

So, as I sat in the bus, I got an SMS from PM. It made me smile. I replied, and we ended up having a quite longish conversation until I reached my lab. The conversation continued after a break, and ended only at night :)

And it looked like I had competition - I thought I was the only one saying M&B-type lines, and suddenly, there was PM using the phrase "running from myself". I have to admit I was non-plussed for a moment, and I resented the competition. But, thankfully, it proved to be a one-off thing and I retain my title of being the entertainer-supreme :P

Sometime last evening, we decided to go somewhere, in order not to waste any good weather that came our way. But, due to certain glitches (in the course of which SM had to make some unnecessary trips owing to her designated position as the Transporter as she was the only one amongst us who possessed a bike - I've lent my cycle to a friend, NW's had a flat tire, and A had already ridden away on his, and I bugged SM totally by harping on the fact that I wanted to go home early, and was not keen on getting drenched in case of a sudden downpour), the plan changed slightly - I came home, and the others went exploring.

I called A to tell him I was on my way home, and the others were on their way (SM had left her mobile in her bag, and NW was busy getting her cycle fixed, so I thought I'd inform A). And he told me it was ok, I could come another time :)

Anyway, I called NW when I was nearing my house, and she told me they'd just come back to the lab due to some rain. I called A as well, and he told me he was home, and once again reminded me that we could all go again another time :)

On reaching home, I got to enjoy some good hot coffee, and watched Astro Boy :) After a spot of studying (accompanied by screaming songs at the top of my voice), I just lay down and pulled up my warm blanket. The moment I closed my eyes, my mother's phone rang.

In the end, I had to go to my granny's place, and the brief walk there had revived me a bit. I thought of watching the matches, and settled down in front of the TV after some anti-ant-attack action, but twenty minutes into the France-Sweden game, I felt a familiar lack of action. Plus my eyelids were growing heavier by the moment, and so, collecting my senses, I got up to turn the TV off before going back to sleep.

And this morning, I finally woke up early, like I was saying. And I finally managed to be on time for my bus. But alas, the bus was late...

Such is life...

(Pictures : Courtesy Google)

Monday, June 18, 2012

The entertainer in me?

Oh, damn!

My friend PM and I were having a text conversation, and in the middle of it, I actually used the phrase "risking our friendship". The moment I'd sent it, I wished that the earth would open up and swallow me (not really, but still...).

Thankfully for me, PM is a good sport, and he let it go. I told him I was sorry for having used a line worthy of a really bad novel, but he laughingly assured me that it was more a bestseller-type line :)

I seem to be an entertainer. Especially when I don't want to be one!

Another random update :

This morning, I came across this chameleon in our department. It was jumping about, trying to scale a glass window. I wanted to help it, but wasn't sure how to go about it.

I was about to call A to ask him about it, then thought maybe I shouldn't be disturbing him yet again on a Monday morning - I'd been calling him too often, what with the Euros happening, and with G away, he was the nearest person I know to actually have some interest in the matches.

Anyway, on the way to the library, I had chai with NR, and we discussed the chameleon, among under things. He told me it'd been there since yesterday. I asked him if we should call A and ask him to do something about it, but NR said that A was in a higher grade - he dealt with snakes, and not these other reptiles :)

When I came back from the library, A was sitting on the stairs, working away. I asked him if he could help the chameleon-in-distress, and he said, "Sure", and came down. He then caught it (it had its mouth open and was ready to bite), and I followed him to the terrace where he carefully put it on a tree.

And so, another new week gets on its way...

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Present, sir!

I'm being asked why I haven't been blogging of late. (actually, only SM asked me) I've been busy getting my brother married. :) And gorging on the special wedding food. And also ganging up with my cousins to tease my brother.

I did have a few good ideas for posting on my blog, but they'd disappeared by the time I actually sat down to write them down. And so, this post is just to say I'm still alive. And I should hopefully be back to writing soon.

And as the good ideas seem to have gone, my mind is blank at the moment. Well, almost. There's a voice singing "Stop crying your heart out" in my head, but it seems stuck at the "Hold on" which keeps repeating over and over endlessly. And something from the book I was reading is also floating in my mind.

Anyway, I've to leave now. I have a team to support, you know. And I have to wake up by midnight when they start playing. So, adios, folks...




Sunday, June 3, 2012

Boy


A smile plays on my lips. I've just been talking to A, and something he said had me laughing at the funny situation he was in.

Scenes from memory come back to me. A voice calling “Boy”; a vision of A drumming away happily, snatches of a conversation with him one fine summer night, the feel of a snake A had found in our building, a vision of A looking down on us from a tree, A sitting atop a rock...

How we came this far still amazes me. It was at a seminar that I first saw A, and he soon became a frequent visitor to our department. In the initial days, I'd always put him in what my friend calls the “Jango-mango” category, and what with my usual way of taking time to get to know a person, it was many months before I said something beyond “Hi” to him.

With time, we did become friends, but I don't think I really had a proper conversation with him until the day we'd all gone out for lunch, and I finally discovered that he was a drummer. (In fact, he'd been the drummer I'd seen last year, but I hadn't recognized him as he'd changed his hairstyle!) If you ask me, I'd say I was glad to have at last found a drummer among the people I come into regular contact with, and I did end up asking him for advice on drum kits. (I can't say whether he shared my pleasure, though :) )

I still remember the way he suddenly started laughing when I showed him a video to show him what footdrums were. I can still picture him sitting with a book, sitting absorbed in his work and oblivious to the world around him. I recall how fresh and in high spirits he would be even at 1:30 A.M., and even on the afternoons when I'd be struggling to keep my eyes open, he'd be just bursting with energy. I once asked A the secret behind his liveliness, and A just smiled. Another friend told me that it was because A was a couple of years younger to us. :)

Now A is busy with his band, as they'll soon be going their separate ways. He will soon be back for an year more. I don't know if I'll get to attend any more of his band's shows, whether we'll have discussions over tea at 1:30 in the morning, whether I'll see my friend calling out “Boy” to him, or whether we'll just drift away. But even if it is farewell tomorrow, I'm glad that A is one of the people I'm come across in this journey called life.

P.S. : Thanks to Marie Corelli & SM for the title. 
This is an ancient draft, and it just got okayed, so thought I'd post this first, bad as it is. Will be posting more soon. Until then...

Monday, May 21, 2012

Last evening, A (the drummer-boy) messaged me that he was on his way to Wayanad. And today, M tells me he's driving his sister around to her examinations, with a mobile library in the backseat of his car. And it seems the monsoons have already set in there.

And as I was looking forward to my Chennai trip and catching up with some friends, I keep hearing about the power cuts there.

Sigh! M chose this time to make me think of Kerala monsoons. (I was in a total I-love-Kerala-and-Mallus phase before the 'Bong' infection, and Kerala still holds a lot of attraction for me...)

Ending now, before the depression (at the thought of the power cuts) sets in - if a depression had to set in, I'd prefer it over the Bay of Bengal, and not in my mind.

That was a terrible joke. More reason I should just leave now

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Of Reds and Blues

So, I finally reserved the TV for a while. As I hadn't checked the correct time of the match, I asked one of my closest friends, G, who told me that the match would start at 10. As I was having my dinner late, I watched TV then, instead of reading a book like I usually do.

10 P.M.it was at last, and I switch channels eagerly, and what do I see? Three men in a bar. Four men, actually, with plenty more people in the background. It was this Extraa Innings kinda thing from some sports bar in Delhi. (The TV was on mute (who but me would stay awake to watch a football match???), so I have no idea what they were talking, then and later too...)It was only when I called G again and screamed at him that instead of players, there were some other people chatting away, and he told me the match would start after 11:30, given the time difference.

It was 00:15 when the match finally started. Interruptions prevented me from getting the teams into my head. Two minutes into the match, my phone rang. It was G. We had a long chat for almost 20 minutes, before deciding to take a break for a couple of minutes before the next score update. (while I continued grumbling to him that no one was scoring). A couple of minutes, we were back, talking of this and that, discussing mutual friends, our teams for the Euros, who we had on our fantasy teams; all as background to the walking commentary of the match I was giving him (talking about a friend, suddenly shouting (if you call it that, given I didn't want to disturb the others who were asleep), "Wait,one minute.... Oh, he misses yet again", and then pauses of silence while I was staring at the TV screen - I don't think these actually constitute a running commentary).

Half-time came and I went to refill my bottle. G&I were on a call just before the second half started, and for a couple of minutes, our exchanges were limited to, "So, like I said, I'll be there next week. Has the second half started?", "No, some ad is being aired", "And so, I really want to watch this movie in Imax. Have the players come?, "No, yet another ad", and finally, I could tell him, "The players are coming out"

I felt I should give G a break, and so I told him that I'd call back in ten minutes, before that if there was a goal. It was with a start that more than fifteen minutes had passed since I said that, and so I called him to say that the score hadn't changed, the first thing he says is, "So, who scored now?" I had no choice but to fill him in on the fact that though there were attempts, none had materialized into a goal.

It was finally at the 83rd minute that I could give him the update he'd been waiting for - Bayern Munich scores. I'd just been telling him that it seemed to me that Bayern seemed to usually score only at the last minute (like they did against Madrid, when it was literally a last minute goal!), when this happened. G told me, "The next few minutes are really crucial. Follow it closely", and just as we expected, the equalizer came at the 88th minute.

By then, I'd started feeling sleepy, and G talked me into staying awake for a while, and watching the extra-time. He told me that the match would probably end soon, and I could happily go to bed. But Fate, it seemed, had other ideas. I watched the first half of the extra-time sitting almost at the edge of my chair, waiting for a goal that never came. The second half seemed to be going the same way, and I'd started dozing, when G roused me yet again and sternly reprimanded me for falling asleep. So I shook myself awake, and the commentary started again.

The penalty shoot-out started, and I kept up a live commentary of the happenings. G started a chant, "please score, please score" and kept it up while the Munich players took their turns. When I told him that Nueur had stepped up to take his turn, G was on tenterhooks till I told him he'd scored. He then passed a remark on how even goalkeepers could take penalty shots and asked me about the Madrid fiasco, before getting back to "Who's taking it for Chelsea?". A couple of times, I had to tell him, "Hey, wait, at least until the player comes forward, then I'll tell you." He got tense when I mentioned that Lampard was taking a shot, and his tension increased when Nueur failed to save. He kept lamenting Ribéry's absence, and went off on an edge when Olic's shot was saved, and so was Schweinsteiger's. When I told him Drogba was taking a shot, he again started his chanting, this time saying "Don't score, don't score", I reminded him that this was how he'd jinxed Munich's chances, he altered it to "Please score, please score". I warned him to be careful in what he was wishing for, as it might come true any time. And just as I finish saying this, Drogba's on the ground - his shot was cleared, and the Blues had won.

It was with a heavy heart that G bade me goodnight. I finally went to bed around 3:15 A.M. (after thinking for a while whether it was pointless to go to sleep when I'd be up in a couple of hours, I decided I should catch up on sleep, if only to give my eyes a much-needed rest)

I'd watched the match as a neutral, with my team having lost out to Bayern in the semis. And I thought I'd provide some moral support to G as he rooted for Bayern.

(In the morning, I'd had a "sign" that Chelsea would be winning - I'd just started reading a novel, and there, on the first page, in the second line was a name. A. My friend with that name is a Chelsea fan. And so, I took it to be a sign. Also, the Chelsea mug I'd gotten for another friend kept looming into my mind at times (I usually prefer my own Real Madrid mug). But I did hope that G would get his wish.)

Anyway, there is the Euro to look forward to. And I don't know if I'll be fighting with G this time round - we usually have Clasicos of our own when there are other Clasicos being played in Europe. Plus, he has listed my team as one of the teams he's rooting for. But who knows? During the World Cup, we finally ended up on opposite sides in the finals...

Looking forward to see what the future holds in store...



And before I leave, Happy Birthday, Iker. Feliz cumpleanos! :)


Saturday, May 19, 2012

Rants over a Talk and other ramblings

Last evening I was forced to attend a seminar I wasn't keen on.

It was, in fact, Mr. Mercury who forced me to go. Apart from reminding me that it was my social obligation, his majesty went on and on about how the talk was about Bangla, and hence I should not miss it, what with my interest in all things Bong. (Oh, of late, my Bong-related interests seem to have come down to a)letters of the alphabet I can identify, b) movies where I can identify some of the actors, especially Prosenjit, c) rasogolla , d) the Bong Boy who I think is one, but whose Bong-ness is yet to be confirmed by my other Bong friends, and whose identity remains a mystery (I once pointed him out to Mr.Mercury, asking him if he knew him, but he was gone in a jiffy, & Mr.Mercury couldn't place him... he did assure me that he'd get me someone worthier, which he hasn't done to this day...) &e) entertaining my Bong friends with the way I pronounce the words )

Anyway, the seminar started and had on me the effect that seminars usually do. I started fidgeting a minute or two into the talk. I looked all around me, I pulled up the chair in front of me to rest my feet on. I drank water and looked at my watch. Then I did the entire thing all over again. And again.

I took a break in between when there was a brief moment with some Spanish sentences on the screen, which I finished reading in my usual speed. Then back to the cycle it was.

Finally, there it was, the Promised Bangla. But alas, it was written in English, so much for my hoping to read a sentence of Bangla.. (Mr.Mercury once gave me the task of reading some poems, which I did manage to do. But I'm yet to get him to explain most of them).

As if all this wasn't enough, in between there was a discussion of Hindi sentences. It made me seriously wonder if Ram, Raavan, Sita & Bharat are the only people in the world you can make sentences about. Why can't we talk about you or me or our friends? And for God's sake, why complicate things and lose track of what you were trying to say? And all the time, I kept feeling the sentences they were making violated all the rules of grammar I'd learnt over the years. It seemed too much of an effort to actually say something and anyway, I didn't want to prolong the discussion.

The talk finally ended half an hour later, with half the things having been skipped. And I rushed out from the room :)

I don't know why, maybe it was the weather, or maybe it was just my impatience, but I just couldn't wait to leave. And as the talk last week (by SM) had been really interesting, this was even more of a letdown. (And I just resolved I'd actually put in more of an effort when it'll be my turn very soon...)

Anyway, rant over.

My sole loyal reader seems to be enjoying his visit home (in Kerala!!!), SM should soon be presenting the rest of her talk (hopefully), I haven't yet made PM cringe at my 'creative' suggestions, and I have a couple of books to read. Plus, I think A's silence has nothing to do with the mail I sent. And oh, I had some chocolate yesterday. And today as well. So, all seems well with the world at the moment.  :)

There is a slight dark cloud over the horizon, with Bayern Munich and Chelsea playing, and not my Real Madrid. But then, you can't have everything.

I think I'll just look forward to Euro 2012. And keep my fingers crossed for my team.

Which reminds me, I should go and check if my lucky dress is ready. After all, I did my part in helping them become World Champions, didn't I?

So, I take leave of you. I'd continue writing, if it weren't for such Higher Calls, you know... So keep up your spirits! I'll be back.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Cooled by the Coconut ?

Sigh!

I had such a good post all thought out on the bus this morning - good lines and all. Why, I seemed to have started breathing fire.

Alas, I had some coconut water on getting down, and a long walk at noontime. And at the end of it, all blog-related thoughts had drained from my mind, just like all energy had drained from me...

And now, despite my best efforts, I'm unable to recall what I was in such a fury about. I strongly suspect that it was the coconut water which cooled me down...

But anyway, given how often my temper flares up, it probably won't take me very long to become a fire-breathing dragon again...

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Age of Me*

So, today, I was just having a conversation with my friend S (poor soul, she seems to have become the latest victim to my endless rants and nonsense talks), during the course of which she told me she'd had this impression that I was only as old as A :) At a time when a few of my friends tell me I'm getting older, this comes as a breath of fresh air :)

Talking of ages reminds me of my cousin and how we'd sometime pull his leg, but I'll save those tales for another day...

* - I was just discussing some mythology with my mother recently, plus the copy of Bulfinch's mythology lying in my shelf is beckoning to me everyday, so must get back to the Age of Reason, where I stopped last time... Hence the title

Friday, May 4, 2012

A request

I left the lab early today, around midnight. I was cycling down to my room, trying to whistle 'Patience' (my usual cycling accompaniment), and being interrupted by my mind trying to get me to sing 'Summer of drugs' and 'God says nothing back'. And as I neared my gate, panting a bit with the effort of trying to whistle while riding an upward slope, I suddenly saw something on the footpath. One moment I was sure it was a person, next moment it looked like a huge black bag someone had abandoned. It was only when I was really close that I saw it was him.

Anyway, I think he was equally startled to see me, as he gave what is known as the startled-fawn reaction. I just parked my cycle and came to my room. And came across "101 ways to break the ice". Someone please give him the hint :)

Thank you, folks :)

Post-show reflections

Just got back after watching the show by A & band :)

As they were scheduled to start at 6, A told me I could come a bit after 6. But as I was not in the best frame of mind to study, and as I had a few chapters of a book left, I went there around 5:40 P.M., and was one of the first people there. They were still tuning their instruments, and A was not even on the stage. We spent a few minutes discussing our friends, and drum kits :) A short while later, another of his friends came, and I returned to my book.

When the tuning was complete, there were refreshments, and I took up A's offer of a cup of chai. A few more minutes of talking of certain 'relevant' issues, A had to rejoin his friends, and I continued with my reading.

My friend AJ also turned up, and after the usual few minutes of talk, the show finally began. By then, it was around 6:45, as predicted. (I ended up missing the previous concert as it hadn't started by 7:10 despite being scheduled for 6...)

As usual, watching the drum kit took up most of my attention, with the guitarists and singer providing relief in between :)

The thing that struck me most was the way they were obviously enjoying themselves on stage. It was really good to see so many smiling faces. (I think the one moment a smile left A's face, probably to give his muscles a rest, his friend went up to him, and voila, the smile was back! )

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I had a great evening. And decided that I should get a drum kit for myself at the earliest :)

That's all for now :)

(P.S. There was someone wearing a FCB jersey, and I was pleased to see that AJ had turned up in white and blue like a Madridista :P)

Things I wish people would do #2

How I wish that people were on time.

If you say you're coming in ten minutes, then please do so. At least come within fifteen minutes. Not an hour later. I hate waiting. Sometimes, I have a book in hand, and it's tolerable to some extent. But no, it isn't very pleasant for me to stand on a road for half an hour. If you're going to be late, please do me a favour by letting me know. In the age of digital communication, I think you'll be able to do me this little favour.

I've been late at times, but in such cases, I usually call the other person to say that I'll be late, and give him/her the option of waiting for me or leaving. And it's only natural for me to expect the same from others.

All part of the game


My brother's getting married soon, and preparations for the wedding are on. As part of my to-do list, I have been sending out invitations and handing them out to the friends who are here. Nine times out of ten, the people I give the invitation to, and the ones I call to confirm addresses to mail the invitations to, ask me if it's my wedding. When I clarify that it's my brother who's getting married, they ask me when my turn is.

There's this group people who tell me, "Hey, how is it that your brother is getting married while you're still unmarried?" (It seems traditionally girls with elder brothers get married before their brothers). To which I say, "What is your problem with that?" When they offer to find me a groom, I say, "Oh, I'm looking for a Spanish groom. Or Bengali. Or Malayali". And I continue, "He should have done this, that, blahblah blah blah". After a few minutes of this thing, I get told, "Nee urupudavae maata" (rough translation : you'll never get far, you're incorrigible).

Then there was this friend who asked me, "So, when are you planning to get hitched?", and I told him, "I'm just waiting for you to say yes"

Then there is my family, immediate and extended, who are on a mission to play match-maker for me. They tell me that they are just waiting for me to give them the go-ahead. Methinks the day I say "Please go ahead", they'll suddenly unveil this magic hall of rows and rows of what is called "eligible grooms"(E.G.'s) :D And then I shall go about inspecting them. I'm getting this image of this Potteresque giant chess-set-like room, with one E.G. in each square. But, alas, I can't stretch my imagination to see whether the squares are filled with only Tam-Brahms, or if there are any, you know, Bong Boys, Mallus, and maybe even a Spaniard or two :P

And then there are some friends of mine, who care so much for me that they are themselves ready to get me into a "suitable marriage". At times, they recommend their friends and relatives of friends, and in most cases, their enemies; but when I ask them why they don't want to marry me themselves, they just beat about the bush. Something fishy there. So, I'm steering clear of them.

And finally, to blow my own trumpet, a friend from my Spanish class once told me that if it weren't for the fact that her son and I were of the same age, and that he'd prefer to find his own partner, she'd have liked to have me as her D-I-L.

Anyway, my brother and his fiancee seem to be happy and excited about the wedding. So, let me continue with the preparations. And hope that the topic of my wedding isn't always the only natural continuation to any discussion of my brother's one.

(The general trend seems to indicate that there is a "demand" for girls, but I'm yet to come across the "surplus" of boys. Wonder where they are hiding...)

PGW episodes in my life : #1

At times, I think I look like Major Brabazon-Plank. Not the major who went on to become a miner, but the minor who became a Major :P

(I suddenly remembered the major-minor scene and have been laughing by myself all the way from the library!)

(P.S. : A PGW reference, for those who don't get it...)

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

False Impression*

Earlier this week, I just happened to be roaming my campus with a friend. While we were sipping some chai, we started talking of this and that. (The poor soul is often forced to listen to my barrages)

In passing, she said that I always look serious, like I'm always thinking of something. When I heard that, I did a double take. I never thought of myself as a 'serious young woman' (eeks...woman! it sounds so grown-up when I say it, unlike the woman, grow up M keeps telling me...). I think the fact that I'm reserved gives people that impression. 

At home, I'm regarded as a clown. Why, just a fortnight ago, I reinstated this by treating my family to a version of karakattam worthy of a Ramarajan movie; when my brother commented on my clothes. I couldn't see myself, but I think I really had everyone mesmerised for a moment. Before they started rolling with laughter, tears streaming down their eyes.

With friends, I'm funny at times, and serious at other times. Sometimes, I think I crack jokes so subtle that even I take a moment to realize it. I can make people laugh, but sometimes I just am not in the mood to do so.

Anyway, I'm still trying to understand what makes me a serious young woman. It must be fun to be one, and just last week, M and I were discussing the relative merits (;)) 'intellectual types' (that the discussion was with re: Bong Boy is a minor side-issue). Maybe the fact that I read all the posters on the canteen walls contributes to the image. As also to the fact that I'm usually found with a book in hand, and often reading while walking!!!

As I pointed out to my friend, I don't have a one-track mind (unlike Stilton and his hob-nailed boots). I have at least two tracks running on my mind all the while, with a third and even a fourth sometimes. Like, every time I take my book out, a song plays in the background, with another part of my mind trying to play the guitar and drums alternately. No wonder then that I look 'tired due to mental exertion' :)

And S, though you don't seem to have actually posted the comment you were typing when I caught-you (red-handed)   unawares, I have indeed not posted in a while. I was going to blame it on "writer's block", which sounds very terrific and hi-fi, but truth is, I have been just plain lazy. Reading is fine, but sitting down to pound the keys does require effort, loads of it. Anyway, will try and post more regularly. (Though you shouldn't really expect me to, given my track record!)

Adios for now.

(P.S. Today was the day I got back in touch with a couple of long-lost friends...
P.P.S. Today was also the day when I was actually consulted on a matter requiring great (read extremely high levels of) tact and diplomacy. Me, of all people! 
P.P.P.S. Must confirm with A about his concert - and well, if you can't have a soft corner for someone who talks to you as one drummer to another, you can't have a soft corner for anyone!
P.P.P.P.S : Must write about Mr.I-man and his violin sometime.

That's already way too many p's&s's, so I better stop now. Stop, as in actually s-t-o-p)

(* - a Jeffrey Archer book I enjoyed, and a neat turn of phrase for what this post is about! )

Shopping in the land of the Kamasutra*

This weekend, I bonded with my mother over a retail therapy session. Which is newspaper lingo for 'I went shopping with my mother'. (Methinks these days, you can't just have an outing, or have fun - it's always bonding time, and bonding over food, bonding with family, bonding with friends...; and there's no shopping, only retail therapy - my! why do we need to have special terms for even the simplest of things? Anyway, that's another rant.)

And so, I go to this place, and what do I see? Half a mannequin. Picture a hanging corpse shown in the movies. Then cut the top half. Attach a hook to the remaining half, and hang it from the roof. Yes. Right. That just about  the sales tactics of the shop.

Move a bit forward, and you find these really scary looking mannequins, some of which reminded me of something I came across on Yahoo, about a doctor who used to inject cement. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you're welcome to google it. I'm sure you're capable of doing that, if you've managed to read this far.

Next comes the clincher, with a novel way of using tennis balls. (I had a dispute with mom over that - I claimed they were sponge ones, she said they were tennis ones, the dispute is still unsettled) Yes, as you've guessed by now, tennis balls. strategically placed in lingerie. As used in some movies (which I had the misfortune of watching owing to just being there at the time). A real eye-sore. The less said about it, the better.

I think I'll sign off now, as I need some effort to get the image out of my mind...

(* - Is that one word? Or two? It sounded like a good title when I saved it in my drafts, but now, am too lazy to change it. Not to mention that I can't think of anything even remotely good.)