Bucket List

I actually had a list of stuff to do before RR tagged me for this not-so-taggish affair. And this is stuff to do before I turn 25. There is another list of things to do before I turn 100, but I can't seem to find it. I guess both the lists would fit into this "List of the things you want to do in life before you kick the bucket". So here goes nothing:

1. Eat a big bucket of KFC all by myself. (I actually start with a bucket :P)
2. Make a trip to Europe (even if it is to some airport and back).
3. Go to the loo on the plane.**
4. Learn to play a musical instrument.
5. Be in a movie.**
6. Watch 3 movies in a theatre in a day.
7. Walk those dog/horse-like things down from the Museum to the Oberoi Grand.
8. Have a date in a museum.**
9. Kiss a girl (:p).
10. Get my book published.
11. Win some literature prize (even some obscure one will do).
12. Have kulfi at the Gateway.
13. Eat every kind of street food available in Kolkata in one day.
14. Ride an elephant.**
15. Cook a seven-course meal (once).
16. Knit a muffler.
17. Live on my own for a few months.
18. Take the train on my own.**
19. Read 50 classics. (I don't know if this is possible)
20. Walk around in a wig for a day.
21. Lay in a hammock reading and/or listening to music for a whole day.
22. Stand on Marine Drive and get drenched by the waves.
23. Buy that 6000/- Calvin&Hobbes collection.
24. Finish that 500 piece jigsaw of mine and get it framed.
25. Paint/sketch a masterpiece.
26. Fly/take the train/bus to another city for a concert.
26. Date the oversmart 'boy'. **

Note: ** = Done already

I tag Madhurima, and going with the tradition, "anybody who has nothing better to do".

Vacation Post 3

I thought I was done for the day with posting, but I had to put this up.



This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:
shit (2x); dead (1x)

[Heehee]

Vacation Post 2

I'm back home in Kolkata with all the dogs and the cats and the squall and the car honkings. It isn't quite as chilly as I had thought it might be; though Kolkatans in general can be seen wrapped up in thick, brown sweaters with mufflers covering their ears for fear that they might fall off in the cold. My feet have been shivering a little, but I refuse to wear socks.

Not too many people know that I'm back in Kol for Christmas. I think I will keep it that way for awhile.

There is just one worrisome new development. I don't know what to buy me for Christmas. I was contemplating getting a dress, but given that I practically live in my jeans and everything else goes into storage, I'm not sure that this is a good idea. I'm probably not even going partying this year (how seriously dull am I??) and am in no mood to get yet another good-looking outfit that will occupy precious cupboard space.

I've been talking a lot of late: Blabber jabber blabber jabber. It is rather out of character for me, but I am enjoying this talkative incarnation of myself. (I think I use a lot of "but"s in my sentences.)

One of my two black cats is basking in the sun. His eyes are drooping with sleep as he stretches out his long, elegant legs. I adore his panther-like attitude. And he's only a house cat.

It is good to be a house cat. You can pick out the sunniest spots in the winter. Hot food is given to you twice a day. You don't have to wash the dishes. Owners with cold feet are happy to have you around. And if you live with dogs, you have 24-hour access to entertainment as well.

I actually have nothing to say today. Am just typing for the sake of it. I wrote for about an hour on my flight to Kol the other day. I thought it was fairly blogworthy but I don't think I have the patience to type it all out.
In bullet points:
1. I was the second person on the plane.
2. I refused to have overpriced flight food that was not included in the fare.
3. The people beside me came with a whole red bag of yummy food (maybe this does deserve a post of its own).
4. The flight reached half an hour early (What luck!).
5. I was the first person off the plane :D
6. My luggage did not make me wait for too long. Though Ma did.
7. And I got paid for that freelance project. Yay!

Vacation Post 1

This is a clear example of being useless. I shall put myself to use again once the 26th of December comes calling. Till then, I am uselessness personified. Notice my boundless joy :D

Your Birthdate: June 7

You are an island. You don't need anyone else to make you happy. And though you see yourself as a loner, people are drawn to you. Deep and sensitive, you tend to impress others with your insights. You also tend to be psychic - so listen to that inner voice! Your strength: Your self sufficiency Your weakness: You despise authority Your power color: Maroon Your power symbol: Hammer Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

IQ Issues

Problem!

My boyfriend is smarter than me.

This has never happened before.

I have been feeling rather stupid ever since this realization dawned on me sometime last evening. My new-found sense of stupidity refused to let me sleep.

There is only one thing left to do now: I have to become smarter than he is!

Sports Day at the School Next Door

The building next to mine is a school, and they have been having their sports day practices for the last one week. It does add some nostalgia to my otherwise wallowing-in-the-present days, but it also makes my days a whole lot noisier. So I end up neglecting work and looking out of the window at these kids on the field doing their "forward march" and "eyes right" and at the smaller kids waving their pom poms to the tunes of Vengaboyz and Aqua (Yes, the music is a little dated).

There is also this horribly annoying teacher who is the compere for the junior sports and she has been rehearsing with the microphone for a long while now. I don't so much mind the noisy kids, but a noisy grown up who keeps saying: "Parents, look at the beautiful costumes your children are wearing as they rush to get makeovers in a race where there are no winners and losers and everybody gets a prize." I appreciate the sentiment, but by now I know her speech by heart.

The kinds of races that the junior school is having include:
Firemen rushing to put of a fire.
Makeover artists speeding to make a record-quick makeover.
Construction workers putting the bricks and cement together to build the fastest house.
Forest rangers trying to be fastest in stopping the tree from falling.

As for me, I always came last in the races at school. There was another girl that came second-last. It did not help matters that I was tall and long-legged and looked like I could take home the gold. So the first few times, people did have expectations. Then they got used to me coming last. All's well that ends well.

Thoughts for the Day

You think you know people inside out. And then they sing a song, dance a jig, or write a poem, and you think: There's so much I still don't know.
***

I was watching this movie called "Wishful Thinking" the other day, where the girl said:
You think that when you strip away the insecurities and weaknesses of people, you will find goodness. For all people are good at the bottom of it all.

But by the time the end of the movie arrived, she has changed her ideas:
I used to think that when you strip away all the insecurities and weaknesses from people, you will find goodness at the bottom of it all. But once you strip away one layer of insecurities or goodness, you will only find more layers and still more layers; for when talking about people, there can be no bottom.
***

Watched "The Lady and the Tramp" this morning. A must watch if you are a dog lover. Plus, the characters are realistic, well-etched, and lovable -- every last one of them. And it's deep as well.
***

Sweet Surrender -- Tagged

Got tagged by Moolah. And here are the rules:
1. Put your MP3 player/Media player on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write the name of the song no matter what.


IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY?” YOU SAY?
If You're Gone [Matchbox 20]

Only if "Is this okay?" is being said during a break-up.
What a dire way to begin this tag!

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Comfortably Numb [Pink Floyd]

Actually that's fairly accurate at times.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Isle of Innisfree [Celtic Woman]

I had actually not heard this song before this tagging exercise. Loved it.

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night [Bon Jovi]

Officially my favourite song. And yes… I feel this way everyday!

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai [Gangster]

Kill me the day I say that this is my life's purpose!

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Don't Know Why I Didn’t Come. [Norah Jones]

"When I saw the break of day
I wished that I could fly away."

And yes. I make it a point to avoid appointments and meetings. Even the ones that I plan out.

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Todenge. [Some A.R. Rahman remix with English lyrics]

Shit. This was spooky!

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
I Will Do Anything for Love. [Meatloaf]

What a good kid I am! :D
I will do anything for love and good non-veg food like meatloaf.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Hey You.[Pink Floyd]

"Hey you, don't help them to bury the light
Don't give in without a fight."

WHAT IS 2+2?
Sk8er Boi. [Avril Lavigne]

Notice the 8 in the name of the song. Duh!

DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Truly Madly Deeply. [Savage Garden]

Shit! There go those lesbian tendencies again! :P

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
I'm Gonna Be Around. [MLTR]

"I'm gonna love you till the end.
I'm gonna be your very true friend."

Officially the sappiest song on my comp!

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Some Days a Diamond, Some Days a Stone. [John Denver]

"…Sometimes the hard times won't leave me alone.
Sometimes a cold wind blows a chill in my bone.
Some days a diamond, some days a stone.

Now the face that I see in my mirror
More and more is a stranger to me.
More and more I can see there's a danger
In becoming what I never thought I'd be."

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
The Ballad of Ira Hayes. [Johnny Cash]

In gist, Ira Hayes was a whiskey-drinking Red Indian who died in a ditch.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Strange Foreign Beauty. [MLTR]

Hardly! :P

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
A Million Ways to Fall. [Charlie Landsborough]

This is actually a love song. But it's pretty deep. Sounds like something Papa-Mommy would say and clearly shows how they expect me to mess up all the time.

"Now the spell is badly broken
There are no angels after all.
There's only people, only people,
And a million ways to fall."

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
I Have a Dream. [Westlife Version]

"If you see the wonder of a fairytale
You can take the future even if you fail."

Not too shabby :)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Wild Women. [Westlife]

"Can I act like an angel
If I live like a jerk?"

Heehee.
And there go the lesbian tendencies again!

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Zara Nazaron Se Keh Do, [Bombay Vikings]

Yes. Flirtatious me ;)

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Wanted Dead or Alive. [Bon Jovi]

Now it's out in the open. Turn me in and go claim your 2-buck reward.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Wind Beneath My Wings. [Bette Midler]

Actually, this should have been the answer to the previous question. But I double-pressed the next button by mistake. And the earlier answer seemed a better fit to that qt, while "Wind Beneath My Wings" was perfect for this one.

I hope it's "wind" and not "smelly gas".

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
Sweet Surrender. [John Denver]

Fairly apt. Had been avoiding the tag and hoping it would go away somehow. Finally surrendered. And it wasn't all that bad :P

Goodbye Serfdom

Finally, I am free.
Free from the chains that tied me down.
Free from deadlines set by others
Who cared not.
Free from feeling exploited.
Free from insensitivity
(some of it at least).
Freedom at noon
(a little different from this nation of ours).
Free as a bird
And sitting at my desk,
Blogging.
I am unemployed today.
Am a serf no more.
Goodbye serfdom,
Finally.

Funny Thing

I went to buy vegetables just now. Godrej Nature's Basket is just across the road. Personally, I'm a little scared+embarrassed to buy veggies, as I can identify only a handful of them, and I have no idea how much a kilo would weigh really, and I'm a little un-prone to asking for assistance. The last is a little similar to the way in which most males are unwilling to ask for directions unless they are hopelessly lost. Anyway, I bought tondli (they look kinda like potol) and I bought cabbage (very easy to buy) and I bought mushrooms.

There was another lady doing grocery shopping with her seven year old daughter. The little girl picked out the tiniest Dairy Milk sitting at the counter eyeing the world.
Mother [making big eyes at the girl]: No. We have at home.
Girl [making puppy eyes]: Please. The smallest one.
Mother [still making big eyes]: No. It gets wasted. Keep it back.
Girl, puppy-eyed still, puts the chocolate away.

Just one observation: THE CHOCOLATE GETS WASTED??? What house is this??

Btw... I have a fridge full of Czech chocolates :D Just taking sadistic pleasure out of imagining the greed on most of your faces. As for anyone whose mouth doesn't water at the thought of European chocolates, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU BUSTER??

Okay. None of these is the funny thing actually. Let me give you a background.

We have two flats on the same floor. 903 and 901. The former has been there for a while. The latter is a recent acquisition. And my room happens to be in 901. So there is a lot of moving in and out from house to house, especially coz all the food remains in 903. Plus, the TV is also housed there. 901 is meant for sleeping, reading, and having top-secret conversations.

Now there is a trick to moving from 903 to 901 and vice versa. The shoe cupboards near the doors of both houses are topped with a tray each. Each tray holds the key to the other house. So, you open the door of 903, take the 901 key, walk out, unlock 901, come back and put the key in the tray on the 903 shoe cupboard, shut 903, and go into 901. Reads more complicated than it is. To go from 901 to 903, the same procedure is followed, except that you start from 901.

Uff! How confusing I made it all.

The point is that I took the 903 key from 901 to go buy veggies. I bought the veggies (great accomplishment) and came home. I unlocked the door to 903, took the key to 901 (so that I could put the 903 key in its right place). And very smartly I placed the 901 key on the 901 tray on the 901 shoe cupboard in the 901 flat and shut the door. Luckily, the 903 flat door was open. So I took the 903 key and rushed into 903 house and shut 903 door.

Now I have to rot in 903 till the father comes home and 901 can be unlocked again.

But look on the bright side. My comp and its charger are in this house. The TV is in this house. The food is in this house.

And.. and.. and.. the Czech chocolates are in this house :D

Heeheehahaha [evil laughter]
[crows caw in the background]

My Latest Addiction

Check out this link. The monkeying around is super-addictive!

Why I Read My Daily Horoscope and Other Miscellany

"A lot of changes are coming to your life very soon, so this is a day to take another long look at what you've got going on now -- and appreciate it! Living in the moment is a difficult thing to do in this age of fast-moving information and future plans. But you'd be cheating yourself big time if you didn't at least take an hour out of your day to reflect on your life and thank yourself for making the choices and efforts it took to get you where you are."

That was my horoscope for the day courtesy Yahoo Astrology. Given the way in which my life has been progressing, the horoscope seems bang on target. It is because of days like this that I read my horoscope for at least 90% of the days of the year. They match sometimes, and then I'm hooked for a week. Then they stop matching. But I still read on, looking for some coincidence, some sign that the stars do foretell the future, or at least the present.

Went for Diwali dinner with the folks at office last night, and we got fortune cookies at the end of the meal. My fortune said: "Expect the best, and life takes on new meaning." Motivating, n'est-ce pas?

My official email address got deleted yesterday. I don't miss it. But I did feel a little sad when the Boss told me that he had just deleted it. I guess it is time to get a new email address. Was a little less mad at the Boss yesterday. I guess all Bosses periodically become painful. Anyway, I ate with chopsticks last night. Picked up the art at the restaurant (All Stir Fry at Gordon House, Colaba, Mumbai). Maybe I was a Chinawoman in my last life. In my next life I have decided to be a dog (not bitch) at my university. The life after that I will be an astronaut. And after that I will be a true blue superhot dumb blonde who wins the Miss USA title. I'd made plans for a few subsequent afterlifes (afterlives?), but I don't remember them now. Maybe later.

Read The Reluctant Fundamentalist till three a.m. this morning. Fumbled with the open ending. I prefer it when the author spells out the ending a little more clearly actually. Does the speaker get killed? Is the guy he's been chatting with all evening going to kill him? What's the case with the waiter? I think a bit of a re-read of the last few pages is necessary. I feel a little stupid as of now. Interpretations regarding the ending are welcome.

Life in Bullet Points: November Chapter

1. I quit. Told the Boss. He was rather bitchy about it. I didn't think the bitchiness was necessary.

2. Father finally knows about boyfriend. Announced it at the dining table. Initial reaction was not good. But 5 minutes later, he managed to get some perspective. I am 23 after all, and going on marriageable age. At least I should have an iota of a boyfriend. Did I mention I am an inch taller than the boy? I feel like Nicole Kidman!

3. Have been working almost non-stop since I came back from Delhi last Monday. Diwali whizzed by in a blur. And then frustration set in. And then I quit. All's well that ends well.

4. The fast-food-wala just brought home wraps (a version of rolls/frankies). The security downstairs called on the intercom to say he had arrived. He said: "Pizzawala aaya hai". Pizza becoming the generic term for all food that gets delivered to the house. Interesting na?

5. Was watching the news about the cyclone hitting Bengal. At the time, the sun was shining brightly and sweetly over all the Mumbaiyya world and the districts that surround it. Grey clouds and thunder in the east with sunshine and blue skies in the west. What a crazy country this is!

6. Watched Sawariya. Such a waste of time. Beautiful, but a waste. Goodlooking people. Good performances. Lovely songs. But halfway through I was feeling as blue as the background for having to waste three precious hours of my life on this. Leela Bhansali's son gone mad!

7. Watched Om Shanti Om. Total timepass. Very heehee-type. Must-watch for King Khan fans. Padukone chick shows off cleavage (wonderbra?) in the first half and long legs in the second half. Quite logical actually.

8. Killed two mosquitoes yesterday.

9. Saw an especially long cockroach last night. Wasn't wearing specs, so zoomed in on it. Wasn't one cockroach. Was two of them. Mating. Told both of them (wasn't sure which one was the woman) not to lay their eggs in my house. Hope they listen.

10. Saw a woman and her dog sit on a bench on the lawn below. Nice picture they made.

I could go on. But my arms are paining. And it is time to devour that curried chicken wrap.

Toodles.

When Joy Is Painted Beige and Gold

There is something very special about buying something that you can't quite afford. You yearn for that little outfit which is tantalizingly beyond your budget. It gapes at you as you avert your eyes. You end up looking at it from the corner of your left eye. The golden work on the beige cotton sparkles like gold jewellery. Nobody else notices it. They are too busy looking at the flashier greens and reds and magentas. Yet, the five-hundred-bucks of beige and gold paint seems to have hypnotized you.

You walk over to the rack. Seven beige and gold kurtas greet you. Medium. Medium. Large. Medium. Small. Large. Large. You wish there had been no Smalls on that rack. Now you feel as though that Small was waiting for you. Just for you. Dare you buy it with the Diwali money your Uncle just gave you? The money that you were saving for a rainy day? The money that could have taken care of your next month's phone bill? You decide "No". You will not spend any money.

You look at it wistfully and console yourself with: "Some other time." And walk away to window shop for something else. You are looking for something that will make you forget about this beige and gold dream. But fifteen minutes later you are back at the same rack.

"Dare I try it on once to see how it looks?"

You ask yourself that question once. And then once more. The next thing you know, you are a beauty in beige and gold as you admire yourself in the trial room mirror. And you know that the price tag does not matter anymore. The Diwali money emerges out of that white envelope. Rainy days can go to hell. Even if it does rain, at least you will be well-dressed. And well, if money can't buy you happiness, what is the point of having it anyway?

Cut to now:
The beige and gold kurta is sitting pretty on top of the clothes heap in my cupboard. I just went and stole a loving glance at it. Perhaps the buy was a bit of an over-indulgence. But it made me happy. I have already begun making plans for the inauguration of my new beige and gold acquisition.

Diwali Dynamics 2

This is about the life-changing move. I'm quitting my job. And I don't have a job to fall back on right away. Am toying with the idea of taking a three-month break. But three months seems like a rather long time. It is a quarter of a year after all. 25 percent.

I was scared that I would chicken out when the Boss called. But the words were on the tip of my tongue. After exchanging a few words about the last project that I sent him 12 hours late (I was feeling frustrated, rebellious, and for the first time in two-and-a-half years did not take a call from the office.), and how he gave me my first chastisement (the word was used by the Boss) in two-and-a-half years, I figured it was time to drop the bomb. But the Boss talks fast. I talk slow.
So he cut in first: Happy Diwali
Me: Happy Diwali Sir. [pause before blurting out] I'm planning to quit.
Boss: [shock reverberating in his voice] Whaaa?

There was more after that. The Boss gaily refused to finalize my quitting decision. He said we would talk about it on Monday. I bet he is planning to tempt me with some difficult-to-refuse offer -- more cash, better projects, more flexibility. But I have had enough this time.

I'm tired of writing dumbass unresearched articles that don't have my byline and which people won't even read. Ever.
I'm tired of having to type out 500-word articles in less than 25 minutes.
I'm tired of constantly racing against time for no fault of my own.
I'm tired of not being able to produce brilliant quality because I don't have the luxury of time.
I'm tired of not feeling like I've done a fun project.
It has been months since I completed a project that I really enjoyed.
This post perfectly sums up how I have been feeling since Monday.
Guess the quitting has been coming for a long time.

But it felt a lot more life-changing this morning. And here are the reactions of some of the people I spoke to about my decision:

• Ma thinks I should do nothing for three months and behave like a spoilt rich brat.
• Moolah agrees with Ma.
• My best friend thinks I've gone mad.
• Madz thinks this is the best choice that I have ever made. (She does not like my Boss)
• Baba is being supportive and did not use his frown-face when I told him about my decision.
• My boyfriend did not say anything incriminating. He nodded into the phone.

But I haven't told Baba about the new boyfriend yet. Hopefully, someone else in the family will tell him. The new boyfriend has a very clean room for a guy. I'm not sure if he was trying to impress me or if he really is clean. He is sweet though, and very funny and intelligent. Incidentally, now that all is official, the posts on 6th August and 21st October were about him. It is long distance, but it isn't too horrible just yet. But then, we haven't even completed a month of dating. He doesn't usually read my blog, so I don't mind blabbering on about him here. If he did read this paragraph of this post, however, I would blush beetroot red. As long as he doesn't know, it's cool.

This Bong New Year I had sworn to remain single for the rest of the year. Obviously, it didn't work out, and I couldn't be happier. :D

Oh, and I'm currently only 1 kilogram underweight. Hopefully, I'll stay this way, and not start tilting over to the overweight side. But I still keep referring to myself as a reed-thin girl which I am not any more. Years of habit of being called a coconut tree by everyone you see.

A weird-looking cockroach was roaming around the floor just now. It had very long legs and seemed to be walking on stilts. It could have been a circus performer entertaining the Diwali insects that have been biting like nobody's business. But I think the show is over, for Mr. Roach is nowhere to be seen.

I thought I heard thunder in the sky a while ago. Was expecting rain. But I guess it was just some Diwali firecrackers. This has been a long, emotional-upheaval-filled day. I think I should go grab some shut-eye.

Diwali Dynamics 1

Planning to make a life-changing move today -- the culmination of months of frustration and disillusionment. Will post later today provided I don't chicken out.

I don't think I will chicken out. Not this time.

Yesterday

Sometimes, wishes come true.
Some days begin with a once upon a time.

The world seems like a big giant wheel

-- the kind you sat on as a child.
Except that the ride never stops;

Not even after you get off,

And the day ends as happily as can be.

Yesterday was like that.

Decisions

I take ages to make them;
Spend days procrastinating.
Then I make them;
And forget about them.

Then they start worrying me.
I start losing sleep.
I start wondering if
I should change them,

But tell myself to stop wondering.
I still lose sleep.
So I tell myself,
"Maybe I should change them".

And then I do.

[P.S.: Not intended to be a poem. Just looks better this way.]

War in Bitch-Land

(Sugar and Candy shall be the stars of this post. Yes, those are the names of two of my three four-legged bitches. The third one is Sindy. No, I don't have any two-legged bitches. Yes, it might have been nice to have a few of those to carry my bag and things.)

Well, Sugar and Candy had a fight over lunch yesterday. They animals at my place have a very lovely lunch of kheema and rice on most days (even when us humans have to make do with saag and daal and bhaat). Three plates are set aside for the three dogs of the house. Three identical steel plates, so that none of the three feels left out or mistreated.

But yesterday, something went wrong.

Both Sugar and Candy wanted to eat out of the same plate. I assume Candy muttered, "Bitch" under her breath. And Sugar went for her. Candy is slightly bigger than Sugar, but Her Little Tykeness was angered now. Somebody tried to move Sugar out, but she was holding fast. Finally I (got to be the hero finally) came and dragged the wounded Candy out of what was clearly a very bloody, one-sided fight.

Candy got the hero treatment despite her obvious defeat. She was made to rest on the bed with two bandaged paws and one bandaged ear. The wounded soldier look won her sympathy and attention. She even got to eat from the 'disputed' plate on Grandma's bed!!

Sugar -- the villain of the piece -- got the cold shoulder. Being the friendliest of the three bitches, she usually gets the most affection. After the bitchfight, she was getting nothing but angry looks. Pretend angry looks even, for it was difficult to remain angry at her woebegone demeanor.

Her eyes were big, watery, and apologetic. Her tail drooped as low as it possibly could. And she silently followed anybody who passed her way. She didn't even plonk herself on the sofa last evening. That dog has truly mastered the art of apologizing. Maybe she should start her own classes: Sugar's Say Sorry Seem Sorry Session!

Things are better today. Candy took off all her bandages. All on her ownsome. She's limping a little, but seems no worse for the wear. Sugar has realized that she has been forgiven, and has plonked herself on the sofa again.

And we shall all live happily ever after.

Till the next four-legged crisis occurs.

When Tom Caught Lizzy

Just caught my cats eating a lizard. A medium-sized one that had gone white with fear. Or maybe those were his camouflaging tactics. If the latter, then the camouflage tricks were definitely faulty. Didn't work on the cats. And even I had no problem spotting it hanging out from my black cat's mouth, head first. Gross.

Everybody was (is) asleep. So there was no lizard-non-fearing person that I could turn to for help. I bravely went to the kitchen to see if I could rescue the poor reptile. Though to be honest my main concern was that my felines will fall sick after eating Lizzy dear. We have had that happen before.

So I went in to the kitchen pretending to be a rescuer. The three cats were circling around the poor tail-less thing. I gave them a whispered shout, so as to not wake any of the sleeping humans.

The whispered shout had the desired effect. The two cats jumped on to the fridge. It was then that I saw it. The tail was lying right beside its owner. It was twitching as though it was still connected to the reptilian heart that pumped cold blood into its veins.

I was no knight in shining armor. With everyone asleep, I could not scream (my usual reaction on seeing a lizard on the floor). So I squeaked. Twice. Maybe a third time. High-pitched squeaks that woke my Grandma. The tail continued to twitch. But the squeaks chased the cats away.

However, as it always happens in an overpopulated home, Sugar the dog decided to take a midnight walk and sniff at the shitty-brown animal. I thought she opened her mouth to give it a lick, but the lizard bolted. At least, I hope it did. Sugar comes every morning and licks my face. It is gross-ish on normal days. Lizard remains would make it worse.

But I'm hoping that Lizzy dear has managed to escape. I don't like lizards. But hate and fright need not always manifest itself in cruelty. I don't want my cats to play cat and mouse with either mice, birds, or reptiles.

Even as I type these noble words, I'm scared that the lizard is trekking all over our kitchen, drawing, and dining room floor. Wonder what would keep it from entering my room and climbing on to the mattress. I don't have the protection of a well-raised bed, and lizards are known to take a stroll just where they are not wanted.

Nightmare lizards, go away!

P.S.: The title for this post sounds strangely like one for a love story. Hope you weren't misled by it.

Update ten minutes later: Black cat Maxi's mom, a.k.a. black cat Ebony, just came into my room from the kitchen licking her lips and looking satisfied. She then snuggled up to a pillow and is now in catnap heaven. I think I can safely say that Lizzy is on its way to Lizard's Paradise.

My Epitaph

My Matters of Consequence

I've grown up on a steady diet of Walt Disney animated movies. The following quote is from The Jungle Book. Baloo the Bear is imparting words of wisdom to his hopeful heir, Mowgli the Mancub: "Don't spend your time looking around for something you want that can't be found. And when you find out you can live without it and go along not thinking about it (have I given you a clue), the bare necessities of life will come to you. They'll come to you."

In Richard Bach's Illusions, Bach meets a messiah who tells him: "There is no problem so big that it cannot be run away from." He also says, "If you want freedom and joy so much, can't you see it's not anywhere outside of you? Say you have it and you have it! Act as if it's yours, and it is! Richard what is so damned hard about that? But they didn't even hear, most of them. Miracles - like going to auto races to see the crashes, they came to me to see miracles. First it's frustrating and then after a while it just gets dull. I have no idea how the other messiahs could stand it."

Security is great. But I don't want the boredom that accompanies it.

I am tired of people telling me what to do and how to do it. Agreed that I am a lazy bum in many ways, but I do work very hard. I do have certain dreams and ambitions but I also have plans of attaining those – but in my time, and in my way. I am in no hurry. And I don't understand why everyone else is. Why?

I am not ambitious. But I am driven. I am not interested in pursuing a career (at least not in the way that everybody seems to want me to). But I have certain dreams and goals for myself. There are things that I have to do in life. There are things that I am going to do as I walk along each minute of every day. But I am not willing to follow someone else's timeline; someone else's rules. I may be the biggest, wretchedest failure in the world. And that's okay, as long as I fail while plodding along my own road. And if something doesn't work out, why worry? I can always go find another goal, another aim, another dream. If that makes me sound naively optimistic, I'm okay with it.

I wasted two years of my life just working and working and working and working more. And later I found myself wondering what I did with those two years. Even now, the only memories that I have of those two years are of me with my nose buried in my books, or my eyes glued to a computer screen that wasn't mine. It made me feel as hollow as the hollow men that T.S. Eliot wrote about. And I swore that I would not bury myself in work that did not really matter to me. I swore to give myself a few pensive moments everyday. I promised that I would LIVE and not just WORK.

Yes, I don't have to go to office for many months in the year, starting July '07. But I still get worked to the bone. Yes, the money that I might get working full-time elsewhere may be much more. But would I get the uncertainty and flexibility (and sort-of security) that my current boss allows me to have? A little more money could be great. But I can survive on a lot less than a lot of people. Even if I did pay 5000 bucks as rent, I would still have enough left over to give me a good time, decent food, and some books. (Obviously I wouldn't be staying in expensive ol' Mumbai then)

I'm still a little hung over from those two years. I still find myself unable to settle down to doing the fun stuff that I have been planning to do. But I am getting the hang of it. I am still finding my way around life. Maybe I am a little old to be living this slightly nomadic, romantic, unsettled lifestyle. Maybe it is time for me to get serious about things.

But when did I ever say that I was not serious?

I am.
I just want different things.

Defining Me

Went to this link, and found out how I will be defined in the dictionary:

Pooja [noun] -- A person with a taste for acorns.

Err... does that make me a squirrel?

I tried it with my preferred nickname, and here is what I got:

Poojo [adjective] -- Similar to butter in texture and appearance

How cute! So I am an utterly-butterly squirrel?

And now I am hooked. Let me try with the name on my ID:

Pooja Chakrabarty [adjective] -- Smells like teen spirit

So I am an utterly-butterly squirrel with the mind of a teenager :)

Conclusion: I am becoming flakier by the day!

On Reading "Marley and Me"

Imagine a loopy, ultra-energetic, adorably stupid dog with an unsatiable appetite for everything starting from dog food to hamburgers to dog leashes to gold chains to chicken poop. Sell him to a couple who want a little practice raising a baby dog before they start raising baby humans. Add the baby humans in the span of a few years. Garnish with stories of auditions and thunder-storm-phobias and stealing food and defecating in the sea and running away with tables and voila! You have the story of Marley and Me.

This memoir-novel by John Grogan relates the author's experiences with what is arguably the world's worst canine. Funny and heartfelt, this is a must-read for anyone who has ever loved an animal. And for people who are yet to meet the right pet, the novel yields the one secret that anyone who has ever owned a pet already knows: "There are no perfect pets; only terrific ones."

Read the book if you want to turn the last page feeling warm, fuzzy, and a little misty-eyed.

Turning Into a Teen

My sister will be turning 13 on the 17th of this month, and she is really excited about it. Yet, not too long ago she was grumbling about walking out of childhood and into the complicated world of teenaged life (though she didn't put it in that many words). She has been in denial of her old age for a while now (wonder what she'll do when she gets to my age, or Ma's for that matter). And suddenly she seems okay with it. She went shopping for birthday clothes today; has started planning where to take her friends for budday lunch next Friday, after school; and has generally been dropping hints about stuff she'd like to get as presents.

And the excitement is warranted. She is finally walking out of pre-teen-hood and into the world of teenagedom. What are the things she carries with her into the new world? Lip gloss, eyeliner, earrings, bangles -- all the things that girls are supposed to love. Yes, she is the girl of the family. I am pretty sure that all the boys -- little and otherwise -- are soon going to be lining up outside the white gates of our orange-colored building, just to get a glimpse of the above-mentioned teen queen.

Teen queen she is. But teen drama queen would be more specific. If you ever wanted to see the typical troubled teenager who is tantrumming her way to school, lunch, or the bathroom, this sister of mine would be a case in point.

She makes me wonder why I never did such things. I used to be as dull as a drawer knob. I think I still am. Whimsical but dull. My 13th birthday came and went with very little fanfare. I don't even remember what I did that year. Memories are such crazy things. I find myself remembering the color of someone's shirt somewhere in the distant past. But ask me what joke made me double over laughing last week, and I'll reply with a blank stare. Clearly, my teen years are long gone.

Contradictory Pulls

I don't feel like sleeping. I am sleepy. I don't like the pressure of having to wake up in the morning. And I have lots of work lined up for tomorrow.

Have come to the conclusion that I used to be really stupid about 2 years ago. (I may still be. But the IQ has seen considerable improvement. Credit goes to Mumbai city, the hours spent commuting, and the pelting rain. Also all those MA-level books that broadened my narrow, ignorant mind.)

I feel like writing more. And I don't feel like writing more. I'm tired. And I want to go partying. I want to rest. And I want to read/watch TV/call a friend. And I don't want to do any of those things. I feel depressed. And I feel on top of the world. I hate being overloaded with work. And I can't do anything about it.

Nothing.

Except...

Grumble. Grumble. Grumble. Grumble. ZZzzzzz..

Rambling Today

Met the elder brother of a grand-aunt today. And he speaks so well. We -- I will do away with the royal "we" just this once. I always have this idea that all my Bong relatives speak English in the Bengali way. With elongated vowels, and a "V" that sounds more like a "W", and a "hiss" that actually goes "hissh" (Not being condescending there. Just exercising my powers of observation). However, this gentleman spoke perfectly unaccented, highly educated English dating back to the days of the British Raj. Lovely!

And old people love to comment on the pitiful state of the young people of the world. He spoke about how we never have time to stand and stare at sheep or cows any more. (How I love that poem – Daffodils by Wordsworth). I nodded in agreement as I always do when I'm not interested in getting into a debate -- which is most times. I'm more of the spectator. Let others get into the fight. I'll be part of the circle that forms around them, watches the fun, does nothing about it, goes home and writes about it in their blog. :D
Apathy, your name is Pooja!

I did see a fight on the bus today. Old man got very excited about something and kept shouting in his once-deep-now-shrill voice. But this happened at the other end of the bus. Two standing men were blocking my view. Such a pity!

Watched That 70s Show after ages. Fez was having a feud with this gay landlord (The lord of the land, if you prefer). And now I want to feud with somebody. Not quarrel. Not fight. Not wrestle. Just feud. The elder brother of the grand-aunt was right. We are missing out on so much -- no time to stand, stare, or even feud. (Yes. I will put that word in italics every single time!).

A friend of mine was looking through her inbox and came across some mails I sent her almost exactly two years ago. I had just shifted to Mumbai, was having adjustment issues, and took every free moment to crib about the place. My only outlet was my diary and these superlong mails that my friends got in their mailbox at least twice a week. Except that, I was apparently entertaining enough for them to get their best friends and/or significant others to read :D Even now that's an ego boost.

Here's an excerpt from two years ago. Mail to a friend who I was scared would remain boyfriendless forever:
"Find yourself a nice bf soon. I’m not saying cute... coz cute guys have become obsolete. I have yet to see a really cute guy in Bbay. It’s so sad. All the guys I see are like a 6 on 10. Mostly less than that. Have seen two or three 7s on 10. But no more. It’s so sad!!!! Where did all the cute guys go????????"

That last question still holds, with a few (very few) exceptions of course.

Trapped

"Help me! Help me!" she cried through the chink.

Nobody heard her.

They couldn't. The green walls that had entrapped her were too thick. The chink through which sound could have travelled was too small.

She peeped out of the chink. Sunlight. Hundreds of people were walking in and out of the subway. A mutt was ambling across the zebra crossing. And all this while she was entrapped within a green apple on a bus-stop bench! How her friends would laugh!

People do get stuck in elevators. One could get stuck trying to take something out from under the bed. One could even get one's head stuck between the bars of a gate. But to get stuck inside an apple? (And not even a red one!) How dumb was that!??

Ant Attack!

I hate ants. Change that. I hate red ants. The black ones are quite okay.

The point is: I hate red ants. And they have taken over my bed. Why? Because the other night I was having chocolate and I forgot (read: felt too lazy) to chuck the wrapper into the bin. And the ants came marching in, treasure-hunting (that rhymes!). Since then, ants have been taken over my territory, and have been attacking like nobody's business!
:(

Moral of the story: Use dustbins. Stay ant-free.

No More Rain?

The sun came out after three days. Everybody smiled. Finally no more rain. The sun will take all the dirty puddles away. The roads will be dry and dusty soon. Maybe Ma Durga won't have to travel by boat. The lorry should manage to bring her and all her children and sidekicks without any glitches. The stray dogs won't have to swim around. The crows will finally fly into a blue sky. The stars shall no longer have to be on house arrest. They will be able to take a peek at this wonderful Kolkata of ours. Windows will no longer have to remain shut. The nip in the air shall take a morning walk into our homes. The smell of wet clothes shall be farewell-ed away. That pair of jeans will finally dry itself.

No more puddles to splash around in. No more paper boats to sail away into sewers on the other side of town. No more fumbling with the folding umbrella. No more romantic walks down people-free roads. No more cursing at the Scorpio for splashing water on already drenched bus-stop people. No more shivering in AC rooms. No more grumbling about the weather. No more complaining about the lack of transport. A handful of fewer complaints about the municipality and the drains from pre-Partition days. No more predictions about how much longer it will keep on raining. No more chips and chai. No more bunking school. No more half-days at work.

The sun came out today. After three days. Everyone smiled.

I wouldn't mind a little more rain. But then, that's just me.
***

PS: I loved how the rain stopped for a little while after Team India's win yesterday. Just enough time for some serious bomb-bursting and midnight processions through flooded streets.

Rain on a Lazy Sunday

It has been a lazy, rainy Sunday. It started raining last night and continued through the morning, afternoon, evening, and it looks like the raindrops will be falling all night.

I love it.

There is nothing like not having to go out on a rainy Kolkata day. Just veg out at home and think and read and have highly mustard-oily jhaal muri and a handful of microwave popcorn and act the clown and sing stupid songs opera-style and play cards after ages.

This is the life.

If only tomorrow wasn't Monday, life would really be perfect. :P
***

Am loving Pamuk's The White Castle. He shoots out all these deep philosophical thoughts seemingly without batting an eyelid. Its an easy read that is based in historic times, in an exotic locale, and is full of sultans and pashas and people who look alike enough to be twins. (That's actually a pretty bad way to sum it up. I'll try doing a better job when I finish reading it. Am already more than half-way through. Should manage by tomorrow.)

P.S.: Couldn't go clothes shopping today. Too much rain. And too few Sundays are as lazy as this one to get wasted doing anything other than lazy-fying. I wish I could wrangle a few more hours to today.

Saturday Miscellany

Most exciting thing today? Stopped a dog fight at home. A common feature of life with three female dogs -- the rise of bitchiness!
***

Started reading Orhan Pamuk's The White Castle. It's short, quick reading, child-like, dreamy, and amusing-without-trying-at-all-hard. Very Charles Lamb-ish actually. Someday I will go to Istanbul and meet Pamuk. Someday. (I really need to get my passport done ASAP!)
***

Made a lot of progress with the chapter I've been trying to complete. Will definitely be done by tomorrow. 2 pages now. 2 pages tomorrow morning. And ta-dah! Also getting the hang of dialogue-baaji now.
***

I don't like shopping for clothes anymore. I don't even see the point in looking at them. They just don't seem cost-effective enough. (Am I turning into a guy??) Facing a serious shortage of clothes now. Great abundance of books -- That's what I mostly end up buying when I find no appropriate clothes. Need to reverse the trend for at least a while.

This Week's Resolution: Will go clothes shopping! And buy clothes!
***

Long Time No See

This 40th post has been a long time coming. I guess I've been a little busy of late. The week before last, Ma was very worried that my comp and I were turning into Siamese twins. To prove her wrong, I did all kinds of out-of-the-house stuff starting last Saturday.

Saturday: Went to meet Dadi. Met her. Met pistuto didi. TV conked. Cause? Yoke (I think that's the spelling) got burnt out.

Sunday: Watched Chak De. A little late. But kya kare -- aadat se majboor.

Monday: Went to get my new supergeek specs and lenses. Now that I have specs that match my eye power, the world looks a lot clearer. It had begun to take on a rather foggy look for a while now. I'm glad to see that pollution has not done such great harm yet.

Tuesday: Sat at home. Wished we could watch TV. Read something.

Wednesday: Foreign movie with Kohinoor. Walked down Park Street to Music World. Did that after ages. Picked up Kohi. Took metro (again after ages -- 2 years maybe?). Watched "I Offer My Hand and Heart" -- Russian film. Political. Conspiracy. Revolutionaries taking to terrorism to win their independence. Interesting. Liked it. But took a lot outta me in terms of attention. The others in the auditorium did not like it too much. One man was sleeping when the movie got over. I think even Kohi got bored. There were 2 almost-soft-porn scenes though.

Thursday: Met Madz. Watched Dhamaal. Highly brainless comedy. Loved it. Lotsa heehee haha. Ate popcorn. Came home. Walked home from 40 minutes away. Legs are still aching from 2 days of walking. This sedentary lifestyle is bad for the leg muscles. Need to work some kind of a walking routine into it.

Friday: Stayed home. :D Finished reading Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey. Loved most of the book. Felt that the last 50-odd pages dragged. Ending was somewhat disappointing. I think my expectations were a little too great. But it did provide a very vivid portrait of Bombay around the time of Indira Gandhi's PM-ship. Good, intelligent reading. But it doesn't quite touch the heart. I'm still not sure whether I liked it or not.
Just spoke on the phone for one and a half hours. My left arm and ear are aching now!

(Attribute this "exciting" new lifestyle to revamped work routine -- 6:00 to 2:00... And it has been working! Less unhappy with life! A lot more sleepy though...)

Sunday Entertainment

Life is getting better again. (Though I'm going to be loaded with work starting tomorrow.)

Watched Serendipity today. First time. Liked it quite a bit. Wish John Cusack was a little cuter though.

Went to buy clothes. Came back with music (bought a set of 3 CDs for 399/-). And a book (Arundhati Roy's essays). Don't know when I'll start reading it though.

Currently trying to read Joyce's Ulysses. It's proving to be quite an effort. Can't manage over 20 pages at a time! And the whole thing is 733 pages on Microsoft Word!

Also reading Rohinton Mistry's Such a Long Journey. Not necessarily a light read, but a good read, and 50 pages at a time is not terribly difficult. Moreover, it's inspired me to start writing dialogue. (I had some earlier... but it looked amateurish. Now, having taken notes, and looked up writing tips on the web, I am doing a better job. I discovered what was missing all this time. Lots of rewriting going on now.)

Wrestled with my dog today. After ages. She isn't the young pup she used to be. Neither am I. But today, both of us had high energy levels. So we had ten minutes of uninterrupted mixed-species wrestling. No winners or losers were declared.

These days Shugz (the other dog) comes to wake me up every morning, then gets under my sheet, curls up, and goes to sleep. There's such joy in that!

The dachshund is sleeping like a log now. She has become really fat. Waddles everywhere. Looks a little like a seal. Love her loads.

Higher Than Thou

This week has really been a rollercoaster. And now at its fag end, I'm feeling superior to most of the people around me. It isn't that I'm surrounded by stupidity (actually that's debatable). It's just that I can't help feeling that I'm above all the rest of those humans somehow. Maybe I'm some super-mortal or supra-mortal or ultra-mortal or some other such fancy-sounding thing. I'm feeling a little like bubble boy -- misunderstood constantly. That in itself can cause a decent amount of misery, but right now, I'm just feeling like a misunderstood inventor whose way ahead of her time.

Oh... but I did get some good news today.

Went for a long-overdue eye test. Those things usually lead to tingles in the spine (indicators of high expectation) because I'm convinced that my power will have increased tremendously. It didn't help that my current specs (and the many disposable lenses that I lost) had not been providing me with a terribly clear view of things. The reason for that was... [Now hold your breath]... that my power has decreased! Whoopie!! :)

So I did a mental hop-skip-and-jump and mooseyed over to Music World and bought me a "Best of Bon Jovi" CD, which I will listen to now! "Blaze of Glory" here comes glorious me!!

P.S.: I called myself Cinderpoojo yesterday. Today my sister and I watched part of The Cinderella Story, and I found myself no longer identifying with high school romance. The years are going by. The grey hair count is rising. But my eye sight certainly ain't failing me yet! Guahahahaha!!

Bad, Long Week

I think I'm just having a bad week. It started this Sunday. The bad luck/vibes/feelings will hopefully disappear by the time the clock strikes 12 on the 9th of September. Then Cinderpooja will get back to normal. Sitting by the cinders and sleeping in the ashes may not be a bad thing. There must be some joy in it. And at least I'll have a fairy godmother help me get dressed for the ball and make the other uncindered dudettes jealous.

I think I need a new lifestyle. And a holiday. I'm not always overworked (that happens a few times each month), but I'm convinced I'm underpaid. Of course, that is completely irrelevant in this context. It's just that whenever I think of a holiday, the thought of work noses its way in.

I think I'm just typing garbage today because none of my regularly nocturnally online friends are around. And Moon promised to meet me today! :(

On a brighter note, I got a more concrete timeline for my book. It's still vague. But, something is always better than nothing. I think I'll go harrass my characters for now. Better than jabbering on and on here.

(I feel flakey today!!!)

Isn't It a Funny Thing?

Isn't it funny how just when you need somebody to talk to, there is nobody waiting on the other side of that chat window?

Isn't it funny how comfort comes from the very song that you were sure would depress you further?

Isn't it funny how you think a million times before you blog about the things that really affect you?

Life sure is a funny thing. And yet, it just takes away the smiles sometimes.

Feeling Frust...

I'm feeling frustrated with life today -- not quite a daily occurence in the life of me. So I have been watching YouTubes of Disney movie songs that I grew up loving. I suppose today's melancholia is a little too extreme to be completely extinguished by even my favorite songs, but it is worth a try.

The main problem is that I don't feel ready to grow up. And I'm not even being given an option here.

I don't like it.

I want to run off to Neverland and never return.

I want to throw a tantrum (but I know I won't).

I want to do things just because. But I'm not sure I can. Or that I will.

I want to eat chips.

(I think that last one can be managed.)

Walking Down Nostalgia Lane

I have been walking down Nostlagia Lane of late. I re-discovered Mr. Big, and now I'm watching "The Bear Necessities" from The Jungle Book. I think all this is part of my current I-don't-wanna-grow-up state of mind.

Anyway, I adore this video. Always have. And I am convinced that the cartoons we grew up watching were so much cooler than the ones we are landed with these days. I did like Ratatouille, but that was not a patch on The Jungle Book or Snow White or Aladdin or The Beauty and the Beast. Or maybe I'm just turning into an old fuddy-duddy thinking of the days gone by, wishing I could live with Peter Pan and his gang on good ol' Neverland.

Somehow, I feel like sitting down with a packet of unbranded chips doused in masala, and reading about the adventures of Mary Poppins. Sigh...

The other day I came across this quotation:
"I was happy but happy is an adult world. You don't have to ask a child about happy, you see it. They are or they are not. Adults talk about being happy because largely they are not. Talking about it is the same as trying to catch the wind. Much easier to let it blow all over you."

How true.

Yesterday and Tomorrow

Was listening to Mr. Big this afternoon. Their lead singer was one of my earliest crushes (back when age was a single digit number) -- and his big hair and pretty smile still bring on those crushy feelings. Maybe that's when I started having this dream of dating a rocker dude someday. I think I did end up dating one briefly. And the dream of how cool that might be cracked. It certainly wasn't like any of the happily-ever-after songs I grew up watching.

Have suddenly realized that I am growing ancient now (I didn't say old, mind you). The songs I listened to as a kid now appear on Vh1 Classic! And my sister (10 years younger) asks me if they are from Ma's time.

Of late, I have been wasting time like nobody's business. Putting off important stuff to an hour later, and eventually to tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow (Ha ha! Now I'm quoting Shakespeare without intending to! How cool is that?!) I think I should make a September resolution. Shall not put off projects/targets as far as possible. Wonder if this resolution is likely to last? If it lasts a month, it would be a good thing.

Laughs for Tea

Have you ever had a picture that made you laugh every time you looked at it? No tittering, or getting nostalgic, but just giggling in a my-life-is-brilliant kind of a way? (For no explainable reason, mind you.)

Well, I have stumbled upon a picture like that. And I have been hee-hee-ha-ha-ing my way through the day!
***

I don't know why I insist on having cold tea. It tastes horrid. And still, every afternoon, I conveniently forget about the tea, let it go cold, then remember, and gulp it down like cough syrup! Ughs!

When will I learn??!
***

Wonderment and Other Things

I seem to be getting overloaded with work as the days go by. I think I need to put my foot down somewhere. But up on cloud no. 9, everywhere I put my foot, it's just air. I wonder... do people actually fall off from their cloud no. 9s? It would be funny, wouldn't it, to suddenly have a person fall into your verandah (a species of room that is extinct in Mumbai middle class homes), while you are quietly contemplating how the smog levels have been rising? And you think: "I wonder how these smog levels have been rising, rising, rising..." when THUD! You've got a person sitting on your verandah floor wondering what the hell just happened!
***

Just read a post about an Alice in Plasticland. Well, it had some other name, but it was about an Alice (the one Mr. Caroll created) who lived in a land where everyone was plastic. The first two paragraphs of the tale read very well (I was beginning to get insecure about my own stories). But they lost steam somewhere. I was both -- relieved and disappointed. It is sad when a story that has promise fizzles out before you can say "Can I have some popcorn!" Such a pity!
***

Popcorm and movies go together. This weekend I went to watch Ratatouille. The point of the movie was that "Anybody can cook". And if you generalize that statement just a little more, it means "Anybody can do whatever it is that they like in the world". So Mr. Rat can cook, Miss Muffet can become a pest control advisor, Georgie Porgie can give up the stress of kissing the ladies and start leading the life of a parish priest. Aah.. so many possibilities. Maybe some day my dogs will be able to open the door instead of barking their heads off trying to get someone else to open it for them.

To Be 16 Again!

I wish I was 16 again and could just sit on my window and think and dream and snack and think and dream some more. These days there is constantly something else that needs to be done. A deadline, a book, an eye test. Really wish there was a way to get rid of all the cares and worries and get back to the days when daydreaming was a habit, and romanticizing was a way of life!

Turning Four

My littlest sister turned four yesterday. (I will turn twenty-four next year. How old is that!?) We brought her black forest cake.. but she refused to take a single piece. And when the cake got over the next day, she wanted to look inside the box. "What was the point now?" we thought to ourselves. And she took the empty box, looked inside, and said one word:
"Wow!"
:)

Bad Haircut Grumbles

I had a haircut yesterday... and am very upset. All my long luscious locks must be sitting in some garbage dump somewhere while I am stuck with a cropped version of my long do. [Sobs] To be fair, this isn't a bad haircut. It looks cute. Kinda pixie-like. But I did not want it this short. It had taken me so long to reach that length. And I am sad and upset :(

I hope it grows a little within the next month! [Boo :( hoo]

Braving the Puddles

Getting out of the pajamas and into the jeans was a good change.

Had been raining all day. Was thinking of worming out of the plans (as usual). But the call of coffee and girl chat was too strong. When I left the house though, the sun was shining over all the Kol streets (at least over the Kol street that I took). Took an auto. Sat in it for 5 minutes. The rains re-started. Got off auto while it was still raining. Struggled with umbrella. Contemplated bunking the umbrella idea and just letting the raindrops fall on my head. Forgot to stop struggling with umbrella. Lecherous man offered to help. Ignored him. Struggled more. And voila! No more raindrops on my head!

Met Jes. Braved the puddles to go and drink black currant smoothies (with ice-cream please). Chatted about people, work, some more people. Looked disapprovingly at the three noisy, spoilt kids running around the place. Checked out some Hot Wheels cars (I love Hot Wheels). Did some window shopping. Looked at tees, earrings, shoes, bags. Peeped at the price tags. Stopped looking at tees, earrings, shoes, bags. Felt poor. Grumbled. Braved the puddles again. Had fun. Should do this again sometime.

Nice weather today. Rainy. Moisture floating in on the breeze. Perfect, no-sweat, Kol monsoon weather. Love it.

Pajama Poojo

I have been making and breaking plans like crazy. 3 reasons:
1. My pajamas are way more comfortable than anything else in my suitcase. (Been back in Kol for over a month now and am still living out of my suitcase! That's coz the books I brought have taken up all the place in the cupboard given to me. Now that I'm not a permanent resident, I don't get all the old priviledges like a whole cupboard to myself. I get some shelves here and there.)
2. Going out costs money and I'm in one of my stingiest-ever phases. Is that good or bad for me? I don't know. But the stinginess is one of my prime reasons for not venturing out of the front door.
3. I think (but I'm not sure) that I'm in a I-don't-want-to-meet-people mode. So the thought of meeting people in person, as opposed to on my chat window, seems like too much work. I guess I'm just a lazy bum.

However, I realized that I have been acting overbearingly lazy (if one can act in such a way). So I finally refilled my phone, called up some friends that I have been ignoring for awhile (because of low cash), and made plans for the weekend. One definite; the other kinda iffy. Well, it is a start. Maybe I will wear something other then pajamas tomorrow!

Second Thoughts on August 16

Went for an one-day-belated Independence Day program. Was pleasantly surprised to see male classical dancers that were not at all effeminate.

I'm not sure I understand classical Indian dance too much. As in I get which people are playing the elephants and which are playing the jewels. But it gets a little difficult to figure out when the jewels become the land and the elephants become the people. Maybe someday I will understand it all better.

There was this lady (and I've forgotten her name after trying to memorize it so many times) who performed excerpts from a play which looked at the final battle of the Mahabharata from the point of view of the widows and the child-bereft mothers. It really was goosebump worthy. The woman in the play asks, "Did Gandhari take off her blindfold to count all her dead sons?" Then she recounts that another woman (Dushshala, if I'm not mistaken) ran helter-skelter looking for the head that had been severed from her husband's body. At the end of the day, it was a plea for "Let's Do Away With War", and it worked. After war, comes peace. But what kind of a peace is it if all that is left is destruction and loss?

All this is very dark and deep, like Robert Frost's woods... The one where he had all those promises to keep, and miles to go before he slept. So to lighten the darkness, here are six lines from a Bing Crosby song:
When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings
When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings.

Count your blessings instead of sheep... Have tried it, it does put you to sleep faster. But then I usually have great trouble counting sheep. Takes too much concentration, and all the sheep look alike! Blessings are easier to count (1, 2, 3, 4,...) and they aren't quite as similar either!

Connecting the Dots

Just read Steve Jobs' commencement speech called 'Connecting the Dots'. Just read it and am feeling a little speechless, dreamier than usual, and ready to take on the world. He talks about how every little thing you do in life, every little step you take, takes you that much closer to finding your ultimate destiny.

It is like those connect-the-dots books we had as kids. At first it was all just a jumble of numbers. But as we connected the first dot to the second, the second to the third... the thirty-seventh to the thirty-eighth, and the thirty-eighth to the thirty-ninth, a picture emerged. It could be anything -- a zebra on a hippo's back, a boy eating an iced candy, a "Keep Off the Grass" sign. But there was always a sense of achievement, once you found the ultimate picture.

Nothing is ever disconnected is it? Some invisible thread from somewhere links us all together. It's a small world, and maybe if we try hard enough, we can have affected everyone living in the world. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

"If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." How would you live your very last day on earth? Would you still do what you are doing now?

Would I?

Escaping Through the Window and More

I feel like running away somewhere... Just me and Thomas (my cat) maybe... Just sit somewhere and think about God-knows-what. Thomas does that all day anyway. Maybe I just need a little practice and a lower workload.

Haven't been sitting on my favorite window for two days because of the rains. The rains come down and my window leaks. Sit there for too long while it's raining and you're bound to get wet. It's not raining now so have plonked myself there. I can see so many people just sitting/standing downstairs looking around doing nothing.

There's this man standing next to the egg-store thinking of crossing the road: "Should I cross? Should I just dilly-dally here for a little longer?" I turn my head to look at the fellow sitting outside the dhobi's shop digging his nose. By the time I turn back, the dilly-dallier is gone.

There goes another old man, wheeling his cycle down the road with really heavy-looking bags weighing down his run-down mode of transport. What is the point, I wonder, of having a bicycle if you're not going to ride it? And even before I finish wondering, he's on his bicycle and off to work. I think he's carrying potatoes in those sacks of his.

Have to babysit my baby sister for a while now. It has been two minutes and she is already making a mess. She's opened the jigsaw puzzle box and is creating great chaos on my already messy bed. In twenty minutes I will be chasing her away, and she won't want to go. Threats, shouts, and pleas will follow. And finally I will drag her out of my room and shut my door! As usual!

My boss has been pleased with me for meeting the deadlines this month. Last month everything had been too disorganised. My guess is that he is quite relieved now. "Whew," he must be saying to himself, and flicking away an imaginary sweat drop from his air-conditioned brow. He works very hard; that man really does! Every two days I get a project from him at about 3:23 a.m. in the morning! There's a reason why he's the Boss after all!

....

I'm part of a very noisy family. Taken one by one, we are all quiet fellows and fellees. But put us all together, and get ready for chaos, confusion, and commotion. What with all the screeches and babies dancing in circles and dogs chasing cats and cats stealing bones and people ringing doorbells and dogs barking at the door and people pushing out the dogs to open the door.

Today's a Sunday and I worked all day… and I mean ALL day! One of the side effects of working from home and taking one day off mid-week to go and get sloshed! But I'm free now and am finally feeling like it is Sunday.

The smiley face persists. I hope I don't end up looking like my warped Orkut picture eventually! Yeah… The warped pic has been getting a lot of attention… Far more than my pretty pics do… There really is no accounting for taste these days!!!

Kol is too humid these days. I need to run off to the Alps or something.

And I think I will go and do some serious writing now. Have been pretty lazy of late! Get back to work girl!

It's raining elephants now. This is what I love most about the monsoons. Strong winds. Lots of thunder and lightning. The coolth that the less dramatic seasons lack. My favorite season of the whole year. Makes me want to fly. Sing into the clouds. Dream my secret dream. Sit on the window and just think and do nothing else. The monsoons -- exciting, passionate, alive, angry, intense, magical, dramatic -- I love 'em!

The Complicated Life

Life sure is complicated. And things just never get easy. Just as you walk to the bus stop thinking this is going to be the boring-est day ever.. Heads up! A piano might just fall on your head from some cloud.

That seems to be my state of mind today. Have been in a smiley daze all day. Am just about managing to get out of it. Actually... not quite. I still have the silly smile tugging at my face. I'm trying to keep a straight face. I suspect that the effort is making me look grumpy.

Have had such a great day today. My vaastu is getting back into form I think. And I like it this way. :)

Poojo the Party Animal?

... When did that happen?

Went out clubbing last night. It was Roush's bday. We boozed lots. Broke a glass while dancing. A friend broke another. Someone else mistimed landing his bottle on the table. Eventually emerged out with ringing ears and voices that seemed to emerge from our heads and legs that felt like either jam/jelly/chutney.

I'm very boring when I drink. I don't fight or sing loud or try to climb walls or anything. I feel strange inside my head. But that's about it. I don't talk crap either... except when friends suggest I'm still in love with the one ex that I have managed to get over completely. Then I launch off into 5 minutes of philosophy. But that's about it. And it's no more than 5 minutes.

My life quality has improved suddenly. Yes, I am beginning to get joined to my comp. But I did go on my first date after 2 years. And then suddenly, I was off partying. Again, after 2 long drearily dull years!

But today I'm too tired to do much else other than get joined to the comp again. It's a lot less tiring than a lot of things.

Dopey's Song

Am grumpy. No real reason for grumpiness, except that I'm sleepy. Ooooooh sooooooooo sleeeeeepyyyyyy...

Woke up at 4 this morning to meet a deadline. My fault for thinking "I'll do it tomorrow" on Saturday and Sunday, and actually having to say "I'll do it tomorrow" on Monday! There could be no more "tomorrows" after Tuesday. Must send a mail to the laziness bug:

Dear Lazeee Bug...
Thou cause me to work harder than I should. Will write the remaining complaints tomorrow. Think I'll go and veg out on my window for now.
Luv and Luc
Lazeee Bum

By the way, one of the songs that I sing to entertain myself when I'm down and irritate others when I'm bored is 'Tomorrow' from Annie:

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

....

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

I am acting kinda doped. Am feeling doped. But I can't allow myself to sleep before twelve. 10 p.m. seems so early!! I want to finish reading Wodehouse's Pigs Have Wings. I think I've read it before. But I just feel a slight deja vu; it must have been a long long time ago. (Feel almost ancient when I see school kids these days. Though I do get mistaken for one on and off... a cause of both amusement and annoyance depending on my mood).

Enough nonsense I've written. I'm shutting this comp and getting myself to snooze land. ZZZzzzzzzzz.....

Sigh...

.....................................................................................
.....................................................................................
.....................................................................................
................................................................................ :)

And no more for today!

Overate Again!

I tend to do that often... Eat too much that is. Have just been eating since afternoon. Went and hogged at KFC this afternoon with Ma and Aani.

Then met Madz for "HAPY FRANDSEEP DAY" outing. She forgot to get the band, but gave a gift and a card. How sweet is that! I gave her a smile and that's all. How cheapra is that?! However, I rescued her from her iced tea, and gifted her my masala soda. Such a nice buddy I am sometimes (And also my own greatest fan! :D) After the non-alchoholic booze it was biriyani time. We walked to the biriyani joint, only to be greeted by gone-completely-beserk rain!! But we braved the monsoons and walked on. Stuffed ourselves with biriyani. And then went our ways.

The instant I came home dinner was served. Rolls. I ate again. Watched the middle of KANK. Now catching up on the work i should have gotten over with over the weekend. That's the problem with neing lazy. Deadlines loom larger than ever.

Sigh... I wish I was one of my dogs... spending my days eating, dreaming of chicken bones, staring out of the window, sleeping again... you get the drift.

Chomu Maharaj called. Had been worried that he was pissed with me for not taking his call that one time. Apparently not :D. For those that don't know, Chomu Maharaj is my all-time favorite guy. Ever ready to propose to the next girl he sees. And stealing chicken from whichever idiot looks behind to look at the Red Indian grinning at him. Great cook also. And he sent me a very nice "HAPY FRANDSEEP DAY" message. He deserves this paragraph.

And my life is a true comedy of errors. (This last statement pertaining to only the last hour of today. Will regularly recharge phone card from now on. That's a solemn swear.)

August 4 in Bullet Points

Have done next to nothing today... except:
-chat on and off
-fidget with the blog
-stare at my phone
-try to watch a distant plane with the naked eye
-read Wodehouse's Pigs Have Wings
-chuckle over Wodehouse's Pigs Have Wings
-write two silly kiddy stories (one of which I like)
-worry that I have Monday deadlines to meet
-nag myself to go work on the book
-try to worm out of a meeting with a friend
-decide to not worm out of the same meeting
-decide to break singledom resolution
-be glued to the idiot box to an even more idiotic movie
-curse myself for watching the idiotic movie
-still watch the idiotic movie
-harrass the dogs
-harrass one cat
-irritate two younger sisters
-get irritated with two younger sisters
-fidget with my blog
-get curious about other people's blogs
-remake singledom resolution
-wonder if I should actually break it
-get exhausted by the thought
-complain about the heat
-nag myself to go work on the book (again)
-be laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazyyyyyyyyyyyy
-wish every day could be like this
-mentally hug myself for being such a sweetheart
:D

Update 1 hour later:
-did work on the book
-Mr. Wodehouse helped the writing look more lighthearted, less depressed (Thank God! Was getting quite scared.)
-spoke on the landline after ages

Stage One -- Done!

And Stage 1 of the blog metamorphosis is completed! Sigh... at least it no longer looks like an overweight toad trying to hide on a lilypad. It has now turned into a cute-ish frog.

The next step is to turn it into a prince. (And maybe find one of my own)

Makeover Woe!

I don't know what's wrong with this stupid blog. I changed the template. The settings show that I have changed my template. But the stupid blog remains as stubborn as an ox. It refuses to transform from a dirty ol' toad to a toad with a makeover!!!

Deleting Ugliness

This has to be the ugliest blog in the history of bloggerama! I need to fix it. This has to be the ugliest green. The font is all wrong. There are no pictures. Aaaargh. Ugly! Ugly! Ugly! Ugly! And I am the caretaker of this stupendous ugliness!
***
I finally decided to delete somebody from my life. After years of telling myself that people are generally nice... I decided to cut this dumb wannabe dude out of my list of "Nice" people.. and hence, outta my life. (Sounds corny when I write it. Doesn't sound at all corny in my head.)
P.S.: I did hesitate a little before hitting the final delete button.
***
My kuttis are sprawled over my bed. One is flat on her back with her legs up in the air. Sigh.. I wish i were a dog.
Change that. I wish I were a famous dog.
***
I need to get a boyfriend. Its been ages since i went on a date... Over a year at least. Is it time to break my oath of loyalty to singledom? And who will i break it with? Now that is the real question.
***

Getting My Goat!

Some people really get my goat. Insensitivity drives me wild even when I'm in my best moods. Now if only that wasn't just a goat. I wish it was some manic-psychotic, scum-chewing, flesh-pricking ghoul that specialized in bad jokes and smelly farts. Sigh... Then all those insensitive blokes would know better than to get MY goat!!

The KFC Night Sleepover

Had a sleepover at Madz' place. It was KFC Night. And before I go on, thanks to Moolah (from 3 pretty girls) for acting like a KFC salesman on a certain Yahoo Messenger window.

I was entrusted with the crucial task of safely carrying the 20 chicken pieces from Park Street to Jadavpur. As usual I left ten minutes later than I should have. Then I got into the slowest cab possible who took all the wrong turns and then took ages to double the amount on the meter and give me my 2 bucks back. KFC was no better as the guy at the counter took 5 seconds before every finger movement. He wasted at least 12 minutes in just giving me the bill, the change, and the chicken buckets. Yes. Kolkata is still as slow as ever before. Not a bad thing unless you are in a hurry. And in a hurry I was!

Things got better thereafter. I got a nice cabbie (who drove fast) to get me to Park Circus. I figured there would be less traffic on that road… and I was right! (Yippee!!) I then got on to a bus where I got a window seat. Now all was well. I'd be only 15 minutes late. What a relief!

However, there was one small problem, which I discovered the moment the cab stopped at a signal. The chicken was smelling to the high heavens. I tried to tie the packet and keep the emanating smell from going too far. But KFC buckets have minds and wills of their own. The smell kept on wafting through the air for the duration of my cab and bus journeys. I was quite convinced that someone would snatch it from my hands and ruin KFC Night for us. However, Poojo the Knightress (feminine of knight?) reached Jadavpur safe and sound where the high priest Madz was awaiting my arrival. Thereafter, our chariot (an Indica?) steered by Roushni Boush arrived and we reached the sleepover site safe and sound.

Madz pounced on the chicken the moment we got through the door. Roush Boush and I struggled to keep her away from the bucket till she had put on the movie for us. "Love Actually" and Hot n Crispy Chicken Wings ensured that we spoke not a word... until the DVD player stopped and put a spoke in the wheel of chewing and silence.

It was time for lots of semi-screechy girl talk. We considered getting high but were too full of chicken to gulp down more than a glass each of rum and cola. What followed was gossip, laughter, ex-bf bashing (one of the guys discussed being an ex-bf of 2 of the 3 of us), bitching about ex- and current gfs of ex-bfs, hounding me to date someone (coz the other two have bfs at the moment), and kidding Madz about her WEIRD date-remembering qualities. She even remembers the dates when she went for haircuts LAST year.

We talked talked talked talked talked. Fought sleep. Talked talked talked talked talked more. Finally fell off to sleep at 4 a.m. Woke up to the smell of still more KFC. Finished that. Took ourselves home. And yet another sleepover came to a close.

From an Eccentric Bookworm

This past week I've been a lot of things that I'm usually not. I've been rude and mean (but only subliminally so). I've felt jealous at a friend's happening new job which pays her way more than me. (I was happy for her but the green-eyed monster stole my peace of mind for a couple of hours.) Oh... and I did avoid a couple of phone calls as well. I think I'm turning into an eccentric something-or-the-other.

"Eccentric Pooja" -- I don't think I mind that too much. I have this dream of becoming a super-famous author, going to a seven star restaurant, putting my legs up on the chair, Laloo-style, and slurping pasta from my fingers. Sigh... Maybe someday.

Spent a thousand bucks on books today. I'm normally the stingiest girl alive. Even great-looking clothes do nothing to make me spend unless I actually have no clothes to wear. But I can never help myself in a bookstore. I don't even try. The theory is that a book can last forever... Or at least for my lifetime. 300 bucks for a good book is quite a steal that way. Especially when you compare it to the kinds of clothes you could buy, and the number of months that they'd last.

These books are going to have to wait for awhile though. Am currently reading this book by Stendhal which deals with Italians and their court intrigues in the Napoleonic era. I know that sounds kinda yuck... But it is written real well, and it is exciting stuff.
Swashbuckling soldiers.
Running from jealous elder brothers.
Falling in love with your own aunt.
Meeting a priest that loves astrology.
If I had to go back in time, I think I'd like to be one of those children of the good old French Revolution. There was a purpose to live. Ideals to die for. Emperors to look up to.

These days, we have a silly-looking, silly-talking Prez. And our only purpose in life is to get a job that pays some more. And our vehicles? Eco-unfriendly cars and buses.

By the way, while at the bookstore, I also ended up reading two Roald Dahl kid stories. One was about how this man (Mr. Hoppy) wooed the love of his life by keeping on increasing the weight of her pet turtle Alfie. It's an interesting story... and maybe I'll relate it on some other day (too sleepy now). The other story was about how this boy fed a special medicine to his witch grandmother and made her disappear. Yeah... it sounds pretty horrible, but then she was a wicked witch. The poor kid had no other choice. (The old lady especially loved having lettuce with worms and slugs on them. She said it was quite delicious.)

Speaking of "delicious"... Going for Chinese breakfast tomorrow morning! Meatball soup -- here I come!!

Clumsiness and Miscellany

This morning at breakfast, my toast fell onto the floor. Yes, it fell buttered side down. I picked it up and ate it anyway. I did try to look for visible dog/cat fur and dust particles, but found nothing to worry about. If there were some microscopic impurities, oh well, a visit to the doc shall beckon.

I think today was a clumsy day. I dropped a five buck coin into the corner of the cushion of the cabbie's cab. It's disappeared into the folds of the cushion. Maybe it will turn up on some day when he needs five bucks. Besta luck Mr. CabMan!

Later, I also tripped on a manhole cover. No, it was shut. There was no reason for me to trip over it. Clumsiness doesn't need a reason. It just needs a moment. (Wow! That was deep!)

Got myself a graffiti tee recently. It says: "I don't believe in miracles. I rely on them." Now, that's one tee that fits me to the tee.

Oh… and the long-delayed Harry Potter review? Here it is:
It was okay. Expected a better climax. Didn't happen. Story of all the Harry Potter movies. Lands you with great expectations. Then happily underperforms.

Am sitting on the window in my room in my home after ages. This really is my favourite place in the whole world. Two of my three four-legged bitches are snoring on the bed. The vet came to give them a manicure this morning. How much drama they did!! We had to tie their snouts with a crepe bandage, and then I half sat on them to keep them still.

I wish I could own a pig. (Yeah, it's one of those days where I have these nutty wishes.) And I think I'll go buy a camera phone one of these days.

Life Back in Kol

I am trying to make a routine for myself. But I keep falling flat. I managed it one day. But staying at home has so many distractions. I have to run so many tiny errands, which, though small, distract me from my four-hour working stretches.

Of late I had forgotten how much I missed my dogs. Shugz is as YO as ever. Surprisingly, this dog is very cool. Despite her fur, and in spite of the Kolkata heat and humidity, cuddling up to this canine is not a sweaty affair at all.

Mini (short for Minimum) my cat is very happy now that there are more people in the house. She now has more plates of food to steal from. And if you thought that cats only like meat, think again. This female, but not-too-feminine feline adores bamboo shoots as well. Who would have thought that I would have to shoo away my cat from the vegetable bowl on the table.

(By the way, I recently read this news article about a goat that eats only meat. He refuses to eat grass, and he barges in to village weddings and eats meat and fish off the tables. A carnivorous goat! Imagine that!)

Bought guavas from the guava-seller downstairs. I could choose from among 1-Re, 1.50-Re., 2-Re., and 3-Re. ones. I chose the 2-rupee guavas. In Bengali we call it peyaara, and in Marathi it is paeru. And after two years of living in Maharashtra, I found myself calling guavas by their Marathi name. The seller told me to give him a report of the guavas on Monday. They were good, so he will get a favourable report.

Off to see Harry Potter tomorrow. I’m not really a fan of the books, and I hated the last movie. But I have a teenaged sister and a teenaged-minded mom, both of whom think Daniel Radcliff is super-cute. Plus, I never say no to movie tickets that I don’t have to pay for. Though I did pay for these ones. Review of the movie tomorrow.

Dogs and Drains

This entry belongs to last weekend, and has been lying around waiting to be posted for sometime now... So here it comes:

"I got mauled by a dog today. Okay, so it wasn’t as violent as that sounds, but I’m almost convinced that this dog was drunk. First, it had a crazily waggerly tail (Remember the song: “How much is that doggy in the window, / The one with the waggerly tail?”). Second, there was no need for it to come after me. I was walking quite happily, all in my own world, mentally whistling at the monsoon breeze, pleased by the clean green trees.

Despite my obvious nonchalance, he came after me, wagging his tail behind him. I returned the smile in his twinkling eyes. Of course that was not enough. He wanted to be petted. I did that too. But this was the give-him-an-inch-and-he-takes-a-mile kind of a dog. He now wanted to jump on me with his muddy paws and play his own version of ring-a-ring-a-roses. I had no pockets full of posies, but I held his paws and walked with him for three steps. My friendly neighbourhood canine however, wanted to play... whether I liked it or not.

Paws muddy with red mud jumped up and stained my denims (and I was planning to wear them another day before sending them for a wash). My arms and palms were already mucked up with my attempts at indulging ol’ four legs. The nearest haven was the movie rental store less than two minutes away.

Summoning up all my past experience of ignoring annoying guys who proclaimed so-called “unconditional love” for me, I walked on without looking at this over-friendly mutt. He nearly followed me into the shop, but the door was slammed politely on his snout. I took my movie (some crappy flick called The Covenant) and with my nose in the air, so that I would not make eye contact with him, I hurried home.

A car full of boys laughed at my state as I walked back. I did not care. I came home, washed out the mud, put the denims for a wash, and sat down to write about the dog that “mauled” me on the first day of the monsoons in Mumbai, 2007.

Manu has the encounter on video on her cell phone. And when the car full of boys laughed at us, she was seemingly taking a picture of the drain. However, she was actually trying to take a photograph of the brilliantly blue kingfisher that we saw flying by the drain.

The drain is actually like a moat around a castle, except that it is much narrower and shallower. I like to imagine that there are crocodiles in there waiting to eat the first hapless victim that falls in at night when the power goes off. Perhaps when the people of the buildings of Polaris and Princeton (not the university... and yes, even housing complexes in India like such names) have altercations, the losing party gets thrown to the crocodiles, like in the days of the long-nosed Cleopatra."
***

Of Perfection, Uniqueness, and the Funny Bone

The other day, my gmail inbox greeted me with an Alanis Morisette quote: "We'll love you just the way you are if you're perfect." I don't know if that's from a song or an interview, but it is so true. Even when we claim to love someone "unconditionally" (or so we say) we keep cribbing about how messy or indecisive or quiet or boring or lazy or restless or ... … (fill in the blanks yourself) (s)he is.

How many "perfect" people do you know anyway? How many do I know? Hmmm... except for me, none. And even I have issues. I eat too much for a girl. And I insist on changing my mind, my style, my likes, my dislikes, and my favorite TV shows, once every six months. Plus, I still have to find that "perfect" guy to remind me just how "perfect" I am. I'll probably find him one of these days. I'm just waiting for that "perfect" moment.

P.S.: Hoobastank sang: "I'm not a perfect person..." I'm not Hoobastank!
***

I was watching "Scrubs" last night (I really like the cute nerdy doctor -- Zack), and Zack said (and I'm paraphrasing): Every patient is like a snowflake. Unique.

I think I'd like being a snowflake. It should be interesting to drop off a cloud around Christmas-time. It might be a lot of rip-roaring fun to be packed into (i) a snowball that hits the neighborhood blabberer right in the face, or (ii) the face of a snowman that has a carrot for a nose.
***

Did you know that dogs might have a sense of humor too? That's according to a Yahoo article. So, if your pooch insists on peeing on your only pair of sneakers just before you go to wear it, and then walks around with an adorably innocent face, BEWARE! That naïve-looking canine of yours might just be doing a mental rolling-on-the-floor-laughing at you!

Moral of the story? Keep your sneakers where your pooch can't reach it!
***

Movies, Music, and the Mumbai Monsoons

Watched a handful of 5-minute movies on TV today. One was called "The Sunshine Girl". In the movie, a little girl is coloring the sun. But her crayon gets over (I think… was in an attention-fluctuating state of mind just then). So she tries to take the color from the sun. She stretches her hand out of the window, towards the sunny skies. As she draws her hand back in, however, the sun comes in too, seated on her palm. Instantly, the world is plunged into darkness. Her parents panic in the other room: "What is to be done?" A newsflash on TV: "Sun is missing". It isn't missing. It has rolled underneath the little girl's bed. She squeezes her hand in under the bed, reaches for the little sun, drags it out, walks over to the window, places the sun on her palm, and stretches her arm out of the window, into the darkness of the sunless skies. The sun is back in its place. The catastrophe is no more.

There was another one called the "Glass Eye". A man loses his glass eye, and it starts seeing the world in color. Of course, then his dog eats it up, and will probably poop it out the next day. Ughs for that thought, though the movie was rather sweet.

Yet another movie, "The Orchard" showed horror from the perspective of a tree. You might get scared if you are a bougainvillea or something. If you aren't, you'll just have to make do by appreciating the art direction maybe.
* * *

As I was getting home today, I was listening to this really catchy song. It gave me this sudden almost overwhelming urge to get half out of the auto, flay my hands about, and sing at the top of my voice. I would happily have run around a few trees singing myself hoarse for the 30 remaining seconds of the song. Then the music stopped, an annoying RJ began jabbering, and my urge to make a scene vanished into the moisture-filled monsoon air over the flyover on the Eastern Express Highway.
* * *

The rains in Bombay (Mumbai... It's Mumbai!... But Bombay sounds more prose-worthy somehow) are pretty dull. There is hardly ever any sound and light show (Read: "thunder and lightning"). It rains on and off. It is almost as though the people in charge of the monsoon showers tell each other: "There has to be a lot of rain. So let's just cut out the drama and give them some."

However, it is not the lack of drama that makes me hate Mumbai rain. It is the slush on the road. The rain water mixes with the sand and gravel of roads being constructed. Slippery mud gets formed. Toilet-deprived slum kids get rid of last night's dinner on the side of the road where the pavement should have been. And I have to walk through all that, in addition to braving puddle-water-splashing vehicles, to reluctantly get to the jailhouse we all call office.
* * *