Friday, April 26, 2013

Random updates - as usual

It has been nearly three weeks since I last posted something here. And, as SM says, 2-3 line posts aren't the real thing :)

So well, life has been going on as usual. My team lost a crucial match, which I stayed up late to watch. Well, to stay up reading live commentary, if you wish.

 I ended up watching like this. And yes, I know he's from FCB, but well, this was how I was for most of the match.

And Mr. MV was kind enough to rub salt on my wounds.

Well, I've been trying to figure out why we lost. Could it be that lucky dress is no longer lucky (in which case I have to get a new one!)? Or could it have been because I've got a couple of German rock songs stuck in my head? Or did I misread the sign - on the morning of the match, just as I was crossing the road, I came across a guy wearing my team jersey, complete with logo and all. Well, so much for it...

And now, onto non-football stuff...

So, these days I have a lot of 'besht' friends, and a 'gang' with whom I have my meals. And if I go out of the university, I have other 'besht' friends. In fact, they seem to be everywhere!

Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered how I once thought ,'Oh, that was a gentlemanly and chivalrous act by MV' :D

I've been having weird discussions with PM (who is diplomatic as ever), and I've been practising my Spanish. (That I seem to be stuck with the label of 'dangerous', in addition to 'crazy' is another matter altogether.)

This past week, half the time I've been sitting in my guide's room, I've ended up hearing German rock songs on repeat mode in my head. No wonder FCC thinks I'm nuts :D

I seem to have become more absent-minded as well - I once called my guide, and drifted off while waiting for him to answer the call, and when he did start speaking, I was wondering what I was doing and who I was talking to - it took me a moment to remember that I'd been the one to call him to ask something...

And oh, I'm back to being obsessed with a word a day. And yesterday, I happened to browse through my book and read some 'marcadores' in the afternoon, and I ended up using at least ten of them in my exam. :) In fact, I was looking at my paper and grinning :D

Well, the weekend is nearing. It's bringing my brother and his wife. And dinner with the Senor. (He and MV happen to be such good friends - and it just struck me that they even share initials :D And well, MV calling MV 'Mo' just tickles me each time I hear it - and believe me, I've been hearing it quite a lot over the past few months)

So, anyway, I'm back to my rambling. And I'd better leave. Hope I write more often. (Well, if you can hope for your team, you can hope for anything :P )

Friday, April 5, 2013

Praveen


There are times in life when you need a great friend. Like, when one of your closest friends refuses to remind you to take your lucky dress just because you support rival teams. Or, when you need someone to listen as you go on endlessly about Spanish footballers and other eye-candy. I'm glad I have someone like that.

I don't know if you ever realized, but the first time I asked you for your mail address (for some data my old Spanish teacher was collecting, I think), it took me almost the entire day to find the guts to do it :) Never at my best with people I don't know well, I was worse off knowing that you were one of the best students in the class, and the one who'd rattle off every single word of the recordings we listened to in class.

It was only when I asked you about your backpacking plans for Chile, and you replied, that I felt we were actually having a conversation. I don't remember how we got talking over the phone after that, but I do remember that it was only after long discussions and much encouragement from a school friend that I decided to ask you if we could actually meet again. And boy, am I glad I did. :)

I always assumed you and I lived in different worlds, and it was only that day when we met (and you bought me a chocolate tart*) that I realized I'd been wrong, you were such good company and so easy to talk to.
Once I joined guitar classes ( thanks to you again), it felt like we'd been friends forever. I remember you having to tell me quite a few times that it was almost time for my class :)

If it weren't for you, I'd have missed Goa and Mohineer Ghoraguli :) As also the coffee at Udipi and the chocolate tart at Cakes n more. And I wouldn't have had chai at that chai-shop near my old college :) 
And maybe by now you know that sometimes it's my turn to pay. And you should actually let me. Unlike the dinner at Grasshopper. :) Something tells me you're going to be luckier than my other best friend - you might actually end up getting the treat I owe you. :)

It isn't to everyone that I can say things like, "I don't want to risk our friendship" (I'm still cringing at the thought of having said it!), or other lines straight from corny novels; and still be friends.
I never thought a day would come when you'd have to actually bear the brunt of my, "Oh, he said 'hi' to me today", "we actually spoke for two minutes" and other such school-girly ramblings :)
I still feel kinda honoured that you shared with me some of the recent happenings in your life. There have been times when I've wondered what it would feel like to be in your shoes, times when I wish you'd teach me the secret of patience and giving someone space. :) (Instead, you're encouraging my crazy dreams :) which I have enough of, by the way!)

The other day, SM told me, "Oh, Praveen is such a nice guy!"

And I realized it's true :)

Thank you, Praveen.

Thanks. For being such a good friend. For remembering me when I thought the world had forgotten me. For giving me the courage to dream. For giving me hope when I thought there was none. For the confidence in me. For listening. And remembering what I say. For putting the smile back on my face during some really dark moments. For trusting me. For making me laugh. For being someone to whom I can actually say , "You look hot", or "you looked like a kid in that photo" or even, "You sound so sexy" without having to think twice about it.

Thanks. For being my guinea pig and liking my Gazpacho (maybe I'll make you tortillas too ;) ). For encouraging me. For taking my Spanish craze seriously, despite the teasing and jokes :). For telling me some things I'd like to hear, and wish were indeed true. For reminding me to look ahead and never give up. For making me feel cherished. For remembering to say 'bye' before you left on yet another of your trips. For all the fun I have looking at maps and marking out travel routes and hatching crazy plans (which I may not be able to realize, but hope that you will). 

(And for condemning some poor soul to my company for the rest of his life! ) 

Thank you.

And I know it sounds cliched, and I don't know how it came to be - my life just wouldn't have been the same without you in it.

A day might come when we no longer live in the same city (or in the same country ;) ), I just want you to know I'm here for you if you need me. (though chances are, I'll need you more :))


(P.S. : Something I'd written a while ago, updated a bit. Just thought I'd post it.)

Monday, April 1, 2013

Dream on, Sam - yet again!

And so I wondered if my dreams could get any weirder. Turns out they can. And they do.

So, I had this dream one night last week :

I was sitting on a plane with my mother (it was white, I think), and the plane is moving forward on its wheels. Only, instead of taxiing the runway, it was on the road. More precisely, on the Pazhavanthangal subway in Chennai.

The destination of the flight was Paris, and I suddenly realized that I don't have a passport. I then told myself that as I was anyway inside the flight, I'd just wait until we landed at Paris and then see how the Authorities would react.

And by now I was sitting in the cockpit with the pilot, and we were on the platform at the Pazhavanthangal station, when the pilot stopped the plane. I asked him why he'd stopped, and he pointed to the train coming on the track next to the platform where we were.

And the airport was almost right there!

Anyway, at this point, I woke up and sat up laughing really hard.

I told my brother about the dream, and he asked me if I was sure I could distinguish between a bus and a plane!

Anyway, it's almost sleepy-time again, so goodnight!

(Psst! See you in Paris... when I land... there... ;) )

Where am I?

My prof claims I keep going home. (Ms.A will probably agree with him)

My family says I'm not home most of the time.

So, where am I all the time?

"Seems like I should be getting somewhere,
Somehow I'm neither here nor there..."

How to treat a princess : a step-by-step guide

1. Learn to recognize a princess when you come across one.
                     Sometimes, the Big Bad World might make a princess not advertise the fact that she is one, but you should still treat her like one!

2. Do the 'gentlemanly' acts - pulling out chairs for her to sit on, opening doors for her, getting her food to the table , well, you know, the works...

3. After dinner, escort her back, and ensure that she's back safe.
                    No, it isn't the same as her coming till your doorstep to say goodnight before leaving to go a long way back to her place.

4. Help her. Or at least, offer to help.

5. Remember that she's delicate, sweet and a whole lot of things which you can look up in a Thesaurus...

6. Protect her from dogs, if not dragons!

7. Remember that her choices are very good, be it a sports team, a book or a song ;)

(This was meant for JP, and since I'm very tired at the moment, please excuse me if the post was bad / boring...)

Until the next time, folks!