I'm in love and I'm happy

Killer title no?

Before you get all excited and ready for some juicy gossip, let me just introduce you to him.

This is Bolt.

Isnt he just darling?
What ok. Dont roll your eyes. I can be gimmicky on my own blog, if I want to.
But draw your attention to his eyes, his large nose, his perfect tail. Isnt he just the cutest thing you ever saw? Isnt he just? Isnt he?

Look, this is Bolt's puppy eyes look.

This is Bolt staring incredulously at a rodent.

This is Bolt being angry.

This is Bolt being compassionate.

This is Bolt in action.

This is Bolt in action at night.

This is Bolt swinging from a banner with a skeletal cat and a hamster.

This is Bolt being studly.

This is Bolt being confused and lost.

Ah Bolt.

How I love you, and your perfect tail.

Bestest lent me the movie a while ago and he is now the Dog of my Life. Unfortunately, as a result, I have been forced to remove Ceazu, (Bestest's Boxer) from top position on my list. (Yes, I have a list. What's it to you?) Which goose, you cant really blame me for seeing as you were the one who introduced me to Bolt in the first place, right? So there will be no plate throwing and name calling, right? And no yelling and screaming insults and abuses while running me over with a truck, right? Right.

So that's who Im in love with.
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And why am I happy?

Well today was THE most BORING day I've ever lived through. I swear.

And if that's not enough to make a girl happy, I dont know what is.

Patience I say, there's more.
In the morning I was so sleepy I was afraid I was going to crash headfirst into the monitor if I didnt do something about it quickly. And then I'd have to pay a fine and stuff, not to mention sew up my severed head. So the other intern and I walked down to the nearby coffee day and bought a frappe, because they wake me up (and well, Im addicted. Shhh).
It didnt help.
I spent the entire afternoon doing NOTHING. And I intensely hate this doing nothing business. I was feeling all restless and angsty and uncomfortable and adventurous and wanting to do something crazy, like bungee jumping or running through the roads screaming "the sky is falling, the sky is falling". And I spent the whole afternoon not being able to, and generally just feeling terribly trapped and miserable the entire time.

Now if all that's not enough to make a girl happy, I dont know what is.

No WAIT. There's more.
In the evening, I got some good news:

I've passed my sixth semester with Distinction! YAY!

*waits for applause to stop while some others mutter 'well, that was long winded', and to them I say "well its my blog and I can rant here if I want to ok!" before tearing up and running away*

Ordinarily I wouldnt bother so much about such news, but today it just made me euphoric.
Yes, there is still some Iyengari blood flowing through these veins.

And to all of you who eagerly came here expecting E News type drama and romance and were bored out of their senses by this long, rambling, rant of a post... HA HA ( in the words of Nelson). And also, do me a favour please, and go and jump in a well. Thank you.

In my next post I declare there will be no gimmicks.
Scout's Honour.

A pwomiss is a pwomiss

And now is when I blurt out nonsense! Wait for it!! Wait for it!
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Why does that Vodaphone lady greet you with malicious laughter when she's about to tell you that the number you are trying to call is unavailable? "Hahaha the Vodaphone number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable hahaha." I mean why is that necessary, that smug smile in her voice? Cut it out I say! Throw that lady in front of a bus I say! Do they WANT us to associate Vodaphone with murderous feelings already? Really.
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Fantastic ad I saw. Poster. Large. In medical store. I stared at it the entire twenty five minutes I was waiting for the fat lady to decipher the prescription and waddle around uncertainly trying to pick the right drugs off the shelf.

"Vicks" it says proudly. "Trusted by 70% doctors."

All I could think of the entire time was about the 30% who considered it a health hazard.
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I dearly wanted to put up the collage Oshmunch made of me and her... and then converted into a darling magnet that sits prettily above my mirror, but having recently heard internet psycho story, I have decided against. :(
It is so cute though. Just so you know.
Oshmunch is in Delhi doing a PR internship. She is missed much.
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Also, Im 21. It's true. Each year I must will myself to believe that I am in fact aging, by telling myself here on my blog. I am 21. It's true.
It happened some 6 days ago, while I was in Singapore.
I lay awake the night before curled up in the foetal position (as is tradition before birthdays) evaluating my life up till date and feeling that I really really really hadnt done enough with all of it. :( Wonderful way to bring in a new year. But in the morning I woke up all reassured, I must've had some sort of calming dream or something.
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And then I got back and Jay had been such a deer and arranged something in my absence for my 21st. We all met up and had such a glorious evening of fun... I wish it could have gone on forever. And Im not usually so senty about things like that. This was truly an awesome evening, I couldnt have had more fun. Everyone was adorable and the gifts are all treasured. :)
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And now we're on yesterday's party page of the Deccan Chronicle. Did I ever think the day would come? No. Has it though? Yes.

I suppose our little non achievements must be given their due credit. Besides, while I was appalled at first, after I saw it I wasn't as much. Same with the others. It was actually a really cute little write up. And it kind of serves the purpose of a permanent reminder of such a wonderful evening. :)
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Goose I miss the days. I am going to make a photo album especially of the days. Who would have thought they would be times that we missed. Let this photo be a tribute to the-week-I-want-to-go-back-to. You write your GRE soon I say goose. Oh, and I have a photo gift for you from Singapore. Later. For now I leave you with this reminder (that will make no sense to anyone but me and you. :D) Giggles.

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The internship started yesterday, with Orchard India, ad agency. (Isnt the website like, sew cool?) I have also been sorting my life out a wee bit. Sigh. More on that later.
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I have a cold. After a long time. It kinda sucks sneezing so often.
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I have just realised that NO topic is too trivial for this blog.

So I shall now proceed to talk extensively about the Leaping Ant.
I've encountered a fair share of crazy animals in my life, the mad squirrel, the Dog of My Life and lagoose to name a few, but none of them were quite as mad as the leaping ant.

So the other night I'm sitting on my bed (upright for once), back to the wall, studying for a very important exam (so I'd like you to believe, but I am in fact simply staring vacantly into space, one earphone in place, and a book open before me, waiting for the cows to come home).

I lean my head against the wall in sheer desperation, when I see out of the corner of my eye, a very large black ant. I do not have a heart attack, and pat myself on the back in commendation of my bravery. Meanwhile the ant leaps a good 3 feet in my direction. I have a heart attack and scramble in an ungainly manner off the bed. Whereupon it leaps after me. So high! SO far! It was truly a sight to behold. After it had chased me a couple of times around the room I mustered the courage and found an opportune moment to flick it out of the stairwell window.
But it was quite a display of acrobatics. I never imagined such a thing possible.

I must save this unsavoury moment for posterity! I thought to myself. And so I have.
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And with that, I leave you. Until my next dose of nonsense.
Peace.
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Just so there is a post for March

It's April first. And my blog is still dead.
What the hell is wrong with me?

College is over. And there was some sadness. A lot actually. But Im waiting for the next adventure... bring it on!

There is much to blog about. (Malaysia was awesome.) And I will this month, since I have pretty much nothing else to do. Except plan my what's happening the rest of my life and stuff, and that... eh. *tsks and makes nonchalant hand gesture*

Meanwhile see Bestest's blogpost on coffee. *Frappe addiction kicks in again* She and Sne went to her plantation in Madikeri, and the coffee blossoms are just beautiful (Snow Blossoms, I called them) And the photos are breathtaking. Except they arent loading properly just now, so you'll just have to wait and check them out later.

More posts this month I pwomiss.

PS: Is anyone else creeped out by the BJP advertisements on Youtube? It just all seems very unnatural.

Just so there is a post for February

It's March first. And the summer's begun.

There's always an exact day when I realise that it's summer again. This time it was on Friday, 27th Feb, as Osh and I passed Nilgiris on Brigade Road. The smell of mangoes wafted gently up my nostrils, even as I was elbowed in the stomach by a portly man on a cell phone. And it was then that I knew.

I cant do anything when it's this hot. It always takes some getting used to. But the summer is always exciting. I look forward to this one. :)

WHAT the Hell

No seriously. What. Who does this bloody Arindam Chaudhuri THINK he is?
He wrote this article on Slumdog Millionaire. Click link and open in new tab.

Don't see "Slumdog Millionaire". It sucks!
By Arindam Chaudhuri

I saw it on Monday, at the bottom of a full page ad for IIPM. Very relevant no, to IIPM, this article? And I was too appalled to read it. It also appeared as the editorial in one of our newspapers the following day I think.

This is someone that people respect and admire. He's won awards. He's supposed to be a role model, a celebrity. Who knew he was such a lunatic? WHAT the hell is wrong with him?

First of all, (and it may seem trivial, but it is not to me) his grammar is COMPLETELY off in places. "Don't see" I believe.

Secondly, WHY go to such lengths?
Okay, you didnt like the movie. Fine. Why write a freaking editorial about it?
Do we not have more pressing things to give importance to?
And why be so extremist? And why give it such a childish and ridiculous headline?
I am not the only one thinking he must have some sort of ulterior motive here.
Why make it occupy a quarter of full page ad for IIPM for chrissake. Why put it everywhere? Why make it THAT public? Perhaps he has something to gain from the failure of this movie at the box office. Notice he says at the end:

Don’t even waste your time watching this film in the theatres.

Why mention in theatres unless he had box office results in mind?

Notice how the article stresses more on how one should NOT GO SEE the movie. Why not say, Go watch it, and see what rubbish it is? Go watch it, and see how we're being portrayed? Why say Dont go see it so often in the article, and give it that ridiculous, irrational Headline? It seems as though this man has all the wrong interests at heart.

Thirdly, he is really extremist in his views. You can't be so illogical ya! Especially when you are someone that important. Ack, Im too angry to write. Here are some ridiculous things he's said. Actually the whole article is ridiculous. But here:

While “Salaam Bombay” had realism, “Slumdog…” is just every scrap of dirt picked up from every corner and piled up together to try and hit back at the growing might of India.

Really now. Picked up and made to hit back at the growing might of India.
Im sure that's what they had in mind while making the film. Let us try and hit back at the growing might of India.
Talk about irrational. This idiot (and Im sorry Im being abusive, but Im angry) has NO IDEA about films Im telling you. NO IDEA. What about some of the shoddy unrealistic films that he's produced?

The real slumdogs who’ve hit the jackpot after wallowing in acres of human waste are the makers of this film who are now raking in millions while those court jesters who’ve critiqued the film and showered tributes and awards need to ask themselves why, scores of years after our independence, they still feel the need to suck up to the gora sahibs.

WHAT? Who is sucking up to the gora sahibs? I understand you have great fascination for the word "suck" Mr Chaudhury, but please!

It illogically shows every negative thing about India happening in the protagonist’s life... slums, open-air lavatories, riots, underworld, prostitution, brothels, child labour, begging, blinding and maiming of kids to make them into ‘better beggars’, petty peddlers, traffic jams, irresponsible call centre executives…

YOU are illogical. The movie is based on a BOOK. The book was written by an INDIAN. Who Im sure had no intention of hitting back at the growing might of India.

I agree that perhaps the movie might give people abroad a bad idea about India. And I wish that during Interviews and the publicity that they had stressed that this was just one aspect of India. But it's a movie, and a darn good one at that, and anyone doing business with us would know our country is a lot more than the slums. I don't see how much harm it could cause.

It is depressing to read some of the comments by the empty headed who look to the likes of him for their opinions. "Yes sir you are complete totally 100% completely true and right please admit me in your IIPM I have scored 50% marks." *barf*

I am however, slightly mollified by the number of comments that disagree with him on his blog. And I shall paste a few here.

(I would, but it is wrecking havoc on my blog saying html error and changing the font colours to flourescent blue and pink, and I cant do that to my blog. Flourescent blue. No.
I will try later, to paste these heart lifting comments. Know that they are there.)

And I say:
Dude you are completely off your rocker. Please go get head checked asap.

I would like to be have been more coherent here but I am too LIVID.

Even that Mangalore thing is driving me crazy. Srirama Sene I believe. Are there so many nutcases in the world? Really? It's depressing.

Tomorrow advertising exam. I should probably go study.

Slumdog Millionaire, Auto Raja Post and Psych Fest

Little obsession is happening with Slumdog Millionaire. Ever since I watched it. (I most certainly didnt watch it at Bestest's two weeks ago because GreatSenseofDirection Dude had it on his removable hard drive. That would be illegal.)

I reallyreallyreallyreally loved the movie. And Dev Patel. *Sigh* It's all in the eyebrows.
Dev? Are you listening? I know you're 17 and all. But still. Call me.

There were some trivial things that irked me: Like how Anil Kapoor pronounces millionaire. "Who wants to be... a millin-air!!!!" I dunno, that was just JARRing. Yuck. It's mil IAN air.

Also, the slum dwellers English accents when they grew older. Huh? They sounded more like middle upper educated class Indian English accents. Although not accurate, I actually kinda liked it. I guess I related to the characters more because of it.

NOTHING ELSE! The music is JUST awesome. JUST. Paper Planes is my current favourite. And those little kids! Amazing jobs they've done. Perfect, in fact.

Twice this week I have watched half an hour debates on Times Now(blah) on whether "We as a nation are still touchy about poverty." And "Does Slumdog Millionnaire portray us badly to the rest of the world." Which is silly actually because nobody is supposed to have watched it yet. And also, do we HAVE nothing else to talk about?

Of course we're touchy about poverty. But look, it's a movie. You cant be too much PR types in your movie. What image will this person get about this and how will that affect everything else. If you did that, you'd never be able to make something you truly felt about. Movies are art, your voice. You cant bend them around to suit PR strategies for the country for chrissake. Too much talk for no reason.
I only wish Frieda Pinto (who's gorgeous by the way) had been a little smarter in the way she answered some of those question they were asking her. She kept ON saying in all her interviews that THIS was the real Mumbai. THIS was a true depiction of Mumbai. Hello. It was one PART of Mumbai, there are so many aspects of the city that werent portrayed. I mean there is culture, and good schools and goodness as well, you know? She could have easily said "Yes, this IS what Mumbai is like. This is an accuarate portrayal of what part of Mumbai is like."

Look at them. Already at the Golden Globes. Oscars. Even I want to do great things with my life. *pouts*
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Yay 1000 bucks this time InBloom Creative writing first place. Yay! You should have seen my face while signing for cheque. Teacher was highly amused. I thought they'll give 500 or something. These Christ people no. This is the only time of the year that I like them so much. Jay and I have made a plan that if we dont get high paying jobs, we'll just hit all the college fests and submit prize winning entries for everything. Full rich.
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Doesnt it annoy you when these auto drivers (I see you sit up in your seat and start nodding) almost bash into someone ok, and then start driving almost immediately, but while staring at the person they've almost hit, threateningly?
I mean stop the gaadi and then stare no? Stare all you want. Throw daggers with your eyes. Remain there, without saying anything, glaring evilly for as long as you want. But dont keep the gaadi moving, and stare while continuing to drive into other people and things. Smart too much. Right into that oncoming bus.
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Pah. It's too tough being a celeb and all. What a sad thing to happen to anyone.
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Psych fest no. Sigh what memories. There's a pattern we FEPs follow for the 12 Minutes to fame event, you know.

I FEP- You're new you dont know what the hell this psych fest is all about. You dont do anything and hurriedly put on a 12 minutes to fame piece of nothingness.
II FEP- fueled by last year's embarrassment, you decide to put on a really good show. And your previously disintegrated class comes together and you feel great euphoria and its just awesomeness.
III FEP- You have a lot on your mind. There's lots of other stuff going on. Half your class doesnt turn up because this is all old shit ya. You're lazy. You make something up on the morning of the show and almost get third place but miss by one mark.

How history repeats itself. Sigh.
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Of Cream & Fudge Psychopaths

Ah, these psychopaths. I met one just the other day.

No, really.

So we're at The Cream & Fudge Factory, right, me and Osh.
I know, I know. Why go there when you can make 10 rupee Cream and Fudge Factory specials at home, right? Right. But I'd just had a small (massive) craving for donuts that morning in PR class and The Donut Baker is just above it and we thought eh, what the heck.

So we're sitting there on those bar stools (that place ish very shpecial to me) eating our donuts with our fingers from a tissue on a tray (They have no plates. They have no spoons. They have no forks, no knives, the goons.) And we've ordered a scoop of icecream.

Deep in pleasant conversation, discussing things that your average pair of 20 year girl buddies do. When suddenly we are startled out of our politically charged discussion, by an old man with a walker. One of these.-->

And he's robust, well built, well dressed and speaks perfect English. And he reaches where we're sitting and he says assertively in rough tones "How much was that?"

I stare incredulously wondering if he has a point. All I get is another "How much did you pay for that?"

I say, "Why do you want to know?", afraid that there will be a lecture on "You can buy the same thing from outside for 5 rupees! In my time you could buy Australia with the amount you have paid for that icecream." Seriously, the tone was just that. Like a reprimanding teacher. Who comes up to your table and asks to see your bill, I mean come on. I swear, if he wasnt so elderly I'd have yelled at him to bugger off and mind his own business. But Respect your elders, we have been taught. Even if they are crossing the line.

And he's like "How much?" And I stop myself from snapping and I tell him. And he says all commandingly, "Tell them to bring me one of those."

I think. Ok. Poor dude's in a walker. He probably cant wrap his mind around the numerous flavours and decide which one to have. He's decided he's liked the look of the one Im having. And he's probably one of those retired army officers who are used to people doing as they order them to. And he's kinda my grandad's age. And he's come here in a walker alone. Why isnt anyone with him? Poor thing. The least I can do is tell the waiter what to bring for him. So Im like, "Erm excuse me, he's asking for the same thing that I am having."

Waiter brings it and he scarfs the whole thing down and me and Osh continue yabbering.

Then he starts talking to these small kids sitting next to us on the barstools. (Sidenote: Kids today are so much more grown up than we were at their age, damnit. They are.) They are eating their ice cream from colourful rainbow sprinkle cones.

"You, girl. What are you eating?" *rough assertively*
"Icecream"
"What is that?"
"Icecream cone"
"Can you get me one of those? Go and get me one of those."
"Only cone?"
"Yes."

Girl stares blankly at him and then goes to her mamma. Mamma gets cone for old man. Old man says "There's nothing in it?"
Mamma says "You wanted ice cream also?"
"Yes tell them to give me whatever she's having." *points at girl*

Mamma confusedly goes to get icecream. Meanwhile old man says "Is that your mother? She is a very fine lady. Very good. You know? And where do you stay?"

Little Girl is smart, but not that smart. Mamma hurries over to hush her up. "Is that your daughter? She is a very fine girl. Very good." Old man scarfs down this icecream also. I wonder how. They are BIG portions and it was difficult for us to finish the one we'd ordered between the two of us. And the girls and mamma all leave.

And Osh and I are done yabbering and there's a Reliance Footwear Store nearby that we've been wanting to check out. So we jump lithely off our stools, hand the waiter dude the bill book and with a quick smile, start to walk out the door.

"Medam medam medam!!"
We walk back in again.
"Yes?"
"Medam, that man. He's not going to pay."
"Say wha?"
"Yes. He does this often. He comes in and makes other people buy for him."
"Other people as in, me?"
"Yes medam."
"But I didnt know that! And if you knew that why didnt you warn me?"
"You ordered for him no medam."
"Look I didnt know he was charging it to me... I just thought he needed help ordering."
"He does like this medam." *shakes head*
"If you knew he does like this, you should probably not have let him in this time, right?" *in severe tones* Like HELL I was going to pay double for those already overpriced icecreams.
"Yes medam. Ok medam. Its ok medam. Thank you."

And Osh and I walked out feeling quite shaken at the gall of this old man.

It wasnt like he didnt have money, he was very well spoken and very well dressed.
Why would he want two? At that age? Was he tying to kill himself? Was he a diabetic? Was this some sort of OC suicide he was trying to have here?
It must have been for the thrill of it. And he had no guilt whatsoever. Not in the least bit embarrassed, even as he heard the conversation we were having with the waiters. Classic psychopath. No conscience. No shame. No guilt. No sense of morality. Trying to be all good natured and charming with that little girl and her mum.
*shudders* The thought of someone being able to do anything they want to because there's nothing in their head that's stopping them is a scary thought.

The incident doesn't sound so tremour worthy, but really it left Osh and me quite shaken. That there were people like this- charming, well spoken intelligent people like this- who didnt mind doing anything at all, simply because they had no conscience. You should have been there, really it was disturbing, watching him lick away at the spoons, straight backed, well dressed, watching us brazenly as we discussed him from over at the cash counter.

4% of the population are psychopaths it sims. He was one, I'm sure. There's no other explanation.

Osh and me think the walker was just a ruse. Perhaps he bashes peoples heads in with it in dark alleyways at night. You never know.

23.01.09
Just to be clear, I am not trying to abuse an old defenseless man for my own perverse enjoyment here.
It does not look as though he suffers from

Severe Alzheimer's (Complete deterioration of the personality and loss of control over bodily functions, requires total dependence on others for even the most basic activities of daily living.)

OR

Schizhophrenia (Symptoms of disorganised schizhophrenia: Impaired communication skills, Incomprehensible or illogical speech, Emotional indifference, Inappropriate reactions e.g. laughing at a funeral, Infantile behavior: baby talk, giggling,Peculiar facial expressions and mannerisms)

It DOES sound as though he is a psychopath. ( Glibness / superficial charm, Cunning / manipulative, Lack of remorse or guilt, Failure to accept responsibility for own actions, Parasitic lifestyle, Impulsivity, Irresponsibility)

Thas all.

Hampi

The first memory that comes to mind is completely unrelated to the trip, it's third semester, we're sitting in class and we're deciding whether to go somewhere these hols or not, and suddenly I proclaim, "Hampi Jay, Hampi!" And there is a stunned silence, and then bursts of laughter, and I wished the floor would swallow me up.

Now of course, there are several other memories associated with the word. :) And I will list them all in a crude, ungainly fashion, because the best I can do at this point is copy down stuff I scribbled in my notebook at the time.
The best thing about the December hols was that Shru came down to visit and we decided on this last minute trip to Hampi which was fantastically blissful and now everytime I look at the pictures my heart flips and I want to go back again.

Bloody auto drivers.
Belts, scarves, bangles, dresses, colours, joy.
Osh walking into a bull.
Drunk shopkeeper with earrings. I cant believe we listened to him that long.
Isereli guy who tripped. Remember? Bahahahaha I still cant stop laughing at that. We're ridiculous, we are.
MM's monument
Bollywood Banana Groves.
Thw walking. And walking. And walking. And getting there.
The drunken sleepiness.
Furriners on cycles.
Content feeling in tummy auto rides.
Sleeping in. :D All of us.
Lady who asked for chocolate. Squirrels at the same place.
The Guide with Broken English.
Talking for hours and catching up on I want to say gossip, but I wont. :)
Droves of school children asking for our water bottles.
Dress shop man, hint, other lady two hours.
Funny scooter guys lake scream. (I really dont remember what that was all about.)

Awesome vacay. Here's to more. :) And here are some photos.

Christmas hols

I've learnt to be more content these Christmas hols. The restlessness, the wanderlust, the nothing ever being enough has gone. Out the door. With my misery. It really has. Jay was quoting for me the other day:

jacob: "we live life in the 'theres'. We are disappointed because once we reach the 'there' we just make another 'there' for ourselves and slog towards that. Savour life, look for the 'here'. Once you learn to appreciate and live the 'here', the 'there' becomes easier and more savorable"
And that's really how I was living a lot of this year. I mean, in the 'there'. But these hols had virtually NO plans, I was just going to relax and laze and do nothing and live in the moment and not worry about filling every second of it (which is a really big step for me, I usually have to be working and occupied and busy ALL the time or I feel worthless or like I'm wasting my youth or something :/) and somehow everything got filled anyway, even though I wasn't worrying my head about making it so. And it was relaxed filled, not jampacked filled, do I make sense? And I enjoyed everything so much better because I wasnt thinking so much about the whole thing.
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We went to Hampi for one thing, on last minute plans. Tbaby gave hath (ooo look, the MMGirl, she speaks Hindi!) so it was me Osh and Overseas Friend (I must find her another name) who went. And it was goshdarn nice I tell you. You know that happy content feeling in the pit of your stomach? It was that, throughout. I think I shall dedicate another post to that, sometime soon. (Yes, soon. :P)
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Then there was the spending of time with the niece and nephews. Have I mentioned how much I love them? It overflows this love, I just want to squeeze them all hard when they're around (I refrain from it of course.) Actually there is just a whole lotta affection thing happening this month, the overflowing, and Ive been taking it all out on Osh, Shar and Jay. Jay, he doesnt mind so much. But the other two have complained. Funny, I got affection expressed and wanted as low in FIRO B.
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Then there was the eating out. Shu, Im such a foodie. Then there was the Nigella recipes and trying them out. (I googled the web yesterday for yoga exercises for my tummy, not to worry) Casa del sol- not so good. Toscana- nice desserts!. Rajdhani- Shru, you shouldnt have paid! >:| McD- Well. Raghus- Dude this is the best place ever. Timeless.
For better reviews, see this blog, Gastronomical G-Spot , which I found extremely useful.

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Then there was the outright crazy new year. Let's just say that flaming santro cars that you can see from 300 metres away, shattered windshields, 100 rupee food coupons, and 4000 people you dont know is NOT my idea of the best way to usher in the new year. Followed by and following 3 hour drives. :| Oshmunch, my only solace. Muah! :)
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I also frequented BMS college of engineering. (Well, not frequented. :)) And toured Bestest's temple of learning, with Cow (I feel bad calling him that, I do because Bestest does. And it is a term of affection, and so appropriate), V, Rash and Puppy. And took weird story photos. And laughed and got embarrassed in front of amoebae, I'd forgotten how Bestest does that. ____________________________________________________________________

Then the Couch with GS, the giggling, the opening of hearts, the walking up and down MG road buying ghastly earrings because "They're just 25 rupees!". More giggling. Actually watching a Hindi movie with her. HER and ME! Can you believe it? Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Ack. Well, it wasnt too bad. She's pretty, and great for a beginner. And he's well, him. The sumo wrestling scene made me want to jump out of my seat and run out of the audi. And the drama scenes on the night where the lights spells 'I love you' was toooo much, I had to hold my head and rock back and forth in my seat to escape from the pain of it all. But otherwise quite swallowable. Quite. Then we went and sat in Garuda mall Barrista, had a look at the menus and ran out, giggling like we'd do in PUC. Hahaha, I cant tell you how much I enjoyed that. All this being 20 and all, you become too proper in public places, I dont laik it. This was fun.
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I think on top of the list of most fulfilling was being with Shru and FnA at UB City. And spending that day with springystepped earlier as well. 6 straight hours of continous talking and catching up. Sitting at Coffee Day Square (go there, its lovely, but prices are triple usual coffee day. :|) until the waiters got fed up and tried to kick us out. Still having way too much to talk about. All that shall be remedied this week. :)
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Finally getting the hang of downloading. Whooppeee!! It feels grrrrrreat!! Little Women. I can just watch that movie over and over. The only thing I dont like about it is Beth! How could they cast her? She looks like she is possessed the entire time! And that's really NOT what Beth is like. Tchah. Laurie is *SIGH*! :) Love that movie.
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The sleepovers with Shru and FnA. And making Nigella type cheesecake for mum and dad.
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There's something about Christmas that gives me a good feeling in my tummy. :)
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A Whole Lotta Nothing, a Happy New Year, and a Very Happy Birthday La! Post

Here la! I dedicate my most boring post ever to you! Because I love you that much! :P
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Little tension is happening. Why means? 59 days until college gets over. I counted. (Yes I do crazed things like this when Im panicked.) So yes. And I have no clue what Im doing after. Or rather I have too many clues and tis difficult to choose from them. This is my final year, and there's no fixed plan, and in 59 days Im out of college, with no idea of what's ahead. Woot. Im so happy.
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Today is La's birthday. So this is all dedicated to her, my Bestest, who so often annoys me for new posts. La is far off in Madikeri, but I am with her in thoughts. I forced myself out of a very heavy blog slumber for you my goose. God knows what pleasure you derive from reading my mangled thoughts, but Im glad that you do. :)
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One of aforementioned thoughts is, how can people use yahoo mail when there is gmail? I mean HOW? Gmail is so convenient. There are so many useful little feature thingammys that make life so EASY.
Labeling, that lovely clear layout, archiving,
most importantly conversation emails, where all your replies are in one email,
gtalk right there, To do list right there,
and lately those theme things- I have Zooblimps, they is darn kyoot. :)

And how CAN people still use Hi5 (Jay sent me a friend request from there, I couldnt believe people were still active on that mess) when there's Facebook that's so much more private and convenient? (Let us not get into debating the issue of social networking sites, boon or bane? just now.)

HOW I ask you, HOW!?!! Life's mysteries, for sooth.
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The word convenient. I pronounce it differently in my head, after I recently discovered it was spelled conVENient, and not conVINient, as I'd earlier believed, and that my motorola dictionary was not stupid as I'd earlier assumed.
Convenient. Fascinating word that, and a favourite.
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Motorola sucks dude. No wonder these shooting pains down my arm have gotten so frequent (hmmm, what's that? Why yes, it IS my left arm. A heart attack you say?) I have the w375 (Yes, snazziest model ever. But it's a flip, and so I like.) and its frickin impossible to type anything on it. Nokia over Motorola any day.
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I made up a new word. It's an insult: Ridiculouse. It is used to describe someone who is both ridiculous and a louse.
Usage: That Samir is such a ridiculouse. Not only does he have no respect for women, but he also comes to college wearing clown's clothes.

Now if that's not a useful word, I dont know what is.
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It's funny how I dont swear here.
I do in real life.
*pauses*
Yes, this blog is an illusion.
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I know it's like totally unfashionable to say this, but Im still crazy about Friends. Even my dad has graduated from saying "Ay, what is this I say? Bunch of lunatics! Switch the bloody tv off!" to guffawing loudly and calling me downstairs to watch it with him every evening at seven. Its a nice little ritual we have now.
I find I am very much like Monica.
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Im very obsessed with recording things. I feel very unsettled when I havent documented something that's happened to me. Im so afraid of forgetting. And FnA's extremely pathetic memory scares me all the more. I dont want to look back and think what did I do with all that time. I have to know that I used it all properly. Im so afraid of forgetting.
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I dont put my heart out here much, do I? Most blogs read do. Not their own hearts of course, but their publisher's.

I do not wail about lost and unreturned loves here because, erm, that is just really not me.
I do not complain about feeling like shit. Much.
I do not lament about how things are not going my way.

I guess it's because Im not much the drama queen types. And Im generally a happy person. And while that does not mean Im singing soprano to little yellow canary birds perched on my fingers all day, it does mean that Im generally content.
But that also means that when Im sad, it really hits me. And I do not post about it here, because, well I just dont.
There are things I worry about. Usually I feel on top of the world, and like I can do anything, like my life will be just the way I want it to be, like I can conquer anything. And there are times I feel like nothing is going my way and I dont post about it because, well because.

I havent been too confessional diary-type personal this past year. And those are really the best blogs to read. Perhaps I shall be in the coming year.
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An Oshsay I wanted to document. What is it? Oshsay number 10? Ah yes. Number 9. Saved in a draft. Here:

Oshsays IX- February 08

1. Osh: My toe thumb is paining.
2. Osh: What? If you can have a toenail, you can have a toethumb.
3. Snumsay: What'd she call it? Big toe finger?
4: Osh: They're all toe fingers.
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Another draft: Conversation in an auto. (Some non-intelligence saved for posterity)

Tam, me, Shar and Osh on Shar's lap.

Destination: Hellhole
Time: Vairy late for psych seminar in Main Audi.

Shar: Osh. Totally creasing my kurta. Totally.
Osh: Deal with it.

Shar: With Osh on my lap and creasing my kurta, there is hardly any room for my bag. No space for my bag here AT all. Keep it behind munch? Let's not forget it ok? Remember.

*quiet for two minutes.
Shar gazes outside.
We hear humming from that corner of the auto.
She stares randomly at a couple of motorists.
She complains bitterly about a couple of motorists staring at her.*

Five minutes later.

Shar: SHIT, did I bring a bag?

Tam: *gasp*haha uhyuahyuahu haha*gasp*

We got there and you shoulda SEEN what a wretch IndustrialFellow was being. Did not let us in. And when we finally sneaked in (Poor Jay was elsewhere and left out), AbnormalLady accosted us. "Giwe me yuur roll numburs." Silence.
"Giwe.
Me.
Yuur.
Roll.
Num-
BERS."

Whereupon I gave breaknumber and worried for ages that she'd catch me.

And that is a day in the life of MM.
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Back to Lagoose and her birthday gift. (Dont throw a fit, this isnt ALL you will be getting)
My goose, here is a collage of all the ugliest pictures we have ever taken, for you.
On your 21st (Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!) birthday.
Enjoy! And I lurve you much!

I dont know what that brown square in the bottom right corner is all about. It wasnt there when I made the collage. We shall think of it as "The future", yes? :)

Ok collage not uploading. I shall try later. Know it is there, that's enough. :)
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Naarth Yeest

Im sorry.
It's just that college has started, and Im forced to sit through lectures where my teachers are saying things like "Find out does the five of them have understood." "How can we define PD as? What does it stand from?" and "Which arsepect of the ictivity do the indi-u-jials enjoys?", and all this is taking a toll on my pronunciation.

So we went to Pelling, Darjeeling, Gangtok and Mirrick, in that order. Mum, Dad, me, Dear IyengariAunty Number 3, Respective Uncle and the Cousin N.

It involved a lot of sitting in buses as we drove up the hills on winding roads, watching the beautiful scenery, which is all very nice the first twenty minutes, but gets Jesus Lord I have to tear my hair out of my head boring after that. No, it is breathtaking, and the first few hours I smiled to myself and thought, Ah, this is heaven, I could take a lifetime of this. But no, I couldnt. Dudes, I have realised one thing from this trip. I am a city girl. Staring at trees, and getting up at four to witness "the glory of the sunrise" are not things I am meant for. It was beautiful, and I did appreciate it. But I can only in small quantities. After that Im just gonna need a computer and a nice smelling tea shop with some fluffy cushions and good lighting.

There were these helpful little road signs along the way though, put there precisely for the benefit of bored travelers such as myself:
"This is not rally. Enjoy the valley."
"Life is short, dont make it shorter"
"If you sleep, family will weep."
Sikkhim was overall far better developed than West Bengal though. I really liked Pelling and Gangtok. (But this is probably because our hotels were good there.)

You know what? There is such a thing as nose cardys! Pliss read first that it was I who invented them.

Why am I wearing a dead purple animal around my neck, you ask?
And to that I say, it was cold.
From Gangtok we went to this lake that was 13,000 feet above sea level, and we had to wear these nose cardy things, it was so cold. Mmmm, they made us hot maggi in lovely bowls and it was soothing to the senses. I bought some of the bowls. They are soothing to my senses.

August 09: Ive decided to complete the post and put it up because there's this feeling of too many open drawers.
Ah yes nose cardys. Now of course we just call them N95 masks.
I loved Gangtok, it was beautiful, and if you ever want to escape your life, this is where you should definitely go. I met some darling people (including the kolandegals that N and I began to refer to as The Germans or merely, "samosa!" as they passed us). We saw some beautiful scenery, and altogether it was quite magical it seems, from the pictures- it's been so long I dont remember what it was really like. Oh and I sat on a yak, and we had a snow fight and all that. Not me and the yak, N and I. And here are some photos.

Me with afore mentioned darling people, with the snow, with N and beautiful beautiful sceneries. (I love Bend it Like Beckham)

THERE IS NO POST FOR NOVEMBER

NOOOOOOOOO!! How could this be happening!!


*calms down*

Yes so I've been little busy. And loads of updating is needed, but I have GRE coming up. Herhetjrhsba. (No, that is not a GRE word, thats just me choking.) So Im afraid this place is going to be dead a little longer.

I will however republish a few posts I'd written a long time ago on my old blog, here, under the dates I wrote them, purely for your reading entertainment! *acknowledges the cheering*

They're all Bits about Zz, here are the links.
Nose Cardys and Monsters
Gruesomeness
The Zz Code

And I will take this opportunity also to wish Jay a happy birday day, thus bringing the number of mediums I have wished him in to five hundred and eighty four. Happy Birday day Jay! See his blog.

And I will see you all in Jan. Or December end. Or before that if it catches my fancy.

Yours panickingly, (GRE word?)

A Jittery MM.
Yo.

The Exams are Ovah! :D

(Well, there's one more left, but it doesnt count. Last exams never count. )

So the exams have ended and now I can look back at them fondly and reminisce over the many inconsequential incidents that occurred during.

Like the time when I got Bestest to be my subject for the Abnormal psychology practical exam.

MM: Laa, be my subject noooooo?
La: *groans* But what'll I have to do and all?
MM: Nothing, I'll just be checking whether you have psychotic tendencies. Whether you might just strangle an unsuspecting passer by on the road. You know. That stuff. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease??
La: I know I want to strangle you right now.

So she came and all. But I was ten minutes late for the exam and I hadnt studied. (What ok? I was with V and Meril and all of them and watching Cow's movie and I didnt want to leeeave. Would you? Tell me honestly)
So I was there a bit late and I was standing outside the parking lot mugging things out loud.

MM: La, listen to me, I'll just tell them out to you: Democratic values, Economic, Social, Aesthetic, Knowledge, Power, Hedonistic... gosh darn why are there so many of them... Family Prestige, Religious, Health values... there thats all of them, ok? Ok? Done. Good thats over. Next...
La: *rolls eyes, puts on pained smile, tries to stop self from puling hair out of head*

So I got to the main block and upstairs and I glimpse a few of my classmates in the first class, and Im like, Cool. Found my room that quickly. Score.
Go in take out stuff from bag.

But then psych teacher with name of flower accosts me.

Teacherwithnameofflower: Finised? *glares*
MM: Huh?
Teacherwithnameofflower: *glares some more* Finised teaching your subject everything?
MM: Say wha?
Teacherwithnameofflower: I SAW you. Outside the parking lot. I was passing there. I SAW you teaching her. Dont try to lie. I know how you people are. I SAW you.
MM: *losing it and getting snappy, I mean how much can a girl take?* Look, I wasnt teaching her, why would I be teaching her? I was studying for chrissake.
Teacherwithnameofflower: *Is taken aback at rudeness, but collects herself quickly* Then why are you late? You cant be late I say what is this. *continues to lecture for fifteen minutes*

I ignore her, wait till she's done. Then I collect my stuff from my bag, grumbling. And then I walk the entire length of the class room looking for my seat.

Which isnt there.

Because this isnt my exam hall.

Joel passes by and sees me, discreetly gestures to me through window and escorts me to my actual exam hall. I wave embarrassedly at everyone and leave. (Err... Toodles then!)

Other than that though, the exam was fantastic.
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Also, like the time I started studying for Industrial Psych at 3am, and then while looking at the xeroxed notes Jay got for me which is all I have for the entire second half of the syllabus, I realise he's xeroxed every alternate page, so nothing makes any sense. So I call him frantically, but of course he's all cosy in bed.
MM: Dude, these notes dont make any sense dude. Half the frickin pages are missing.
Jay: Oh. Yes. Mine too.
MM: Say wha? Didnt you check when you were getting it done?
Jay: Yes, but the copy I xeroxed it from was also like this.
MM: Genius. So now what?
Jay: Im studying from this only. If you try and imagine the rest of the words.. it actually works!
MM: *rolls eyes, hangs up*

So morning I decide to go to the library and fish out the book it was xeroxed from and try and read it. But I see Monkey in the foodcourt, and he has all the notes so he tells me entire second half of the syllabus in forty five minutes. And I wrote the exam based on that. Didnt do half badly either.
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Then there was when the munches and I decided to go have lunch after one grueling exam. There's this place called Fire Wok in Oasis food court. Mmm. We splurged and it was yum, and we planned and screamed and let off steam and it was nice. Mwa to the munches. Now I have to go meet them. Shar is going to do something nutty and I have to be there apparently.
What's that you say? Yes I do have an exam tomorrow... but its the last one dude. Doesnt count. Doesnt count.
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Oh look, it's one of those posts where she talks about the exams and how much they're killing her...

Run, run for cover... Quickly, before you get sucked into the long drawn out journey that is this post, a downward spiral into complete and utter...



too late.

Hello there. Im notsovery happy at the moment.

Why, you ask incredulously with raised eyebrow?
It's the exams, my friend. They're here again.

Except this time, they are a lot worse.

How, you ask incredulously with raised eyebrow?
Because this time, I really dont care anymore how well I do. It's like Shar and I were talking about, there is JUST no motivation.

Look first of all, it's all just too bloody boring.
There are just so many other things we do in our course and outside of it that give us more of a sense of fulfillment than getting marks in these crazy exams do. And having to read all this garbage so boring in comparison.

It's like the Arousal Theory of Motivation, you know? It's not challenging enough for you to want to start. At least, the practical things were more challenging than this is.

So studying during the day? Fuh-ged about it.
I try to find my books at 11pm and open them. I try to read them. But EVERYFRICKINTHING ELSE is just so much more interesting.

Staring into space daydreaming: More interesting
Writing entire blogposts in my head: More interesting
Listening to songs Im already sick of: More interesting
Staring at ceiling fan for 45 minutes: More interesting
Even The Ellen Degeneres Show *closes eyes in resignation*: More interesting!

It's come to this.

Now this isnt to say that it wasnt all boring before. It was. Except then, I actually cared a twiddle about doing well.
Before, marks meant a lot to me (I am Iyengari, how could they not?). Before, I was all like Yay I topped second semester, yay! came second in third semester! (or something... who keeps track of these things anyway? I do.)
Before, I'd get a little panicked the day before and start studying at around 11pm. Because I'd want to do well. That made me.

Now I dont particularly want to do well anymore. I have stopped caring. And that particular point my children, is when you know that you have lost all hope.

So now what's happening is this: I manage to kick myself to start (because I am a scooter) by around 11pm. Then all the daydreaming and doing anything else I possibly can other than study happens until 3am. Then I finish everything between 3 and 4 am.
It is just not possible for me to do it any other way.

My sleep cycle's all haywire, so thats a lot of fun.

On an unrelated note, a pesky friend of mine who's come over tonight managed to post on my blog, what was meant to go on one of her own private blogs, and I have been spending the past half an hour scrambling around deleting it. On the bright side, it got me to write this post which is long over due... my blog has been dead for ages... so yay!

Also, I must again mention that several things that have happened have gone undocumented, so upcoming posts will mostly be me reliving the past.
Betchya looking forward to that arent you?
Ta then!

Why Im fraands with my fraands and Other Nonsense

I realise I havent put up fraandship day post this year like I did last time. And since Im feeling particularly mushy, I thought I might write a little one. I must digress a little here to mention how I came across this comic strip called Pearls Before Swine, I think on this blog, but I cant find it now, and that you should read it, and the crocodiles are absolutely laugh-till-your-stomach-cramps hilarious, and I like to talk like them sometimes which is why the next sentence (yes this one will end) is written the way it is:

Whys I be lykin my friendses lot so very:

Snum. Or Shar as we must start calling her or reasons I'd rather not bring to attention, if you know why already, good for you (I guess) and also because this anonymous thing's getting old dude, almost everyone who reads this blog knows who I am anyway.
(I promise, the sentences will get shorter.)
So why Shar? Apart from all the cliche stuff that is obvious (we so get each other!, we have the exact same sense of humour!, she's such a *insert name of item of confectionery here*!), it's because she sends me things like these, every once in a way. :D


I need some Shartrex! :D


Why Oshmunch? Because she buys me beautiful earrings that are just perfect, out of the blue for no reason at all. Because she's one person who gets me and why Im feeling a certain way. And she's one person whom I can talk it out to and feel better almost immediately. Because there is no way in hell I could do without her. Because we're soul sistahs. ;) And whenever I see her I just smile unconsciously. Same with Shar. It's disgusting. Whenever I stay over and wake up in the morning to the insistent beeping of all three of our alarms, Im like smiling unconsciously, the second I get up and see them there. Dude, it's morning. Im as bad tempered as a spanish bull in a bull fighting ring in the mornings, and yet I smile like a gopher. Even in the auto as we make our way toward the hellhole. It's disgusting I tell you. :)


Why Bestest? Because during our loooong conversations, in the middle while we're laughing, she'll say something like: I dont know how someone could really know you and not like you, MM. :) And that will just make my day. Eh, that's just tip of the iceberg. Plus, she sends me letters. Letters, dude.


Why FnA? Because I can fall and be sure that she will catch me. There aint no one in the world who'll look out for me like she does. I can completely pour my heart out to her and vice versa in a way that I cant with anyone else. There's so much history there. Words cannot do it.


Why Archie? Because we meet, and centuries have passed, and it's the same.


Why PS? Because he says "anyhou" s'much. Because he's intelligent, sensible, and let's face it, really funny. (Too Much Mush Alert!) And because he sends me songs (that I dont listen to immediately, but) that get stuck in my head (months afterwards). Ah, and because of the DVDs. Blessed DVDs.


Why Taru? He's so random. I love it! :D He'll just send me a message bang in the middle of the day saying something like: And here's a personalised PJ for you. How much do you measure? Ans: 1MM
And I can message him with something as obscure as "Woof" when Im bored, and he'll message back with something so clever that it's sure to have me rolling on the floor.


Why Jay? Seriously, I have NO idea. Right now Im angry with him because he's shirked off all his assignments, (leaving us to do all the work) and is off enjoying himself on a beach.
Just kidding. Im not angry. Just miffed and bitter. I jest again.
Why Jay? Well, because he's a deer.
A deer capering on a beach where I shoulda been. *pouts*
No, I'll tell you why. It's because 1. he buys me soap, 2. he carries my books, 3. he isnt in charge of anything for the lit seminar.
:) And a host of other things.


Why Im feeling all mushy mushy. Its the hormones, dude. It's ccrrrrazeh out eeya.
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Which reminds me of a funny incident that occured outside GRE class one balmy afternoon. Osh and I were conversing outside (more like crying in relief at the class being over) when this girl walks up to me. Quite a normal thing for a girl to do, you might say? Yes, unless you are walking up to me, and positioning yourself two and a half centimetres away from my face.
I was startled, by this strange behaviour, but intrigued to see what it was all about. Was she going to tell me she had a spatial disorder? Perhaps she was blind, the poor girl. Maybe, maybe the mafia was after her, and she was seeking sanctuary, but had to be discreet about the whole thing by whispering it into my nose.

Her next words took both me and Osh (who was giggling some distance away) by shock.

"Excuse me, is there any swimming pool eeya?"

"A swimming pool eeya?" I say unflinchingly. (Did she mean in my nose?)

"Ha, swimming pool eeya."

"Ha, well no, not that Im aware of."

"No aa?"

"No, aa, perhaps you can ask someone else."

"Ok thanks ya." She smiles at my nose, and positions herself a little farther away, before walking off with her friend.

I breathe again and Osh comes back from behind the tree where she has been quietly giggling to tell me that this sort of thing has happened to her before and she believes that these people are all from a different planet, perhaps several galaxies away.

At least swimming pool girl lifted our moods considerably. Now that we were aware that there were dafter people than us around (seriously, who takes GRE classes? Esp when they eat away your weekends so), we could carry on and be happy again, and laugh and frolic and skip ourselves away from the dastardly class. Tra la la.
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Ooo I must share this picture with you that GS sent me. Hilarious.


Once you've laughed enough at the expression of the boy receiving the vaccine, take a look at his friends behind him. They're all laughing in obvious enjoyment. There's only one fella who looks somewhat concerned, but thats only because he's next in line. :D Quite brightened my day that did.
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I cant believe I havent blogged about the exams AT all this time. So many funny things happened.

I had a tug of war with my paper (the invigilator gave in and let me finish drawing lines.) as Zz and Shar watched in amusement from the window. I know this teacher will give me more marks if my paper looks tidy, and since Ive written utter bullcrap, Im 'na NEED to draw all the lines I can.

They were pretty strict about cheating this time. We heard this one story about a dude who had a cold and brought a handkerchief. He blew vigourously into it and then one of our teachers (who's a dear, but says "Isnt it not" too often for my fancy) decided to investigate, and proceeded to examine very careful, the entire area of the kerchief for hidden cheats.

Shar has blogged about how every time a phone rang the invigilators suddenly became meer-cats. :D

So they all pretty much sucked, esp Literary Theory and Criticism, in which I am going to spectacularly fail with single digits. It's never happened before, so Im quite looking forward to it.
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And I have to share this link A sent me. The guy who took a Polaroid a day.
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This is useful if you want to know about RSS feeds in Plain English.
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This song's stuck in my head. Not the way the Beatles sang it, (that happened a long while ago) but the way this girl's sung it in Across the Universe. I Want To Hold Your Hand.
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Ending on a croc-y note:
Dees bloggy post it haves waaaay too many linkseys in it dood. ____________________________________________________________________

To Ad it All Up/ A Summery II/ Thirty Days of Torture/ Internship at an ad agency

There are two kinds of posts: Those you cant for the LOVE OF GOD think up a title for, and those that you have too many for. This is one of the latter.

Let me just mention before I start this post, that one of the purposes of this blog is for me to have a record of all the things I've done. This is so that I can go over it all when Im 74, force my grandkids to read it at gunpoint, and lament weakly over how I didnt do it all better.
However, over these past few months, it has managed to most magnificently fail this very same purpose. As I have mentioned earlier, huge portions of the summer and the misery that was this June have gone completely undocumented.
So what will follow now, is an attempt to rectify this gross inadequacy, through the means of a few small and easy, albeit sporadic steps.

Beginning with the internship, which happened in April-May. It seems like a hundred years ago. Really.

Best parts:
The work. Frankly, I ended up with quite a big portfolio. Which will come in very useful, I daresay, should I choose to take up media in the future. However, since that looks highly unlikely at the moment, woo hoo.

Hark! Here is an example of the work I did:


They gave us a creative brief, telling us the details of the project. I came up with the idea, copy (that's ad lingo for "the words") and had to search for the image (Shutterstock, how I grew to dislike the sight of your webpage during these thirty days). The layout our Creative Director did. I did come up with several less cliche ideas, but this was the one they said "worked best". So okay. There you go.

Then there was the ad shoot mentioned earlier. (I'll never forget what an absolute doll Oshmunch was then). What the hell. I shall put up the pictures even though they embarrass the hell outta me.















Yes, so there was that.
Then there was the Other MM sitting two cubicles behind me. Thank god for our chats and conversation (which we interspersed with small amounts of work). Dunno how I'd have survived without her there. And Osh amusing me with her Circle incidents. I think I was exceedingly rude, poor chap. Bah, but if you have that thin a skin, I cant help you.

Coming up with ideas, I really liked. That was clearly what I was best at. (I was NOT adept at searching for images, which I'd to do a lot of, and found quite frankly, torturous.)
Ideas, I liked. In fact, I shall gloat a little and paste a little note the boss sent around. :)
(Give me a break, it was like the high point of my internship.)

A note from Shenoy
Dear all of you who gave it their best lines for the Infosys faces campaign,
finally six lines have been shortlisted for presentation to the client. And the only ones that made it to the final list are all three from Madhu, and three from me.

Good show Madhu!

And guys, think about why yours didn't make it through. Maybe you were either too busy/overloaded with regular work or just didn't think things through/persist with it enough. Or both.

yours truly,
The 'i-have-infosys-coming-out-of-

my-ears' face of TG Shenoy

*gloats a little more*

People were nice too, some of em. Liked Artsy and Wildlifebuff the best. Oh my god, Oshmunch and I came up with nick/codenames for all of them, to use in our conversations. :D I cannot remember any of them now. Oh wait, Pedophile! And Egg!

We communicated via gtalk, all of us. Osh and I have had a hundred chats at least in those thirty days. We were sitting what, 15 ft away from each other? :D
Osh: Im borrrrrred as hell... what u doing?
MM: Staring at screen. 11.45 we'll go off for lunch ok?
Osh: Godforsaken office.
MM: Egg alert! Egg Alert! Switch window!

The internship had its several thousand frustrating moments also. I remember coming here and reading the bit I'd written in the April Update... and wanting to literally throw up.
Some of my more mundane jobs included editing a Gormless-Lady-type Word Document to make it presentable to the public for an employee newsletter for this company.
Some of the more delectable excerpts from this word docu describing an office party (please read each word carefully):

Sweets were distributed to sweeten the day.

Finally, all too soon, it was time to leave but we look forward to this wonderful experience again, and you people don’t get envious because for that night we were surely the lucky one.

It damn near killed me. I cannot stand Gormless-Lady-Type English. Especially written Gormless-Lady-Type English. Aaaargh. Almost died that day.

To ad it all up, there was good, there was bad, there was ugly. And here are some pics of the workplace.