What I want in 2010!

2009 is almost over. Accomplishing more than half of my To Do in 2009 list, here's my list for 2010!

1) January : Save Rs.35,000/- for my camera - Nikon D3000

2) February - Turn 23 (which will happen eventually whether I like it or not) like a grown up and take a decent birthday resolution.

3) Learn driving, apply for an LLR, get an LLR and then apply for a Licensee. (ahem)

4) Get the required changes on my passport.

5) Bake a cake - A super cake

6) Get engaged, get married.

This is what I have for until May - I'm gonna come back with a diff list altogether after I get married. So the first six months is what I'm setting myself for!

My 2010 Dreams

My OH-SO-Awesome 2009 - I cannot believe I have to say Good-bye!!

Its only December 16 and I'm packed for the rest of the year. I leave home on 18 to attend Founders on 21 and come back to Hyd on 27. I have an exam on 29 and then in no time its New Years Eve!!!

This was the fastest year in my entire adult life - 2009 had sooo many important events in my life! I have to bring to the attention of my blog and its followers (though almost all of them are on my Speed Dial) that I'm engaged. Engaged as in engaged. To Padhu - I'm sure he is mentioned somewhere. A friend from high school and someone I've known for years now. This being the new that takes the entire cake in 2009, there are a few that did manage to leave chunks instead of just crumbs.

Well, Priya got married in March. And in Hyderabad - and why would I not be excited? Saranya & Shilpa came to Hyd to join me for the wedding and we had a great time. A wedding again, my sister Lavanya got married in March again and the wedding was the best family get-together one could ask for. I was so excited to welcome Arun mama to the family and what's great is - he is soo cool! He treats me and Sai like we are kids and I like him for that.

Great things at work - Q1 i moved to a new process with a promotion and Q2 was sober - but Q3 was awesome again with Another Promotion and a lot more money!! :D Who'd say no?! 2 promotions in one year did have me on hilltops!

The greatest event in 2009 was sending Sai to college - Sai joined Loyola, Chennai and has successfully passed his first semester now. I'm the proudest person ever - and am so happy with his progress on managing his life in Chennai. I did visit him once in Chennai and Saranya Shilpa Sai (S3) and I had our own little vacation. It was a great trip and I miss the three of them like mad!

October 29 - I received the official confirmation of my engagement to Padhu. November 27 was the Urudhi function and from then I'm engaged. I begin to wear a ring for the first time. I wear my gold chain everyday. I answer questions regarding the wedding. Oh! btw we're getting married on Padhu's birthday ;) May 26.

It's December now and its beginning to sink into me that I will be leaving Hyderabad. I'm not getting in to that one now.

Well, this has been my Oh-so-awesome 2009!

My 2009 To Do list Update

1) Save 5000 (or more) bucks every month for trip to US in June - DONE.

2) CONFIDENTIAL HIGH PRIORITY ITEM :D - DONE

3) Buy my brother his first phone for college - DONE

4) Make an honest effort to dress up for my sister's wedding - DONE.

5) Go to Pondy with Saranya - BEEP

6) Visit the Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad - BEEP

7) Read 'Withering Heights' by Emily Bronte - BEEP

8) Visit Disneyland in the US :D - BEEP

9) Visit Dakshin Chitra in Chennai - DONE

10) Do one soap carving - BEEP

11) Buy Hari 'not so expensive' but good shades - BEEP BEEP Louder

12) Buy Ma a very nice silk saree for sister's wedding - DONE

13) Learn to drive a car PROPERLY - BEEEEEEP

14) Get my driving license and voters ID - BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

15) Get the wrong address corrected on my passport - Ditto

16) ...............................................

The 5 Kinds Of People On Facebook

i) The Show Off
ii) The Attention Seeker
iii) The Writer/Publisher
ix) The Addict
x) The Complain Pot

The Show Off

Be it America or Amichikkarai, do you update your status as soon as you land in this place? Stuck in a traffic jam? - want the whole world to know you use your mobile to check Facebook? Do you announce to everyone on your friends list that you bought a new phone? Or maybe a laptop? Or even a car? Do you have more than one album of only your pictures in different parts of the world with tag lines that name each part? - Well, I classify you 'The Show Off.'


The Attention Seeker

When you are pissed, irritated, annoyed, angry and sad in life - if you tend to let that be your status message - you tend to get replies like 'Aww, what happened honey?' , 'Is everything Ok?', 'I hope things get better soon!'. The kind of attention that will increase TRP and make you think what you did was right. Its ok to be so, not everyone is as open as you are.

The Writer/Publisher

The happy people I would call them! Those who think letting people know what they are up to in general. Read a good book? watched a great movie? had a good trip? new post on your blog? You think its a nice quote and want others to read it as well, you read an article and share it online, you look forward to reviews and reactions from friends on something general. Well, you're the kind who has an opinion and wants others to share theirs too!

The Complain Pot

Wonder how things work on Facebook? Still blinking how you got tagged and dunno what to tell people when they said they saw your pic on FB? ;) You think Orkut is easy and FB is complicated? You don't really know how to change privacy options on FB? Well, don't complain - ask someone and its easy then. You will love it like the million others! FB is fun!

The Addict

Any of the above + an addiction = The Addict. Well, if you wake up and log on to Cafe world to see whats cooked or not, check your farm to harvest, open roller coaster kingdom to release guests - well, i will just have to pat your back and say "My friend, we've all been there - Get A Life!" Social networking is a part of your life, you cannot go to sleep without seeing what your world has done today. You have to post on your friends walls, well well - its not so bad. And its not a disease! ;) The addicts are a mix of the 4 kinds above - you need to be here. Some even make a living out of it. Some stalk, others sneak peek, and some others just love to post!

Well, whatsoever - Facebook rocks and so do we all!

I'm an addict = an addiction + The Writer/Publisher. Who are you?

Why physical violence is not the answer...

I have a lot of friends who manage their own businesses back home. Today I happened to talk to one of them and he told me of this certain incident where he slapped an employee for having used his work hours for a personal errand. The damage from his misbehavior was minimal but he was asked to leave the office premises forever. He then came back and asked for his job and apologized. My friend gave him his job.

With that amount of temper, I could have written 15 posts on this blog, cooked a yummy lunch for myself, or even cleaned my house. I was thinking about this incident over and over. I called him back and asked him if he forgave himself for slapping the employee. He replied with a no. I asked him why not. He said it was the guys fault and he just did what he had to do.

I was then thinking of how the guy came back for his job with humility. I then thought about why anger should never go with authority.

I don't know if he was wrong - but he definitely wasn't right.

...the second first kiss

I was sipping on my tea and biting into my croissant. I had finally settled, or that's what I thought. It had been 23 months since I left my country and arrived at Oakland. I had arrived with no clue and now here I was in my own house, in a colony filled with people who would not remind me of the past and a job that was enough for a monthly saving and grocery.

I was on a time table, a time table to forget the past, a time table that would keep me busy, a time table that would exhaust me so I would not stare at my ceiling thinking of the past in that eerie silence of the night not knowing how to sleep. My life was now in a place I hadn't seen coming. I was in a different country, far from family and cut off from friends.

It was the 100th week. 100 weeks of waking up to say hello to my family on a webcam. 100 weeks of not answering emails from friends. 100 weeks of pretending that the picture I had hidden in my piggy bank never existed. 100 weeks of beginning to believe that my will power was getting strong. 100 weeks of not voluntarily sending any emails, or calling friends. My life was just the new people, my family and running away from the past.

I was almost 1.5 years into into my job and finally the day came. My boss came to my cabin and offered me a higher position and a raise that was more than double. I was overwhelmed after a long time. Something made sense. I began to believe that running away from everything has done something new to me. It was the first time that a promotion did not follow a series of phonecalls, hugs and a dinner. But I decided to remove that from my thoughts and get back to the time table.

Bhagvat came over and congratulated me. He was the only Indian in the office and was way senior to me. He lived in the same colony as mine with his wife and children. His wife would drop her kids over with me every time they wanted to have one of their romantic dinners. Bhagvat was as usual praising my work and this time he got together a gang of colleagues to celebrate my promotion. They were the bunch of people who often nudged me to join them so this time I didn't want to say no. We were to party at Sin City near our colony and Bhagvat had permission from his wife to drink for my promotion.

I hadn't dressed up in a long time. I wore my red dress that was as formal as it was chic. I didn't go through with the trouble of wearing any make up. I left the house making sure all lights were off. I got into a cab and arrived at the place. I could hear the jarring music from outside and all of a sudden I was in no mood for noise. I met up with Laila and Kiance outside and we went inside together. It was 2 hours of vodka shots and bottoms up contests for the rest while I laughed at them all with my fruit drink. Each one started getting tipsy soon and I decided to leave. I got Bhagvat into a cab and got in in the front seat.

We arrived at his house and after careful help from his wife Bhagvat was in bed. I kissed the kids goodnight and turned to leave. Anita stopped me and offered me Kaju Katli. They were wrapped with silver like in India and were in a Sri Mithai box. I was moved. I hadn't seen an Indian sweet in a long time. She wished me and applied sinthoor on my forehead. It was almost a reflex - I feel on her feet and she hugged me. For the first time I cried. I cried after we said our byes and I arrived home. I locked myself inside and cried from behind the door. I slipped on my PJs and got into bed with some yoghurt. Anita's message was on my phone. It was her usual goodnight message and this time with an added exclamation mark with Congratulations.

I had moved on to a new role and the new bosses were pleased. I was given a new camera with a set of expensive lenses. With a new team I was busy with photoshoots, interviews and my laptop. My life now revolved around new techniques in lighting and color. I was reading about photography and talking it too. Any beautiful place had my opinion of what I could do there. I was visiting 'locations' for photo shoots and creating story lines.

The new job was getting to me when one day my boss came over and gave me the news. They were creating a travel catalog for one of the travel agencies and I was to shoot in Las Vegas for 3 weeks. My team and I were overjoyed. Well, who wouldn't be if your trip to Las Vegas was paid for and you were put up in Ballys! I had heard a lot about the place from my parents and they were equally happy for me.

The exciting day came and all of us were at the airport. Photographers, lighting directors, models and the financiers. This time the photographers were posing. The whole team huddled for a prayer and boarded. It was a beautiful flight and an even more beautiful landing.

I had to open my mind a lot more for Las Vegas. Every scene there had more light, more color and more themes. My mind was running wild. I had 5 ideas on hand already for the shoot and I was still on my way to the hotel. We all reached, checked in. Since I was the only woman, I got my own room without having to share it with anyone. It was like I wanted it. No one but me and yet the outside virtual world I'm in around me.

The rest of the crew was already making plans to hit the casino and bars. I was in no mood for any of that. I made myself and appointment at the spa for the next day and decided to take a walk around the place for some ideas. I packed my camera and my wallet in my hand bag and locked the room. I decided to learn the hotel in and out before it was dinner time. I walked through giant lobbys and verandas with exquisite architecture and design. The hotel was stylish in its own English-American way. I walked by the pool side and decided to stop for some drink. I bought myself a pineapple-papaya-carrot health drink and that was when I made up my mind I would never buy a non-alcoholic drink from a bar ever. I wasted almost all of it and walked to do what I do best.

My little flashy friend was out and I was clicking pictures by the pool. Women in their swim suits and bikinis were having their kinda vacation. A group of girls were more than happy to pose for me, so I had my own little shoot by the pool already. It was totally Las Vegas. There were models, bikinis, and of course a lot of glamor. I thanked them for their time and we had a group picture taken and I bid goodbye and left.

I arrived at the lobby to check my email and also send my parents a few pictures. I was amused at the number of unread messages in my Shaadi.com label. I had filtered these emails when I had arrived in Oakland and when my mom decided the internet is the place to find myself someone. I sent emails to my family and returned to my room. I was a little exhausted so I ordered dinner in.

I watched a little TV and ate my lasagna silently. About half an hour into my dinner, there was a knock on my door. I opened the door to find a houseboy give me a note. I read the note and smiled. The rest of the crew had wanted to make use of the 2 days we had before the shoot so they had gone on a road trip without me and that was their apology note. It was their guy thing and I had no right to feel bad anyway.

I thanked the houseboy and turned to go in when I heard someone speak Tamil. I quickly looked on both sides of the corridor and saw a woman in a salwar kameez on the phone. She was tall, beautiful and explaining to her mother why her phone was not reachable for all this time. It was over 10 seconds when I realized I was both staring and overhearing her so I turned to go back inside. Just when I was about to lock, she knocked. I opened and almost apologized and she asked me for a pen. I gladly accepted to give her one to save the embarrassment and also cause it wasn't my pen to give. She was noting down some numbers and then she needed a place to keep her notepad to write comfortably on. I invited her in and when she was done with her call, we introduced ourselves.

Her name was Rithanya and was on holiday here with her husband. She was a housewife and her husband was into agriculture. His farm was India's leading orchid supplier and the flower business was apparently great. She was alone right now as her husband was away with some other friends at the casino. I told her about myself - a photographer from Oakland, single and here on work.

She invited me for dinner but since I had already had mine, I told her to order in food so we could talk. She wanted to get out of her room, so I decided to treat myself with dessert with her. I was asked to call her Rithu. Rithu was talkative. Non-stop. She was also all about herself and her husband. I was dying inside but it had been long since I had heard someone speak so much Tamil before, so I allowed myself to devour it.

She complained about the food abroad and how she wasn't the kind to eat cold food. I helped her order and we waited for her pasta. She added a lot of chilli flakes and salt to make it Indian and started eating. Rithu hadn't stopped talking even then. She didn't mind the people around her when she folded her legs on the sofa. She didn't bother how loud she was. And she made me sweat a little whenever she pointed at someone to make fun of them.

After a lot of talking, both of us were eating our ice creams. We decided to carry it to the pool side. We were chatting about how Indians come abroad for money and not stay in the country. She was explaining to me how her father never gave her an option about her career and how she had to get an arranged marriage. As we were talking she got a call. She told me it was her husband and excused herself. She came back in 2 minutes and told me her husband would be joining us shortly. I made up my mind to say hello and leave. Also, I was concerned about the company the husband had not given her the whole evening.

In exactly 5 minutes, Rithu smiled and stood up to stretch her hand and hold her husband's hand. I looked up to say hello and shuddered. I managed a hello and after that I could not hear a thing. There were memories painting images of the same face. I was sweating. I was dehydrated in 5 seconds. I regained conscious when Rithu shook my hand and said 'Are you alright?' I said I was and excused myself for some water. I walked to the bar and breathed out. I was looking at the face I was dreading never to see again. It felt like a week before I brought up my courage to get back to Rithu. I walked back seeing her hold the hands I've always imagines holding. I walked back preparing dialogues of what to say and get away. I walked back imagining how my life would have been if things were just the same as 3 years ago. I walked back looking at my past who I once thought would be my entire future.

I reached the table and didn't look into the eyes I always wanted to look into. I sat opposite the couple. I looked up to say that I wanted to leave when the most familiar voice said 'How have you been?' My heart sank. I wanted to cry. I wanted to get up and run but instead I looked up and stared into the eyes and said 'I've been good. How have you been?' Rithu was confused. She looked at his and asked him if we knew each other. He, with a mention of my name said it. Rithu's face changed color. I was in the situation I had always run away from. She stood up and walked away from the table.

I had to do something. I walked up to her and apologized and said bye. She instead replied asking me where I was so long. I didn't quite get the question. Her phone rang and she walked back to the table to get it. She was talking for a long time which I could only imagine was her mother. She walked away from the table and me and spoke for a long time. I almost wanted to commit the sin of basic courtesy and leave without saying bye. She came closer to me and I hear her say 'Honey, you have to come here immediately. We just met Priya. Yes, your friend K's Priya'

I looked at her and searched for the answer. Who was she 'honey'ing when her husband, my ex was sitting at the table. I was clueless. She looked at me and said 'We have to talk.' She went back to the table and sat near him. I knew I was supposed to follow when I saw the two of them look towards the door. It was Nishanth. The face I had vividly remembered. Nishanth hurriedly walked towards the table and when Rithu pointed to me he came towards me. The familiar hug was missing. Nishanth stared at me and after a minute I had to give in. I hugged him and I cried. Cried on the shoulder of one of my best friends. Cried for the 3 years of unanswered emails. Cried for the 3 years of my parents shutting the doors on his face.

Rithu came towards us and helped Nishanth with a hanky. I walked back to the table and now Rithu was near Nishanth. I had to sit near K this time. Nishanth introduced me to his wife Rithu. One part of me was screaming inside and one part of me wanted to immediately cry on the shoulder to my right. There was no reaction from K.

I had turned to stone. For more than 5 minutes no one had spoken. After what felt like eternity, Nishanth and Rithu excused themselves and left. He left his room number, mobile number and left saying he wanted to talk to me. As he left, I walked up to him. I had not decided what I wanted to do, but I wanted to tell him I was sorry. And when I did, he replied saying he was only glad he found me after 2 years. He told me to get some sleep and think things over.


I sat with K and watched as Nishanth and Rithu left. Rithu came back half-way to invite me for breakfast. After she was gone, it was just me and K. It was after 3 years I was sitting near him. It was so eerily silent that I could hear his breath and my heartbeat. It was just seconds when he suddenly got up. He was not walking away or moving. He was standing still, with his hands crossed looking at the silent pool which was now closed for use. We were the only two people there.

I had kept away from this moment and had not prepared at all. I wasn't expecting to bump into anybody in a long time. Least did I expect K to come up suddenly. He looked just the way I remembered him. He turned and looked at me. I froze. I had no idea what to say. He asked simply 'Are we ok?' Of all the things I had expected him to say, this was not one. I searched for an answer and finally blurted 'I don't know'. He replied with a smile 'Let's make it OK. I want to forget the one day that ruined our 7 years and the rest that were to follow. I know why you left. I know I shouldn't have let anything take the only thing we wanted away from us and I'm sorry. Now I want to know if you will come back with me and be my future.'

I had nothing to say. I didn't feel like questioning him. I had heard just what I wanted to hear. There was a part of me that was thankful for K's apology. There was a part of me that wanted to apologize. I was crying. K lifted me and hugged me tight. I was on his shoulder. I was crying. He sat me on the bar counter and hugged me close and hushed me. I drew back and looked at him and smiled in my tears. He tried to smile back but he was fighting back tears too. I hadn't seen him cry in a long time. He leaned into me and hugged me closer. He was home and so was I. After almost an hour we talked. I told him I was here on work. He told me he was here on work too. We were sitting together on the poolside bench and he was holding me close. I was leaning on him and we talked for hours.

It was close to dawn when we walked back to our rooms. He dropped me at my door and hugged me again. I looked up at K and said 'I never stopped loving you.' He replied with our second first kiss. He hugged me again and left.

I packed my bags from Las Vegas the next day and left to Oakland with K. The next day I quit and went back to India. K and I are married for 3 years now and we live with his parents in his farmhouse.

Is it so bad?

I was watching one of my favorite programmes - Neeya Naana. The topic of debate was "if someone from your family fell in love with someone from another caste (within Tamil Nadu) - would you accept the third person into your customs etc etc"

One of the debaters said - 'I will tell my daughter/son to either be on a photo frame with a garland or i will kill them.' Another said 'I would advice him/her not to be stubborn, but if they come home married - i will tell them to get out of my sight forever.' The Oh MY GAWD moment was when one guy said 'I will kill the two of them as soon as I see them.'

Coming from a very conservative family and caste myself, I had just heard of all these complications. The catch here is the family name, society, and the religious beliefs. Falling in love with someone from your caste - allowed. Falling in love with someone from another caste - no no.

I have heard of people warning kids when they go off to college about falling in love with someone from a different caste. On this show, I for the first time heard of people NOT SENDING KIDS TO SCHOOL afraid of the fact that they might fall in love with someone. Is it so bad? Compromising on your child's education for your dignity - is it worth it?

My opinion - I come from a family that strongly believes in arranges marriages though I do not believe in them. I do not believe in love marriages either - I believe in getting to know a person for long, making a commitment, accepting them for what they are and being what I'm and deciding on what a marriage will have to offer. Yes, I need a guarantee about what kind of life I promise to someone in exchange for what they have for me. The added advantages of the surprises of living together each day are more than welcome.

A handful of people who are ready to get their kids married to their cousins - another handful that are so insecure about their children that they get them married before they are adults.

How is it in your hand to decide another person's life - even if it was someone you made? Just because your life was not in your hands to decide - is it ok to experiment on your child's? Isn't it fair for your child to grow with their generation?

Why is it so tough to let go?

2 parallel ropes - high in the air - hay stacks piled up below - overlooking audience - all you need to do is jump - So just let go!

Rakhi weds while Millions watch!

'I hate Rakhi Sawanth!!' - well who doesn't?! Drama Queen, Item Girl, Boob job, Cleavage mania and what not.

Saturday afternoon at home is a normal 'wake up and have chocos' time. But last Saturday was much more - I needed a LOT of salt to watch and digest what was happening on NDTV imagine. A re-telecast of the whole "Rakhi Ka Swayamwar' season. My roommmate was watching it and she was Very interested! Every statement she made was like crap to me. I had heard about this show - i hadn't watched it earlier. I was laughing my arse off with every scene.

She met the mother's of all the grooms before she decided who she should marry - What bullshit. They talked abt the guy - his girlfriend - how he did this show only because of the publicity - how he will let go of his girlfriend if he wins - bullcrap.

I was criticizing everything about the show, when my room mate got very offended. She said 'pragi, why don't you watch the show with a pinch of salt? if you are watching my tv stop criticizing like this!' Ignoring the part that it was her tv, i went on to think - how much salt i would actually require to think something like this was sane enough in the first place - how something like this is actually happening to bear with the reality involved in it.

That was not the end. The D-day was there - and rakhi walks across the line of awaiting grooms with a garland in her hand while the families of the grooms wait with the mangalsuta and a saree WAIITING to get on stage as soon as Rakhi garlands their son - if she does. What!! When did people in India become so OK with the fact that weddings can happen through TV shows - how weddings can happen without a kundli match - if not for Rakhi or the Tv publicity would parents be OK with their sons marrying like that? Would they be ok marrying her and living her life?


Well, it ends like this. I hate her and yet I watched. I hated the whole idea and yet I watched. I laughed at the whole thing and I can't get it off my head. Kudos! But how far can people go to make real moments in life completely fake?

and I'm saying good byes again.

Its been two years now. Two years with Google. I never thought I would fall in love with this place or make any worthy friends here or even have fun. Chennai was just too good for me, I wasn't willing to let any more people flood my life and leave again. But somehow over the first year, I made one good friend, in another two months I made a few more, and then I think I just became myself and let many people into my life and became a part of theirs.

Now on a rainy August evening I sit and look at the countdown of Mamsy's mirror - the countdown for her to return from the US. I sit and look at the untouched Calvin & Hobbes that Appy gave me to read and told me to take all the world's time with - till yesterday she said - '2 months, and I'll be gone.' I sit and read through Hari's blog and think about how the invisible man pinged me all of a sudden and gave me the news that he is leaving in a week's time. I sit and think about how Roosho and Varun *tarun* have not been in the breakout area for 2 days now to smile at. I sit and look through pictures on FB and think how Upsi's in Goa with her friends and not at her desk for me to bug. I sit and think about how Arun moved to another team and how he is never online during the day to ping and bug. I sit and think about how Naveen is back in India and yet so far away. I sit and think about how I let this happen to me yet again - how I let people come into my life and go with the various boarding schools and hostels. How I let them become a part of my life when I know it will be painful again to say goodbye. I sit and think about how in a few months, I might be packing to say bye to the Hyderabadi life I promised I would never fall in love with. I sit and think about how I cribbed over the missing Hyd monsoons and how today they arrived to make me smile. I sit and think about the various house hunting & moving - and how each left me a memory. I sit and think about how the next move will be for good and will be for home.

Most of all, I sit and think about how my most cherished Chennai love is missing for a long time. How the best of friends have found their way with life and left behind memories. How my throat aches when I browse through pictures or look at my wall at home. How some things like "I promise to keep in touch" are just things we say. How sometimes you make all the effort for nothing. And how now ppl call with something in mind and some other thing in return.

If people are a part of your life, why can't you take them with you? If you are a part of their life, why do they have to be so far away? If distance makes relationships stronger - why not try and keep in touch.

I'm gonna miss you guys so much - I'm a Hyderabadi Jay. True. Once a Hyderabadi, always a Hyderabadi. I'm gonna miss everything about this place.

Barter system.

Anyone wants to trade lives with me?

You get to sit on Facebook whole day,
Play Farmville non-stop,
Non-stop chocolcate supply,
Work that's easy,
Manager Out of office for a month,
Friends who are always there to support you on FB by adding pictures,

Hell No. I take that back.

Brains Swap With their Things.

U, Me, and I were at lunch when suddenly U jumped up. She started off with her usual 'You guys will NOT believe what I'm about to say!.' Me and I knew it was something kick ass or U won't jump up! So here it is.. U was on her way to office in the cab and about 3 kms from office in a not-so-private turn were a couple in a car making out.
It was so very obvious that U's cab driver told her not to look that side, though other cars stopped to have a look at the 'happy-just-couldn't-wait-till-they-got-home' couple. I was shocked. Are we in Gossip Girl's pages or India? Who does that at 8am in the morning? - well, don't answer that anyone - but who does that on a public road at 8am?

We got to talking about this and each of us came up with incidents we've seen. Men in public buses jerking off and in their own worlds, around school corners, near girls hostels and of all places - doctors clinics!! I would be fair and give the benefit of the doubt in a dark cinema hall - a public bus? I'm sure these people do realize where they are if they are able to do what they are doing!!

I was in Chennai for 3 years of my life. My hostel was in the center of the city, in the compound as a very famous wedding hall, had 24 hour security and the wedding hall and hostel belonged to very famous people in Chennai. It was haven in itself with all facilities. For the three years I was there, there was a very very disturbing incident that occurred day after day. I had seen it myself, heard about it and it was scarring. There was a guy who got his night's happiness by standing under a lamp post and an electric transformer and stripping every night. He used to strip naked and then jerk off while girls used to watch from the hostel windows. Yes, his audience were amazed at what he was doing - some of them giggled as they called for more friends to come and watch - but this happened almost everyday.


Being a part of the old wing in hostel, i didn't know this happened till my second year. I was in a friend's room once when I heard some noises and peeped out to see this guy naked. He stripped every piece of clothing like a pro and I stood there watching from my friends window in shock. As he was approaching the last piece of clothing, i screeched. My friend and I called the warden's office and she dismissed the issue saying it happens always. She was that ignorant. We instead called for security from the wedding hall and they approached the lamp post and the guy grabbed his clothes and ran for his life. We could see the whole incident from the very window when it happened AGAIN the next week. My mind kept thinking - if the security chased him - where did he go change? till where did he run naked? how many dogs were on the way? how could he run like that? how disturbed was he?

These incidents scar people for lifetime. In such situations - what does one do?

Scream and invite a crowd - then?
Go to a police station - then?
Write out a written complaint - then?

What should one do to stop this? Public obscenity is a seriously punishable violence. But some still have the audacity to perform these self-sexual acts in public places.

vodafone callers.

*phone rings*
*i pick up..*

10am Sunday

V: Mayydem.. vodafone payment maydem
Me : Hello?
V : Vodafone payment maydem
Me : uhh.. who is this?
V : Kaalling frum vodafone maydem. U pay money for you bill maydem?
Me : Regarding bill payment. Due date is 28th July.
V : Pay today no maydem..
Me : huh? I will pay it before due date.. thanks
V : maydem pay today maydem or we call ek baar aur maydem
Me : I'll pay before the due date.. thanks for reminding.


2pm
V: Maydem.. u paid money maydem?
Me : Who's this?
V : Vodafone maydem.. maarning i told to give money no maydem
Me : Stop calling so many times.. i will pay my bill before due date..
V : If you pay now maydem, i no call u maydem
Me : fine. I pay now. U no call me.
V : Then I cut u in my list maydem..
Me : Wat?!
V : U pay maydem, my supervisor give me handshake maydem.
Me : !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Horton hears a WHO?

HO ho ho!! Horton hears a who!!

This movie is like a dream come true in super pixel and animation! Horton hears a who! There used to be days I'd decorate a Walnut shell with a poppy petal and wait for my little Thumbelina come and grant me a wish! I imagined a little someone in everything i saw! Those days my friends and I had an imaginary friend in the little never-seen Thumbelina!

Horton hears a Who - A must watch for the little feet to build their imagination even out of a pollen grain! Loved the movie! The toddlers will luvvv it!

P.S : We loved it too!

A very very girl movie! Or atleast, I would say a girl would want her man to love HER the way HE did here! A movie that will make you cry with every letter HE leaves HER from the beyond. How a man's love for a woman can make her never want to fall in love even after he is gone!

P.S - We luv you too!!

The happening - not so happening!

When Arun said "Night Shyamalan's movie, u HAVE to see it" I didn't actually see the sarcasm in what he said. I remember watching Shyamalan's THE VILLAGE - URRGHH! From past experience, I decided to just download the movie on my comp and watch it when am absolutely jobless. That time of absolute joblessness came last weekend. Jean and I had the worst cooked lunch ever. I had nuthing to do, so I decided to watch THE HAPPENING!

A slow, creepy, death toll! People just keep dying! Yes, we get it - Global warming! But Mr.Shyamalan - pls give it a break and put in some life into your movies! Proud of having an Indian out there making movies, but pls dont make us think that your movies are played on theatres here only because u r Indian! Learn from Aamir!

A slow killer! Don't even expect a THE END. Cause people are still dying watching this crappomania in the theatres!

nostalgia..

If only I could hug it out on a webcam! *SIGH*

Miss you!

So what if they friskerd Kalam?! Did he complain? - WHY ARE YOU?

A sudden outrage of emotions flowing through the country because an ex-president was frisked at the airport. Yes, he is exempt from frisking anywhere - but what's wrong? what's humiliating? Ain't he just another human being like anyone else?

What are possibilities a VVIP could be carrying something dangerous on a flight like a normal person? - 100% If I could carry a pen knife on a flight and if I were checked - the pen knife will be confiscated. If a VVIP was carrying one and wasn't frisked - it stays with him. There! Who's got a higher probability now of carrying something dangerous? Me or the VVIP?

I appreciate Kalam's reaction to this - as usual - calm and quiet. When I met him at the Coimbatore conference, he refused to accept any gift from the Lions club. He refused to take the suite at Residency - he asked for a room though the club was paying for it. He refused to take the 'special chair' and in his speech, he mentioned 'I'm just like any one of you!' Well, he is. at the airport, he apparently went through the whole frisking without complaining. Gentleman!

When Jayalalitha & Sasikala exchanged garlands at the Guruvayoor temple - there was an outrage claiming that this act does not adhere with out culture. Garlanding a cow or a calf before a puja is OK then? If garlanding an animal is fine, garlanding another human being is JUST fine.

Why make an issue of it JUST because they are VVIPs? Will all VVIP's act this way?

Continental airlines of course had no idea what they were doing - they asked an ex-president to remove his shoe. Do they do this everytime? Does this happen to every VVIP on board? Has this happened before? Aren't we all not allowed one mistake? Or cam it not be the one incident that brought them back to light? I'm sure they knew who he was when they frisked him. What's the 'behind the scenes' story?

What do you wanna call it - PR or PRoblem?

I would say good PR - also, do it to Karunanidhi, Jayalaitha, Lalloo. Not Kalam.

Choose your victims - and your audience. You're dealing with the simplest President India had ever seen - You're dealing with the student crowd that loved this politician no matter what - You're dealing with a sentimental nation.


So when you do something - do it right. And also, treat a VVIP like a VVIP. DO not idolize. Treat role models like role models. DO not idolize.

Hidden Thoughts on a white board - What if this had happened to Rajini Kanth!?

TATA Docomo - my version

Why do the done?





Do the new!!!!!!!!!!!

Naming 2 cats?

pepper and salt
shameless and nameless
ginger & chilly
tom & tom I
top cat - top cat II
dumb & dumber
uh uh..

...my friend names them Karuppu Subramani & Vellai Subramani.

Treasure Chest

I read Raghav's note on his packing & shifting and all those memorable things he found and I realized how many times this has happened - so decided to list it down as well.

Out of the many things I learned form amma, one was to open out something and arrange it again when I have absolutely nothing to do. This is the case when am at home, in Hyd, when I was in Chennai, when I was in SJN, when I was in T.E.A and sometimes at work too!

Last week I brought down the entire cupboard cause I was absolutely bored and also broke. Clothes went through a transition on re-ironing and arranging and re-arranging. Cosmetics in height order and other papers in files. Once I was done with all this.. there were a few things lying on the floor. Some that did not go to the right department and the rest that are the only ones in theirs. Like my God pictures - I have 2 and the two go to one part of my cupboard. Some tags of clothing that I like to keep cause I spent a lot of money on them and they remind me that I should never do that again. Some bills from restaurants, grocery etc etc. 1 lock whose keys I don't have - or whose keys I have thrown into my piggy bank cause I was lazy to find the lock and marry them.

Among these papers I found a long lost bill. A bill from Wang's kitchen - from lunch with Saranya, Lakshmi, Naveen & me. It was Naveen's first visit to Chennai and we insisted he sign on it. The bill has his signature and his quote "When you are in the dark, be a bat and fly." It made no sense to me when he wrote it then, but when I saw it there - I was overwhelmed! It was so torn and crushed and old an yet beautiful to hold! It brought back the laughter, the auto rides, the adjusting on Saranya's lap, the long walks in Spencer, the long talks in Barista the 4 of us had. It was just plain laughter and argument that day but now the little piece of paper brought back everything!

I carefully put the paper in one of my files cause I knew it would be safe. Then I started emptying the other contents in the file. There were certificates and post its to many things and flags and what not. I didn't want to mess with them so I stuffed everything back in and carried on with the cleaning. I emptied out my fold able box. LOADS of stuff. LOOOAADSS of stuff.

The first things that caught my eye was a Paramount airways boarding pass. This was the boarding pass from the first time I flew to Hyd to start work with Google. A sudden rush went through my belly and I remembered very bit of that day I left from Coimbatore. Sending me to Google was the hastiest decision my dad ever made. He called all my elder cousins for suggestions and all of them said I shouldn't go and I should probably study. I was hell bent of leaving to Hyderabad and I did. I packed really fast (after 15 years of packing to every possible hostel, i didn't have much trouble) and presented an orderly 2 suitcases. My mom and aunt dropped me at the airport and I kissed them goodbye and checked in. I was holding this very boarding pass and waiting for almost an hour. I did not even know the destination - none in hyd, no idea about the job, nothing at all. Yet I was so excited to leave and I did. When I came to Hyd first, we had the old airport. There was a driver who picked me up from the airport and dropped me at the guest house. I checked in and carefully tucked this boarding pass in one of my suitcases and lay back to just dream a little more. :)

I put it in the file again and ran through more stuff. Now all I wanted to do was find more stuff that would make moments cute.

Now I'm lazy!

If I were insanely rich & stupid...

I've lived in more than 4 hostels, and always out of home. My life has always revolved around people of my age and different people of my age. Each one has their own definition and most of them are the original pieces. Museum keeps types! As students, almost all of them live on their parents earnings and when they're done, they take over the complete ________. (I don't even wanna say property)

I've seen these madly rich kids sport color lenses when they were in school, wear only diamonds and get their weekly salon appointment fixed. There were some who would just bring a cell phone (whether or not someone calls you) to school at the age of 16. There were also some who made sure they got home in time so they could have their mani-pedis. (Did I mention school?!)

Last night M and I were going over a few FB profiles to make each other laugh. These are the kinds who will takes pictures of themselves and put up various poses in the same location with the same costume. (urgh) There were a few pictures that got us into splits!!

Anyway, after M and I had a hearty laugh and a SUPER COOL dinner - I got to thinking What would I do, if I were insanely rich & stupid. Knowing me, I would have surely taken the advantage of having come from a rich home and not studied at all in school. And then maybe with mounting pressure of helping parents with business blah blah I would have gone abroad to some great university and completed my masters.
Note : I would have put up pictures of me on Facebook as the super cool chick who went to London and showed it off big time. (maybe with a special touch of diff branded boots)

I decided to find the secret fantasies of my friends so I went ahead and asked a few.. and I was not disappointed!!


Naani "I would give all my wealth to someone i didn't trust only cos he was cute."

Upsie Wupsie Spider "I would have bought a boat...like a caravan/boat...traveled all over...(cause i m rich)
and then i would have done the same things everywhere...(since i m stupid)"

Jeanette "I would make a replica of the Taj Mahal!"

Yash "If I was insanely rich, i wud definitely be stupid too! so i would possibly have bought everything from the Ferrari Online Store! and the Manchester United one too... for my roommate... coz he wud feel bad otherwise."

LMAO!! You guys are the best! :) My morning laughter was done!

Any idea what you would've done if you were Insanely RICH & STUPID. Remember its not a 'What would you do if you were a millionaire' question! Its a 'What Would You Have Done If You Were Insanely Rich & STUPID!!'

Sitting in the loo, I was thinking about you...

If you are Aarti, and if you are reading this post,
please still be my friend and also a good Dhost.

These are the proverbs I came up with while I was suffering from acidity last week.

* A burp is a delivery report of the food you have eaten.

* A fart is a reminder that its potty time.

I'm extremely disgusted with myself for coming with these 2 (but I found it kinda cool!)

AVD Dare night

ran by the bay,
climbed the stack of hay,
just to prove my pals,
that he was a little TOOOOOO gay.


This is just a mean tribute to the gayest gay man I know.

One more dance?

Choosing a song... mixing more songs... choreographing the dance...hunting for a tape... a cassette... a CD... designing a costume... getting accessories ready... Standing back stage to realize a missing tape... re-recording the whole song with the VARIOUS mixes and breaks... dancing with a mad amount of energy till u think u need some water... running upstairs to make sure the other friends are also having a good time... running back not to miss the last songs form the DJ... pleading the wardens for ONE MORE DANCE before it becomes 11pm... dancing in circles with totally unknown faces... waking the next morning with the worst hangover though u weren't drunk... hunting for b'fast at lunch time... getting together just to talk about how things went... meeting again to see the pictures taken in all chaos... dancing within the rooms cause u don't want to let go of the LAST dance practice u will EVER have together... asking for costumes back for another one month till u gets ur stuff... laughing out loud about who fell where and how and tore their pants for hours... meeting these faces during b'fast, lunch and dinner and saying the most casual Hi's...

...if I were to do it ALL over again, I would.

MY 21

My 21 people.


1.Naveen Murugesan
2.Hari Saran
3.Padhu Shanmugam
4.Cynthia
5.Pranav Sai
6.Shilpa Govindan
7.Cleopatra
8.Apoorva Balasubramaniam
9.Aarti Ramanathan
10.Keerthana Prakash
11.Ramraj R
12.Jithu Natarajan
13.Arvind Dink
14.Nithya Lakshmi
15.Vishnu Priya
16.Ramya Reddy
17.Monica Rathi
18.Sonal Bothra
19.Suhirtha Viswanathan
20.Nagu Palaniappan
21.Sindu Meena



1. How did you meet 18?
Same College


2. What would you have done if you had never met 9?
Hmmm... probably never learned how to 'Take things slowly' this early

3. What would you do if you ever dated 5?
The fact being he is my little brother, I would be running the risk of people calling me )(*&^%#$%^&*()

4. Have you ever seen 17 cry?
Nope (Hope not!)

5. Would 4 and 16 make a good couple?
Nope, they are both straight.

6. Describe 21
My noisy lovable junior

7.Do you like 13?
Of course, my most adorable friend.

8. When was the last time you talked to 19?
Her birthday :D

9. Would you ever date 1?
Cannot hurt to say I considered it once upon a time. But no, would not.

10. Where does 15 live?
Coimbatore

11. What is the best thing about 7?
Straight forwardness.

12.Describe 5 in one word.
Sweetheart. My lil brother.

13.Is 7 pretty?
I would say handsome.

15. What was your first impression of 20?
Timid and noisy (at the same time)

16. How did you meet 2?
My bullying classmate form high school.

17. Is 1 your best friend?
Yes, and that's why he is number 1.

18. Have you seen 6 in the last one month?
Nope :(


19. When was the last time you saw 16
About 3 months

20. Have you been to 9's house?
hmm.. No. But her room no.9 - Yes!


21. When is the next time you'll see 10?
If the trip plan works, soon.

22. Do you know a secret about 8?

YESSSSSS. Now my head is screaming to tell someone.

23. Describe the relationship between 21 and 19.
Senior and junior form school. Best friends.

24. What is your friendship like with 18?
I pay for her pani puri and bhal puri from monica's wallet and then I help her finish it.

25. Have you ever danced with 6?
Yea!

26. How long have you known 13?
7 years

27. Does 7 have a boyfriend/girlfriend?
Nope, I do know she is interested in someone.

28. Have you ever wanted to punch 17 in the face?
Oh YEAH!

29. Has 12 met your mother?
Nope, but he will soon.

30 . How did you meet 16?
College

31. Have you travelled anywhere with 15?
yeah many times.

32. If you gave 3 $100 what would they spend it on?
He will never take money from me. And I will never give him any.

33. What is your best memory of 11?
EVERY Phonecall.

34. What is the best thing about 14?
Her Patience.

35. Could you ever fall in love with 2?
Hahaha no!

Accused Ever?

Yesterday was like a 'I ate a bitter fruit' day. A good friend accused me of condemning her religious ways and methods. Yes. Phew! To hear it from her was soooo very uncomfortable and to even continue the conversation and make things clear was worse.

Having lived with people from different castes and religions for over 17 years now, I know the perfect amount of religious talk one can have with another. But I would not do that either. I would never start a religious topic, I might continue someone else s.

The maximum I have contributed to someone's religious talk is when I asked my friend Cynthia how a mariamman festival in her place works. And that was a looonnng night.

From this incident, I learned one thing. However comfortable you are with someone, just don't give them the slightest clue that you are not in favor of some things they do. And stop making practical jokes on them, they will never appreciate them, or if they feel bad - there is no way you will come out good even if you know you weren't wrong.

ok now ditch it, its just another bullshit day.

Growing up in the 90s!

Statistics about my computer usage will say I spend 1 out of 5 minutes on Facebook. Hehe! Ask me and I will say I'm doing nothing on FB! I came across something while I was doing nothing. It was a community of those kids who grew in India in the 90s. I read through the list and all I could do was smile. It was like a list of things in my life. I've just copied the whole thing below and removed those I haven't been a pat of!



2) Cricket is almost a religion for you, and you idolize at least one of Kapil Dev/Rahul Dravid/Sachin Tendulkar/Saurav Ganguly - Sachin Tendulkar!

3) You have read at least some Chacha Chaudhary or Tinkle comics - My dad saw me buy it on the train once and he subscribed for Champak, Gokulam and Tinkle!

7) You watched Cartoon Network, and then the late night movies on TNT that came after Cartoon Network ended. - Yes! I remember watching Popeye show and wished it never ended when the TNT network started.


11) A visit to Hot Breads used to mean a special treat - Remember how my parents bought me stuff from Hot Breads Ooty every weekend.


15) You have played ‘Uma Joshi’ more times than you can remember. - My mother she toldme a 50 years ago...

17) Much of your free time in school was spent playing UNO. - and battleship, seven stones

18) You collected trump cards of wrestlers, cricketers, and airplanes, and did not quite understand why your younger siblings were obsessed with Pokemon and the other Japanese trends that followed. - I wonder even now! Pikachoo!

19) Your summer vacations were often synonymous with visiting your grandparents - Coimbatore!!!

21) Bole mere lips, I love uncle Chips! - And the free pen they gave along with that!

22) You know the song ‘Made in India’ by Alisha Chinoi - Hahaha!!

27) You couldn’t wait to start 4th/6th standard so you could start writing with PENS instead of with pencils! - OOHH Yes! I bought 2 bottles of ink to make sure my familt thought I was studying hard!

28) You often use terms and phrases like ‘kutti’, ‘abba’, ‘same to you, back to you, with no returns’, and ‘shame shame, puppy shame, all the donkeys know your name. - I use them even now!

33) You remember the Orissa cyclone, even though you didn’t know what a cyclone was. - God yes, we went around the block and collected t shirts to send to the affected there.


34) You remember the Gujarat earthquake very clearly and could possibly tell everyone EXACTLY what you were doing when the earthquake occurred (yes, this happened in 2001, January 26, 2001)

39) Captain Planet was your first introduction to environmental consciousness. - He's the hero, he will bring pollution down to zero! GOOO PLANET!!!

41) You have had endless packets of Parle Gluco G biscuits, and of Brittania Little Hearts biscuits. - I do still!

42) You loved licking off the cream from the centre of Bourbon biscuits. - Still!!

43) There were no Nike, Reebok, Adidas, Puma- Bata and Liberty was the way to go for your sports shoes. - Nay, I used only NIKE - Did i mention my dad still spoils me?

44) You have probably consumed more Frooti in your lifetime than there is oil in Iraq. - Also, Jumpin!

52) You thought Mario and Tetris were the coolest things ever invented, especially if you were a boy. - Why, I played Mario and Claw all my child hood!

64) You remember the Nirma girl.

65) You remember the 'doodh doodh' ad and also the 'roz khao andey' ads. - Dhoodh dhoodh dhoodh hai wonderful!

66) You grew up reading, if you read at all, some or all of Nancy Drews, Enid Blyton books, Hardy Boys, Babysitters Club, Animorphs, Goosebumps, Sweet Valley series, Judy Blumes, and Tintin, or Archie comics. Because naturally, reading foreign authors made you much cooler than reading Tinkle. - Haha! Hell yes!

67) Towards the late 90s (1998-99) at least some of us started our Harry Potter obsessions! - I did!

71) Maggi 2 Minute Noodles = ultimate snack (and tiffin, lunch, dinner)!

This was soo much fun! :)

Marriage Market

Market : A place where buyers and sellers meet for buying and selling stocks or commodities

Define Marriage Market : ?

Wake me up.

It's already been a year?! I still remember how I almost cried watching the finals last year. Oh ya. Its about IPL. Non interested? Well.. I'm like that now. My face looks so troubled now. I'm actually worried I'm not following the biggest international business deals. ;) I cried after the finals last year. I was mad, I was leaving work early to watch the matches. I was feeling bad I missed 2 matches cause I was shifting homes, sorry HOUSES.

This time all I know is SRK has done a remix version of Korbo Lorbo and Shilpa has danced for her Halla bol. How much have I been sleeping. I heard that it was to be held in South Africa and then I dozed off to wake up and hear Jay shout at Venugopal when Deccan Chargers lost to the Daredevils.

I was so jealous of Padhu & Co when they caught the closing ceremony of the IPL last year in Mumbai. I was also saving up to watch it if it happened in India. then that went to hell, so I guess I decided not to be bothered and slept.

Today I caught a match at KFC with a friend and a bucket :D Rajasthan and Deccan. We were both meeting to make each other feel better about how the rest of our friends were either in Bangalore or Mumbai or Goa! We were faithfully following the league and this time we both ended up with oily chicken and unknown knowledge about the league. We decided we would just cheer for every boundary and at the end just scream for whoever wins. RR were batting so they got all our claps and cheers.

We were through with our first plate of hot wings, then we went for the bucket and then we with our sundaes when RR won. We screamed (the most fake cheer that went 'WOO HOO') Almost every face looked.. no stared at us. Then we realised... OOOHHHH, we're in Hyderabad. We had to support Deccan. Looking like imps, we walked out of KFC laughing out loud.

Someone lemme know when the finals are please!

Seen love for hyd yet?.. Uhh.. No!

I promised Naveen/Padhu/Hari/Shilpa/Lakshmi/Cynthia that I would never complain about how much I hate Hyderabad again. I also promised that I would make sincere effort in getting to like this place but its been 2 years and I still hate this place. Hate it.

After all those promises, I've had 2 incidents of landlord misbehavior, 2 auto attacks and horrible horrible auto drivers! I've known people back home who would step up and help if you were having a problem in a public place. In Hyderabad people just watch. People just continue to do what they are doing. They acknowledge the noise by looking and then they turn away.

I just encountered a terrifying incident this morning on my way to work. I was running late as usual and had to take an auto. In a particular signal 2 Eunuchs attacked me and demanded for money. I knew I had to get rid of them with the money so I didn't think about the 200 bucks I gave them. And after that when one of them got into the auto and touched me in places, I was horrified. I screamed at him and told him to get off and looked ahead to call the police. They constantly kept tugging me mobile and my bag which was scary. Once I screamed 'Excuse me' for the police, they ran away.

What was most surprising was the auto driver who enjoyed the scene from the rear view mirror. The two IT guys on bike nearby didn't bother to even turn. The guys in the open van nearby didn't do anything. All of them did one thing - ignore.

What am I supposed to do? Still try liking Hyderabad? Huh!

I'm pacing at...

1) Save 5000 (or more) bucks every month for trip to US in June - Opened an RD. 5000/- bucks per month. Not just for US!

2) CONFIDENTIAL HIGH PRIORITY ITEM :D - DONE!!!!

3) Buy my brother his first phone for college

4) Make an honest effort to dress up for my sister's wedding - DONE!!!

5) Go to Pondy with Saranya - Cancelled.

6) Visit the Salarjung Museum in Hyderabad

7) Read 'Withering Heights' by Emily Bronte - Changed to Gone with the wind. :D Started!

8) Visit Disneyland in the US :D

9) Visit Dakshin Chitra in Chennai

10) Do one soap carving

11) Buy Hari 'not so expensive' but good shades

12) Buy Ma a very nice silk saree for sister's wedding - DONE!!!!

13) Learn to drive a car PROPERLY

14) Get my driving license and voters ID

15) Get the wrong address corrected on my passport

16) ...............................................

Compromise: The art of dividing a cake in such a way that everybody believes he got the biggest piece.

Gulaal huh?

Never heard the term before, we just referred to it as Color powder! Gulaal - the colo that doesn't hurt the skin and is completely safe! Holii!! :D

I'm not a great lover of soiling myself with colors that don't leave your clothes or skin but I've enjoyed those three Holis I've had. 2 from college and 1 today :D It was office, it was a new jean, a new t shirt and yet i didn't bother! I had a great time! All of us loved the running and chasing!

Reminds me of those days when we tried everything possible to get the color off. Oil, cream, toner, shampoo, bath soap, clothes soap and even kerosene!!! Long sleeves to cover the color and dinners in the room to hide the face, sleep-acting during the 10 o clock warden check-in and sealed lips while we were screaming decibels inside! :D Cha ya - RMH was fun! Wish I could just rewind and stay there! Who's time machine is working?

Pragi's Rules

Every rule I have here has inspiration from all the frustration that grows within me! It makes me feel so much better I can vent all that feeling into this little pane with buttons!


Rule #1 : Canis familiaris are not allowed to bark after 10.00pm. Homo Sapiens sleep at this time.

Rule #2 : Computers should not take too much time to load.

Rule #3 : Sick leaves should be made unlimited. ;)

Rule #4 : F.R.I.E.N.D.S. should never stop. There are ardent fans around the globe.

Rule #5 : Mangoes should grow all through the year.

Rule #6 : Unlimited luggage on flights. (This one is for you Naveen)

Rule #7 : When the course is your option, why not exams?

Rule #8 : There should be a time limit for every jean's usage.

Rule #9 : Cell phone bills should become extinct.

Rule #10 : Cute kids should remain kids.

Rule #11 : Short Messaging Services should be free on Post paid also! :'(

Rule #12 : People who make movies with loads of money but which ultimately turn out to be utter crap should be shot down!

Rule #13 : Every girl's dream of owning clothes she loves should be fulfilled (then and there!)
(I owe this one to the smartest WILLS shirt I've seen!)

Rule #14 : Adam, you find it funny that Eve loves chocolates and ice creams? Yes, we do. It's not a damn waste of iron and steel with lousy names! Yamaha?!? Well.. what's that?! Adam should stick to his comments and keep the crap bag closed! So shut up guys!!!

Rule #15 : Summer should be declared Deathbed time in Hyderabad. We smiling hard to check if the moisturizing cream is still on, we're stuck indoors cause the heat kills, we're waiting for electricity, we're paying much more for water - autos, the crappiest movies release this time so they can make the most out of a holiday season and our frustration grows. If there is one thing to be really happy about... clothes dry in minutes.. psst psst... @ night!!!!

Young & Free

22.

22..

22,

22?

What is this age? - Young & Free / Experimental Adolescence / Quest to find THE ONE person / Responsible Budding citizens / Spendthrift on oneself.

The past week I got back home not before 10pm everyday. One day I got out of work only at 12:15 am. I woke at 10am every morning and conveniently took a rickshaw to work. One day cabs came very late to pick me up from home. I was with a few friends and we stopped to have tender coconut and chatted as we reached work. It was the routine get to your desks with b'fast and start work. After work, a friend and I left to Lifestyle. We walked around the store waiting for the other one to complain of an aching leg. We left the store when they were closing and waited a half hour for frankies to take home. It was close to 10:30 by then and we were absolutely fine with the fact that we were so late.

I reached home and sank into my pillow and realized how late it had been and how easy I was about that. It had begun. The feeling that I have to give up everything once my parents get me married had begun. The fact that I could not wake whenever I wanted to had begun.

I remember a friend's status on Facebook - 'Just because we are seeing each other, does not mean we are a packaged deal.' My question is 'What if you are married? Aren't you a packaged deal then? Doesn't the 'I' become 'we'? Doesn't the name on the mail box change? Or sometimes doesn't the mail box change by itself? When you wanna make plans with your friends, can you decide without a phonecall? Don't you make compromises on dinner plans?' How much is it worth?

Is life not easier when you are so young and free? Change can be constant, but does that not require a change?

** I slept at 4am and walked into work at 11:30am. I was at the gym for 1.5 hours and bathed for 1 hour. I had very little work to do today and I'm blogging for about .5 hours. If I were a wife, I would have cleaned a house, vessels, complained about maids, run to the TV to see my fav songs about 10 times, answered the door a million times blah blah blah. I was going mad last night thinking of what all one has to give up. I slept for 3 hours and am all cranky now. **

Diagon alley!

Shilpa: i just wish there was a diagon ally
Pragi: :D
Shilpa: :)
Pragi: hahaha
i knowwww
Shilpa: lucky harry

Comfort zone

A known comfortable familiar face even in a snowstorm is a wonderful feeling. There is someone there, and you feel safe.

Last week was just that. Known faces, the comfort factor, the familiarity. No extra worried about losing myself in this place or facing people unknown.

My room was a mess, but I had no issues showing it to Aarti's parents. There was hardly any place to walk in the room with the extra mattress, but Shilpa and I managed a game of tabboo, 2 games of Scrabble and also something that looked like a pillow fight. The city was hot, really hot - yet we managed to go places and eat Mc Donalds and play in the auto like always. The ceremonies were long and non-stop, yet we managed to sit through them right in front watching Priya get married. The hall was noisy and loud, yet we managed to remember to call US during the wedding. The photographers were all crowded near the stage and yet we managed to find a bold spot to take OUR OWN pictures (loads of them!) My wallet was as usual out of change, yet with no seconds to waste Shilpi fished hers out to get change like always. The trains were late both days, but I patiently waited to receive the two of them which felt like receiving them at hostel gate when back from weekend. There were no tears and no drama, it was normal (though I was crying a river inside when they left!) All the auto rides were familiar, same places, same fights for who will sit the sunny side, different clothes though! If it was 'anna' there, it was 'bhaiyya' here! It was the similar feel of shopping for gifts, budget, low budget, no budget.

Loved the last week! Miss you guys! Loads! :D

No words right now.. but HAPPINESS!! :D :D

'Nail'ed it!" :D

I was never a fan of painting my nails or even growing them. I had a recent week with LOOOOADSS of work and I had to see my nails grow long. I decided cutting them or biting them wasn't an option and once I did so, my fingers felt very weird for the next two days. I filed them neat for the first time and painted them with J's polish. Looked nice and I'm happy I haven't taken it off yet.

Very very weird thing to blog about, but BELIEVE ME - I consider it an achievement. My mom's gonna be so happy I won't bite my nails and my fingers look good too!

Flicky Bank!

It's that time of the morning when I decide to wake up and work. Unknown number calls and says "Madam we are issuing loan for your account - do u want?" Its like listening to a chaai waala ask you "Madam, do you want a vadai to go with your tea?"!
These sales calls have become so bad! I get atleast a minimum of three from these people!

Its a typical day at work when my I get an SMS with my Credit Card Balance. Regular readers can back me up here btw. 27 January 2009 I decide to cut my credit card and NEVER use it again. I checked my online account to see the 'statement' and I was SHOCKED to see 2 transactions on 16 February 2009. I'm just so glad i checked!!! My credit card was charged 2000/- bucks for an insurance policy which I didn't even know I had!!!

I called customer care and this is the answer they give. 'Madam, this is an insurance policy that you sign for over the phone. Also, you have been holding this policy for over a year and you paid last year's fee as well.' I asked her how a policy of mine could go on for more than a year without my knowledge. And her reply 'Madam, the sales people would have informed you that this is an auto renewal policy which just continues taking money from your account!'

Well, this is the insurance policy I have which I 'signed' for over the phone. And which I don't hold any paper document with any seal or anything. AND, it is auto renewed every year.

1) Citibank has all the time to send people SMSes about every offer they have - they couldn't send me one SMS about this damn policy I'm 'paying' for.

2) Once someone says YES over the phone, there is no confirmation where a representative actually gets your official signature for the 'papers.'

3) You call customer care with such a problem about money being charged on your CC and they have the audacity to say "2000 rupees only no Madam, keep it!!!."

BULLCRAPPPP!!!!

From Manasa's Profile!

Here's something my friends are all gonna love me for. picked it out of Manasa's profile.

Let's see how many agree and how many don't!

Spoilt Kids On The Block! Run For Your Lives!!!!

What's with these kids who come outta home for the first time?!?! What do they expect, Butterflies to wake them up from their sleep? ALL things have to go their way. And when problem strikes, its sulking all the way till one gets bored of it or till people get bored of giving one the attention. Spoiled to the core. Were you given the right to JUST say ANYTHING when you were born?!

Stop rubbing you sorry single lives on my face. Snap back to reality, learn to decide, GROW UP!!

I'm a happy person and I like it that way. DO NOT SULK IN FRONT OF ME. Grow up, break your crystal shell that has been tinted with sheer pampering and spilling of love and see the real world. Its different, its new and it sucks but you're gonna have to deal with it. Whether now, or sometime later!!!

Wish I could whack the senses and wake the living reality daylights out of these people!!

Happy Birthday To Me! :D And 100th post on my blogd :D

I'm 22 today! :D No, wait - I complete 22 and start 23! Yes, 87 born! :D

My blog gets its 100th post today! which you are reading! :D So glad I started blogging! :D

Thanks for all your wishes people! :D

Political party? Or just a caste discrimination idea to prove one's dominance?

Sunday, the 15 of February was supposedly a HUGE deal in Kondunaad. Well, kongunaad comprises of all those places where 'Gounders' are prominent. A political party has been formed to help these areas overcome some problems the textile industry has been facing for a long time. The objectives and action plans of this 'party' are great!

Districts of Coimbatore, Tirupur, the Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, Karur, Namakkal, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri and Dindigul have been facing a lot of trouble with electricity, allowances for textile industries etc. This party's main goal is to solve the problems that children of these caste members face at colleges due to seat reservation. Members of this caste are segregated as BC - Backward Class and the posts of judges and vice-chancellors are never given to them per Govt lines. (Not like it works that way either!)

This party was officially launched on Sunday and had a minimum crowd of 8 lakh people and sources say they had an easy collection of 16 crores as donation in the last week. (makes sense to invest all the black money in helping build the industry!)

Good thoughts, appealing manifesto. This party hopes to get votes from all the eligible gounders which is more than a crore here. They stand to win if their campaigns are as effective as their launch. And if they DO win, they rule their land and it will be like the return of the kings.

Businessmen run this party! So the strategies are great.

*First, they attacked the correct demographic - The Sentimental and prestigious caste clan.

*Second, they studied the market of the previous politicians in the area and came up with something much more appealing than them.

*Third, they got the people to believe that 'if u don't vote for your caste candidate - you are making a BIG mistake.'

*Fourth, they not only kept one city as target, they've given all cities in Kongunaad equal importance and equal distribution of seats and posts.

*Fifth, they got everyone believing that this is JUST a political party.

*Sixth, they made their launch a money making session by an entry fee of Rs.2/- which comes up to Rs.16 lakhs for a minimum crowd.

*Seventh, they not only got the gounders believing that these guys have something in store for them and their industries but also they got every labor in and around Tirupur and the Textile kingdom hoping for a change (which means more votes!)

Brilliant marketing strategies and campaign techniques. Hats off to the guys who were the sole reason of me getting pissed off at two best friends over a conference who bugged my soul for over 40 minutes. And good luck to those who have high hopes for this darn party! I was hoping things more positive like the little BC box will vanish, not go a line higher and near the FC box in applications!

http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/16/stories/2009021657550300.htm

Scrabble evening with Upsie! :D

Upsie and I know to spell Who*e! :D :D

Sleepy morning.. crazy night!

Things to avoid at a sales conference :

1)Sit behind a tall person - What's the point if you came all the way and got to hear only voices echo from 3 different speakers and a huge head with different colors is hiding your view!?

2) Forget lip balm - One of the most important things for me on ANY day.

3) Carrying a bag - Never carry a bag. Go empty handed and empty headed.

4) Forget chewing gum - a long while of silence and AC makes u wanna chew gum. So carry gum.

5) Forget a shawl - Novotel has AC blowers right above your head, so ALWAYS carry a shawl. No bag, but shawl.

6) Sit behind people with turbans - If you think changing places is ok after the first session, choose a place with no Sardar in front of you. Turbans are also equal to tall people you know.

25 random things about me

I was as usual taking my day's break by stalking people on Facebook and I came across two people's posts - 25 random things about me. I decided to list mine too. So here goes... 25 things about Pragi

1) I'm Pragathambal - though I mostly say I don't like my name - I love it! I like being called Pragi.

2) I've grown my hair to various lengths according to my mom's wishes and now I wish I hadn't.

3) I have lived away from home for most of my life and I love the independence I have. I'm never homesick, I hate that!

4) To me the most important thing is staying happy, and I try to always.

5) I love spending time with my grandparents when they are not talking about my salary or my food habits.

6) Talking of food habits, I eat a lot when I like the food. If not I waste. I've tried my best to stop wasting and I'm getting close to succeeding.

7) Over these years of school and college / friends and family - I've lost my temper and become overly patient which I now hate. I grew up trying to prove a point for everything - now I don't. I've learned to listen and I love me for that!

8) I wear Black once a week and I don't know why. I never wore pink before but now all I wanna buy is pink!

9) I sleep opposite sides on my cot - I somehow sleep better this way. I need a good conversation with someone before I go to sleep, or I cannot.

10) I'm a little fast - in everything except eating. I like to do things fast. Things that go slow don't work well with me.

11) I don't believe in horoscopes/astrology blah blah. I believe in the minute, the second. But I do make dinner plans ;)

12) I'm cranky when woken up. Very. I like sleeping till I wake myself.

13) I can stop at any paani poori waala on the road and eat. I love experimenting food from different places. My favorite so far is from Ajnabi, Fountain Plaza. :D Also, sandwich waala outside Alsamall.

14) I used to hate posing for pictures earlier, now I don't. I like having my pictures taken and I like going through them once in a while.

15) I'm super excited before my birthdays but when people ask me I hide my excitement. I love my birthdays! I sometimes have a countdown before my birthday.

16) When my laundry bag if full and my cupboard is empty - there have been instances where I took leave from college and work to wash clothes.

17) I'm a brat. Was, am, will be. I think my worst was rubbing my nanny's toothbrush on my friend's shoes when I was 12. (I think of it everyday and I feel guilty!)

18) I missed an opportunity to go to the US when I was in college. I hated myself for letting that happen. I blame myself for that though I'm not supposed to. I'm going in July 2009.

19) I eat ice cream once a week. I feel handicapped when I don't. Chocolate is a daily dose. I've passed 3 years with a resolution that I should stop eating chocolate successfully.

20) I'm used to standing in lines right from the very first boarding school I went to. So, if you see me standing behind you in any public place - That's what I'm doing.

21) I like to be left alone when I don't feel like it - but otherwise I'm the one who is speaking. Always!

22) I once dreamed that my cousin and I opening a nursery with exotic flowers and vegetables. I think of this dream once in a while.

23) I once pooped in my pants and that was the most embarrassing moment in my life ever! (I had a bad stomach!) I was 12 and that's when my nanny made fun of me and I ruined her tooth brush.

24) I thought I was a nerd in school but I wasn't. I thought I was a nerd in high school but I wasn't. I thought I was a nerd in college but I wasn't in college ever. My attendance was called Permission.

25) I love to brag about myself. Though I know I have 3 followers on this blog who know me too well. I still love to talk about myself.


There are 2 colors in my bedroom and I don't like both.

How painful a 'NO' from an unknown person can be!

I somehow choose my team meetings to blog. That's when all my thoughts keep coming on the black frame under my sleepy eyes.

Two days back I was at the US consulate building for my interview. My family is traveling to the US in July for a Lions Club conference. My dad had been going through the forms and documents for over a month. It so happened that I went home 2 days before this interview day. My dad would open these papers and cross check with the checklist form the travel agent every night. I was also asked to bring my bank documents which i didn't want my parents to see. So many papers and soooo much tension. I always thought what the deal was. But it is!

My brother is completing his 12th std this year and we were all doubtful whether his would get through. Mine was not a problem as I had a letter from my company and I was pretty confident.

When we were in the line my mother and I saw a girl weeping outside the building. Probably a rejection... It was really sad to see her. Every application costs Rs 8,000. People who cannot afford it cannot keep applying!

It was sad as we went in I saw more sad faces. Our application went smooth and we were all granted visas. When we were in the line we could see that everyone before the line were with just one reaction. People after the line were of two emotions - sad and Extremely happy! I saw an equal amount of both. But as I came out I felt sad about the fact that not everyone gets what they want...and its not like they get their money back. Its sad!

Its very sad to have someone say a NO, specially someone you don't know and yet they have all the power to say a NO!

Moments when you lose the will to live...

When you are in a VC where you do not understand a thing and you feel like a loser to not contribute anything.

Noo CC!

I Killed My Expenses!

Pull yourself Up!

http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html

Padmashree Aishwarya Rai Bachan - You agree?

Well, I do. I've hated her always, infact I don't know any girl who doesn't. I remember once a well wisher of mine had written a book and in that book he had a picture of his near a picture of Aishwarya Rai Bachan and he added "I get to be near her only here!"

I don't really remember why I started hating her. Her 'Meenakshi' character in Kandukonden Kandukonden was really good and she did a very good job. The stubborn, adamant girl with a heart of her own and a world of her own. She played the character really well. So was her double role in Iruvar. Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (though when I see it now is annoying) was a good one too. Initially, I remember now - I did like her. Somehow her interviews are so bad she pisses people off. She is not so down-to-earth as she portrays herself. Becoming the Bachan Bahu has added to the woman's air.

Somehow when the announcement for the Padmashri was on TV, I was not so surprised about she getting it. Yes, it does sound very very bad when you say them in a line Padmashri Kamal Hassan, Padmashri AR Rahman and then her name. Urgh! But somehow she does deserve it. (believe me its taking me a lot of convincing to type this!)

She has added to India's glory right from her Miss.World. A regular at the Cannes, jury of Cannes and all the other movies around the world adds to her blah blah. She has had a perfect life so far, wishing her good luck. (I had to cut it here, could not continue!)

I laugh at people when I find something funny.

There are a few people who do so much to get other people's attentions, a few others who don't try much, a few more others who just don't try at all but still do, a few others who don't try so they will get the attention, but the few who just be themselves and get the funny side of others are the best! One such case on the Begumpet flyover on Saturday when Jeanette and I went shopping.

We had just laughed at a woman who was trying to save her boyfriend/brother/the guy on the bike with her's hair from flying into her mouth. Just after that we saw this guy who had hearts drawn on his helmet with various color glitter pens. I HAD to take a picture cause I wanted to put it up here.

P.S : Helmet guy : If you are reading, sorry!

What The Eff - 3!

Living practically 13 hours a day in office - I successfully used the word 'Bastard' for the first time in my life. It so happened that it came very casually and that made me feel all the more worse!! Urgh!

Why should other people's language influence the way you speak?! - It's like a passive smoker become an active smoker! And of all the people Naveen had to hear it - What the Eff!

A beautiful movie!

Working for Google has its benefits – number one the food, number two the transport, number three the lovely people with you who will have all kinds of movies with them that they can pass on. One of those movies that I borrowed from a friend is the ‘The World’s Fastest Indian.’

I find it really difficult to fall asleep before 11pm these days so I decided to put myself to sleep with this movie. The story is not complicated, does not have flying men, does not have men armed with forces that can destroy the universe and its evil powers – btw these kinda movies are not my type. The movie is about this very determined old man who wants to break his own land record on his hand built motorbike – The Indian. He lives in New Zealand and wants to break his record in America (where he has never been before.) The basic encouragement and warmth he receives from people of his little town and Thomas – the little boy next door is heart breaking. (To be honest I cried when I watched him leave to America – somehow I has this feeling he would die in the US or something)


“Dad doesn’t think you can do it, he says everyone thinks that – Except me!” – This was a moving line from the little guy! “If you don’t follow your dreams, you might as well be a vegetable!” – This is what he tells the little boy before he leaves. I don’t really wanna know what it means but it was such a nice thing to hear! The basic culture shock he faces in America is depicted so well – I loved the way he answers the waitress for how he wants his eggs “I want them cooked dear!” It’s nothing much to listen to but coming from an adorable old man is so sweet!

The movie ends beautifully with Burt (oh, his name!) breaking his own record and returning home for a warming welcome. The movie closes with titles that say he did go back and break 9 more of his records.

From this movie –

Peeping on your lemon tree helps fertilize the plant – doesn’t pee fertilize all kinds of plants?

In America you are not allowed to park your car on a highway – never seen any police patrol on our highways!

You should always have someone to look up to – I always thought outperforming yourself was the only thing to look up to in life. (No comments about this, please!)

Never watch a very nice movie before you are going to sleep – You don’t sleep till 3 am that night! (or the next morning!)

I loved this movie! – MUST WATCH!