Yours casually...

Laughter. Could be the best medicine....but sometimes, ends in stomach aches....and that happens, but rarely. And the times it does happen are not easily forgotten. Well, it so happens, that i got back to college to find that our classroom had been shifted (and that to to the examination cell, how insulting?). We had to 'adjust' in the benches in the vicinity...lol. And 3 days after the exam cell, they shift us to the drawing hall! We classified ourselves as the nomadic tribe of the college...they always do this to biotech don't they? You know there's some bliss in calling our 'group' names...just so that you can bring out the fault of others! I was enjoying that particular sadistic feeling... as a result of this shifting jumble, we weren't sitting how we usually sit...so i got to sit with this friend of mine who usually doesn't sit with me...Do you have any friends who you particularly crack up with? Just lose it totally...and laugh for every word that's spoken? Thats what happens to us...we're just like a pair of drunken idiots. Everything's just so funny.... anyway, the 2nd aspect of this post...a lecturer. He's really the butt of many jokes in class...with an oily head, funny characteristics and a marriage coming up...aah. And he's supposedly such a 'blade'...we call him 'axe' effect...obv, not literally! But hell....

Our lecturer....was teaching (apparently) us a particularly difficult derivation today...his first piece of 'advise' to us was that we think 'casually' and not in a complicated manner...we must look at the equations in a casual way... thats it. He gave us enough entertainment for the day...we laughed like hell. Everything we talked about was 'casual'.
Q:"Hey how did he get the next eqn?"
A:" just casually man, cant u see?"

1:" you know she was talking to that guy..."
2: "Just casually talkin eh? ;-)"
1: "Divya, am goin to kill u now, stop it! "

1:hits shoulder
2: "wat the hell sukku?"
1: "just casually man...!"

Oh man.... there's so much more, but i cant go on. hence, i post a small extract of a convo i had with the friend i so wholesomely crack up with. A casual conversation...


Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
enna pic adhu

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
padipps

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
book la irruku

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
was taken during exams...casually excuse the the 'things' infront of me that so casually insult u...

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
yaa i ll try 2 casually ignore dem but dey r casually jus 2 obvious casual pal

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
casual's the word of the day....din u notice the casual mobile, or the casual haristyle? why only the casually insulting books!

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
had 2 pal

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
that is casually d most obvio

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
n annoyng 4 me

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
haiyo...can we casually let go of this book matter? i'll change the pic for u if u want!

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
i thnk saturn's casual coming close 2 d earth has really affected us more dan casually

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
wait u keep d pic i ll drop dat wrd

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
now no more

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
lets see ma'am....casual's not goin to leave us casually alone today!!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
got casually disconnected again?!

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
yup man

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
drop d wrd is nt it getng on ur nerves

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
your casual nerves?

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
divaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
ok chill....

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
dropping...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
come on, itsd a tribute to ams n dhanu and gibbs eqn!!!

(ams - our lecturer, dhanu - his fiancee, gibbs eqn - wat he was teaching today)

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
droppings yuck wait il l get n umbrella 2 protect myself i always knw u wer a crow

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
casual crow


I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
oh my...!!

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
complettttttttly

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
gone case

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
all bcos of ams's fav wrd

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
dammm

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
casual gone case...casuality case...lol

Opportunity is either 'NOW HERE' or 'NO WHERE' says:
divvvvva agenrtssssssssssssssssss

I just wanted this whole CASUAL fiasco to be mentioned somewhere...it has to be remembered! I laughed...till there were tears in my eyes...and got such a bad stomach ache...damn, it was fun. Its the only thing that makes college worth it...LAUGHING. i keep telling my friends that whether i get an engineering certificate or not, i will definitely get a 'best laughing candidate' certificate...lol

Thankyou all for casually spending some time to read this casually irritating post that i needn't have posted...but it holds some casually great importance in my life.... i hope i dont get beaten by one of u...and end up in the casuality ward....God save casual me!!

"Vaai vittu sirithaal, noi vittu pogum!"

Yours casually...
Signing off....

'Somethings'

5 important lessons to learn from the humble pencil

1st, It tells you that everything you do always leaves a mark.
2nd, you can correct the mistakes you make.
3rd, what is important is what is inside you, and not outside you.
4th, In life, you'll undergo painful sharpenings which will make you better in what you do.
Lastly, to be the best you can be, you must allow yourself to be held and guided by the hand that holds you.
- sms fwd (shruti, thanks for sending it to me)


"When I was a little girl, I asked my mother why we write God with a capital G. She replied saying its because what He does is a product of what He thinks, He does what he wishes to do and has the freedom to do so. Later, when I grew up I realised that I write 'I' with a capital I."
- The ending of a speech given by a friend

Everything is mysterious-Even the shade of the tree moving with the sunis so mysterious, so poetic.An ordinary flower is so mysteriousbecause the whole life is expressed through it.A breeze blowing in the tree and creating rhythmic sounds,echoes in the valley, reflections in the water...Remember this, your happines will be in the same proportion of your mystery...less mystery, less happiness, more mystery, more happiness.
- Osho


Doesn't that say something?

btw, Happy republic day! Atleast they had the decency to give us a holiday....bloody college.

Signing off....

A series of Hilariously unfortunate events!

This post, is to illustrate an incident that was quite unfortunate, but very hilarious. To make matters easier for me, i'm posting the conversation i had with tsb on this small incident.

I'm older than i once was.... = divya
tsb = tsb


iI am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i'll narrate fast then

tsb- says:
ok

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
one sec

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
It so happens...that my b'day fell on a week day...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
andmy cousin's mom is doing some pooja for him, so he cant eat out on fridays...

tsb- says:
ok...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
my grandmom wanted us to go out for dinner....but we couldn't go

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
so we shifted the dinner to sunday

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
being oday

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
the next thing...was where to go

tsb- says:
ok

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
we din decide till evening

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
we thot last min plannin will work out..so we ditched deciding.

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
the whole day went on lazy....

tsb- says:
deciding a place is so tough?

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
thats the point....for me, decision makin is tough!

tsb- says:
lol

tsb- says:
so then...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
then at abt7.00.... we were all watching tv....full family n all

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and some guests came in..

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
my cousin's relatives

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
they came to see my thatha who had an accident abt 10 days back

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
so i was having the whole teeth show....full time smiling

tsb- says:
ah...

tsb- says:
i called my thatha yday. random story.

tsb- says:
continue...
I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
ok cool

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
yeah

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
then these people were there....n one uncle came from the flat, downstairs

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
more teeth show

tsb- says:
you love showing those braces dont you?

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
then my aunt and uncle came

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i dont love doing it, am forced to!!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
our hse was swarming with guests....

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and trhey were talkin abt old times

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
so finally, they left at 8.30

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
it was late...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i din feel like goin out...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
so we decided to order pizzas...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and we called the guys

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
but no one picke dup!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
we kept trying.....

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and the idiots just din pick up

tsb- says:
which pizza place?

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
pizza hut

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and we din want any other pizza place...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
then i told my cousinm that we should go out, uz they're not pickin up

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
he got angryu

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and he was like... no need. u go cook. i'll go buy maggi

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and i really din want to face his wrath....so i said 'ok fine' like a good dirl

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
*girl

tsb- says:
maggi as a bday dinner?

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
he went to the shop... to buy. came back without buying cuz he din ahve money!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
yeah!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
he was more mad

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
lol....

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
then he took the money n went

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
n they had only the jumbo size!! 6 maggid inside one! lol

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
he obught it anyway!

tsb- says:
lol...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
by that time, i had chopped allthe onions, capsicum etc...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
he came home, and his aunt called. she left her bag here!!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and she wanted him to bring it to nandanam signal

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and hell, both of us were so hungry!

tsb- says:
lol...

tsb- says:
you peoples are as forgetful as me

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
a hungry man is an angry man...!! he got so mad! but he din shout

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
indeed we are!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
so he went

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and i rushed with the maggi so that it'll be ready by the time he comes!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
we start....and the kadai adi puduchufies!

tsb- says:
...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i transfer contents to another kadai

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and make really fast....so fast kalarifying that my hand aches

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and then he gets back....and it s in the process of getting done

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
its done....and i get 2 plates n place everything on the table n alll

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
we're just going to start eating, and his mom comes online with some big story

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
we dont start eating afterall

tsb- says:
lol...

tsb- says:
you could ahve eaten it

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
now, we're damn hungry, but we're not talking cuz he is s'posedly mad at me....but me, i'm just amused

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
no, i din want to eat before him!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
so i go to read the paper...yeah, at 9.30 in the nite

tsb- says:
he's mad at you and you still want to be decent?

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
then he's done, but he doesnt want to call me, so hez just sitting at the table

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
yeah.... if both of us are mad, it'll become ugly!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i realise he's waiting....so i go n sit

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
n we both start eating....

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i dont look up from my plate...and he says 'nimundu sappidalaam'...and i look up n laugh...n he gets mad!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and then he says 'vittudu divya, nalliku pesikalaam'

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and i say that i hadnt said anything!

tsb- says:
damn...thats becoming like a husband-wife fight

tsb- says:
so continue...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and then i get a small lecture on how am s'posed to be open with him and express myself....lol. Its just dinner for chirssake...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
husband-wife aah? now way...hehe

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i felt like telling him that its things like hese that we'll rmbr later in life, so he shud just shrug it off n laugh at the confusion!

tsb- says:
ah...Always Philosophical Divya

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
anyway, am stil laughin abt it..n hez asleep, with his door closed!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
so....it was maggi to the rescue~

tsb- says:
and he finished his maggi?

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
yeah he finished wat was on his plate....but din eat his share that was remaining in the kadai...

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
i ate my full share!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
and he din even say a thanx or anything! how rude na! i cooked with all my hunger...!!!!!

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
btw, there's a punch line....

am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
that am not goin to tell u

I am older than i once was, younger than i'll be....thats not unusual... says:
u shud check the blog for it!

tsb- says:
lol...fine

Well....if u're wondering abt the punch line....its nothing much. My cousin just said 'damn i pity your boyfriend in the future, if he wants to take you out and asks you where, what'll you do?" and I, with all grace and simplicity said " don't worry, i'll cook him dinner!"

Point to be noted - my cousin said that much before he told me to cook. Before we decided to have pizzas....lol.

The funny thing is that, the whole time when all the confusion was going on, i was only thinking abt how nice it'd be to post on! damn....

Signing off....

A Surprise

"I am older than I once was, Younger than i'll be, Thats not unusual.
After changes upon changes we are more or less the same."

The line above is from a music piece,'The Boxer' by Simon and Garfunkel. Nice song...Nice line.
I didn't want to post on the day of the year which happens to remind people around me, and myself, that around 19 years back, a puny little thing made a grand entrance into the big bad world, yelling its lungs out...but well, a few people have made it impossible for me to ignore the day and consider it normal. Hence unfold a series of (for a change) very fortunate, and surprising events (actually, just 1 event).

Maybe i shouldn't describe the whole thing...it'll definitely bore you. Thus i shall give you the crux. I share birthdays with this other girl in my 'gang'. We were supposed to give her 2 gifts which were apparently very 'fragile'. Well, so my friends (the ones apart from the one who shares my birthday) told me to take her gifts home and bring them very carefully on the following day. I took extra care. When i put those gifts in my bag the previous night, i wrapped the 2 wrapped gifts in my labcoat and made an effort to place my bag very softly on the floor of my room. And then, i got a call at 12.00...and was wished...and was asked whether i handled the gifts carefully. Well, hell yes i did! Did u call to wish me or to ask about the gifts that are supposedly not mine? Then i was instructed to open my bag...and unwrap the gifts!! They were mine! To open at 12! I couldn't believe it...and i talked to my friend who i share birthdays with, and she was told to take my gifts home! And we were both laughing...like hell. It was a great feeling...the contents of the gifts i have been told strictly not to reveal. But hell, i must say this!One of them was a cd...something very nice. My friend had made a video for me (which featured her)...with the song 'yaaron' in the background. It was just wow. You know these gifts where-in more time is spent than money...they rock. I ended up smiling for a very long time...like it was all unreal...wondering if i actually deserved that...thinking it was the perfect way for a birthday to start. The day was normal. Nothing after that in college. I got back home, and ananya n nidhee came home with my fave 'chocolate excess' cake from barista...it was lovely. Everyone
had to be so sweet................

So this is a big 'THANKYOU FOR MAKING MY DAY' to Sandhya first and foremost. Sand, that was one hell of a surprise and its one of the most lovely gifts i have receieved, ever! Then Rekha...who was also a part of that great planning committee!! And nidhee and nanya....thanx so much! Love you all....And all of you who called/mailed/messaged/anythinged. tsb who mailed me a day early and blamed it on the time zones...nil, nik,caulagi,lav, nit,shrut and anybody else i
missed. Thanx so much! You made my day and u're the reason i'm posting!

Wasnt planning to post...but hell, such an event in my otherwise un-eventful, mundane life needs a mention!

Signing off....

2 very different things

I do believe this is going to be my last post from Kenya...the land of utter beauty (according to me!) Today happens to be Pongal...i woke up really early in the morning and surprised my parents...said tata to my dad who left for work, and promptly went back to bed! Since today is, like i already said, the festival of Pongal...that gives students in chennai so much pleasure because of the string of days together that are decalred off, i would like to state one of my observations on the 'dish' pongal that one of our fellow bloggers here relishes so much ;-).

I've been eating alot of pongal off-late. And i love the taste. Be it my mom's, my grandmom's or the neighbour-next-door's. But i cannot stand the so called pongal that we get for breakfast in college. That, my friends, is a disgusting mass of white blob that can hardly draw any possible similarity in taste to the real stuff. However, we are forced to believe that it is what it is due to the appearance. Pushing that aside and coming to the point, I have come to realise that of all pongals across the globe, the taste of the pongals that we get as 'prasadam' in temples have the best effect on the tongue. They have extravagant amounts of ghee and salt and...cashewnuts which appeal no end to the taste buds. And while eating God's prasadam, we do not think of side effects, or of diets (this is for people like my dad who are very stringent on salt and oil...or people who want to watch the lateral growth of their bodies), it is God's food and hence, is neither questioned, nor wasted. Isn't that lovely? Hence i conclude that the best 'pongals' in the world come from the sastrigal's(poojari)kitchen...and thus, from temples. Mouth watering? ;-)

Next i would like to post about an incident that happened yesterday in the late hours of the evening, in a third floor balcony, with the full moon and the strong breeze as witnesses of the act. I have heard people say that 'holidays do crazy things to people'.But i beleieve that 'power-cuts do crazy things to people'. It is a little queer that i happened to believe both phrases simulataneously yesterday and that's only because i am on a holiday and...yes, there was a power cut. We were to dine with our neighbours who live on the top floor of the building where-in we live in the ground floor. The lights went off after a while, and the room was bathed in the subtle-ness of candle light...i love candle light. There was a stronger light outside, though the country seemed drowned in darkeness. The harsh silver of a moon in all its full-ness. Harsh enough to cast definite shadows of trees, and of 2 people sitting on plastic chairs, blankets wrapped around them, sheltering themselves from the chill. One of them, is the person who is typing this post (quite obviously i suppose) and the other, a girl, a tender age of 10, who claims a reference in one of my previous posts. No sound seemed to reach the ears except that of the whistling wind. Nothing seemed visible to the eyes but the moon moving in and out of the clouds. Then she spoke...and i listened for a while. Then, realisation dawned upon us that we'd both learned the song 'Heal the World' (by Micheal Jackson) in school, taught by the same teacher. Just that she learnt it many many years after i learnt it. All the same, we both knew it. And she said "Lets sing the song, and when we're singing the chorus, the moon will come out". And so we sang...it may have sounded like a tune to object to, but to us, it was music...it was a conspiracy to get the moon to come out. And by some force of nature listening to the both of us, the moon revealed itself when we reached the chorus. And we both laughed...laughter sounded like music...everything did. And she said 'I feel like crying, that was so beautiful'. Indeed it was beautiful. Anything we said after that, or before that may be of no consequence. But it was said all the same...and it left something etched in my memory. A memory of yellow light inside, and silver light outside...a wonderful evening when nothing seemed to matter but the lady of the night throwing silver rays into darkness. A night when eyes watched an embodiment on sweet innocence fall asleep under the brown balnket of warmth.

Life is Beautiful...

Signing off...

It is Blessed to believe...not to understand

For some reason, i have never written posts on any specific book, or movie. Not like i have anything against doing that, but people's tastes in books and movies differ alot. And i would hate anyone to create an opinion about myself based on what kind of books i read or what kind of movies i like...But hey, thats not the reason i haven't written about them! Maybe nothing's affected/influenced me so much before. But one book i read recently, and a movie i watched hit hard. Real hard. Neither of them have anything too great in them, infact, the movie was a little exaggerated, but there were some parts that struck a chord...

" The people had come to witness a sensational case, to see celebrities, to get material for conversation, to be seen, to kill time. They would return to unwanted jobs, unloved families, unchosen friends, to drawing rooms, evening clothes, cocktail glasses and movies, to unadmitted pain, murdered hope, desire left unreached, left hanging silently over a path on which no step was taken. But each of them had known some unforgotten moment - a morning when nothing had happened, a piece of music heard suddenly and never heard in the same way again, a stranger's face in the bus - a moment when each had known a different sense of living. And each remembered other moments, on a sleepless night, on an afternoon of steady rain, in a church, in an empty street at sunset, when each had wondered why there was so much suffering and ugliness in the world. They had not tried to find an answer and had gone on living as if no answer were necessary. But each had known a moment when, in lonely, naked honesty, he/she had felt the need of an answer."

That...was an extract from the book i was talking about. Long back, i read something that said 'Sometimes, the greatest wars are won by losing in such a way that losing became a form of winning'. I may apply the quote to this book. I hate the book. I loath the tone of mockery that couldn't be truer. I don't know why, but this book was synonymous to 'torture' for me...not typical torture, but a compulsive torture, the sort that you want to go thro because its worth it...the hatred was positive. I would never call that book my favourite, but the book that has influenced me most...the most disturbing book i've read till date. A piece of fiction that brings out the truth of wasted reality, possibly better than a piece of non-fiction. The book makes all right seem wrong, makes a strong mind feel weak. There were times when i just felt like yelling and chucking the book out of the window. There was too much self-less-ness or selfish-ness. It was madness. I think i'm driving you crazy by not mentioning the name of the book. Its called 'The Fountainhead' By Ayn Rand. And if you're doing architecture you'll love it more. Brilliant characterisation...heights of originality.

The movie...i can't praise. It was exaggerated, but all the same, touching. Maybe dealing with social issues like HIV have become common-place in the hindi movie industry...This movie 'My brother Nikhil' scored because of its cast, and the music. There was just one song, but sung by 3 different people...n it kept coming at different places in the movie. And the music would convey the feeling exactly meant to be conveyed, which couldn't have been done by dialogue. Gives that 'warm' feeling. And definitely helps your tear glands relieve the extras...One thing is that this movie did not potray homosexuality as something that viewers would object to...it seemed perfectly normal, and alright to be that way. Its 2 thumbs up to Juhi Chawla, Purab Kohli and Sanjay Suri.

I guess that's about it. If any of you have seen the movie/read the book and have different opinions, kindly post it in the comments section. Or if any book/movie has had some kind of impact on you, feel free to tell us.

HAPPY PONGAL!

Signing off...

Tina and some things that are unforgettable

I don't know why i'm writing this post. I'm not even jobless. And i had told myself that i wasn't going to post for sometime... but i hate it when blogs are dead, even though thats temporary. Anyway... this post is quite personal.

Anyone who saw the album i'd sent through yahoo photos would have noticed this kid...called Tina. Shez there in most of the pics. I've seen her since she was 6months old...wow. Now... she's 11 i think. This usually happens with siblings...but she's not my sibling. Yet, there's something about her. When i talk to her, i become her age. And her parents and mine were making fun of us... about her thinking i'm her age, and me behaving that way... but there's some pleasure... in making her juice when she comes from school... or frying her samosas...playing pillow fight with her...and watching some kid movie called 'cat in the hat' which she insists rocks...LOL. Its funny...never felt like spending time with any kid ever before...I watched harry potter with her today (my 3rd time, her 1st). Just both of us and one huge bucket of popcorn in an empty theatre... it was wow. I don't even know why i'm saying this. And this...is the the first post i'm writing with reference to a person. Damn.

Another thing... my mom left chennai on august 30th,2005. And...her birthday's on 1st sept. I wanted to do something desperately... i bought her a saree (dragging nidhee along), wrapped it...waited for her to sleep. And then, opened her suticase...and slipped it in. She was to leave the following morning. There's some excitement in doing such things you know...secretly. I smiled like hell when she told me how surprised she was and how she was dying to open it ( i told her she couldn't open it till 1st n she actually stuck to that!) When i reached here,i was pushing my trolley and i saw her. I didn't see her face...i saw the saree she was wearing. It was the one i'd given her. Even though i'd expected it...i still couldn't believe she wore it... and i couldn't stop smiling for a very long time. Mothers i tell you...No, i cant tell you. Describing with words would be impossible...would be injustice...and would make me go hay wire. Hence, i stop.
Thus... to the 2 people in nairobi i dedicate this post to...or is it the 2 people in my life? To Tina... and to my mom. God bless you...

Signing off...

Lost

Too many things to express. I hope i don't do it all in this post...it will make a really bad mix of things. Will confuse too many things...yet, i have neither the patience, nor the will to take up each thing in a different post. Its not like i don't have time...hell, i'm on a holiday. But its been 3 days since i touched the comp...something that so doesn't happen when i'm quite joblessly sitting at home, or rather, some place i once called home.

Maybe i'll start with today... My parents and I were heading towards the temple. A place that is visited atleast once a week by the people of this house, and this means they must be familair with the route.But mydad took a wrong turning. And the series of events that unfolded after that made me laugh no end! We were lost. Totally. And my dad was askin everyone who was walkin on the road for directions...n we seemed to be going in circles and returning to the same place! It was really funny to hear my parents blame each other,quarrel.and to hear my father swear so sincerely in tamil at how these people were so dumb and how it was the last time he would ever ask them for directions! But in this whole confusion, something else happened. I was looking at a part of the city that i'd never laid eyes on before...and it was utter beauty. I don't even know why this country is said to be un-developed or rather, 'developing'. Nothing that meets the eye will support that...lovely houses, lush greenery, huge malls, and the most hospitable people i've ever met. And i was the only one in the car enjoying this...and laughing. It was truly a very comforting sight...something that makes the mind relax...think...and smile.

I didn't post about the new year safari. i really didn't want to bore the hell out of you. But that doesn't mean that i didn't enjoy it. Trips like those are seldom forgotten. I'll send you guys the photos asap. I did tell you that i was going to a place where they wake people up with buzzers through the night as and when animals come to drink at the salt lake. Our luck, there wasn't a single buzzer. Not many animals...but this place hasviewing galleries made of glass,allows you to view the lake. And it also has one open gallery...I was there, alone, for quite sometime. It was chill, and drizzling...a very starry sky...and an elephant, few hyenas, loads of buffaloes, deers and birds to stare at...starry skies always turn me on. There's something about them...don't know why i love staring at constellations...and talking to stars. Don't know if thats good or bad. Anyway, there are a million things we don't know, so i'd rather not ponder over small stuff. I had gone with a gang that preferred sleeping in the cold...they were all in bed before 10, and i just couldn't do that. I sat in one of the galleries (closed)...was looking through the glass at the lake. And thats when i felt like talking to somebody. Wished like hell that one of u people could just appear before me...or my bro or cousin...someone. Its the kind of place where you should go with the right company...you'll enjoy it more. I swear someday, i'm taking you guys there... if not all, atleast a few. Atleast one. For me, it was music that saved the day...sat there, listening...for a very long time. And then i gave up, and went to bed. We had great food, and the place rocked. And we're beyond going for safaris to see the animals, done too much of that...hence, had a great time.

I Love the colour green...love what i see around this place. There's this road here which has jacaranda trees (trees that get covered with small purple flowers...that usually drop to the ground and form a carpet on the roads) on either side. Its lovely. I guess some things, we don't notice till they mean something to us. Maybe in the past 4 years (since my last trip) or 6 years ( since i last lived here) things have happened that make me notice a few things...i never appreciated all this before. Funny...i know it sounds silly to say maybe i've 'grown'...but maybe that is true. I just feel like getting lost...in what i see. You know, there are times when we all just sit blank, with nothing at all running through our heads...just staring, in awe, in wonder, in gratitude, in nothingness, or in complete-ness. Thats how it feels. But when I do realise that i want to get lost there...feel like i'm already lost, in a nowhere. In an empty void...or in an abyss. Lots of useless nothing. Still, i feel like i'm staring at a dream...looking at a dream...its unbelievable. Its breath-taking. There's too much life...too much to handle, with nothing to handle. Its difficult sometimes when everything falls into place...you always feel like there's something wrong when things happen perfectly. I don't think i could pull this longer. You'll think i'm off my rocker, if you don't already think so.

Have to mention this...how much ever i enjoy this place, or any other place...chennai's always home. Don't get that sort of freedom anywhere...and, its more the atmosphere...who cares abt other things? Thats where life is now...thats where the music is...the heart is. Damn chennai...

The trees, the stars and the blue hills ache with a pain that can never be uttered in words.
- Rabindranath Tagore.


Signing off...