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No one knows Chennai the way I do :)

My knowledge of the city has been proved more than once :

- One of the first times I went to college by bus (after realizing that the station was a long walk away!) , I had to change buses halfway through. My aunt drew a map for me, and explained that I had to cross the road, and take the buses coming from the other side, I just nodded and said yes. And next day, when I got down, I couldn't figure out which way to go. And then I came across this group of guys , and from their backpacks, I assumed that they were college students, and would probably be going to my university, and so I followed them. My hunch proved right, and I reached the university safely and on time. I did get some weird looks when I told people I'd followed some random guys just because they had backpacks!

- I boarded a train from Guindy to Pazhavanthangal, which is two stations away (Guindy - St. Thomas Mount - Pazhavanthangal). I got in at Guindy, and got down at St. Thomas Mount, and was wondering how in such a short while (I'd been there only that morning), things had changed so drastically - the staircase leading out from the platform, was suddenly so much closer. It was only then that I looked up to see the station's name. I boarded the next train, and earned the distinction of being probably the only person in the history of the world to have changed trains to go two stations!

- I'd gone to meet my friend at Spencer's, and called my brother while leaving. He told me to come to Ananda Hotel for a cup of coffee. I boarded a bus, bought my ticket, and I just got down when the bus stopped at a signal. I knew that Ananda Hotel was close to a signal, and I'd have to walk back if I got down at the stop, and so was praying that the bus would stop at the signal. So get down I did, only to realize that it was another signal, and I was not even halfway there. I took the next bus, and got down at the right place this time. It isn't my fault if all traffic signals are alike!

- I once went to my aunt's office. I'd been there many times, but usually by another route, and often by auto. This was the first time I was taking a bus from near my university. I got down at a stop, called my brother and asked, "Where is the office? It isn't here". To which my brother replied, "Look properly, it'll be somewhere there" . Like I'd misplaced something. It took me a few minutes to realize I'd gotten down at the wrong stop (yet again!!!), and I (again) took another bus and arrived at the right place. To this day, whenever we go anywhere near that area, my brother makes it a point of asking me if I'd located our aunt's office.

Thankfully, I've never been completely lost (my phones and purses may have been lost, but never me!).

Believe me, I know my geography very well ;)

No one knows Chennai the way I do.

(Ask me. Not my brother!)

Random Rants - subject : Clothes

Why ? Oh why?

Why did I have to see her? She, in her black kurta and skin-coloured pyjama - I think it was the latter that actually made me sit up and take notice of her - I was trying to figure out whether she was wearing anything below her kurta :) Oh girl, whoever you are, I'm sorry to say this , but you reminded me of these movies of the 80's, especially Tamil and Telugu ones, where our beloved slim, young heroes used to wear such things under a frock-like dress, especially if they were portraying Alexander or any other mythological character...

And just when I finally managed to get that vision (shudder) out of my mind, I was forced to put up with this other sight that makes me feel like puking - a really low-hanging jeans, tight ones at that - I mean, the legs of the jeans begin just above the knee, and taper towards the ankles... And on top of that, there are folds, like in a girl's chudidhar... This particular pair of jeans, I came across on a guy.

There is one other sight I can't tolerate - low waist jeans worn lower... I don't want to see your innerwear, or, in some cases, the flesh on certain parts of your body. Unfortunately, I seem to be able to get the opportunity to avaert my eyes only after inedible damage to my psyche...

That's enough ranting for a day.

Not that I'm a great dresser or a fashionista or something - I'm more than happy to wear something on top, something below; and if the essentials are covered, I'm done :) But even I don't go to certain extremes...

Rant over... Time to say goodbye, as Andrea Bocelli sang...

A random thought

Just a small random thought that came into my mind today ...

How times change... When I was young (younger than now, I meant... not that I'm old now :P ), I used to ask my brother to eat the veggies on my plate. If he refused, I'd put on my puppy-dog look (or so I imagine, maybe it was more of a hideous-monster look...), and once he'd eaten my veggies, I'd tell him, please eat this as well, I don't want it.

And then we grew up. When I tried the same thing again, he told me to eat my food, or throw it in the dustbin.

Now, I think the roles have been reversed - when he got a new mobile, I got his old one. When he moved on to the next one, I got the previous one.

Not that I'm complaining :)

Just a random observation, this; that one aspect of my life seems to have come full circle!

There is something about him!!!

It was my mother who introduced me to him when I was still in school.

I rediscovered him when I was in college, and it was then that I discovered a new side to life.

Ever since he came into my life, smiles have never been hard to come. Life was so much more pleasurable.

I still remember how I chose to spend my time with him, even to the extent of putting away my text books on the eve of my Boards. Needless to say, the fixation continued through college, to this day. And hopefully, still will.

Through him I also found some new friends, and also got to know newer facets of my other friends.

He's one of my favourite topics of conversation - get me started, and I'll go on for hours and hours about him and his works. I come to a halt whenever I come across his name anywhere, and sometimes, it is with great reluctance that I step away. (That too, when I'm forced to!)

Fortunately for me, he's a favourite with half my family as well. I can discuss him with my mother, and even my grandfather!!!

He's made me wake up and smile in the middle of the night. He's made me laugh sitting all alone in buses and trains. He's been my inseparable companion during many journeys and waits. He was with me even through my admission process. In fact, another girl in the queue recognized him, and we had a short conversation about him then :)

He has helped me through some of my darkest days. If it hadn't been for him, I'd have thrown in the towel long ago. He showed me there was so much in life to enjoy and be grateful for.

There is one thing about him I don't like - his unfinished business... It sometimes makes me feel really sad, the way he left it half-done. So, I avoid thinking about it.

I absolutely adore him, as do many others across the world, and can't imagine a life without him. I just can't get enough of him.

In my eyes, he has only one rival. Almost. A 11 year-old. But they are each so good in their own way, that there is really no comparison between the two. And I love the rival too.

The man who changed everything, the writer whose works I 'devour', whose humour keeps me up half the night, and whose humour keeps me going - P.G. Wodehouse, you're an absolute gem.

(The rival is William Brown, the other W whose adventures I can't get enough of...)

Written in Moody Madness

Sometimes, I wonder what it must feel like being forgotten. Sometimes, it seems to be tragical, at other times, it does not seem so bad a thing. 

Now, it makes me think of my friend, who left without so much saying a bye to me. I remember being really upset that night. Maybe the fact that he didn’t speak to me though I’d wished him good luck for the future had something to do with it. Maybe it’s unreasonable to expect a common courtesy.

I knew Courtesy is a rare commodity these days, and only a fool such as I could hope to find it easily. And, maybe since I live in a dream world, I find it hard to believe that people don’t have time for their family and friends. I still think that it isn’t impossible to make time for the people who matter to you, and if you’re unable to stay in touch, you inform them that it is so. If you can’t find time for someone, then he or she does not mean too much to you. I’m finally learning this lesson. Thanks to a certain person. (At least, I give credit where it is due, and so I can grumble about ingratitude and lack of courtesy.)

Hello, is there anybody out there?

Just go where you can’t hear me

Are you still out there?

Come on, now,

I’m gonna be a-ranting,

Just to work it out-

Get it out of my mind…

Really,

There is no one reason why

 I’m feeling down-

It may be just the blues

Just everything all at once

Indeed,

I do wonder why

I take things to heart

****

And now, anger is gone,

The rant is over,

Thought I’d something more to say,

Well ,I have,

 have become comfortably dumb…

That’s it – as usual my mood has improved. Things are looking brighter now.

Maybe I’d feel happier if I didn’t feel like I’ve completely spoilt and ransacked a classic song like Comfortably Numb. In fact, I didn’t even do the murder of the song properly – half the lines are missing, and the rest is pathetic… Apologies… And I absolutely love this song. I swear!

And in the latter part I’ve attempted to murder Time as well. (Another favourite, believe me!) (Does that make me a serial song murderer???)

(Methinks if I’d been an embalmer in ancient Egypt, there would have plenty of half-rotten mummies. Or I’d have been given the pink Tablet (no wonder they say ancient civilizations were highly advanced – tablets before paper? So what if they were Stone Tablets?). Or is it a pink papyrus I’d have got? No more confusing history and geography and what-not. I’d better stop it before I make a bigger fool of myself…)

Open letter to my Mobile Service providers

First of all, thanks for the concern you lavish upon us.
Every half an hour, I get a call. Though what they are about, I don't know. Of late, I've just about stopped answering them. And since you call me back when the call goes unanswered, (and also because it goes on my call logs as a missed call), I've started receiving it and ending the call almost at once. So, thanks for the calls, though I don't asnwer them. If you want to improve my life with your services and whatever else you wish to offer me, you're welcome to do so. But I don't need (or want) your calls asking and informing me what is there on offer. If need be, I'll visit your website, or call Customer Service.
But wait.... Customer Service? That sounds like something from another era. These days, whenever I try to reach you, I get a prerecorded message giving me a list of options. When I finally manage to choose some lucky combination of options from the menu and get hopeful of talking to a real live human, I'm told how important my call is, and then treated to some music. After an eternal wait , with the importance of my call being mentioned every now and then, I finally get to talk to someone, I'm told that it's the wrong section. So much for trying to reach you.

And of course, thanks a lot for the messages you send me without fail every ten minutes. Where would I be if it weren't for the exercise you provide my fingers - if it weren't for using them to remove your messages and make some space in my inbox, they would have gone (comfortably) numb long ago. I don't need any education loans, health tips or 'jokes'. Really.

And yes, thanks for the offer, but I don't want to download any "hot notty videos" or bikini bombshells on my phone. I don't need any baba's tips, or superhot wallpapers.

Of course, I tried activating the "Do Not Disturb" facility on my number. Many times. But there was always an error just at that particular instant. So much for hoping to be spared.

I'm also grateful to you for sending me bills for calls I don't make. And for giving me a number I didn't ask for. And the confusion that ensued. It's a long story. And to top it all, I get a message from you asking me to pay a bill of Rs.4361 when I'd just got the number activated.

I'm eternally grateful to you for all this.

Yours sincerely,
A very (dis)satisfied Cus(s)tomer.

WOW!

I just came to know that I share my birthday with Tom Petty !!!

Feels good to know :)


"Let's roll another joint" :P